Donald Trump The Republican House of Representatives has just voted to censure California Demoratic Congressman Adam Schiff for his roles in investigations of then-President Donald Trump.
And, yes, the House GOP was doing the bidding of Trump. Here’s the chronolgy (i.e. proof):
1. On June 17 a vote to censure Schiff failed with 20 Republicans voting against censure.
2. Trump then called for the 20 Republicans to be replaced.
3. Trump did a Truth Social post saying anyone who voted against a new vote censure should be primaried.
4. This time the censure measure magically passed.
The House took the rare step Wednesday of censuring one of its own members, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, over his criticisms of then-President Donald Trump and his role in leading the first impeachment inquiry into the former president.
The 213-209 party-line vote came exactly one week after a similar effort to censure Schiff, D-Calif., was rejected after 20 Republicans joined Democrats to block the resolution over objections to a provision that called for fining him $16 million.
But the author of the resolution, freshman Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said this week she had secured support from the 20 GOP dissenters after she removed language about a fine.
After the vote, Schiff was ordered to stand on the House floor to receive a verbal rebuke, read by Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. Democrats chanted “Shame!” and “Disgrace!” and heckled McCarthy.
The resolution also requires the House Ethics Committee to launch an investigation into Schiff. Six Republicans voted present on the censure resolution.
“The perpetrator of this web of deceit became mainstays on cable news, waking up every morning with one goal: to lie, lie, lie to the American people that there was direct evidence of Russia collusion,” Luna said in a floor speech before the vote.
Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation did not establish any coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia, though it did document contacts between Russians and campaign officials and found that the campaign was willing to accept help.
Schiff, who is running for an open Senate seat in California, was the chairman and ranking member of the Intelligence Committee during the Trump administration, and he became the face of Democratic accusations that members of Trump’s 2016 campaign team colluded with Russia to defeat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
In January, McCarthy, a top Trump ally, single-handedly removed Schiff and Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., from the Intelligence panel.
“I think once Donald Trump threatened that any Republicans who didn’t go along with his effort to censure me were going to get primaried, they fell in line. … They just cannot stand up to this most unethical, now-indicted president,” a defiant Schiff told reporters on the steps of the Capitol before Wednesday’s vote.
“As [Franklin D.] Roosevelt said, sometimes you can judge a person by the enemies they make,” he added. “Judging from the kind of crazy people that were on the floor today in support of this resolution, I’m doing really well measured by that standard.”
Censure represents the House’s formal disapproval of a lawmaker’s misconduct. Even amid today’s political polarization, censure doesn’t happen very often.
Schiff is the 25th lawmaker in U.S. history to be censured by the House.
Puppet shows used to be big on American television in the 1950s.
With today’s vote, they made a comeback.
.@SpeakerPelosi on vote to censure Rep. Adam Schiff: "Today we are on the floor of the House, where the other side has turned this chamber […] into a puppet show." https://t.co/2ABjSBlvQ8 pic.twitter.com/LysBtAv2Vb
— The Hill (@thehill) June 21, 2023
Last week the so-called moderate Republicans in New York voted against censuring Adam Schiff.
Trump threatened to primary them in response.
These profiles in courage immediately flip-flopped and bent the knee to their Puppet Master.
We will expose them all.
— Hakeem Jeffries (@hakeemjeffries) June 22, 2023
This is a stain on this institution, led by Trump but carried out by enablers who are complicit. The death of statesmen and women. https://t.co/B0WL5FmaSL
— Andrew Weissmann ? (@AWeissmann_) June 21, 2023
Bending disgracefully to the will of Donald Trump, Republicans today revived their absurd effort to censure @RepAdamSchiff. What can you say about a party that embraces the Big Lie, insurrection and George Santos but wants to censure Adam Schiff? pic.twitter.com/YdfNusR4tb
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) June 21, 2023
Whoa. This actually happened: Rep. Eric Swalwell stared down Kevin McCarthy during the House vote to censure Adam Schiff & literally told Kevin McCarthy, "you're weak" and "you're pathetic." What a beautiful picture to imagine. I just can’t get this out of my head.
— Victor Shi (@Victorshi2020) June 22, 2023
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 21, 2023
Two points on the censure of Adam Schiff. First, Republicans did this because he told the truth, and it was devastating to them. Second, the Republicans who voted against the first time, but for it this time, are despicable moral cowards, no backbone or standards. Disgraceful.
— Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) June 21, 2023
The entire @HouseGOP is a clown show of losers and trolls. They’ve been given the power to govern but are pissing it away passing useless censures and dead bills while fighting amongst themselves like petulant teens. @SpeakerMcCarthy is a total failure and a joke.
— Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) June 21, 2023
Wow Looks like McCarthy has lost control of the House Floor after the censure vote pic.twitter.com/xQzqbvEMNc
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 21, 2023
Why did Republicans make stuff up and go after Adam Schiff on the House floor? Because he is effective. Because he is courageous. And because he is right.
