In news from Washington, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday ousted Democrats Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell from the House Intelligence Committee, carrying through on promised retaliation for the expulsion of far-right Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar from their congressional committees in 2021 after they called for violence against Democrats on social media. Gosar’s removal came after he posted an animated video where he murders Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attacks President Biden. Gosar and Greene have both received committee assignments in the new Congress. McCarthy is also expected to hold a vote on removing Minnesota Congressmember Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee, since he cannot unilaterally remove members from that panel. It’s not clear if McCarthy has enough support in his party to do so; two Republican lawmakers have already opposed the move, and McCarthy can only afford four defections. The three targeted Democrats condemned McCarthy’s “corrupt bargain” with the extreme right of his party. This is Congressmember Ilhan Omar.

Rep. Ilhan Omar: “It is about revenge. It’s about appeasing the former president. All three of us have been a thorn in the back of the previous disgraced president.”