Democrats Block Kevin McCarthy Motion to Condemn Schiff, Nadler

House Democrats blocked House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) resolution to condemn Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Jerry Nadler (D-NY) for “abusing and exceeding their powers” as chairmen of their respective committees.

Republican Leader McCarthy offered a privileged motion to condemn House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) and House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) for exceeding their powers.

The motion charges that:

• On September 9, without the consultation of ranking member Devin Nunes (R-CA), “Chairman Schiff, in coordination with the Committees on Oversight and Reform and Foreign Affairs announced a wide-ranging investigation into the ‘Trump-Giuliani Ukraine scheme.'”
• On September 26, Chairman Schiff “unilaterally released a redacted version of the August 2019 whistleblower complaint.”
• On September 26, Chairman Schiff told a fictitious retelling of the television conversation between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
• Chairmen Schiff repeatedly abused his power “in a way that is not befitting an elected Member of the House of Representatives nor his position as Chairman.”
• Chairman Nadler “has failed to respond to the minority’s request for an additional day of hearings to consider the impeachment of President Donald John Trump.”

Democrats tabled Rep. McCarthy’s resolution on partisan lines, with 226 votes in favor of tabling the resolution and 191 votes against the motion.

One independent, former Republican Rep. Justin Amash (I-MI), voted with Democrats to table the motion.

One Democrat, Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), voted with Republicans on the measure. The Minnesota Democrat has been largely critical of the impeachment inquiry against President Trump.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), a Democrat presidential candidate, did not vote on the House tabling Rep. McCarthy’s resolution to condemn chairman Schiff and Nadler.

Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL), who voted in favor of Rep. McCarthy’s motion, said, “This #impeachment has been a sham since the beginning, stripping away the rights of Republicans and @realDonaldTrump”:

Rep. Ron Wright (R-TX) said Tuesday, “Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler have been abusing their power and deceiving the American people since day one of this impeachment inquiry”: