House conservative introduces measure to censure Rep. Adam Schiff

The incoming House Freedom Caucus chairman introduced a measure to censure House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff for reading a parody of President Trump’s call with the Ukrainian leader at a hearing related to the matter.

Rep. Andy Biggs introduced the resolution Friday after Trump called for Schiff’s resignation for reading the altered conversation.

On Thursday, in his opening statement during a hearing with acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire, Schiff read his summarization of Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Schiff’s version of the conversation had Trump directing Zelensky “seven times” to “make up dirt on my political opponent.”

“I have a favor I want from you,” Schiff said. “And I’m going to say this only seven times, so you better listen good. I want you to make up dirt on my political opponent, understand? Lots of it, on this and on that.”

Biggs’ measure alleges Schiff “misled the American people” and made “a mockery of the impeachment process” with an “egregiously false and fabricated retelling.” It also claims members of the House Intelligence Committee “have lost faith” in Schiff’s ability to objectively lead the panel.

“Democrats previously initiated an impeachment inquiry, which leads to one of the most serious, constitutional duties of Members of Congress: removal of the president of the United States,” he said in a statement. “Through this process, if the President has committed high crimes or misdemeanors, Congress may overturn the election of the President and the will of the American people. It is therefore inexcusable to toy with the process and mislead the American public with such a statement.”

The resolution is unlikely to go anywhere in the Democratic-controlled House.

Trump accused Schiff of lying to Congress to make him sound guilty. “He has been doing this for two years. I am calling for him to immediately resign from Congress based on this fraud!” Trump tweeted Friday morning. The president also called Schiff “a sick man.”

After Trump’s allies attacked Schiff for the retelling, the California Democrat responded, “My summary of the president’s call was meant to be at least partly parody. The fact that that’s not clear is a separate problem in and of itself. Of course, the president never said, ‘If you don’t understand me I’m going to say it seven more times.’ My point is, that’s the message that the Ukraine president was receiving in not so many words.”