McCarthy preps bipartisan team of lawmakers to draft new code of conduct

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says he is preparing a bipartisan team of lawmakers to draft a code of conduct for members of the lower chamber.

"I'm going to put a group of Democrats that [House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries] will select and a group of Republicans, and we'll work to come and clarify the rules and pass something for not only this Congress but future Congresses as well," McCarthy told reporters in the wake of the vote to remove Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The chamber voted 218-211 to oust Omar from her post, fulfilling a prior vow from McCarthy to keep her off the panel. Omar attracted conservative ire for past comments many deemed anti-Semitic and anti-American.

The existing House code of conduct does not address issues such as anti-Semitism or threats of violence against fellow members, The Hill observed.

McCarthy won over several initial Republican opponents in time to boot Omar from the committee with promises to reform the process for removing lawmakers from committees. Both Republican Reps. Nancy Mace, S.C., and Ken Buck, Colo., two of the initial objectors, will participate in the new code's drafting, he said.

McCarthy previously rejected California Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell from sitting on the House Intelligence Committee, raising concerns about Schiff's past public statements on the Trump-Russia collusion hoax and Swalwell's ties to an alleged Chinese spy.

Democrats, meanwhile, accused McCarthy of taking revenge for the Democrats booting GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ga., and Paul Gosar, Ariz., from their committee assignments in the last Congress. McCarthy has denied such accusations.