Several House Republicans are speaking out about House Speaker Mike Johnson's decision to appoint two far-right MAGA extremists to the powerful and influential House Intelligence Committee.
According to Politico, there is a growing resentment among members of the House Republican Caucus over the appointments of Reps. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) and Scott Perry (R-Pennsylvania) to the Intelligence Committee last week. Members are "angry" not just over the baggage associated with both Jackson and Perry, but over the fact that more senior and more qualified members of the House were leapfrogged. One unnamed House Republican speaking anonymously told Politico that Johnson was effectively "rewarding bad behavior" with his Intelligence Committee picks.
"There’s a lot of pissed people. A lot of angry people," the member said. "It’s a coveted spot, and a lot of people who have worked hard to be good team players feel like they are getting passed over."
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Johnson reportedly picked Jackson and Perry in response to a pressure campaign from former President Donald Trump and the far-right House Freedom Caucus. Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), who is a retired Navy SEAL, said elevating Jackson and Perry to the prestigious committee "upends the meritocracy that has long been the defining practice on Intel."
"The speaker needs to remember that there isn't only one group that can threaten them," he said. "Just do not teach the lesson that the only way for us to be effective here is threatening, because I'll take the lesson and I'll do it."
Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), who was recently promoted to the rank of colonel in the U.S. Air Force, was rumored to be a favorite for the Intelligence Committee along with Reps. Stephanie Bice (R-Oklahoma), Laurel Lee (R-Florida) and Blake Moore (R-Utah). According to another anonymous House Republican, Johnson didn't even consult with committee chairman Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) before announcing Jackson and Perry's appointment. However, Perry — who has previous military experience as a retired one-star general — defended his record.
"My 40 years of experience and service to our Nation speaks for itself," Perry said in a statement to Politico.
In 2023, the FBI seized Perry's phone as part of its investigation into attempts to overturn the 2020 election. The Pennsylvania Republican reportedly had multiple conversations about efforts to disrupt Congress' certification of the Electoral College count and Mike Pence's ability to declare Trump the winner from the Senate dais, among other topics.
Rep. Jackson's appointment to the committee was controversial largely due to him being demoted in the wake of a damning Inspector General report from the U.S. Navy. The report alleged that while he was Trump's official White House physician, Jackson frequently handed out prescription drugs to unnamed "senior staff" members of the Trump White House like Ambien, anti-anxiety medication Xanax and the stimulant Modafinil. Jackson was demoted from rear admiral-lower half to captain.
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Click here to read Politico's report in full.