Pelosi, Schiff Rebuke House Republicans after Censure Vote Fails
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D., Calif.) chastised House Republicans on Monday night for retaliating against his efforts to impeach President Trump rather than assisting in the process.
“It will be said of House Republicans, When they found they lacked the courage to confront the most dangerous and unethical president in American history, They consoled themselves by attacking those who did,” he wrote on Twitter.
On Monday, the House rejected along party lines a resolution, originally introduced by Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs (R., Ariz.), that called for Schiff’s resignation and accused him of “egregiously false and fabricated retelling” of President Trump’s July 25 phone call. The censure resolution also accused Schiff of making “a mockery of the impeachment process, one of this chamber’s most solemn constitutional duties.”
Biggs was joined by Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.), Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R., La.), and conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney (R., Wyo.) in sponsoring the bill. Following the vote, McCarthy accused Democrats of electing “to put politics over truth.”
JUST NOW ➜ 185 Republicans voted to move forward to condemn and censure Chairman Adam Schiff. Democrats instead chose to put politics over the truth. Shame on them. pic.twitter.com/7yPyQ96UXX
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) October 21, 2019
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued her own statement following the vote, calling Schiff “a great American patriot” for his pursuit of impeachment,.
“What the Republicans fear most is the truth. The President betrayed the oath of office, our national security and the integrity of our elections, and the GOP has not even tried to deny the facts,” Pelosi’s statement reads. “Instead, Republicans stage confusion, undermine the Constitution and attack the person of whom the President is most afraid.
“The American people want the truth. The House will proceed with our impeachment inquiry to find the facts and expose the truth, guided by our Constitution and the facts. This is about patriotism, not politics or partisanship.”
Editor’s Note: This piece originally misidentified Liz Cheney as a representative from Colorado. Cheney actually represents Wyoming.
