This morning, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced he was rejecting the appointments of Democratic Representatives Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell to the House Intelligence Committee. It was a move long telegraphed, retribution for former Speaker Pelosi rejecting several Republican appointments to the January 6th Committee. I’m sure we’ll see a great deal of commentary on this in the coming days but, before it gets here, I’d like to share my thoughts since this feels like an important — and unfortunate — inflection point.

For those bristling at the thought I would call McCarthy’s move, not Pelosi’s, the inflection point, there’s a reason. Pelosi broke with tradition and that’s regrettable. But by following her lead rather than rejecting it, McCarthy is the one setting new precedent. Now that both parties have engaged in this behavior, there’s no reason for either to turn back. I understand some of the right’s objections to Adam Schiff — repeatedly promising evidence of Trump’s Russia collusion without ever providing it was a deeply cynical and divisive move. But if McCarthy considers that a good reason to keep Schiff off Intelligence, he should have applauded Pelosi for keeping Jim Jordan off the January 6th Committee. Jordan, after all, repeatedly undermined the 2020 election without proof and was involved in White House discussions to delay the January 6th joint session of Congress. We can go back and forth like this forever, which is my point. Because of McCarthy’s actions this morning, we will go back and forth like this forever. Saying the other side started it isn’t an excuse. As Julie Mason’s mother would say, “I don’t care who started it. You finish it.” 

She would be so disappointed in Kevin McCarthy.