House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has avenged Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) by blocking two Democrats from serving on a House committee.

McCarthy announced Tuesday he would refuse to seat Democratic Reps. Eric Swalwell and Adam Schiff of California on the House Intelligence Committee pure political payback for Democrats removing Greene and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) from committees in 2021.

In a public letter to Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who had named the pair to the intelligence committee, McCarthy said that in order to maintain a standard worthy of this committees responsibilities, he would reject the appointment of the two Democrats.

Greene has emerged as McCarthys top ally on the far-right flank of the Republican Party . Democrats booted her from committees in 2021 when it came out that she had trafficked online in conspiracy theories and violent rhetoric toward political opponents, especially Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), before coming to Congress. McCarthy won Greenes support for his speakership partly by promising to put her back on committees if Republicans controlled the House a promise he has kept.

McCarthy did not explain in his letter why Swalwell and Schiff shouldnt serve on the committee, but he has repeatedly claimed Swalwell would be unable to get a security clearance due to a past affiliation with a Chinese spy and that Schiff had lied to the American people. Both allegations are specious .

This is not anything political, McCarthy told reporters at the Capitol earlier on Tuesday. This is not similar to what the Democrats did. Those members will have other committees, but the intel committee is different.