Jeffries taps Schiff, Swalwell for House Intel panel despite McCarthy's vow to block

Washington — House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries formally nominated California Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell to serve on the House Intelligence Committee, even as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has pledged to block their reappointments to the panel.

Jeffries, the House minority leader, sent a letter to McCarthy on Saturday officially recommending the two California Democrats for spots on the committee, citing their "decades of distinguished leadership providing oversight" of the intelligence community and careers as prosecutors before serving in Congress.

But he noted McCarthy's intent to deny the seats to Schiff and Swalwell and said such a step would "break with the longstanding House tradition of deference to the minority party Intelligence Committee recommendations."