When Democrats controlled the House of Representatives, they had no issues throwing their majority power around.
Now that the shoe is on the other foot, they’re refusing to play by the same rules.
And Hakeem Jeffries just signaled he’s ready to go to war with Kevin McCarthy in the House.
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander
It took several days and 15 rounds, but after making a series of concessions to members of the House Freedom Caucus, Kevin McCarthy was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Following a largely disappointing 2022 Midterm election cycle for the GOP, Republicans were still able to come away with a narrow majority in the lower Chamber.
One of the privileges of having the majority is a certain amount of power when it comes to committee assignments.
Democrat Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco was never afraid of wielding that power.
She kicked several Republicans – including MAGA Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona – off House committees.
The GOP has their committee assignments mostly set.
While Democrats figured out how to divy up their party assignments, Speaker McCarthy warned them not to put up a few names – Representatives Adam Schiff, Eric Swalwell and Ilhan Omar – to specific committees.
Jeffries’ hill to die on
The Hill is reporting McCarthy told new Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York that he would block the appointments of Schiff and Swalwell – both of California – to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Unlike many other committees, House rules allow the Speaker to hand-pick every member of the committee.
However, traditionally, the Speaker works with the Minority leader in selecting its party’s committee members.
McCarthy was going to play by that tradition, until Jeffries insisted he wanted Schiff and Swalwell on the committee and made the appointment despite the Speaker’s warning – which could be the opening salvo of a massive House battle.
Swalwell sleeps with the enemy
Swalwell is a particularly troubling pick by Democrats for the Intelligence Committee.
In 2020, it was unearthed that Chinese spy, Christine Fang built connections with several California politicians, including Rep. Swalwell.
In fact, Swalwell allegedly carried on an intimate relationship with the Chinese spy.
Schiff can’t be trusted
Meanwhile, during his never-ending witch hunt trying to prove collusion between then-President Donald Trump and Russia – with no evidence backing up the allegations – Rep. Schiff showed he was willing to lie, leak confidential information, and even make up fictional testimony against the President.
But Jeffries believes their appointment to the very sensitive Intelligence Committee is a hill to die on.
Omar’s Israel problem
According to The Hill, a similar fight is brewing over Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.
Rep. Omar – one of the founding members of the Squad – a group of the most woke and radical members of Congress – has a history of open antisemitism.
She has rhetorically supported Palestinian efforts to wipe Israel off the map and has endorsed boycotts, divestment, and sanctions on perhaps America’s best foreign ally.
McCarthy warned Jeffries not to put Omar on the Foreign Affairs Committee.
However, Jeffries has done exactly that – doubling down on a fight in the House.
Now, time will tell if McCarthy backs up his warnings to Democrats or if he allows Schiff, Swalwell, and Omar to sit on two of the most important committees in the House of Representatives.
