SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Rep. Adam Schiff says his censure by the House in a strictly party-line vote on Wednesday was purely political in nature.
“It feels, honestly, like a badge of honor that this MAGA crowd would single me out, under instructions from Donald Trump, would single me out," Schiff told ABC 10News Thursday in his only San Diego interview.
House Republicans passed the censure vote, which states that Schiff was dishonest, misled the American people, and acted in ways unbecoming of a member of Congress when he led the investigations into former President Donald Trump.
At the time, Schiff, a Democrat from the Los Angeles area, was chair of the House Intelligence Committee.
“The reason they’re going after me is they think I’m effective. And that is what’s driving this. Donald Trump thinks that I’ve done a good job, essentially, making the case against him," Schiff said. “I’m not going to be deterred by this. If anything, it just seals my resolve to make sure I protect our institutions and protect our democracy.”
While Schiff is criticizing the censure vote as a political vendetta, he is also trying to turn the censure to his advantage by fundraising for his campaign to replace the retiring Dianne Feinstein in the Senate.
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When asked about the decision to raise money off the censure vote, Schiff said "People have been very supportive of me... I think Californians are looking for a senator who’s not on the sidelines and is in the middle of the fight.”
You can listen to the extended interview with Schiff below:
