
The House GOP voted Wednesday to publicly reprimand Rep. Adam Schiff for his leading role in Democratic investigations of former President Donald Trump.
The measure, which passed 213-209, formally censures Schiff and directs the House Ethics Committee to investigate his actions. All five Republican members of the House ethics panel and Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) voted “present” on Wednesday’s measure.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), the sponsor of the resolution, and other conservatives tried to advance a similar censure measure last week, but 20 Republicans — objecting to language that could have resulted in a $16 million fine for Schiff, unless he resigned from Congress — joined most Democrats to sink it before it came up for a full House vote. Luna removed that provision to allay their concerns.
Schiff has long been a Republican foil for his participation in the Trump probes, including the House investigation into the former president’s campaign ties to Russia and his first impeachment. Luna said Schiff had “launched an all-out political campaign against a sitting president” and “abused his privileges” as the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, which Speaker Kevin McCarthy removed him from earlier this year.
It’s the latest example of conservative-pushed “privileged” resolutions, which require a speedy floor vote and bypass the committee process. The right flank of the House GOP also plans to force votes on other controversial measures, despite the wishes of leadership, like the impeachment of President Joe Biden and his Cabinet secretaries.