When Republicans won back majority control of the House in the 2022 midterms, a number of Democrats, including Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), were immediately placed on the committee chopping block.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) made it crystal clear that he doesn't want Swalwell on the House Intelligence Committee given Swalwell's shady and compromised relationship with a suspected Chinese spy, and Swalwell isn't happy about it.
Swalwell attempted to defend his status in a recent CNN interview with Dana Bash, though it didn't seem to make any difference as far as his former committee assignment is concerned.
"Did you put yourself in a vulnerable position in any way, so that this alleged Chinese spy could have benefited or even learned American secrets?" Bash asked the California Democrat.
"Absolutely not," Swalwell said. "But, Dana, don’t take my word for it. Take the FBI’s word for it. They never talk about ongoing investigations. And former Chairman [Adam] Schiff knows this, as a member of the Gang of Eight. Three different times, they came out and said two things. All I did was help them, also, I was never under any suspicion of wrongdoing."
That’s going to be a hard NO.
Not for political reasons, like the Democrats did to me, but because Schiff and Swalwell can’t be trusted on the Intelligence Committee. https://t.co/68HRh7hFcd
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) January 24, 2023
Swalwell continued, "This is some Bakersfield B.S. It’s Kevin McCarthy weaponizing his ability to commit this political abuse because he perceives me, just like Mr. Schiff and Ms. Omar, as an effective political opponent."
Democrat Eric Swalwell says he did not compromise national security through his past relationship with a Chinese spy. pic.twitter.com/CvTVzsdtbi
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 29, 2023
Swalwell was referring to his colleagues, Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), who were also stripped of high-profile committee assignments upon Republicans taking over.
.@SpeakerMcCarthy did the right thing in kicking Schiff and Swalwell off the Intel Committee. Should Ilhan Omar be kicked off Foreign Relations Committee? pic.twitter.com/2WAFgqysF1
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) January 31, 2023
Schiff joined Omar and Swalwell in issuing a statement on the situation, Fox News reported, calling it "disappointing," and "political vengeance."
"It’s disappointing but not surprising that Kevin McCarthy has capitulated to the right wing of his caucus, undermining the integrity of the Congress, and harming our national security in the process."
Many Republicans and conservative influencers celebrated the news of the three high-profile Democrats being kicked off of their committees.
Hopefully, this is the start of a productive session of Congress with Republicans gearing up to do battle and right many wrongs.