House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and House Republicans voted Monday night to strip Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, of all committee assignments after he appeared to wonder when “white supremacist” and “white nationalist” became offensive terms.
The Iowa Republican is slated to lose his post on the House Judiciary Committee, including his expected spot as the top Republican on the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. He was also set to lose his spots on the House Agriculture Committee, a key position given the importance of farming to his home state, and on the Small Business Committee.
“We will not be seating Steve King on any committees in the 116th Congress,” McCarthy, a Republican from California, told reporters after meeting with the House GOP steering committee. “It was a unanimous decision by steering in light of the comments. These are not the first time we’ve heard these comments.”
The decision was handed down after McCarthy met with King Monday afternoon for an hour and a day after McCarthy promised in an interview that “action will be taken” in the aftermath of King’s comments.
King declined to comment after the meeting with McCarthy, but he released a statement calling the move a “political decision that ignores the truth.” King said his remarks were misunderstood over the course of a lengthy interview with the New York Times.
At one point King said in the interview, “White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive? … Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization?” according to the Times.
But King said his use of the term “that language” was only meant to refer to Western civilization and not white nationalism or white supremacy.
McCarthy said King was informed of the decision shortly after the steering committee’s decision.
“I don’t think he agreed with me. I talked to him. I let him make his case,” McCarthy said. “I looked at past comments, past research of things that have been said, and I do not think that is becoming of individuals who sit on committees.”
King’s comments in the Times interview were quickly denounced by top Republicans of all stripes, including McCarthy, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., and Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., the House Republican Conference chairwoman. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., also lambasted King on Monday and indicated it’s time for him to exit politics.
Even usual supporters of King came down hard on him for the remarks. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who had King serve as his Iowa chairman during the 2016 campaign, called the comments “stupid.” President Trump said Monday that he was unfamiliar with what King said.
Republicans were quick to support McCarthy’s move. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., said members were “very satisfied” by the decision.
“I’m very satisfied. I think he’s doing the right thing,” Cole said after the meeting. “It’s a tough decision, it’s an important decision, and I think he made the right decision.”
Two House Democrats also announced plans to introduce censure measures against the Iowa Republican. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., introduced his measure Monday to combat King’s “rabid racism” and went on to quote a myriad of remarks made by the GOP congressman.
House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., added that he plans to support a reprimand of King on the floor, but not a censure because the comment was made to a reporter and not on the House floor.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters while the GOP steering committee met that it does not matter all that much whether a resolution of censure or reprimand is brought to the floor, adding that it’s the message that matters from Congress.
“The rejection of those remarks … is very important, and I don’t think the degree of it matters,” the California Democrat said. “I think the fact of it matters. It’s wrong, and it’s not going to go uncondemned.”
