Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) ripped his Trump-allied Republican colleagues in a blistering speech pointing out all of the actions taken by the Trump campaign with regard to Russia. The speech came after Trump called on Schiff to resign on Thursday morning, and his GOP colleagues echoed Trump’s call.
“As you have chosen, instead of addressing the hearing, to simply attack me, consistent with the president’s attacks, I do want to respond in this way,” began Schiff.
He went on: “My colleagues may think it’s okay that the Russians offered dirt on a Democratic candidate for president as part of what was described as the Russian government’s effort to help the Trump campaign. You might think that’s okay. My colleagues might think it’s OK that when that was offered to the son of the president, who had a pivotal role in the campaign, that the president’s son did not call the FBI, he did not adamantly refuse that foreign help. No, instead that son said that he would love the help of the Russians. You might think it’s OK that he took that meeting. You might think it’s OK that Paul Manafort, the campaign chair, someone with great experience in running campaigns, also took that meeting. You might think it’s OK that the president’s son-in-law also took that meeting. You might think it’s OK they concealed it from the public. … You might say that’s just what you need to do to win. But I don’t think it’s OK. I think it’s immoral, I think it’s unethical, I think it’s unpatriotic, and yes, I think it’s corrupt.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi praised Adam Schiff shortly after. “I’m so proud of the work of Chairman Adam Schiff. I think they’re just scaredy-cats. They just don’t know what to do.”
