How Nancy Pelosi became one of America's richest and most powerful politicians

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• Nancy Pelosi rose through the ranks of Congress to eventually become the first female House speaker.
• It was a monumental achievement for the California lawmaker and native daughter of Baltimore.
• And in many ways it was fueled by her early political instincts and her role as a full-time mother.

In many ways, Nancy Pelosi's political ascent was no surprise.

Decades before Pelosi become the first female House speaker in US history...