ITHACA, NY (WSKG) – Some New York Congressional Republicans have signed on to censure House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff. They say he misrepresented President Trump when describing Trump’s call with Ukraine’s President.
Censure is a formal public reprimand and a statement of disapproval but doesn’t carry any punishment.
Two of New York’s representatives are among a group of over one hundred republican congress people trying to have Schiff censured. They’re the North Country’s Elise Stefanik and Long Island’s Lee Zeldin.
Schiff spoke about the censure activity during a recent visit to Cornell University.
Celia Clarke/WSKG Public Radio
Rep. Adam Schiff (left) and former Rep. Steve Israel (right) at Cornell University, October 10, 2019. (Photo: Celia Clarke/WSKG Public Radio)
“You know, the attacks will come with my position,” the California Democrat said. “But, none of it is a substitute for the hard questions the Republicans are going to have to ask which is, are they going to continue to defend this president no matter how dangerous and unethical his conduct may be.”
Not supporting the censure is the Southern Tier’s Tom Reed.
In a statement to WSKG, the Republican said that censure is a serious act and shouldn’t be done to score political points. He called some of Schiff’s overall rhetoric “dangerous” and “divisive”.
Reed has long been a Trump supporter and opposes the impeachment inquiry. He says he hasn’t seen anything so far to justify it.