Democrats Schiff, Omar, and Swalwell unleash on Speaker McCarthy's committee rejections


Less than 24 hours after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) rejected their nominations to rejoin the House Intelligence Committee where they've served for years, Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) lashed out against what they deemed an "act of political vengeance" and a "corrupt bargain" made between McCarthy and the most extreme members of his party.
Joined by Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, whom McCarthy has also threatened not to seat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, the representatives were unusually candid during a joint press conference on Wednesday, describing the speaker as a puppet of former President Donald Trump, as well as a hypocrite for having given committee seats to Republicans such as Marjorie Tayor Greene (R-Ga.) and George Santos (R-N.Y.).
"The cardinal sin appears to be that I led the impeachment of his master in Mar-a-Lago," Schiff mused as a possible reason for McCarthy's decision not to seat him on the committee he had previously chaired.
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.
Swalwell, who has been lambasted by McCarthy for a past association with someone later alleged as a Chinese intelligence agent, was even more critical of McCarthy's potential motives, insinuating that the speaker was complacent in threats against the three democratic lawmakers' lives.
"The cost is not only removing us from the committee," Swalwell noted. "The cost is not only breaking, shattering the most precious glassware in the cabinet — a committee that's always been bipartisan. The costs are the death threats that Ms. Omar, myself, and Mr. Schiff keep getting because Mr. McCarthy continues to aim and project these smears against us. Even though we have said publicly 'these smears are bringing death threats' he continues to do it, which makes us believe that there's an intent behind it."
Speaking last, Omar, whose threatened removal from the Foreign Affairs Committee necessitates a full House vote expected sometime this week, drew upon her personal biography to highlight McCarthy's "purely partisan" effort.
"As a child who survived war, lived in a refugee camp, I would have never imagined that I would one day have the opportunity to serve on a subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Global Human Rights," Omar explained. "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 toward the continent."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
"Kevin McCarthy's purely partisan move to strip us of our committee is not only a political stunt," she concluded, "but also a blow to the integrity of our democratic institution and a threat to our national security."
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
Prince charming: Harry’s tea with King sparks royal reconciliation rumours
Talking Point Are the royals (and the UK public) ready to welcome the Duke of Sussex back in?
-
Has Israel’s Qatar strike scuppered a ceasefire?
Today’s Big Question Netanyahu ‘gambles’ on ‘overwhelming strength’ rather than diplomacy in attack on Hamas negotiation team in Doha
-
Deaf Republic: ‘an experimental epic of war and resistance’
The Week Recommends Ukrainian-American writer Ilya Kaminsky’s poetry collection is brought to the stage in this ‘enthralling’ production
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battle
Speed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants