The House of Representatives has voted unanimously to declassify U.S. intelligence information about the origins of COVID-19, and the bill is now on its way to President Biden's desk. The bill requires Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines to declassify any information about links between the pandemic and the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee Rep. Michael Turner has said that the American public deserves answers. The intelligence community has not yet definitively agreed on the origins of the pandemic, and the declassification of information is expected to provide more clarity.
Posts tagged as “The House Intelligence Committee”
Steve Bannon, former Trump adviser, is facing a lawsuit from a Manhattan law firm for an outstanding bill of more than $480,000 for legal services provided from November 2020 to November 2022. The firm represented Bannon in criminal cases stemming from his refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena and from allegations that he duped donors. The lawsuit is the latest legal trouble for Bannon, who has been accused of failing to pay legal bills in the past. The case is currently pending in New York state court.
Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Mike Turner have criticized President Biden for waiting several days to take action against a suspected Chinese spy balloon detected over Alaska. On Saturday, fighter jets shot the balloon out of the sky off the coast of South Carolina on the president's orders. The incident has raised questions about the Biden administration's handling of foreign threats, and how it will ensure the safety of the American people in the future.
Nancy Pelosi has expressed her support for Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) if Sen. Dianne Feinstein decides not to run for re-election in 2022. Schiff has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and a leader in the fight for gun control and immigration reform. If Feinstein retires, the California Senate race is expected to be a competitive one between Schiff and any potential Republican challengers.
In a recent interview with CNN, Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) have accused Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) of attempting to keep them off House committees. The Democrats argue that McCarthy is using his power to cling to his position as speaker, and Rep. Swalwell referred to McCarthy's home area in California as "some Bakersfield B.S." The House is expected to finalize committee assignments in the coming weeks, and it remains to be seen whether the Democrats will be able to reclaim their positions on the House Intelligence Committee.
Representative Adam Schiff announced his candidacy for the California Senate seat currently held by Senator Dianne Feinstein, joining a crowded Democratic primary race. Feinstein has yet to announce her intentions for the upcoming election, and Schiff is the third prominent Democrat to join the race. Schiff is the current Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and is well-known for his role in the impeachment inquiry against former President Donald Trump. Other potential candidates include California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has blocked two Democrats, Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell, from serving on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in a move seen as political payback for the Democrats' removal of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) from committees earlier this year. McCarthy has cited a “new standard” from Democrats for why he would strip Schiff and Swalwell of their committee seats, and the decision has been met with criticism from both sides of the aisle. The move is seen as a response to the Democrats' decision to remove Greene and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) from committees, and it remains to be seen how the decision will affect the House Intelligence Committee's ability to fulfill its duties.
Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana has publicly opposed Speaker Kevin McCarthy's efforts to remove three Democrats from committees, signaling potential complications for the House GOP's efforts. McCarthy has the power to keep members off the Intelligence panel, but not the Foreign Affairs Committee, which is a standing committee. Spartz's opposition may be enough to sway the outcome of the dispute, which is expected to continue in the coming days.