Adam Schiff censured: 6 Republican lawmakers vote 'present'

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Adam Schiff says censure is due to his 'effectiveness'

Fox News' Chad Pergram says lawmakers believe Schiff went too far with his statements on the Russia investigation on 'Special Report.'

Six Republicans voted present on Wednesday before the House narrowly censured Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., 213-209 along party lines.

The GOP members included Reps. David Joyce of Ohio, Michael Guest of Mississippi, Andrew Garbarino, of New York, Ken Buck of Colorado, John Rutherford of Florida and Michelle Fischbach of Minnesota — five of whom are on the House Ethics Committee.

Schiff was censured for pushing claims that former President Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia — a vote that made Schiff just the third member of the House to be censured since the turn of the century.

The measure also requires the House Committee on Ethics to investigate Schiff’s "falsehoods, misrepresentations, and abuses of sensitive information."

"Members who sit on the Ethics Committee historically vote ‘present’ so as to not weigh in on investigations before they are brought to them," said Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who introduced the censure resolution.

ADAM SCHIFF CENSURED BY HOUSE FOR ‘FALSE’ ALLEGATIONS ON TRUMP-RUSSIA COLLUSION 

Rep. Adam Schiff was censured by Republicans on Wednesday.  (Shawn Thew - Pool/Getty Images)

Garbarino told Fox News that the votes from him and other Republicans on the Ethics Committee were intended to preserve "the integrity of the investigation" into Schiff, rather than a break from the party. He added, "Ethics Committee rules and fundamental due process considerations require that Ethics Committee members make impartial and unbiased decisions. If we would have voted for the resolution, it could have triggered a process for Congressman Schiff to request we recuse ourselves, effectively shutting down the investigation."

Joyce told Fox News Digital in a statement after the vote, "As a member of the House Ethics Committee, I have always deemed it appropriate to vote present on legislation related to matters that are or could come before the committee rather than prejudging the outcome of the committee’s investigation." 

No Democrats voted to censure Schiff. 

Immediately following the vote, Democrats gathered on the floor and chanted "Shame!" and "Disgrace!" as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., tried to gavel the House in order for several minutes. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was heard calling McCarthy a "spiteful coward" and accusing him of "weak leadership."

Schiff defended himself from the well of the House.

"To my Republican colleagues who introduced this resolution, I thank you. You honor me with your enmity, you flatter me with this falsehood," Schiff said. "You, who are the authors of a big lie about the last election, must condemn the truth tellers.

He added, "And I stand proudly before you. Your words tell me that I have been effective in the defense of our democracy, and I am grateful."

A similar resolution from Luna failed last week because it recommended a $16 million fine for Schiff, then passed Wednesday once the fine language was removed. 

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Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz, was censured in 2021 when Democrats still had the majority and former Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., was censured in 2010.

Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind and Chad Pergram contributed to this report.