Booted from choice committee seats, Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) have accused House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of acting out of “political vengeance.” In a joint statement released Tuesday, they said: “It’s disappointing but not surprising that Kevin McCarthy has capitulated to the right wing of his caucus, undermining the integrity of the Congress, and harming our national security in the process. He struck a corrupt bargain in his desperate, and nearly failed, attempt to win the Speakership, a bargain that required political vengeance against the three of us.” The trio appealed to McCarthy to change his mind, and included a reference from Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) who backed up their high qualifications, but McCarthy didn’t budge. In a letter of rejection he also tweeted, McCarthy said that “national security” and “integrity” matter more than “partisan loyalty” and “years of service.”
I have rejected the appointments of Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell for the House Intelligence Committee.
I am committed to returning the @HouseIntel Committee to one of genuine honesty and credibility that regains the trust of the American people. pic.twitter.com/ePxlbanxta
