Schiff, Swalwell, Omar Vow to “Stick Together” As McCarthy Blocks Them From Committees

Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), vowed to “stick together” on Jan. 25 in response to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) refusal to allow them assignments on House committees.

On Jan. 24, McCarthy formally rejected House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ (D-N.Y.) nominations of Schiff and Swalwell for the House Intelligence Committee, of which both congressmen were members in the last Congress and Schiff chaired.

McCarthy also said that Omar would not be allowed to sit on the Foreign Affairs Committee, which she had previously held.

“Throughout this journey of vengeance, the three of us have chosen to stick together because this isn’t about any individual committee assignment,” Swalwell spoke at a joint press conference Washington, Wednesday. “This is about an institution where the Speaker of the House is using his power to go after his political opponents and to pick them off the field.”

Swalwell claimed that McCarthy intended for this to happen, adding that he had received death threats from his two colleagues.

“Even though we have said publicly that these smears are bringing death threats, he continues to do it, which makes us believe that there’s an intent behind it,” Swalwell added. “But we will not be quiet; we’re not going away. I think he’ll regret giving all three of us more time on our hands.”

McCarthy has been openly sharing his thoughts since November plans to block The Democrats were expelled from their respective committees by McCarthy. McCarthy claimed that Schiff “lied to the American people” and that Swalwell’s previous association with a suspected Chinese spy has compromised him. Omar has been exonerated. cited the congresswoman’s “repeated anti-semitic and anti-American remarks” As a reason to not allow her on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Omar noted in her Wednesday remarks: “As a child who survived war, lived in a refugee camp, I would have never imagined that I would have the opportunity to serve on a Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights. I would not have believed that I would one day not just serve as the first African-born member of Congress, but on a committee that oversees policies towards the continent.”

Describing McCarthy’s move as a “political stunt,” Omar stated that she felt it threatened national safety. “the integrity of our Democratic institution.”

Schiff countered that McCarthy did not act on his own initiative, but was following orders from former President Donald Trump.

“He will do the former president’s bidding,” Schiff claimed. “He is entirely reliant on the former president, and this is something the former president wants. But I can assure you that if the former president or Kevin McCarthy believes that this is going to prevent any of us from fighting to protect our democracy, they’re going to find out that the opposite is true—it only will intensify our commitment to doing so.”

Blocking Assignments

Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Leader (D-N.Y.), formally nominated Schiff and Swalwell were arguing that they were not members of the Intelligence Committee at Saturday’s Intelligence Committee meeting. “eminently qualified” The panel would not block them, and it would be an infringement of the “longstanding House tradition of deference to the minority party Intelligence Committee recommendations.”

On Tuesday, McCarthy replied to Jeffries’ letter He also contacted a Democrat leader to inform him that he still believed the same thing.

“I appreciate the loyalty you have to your Democrat colleagues, and I acknowledge your efforts to have two Members of Congress reinstated to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence,” McCarthy wrote. “But I cannot put partisan loyalty ahead of national security, and I cannot simply recognize years of service as the sole criteria for membership on this essential committee. Integrity matters more.”

Officially rejecting Jeffries’ appointments of Schiff and Swalwell, the speaker added that he felt the “misuse” Under the previous Congresses, the Intelligence Committee had been weakened by its primary aims to oversee and protect national security. “leaving our nation less safe.”

“Therefore, as we enter a new Congress, I am committed to returning the Intelligence Committee to one of genuine honesty and credibility that regains the trust of the American people,” He concluded.

McCarthy is authorized to remove Swalwell or Schiff from the Intelligence Committee because it’s a select committee. The Foreign Affairs Committee, however, is a standing committee, so a full vote of the House would be required to block Omar’s appointment—a challenge that could prove difficult given the Republicans’ slim majority.

Many Republicans will undoubtedly block Omar’s passage, but some Republicans have pledged to resist the effort.

“Two wrongs do not make a right,” Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) stated this in a Tuesday statement. “Speaker Pelosi took unprecedented actions last Congress to remove Reps. Greene and Gosar from their committees without proper due process. Speaker McCarthy took unprecedented actions this Congress in order to denial Minority committee assignments without proper due process.

“As I spoke against it on the House floor two years ago, I will not support this charade again,” Spartz continued. “Speaker McCarthy needs to stop ‘bread and circuses’ in Congress and start governing for a change.”

Rep. Nancy Mace (R.S.C.), told the following December Axios She said that she wouldn’t support the move, and Andy Barr (R.Ky.), and David Valadao(R.Calif.) also disapprove of the idea.