WASHINGTON – GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday he would not seat fellow California Reps. Eric Swalwell and Adam Schiff to the House Intelligence Committee, keeping a promise he made on the campaign trail.
“I will put national security ahead of partisan politics,” he said during a news conference.
McCarthy has said Swalwell would be denied a security clearance in the private sector and that Schiff has lied to the public, claiming they are not fit to serve on the committee that handles classified information.
Democrats say it’s political revenge. Both California Democrats served on the panel in the last Congress and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has asked that they be reappointed, Unlike most standing committees, the speaker chooses who serves on the Select Intelligence Committee.
McCarthy said it’s not political and that Schiff and Swalwell could be seated on other committees, but not Intelligence.
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
Candy Woodall is a Congress reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at cwoodall@usatoday.com or on Twitter at @candynotcandace.
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