Current:Home > MarketsHouse rejects bid to censure Adam Schiff over Trump investigations -FutureFinance
House rejects bid to censure Adam Schiff over Trump investigations
View
Date:2025-04-21 15:34:55
Washington — The House voted on Wednesday to reject a GOP-backed resolution to censure Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff for his role in congressional investigations of former President Donald Trump, effectively killing the effort to publicly reprimand him.
House Democrats moved to table a resolution introduced by Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, an ardent Trump supporter. The motion succeeded by a vote of 225 to 196, with 20 Republicans voting with Democrats. It needed a simple majority to pass.
"I'm astounded by the vote," Schiff told reporters. "It was basically almost one out of every 10 Republicans voted against this resolution."
The resolution called for the House Ethics Committee to investigate Schiff, the former chair of the House Intelligence Committee and current candidate for Senate in California, and said he should be fined $16 million if the committee determines he "lied, made misrepresentations, and abused sensitive information." Luna said the fine represents half the cost of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible ties between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia.
Schiff has been one of Trump's most ardent and high-profile critics for years, having served as the House's lead prosecutor in Trump's first impeachment trial. In a letter to colleagues on Tuesday, Schiff wrote that the effort to censure him was "not only a terrible misuse of House precedent and resources, but a clear attack on our constitutional system of checks and balances."
Censure is essentially a public reprimand by the House to punish misconduct that falls short of warranting expulsion. Twenty-four House lawmakers have been censured in U.S. history, most recently in 2021, when GOP Rep. Paul Gosar was censured for tweeting a video depicting violence against President Biden and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The censure resolution alleged Schiff "purposely deceived his Committee, Congress, and the American people" and "used his position and access to sensitive information to instigate a fraudulently based investigation, which he then used to amass political gain and fundraising dollars." It also accused him of acting "dishonestly and dishonorably."
Following the vote to table the resolution, Luna said she would try again next week.
Schiff said Tuesday the resolution was an effort to distract from Trump being indicted on federal charges for his alleged mishandling of classified information after he left the White House, as well as retaliation for Schiff voting to impeach Trump.
"This is political payback. But it's also, frankly, quite flattering. They must view me as very effective. They want to go after me to gratify the former president," Schiff told CNN on Tuesday. "But it will do harm to the House to bring this kind of frivolous censure resolution."
Schiff said the effort to censure him would not silence or intimidate him.
Luna introduced the resolution to censure Schiff on the same day that Trump pleaded not guilty to charges that he kept and hid classified documents, and then obstructed the government's efforts to retrieve them.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky said earlier Wednesday that he would vote to table the resolution because he considered the proposed fine against Schiff to be unconstitutional. Though he added that he thought Schiff "acted unethically."
"The Constitution says the House may make its own rules but we can't violate other (later) provisions of the Constitution," Massie tweeted. "A $16 million fine is a violation of the 27th and 8th amendments."
Massie said later Wednesday he was told "a Constitutional version will be offered now."
Nikole Killion contributed reporting.
- In:
- Adam Schiff
- Donald Trump
- United States House of Representatives
Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital. Reach her at caitlin.yilek@cbsinteractive.com. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hausofcait
TwitterveryGood! (79)
Related
- Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
- A US judge is reining in the use of strip searches amid a police scandal in Louisiana’s capital city
- Georgia state tax collections finish more than $2 billion ahead of projections, buoying surplus
- Diana Taurasi will have 2 courts named after her at Phoenix Mercury’s new practice facility
- Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
- Eddie Murphy and Paige Butcher are married after 5-year engagement: Reports
- AT&T says hackers accessed records of calls and texts for nearly all its cellular customers
- Pearl Jam guitarist Josh Klinghoffer sued for wrongful death of pedestrian
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- Euphoria Season 3 Finally Has a Start Date
Ranking
- Google unveils a quantum chip. Could it help unlock the universe's deepest secrets?
- How much do the winners of Wimbledon get in prize money?
- After massive AT&T data breach, can users do anything?
- Mississippi must move quickly on a court-ordered redistricting, say voting rights attorneys
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- Alec Baldwin’s Rust Involuntary Manslaughter Trial Takes a Sudden Twist
- Pastors see a wariness among Black men to talk abortion politics as Biden works to shore up base
- Lakers vs. Rockets live updates: Watch Bronny James in summer league game today
Recommendation
Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
Moms swoon over new 'toddler Stanleys.' But the cups have been around for years.
4-year-old girl reported missing in Massachusetts found unresponsive in neighbor's pool
Channing Tatum Reveals the Sweet Treat Pal Taylor Swift Made for Him
Google unveils a quantum chip. Could it help unlock the universe's deepest secrets?
Layered Necklaces Are The Internet's Latest Obsession — Here's How To Create Your Own Unique Stack
Small Nashville museum wants you to know why it is returning artifacts to Mexico
Billy Joel isn’t ready to retire. What’s next after his Madison Square Garden residency?