McCarthy officially denies Schiff and Swalwell seats on House Intelligence Committee - CNN

CNN  — 

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy connected Tuesday officially denied Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell seats connected the House Intelligence Committee.

“I admit the loyalty you person to your Democrat colleagues, and I admit your efforts to person 2 Members of Congress reinstated to the House Permanent Select Committee connected Intelligence,” McCarthy wrote successful a missive to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries that helium posted connected Twitter Tuesday night.

“But I cannot enactment partisan loyalty up of nationalist security, and I cannot simply admit years of work arsenic the sole criteria for rank connected this indispensable committee. Integrity matters more.”

McCarthy has cited a “new standard” from Democrats for wherefore helium would portion Schiff and Swalwell, some of California, of their committee assignments, aft the Democrat-led House successful 2021 removed GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona from their committees for inflammatory rhetoric and posts.

In the letter, McCarthy added that “it is my appraisal that the misuse of this sheet during the 116th and 117th Congresses severely undermined its superior nationalist information and oversight missions – yet leaving our federation little safe,” and that helium wants the sheet to beryllium 1 of “genuine honesty and credibility that regains the spot of the American people.”

After the talker recommitted earlier Tuesday to kicking him disconnected the Intelligence Committee, Swalwell called it “political vengeance.”

“It’s governmental vengeance, it’s excessively atrocious due to the fact that that committee has ever been a bipartisan committee, and he’s taking 1 of the astir precious pieces of glassware successful the legislature furniture and smashing it, and the harm is going to beryllium irreparable,” Swalwell said, adding that “if a Democrat advocated for unit against different subordinate of Congress, I would enactment getting escaped of them.”

Schiff told reporters that “if McCarthy thinks this is going to halt maine from vigorously pushing backmost against his efforts to teardrop down these institutions, he’s going to find retired conscionable however incorrect helium is.”

“I deliberation this is simply a unspeakable determination connected his portion and erstwhile again, showing McCarthy conscionable catering to the astir utmost elements of this conference,” helium added.

Schiff volition beryllium connected the Judiciary Committee, according to a Democratic aide, portion Swalwell told CNN helium volition beryllium connected the Judiciary and Homeland Security panels.

Two House Republicans publically denounced McCarthy’s determination ejecting Democrats from the quality panel. Swing territory Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska called the kicking of members from committees “corrosive,” portion Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana said successful a connection that she opposes the propulsion to region the Democrats.

“I admit these Republican members speaking retired against what McCarthy is doing,” Schiff aboriginal told CNN’s Anderson Cooper connected “AC360.”

“I deliberation it does amusement that determination are Republicans who recognize this is precise sick considered. It’s conscionable going to harm the institution, it’s not justified,” helium added. “These efforts are not astatine each bipartisan. Indeed, the absorption to it is bipartisan.”

McCarthy connected Tuesday besides announced the database of GOP members helium is appointing to service connected the prime subcommittee connected the weaponization of the national government, with Ohio GOP Rep. Jim Jordan to service arsenic its chair.

GOP Reps. Dan Bishop of North Carolina and Chip Roy of Texas, who were portion of the archetypal holdouts against McCarthy successful the speakership race, besides gained spots connected the panel. Democrats volition person the accidental to name members arsenic well.

The talker besides announced appointments to the prime subcommittee connected the Coronavirus pandemic, with Greene among the members chosen.

McCarthy expanded some of the prime committees, naming much radical to the rosters than initially expected owed to “overwhelming interest” from members, according to a GOP root familiar. House Republicans volition person to enactment guardant a level solution to formally amend the ratios, the root added, but doesn’t expect it volition beryllium an issue.

This communicative has been updated with further developments.