Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., conducts a news conference at the Republican National Committee after a meeting with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and the House Republican Conference on Thursday, June 13, 2024. (Tom Williams/Pool via AP) The quiet announcement that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.
) earlier this month tapped two controversial members to serve on the House Intelligence Committee set off alarms among some House Republicans. Lawmakers’ phones were suddenly buzzing with texts from shocked colleagues and calls were made to the highest echelons of leadership asking for an explanation. One call Johnson received was from former speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.
), who felt it imperative to understand the new speaker’s rationale for appointing Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) to the critical panel, according to two people familiar with the conversation, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.
The appointment of Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Tex.) to Intelligence also drew unease from some House Republicans, but not as much as Perry, because he is not a member of the hard-line House Freedom Caucus and does not often buck GOP leadership.
The moves were especially surprising because McCarthy had worked in tandem with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and top leaders of the Intelligence Committee - Chairman Michael R.
Turner (R-Ohio) and ranking Democrat Jim Himes (Conn.) - to depoliticize the panel after membe.
