By Matthew Holloway. Media: DC Enquirer.
Note: This article may contain commentary reflecting the author’s opinion.
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) told journalists on Monday that Democratic Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) will not be resuming their previous committee posts in the 118th Congress.
Schiff and Swalwell served on the powerful House Intelligence Committee and Omar served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. According to The Hill, McCarthy confirmed this with the media on Monday night.
Associated Press congressional reporter Farnoush Amiri reported via Twitter that McCarthy said, āSwalwell canāt get a security clearance in the private sector. Iām not going to give him a government security clearance. Schiff has lied to the American publicā¦ā
McCARTHY confirms Swalwell, Schiff & Omar will be off committees theyād previously served: intel/foreign affairs.
āSwalwell canāt get a security clearance in the private sector. Iām not going to give him a government security clearance. Schiff has lied to the American publicā¦ā
— Farnoush Amiri (@FarnoushAmiri) January 10, 2023
CNN confirmed McCarthy said, āthose two wonāt be on intel,ā referring to Schiff and Swalwell.
Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) confirmed the move on Twitter,
Speaker McCarthy confirms that Adam Schiff, Eric Swalwell, and Ilhan Omar are getting kicked off the Intel and Foreign Affairs Committees.
Promises made. Promises kept!
— Congressman Troy Nehls (@RepTroyNehls) January 10, 2023
During a November appearance on Sunday Morning Futures with Fox Businessā Maria Bartiromo, McCarthy foreshadowed this move: āOne thing I said from the beginning, Eric Swalwell cannot get a security clearance in the public sector. Why would we ever give him a security clearance and the secrets to America? So I will not allow him to be on Intel. You have Adam Schiff who lied to the American people time and time again. We will not allow him to be on Intel either.ā
āCongresswoman Omar, her antisemitic comments that have gone forward, weāre not going to allow her to be on Foreign Affairs,ā McCarthy told Bartiromo, referring to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
McCarthy reminded that the decision follows a Democratic precedent, as reported by Punchbowl News: āItās not like itās anything new. Remember, this is what Nancy Pelosi ā this is the type of Congress she wanted to have.ā
He also confirmed this to Breitbart Newsā Matt Boyle in January 2022.
.@GOPLeader McCarthy Vows to Strip Omar, Swalwell, & Schiff from Committees pic.twitter.com/3wElqI4sbq
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) January 10, 2022
In November, Omar responded to McCarthyās decision to strip her of her committee by accusing him of hating Somali Americans āand anyone who shares my identity,ā¦ further divid[ing] us along racial and ethnic lines.ā
The Minnesota congresswoman called the move, without addressing her repeated, well-reported anti-Semitic comments, āa continuation of a sustained campaign against Muslim and African voices, people his party have been trying to ban since Donald Trump first ran for office.ā .
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