Democratic Reps. Eric Swalwell, Adam Schiff, and “Squad” member Ilhan Omar have reacted to news of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s plans to remove them from committees in the upcoming Congress. Minnesota Rep. Omar said McCarthy is targeting her with the move.
She stated, “From the moment I was elected, the Republican Party has made it their mission to use fear, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and racism to target me on the House floor and through millions of dollars of campaign ads. She continued, “McCarthy’s effort to repeatedly single me out for scorn and hatred — including threatening to strip me from my committee — does nothing to address the issues our constituents deal with. It does nothing to address inflation, health care, or solve the climate crisis.” Additionally, she claimed, “the constant stream of hate has led to hundreds of death threats and credible plots against me and my family.”
McCarthy, the next House speaker-designate for the Republicans, told Fox News that his party would carry out a long-standing pledge to exclude Omar, Schiff, and Swalwell from committees once it takes control of the House in January. He noted that Swalwell’s previous connections to a Chinese spy, Schiff’s support of Russia conspiracy claims, and Omar’s hatred of Israel, according to the GOP leader, all disqualify them for committee positions.
He said, “One thing I said from the very beginning, Eric Swalwell cannot get a security clearance in the public sector. Why would we ever give him a security clearance and the secrets to America? So, I will not allow him to be on the House Intelligence Committee.” McCarthy also stated, “You have Adam Schiff, who lied to the American public time and again. We will not allow him to be on the [Intelligence] Committee either. Look at Congresswoman Omar, her antisemitic comments that have gone forward. We’re not going to allow her to be on Foreign Affairs.”
