House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) denounced Republican efforts to censure Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) this week, blasting the move as “extremism” and accusing the GOP of “peddling conspiracy theories” rather than focusing on advancing crucial legislation.
“The Oversight chairperson is totally out of control and unhinged. They’re obsessed with Adam Schiff,” Jeffries said on Thursday. “First, they kick him off the Intel Committee, then they try to fine him $16 million. That fails, Donald Trump threatens to primary them, and they immediately respond to the puppet master by bringing a censure resolution back to the floor.”
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The House on Wednesday voted 213-209 to censure Schiff, marking only the 25th time in the chamber’s history that a member has been formally condemned. Democrats were visibly angry with the vote, shouting at House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as he moved forward with condemnation proceedings.
However, Jeffries sidestepped questions on whether Democrats would consider censure motions themselves to punish members of the opposite party.
“We're going to continue to focus on solving challenges for everyday Americans and growing the middle class and focusing on kitchen table pocketbook issues that actually make life better for everyday Americans,” Jeffries said.
“But,” he added, “there's an irony. The very same individuals behind the censure efforts have questionable histories in terms of their own truthfulness to the American people, and I'm sure there are folks out there in the United States of America who will be interested in that hypocrisy.”
Jeffries’s comments may be a reference to Rep. George Santos (R-NY), who avoided an expulsion last month after Republicans voted to transfer the resolution to the Ethics Committee, dealing a blow to Democrats who sought to expel Santos from the House immediately. The move to expel Santos comes after the New York Republican was indicted by the DOJ last month on 13 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, and lying to Congress. Santos has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has denounced the allegations as being politically motivated.
Santos has also come under fire since being sworn into office after he admitted to lying about his education and work experience, as well as a slew of other personal details, while campaigning during the midterm elections.
In order to expel Santos, Democrats would’ve needed at least 77 Republicans to vote in favor of his expulsion to overcome the two-thirds majority threshold needed to pass the measure — a margin of support that is unlikely to come in the GOP-led chamber. Now, some are turning their heads to see whether Democrats may instead pursue a censure resolution, which would only require a simple majority to pass.
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When asked if Jeffries would support advancing such a motion to censure those he considers to have “questionable histories,” the minority leader again avoided comment.
“House Democrats are going to continue to focus on growing an economy that builds out the middle class, that helps those throughout America who aspire to be part of the middle class, [and] that protects and strengthens Social Security and Medicare,” Jeffries said.