In a fiery response to the release of the Durham report, Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida launched a scathing attack on Representative Adam Schiff of California, labeling him a “disgrace” to the House and proposing a resolution for his removal.
Coinciding with the House’s decision to refer Democratic Representative George Santos (D-N.Y.), who is facing corruption and campaign finance charges, to the Ethics Committee, Luna wasted no time in submitting her resolution against Schiff. Despite Santos garnering support from figures like Representative Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Donald Trump Jr. in 2021, the motion to expel him proceeded.
The Durham report shed light on an incident involving a university researcher who felt threatened by Schiff’s staff during a meeting. The researcher was requested to analyze a news article related to the Trump Organization and Russia’s Alfa Bank. Schiff dismissed the report as a “wasted effort,” prompting Luna’s resolution.
Accusing Schiff of lying to the American people and misusing his position on the House Intelligence Committee, Luna emphasized that the Durham report exposed the Russia collusion narrative as a falsehood from its inception. She stated that Schiff deliberately exploited his role to sow division in the country.
The Twitterverse erupted as Luna and Schiff exchanged barbs online, with Luna’s message reaching a million users and Schiff’s response garnering 1.9 million views.
While the calls for Schiff’s expulsion gained traction online, the practicality of such an outcome remains slim. To remove Schiff or any member from office requires the support of two-thirds of House members, making it a daunting task. Despite Democrats rallying behind Schiff, a close ally of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, his removal seems improbable.
According to historical analysis by CRS (Congressional Research Service), expulsion from office typically involves acts of disloyalty to the United States or the violation of criminal laws, such as bribery, that abuse one’s official position.
Schiff’s persistent claims of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia only further fueled the ire of the former president. Although the Durham report acknowledges contacts between the Trump campaign and Russians, it deems the evidence insufficient for a full-scale investigation during the 2016 presidential campaign. The report criticizes the investigation as “seriously flawed” and attributes confirmation bias to the FBI’s handling of the matter.