McCarthy says he will oust Ilhan Omar and others from committee assignments


House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) declared that he intends to remove Democratic Reps. Eric Swalwell (Calif), Adam Schiff (Calif.), and Ilhan Omar (Minn.) from their congressional committee assignments when Republicans take control of Congress, Axios reports.
During his Sunday appearance on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures, McCarthy vowed to keep promises he made in January to remove the three representatives from their respective committees. Though he can unilaterally remove members of select committees, doing so in a standing committee would require a vote. McCarthy reiterated his vow to remove Swalwell and Schiff from the House Intelligence Committee and Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. McCarthy cited Swalwell's alleged links to a Chinese spy, Schiff's promotion of the Steele dossier, and Omar's critiques of Israel as reasons to disqualify them from serving on their committees, per Fox News.
McCarthy's renewed commitment to removing the three Democratic representatives comes as he works to secure the vote for House Speaker. McCarthy recently won the GOP nomination for Speaker and needs 218 votes to secure the role in January.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Last year, I promised that when I became Speaker, I would remove Rep. Ilhan Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee based on her repeated anti-semitic and anti-American remarks. I'm keeping that promise," McCarthy wrote in a tweet accompanying a video of his appearance at the meeting.
Twitter attached context to the tweet, clarifying that the "Speaker does not have the power to remove a member from a standing committee."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.
-
Trump executive order targets homeless
Speed Read It will now be easier for states and cities to remove homeless people from the streets
-
Columbia pays $200M to settle with White House
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the school of failing to protect its Jewish students amid pro-Palestinian protests
-
Florida judge and DOJ make Epstein trouble for Trump
Speed Read The Trump administration's request to release grand jury transcripts from the Epstein investigation was denied
-
Trump attacks Obama as Epstein furor mounts
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the Obama administration of 'treasonous' behavior during the 2016 election
-
Trump administration releases MLK files
Speed Read Newly released documents on the 1968 assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did not hold any new revelations, King historians said
-
Japan's prime minister feels pressure after election losses
Speed Read Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office
-
Gavin Newsom mulls California redistricting to counter Texas gerrymandering
TALKING POINTS A controversial plan has become a major flashpoint among Democrats struggling for traction in the Trump era
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands