House Censures Adam Schiff for Spreading ‘False Accusations’ of Trump-Russia Collusion

The House voted Wednesday on party lines to censure Rep. Adam Schiff, D-CA. This was a formal condemnation of Schiff’s public promotion of the allegations that the former Donald Trump campaign colluded in 2016 with Russia.

The vote was 213 to 209 Six people were present at the vote, including the five Republicans who make up the House Ethics Committee and are required by the resolution to investigate Schiff. Also, Rep. Ken Buck, R-CO, was also there.

Democrats who were unanimously against the vote could be seen rallying behind Schiff, chanting, “Shame!” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-CA, was scolded with “Shame” and “Disgrace!” as he stood to read the resolution.

McCarthy responded to the disturbances by saying, “I’ve got all night.”

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Censures, which are the most severe punishment in Congress other than expulsion, are rare. In the last four decades, only two other members were censured, including Rep. Paul Gosar, R-AZ, for sharing a drawing of him killing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY.

Schiff was accused of spreading false allegations that the Trump campaign colluded to Russia while he served as the top Democrat on House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Schiff “perpetuated in the Congressional Record false allegations” from the Steele Dossier, accusing Trump associates of collaborating with Russia.

The resolution called for Schiff to appear in the House well while McCarthy read out the resolution, and that the Ethics Committee conduct an investigation of Schiff’s “falsehoods and misrepresentations” and his “abuses of sensitive information”.

Schiff, who was in charge of Intelligence at the time, claimed that “clear proof” existed that Trump had colluded to the Russians. This was despite the fact that multiple federal investigations concluded that there wasn’t enough evidence for the alleged collusion.

McCarthy fired Schiff as Intel’s director this year for the same reasons that were cited in the resolution of censure.

Schiff has not retracted any of his claims, and he said in the House before the vote that the censure would be a badge of honor.

He said:

This partisan vote is a badge I wear with pride, as I know that I’ve lived up to my oath and done my duty in holding a dangerous, out-of-control president accountable. I’d do it again in a second if circumstances ever required it.

Anna Paulina Luna, R-FL, was the main sponsor of the resolution. She originally included a fine of $16 million against Schiff. This would have compensated for some of what American taxpayers paid in total for federal investigations into Trump and Russia. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-KY, and other Republicans were against the fine, saying it was unconstitutional. Luna then removed that provision.

In social media posts, several Republicans congratulated the passage of this resolution.

Schiff, who will be running for an open Senate seat in California 2024, has raised money off of the disciplinary actions against him. Insider discovered that he sent at least 20 emails to raise funds, along with social media posts asking for donations.