Napolitano: Nancy Pelosi’s Comments About 14th Amendment 'Betray an Ignorance of the Constitution'

During an appearance on CBS’ ‘Face the Nation,’ House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi suggested that President Obama use the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling and dodge a legislative showdown.

She said, “If I were president, I would use the 14th Amendment, which says that the debt of the United States will always be paid.”

Judge Napolitano targeted Pelosi’s interpretation of the amendment, saying, “Mrs. Pelosi has essentially taken a small phrase in the 14th Amendment and extrapolated it well beyond its original meaning or even any common sense.”

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The judge says that the intention of the phrase in the amendment dates back to the Civil War and in reality was meant to indicate that the federal debt couldn’t be questioned by the newly returning Southern states.

“She took that phrase ‘that debt of the United States shall not be questioned’ and somehow claims that that authorizes the president to borrow money on his own.”

According to the judge, Pelosi’s comment “betrays an ignorance of the meaning and purpose of the Constitution.”