Former Speaker Paul Ryan’s official portrait unveiled at Capitol
Reese Gorman
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The official portrait of former House Speaker Paul Ryan was unveiled at the Capitol on Wednesday in a ceremony attended by almost every living speaker.
The guest list included former Speakers Newt Gingrich, John Boehner, and Nancy Pelosi, as well as current Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The only living speaker not in attendance was the disgraced Dennis Hastert, who was convicted of sexual abuse of minors.
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Then Wisconsin’s Republican representative, Ryan, who held the gavel from 2015 to 2019, thanked his family and staff, in addition to fellow members of leadership during his time as speaker, including Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), lauding their willingness to debate the issues without getting personal.
“It is so important to the American public … with all this polarization, we can never lose sight that as members of Congress, as leaders of Congress, we serve the greater good. We serve our constituents,” Ryan said.
McCarthy referred to Ryan, with whom he co-authored a book, as a “dear friend” and said he should be considered a role model for all members serving in Congress.
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“I didn’t think his character could get stronger, but it did,” McCarthy said, “his charity and his integrity as well. And when people asked me who they should look to and who they should have as a mentor, I said Paul Ryan.”
The artist for Ryan’s portrait was Leslie Bowman, who had also done Ryan’s previous portraits.