Democrat California Rep. Adam Schiff, who serves as chair of the House Intelligence Committee, has long hinted that he possesses knowledge of devastating evidence of President Donald Trump’s alleged “collusion” with Russia, though he routinely declines to provide any examples of such when asked.
Similarly, Schiff has repeatedly mentioned recently that numerous unnamed elected Republicans have quietly confided in him their deep displeasure with President Trump, though, again, he has refused to provide any specific examples or name names.
Schiff suggest Republicans are confiding in him
Fox News reported that Schiff appeared Friday night on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, where he told the host that a number of top Republicans have quietly expressed to him their support for the many investigations his committee has opened and intends to open into Trump, and all things related to Trump.
Maher had asked Schiff if he ever hangs out with his Republican colleagues outside of work to discuss the goings-on in Washington D.C., and Schiff replied that while he does at times “socialize” with his conservative counterparts, it is mainly during private discussions that some of those Republicans express their “misgivings” and “deep fears” about the president and the country.
Schiff boasted, “People will stop me in the corridor, Republicans, and say, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing.’”
A rightly skeptical Maher pushed back in apparent disbelief, prompting Schiff to clarify, “Senior Republicans, which of course would be heresy for them to say publicly.”
“I don’t need private confidence in misgivings anymore,” the Democrat congressman added. “We need public statements. We need people to take a stand. We need people to vote their conscience.”
Schiff’s open letter to the GOP
The statements by Schiff to Maher echoed what was contained in an “open letter” to his colleagues published in The Washington Post, in which he characterized President Trump as an “arsonist” intent on attempting to burn down and destroy the nation.
“To my Republican colleagues,” Schiff wrote. “When the president attacked the independence of the Justice Department by intervening in a case in which he is implicated, you did not speak out. When he attacked the press as the enemy of the people, you again were silent. When he targeted the judiciary, labeling judges and decisions he didn’t like as illegitimate, we heard not a word. And now he comes for Congress, the first branch of government, seeking to strip it of its greatest power, that of the purse.”
“Many of you have acknowledged your deep misgivings about the president in quiet conversations over the past two years,” he continued. “You have bemoaned his lack of decency, character and integrity. You have deplored his fundamental inability to tell the truth. But for reasons that are all too easy to comprehend, you have chosen to keep your misgivings and your rising alarm private.”
“That must end. The time for silent disagreement is over. You must speak out,” added Schiff, as he proceeded to cast Republicans standing up defiantly against both the president and their party’s base as a display of “loyalty” to the country.
It remains to be seen if any elected Republicans will heed that call and publicly speak out against the president, or if the congressman is once again full of Schiff.