Donald Trump has called for any Republican voting against efforts to censure and fine Democratic California Rep. Adam Schiff to be primaried—a move that would potentially involve as many as 20 GOP representatives.
Earlier this week, the House rejected a Republican attempt to fine the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee for investigating and impeaching Trump over his alleged collusion with Russia to win the 2016 election.
The resolution to censure Schiff, sponsored by Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, a loyal ally of the former president, was rejected by the House on Wednesday with a 225 to 196 vote. It received the support of 20 GOP lawmakers. Two other Republicans voted “present” to avoid registering a position—as did five Democrats.
ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images
Trump was clearly angered by what he perceived as disloyalty from his fellow party members, writing his praise for Luna on social media while condemning the 20 who voted against the resolution.
“Anna Paulina Luna is a STAR. She never gives up, especially in holding total lowlifes like Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff responsible for their lies, deceit, deception, and actually putting our Country at great risk, for which he should be imprisoned!,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social early on Saturday.
“He is a Leaker and a Scoundrel. Any Republican voting against his CENSURE, or worse, should immediately be primaried. There are plenty of great candidates out there!,” he added.
If the GOP was to follow Trump’s directions, these are the Republicans representatives who would be facing primaries:
- Rep. Kelly Armstrong (North Dakota)
- Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (Oregon)
- Rep. Juan Ciscomani (Arizona)
- Rep. Tom Cole (Oklahoma)
- Rep. Warren Davidson (Ohio)
- Rep. Brian K. Fitzpatrick (Pennsylvania)
- Rep. Kay Granger (Texas)
- Rep. Garret Graves (Louisiana)
- Rep. Thomas H. Kean, Jr. (New Jersey)
- Rep. Kevin Kiley (California)
- Rep. Young Kim (California)
- Rep. Michael Lawler (New York)
- Rep. Thomas Massie (Kentucky)
- Rep. Tom McClintock (California)
- Rep. Marcus J. Molinaro (New York)
- Rep. Jay Obernolte (California)
- Rep. Michael K. Simpson (Idaho)
- Rep. Michael R. Turner (Ohio)
- Rep. David G. Valadao (California)
- Rep. Steve Womack (Arkansas)
Schiff has long been a target of Republican anger for his role in investigating Trump.
The resolution sponsored by Luna claims that Schiff had “exploited his positions on HPSCI (House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence) to encourage and excuse abusive intelligence investigations of Americans for political purposes.”
It accuses the Democrat of having “used his position and access to sensitive information to instigate a fraudulently based investigation, which he then used to amass political gain and fundraising dollars.”
Luna, who was elected last year, said that she will try to pass the resolution again next week and she will amend it to garner more support from her fellow Republicans.
“They can introduce all the resolutions they want. It could be 16 million or 160 million, I’m not going to stop defending our democracy,” Schiff said in response to the Republican move, talking with CNN‘s Wolf Blitzer on The Situation Room on Wednesday.
