‘The only thing that, apparently, matters is perpetuation of their power’
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) said Republican lawmakers who signed on to the Texas lawsuit were all “a danger to the country.”
Schiff accused the lawmakers and attorneys of only caring about the “perpetuation of their power.”
Schiff responded to the Supreme Court rejecting the Texas lawsuit.
“What it was is, essentially, an effort to overturn our democracy, dressed up in shabby, legal clothing.,” Schiff said.
“So, I don’t think the Supreme Court had to work very hard to reach the conclusion it did.
“What I find, frankly, so astonishing is that the lawsuit was filed, to begin with, and that so many of my colleagues in the GOP, including Kevin McCarthy, would lend their names to this effort to overturn our presidential election.”
“And it makes you wonder, what do these people stand for?“ Schiff added.
“I mean, all the things they profess to believe in, all of the Constitutional oaths they took, apparently, are just meaningless to them.
“The only thing that, apparently, matters is perpetuation of their power.”
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“And that is just a such a danger to the country. And I don’t think we can write it off that, well, you know, they knew this would fail,” he added.
“It was a face-saving gesture. We’ve heard enough of that. The damage they’re doing continues to be long-lasting.”
Schiff continued:
“It’s like they’re stabbing the body politic but saying we’re not aiming for vital organs.
“They’re doing injury to the country, as it is.
“Right now, they are creating a permanent set of aggrieved Americans who feel the election was stolen from them.”
“That is lasting damage.”
“Whether they win or lose this lawsuit, whether they expected to lose it or not, these continuing, false claims about the election, this continuing fallacy that, somehow, millions voted improperly. It’s nonsense.”
Following Schiff’s remarks, The Hill reported that Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to refuse to seat members of the next Congress who supported President Trump’s effort to overturn the election.
Pascrell said in a statement posted to Twitter:
“Stated simply, the men and women who would act to tear the United States Government apart cannot serve as Members of the Congress.”
“These lawsuits seeking to obliterate public confidence in our democratic system by invalidating the clear results of the 2020 presidential election undoubtedly attack the text and the spirit of the Constitution, which each Member swears to support and defend.”
Today I’m calling on House leaders to refuse to seat any Members trying to overturn the election and make donald trump an unelected dictator. pic.twitter.com/icTmGKCpuR
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) December 11, 2020