House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said he plans to reappoint Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA) to the House Intelligence Committee despite Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) vow to keep them off the panels.
McCarthy argues Swalwell is a national security liability, citing allegations he had a relationship with a Chinese spy in 2014. The speaker has criticized Schiff, the former chairman of the panel, for his handling of investigations into former President Donald Trump’s alleged ties to Russia, accusing him of lying to the public.
Democrats vehemently deny that Swalwell is compromised and allege McCarthy is politicizing committee assignments in the wake of firebrand Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA) and Paul Gosar (AZ) being removed from their panels during the last Congress following a string of controversies.
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“I write today to submit for renomination two eminently qualified legislators to continue their service on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Ranking Member Adam Schiff and Representative Eric Swalwell of California. Together, these Members have over two decades of distinguished leadership providing oversight of our nation’s Intelligence Community, in addition to their prosecutorial work in law enforcement prior to serving in Congress,” Jeffries wrote in a Saturday letter to McCarthy.
“Appointments to the Intelligence Committee are within the prerogative of the Speaker, in consultation with the Democratic Leader. It is my understanding that you intend to break with the longstanding House tradition of deference to the minority party Intelligence Committee recommendations and deny seats to Ranking Member Schiff and Representative Swalwell. The denial of seats to duly elected Members of the House Democratic Caucus runs counter to the serious and sober mission of the Intelligence Committee,” he added.
Jeffries urged against retaliatory action by McCarthy, noting a handful of Republicans voted along with Democrats to remove Greene and Gosar from their positions. McCarthy and the House GOP Steering Committee have since placed the two conservative firebrands back on committees.
“It does not serve as precedent or justification for the removal of Representatives Schiff and Swalwell, given that they have never exhibited violent thoughts or behavior,” Jeffries wrote in the letter.
The minority leader noted that Republicans also opted to place embattled Rep. George Santos (R-NY) on committees despite revelations that he lied about his background, including apparently fabricating his education, work history, and heritage. He is also accused of committing check fraud in Brazil.
“The apparent double standard risks undermining the spirit of bipartisan cooperation that is so desperately needed in Congress,” he said.
Swalwell has repeatedly stated that he cooperated with the FBI and has never been accused of wrongdoing by intelligence agencies.
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“This is pure vengeance on McCarthy’s part. This dates back to a near-10-year-old case (before I was on Intel) where the FBI said three separate times I only helped them and was never suspected of wrongdoing,” he told the Washington Examiner.
“[Former Speaker John] Boehner and [Former House Intelligence Chairman Devin] Nunes [R-CA] were both briefed on it and never removed me. What’s changed? McCarthy has to throw red meat to the fringe,” he added.
McCarthy has also vowed to remove liberal Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) from her position on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs following a previous controversy over comments that were criticized by members on both sides of the aisle as antisemitic.
Democrats have slammed the decision, noting Greene also came under fire for antisemitic rhetoric and that Gosar posted a video depicting violence against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and spoke at a conference with ties to white nationalism.
While the speaker has the ability to select who is on select committees, the full House would have to vote to remove Omar from her position on the Foreign Affairs Committee.
