House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy made clear Friday that no deal was made to give Rep. Steve King his committee seats back.
King, an Iowa Republican, was ejected from his congressional committees early last year after he reportedly made remarks that seemed sympathetic to white supremacy in an interview with the New York Times. On Tuesday, King claimed he and McCarthy agreed he could eventually go back to his committee assignments if he wins his primary on June 2.
However, McCarthy told reporters otherwise.
“Congressman King’s comments cannot be exonerated. Committee assignments are decided by the Steering Committee. And he’ll have the opportunity to make his case talking to members on the Steering Committee,” McCarthy, a California Republican, told reporters at his weekly press conference. “I think he’d get the same answer that he got before.”
McCarthy would not say if he plans on supporting King’s fall reelection bid if he wins his primary.
“People have the determination to decide who they want to vote for,” McCarthy said.
When asked if Republican leadership will keep him off his committees indefinitely, he responded, “If he wins reelection, he has the right to go to the Steering Committee, and the Steering Committee will take up the committee assignments, just like every single [GOP] member.”
King currently holds a narrow lead over his lead Republican primary challenger, state Sen. Randy Feenstra.
