Adam Schiff Implores Republicans To Show 'Courage' In Final Argument
WASHINGTON ― Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on Friday night implored Republican senators to show “moral courage” as they consider whether to remove President Donald Trump from office for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
“Real political courage doesn’t come from disagreeing with our opponents but from disagreeing with our friends, and with our own party,” Schiff said.
Schiff’s speech wrapped up a three-day opening argument by House Democrats on why the Senate should remove Trump from office on articles of impeachment that charge he pressured Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 election and hindered Congress’s efforts to investigate. Schiff began by arguing that Trump’s obstruction posed a lasting threat to the country and that if Congress lets it stand this time, “there will never be” an impeachment again.
Next, Schiff read part of the articles aloud on the Senate floor. After each paragraph, he said, “That has been proved.”
The next step will be convincing Republicans in the Senate that they should go against the president who leads their party, including by voting to allow more witness testimony. Addressing stone-faced Republican senators, Schiff called for a “fair” trial ― something he said could be done only if the White House stopped being allowed to obstruct the process by blocking key documents and witnesses.
Schiff quoted a 1966 remark from Sen. Robert F. Kennedy: “Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change the world which yields most painfully to change.”
Schiff said that his own denunciations of the president don’t count as courageous because he represents a liberal district and his constituents agree with him.
“But what happens when the heartfelt views, right or wrong, are in conflict with the popular opinion of our constituents?” he said. “What happens when the devotion to our love...
