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The House Wednesday avoided a vote that would have forced lawmakers to decide whether to censure Rep. Adam Schiff for his allegations against former President Donald Trump of Russian collusion in the 2016 election.
Democrats, with the help of 20 Republicans, tabled a censure resolution introduced Tuesday by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, Florida Republican.
The motion passed 225-196, with seven lawmakers voting present. Five lawmakers did not vote.
Rep. Steve Cohen, Tennessee Democrat, said that Ms. Luna, a freshman lawmaker, introduced the resolution to make a name for herself by going after a well-known senior House Democrat.
“Mr. Schiff is like a big star. So a lot of these Republicans try to attack big stars to get publicity and get attention. So he’s kind of like Moby Dick,” Mr. Cohen said. “And she’s Captain Ahab and she wants to get the big whale. She ain’t gonna get the big whale. She’ll go down. The big whale will laugh at her.”
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky was among the 20 GOP House members who voted to table the resolution.
He tweeted Wednesday morning that he thought Mr. Schiff “acted unethically, but if a resolution to fine him $16 million” came to the floor, he would vote to table it.
“In fact, I’m still litigating a federal lawsuit against Pelosi over a salary reduction she imposed on me for my refusal to wear a mask,” he said.
