The three House Democrats Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) vowed to boot from committee assignments will hold a press conference Wednesday after the speaker removed the first two off the Intelligence Committee.
Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA), the two lawmakers McCarthy refused to allow on the panel, will speak to the press at 11:45 a.m. with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), who is expected to be barred from the Foreign Affairs Committee. They accused McCarthy of subjecting them to a “partisan political stunt.”
EVICTION NOTICE: WHY TRIO OF CONTROVERSIAL DEMS ARE BEING BOOTED
McCarthy barred Swalwell and Schiff from the Intelligence Committee on Tuesday night, telling reporters it was due to security concerns about Swalwell’s past relationship with an alleged Chinese spy and Schiff pushing the narrative that former President Donald Trump colluded with Russia in the 2016 election.
“The Intel committee is different — you know why? Because what happens in the Intel Committee, you don’t know. What happens in the Intel Committee, all the secrets that are going on in the world, other members of Congress don’t know. What did Adam Schiff do as chairman of the Intel Committee? What Adam Schiff did is use his power as the chairman to lie to the American public,” McCarthy said.
He also detailed the FBI’s concern over Swalwell sitting on the Intelligence Committee.
“The FBI was concerned about putting a member of Congress on the Intel Committee that has the right to see things that others don’t because of knowledge of his relationship with a Chinese spy,” he said. “I believe there are 200 other Democrats that can serve on that committee.”
He said his decision wasn’t political because he would allow them to serve on other committees. When Democrats stripped Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ) of their assignments in 2021, they were not allowed on any committees.
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“I will not be like Democrats and play politics, where they removed Republicans from committees and all committees. So yes, he can serve on a committee, but he will not serve on Intel because it goes to the national security of America, and I will always put them first,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy has authority over who can sit on the Intelligence Committee since it’s a permanent select committee, but booting Omar will require the House to vote since Foreign Affairs is a standing committee.
