3 House Democrats Appear On CNN Accusing Speaker Kevin McCarthy Of Partisanship

The three members of Congress appeared on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday where they discussed how they felt targeted by the new House Leader.

Host Dana Bash framed the discussion as a “retaliation” by Speaker McCarthy against Democrats for blocking House Republicans from Committee appointments in the last Session.

Speaker McCarthy insists that the decision was based on the behavior of the individual members. McCarthy said that Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) used his position on the House Intelligence Committee to insist to the media that former President Donald Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia.

The Speaker also states that the FBI had raised concerns over California Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell’s appointment to the Intel Committee because a past close relationship with a Chinese spy posed a security risk and that Rep. Ilhan Omar was not fit for the Foreign Affairs Committee because of her repeated use of anti-Semitic tropes and her support of the BDS (Boycott, Divest, and Sanction) movement which some have claimed is also anti-Semitic.

Leader McCarthy Brings The Receipts Over Kicking Dems From The Intel Committee (VIDEO)

Dana Bash said that she wanted to dig into the substance of the claims and asked each Member about what they were accused of doing.

All three insisted that this was simply retaliation by Leader McCarthy as well as Republican hypocrisy and that their own behavior is not as bad as the GOP is claiming.

While responding to Bash, Rep. Schiff continued to suggest that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia.

Democrat Adam Schiff triples down on the Russian collusion hoax. pic.twitter.com/T4HmvT1QVe

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 29, 2023

Schiff also attempted to dodge a question about meeting with a whistleblower during the first Trump impeachment by saying that he “should’ve been more clear.”

"Ahead of the first Trump impeachment, you said the committee had not spoken to a whistleblower. In fact, that turned out not to be true."

ADAM SCHIFF: "I should've been more clear." pic.twitter.com/6qZsQbTwdE

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 29, 2023

Here’s the transcript of part of the exchange between Bash and Schiff:

BASH: And, Congressman, I will start with you.

You said that there was direct evidence of the fact that Donald Trump colluded with Russia back in 2016. Special counsel Robert Mueller said in his report — quote — “The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government.”

Republicans argue that’s proof that you used your position on the Intelligence Committee to intentionally mislead Americans, which is why you should not be on that committee.

SCHIFF: If you read the Mueller report, he makes clear even in the first few pages of the report that he states no conclusion on whether Donald Trump and his campaign colluded with the Russians.

But what he does reveal in his report — what we found in our investigation — is that Donald Trump’s campaign manager was sharing internal campaign polling data and a strategy for key battleground states with an agent of Russian intelligence, while that same unit of Russian intelligence was helping the Trump campaign, both with the hacking-and-dumping operation, as well as a social media operation to elect Donald Trump.

To most Americans, that is collusion. Now, whether it’s proof beyond a reasonable doubt of the crime of conspiracy — that’s what Bob Mueller was talking about — I have always distinguished between the two.

But let me just set the record straight. This is only one of a shifting series of rationalizations and pretexts that McCarthy is using.

BASH: Well, let me give you another. He says that this is part of the pattern. Ahead of the first Trump impeachment, you said the committee had not spoken to a whistle-blower. In fact, that turned out not to be true.

You know “The Washington Post” said so in their fact-check.

SCHIFF: “The Washington Post” identified that, yes, before the person became a whistle-blower, they sought advice from the committee.

When I was asked the question, I thought they were referring to whether we had brought the whistle-blower in. And I should have been more clear in my answer.

But, again, let’s be clear what’s really going on here. McCarthy has said Adam Schiff prosecuted the case against Trump. Ukraine impeachment was a hoax. He’s given 15 explanations. The only real explanation is, he needs Marjorie Taylor Greene’s vote. He needs Paul Gosar’s vote. He wants to retaliate for their removal from the committee.

And, apparently, he believes I was very effective in exposing his misconduct, Donald Trump’s misconduct. And that’s what they’re trying to stop. So, I think that he benefits from having these smears repeated. And that’s part of what he gains from it. But this is a pretext, and nothing more.

……..

BASH: Well, let me ask you, Congressman.

You are Jewish. And you have said that you were worried about some tropes that the congressman (sic) used, and — which again, I want to be clear, you apologized for that, for that one, all about the Benjamins. Do you believe that the pattern that your caller here has put out there is, as Republicans are saying and some Democrats say, rise to the level of antisemitism?

SCHIFF: Dana, I believe that this is all a pretext.

And if you look at the leader of the Republican Party, Donald Trump, he is dining with white nationalists and antisemites. The people that Kevin McCarthy just put on committees like Marjorie Taylor Greene and others are speaking at white nationalist rallies.

This is, as my colleague said, Bakersfield B.S. This is all pretextual. And I don’t accept the premise that this has anything to do with the conduct of any of the Democratic members. This is merely the weakness of Kevin McCarthy’s speakership, that he’s so reliant on these extreme members.

I mean, how can you, on the one hand, suggest that these are — some kind of legitimate basis for unseating Democrats on committees, and put someone like George Santos on any committee? The hypocrisy just grabs you by the throat.

So I don’t want to dignify the pretext that they’re giving for any of us. What they’re doing is really catering to the most extreme members of their conference.

END OF TRANSCRIPT

Rep. Eric Swalwell insisted that his former relationship with a Chinese spy was not a national security threat.

