WASHINGTON–House Republicans censure Rep. Adam Schiff (R) by a vote count of 213-209-6. House Democrats voiced their opposition to Speaker Kevin McCarthy's announcement of the censure against Rep. Schiff, with many members throwing barbs at the Speaker.
Rep. Ilhan Omar called him a "Coward" as Democrats chanted "Adam, Adam, Adam."
Republicans were quiet, for the most part, but on member did yell out "jackasses."
After the vote. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) appeared to be in disbelief that Republicans would go as far as to censure Rep. Schiff.
Republicans will now send the censure to the House Ethics Committee.
Last week, Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) introduced a resolution to censure Rep. Schiff for continuing to propagate the narrative of former President Donald Trump colluding with Russia to steal the 2016 Election. Though Democrats successfully motioned to table the resolution the first time, a new vote narrowly allowed the resolution to move forward, with 218 Republicans voting against the motion to table against 208 Democrats voting in favor.
Part of the resolution's newfound success lay in Rep. Luna's removal of the $16 million fine her initial resolution against Rep. Schiff called for, which she said was based on half of the estimated Russian collusion investigation's cost ($32 million).
"The GOP Conference agrees that Adam Schiff has betrayed the trust of the American people, purposely abused positions of extreme authority, lied continuously, and as such, must be held to account. Accordingly, the resolution requires Rep. Schiff to pay a $16 million fine, half of the cost American taxpayers were forced to pay for the Russia hoax investigation," Rep. Luna told Fox News in May.
Additionally, the 20 Republicans who initially voted to table the resolution were widely condemned by conservative media and influencers, including former President Trump himself, who demanded they "immediately be primaried."
"Any Republican voting against [Schiff's] CENSURE, or worse, should immediately be primaried," Trump stated on Truth Social.
Before the vote, Rep. Luna told The Floridian she was "fairly confident" in getting the resolution forward.
"From what we're being told, yes. And I talked to a lot of the members that were "no's" last week as well as some additional members that were out of town. So we're fairly confident about it," said Luna.
On the House floor upon opening of the debate, Luna laid it thick on Rep. Schiff, saying he "knowingly chase[d] ghosts all for political gain" and "exploited his position as chair of the Intel Committee at every opportunity possible."
Finally, she concluded, "The American people do not trust Congress. The cyclical pattern of lies has worn down the credibility of every institution and every official in the United States government. You see it, I see it. If we run away from this opportunity to hold this man accountable, there is only one fault and that is of ourselves. We will betray the people who trusted us and sent us here to do the right thing. We will be responsible for the end of any shred of justice in this body, and we will reject the duty that we swore an oath to protect upon taking office."
