After a short delay, Republicans have announced just one new member, Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX), will join the House Intelligence Committee.
The announcement comes two weeks after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi named four new Democrats to the high-profile committee, which hasn't been able to formally meet since the Republican leadership hadn't announced its roster.
Now that the Republican slate is set, the full committee with 13 Democrats and nine Republicans can convene and will likely do so as soon as next week. One of its first priorities may be restarting its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, which new Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) has vowed to reopen.
While some Democrats speculated Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was stalling in an effort to slow committee business, Politico reports other factors dictated timing.
Leadership had to determine if Reps. Pete King (R-N.Y.) and Mike Conaway (R-Texas), who were term-limited off the committee, could receive a waiver to remain.
Conaway, who had more seniority than King and led the Russia investigation after then-Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) temporarily stepped aside from the inquiry, is expected to receive a waiver. King is not.
There is also a chamber rule that each side of the aisle must have at least one member who also serves on the House Judiciary Committee, which Ratcliffe (R-Texas) does, replacing former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), who, along with three other panel Republicans, retired from Congress this year.
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Prior to his election, former President George W. Bush in 2004 named Ratcliffe the chief of anti-terrorism and national security for the Eastern District of Texas. He was appointed U.S. attorney for the same district in 2007. It's that investigate background that led McCarthy to pick him for the panel's open slot.
This Congress marks the first time McCarthy is hand-picking members to serve on Intelligence. McCarthy personally informed at least 70 lawmakers who sought a spot on the panel but didn't get a seat, further delaying the Ratcliffe announcement.
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The panel held its first briefing with intelligence community officials Wednesday, according to a committee source. The one named Republican member, Nunes, was invited but did not attend, the source told POLITICO.
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Following last week's arrest of longtime Trump ally Roger Stone on charges of lying to Congress, Schiff said the "first order of business for the committee will be to release all remaining transcripts to the Special Counsel's Office, and we will continue to follow the facts wherever they lead."
He has also said the panel will look into allegations of money laundering between the Trump Organization and Russia and has threatened to subpoena the company’s bank records.
Republican move allows House Intel to resume work (Politico)