Free Republic

Newly minted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is facing his first major test since winning the contentious battle for the position.Hakeem Jeffries, the Democrat House Minority Leader, has reappointed Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell to the Intelligence Committee. That comes after McCarthy vowed to keep the two rabid partisans, both of which abused their positions under Nancy Pelosi’s rule, on the sidelines. Jeffries seems content to push the issue, though, setting up a clash that will no doubt be very public.Here’s a bit of what Jeffries wrote to McCarthy, per The Washington Examiner. To call it shameless is an understatement.“I write...

House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) formally asked Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) this weekend to seat Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA) on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Jeffries requested in a letter shared by Punchbowl News that McCarthy “honor past practice” and accept Jeffries’ recommendations of Schiff and Swalwell to the committee. “It is my understanding that you intend to break with the longstanding House tradition of deference to the minority party Intelligence Committee recommendations and deny seats to Ranking Member Schiff and Representative Swalwell,” Jeffries wrote. “The denial of seats to duly elected Members...

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) issued a joint statement Friday calling on Congress to avoid a potential default “forced by extreme MAGA Republicans,” the opening salvo in what will be a months-long battle over raising the federal debt limit. Lawmakers in both parties predict the Democratic-controlled White House and Senate are headed for a showdown with newly elected Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) over the debt limit after McCarthy pledged to House conservatives last week to attach spending reforms to debt limit legislation. Schumer and Jeffries called on Republicans to move quickly on...