Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democratic representative, was censured in the US House of Representatives yesterday. Chaos ensued after the voting results of 213-209, with Republicans in favor and Democrats against. While six votes are included from the GOP lawmakers.
The case in question dates back to 2016, during the investigations of then-president Donald Trump. The focus was on the Russian interference in the previous elections, alleging that they aided Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
Schiff was the intel committee chair, who issued several statements during the investigations. However, these comments were proven to be doctored to suit the narrative. Consequently, the Republican representatives initiated a censure against the Democratic representative: “Misleading the American public and for conduct unbecoming of an elected Member of the House of Representatives.”
These are the allegations against Sciff to proceed with his censure hearing–
- Falsely claimed evidence of collusion.
- Fabricated the transcript during a committee hearing.
- He was dishonest about his dealings with a whistleblower.
- Mischaracterized official documents.
He stands on the “well of the house,” where he is officially pronounced censured.
Rep. Adam Schiff released his statement after he was censured in the House of Representatives.
He also mentioned what fellow D-Calif representative, Nancy Pelosi, spoke on his behalf–
“Today we are on the floor of the House, where the other side has turned this chamber—where slavery was abolished, where Medicare and Social Security were instituted—they’ve turned it into a puppet show. And the puppeteer, Donald Trump, is shining a light on the strings. The only advantage to all of this, is that instead of reversing what we did on the IRA to save the planet or reversing what we did to reduce the cost of prescription drugs, you’re wasting time.”
While the Republicans chanted “Shame” for Schiff, he received strong support from the Democrats.
But what does this verdict mean for the Democratic Representative?
What Does It Mean to Censure a Congressman?
Basic definition: Censure is the formal statement of disproval, decided by the majority vote.
There are two main implications of these votes–
- Each House of Congress has the authority for the proceedings to punish the representative for disorderly behavior.
- If the concurrence of these votes is 2/3rd, the member will be expelled.
Simply put, the word censure in a political context means condemnation or denouncement.
The president and the CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation, Brad Fitch, said–,
“Censure is the first level of punishment that carries actual consequences for the members beyond a public embarrassment or a public reprimation. Censure has teeth.”
So basically, it is a form of public rebuke.
Difference Between Censure and No-Confidence
Censure is deep disapproval and condemnation of the member’s actions. There are no other significant repercussions from this decision, except that the member can lose their authority, diluting their power in Washington.
No-Confidence motion has more serious implications, resulting in the removal of representatives entirely. The worst case is impeachment.
What are your opinions on Adam Schiff getting censured? Do you believe that censuring members of Congress can bring a positive change in the conduct?
Let us know your opinions in the comment section below.
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