Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) is renewing her push to censure Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), revising her initial attempt which failed due to a proposed $16 million fine. This revised resolution removes the fine and focuses on censuring Schiff and referring him to the House Ethics Committee for further review. The initial attempt was tabled by the House with bipartisan opposition, with some Republicans raising concerns about the precedent a large fine could set and the lack of regular order in the process.
Rep. Luna argues Schiff knowingly misused his position as House Intelligence Committee Chairman to mislead the American public. While many Republicans share her disapproval of Schiff's actions relating to the investigation of former President Trump, some expressed concern that the original resolution's fine could be abused by future majorities against the minority party. There were also concerns that such a large fine, imposed by a simple majority, could effectively lower the bar for expulsion, which constitutionally requires a two-thirds vote.
Although Schiff considers being targeted by the GOP a "badge of honor," Luna believes he will be held accountable. Some Republicans question the redundancy of censuring Schiff and then referring him to the Ethics Committee. Sources suggest the Ethics Committee could pursue additional alleged transgressions, potentially even leading to a criminal referral to the Department of Justice. However, the likelihood of this is low given the committee's even partisan split and the constitutional protections afforded to lawmakers for actions related to their official duties.
The new resolution is expected to be brought to the House floor mid-week. If Luna has successfully addressed her colleagues' concerns, a direct vote on censuring Schiff is anticipated. Censure is a rare disciplinary measure in the House, with only 25 members censured in history. While Schiff views this as politically advantageous for his Senate campaign, Democrats criticize the move as retaliatory and warn against the potential for weaponized censure becoming the new norm.
