Reporters asked Speaker Kevin McCarthy about George Santos, and instead, he ranted about how Eric Swalwell doesn’t belong on committees.
Video:
If you got the briefing I got from the FBI, you wouldn’t have Eric Swalwell on 𝘢𝘯𝘺 committee. pic.twitter.com/2H19pezF9M
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) January 17, 2023
McCarthy said, If you got the briefing I got from the FBI, you wouldn’t have Swalwell on any committees. You’re going to tell me other Democrats couldn’t fill that slot? He could not get a security clearance in the private sector. Would you like to give him a government clearance? You ask the questions about Santos. You ask the questions about Swalwell. Not only was he getting a clearance, he was inside an intel committee. He had more information than the majority of all the members. Did you ever raise that issue? No, but you should have.”
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McCarthy went on to claim that Swalwell jeopardized all of Congress, but what was missing in his answer was any mention of George Santos.
Republicans claim that Swalwell is compromised because he was targeted by a Chinese spy, but Swalwell was the one who turned in the spy to law enforcement, is not currently under criminal investigation, and has never been charged with a crime.
George Santos is under criminal investigation both in Brazil and the United States. Rep. Santos appears to have ties to a Russian oligarch, but Kevin McCarthy refuses to take action against, or refuse to seat the Republican on any committees.
McCarthy is exacting revenge on Swalwell because he is suing Donald Trump for the 1/6 attack.
Kevin McCarthy seems compromised by the deals that he made to get the speakership, and he is humiliating himself trying to cover for the promises that he made to gain power.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
