In Support of H. Res. 521 - Censuring Adam Schiff

Washington, DC – Congressman Tom McClintock (CA-05) delivered remarks on the House floor in support of H. Res. 521:

Mr. Speaker:

            I opposed the original version of this resolution, not to defend Mr. Schiff’s lies, but to defend the process that exposed those lies.  We must never punish speech in this House – only acts.  The only way to separate truth from falsehoods or wisdom from folly is free and open debate.  And we must never impose excessive fines that would effectively replace the constitutional 2/3 vote for expulsion with a simple majority.

            This new version removes the fine and focuses instead on specific acts: most particularly the abuse of his position as Intelligence Chairman by implying he had access to classified information that did not exist; and his placement into the Congressional Record of the Steele dossier that he knew, or should have known, was false.

            I hope, however, that we will hereafter return to the principles of due process that the Democrats stripped from our precedents in the last session.