Newly configured House Oversight Committee reshaped by Speaker race By Dylan Thompson
The Republicans’ midterm House victory enabled them to determine the composition of all its committees. There is a track record of the majority party using the Oversight Committee as a political weapon. Kevin McCarthy was elected speaker after multiple ballot and then put several members supportive of his candidacy and former President Trump on the Oversight Committee. This more conservative faction of the GOP includes Jim Jordan, Scott Perry, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and Paul Gosar, all of whom refused to recognize the democratic election results in 2020 and downplay the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capital.
Rep. Paul Gosar (from his office)
Two of these new Oversight Committee members were previously censured and removed from committees for inciting violence last Congress when the House was under Democratic control. Rep. Gosar was removed for a video posted on social media in which he was photoshopped as the main character from the anime Attack on Titan, killing the Titan who was made to look like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and attacking another, who was made to look like President Biden. Rep. Greene was censured for her call to execute high-level Democrats, such as Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Former Presidents Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton.
Photo from Rep. Greene
Rep. McCarthy made several concessions in securing the speakership, including new rules whereby only one person can now motion to remove the Speaker (it was previously five). This will weaken McCarthy’s standing as Speaker, a position that in recent years has typically exercised significant control over the chamber.
Dylan Thompson is a Political Science student at Utica University
