The Republican-led House of Representatives voted on Thursday to remove Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, of Minnesota, from the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee.
McCarthy vowed last year that if Republicans won back the House majority, he would strip Democratic Reps. Eric Swalwell and Adam Schiff and Omar of committee assignments, arguing that Democrats created a “new standard” when they held the majority by removing Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona from committees for violent rhetoric and posts.
The action comes after McCarthy officially denied seats on the House Intelligence Committee to Swalwell and Schiff – a decision that was condemned by Democrats.
Democrats have criticized the push to oust Omar, arguing it amounts to an act of political revenge and that the Minnesota Democrat has been held accountable for her past remarks.
Omar told CNN on Sunday that the effort to remove her was “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.”
