Rep. Mike Turner says Speaker Johnson will 'assert leadership' if any 'improper' behavior by new Intelligence Committee members

Republican Rep. Mike Turner, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, said Sunday that Speaker Kevin McCarthy will "assert leadership" if any of the committee's new members engage in "improper" behavior. Turner was asked by Margaret Brennan on "Face the Nation" about concerns over the appointment of Rep. Scott Perry, who was involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and Rep. Ronny Jackson, who was accused of misconduct during his time as the White House physician. Turner said McCarthy, who appointed Perry and Jackson to the committee, "will have to assert leadership if there are individuals who are not following the appropriate norms or guidelines that we have in the committee." Turner added that the committee "has a long history of being a bipartisan committee" and that he is "hopeful" that it will continue to be so. He also stressed that McCarthy has the authority to remove members from the committee. Turner's comments come amid concerns that the House Intelligence Committee could become more partisan under Republican control. The committee is responsible for overseeing the nation's intelligence agencies, and its work can have significant implications for national security. In addition to Perry and Jackson, McCarthy appointed Rep. Elise Stefanik, who was a vocal defender of former President Donald Trump's false claims about the 2020 election, to the committee. Democrats have criticized McCarthy's appointments, arguing that they are unqualified and that they will politicize the committee's work. "The Intelligence Committee should be about national security, not partisan politics," Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the committee, said in a statement. "Unfortunately, Kevin McCarthy has chosen to put his political loyalists ahead of the country's interests." It remains to be seen how McCarthy will respond if there are concerns about the behavior of any of the new members of the House Intelligence Committee. But Turner's comments suggest that McCarthy is aware of the potential for conflict and that he is prepared to take action if necessary.

Summary

"Rep. Mike Turner, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, said that Speaker Kevin McCarthy will "assert leadership" if any of the committee's new members engage in "improper" behavior. This comes amid concerns over the appointment of Rep. Scott Perry and Rep. Ronny Jackson to the committee. Democrats have criticized the appointments, arguing that they will politicize the committee's work. It remains to be seen how McCarthy will respond if there are concerns about the behavior of any of the new members. But Turner's comments suggest that McCarthy is aware of the potential for conflict and that he is prepared to take action if necessary."