OAN Roy Francis
UPDATED 10:45 AM PT – Friday, January 13, 2023
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy defended his position on California Democrats Eric Swalwell and Adam Schiff.
Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) had previously made the decision to keep Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) off the House Intelligence Committee. The reasoning behind his decision was that Schiff had lied about the Russian election interference, and a briefing he had received from the FBI about Swalwell.
He said that Schiff was one of the few exceptions to his policy of generally allowing Democrats to choose which Democratic members are included in certain committees.
“Adam Schiff openly lied to the American public. He told you he had proof. He told you he didn’t know the whistle blower,” McCarthy said in a press conference. “He put America for four years through an impeachment that he knew was a lie. At the same time, we had Ukraine, the same time we had Afghanistan collapse. Was that the role of the Intel committee? No.”
In regards to Swalwell, McCarthy said that when Democrats had controlled Congress, the leadership kept Swalwell in the committee even though he had been red flagged by the FBI.
“If you got the briefing I got from the FBI, you wouldn’t have Swalwell on any committee,” McCarthy went on. “And you’re going to tell me other Democrats couldn’t fill that slot? He cannot get a security clearance in the private sector. So would you like to give him a government clearance?”
He noted that Democrats had other options to fill the seat on House Intelligence Committee but decided to keep Swalwell which was a dangerous and reckless choice.
“You’re going to tell me there are 200 other Democrats that couldn’t fill that slot, but they kept him on it? The only way that they even knew it came forward is when they put to nominate him to the Intel committee,” He explained. “And then the FBI came and told the leadership that he’s got a problem, and they kept him on. That jeopardized all of us.”
McCarthy went on to say that he is doing what he needs to in order to keep the “country safe.”
“So what I am doing with the Intel committee, bringing it back to the jurisdiction is supposed to do forward looking to keep this country safe, keep the politics out of it. So, yes, I’m doing exactly what we’re supposed to do,” he said.