Chaos Erupts on House Floor After Adam Schiff Censured for ‘misleading American public’ Over Trump-Russia; Schiff Censured as GOP Could Be Lining Up Impeachment Votes Next

Chaos erupts on House floor after Adam Schiff censured for ‘misleading American public’ over Trump-Russia:

Bedlam broke out on the House floor Wednesday night after the lower chamber voted along party lines to censure Rep. Adam Schiff for amplifying claims that Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign colluded with Russia.

Democrats surrounded House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) after the vote, crowding near the dais and chanting “shame” and “Santos” as he attempted to read the resolution.

“I have all night,” McCarthy said as he tried to ask for Schiff to present himself so he could be censured.

McCarthy’s repeated gavel bangs did little to stop the jeering, which lasted for roughly five minutes before Democratic members allowed the House speaker to speak.

The censure resolution against Schiff (D-Calif.), the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, was approved by a vote of 213-209 with six lawmakers opting to vote “present.”

Reps. Michael Guest (R-Miss.), David Joyce (R-Ohio), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), John Rutherford (R-Fla.) and Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.) – all members of the House Ethics Committee – voted present, as did Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.).

An initial resolution to censure Schiff failed 225-196 last week, with 20 Republicans voting to kill the effort.

That resolution featured a provision to fine Schiff $16 million, half of the money taxpayers doled out for special counsel Robert Mueller’s collusion probe, according to Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who sponsored both bills.

The resolution voted on Wednesday scrapped the fine and made other modifications to win over members of the House like Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky), who opposed the initial version.

Schiff has decried the censureship efforts as “false and defamatory” and accused Republicans of retaliating against him for holding Trump accountable. He also dubbed it a “badge of honor.” —>READ MORE HERE

Schiff censured as GOP could be lining up impeachment votes next

Rep. Adam B. Schiff was censured by the House Wednesday, but as he stood in the well to hear Speaker Kevin McCarthy announce the finding, fellow Democrats jammed the aisles shouting “shame” and “disgrace” at the GOP majority while cheering Schiff and patting him on the back.

The resolution of censure also said the California Democrat, a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump and a prosecutor at Trump’s first impeachment trial, would be investigated by the Ethics Committee for “falsehoods, misrepresentations, and abuses of sensitive information.”

Schiff is the 25th House member ever censured, and the first since 2010.

The vote came as some House Republicans were preparing to force votes on the impeachment of President Joe Biden and potentially other members of his administration. After the censure vote, the Rules Committee met and approved a rule to refer a Biden impeachment resolution to the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees. The full House would have to vote on that rule for the referral to take place.

The censure vote was 213-209, with six members voting present. Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna offered the resolution to censure the former House Intelligence Committee chairman, who Republicans say unfairly targeted Trump. The resolution argues that Schiff abused his power as the ranking member and chair of the panel and falsely spread allegations about Trump’s 2016 campaign colluding with Russia.

Democrats said that Schiff, who was removed from the Intelligence Committee earlier this year, was being targeted as Trump faces legal troubles as he makes a third bid for the White House.

The vote came a week after 20 Republicans voted with Democrats to table a similar measure that also would have fined Schiff $16 million. The updated resolution would not impose a fine on Schiff, which several Republicans raised concerns about.

Instead, it would censure him and refer him to the House Ethics Committee for an investigation. Democratic members of the House Ethics Committee, who last week voted present, voted with their party to table the resolution on Wednesday. —>READ MORE HERE

Source