We stand with Adam. https://t.co/Lt5Z2AhTMw
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) June 21, 2023
That sound you hear is Adam Schiff going up in the polls in the Democratic primary for US Senate. https://t.co/P280MhwmNl
— Mike Madrid (@madrid_mike) June 21, 2023
Let’s take this moment & thank Rep. Adam Schiff for his commitment to public service, accountability, & democracy. He is more of a public servant and leader than all the Republicans who voted to censure him combined. Republicans messed with the wrong guy. pic.twitter.com/ZKIcqSyy9w
— Victor Shi (@Victorshi2020) June 21, 2023
BREAKING: MAGA Republicans passed their resolution to censure me.
We face many pressing challenges as a country. Instead of addressing them, @SpeakerMcCarthy took up a MAGA effort to distract from Trump’s legal woes.
They will never stop doing his bidding.
— Adam Schiff (@AdamSchiff) June 21, 2023
I couldn’t be more proud of my friends and former students @RepRaskin and @RepAdamSchiff.
To listen to Jamie Raskin defend Adam Schiff from the ludicrous Trump-inspired attack by their MAGA colleagues is nothing short of exhilarating https://t.co/eKhvwGxt6I
— Laurence Tribe ?? ?? (@tribelaw) June 21, 2023
Young people are fired up and pissed off at House Republicans tonight.
Who’s ready to vote them all out?
— Aaron Parnas (@AaronParnas) June 21, 2023
.@HouseGOP votes to censure @RepAdamSchiff by a vote of 213 to 209. Six Republicans vote ‘present.’ Listen to the chorus of “SHAME!” that reigns down on @SpeakerMcCarthy as he declares this motion passed. Republicans are complete disgraces to this chamber and this country. pic.twitter.com/vnDgkFQKzK
— Andrew Wortman ? (@AmoneyResists) June 21, 2023
House Republicans refuse to censure George Santos or Marjorie Taylor Greene or any of their colleagues who incited the January 6 insurrection, but they vote to censure Rep. Adam Schiff because he led the impeachment against their Dear Leader Donald Trump. Shameful. https://t.co/DK4qUy4SAz
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) June 21, 2023
There are few greater honors for a true patriot defender of liberty and the rule of law than to be censured by gang of traitors. @AdamSchiff https://t.co/xTSyfFoGMr
— Tim Hogan ?? (@TimInHonolulu) June 21, 2023
McCarthy is getting heckled and booed pic.twitter.com/a6MozkshO9
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 21, 2023
RETWEET if you consider Rep. Adam Schiff an American hero. pic.twitter.com/BKlk7eyuHF
— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) June 21, 2023
Let’s be honest Schiff is so happy about this because he’s gonna be California’s next Senator. But it’s a disgrace. McCarthy is such a disgrace https://t.co/a8SjGF4ozr
— Armando (@ArmandoNDK) June 21, 2023
GOP censures Schiff for doing his job.
What should have been a win still manages to make McCarthy look more weak and ineffective https://t.co/cyTxVZL7CG
— Angry Staffer ? (@Angry_Staffer) June 21, 2023
So Russia interfered in our 2016 election to help get Trump elected, Trump welcomed & encouraged the interference, and there WAS collusion between Russia & the Trump campaign, and today House Republicans censure @AdamSchiff? Adam Schiff?
Such partisan, unpatriotic bullshit.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) June 21, 2023
Jeez. Rep. Dan Goldman is showing all of us why we could use more prosecutors in Congress. He just called out Republicans on the House floor, saying, "You are the party of George Santos! Who are you holding accountable?!? Don’t lecture us with your projection. It’s pathetic."
— Victor Shi (@Victorshi2020) June 21, 2023
FDR said that sometimes you can judge a person by the enemies they’ve made.
By that standard, I’m doing pretty damn well. pic.twitter.com/IDqJiEVV8c
— Adam Schiff (@AdamSchiff) June 21, 2023
House Republicans just censured Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff over his criticisms of then-President Trump and his role in leading the first Trump impeachment inquiry.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 21, 2023
NEWS—
House Republicans have SHAMEFULLY voted 213-209 to censure Rep. Adam Schiff to please their cult leader Donald Trump.
Republicans were livid that Schiff effectively investigated Donald Trump and exposed their party's criminal behavior.
This is an utterly disgraceful and… https://t.co/bJ4yC0NHCm
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) June 21, 2023
This phony ploy to punish Adam Schiff for speaking truth to power is pathetic and beneath this body.
Coming from the party of George Santos, the Republicans should instead focus their attention inward rather than promote more lies about honorable public servants. pic.twitter.com/rBcsQHcq4s
— Rep. Dan Goldman (@RepDanGoldman) June 21, 2023
Imagine a political party that covers up the lies and crimes of George Santos, lauds an abettor of sexual abuse, Jim Jordan, does nothing to those like Paul Gosar, who helped engineer a violent insurrection that could’ve killed their own. And then censures a truth teller.
— Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) June 22, 2023
Schiff: No matter how many false justifications or slanders you level against me, you but indict yourselves. As Liz Cheney said, there will come a day when Donald Trump is gone. But your dishonor will remain. pic.twitter.com/KewBrXJ1zJ
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 21, 2023
Photo 29641462 © Nexusplexus | Dreamstime.com
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.