The Republican-led effort to censure Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., over his claims about former President Donald Trump’s connections to Russia succeeded Wednesday.
House lawmakers voted 213-209 along party lines to censure Schiff, with six lawmakers voting present. Immediately after the vote, Democrats in the lower chamber began chanting "shame."
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., renewed her effort to censure Schiff for alleging collusion between Trump and Russia during the former president’s 2016 campaign, after her initial attempt was blocked last week as House Democrats – along with 20 Republicans – moved to table the resolution, effectively killing it. The House voted 225-196 to table the legislation at the time.
"To my Republican colleagues who introduced this resolution, I thank you," Schiff said earlier Wednesday after Democrats failed to kill the measure. "You honor me with your enmity. You flatter me with this falsehood. You, who are the authors of a big lie about the last election, must condemn the truth-tellers and I stand proudly before you. Your words tell me that I have been effective in the defense of our democracy and I am grateful."
Schiff said he will wear the "partisan vote as a badge of honor."
The resolution to censure Schiff was introduced last week by Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, an ardent Trump supporter. But it faced opposition from some members of her own party because it originally included a potential $16 million fine, which they deemed to be unconstitutional.
The revised resolution says Schiff held positions of power during Trump's presidency and "abused this trust by saying there was evidence of collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia." Schiff was one of the most outspoken critics of the former president as both the Justice Department and the Republican-led House launched investigations into Trump's ties to Russia in 2017. Both investigations concluded that Russia intervened in the 2016 presidential election but neither found evidence of a criminal conspiracy.
“Representative Schiff purposely deceived his Committee, Congress, and the American people,” the resolution said.
The House has only censured two other lawmakers in the last 20 years. Republican Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona was censured in 2021 for tweeting an animated video that depicted him striking Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., with a sword. Former Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel of New York was censured in 2010 for serious financial and campaign misconduct.
It’s rare. There have only been two others since the 1980s, and the most recent was for Rep. Paul Gosar, who posted a manipulated video of himself attacking both Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Biden.
“Now Trump is threatening to primary any Republican that doesn’t vote for it. It shows you just who is behind this whole effort to distract from Trump’s legal problems is Trump,” Schiff told CNN. “But to waste the floors time on this false and defamatory resolution is a disservice to the country.”
While serving as chair of the House Intelligence Committee, Schiff announced a sweeping investigation in February 2019 into then-President Trump’s finances and Russia.
Schiff also served as the lead House impeachment manager during Trump’s first impeachment. In that role, Schiff and the other impeachment managers detailed the House’s case for removing Trump from office at the Senate trial. The Senate ultimately voted to acquit.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Tuesday told CNN he was confident the resolution would pass this time. “I expect it will pass, yes,” he said.
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