Pelosi: Thomas Jefferson Learned About Separation of Powers in Italy

EXCERPT:

PELOSI: “When Thomas Jefferson visited Venice, and visited the doge and saw the separation of power, that was an inspiration for him for the separation of power in the Constitution of the United States, which is the genius of our Constitution, the separation of power, checks and balances. So today as an Italian-American, I take pride in Thomas Jefferson's -- it's the story they told me, it's the story I'm sticking with -- Thomas Jefferson learned this in Italy, and it became the genius of our Constitution.”