Ryan faces outrage for ousting chaplain
Speaker won’t comment; critics suspect politics
U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan is facing questions — and outrage — after ousting his chamber’s chaplain.
Lawmakers on Friday urged Ryan to explain why he called for the resignation of the Rev. Patrick Conroy, a Jesuit priest who has been House chaplain since 2011.
“This is something you’d expect from @realDonaldTrump, not the Speaker of the House,” U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, a Madison Democrat, tweeted. “Then again, @SpeakerRyan has acted like a junior @WhiteHouse staffer since January 2017.”
Conroy led politicians in prayer last year following a shooting at a congressional baseball practice, an incident that gravely wounded Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La. The year before, he consoled mourners during a vigil after a mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Florida.
But more recently, he reportedly upset Ryan — a conservative Catholic — with his prayer on the House floor in November when lawmakers were debating the Republican tax overhaul.
“May all members be mindful that the institutions and structures of our great nation guarantee the opportunities that have allowed some to achieve great success, while others continue to struggle,” he prayed. “May their efforts these days guarantee that there are not winners and losers under new tax laws, but benefits balanced and shared by all Americans.”
Conroy told The New York Times that the following week, a staffer from Ryan’s office told him they were upset with the prayer and warned him he was getting too political.
Conroy said Ryan later told him, “Padre, you just got to stay out of politics,” according to the report.
Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong would not reveal the speaker’s reasons for forcing Conroy out.
“The speaker consulted with the minority leader (Rep. Nancy Pelosi), but the decision was his. He remains grateful for Father Conroy’s service,” Strong said in an email.
Conroy insisted he wasn’t trying to be political.
“That is what I have tried to do for seven years,” Conroy told the Times. “It doesn’t sound political to me.”
The move to force Conroy out has drawn questions and criticism from both sides of the aisle.
Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., has asked to Ryan explain the move.
“The sensitive nature of this situation requires a description of the process followed to arrive at the decision and a justification for that decision,” Connolly wrote.
Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., told NBC News he also disagreed with the move.
“It is just a sad commentary on America in the House that is supposed to be the House of the People — if we won’t protect freedom of speech, a prayer here, then where are we going to protect it?” Jones asked.