GOP effort to censure Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff fails in key vote

A Republican-led effort to censure Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff has failed in a key House vote.

The House voted Wednesday on a motion to table - or kill - the resolution, a motion put forward by House Democrats. Enough Republicans crossed the aisle in support for the effort to succeed in blocking the censure. The vote was 225 to 196 with 20 Republicans voting with Democrats to table the resolution.

The censure resolution, sponsored by GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, broadly criticizes Schiff with a focus on his role in investigations of the former president.

Republicans have long criticized Schiff over congressional inquiries into the former president, arguing that he has made reckless and unsubstantiated claims. Democrats have dismissed GOP criticisms of the California Democrat as partisan and unfounded.

The resolution claims that Schiff "exploited his positions on HPSCI (House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence) to encourage and excuse abusive intelligence investigations of Americans for political purposes."

It goes on to accuse him of having "used his position and access to sensitive information to instigate a fraudulently based investigation, which he then used to amass political gain and fundraising dollars."

Schiff, in his letter to colleagues, called the resolution "false" and "defamatory," saying it targets him for his "work holding Donald Trump accountable."

"As honored as I am to have earned their enmity, attempting to censure those who defend the Constitution against a corrupt president sets a dangerous precedent," Schiff wrote.

The legislative text also states that if an Ethics Committee investigation were to determine that Schiff "lied, made misrepresentations and abused sensitive information," he should be fined $16 million.

Schiff told CNN's Manu Raju on Tuesday he believed the fine proposed in the resolution may be "unconstitutional and unenforceable," and said some Republicans had expressed misgivings about potentially supporting the resolution.

Ahead of the vote, GOP Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie said he would vote against the censure resolution, aligning with Democrats.

"Adam Schiff acted unethically but if a resolution to fine him $16 million comes to the floor, I will vote to table it. (vote against it) In fact, I'm still litigating a federal lawsuit against Pelosi over a salary reduction she imposed on me for my refusal to wear a mask," Massie tweeted.

While serving as chair of the House Intelligence Committee, Schiff announced a sweeping investigation in February 2019 into then-President Donald Trump's finances and Russia.

Schiff also served as the lead House impeachment manager during Trump's first impeachment. In that role, Schiff and the other impeachment managers detailed the House's case for removing Trump from office at the Senate trial. The Senate ultimately voted to acquit.

This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.

CNN's Manu Raju and Annie Grayer contributed to this report.