Chaos erupted on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on June 21 as Democrats contested House Republicans’ vote to censure Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).
The House voted to censure Schiff a week after an initial resolution brought forward by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) was tabled. An earlier clause fining Schiff $16 million—half of the amount paid by the federal government to investigate debunked claims of Russian collusion with President Donald Trump in 2016—was removed, leading Republicans who initially voted against the measure to give it their support.
The tally was 213-209. Six voted “present.”
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who gave his backing to the measure, presided over the hearing.
A censure resolution is a punitive action that can be undertaken by the House to discipline members for actions that fall short of grounds for expulsion from the lower chamber. Schiff is only the 25th member of the House in American history to face such an action out of over 10,505 who have served in the lower chamber.
After the House voted to censure Schiff, Schiff was asked to come to the House well to have the charges against him read aloud.
Prior to the end of voting, Democrats gathered along the House floor around Schiff in a show of solidarity with the California Democrat.
As McCarthy began to read out the final vote tallies, Democrats on the House floor began to interrupt, chanting, “Shame, shame, shame.”
After this outburst, McCarthy banged the speaker’s gavel and called for order in the lower chamber to no avail, as Democrats continued to chant.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the former speaker of the House, could be seen among the throng of Democrats joining in the chant.
“Disgrace, disgrace,” cried another Democrat in the crowd.
“The House—” McCarthy began to call for a return to order as Democrats continued to speak and shout comments toward the speaker’s dais.
A Democrat in the crowd could be heard mentioning “Santos,” a reference to Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), a first-term congressman who has been disgraced by a series of lies he made about his personal background while on the campaign trail. He has pleaded not guilty to multiple federal charges of fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds. McCarthy and others have evaded seeking a censure or expulsion of Santos.
“Shame on you,” another shouted.
“John Lewis would not like this,” said another Democrat, referencing the late Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.).
“What goes around comes around,” shouted another member, though it’s unclear if the comment was shouted by a Republican or a Democrat.
“You support Santos!” shouted another Democrat.
“The House will come to order,” McCarthy repeated.
“The House is not in order,” a Democrat replied.
“Will Representative Schiff present himself in the well?” McCarthy asked as the tumult began to calm.
Republicans clapped as McCarthy finished, followed by a round of Democrats applauding as Schiff made his way to the front of the House chamber.
“Adam, Adam, Adam,” Democrats chanted as Schiff came to the front of the House.
“By its adoption of House Resolution 521, the House has resolved that the House of Representatives censures Adam Schiff, representative of the 30th congressional district of California—” McCarthy began to read before being interrupted by a collective groan and protestations from Democrats.
“Santos!” several could be heard shouting.
“Where do you stand on Santos Mr. Speaker?” one cried.
“I will begin again,” McCarthy replied, continuing to read the resolution before again being interrupted.
“Spiteful power,” one Democrat yelled.
“He did his job, he did what the people elected him to do,” said another.
After facing a third interruption, an exasperated McCarthy told the House, “I have all night.”
McCarthy continued to read the resolution, ignoring Democrat interruptions: “ ... the House of Representatives censures Adam Schiff, representative of the 30th congressional district of California, for misleading the American public, and for conduct unbecoming of an elected member of the House of Representatives, that Adam Schiff will forthwith present himself in the well of the House for the pronouncement of censure, that Adam Schiff will be censured with a public reading of this resolution by the speaker, and that the Committee on Ethics shall conduct an investigation on Adam Schiff’s falsehoods, misrepresentations, and abuse of sensitive information.”
After the reading was concluded, Democrats repeated their chant of “Adam, Adam, Adam.”
Several Democratic congressmen could be seen hugging their colleague from California.
“What [Democrats] have started cannot be easily undone,” McCarthy, then the minority leader, said at the time, vowing that Republicans would use the same tools when they claimed majority.
