Vandals vented their ire on the homes of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell days after the House failed to approve a measure to increase pandemic stimulus checks to $2,000, NBC and other news sources reported Sunday.
Vandals left a pig's head and fake blood in front of the garage of Pelosi's house in San Francisco Friday morning. A message sprayed on the door of her Pacific Heights garage demanded $2,000, apparently in reference to COVID stimulus checks. ″$2K. Cancel Rent. We want everything," the black graffiti read.
Photos captured showed the words "WERES MY MONEY" spray-painted in white on McConnell's Louisville, Kentucky, home's front door. "MITCH KILLS THE POOR" was written in red on a window.
The vandalism comes after McConnell put to an end to a proposition for $2,000 direct cash compensation to American families who are eligible, a notion backed by outgoing President Donald Trump, 44 Congress Republicans, and several Senate Republicans.
McConnell has been against measures to increase the checks, insisting numerous times the amount is "simply not the right approach" and supporting an argument that much the stimulus is "socialism for rich people." The GOP leader said Congress had already given Americans enough financial assistance during the pandemic.
Police spokesperson Dwight Mitchell said the vandalism took place around 5 a.m. Saturday, and there was "minor damage" on the houses. Authorities have no suspects.
Kennerley, a guard with a private security company, said the vandalism is not the first time such an attack took place outside of Pelosi's home. "Last time they hung hairdryers and stuff on the trees," he said.
"There are a lot of unresolved issues and I don't think this is a useful way to go about it and a terrible start to this New Year," ABC 7 quoted Audrey Carlson, who has resided in the neighborhood for 38 years, as saying.
McConnell said he and his wife were not intimidated, but they hope the neighbors are not "too inconvenienced by this radical tantrum." The Louisville police did not immediately return a request for comment.
Last week, House legislators passed a roughly $900 billion pandemic aid, including $600 checks, after a prolonged standoff between Republicans and Democrats.
Americans were first given $1,200 as part of a coronavirus relief package at the start of the crisis. Trump last month made a push for legislators to increase the checks to $2,000, which Democrats then brought to a vote before the stimulus was blocked by McConnell.
