House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is rapidly getting off to an interesting start leading the lower congressional chamber. McCarthy secured the speakership role earlier this month after House members voted 15 different times.
Now that McCarthy has the position, he’s getting a lot of attention from Republicans and Democrats alike.
Some factions of the GOP want him to live up to agreements he made while he was running for speaker. Other Republicans are concerned that more extreme members of the party could be controlling McCarthy.
Democrats, on the other hand, aren’t pleased with the House Speaker rejecting efforts to get left-wing Reps. Eric Swalwell and Adam Schiff back onto the House Intelligence Committee.
Though McCarthy is now going viral for his various responses to questions from members of the press, according to San Francisco Gate.
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New Lines of Questioning
This week, the House Speaker was asked why he booted Swalwell and Schiff off of the intelligence committee while allowing GOP Rep. George Santos to have committee assignments.
Given that Santos has been found out as someone who lied about his ancestry, background, work experience, education, and more, there have been bipartisan calls for him to either resign or be forced out of Congress.
So @SpeakerMcCarthy, now that he is speaker, is just destroying these media members and their questions. I love it. Watch this: pic.twitter.com/Yy4bM7Et34
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 25, 2023
McCarthy replied to this question from the press by explaining the distinction between various committees.
The House Speaker pointed out that while Santos has committee work, he’s not on the chamber’s intelligence committee. Likewise, McCarthy provided additional context by noting that Schiff and other House Democrats are still being allowed to serve on other committees.
Varied Responses
Many conservatives have taken to social media to laud how Speaker McCarthy dealt with the press when faced with this line of questioning.
However, others stated that it should have been obvious that McCarthy’s decision-making was consistent since he is not letting Swalwell, Schiff, or Santos serve on the House Intelligence Committee.
At the end of the day, McCarthy has the role of House Speaker; therefore, what he says goes. Democrats have already been attacking him for refusing to let Swalwell and Schiff retain their roles as House Intelligence Committee members.
I have rejected the appointments of Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell for the House Intelligence Committee.
I am committed to returning the @HouseIntel Committee to one of genuine honesty and credibility that regains the trust of the American people. pic.twitter.com/ePxlbanxta
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) January 25, 2023
Though the reasoning behind this decision is consistent, understandable, and without political bias.
Given the current political climate, Americans can expect the House Speaker to have more clashes with House Democrats and certain members of the media.
Nevertheless, McCarthy has been clear that under his leadership, Republicans in the House are going to focus on delivering for the American people.
What do you think about House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s response to pushback he received regarding decisions about House Intelligence Committee members? Please feel free to let us know your thoughts about how this is all playing out down below in the comments area.
This article appeared in The Conservative Brief and has been published here with permission.
