In a dispiriting turn of events, 20 Republican House members joined Democrats in beating back an effort to punish scheming Rep. Adam Schiff (R-Calif.) for his Russigate lies, sending a resolution for his censure down to defeat, a result that he gloated about as a golden opportunity to hold perhaps the most pernicious member of Congress accountable slipped away, at least for now.
The move to censure the former House Intelligence Committee chair was introduced on Tuesday by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) but it failed to gather the necessary support after a Democrat motion to table the resolution passed by a total of 225-196-7, with the 20 GOP lawmakers joining their left-wing colleagues and another seven, five Democrats and two Republicans, voting present.
“Today’s partisan and failed attempt to censure me is a badge of honor that I will wear proudly,” Schiff tweeted, spiking the ball after the vote. “MAGA Republicans are going after me because I dared to hold Donald Trump accountable.”
“These efforts to intimidate me will not succeed. I will always defend our democracy,” he added, invoking the D word that has been hijacked by his party to cloak their extremism which was on full display with the indictment of the 2024 GOP frontrunner with Special Counsel Jack Smith getting the job done that Schiff and his January 6 cohorts couldn’t.
Today’s partisan and failed attempt to censure me is a badge of honor that I will wear proudly.
MAGA Republicans are going after me because I dared to hold Donald Trump accountable.
These efforts to intimidate me will not succeed. I will always defend our democracy.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) June 14, 2023
A number of the naysayers may have been squeamish over the inclusion of a steep penalty in the form of a recommended $16 million fine, at least one GOP lawmaker, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) was opposed to such a measure, tweeting that he would vote to table it and then making good on his work as one of the 20 who voted no.
“Allowing a majority of Congress to take $16 million (92 years of pay) from any member of Congress is shortsighted,” Massie wrote on Twitter. Can we not imagine a time when this precedent would be used against conservatives? Fortunately it failed. I’m told a Constitutional version will be offered now.”
Allowing a majority of Congress to take $16 million (92 years of pay) from any member of Congress is shortsighted.
Can we not imagine a time when this precedent would be used against conservatives?
Fortunately it failed.
I’m told a Constitutional version will be offered now.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) June 14, 2023
Rep. Luna remained optimistic that the next time will be different, taking to Twitter to announce that next week, another motion to censure the underhanded Schiff will be filed, this time without the fine.
She tweeted, “20 Republicans voted against the recommended fine, censure, and investigation of Schiff. I don’t think they read the bill in entirety. Next week, we will be filing a motion to censure and investigate Schiff. We are removing fine as that seems to be what made these Republicans uneasy.”
20 Republicans voted against the recommended fine, censure, and investigation of Schiff. I don’t think they read the bill in entirety. Next week, we will be filing a motion to censure and investigate Schiff. We are removing fine as that seems to be what made these Republicans…
— Anna Paulina Luna (@realannapaulina) June 14, 2023
Massie responded to Luna by thanking her for acknowledging the problematic fine and seemed to commit to voting for the updated version of a censure.
“Thank you for removing the part that several of us thought was unwise and/or unconstitutional. Many of us are looking forward to voting for your better version,” he wrote.
Thank you for removing the part that several of us thought was unwise and/or unconstitutional. Many of us are looking forward to voting for your better version. https://t.co/4rVQvUxWkv
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) June 14, 2023
In addition to Massey, joining Democrats in voting the quash the censure were Reps. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR), Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Tom Cole (R-OK), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Kay Granger (R-TX), Garret Graves (R-LA), Thomas Kean Jr. (R-NY), Kevin Kiley (R-CA), Young Kim (R-CA), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Mark Molinaro (R-NY), Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Mike Simpson (R-IN), Mike Turner (R-OH), David Valadao (R-CA) and Steve Womack (R-AR).
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