McCarthy blocks Schiff, Swalwell from House Intelligence Committee in alleged political retribution.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has blocked Reps. Adam B. Schiff and Eric Swalwell from serving on the House Intelligence Committee, citing Schiff’s work on the first impeachment investigation of President Donald Trump and Swalwell’s alleged ties to a Chinese intelligence operative. The decision was made despite Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ (D-N.Y.) recommendation that the two California Democrats be reappointed to the panel.
McCarthy has argued that both Schiff and Swalwell are unfit to serve on the committee, and he has the final say over who sits on the Intelligence panel. He has also declined to answer questions about whether he will try to keep Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) from serving on the Foreign Affairs committee.
In response to McCarthy’s decision, Schiff, Omar and Swalwell released a joint statement accusing the Speaker of “undermining the integrity of the Congress, and harming our national security in the process.” They claimed that McCarthy had struck a “corrupt bargain” with the far-right flank of his party in order to win the speakership, and that his decision was motivated by “political vengeance.”
McCarthy has defended his decision, arguing that it is not based on politics and that the Intelligence Committee has a responsibility to national security. He has also claimed that, under Democratic control, the panel has “undermined its primary national security and oversight missions ultimately leaving our nation less safe.”
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s decision to block Reps. Adam B. Schiff and Eric Swalwell from serving on the House Intelligence Committee has caused controversy in Congress. The Speaker has argued that both Schiff and Swalwell are unfit to serve on the committee, citing Schiff’s work on the first impeachment investigation of President Donald Trump and Swalwell’s alleged ties to a Chinese intelligence operative. While McCarthy has the final say over who sits on the Intelligence panel, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) had recommended the two California Democrats be reappointed to the panel.
Schiff, Omar and Swalwell have accused McCarthy of “undermining the integrity of the Congress, and harming our national security in the process” and claimed that he had struck a “corrupt bargain” with the far-right flank of his party in order to win the speakership. McCarthy has defended his decision, arguing that it is not based on politics and that the Intelligence Committee has a responsibility to national security.
The decision has also been compared to the removal of Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Paul A. Gosar (R-Ariz.) from their committee assignments by a bipartisan vote of the House in the last Congress. Greene had previously voiced approval of violence against prominent Democrats, and Gosar had posted an animated video on social media that depicted the killing of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). However, Jeffries has argued that this does not serve as precedent or justification for the removal of Schiff and Swalwell, as they have never exhibited violent thoughts or behavior.
The decision by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to block Reps. Adam B. Schiff and Eric Swalwell from serving on the House Intelligence Committee has caused controversy in Congress. While McCarthy has argued that both Schiff and Swalwell are unfit to serve on the committee, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) had recommended the two California Democrats be reappointed to the panel. Schiff, Omar and Swalwell have accused McCarthy of “undermining the integrity of the Congress, and harming our national security in the process” and claimed that he had struck a “corrupt bargain” with the far-right flank of his party in order to win the speakership. McCarthy, however, has defended his decision, arguing that it is not based on politics and that the Intelligence Committee has a responsibility to national security. The decision has been compared to the removal of Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Paul A. Gosar (R-Ariz.) from their committee assignments, but Jeffries has argued that this does not serve as precedent or justification for the removal of Schiff and Swalwell.
It is clear that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s decision to block Reps. Adam B. Schiff and Eric Swalwell from serving on the House Intelligence Committee has caused a great deal of controversy. While McCarthy has argued that both Schiff and Swalwell are unfit to serve on the committee, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) had recommended the two California Democrats be reappointed to the panel. Schiff, Omar and Swalwell have accused McCarthy of “undermining the integrity of the Congress, and harming our national security in the process” and claimed that he had struck a “corrupt bargain” with the far-right flank of his party in order to win the speakership. McCarthy, however, has defended his decision, arguing that it is not based on politics and that the Intelligence Committee has a responsibility to national security. This decision has sparked a debate over whether McCarthy’s decision is motivated by partisan politics or is in the best interest of national security.
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