Coloradan Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert has pulled no punches in her assessment of Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California. As the House deliberated a resolution to censure Schiff, Boebert did not mince words, stating that if Schiff possessed a shred of human decency, he would step down from Congress in disgrace. Her suggestion for his career epitaph? A single word: “Liar.”
Boebert was not alone in her criticism. Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, the resolution’s sponsor, accused Schiff of causing widespread division through the dissemination of false narratives. Her pointed critique pointedly suggested that Schiff’s actions had torn apart American families nationwide.
Despite an attempt to table the resolution, the House decided to continue with the censure process with a vote of 218 to 208. This decision marked a shift from the previous week when 20 Republicans had voted to table a similar resolution. Roll Call reported that those 20 had changed their position, now supporting a formal censure vote.
The resolution contends that Schiff, for years, disseminated false claims about collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. It mentions Schiff’s referencing of false allegations from the controversial Steele Dossier in the Congressional Record back in March 2017. Further, it holds Schiff responsible for untruthfully denying that his staff had communicated with a whistleblower to initiate the first impeachment of President Trump.
The resolution calls for Schiff to be censured for misleading the American public, and it describes his actions as unbecoming of a member of the House. Moreover, it suggests that the House Committee on Ethics should probe into Schiff’s “falsehoods, misrepresentations, and abuses of sensitive information.”
In response to the potential censure, Schiff commented to Fox News that he would be honored to be censured by a GOP-majority House, seeing it as a testament to his effectiveness. He stated that his track record of revealing corruption, including leading the first impeachment trial of a former president, made him a target.
Public service demands integrity and truthfulness. If a political figure repeatedly disseminates misinformation and behaves in a way deemed unbecoming of their role, it is right for their peers to consider a response. The unfolding censure process against Schiff shows that lawmakers are unwilling to sit idle when integrity is at stake. These developments are a reminder that accountability remains at the heart of our democratic system. No matter the person’s political leaning, truth should always triumph over deceit. As the situation develops, it will serve as a poignant lesson for those who choose to mislead the public for personal or political gain.
