House to vote on measure censuring Adam Schiff
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Rep. Adam Schiff. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.
The House is expected to vote this week on a measure to censure Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).
Why it matters: The resolution was introduced the same day former President Trump was arrested over federal charges of mishandling classified documents after leaving office.
- Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), a Trump loyalist and member of the right-wing Freedom Caucus, introduced the resolution.
Driving the news: Luna, in a floor speech on Tuesday, introduced the resolution to condemn Schiff and fine him $16 million over the former Intelligence Committee chair's allegations of ties between Trump and Russia.
- House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) removed Schiff as the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee earlier this year.
- A censure is a severe reprimand by the House of Representatives reserved for serious infractions that don’t reach the threshold of expulsion.
- The $16 million figure is half the cost of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Trump, Luna said.
The other side: Schiff said in a tweet from his campaign Twitter account that the resolution is an effort to "distract from Trump’s indictment and retaliate against me for impeaching him."
- The tweet linked to a fundraising page for his 2024 Senate campaign.
What's next: The privileged resolution, which needs only a simple majority to pass, must be considered on the floor by Thursday.
- House Minority Whip Katherine Clark's (D-Mass.) office said a procedural vote on the measure is expected on Wednesday.
- House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) told reporters the vote could occur as early as Tuesday night, and that GOP members are "split" on it.
What we're hearing: House Republican leadership supports the resolution and is working with Luna on the best time to bring it to a vote so it has the greatest possible chance of passing, a senior GOP aide told Axios.
- Democrats plan to introduce a motion to table, or kill the resolution, and most members of the Caucus are expected to stick together, said a senior Democratic aide.
