Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) is pushing the House of Representatives to go after Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) by filing a motion to censure and fine him $16 million because of his continuous lying concerning the Russiagate probe that smeared former President Trump as being in bed with the Kremlin.
The 34-year-old freshman congresswoman announced the motion to censure Schiff in a speech on Tuesday from the House floor. Schiff is currently running for the Senate. Luna accused him of spreading a “conspiracy theory” that Trump was tied to Russia.
“The allegation that President Trump colluded with Russia to steal the 2016 presidential election has been revealed as false by numerous in-depth investigations,” she noted.
“The conspiracy theory was invented, funded, and spread by President Trump’s political rivals,” Luna charged, asserting the fine would amount to half of the cost to taxpayers for conducting the Russia probe.
She went on to contend that Schiff enjoyed and abused his special access to “sensitive information unavailable to most members of Congress’ as the chair of the Intelligence Committee.”
Luna’s censure would condemn Schiff “for conduct that misleads the American people in a way that is not befitting an elected Member of the House of Representatives.”
The conservative firebrand also referred to the Durham report that claimed investigators placed too much emphasis on unverified intelligence provided by ex-British spy Christopher Steele. Durham’s investigation debunked any evidence of collusion between Trump and Russia.
Luna blasted the dossier as being full of “debunked collusion accusations.”
Her “privileged resolution” motion will be voted on by lawmakers most likely on Wednesday according to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) This type of reprimand is used for serious infractions that fail to reach the threshold of expulsion. Only five members of the House have been expelled in US history.
“I’m working with Rep. Luna, we want it to pass, so we’ll be working closely to get it brought to the floor,” Scalise told reporters, according to The Hill.
Democrats could potentially make a procedural motion to table the measure, which would effectively kill it, but it would require a majority vote. The office of House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (Mass.) said the House is expected to hold a procedural vote related to the resolution on Wednesday.
Schiff responded to Luna’s motion by claiming in a letter to Democratic colleagues on Tuesday that it was meant “to distract from Trump’s indictment and retaliate against me for impeaching him.”
“But regardless of how frivolous this resolution may seem, its consideration on the House floor will ultimately come at a cost to the country, our democracy, and to the integrity of the House of Representatives,” Schiff wrote. “This resolution is not only a terrible misuse of House precedent and resources, but a clear attack on our constitutional system of checks and balances.”
“Once again, our GOP colleagues are using the leverage and resources of the House majority to rewrite history and promulgate far-right conspiracy theories — all to protect and serve Donald Trump,” he viciously added.
“I’m not backing down,” he brazenly declared on Twitter. “This isn’t going to stop me from standing up for our democracy.”
Schiff is running to replace Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who said she would step down at the end of her current term next year. She is the oldest member of the Senate and is having physical and cognitive difficulties. There is an ongoing struggle within the Democratic Party to take her place.
The radical leftist congressman was removed from his position as intelligence chair when Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) became speaker of the House.
