Kevin McCarthy Spars With Reporter After Removing Dems From Intel Committee

House Speaker 👤Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) sparred with a reporter after being pressed about his decisions surrounding the House Intelligence Committee.

PBS reporter Lisa Desjardins asked McCarthy about his decision to remove Democratic California Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell from the committee while keeping George Santos (R-NY) on.

“You said that lying to us is something that means you should be removed from the Intel Committee. But why is it not a factor?” Desjardins said appearing to refer to Santos’ previous lies about his background.

She suggested Santos is “a man who should not be on committees.”

McCarthy replied, “Let me be very clear and respectful to you. You ask me a question, when I answer it, it’s the answer to your question. You don’t get to determine whether I answer your question or not, OK? With all respect, thank you. No, no. Let’s answer her question.”

He continued as reporters attempted to interrupt, “You just raised the question. I will be very clear with you. The Intel Committee is different, well, you know why? Because what happens in the Intel Committee, you don’t know. What happens in the Intel committee, other secrets are going on the world, other members of 🏛️Congress don’t know.”

McCarthy accused Schiff of using his power and “lied to the American public.”

He explained, “Even the inspector general said it. When Devin Nunes put out a memo, he said it was false. When we had a laptop, he used it before an election to Politics