Adam Schiff censured, faces ethics probe

Yesterday Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) drew formal censure from the House of Representatives and now faces a formal ethics investigation. But at least some conservatives question the practical effect of the censure.

The Adam Schiff censure resolution

Last week Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) introduced a resolution of censure against Adam Schiff, Her resolution charged him with conduct ill-befitting a member of the House of Representatives. Specifically it charged that he continued to flog a “false narrative” about collusion between then-Candidate Donald J. Trump and the Russian Federation. Worse, it accused him of violating Carter Page’s civil rights, and of abusing his authority as Chairman of the Intelligence Committee. The most serious allegation involved perpetrating a fraud on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in Carter Page’s case. The resolution also recommended that Schiff pay a $16 million fine if the House Ethics Committee found him appropriately guilty.

But the House tabled the motion on June 15, with twenty House Republicans voting to table. Todd Starnes provided a full list:

• Kelly Armstrong (N.D.);
• Lori Chavez-DeRemer (Ore.);
• Juan Ciscomani (Ariz.);
• Tom Cole (Okla.);
• Warren Davidson (Ohio);
• Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.);
• Kay Granger (Texas);
• Garret Graves (La.);
• Thomas Kean Jr. (N.J.);
• Kevin Kiley (Calif.);
• Young Kim (Calif.);
• Michael Lawler (N.Y.);
• Thomas Massie (Ky.);
• Tom McClintock (Calif.);
• Marc Molinaro (N.Y.);
• Jay Obernolte (Calif.);
• Michael Simpson (Idaho);
• Michael Turner (Ohio);
• David Valadao (Calif.); and
• Steve Womack (Ark.).

Yesterday Rep. Luna introduced another resolution, with this key difference: it omitted reference to a $16 million fine. Apparently some felt the fine might construe as a change of compensation, in violation of Amendment XXVII.

Back for Round Two

This time the resolution passed, 213-209. Six Republicans voted “Present.” Three other Republicans and three Democrats did not vote at all.

Five of the six “Present” voters are all members of the House Ethics Committee. The censure resolution tasks them specifically with investigating Adam Schiff. Why Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) voted President is not clear. The six non-voters presumably were absent from the House.

At least two conservative influencers on Twitter disdained the censure resolution as toothless and meaningless.

Neither of these influencers seems to have taken the requirement for an ethics investigation into account.

Again as the resolution required, Adam Schiff walked to the well of the House to give an account of himself. The entire Democratic contingent cheered him loudly, prompting Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to deliver this stinging rebuke on Twitter:

Several Democrats cried “Shame!” and “Disgrace!” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) called Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the Speaker of the House, a “spiteful coward.”