Rep. Luna: Schiff should pay half of Mueller report cost

FPI / May 25, 2023

Florida Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna on Tuesday filed a privileged resolution to "censure, condemn, and fine" California Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff $16 million, which is half the cost of special counsel Robert Mueller's Trump-Russia collusion investigation.

Schiff should pay the $16 million for pursuing the long-discredited theory that President Donald Trump colluded with Russia ahead of the 2016 presidential election, Luna said.

"I just filed a privileged resolution, H. Res. 437, to censure, condemn, and fine Rep. Adam Schiff $16 million (1/2 the cost of Russia investigation) for his egregious abuse of trust," Luna tweeted. "I, with my GOP colleagues, look forward to an imminent vote to hold this feckless man accountable."

Luna’s resolution said as chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), Schiff had a position of "extreme trust" that gave him access to sensitive information not available to other members, but Schiff "abused this trust" by citing evidence of collusion that later special counsel reports showed did not exist.

"By repeatedly telling these falsehoods, Representative Schiff purposely deceived his Committee, Congress, and the American people," the resolution said. It noted that Schiff "lent credibility" to the Steele dossier, supported a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant against Trump aide Carter Page, and publicly accused Page of being a Russian collaborator."

The California Democrat "exploited his positions on HPSCI (House Intelligence Committee) to encourage and excuse abusive intelligence investigations of Americans for political purposes," Luna's resolution said. "Representative Schiff 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."

Last week, Luna filed a resolution to expel Schiff from Congress.

"Schiff lied to the American people. He used his position on House Intel to push a lie that cost American taxpayers millions of dollars," Luna said last week. "He is a dishonor to the House of Representatives."

Schiff responded to Luna's first motion, saying "MAGA" Republicans would "go after anyone who defends the rule of law."

Whether Schiff actually faces any consequences for his continued lying to the American public is another story.

As Andre George wrote in a May 2020 letter to the Wall Street Journal:

"In the good old days if a member of Congress was caught in a major lie, knowingly misleading Congress and the American public, there were consequences. His own party would denounce him, the electorate would surely vote him out of office but perhaps he would resign in disgrace beforehand. But not today. Rep. Adam Schiff was playing to the base with a calculated lie, cheered on by fellow party members and supported by most of the media. He is a hero — to some. There are not, nor will there be, consequences for him. How times have changed. Any wonder the approval rating of Congress is at such an abysmally low rating?"

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