Republican Rep. Spartz opposes McCarthy effort to boot Democrats from committees

WASHINGTON — Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., said Tuesday she'll oppose Speaker Kevin McCarthy's efforts to keep a handful of Democrats off key House committees.

“As I spoke against it on the House floor two years ago, I will not support this charade again," she said in a strongly worded statement. "Speaker McCarthy needs to stop 'bread and circuses' in Congress and start governing for a change.”

Spartz's statement came in response to McCarthy's stated intentions to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., from the Foreign Affairs Committee and keep Reps. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., off the Intelligence Committee.

McCarthy, R-Calif., has unilateral power to keep members off the Intelligence panel, which is structured as a permanent select committee and gives the speaker special authorities. But he may need the support of a majority of the House to block Omar from Foreign Affairs.