McCarthy Blocks Schiff And Swalwell From Taking Intel Committee Seats

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Tuesday said he will block Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) from taking seats on the House Intelligence Committee, in a move that the speaker insists is not political payback for the Democrats’ decision to strip hard-right lawmakers from their committee assignments during the last term.

In a letter addressing Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), McCarthy said he appreciated the House Minority Leader’s “loyalty” to his colleagues in trying to reinstate them into the committee but said he “cannot put partisan loyalty ahead of national...