In a significant move, the U.S. House of Representatives has voted to censure Representative Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California. The decision, which took place on June 21, was a result of a resolution introduced by Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida. Schiff is accused of spreading misinformation against former President Donald Trump.
The resolution was passed with a narrow margin of 213–209 votes, with six Republicans choosing to vote “present.” The censure means that Schiff will now be referred to the House Ethics Committee for further investigation.
The resolution was privileged, which necessitated a House vote. In a previous vote held last week, 20 Republicans had joined 205 Democrats to table the initial resolution. The revised resolution, which was passed, was similar to the original one, but it did not include a proposed $16 million fine for Schiff if he were found guilty by the House Ethics Committee.
The resolution condemns Schiff, who was the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, for promoting the idea of collusion between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. This claim was later debunked by multiple sources, including special counsel Robert Mueller in 2019, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz later the same year, and special counsel John Durham in May.
Despite the censure, Schiff remained defiant, expressing gratitude for the resolution and stating that it indicated his effectiveness in defending democracy. Following the vote, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, called Schiff to the well of the House floor for the pronouncement of censure.
The censure of Schiff has drawn mixed reactions from both Republicans and Democrats. While Republicans believe that Schiff’s alleged actions warrant censure, Democrats have defended Schiff, stating that he has worked honorably and that the censure is an unprecedented and unwise attempt to turn a policy dispute into a sanction.
