Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, continued to turn up the heat on Republicans as Robert Mueller’s final report nears its release.
During an interview with Bill Maher late Friday, Schiff said directly to Republicans that they should find a new line of work if they continue to appease Donald Trump.
“What’s the point of being there?” the Democratic congressman asked. “Why do you aspire to be a member of Congress if when the country really needs you, you’re missing in action?”
Video:
The exchange between Maher and Rep. Schiff:
MAHER: I think Trump is a blackmailer. Do they have pictures of these guys with a duck or something? What makes these guys wilt like that?
SCHIFF: He’s still popular in their base and they’re terrified of having a Trumpist primary challenge and that I think cows them into silence. But you’re right, it’s inexplicable. Why be there? What’s the point of being there? Why do you aspire to be a member of Congress if when the country really needs you, you’re missing in action? The statement that some of my colleagues have made, there’s no evidence of collusion, for example. You might as well say there’s no evidence that the president is dishonest. Hello, do you hear the words coming out of his mouth? I mean the evidence is all too plain.
Republicans are about to feel more pressure
Rep. Schiff, in anticipation of the Mueller report’s release over the next several weeks, has doubled down on his efforts to pressure Republicans into doing the right thing.
On Thursday, the congressman penned a scathing op-ed in The Washington Post calling out Republicans for publicly defending Trump even as they privately express their concerns about him.
With the special counsel’s final document expected to be detailed and damning, that pressure is only likely to intensify for GOP lawmakers to break their silence.
For two years, Republicans have calculated that it was a smart move to bury their heads in the sand and ignore the five-alarm fire in the White House.
If Mueller’s report is as devastating as Trump aides and even Rudy Giuliani worry it will be, spineless GOP lawmakers might have no choice but to change their tune.
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