Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal just got booted off the Ways and Means Committee in the House. The office of Speaker Mike Johnson says the Washington Democrat has been using her seat on the powerful committee to illegally steer money toward Democrats. The decision came down late Tuesday, and by Wednesday morning her nameplate had already been taken off the committee room door.
“Jayapal keeps pushing to move taxpayer dollars away from private businesses and into companies run by Democrats who practice socialism,” Johnson said in a statement. “Keeping her on that committee is an insult to the voters who sent her there.”
Ways and Means is one of the most important committees in Congress. It writes tax law and has a hand in some of the biggest spending decisions in Washington. A seat there is a big deal, and losing one is an even bigger one.
According to Republican aides, the trouble started months ago. They say Jayapal repeatedly pushed amendments and side deals that would have sent federal grants and contracts to companies with close ties to Democratic donors and progressive groups. Some of those businesses, aides claim, were run by people who had openly campaigned for her and her allies.
“It wasn’t subtle,” one GOP staffer said. “Every time a funding bill came through, there was a new carve-out with her fingerprints on it. And every time, the money pointed in the same direction.”
Republicans say they raised concerns with Democratic leadership more than once but got nowhere. Eventually, Johnson decided to act.
Jayapal, who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, has long been one of the loudest voices on the left in Congress. She has pushed hard for Medicare for All, higher taxes on corporations, and expanded social programs. Her supporters see her as a champion for working families. Her critics see her as one of the main reasons Democrats keep drifting left.
She wasted no time responding. In a statement, her office called the removal “a political hit job” and said the Speaker was punishing her for fighting for ordinary Americans.
“This is about silencing progressive voices,” the statement said. “There is nothing illegal about wanting taxpayer money to help working people instead of billionaires.”
Jayapal plans to appeal.
Democratic leaders backed her up, at least publicly. Several members said Johnson was abusing his power and setting a dangerous precedent. One called it “the kind of thing they do in banana republics.”
Privately, though, some Democrats admitted they weren’t shocked. A few said Jayapal had a habit of pushing the rules further than most, and that the move was always a possibility once Republicans started paying attention.
Republicans, meanwhile, celebrated. Several GOP members praised Johnson for standing up to what they called “socialism by the back door.” The appeal process could take weeks. Until then, Jayapal is off the committee, and her seat is open.