House votes to censure Adam Schiff for alleging Trump-Russia collusion in 2016.

The House Advances Motion to Censure Rep. Adam Schiff

The House on Wednesday took a significant step by advancing a motion to censure Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA). This motion seeks to formally condemn the California lawmaker for his claims of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign during the 2016 presidential election.

The vote, with a tally of 218-208 against tabling the motion, signifies a measure to condemn Schiff over allegations that he abused the trust of his constituents. He is accused of pushing claims that former President Donald Trump colluded with Russia to manipulate the 2016 election. This marks the second attempt by Republicans this month to censure Schiff, with the previous motion failing to secure the necessary majority votes.

Republicans Unite in Favor of the Motion

The measure advanced after receiving unanimous support from Republicans, overcoming previous objections from some party members who voted against the motion last week. The original bill language included a $16 million fine, which prompted 20 GOP lawmakers to object. However, Luna, the bill’s sponsor, later removed that provision, ensuring the votes needed to pass the resolution on Wednesday.

Luna filed the privileged motion on Tuesday, denouncing Schiff for his promotion of unproven allegations of Trump-Russia collusion. Schiff had relied on the discredited dossier compiled by British ex-spy Christopher Steele. These claims faced renewed scrutiny following the release of the Durham report earlier this year. The report concluded that the FBI had no proper basis for launching the Crossfire Hurricane investigation into Trump and Russia in 2016. It also revealed the significant role played by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s campaign in pushing collusion claims to the media and the FBI.

Schiff has vehemently rejected the motion, dismissing it as a misuse of House resources. In response, he stated, “This is a badge of honor. They go after people that are effective. I expose the corruption of the former president. I led the first impeachment trial of the former president to the first bipartisan vote to remove a president.”

A censure vote, while symbolic and lacking real punishment, does not remove a lawmaker from office. However, it could have implications for Schiff’s political future as he seeks to replace the retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in the Senate. The motion will now proceed to a full vote before the House on Wednesday evening. If approved, it will be referred to the Ethics Committee for further investigation.