Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) on Sunday excoriated House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for taking no disciplinary action against Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) for her recently resurfaced conspiracy-ridden remarks that led to the House voting to strip the Republican lawmaker of her committee assignments.
After days of inaction, McCarthy finally met with Greene over her troubling actions only to reveal that he intended to do nothing to punish the House freshman ahead of the House Rules Committee’s vote last week to revoke her committee assignments. In announcing his failure to take disciplinary action against Greene, McCarthy attacked Democrats instead for the uproar over Greene’s recently resurfaced remarks.
In a speech on the House floor last week, McCarthy echoed his fellow House Republicans’ argument that the House stripping Greene of her committees would set up a bad precedent. Democrats on the House Rules Committee previously pointed out that they wouldn’t have taken any action at all if McCarthy had dealt with Greene himself.
During an interview on “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Schiff torched McCarthy for having “no values” in response to the House minority leader’s lack of disciplinary action toward Greene’s inflammatory remarks that resurfaced, which include musing about the execution of Democratic lawmakers.
Asked whether he’s worried about the precedent that McCarthy suggested on the House floor, which included the House minority leader warning that a future GOP majority could take similar action against individual Democrats, Schiff appeared unfazed.
The House Intelligence Committee chair proceeded to blast McCarthy, who he characterized as someone who “stands for nothing” and is only interested in serving as House Speaker someday.
“Kevin McCarthy stands for nothing except the perpetuation of his own position,” Schiff said. “He has no values, and in my view cares about little except for hoping to be speaker one day, God forbid.”
Schiff added that regardless of party affiliation, any member of Congress threatening violence against other lawmakers or espousing unfounded conspiracy theories should face expulsion from Congress.
Pressed again about the precedent McCarthy warned House members about, Schiff reiterated that he’s not concerned about setting a precedent that could be used against Democrats “as long as we hold the same standard.”
“You have members that are threatening to execute each other, and they should be removed from their committees,” Schiff said, referring to Greene.
Watch Schiff’s remarks below:
WATCH: Rep. Schiff says he isn't worried about threats of retribution from Rep. McCarthy.@RepAdamSchiff: "Kevin McCarthy stands for nothing except the perpetuation of his own position. He has no values, and in my view cares about little except for hoping to be speaker one day." pic.twitter.com/fy2UM2VdVI
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) February 7, 2021