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

Here is the transcript of the Q&A with Swalwell:

BASH: On that, Congressman, you were also removed by Republicans from the Intelligence Committee. What the speaker said about you is that, beginning in 2012, a suspected Chinese spy developed ties to you and to your office, even put an intern there, raised campaign funds for you.

You say very clearly you cut off ties with this person back in 2015 when you found out. You cooperated with the FBI. But the bottom line question is this. 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?

SWALWELL: Absolutely not.

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 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 and, also, I was never under any suspicion of wrongdoing.

But, more than that, Chairman — Speaker Boehner was briefed on this investigation. He could have removed me, just as Speaker McCarthy did. He didn’t. Devin Nunes was the chair of the Intelligence Committee, never made a public peep about this. Paul Ryan would have access to the same investigation, reappointed me to the committee.

Donald Trump, who villainized me at every rally, more access to classified information than any person who walked the earth, if he could have weaponized that to go after me, you know he would have. There’s nothing there.

I did what every American should have. 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.

END OF TRANSCRIPT

Ilhan Omar says she was completely ignorant of some very common anti-Semitic tropes.

"You said that Israel 'hypnotized the world.' You said Israel is an 'apartheid regime,' that politicians with pro-Israel stances were 'all about the Benjamins,'…compared the U.S. and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban."

Ilhan Omar: "Yeah I might've used words at the time" pic.twitter.com/t157tmwRGq

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 29, 2023

Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar says she was "not aware that the word 'hypnotized' was a trope" and "wasn't aware of the fact that there are tropes about Jews and money." pic.twitter.com/MgmdBOvPCN

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 29, 2023

Transcript below:

BASH: Well, let me ask you, Congresswoman Omar, about what Republicans are saying about you, that there is a pattern of antisemitic and other controversial statements that make you unfit to sit on, in your case, the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

I’m told that Republicans presented a list in their meeting, in a private meeting, this past week. Included in that list is that you said that Israel hypnotized the world. You said Israel is an apartheid regime, that politicians with pro-Israel stance — stances were all about the Benjamins, which you very notably apologized for, that you support the BDS movement, which a lot of people think is rooted in antisemitism, compared the U.S. and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban.

I want to give you a chance to respond to all of that, which they say is a clear pattern.

OMAR: Yes, I might have used words at the time that I didn’t understand were trafficking in antisemitism. When that was brought to my attention, I apologized. I owned up to it. That’s the kind of person that I am.

And I continue to work with my colleagues and my community to fight against antisemitism. Now, I have never compared or made any comparisons. What I was referencing was a case that was in front of the ICC. And if they want to debate political differences, and that’s something that we should all have the opportunity to do so, but to smear someone and their character, their love for their country and the work that they get to do on a committee is wrong.

And it is politically motivated. And, in some cases, it’s motivated by the fact that many of these members don’t believe a Muslim, a refugee, an African should even be in Congress, let alone have the opportunity to serve on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

BASH: You have said that before.

It sounds like you’re accusing Kevin McCarthy of racism.

OMAR: I mean, I’m not making any accusations. I’m just laying out the facts.

You remember Donald Trump coming into my state and saying, Muslims, Somali refugees are infiltrating our country. You remember Marjorie Taylor Greene coming to Congress after Rashida and I got sworn in and saying, Muslims are infiltrating Congress. You remember Boebert saying that I was a terrorist.

What did McCarthy do? He said, she apologized, and we don’t have to worry about her Islamophobia.

That never happened.

And so these people are OK with Islamophobia. They’re OK with trafficking in their own ways in antisemitism. They are not OK with having a Muslim have a voice on that committee.

……..

BASH: I just — I do, though, want to ask, because this has been out there. And it is definitely a big issue that we we’re going to — we’re going to hear a lot more about on the House floor next week, Congresswoman.

So when you apologized for the — all about the Benjamins comment, you said: “Antisemitism is real. And I’m grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of antisemitic tropes.”

What did you learn?

OMAR: A lot.

I certainly did not or was not aware that the word hypnotize was a trope. I wasn’t aware of the fact that there are tropes about Jews and money. That has a been very enlightening part of this journey.

To insinuate that I knowingly said these things, when people have read into my comments to make it sound as if I have something against the Jewish community, is so wrong. If you remember, when I first got elected to Congress, it was when the FBI report came out on the rise of antisemitism. As a rep-elected, the first op-ed I wrote was on that report, which I talked about how it was important for us, as a community, to coalesce around the Jewish community and fight against antisemitism.

I voted for every single resolution — no Republican can say that — condemning antisemitism. My work is clear. The collaboration and work that I do with my Jewish colleagues is very clear. The reason that the Democratic Caucus has not removed me and will not support my removal on the Foreign Affairs Committee is because I have done the work…

BASH: Do you think you will have…

OMAR: … to make sure that I do not support any bigotry.

BASH: Two Republicans have already come out in support of you, saying that they won’t vote to remove you. They can lose, what, one other, maybe two others. Do you think, next week, when the House votes, that you will have enough votes? And have you talked to other Republicans?

OMAR: What I do know is that the two Republicans that have been public and some that have privately said that they are not going to vote to remove me are doing so because they don’t want to be seen as hypocrites. They have taken a position in the last Congress, and they will continue to do that.

And I believe that that is a really important piece here, because threat stance to stand behind to members that were accused of inciting violence and threatening the lives of members of Congress was to say the minority — that the majority should not have the job of removing the minority from their committees.

And I hope that they keep their word.

END OF TRANSCRIPT

Here is the State of the Union segment: