(RepublicanJournal.org) – In 2021, Democrats removed two controversial Republicans from their congressional committees, claiming they were pushing violent rhetoric. The following year, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) barred other GOP members from joining the House Select Committee, formed to investigate the events of January 6. In a similar move, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) just barred two Democrats, Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA), from serving on the House Intelligence Committee now that the GOP holds the majority in the lower chamber. But, the two California lawmakers are letting the world know they are pretty unhappy about it.
McCarthy removed Schiff and Swalwell from their congressional committee appointments on Tuesday, January 24, something he implied he would do after they rallied peers to impeach former President Donald Trump. In response, Schiff tweeted the Speaker’s move was “petty, political payback” and vowed he wouldn’t allow the setback to stop him from defending America.
Kevin McCarthy just kicked me and @RepSwalwell off the Intelligence Committee.
This is petty, political payback for investigating Donald Trump.
If he thinks this will stop me, he will soon find out just how wrong he is.
I will always defend our democracy.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 25, 2023
Despite this vow, McCarthy made it clear he removed Schiff from the committee for continually lying to the American public about Hunter Biden’s laptop and phone calls involving President Trump and falsely denying he knew the identity of various government whistleblowers.
If you want a powerful, clear answer on why @RepAdamSchiff and @RepSwalwell were removed from the Intel Committee, here's your answer. Wow!! pic.twitter.com/FU4zqABMvb
— Donny Stills Time (@stilling_time) January 25, 2023
McCarthy’s reasoning for keeping Swalwell off the Intel Committee was different. He had a close relationship with an alleged Chinese spy, Fang Fang. McCarthy believes that prior relationship would likely preclude Swalwell from obtaining a security clearance in the private sector. So McCarthy feels that failing should also disqualify him from getting one in the government sector.
The House Intelligence Committee is a select committee, meaning the House Speaker may choose who sits on it. By making these tough decisions, McCarthy is protecting American secrets and security. If he wants to make changes to other committees, though, he must rally his party to vote members on or off of them. He has previously hinted he may seek to remove Ilhan Omar (D-MI) from the Foreign Affairs Committee for anti-semitic rhetoric, but doing so could prove a bit trickier than these most recent moves.
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