Schiff Doesn't Hold Back, Blasts Republicans for Refusing to Hold Trump Accountable - Sen. Adam Schiff

[TexasTowelie]

Transcript:

SEN. SCHIFF: I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
WHEN THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
DISMISSED A CORRUPTION CASE
AGAINST THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK
CITY.
NOT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF
EVIDENCE.
NOT BECAUSE OF ANY MISCONDUCT BY
THE PROSECUTORS IN THE CASE BUT
BECAUSE OF THE MOST SERIOUS
MISCONDUCT OF THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL AND TOP LEADERSHIP OF
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WANTED TO
LEVERAGE THAT CASE AGAINST THE
MAYOR BY DISMISSING THE CASE
WITHOUT PREJUDICE SO THEY COULD
USE HIM AS A POLITICAL PAWN TO
HELP EFFECTUATE THEIR
IMMIGRATION POLICY.
THAT JUST HAPPENED TODAY.
IT IS ONE OF ANY NUMBER OF
SERIOUS ABUSES OF THE RULE OF
LAW BY THIS JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.
INSTEAD OF HAVING A SINGLE
HEARING OF WHAT THE DEPARTMENT
IS DOING OR A SINGLE HEARING ON
ALL THE OTHER PLAINLY UNLAWFUL
ACTS OF THIS ADMINISTRATION,
INSTEAD OF HEARING ANY OF THOSE
THINGS REPUBLICANS ARE HAVING A
HEARING ON THE ONE TOOL THAT CAN
BE USED TO TRY TO MITIGATE THE
HARM OF THESE ILLEGAL ACTIONS.
I COMPLETELY CONCUR WHETHER
NATIONWIDE INJUNCTIONS ARE GOOD
OR BAD HAS DEPENDED ON WHO THEY
ARE BEING USED AGAINST.
I COUNT NO LESS THAN 26 OF MY
REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES WHO WERE
VIGOROUSLY SUPPORTIVE OF A
NATIONWIDE INJUNCTION AGAINST
THE USE OF MIFEPRISTONE.
NO PROBLEM SUPPORTING A
NATIONWIDE INJUNCTION IN THAT
CASE.
ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, WE ARE
APPLAUDING INJUNCTIONS AGAINST
THE UNLAWFUL ACTIONS OF THIS
ADMINISTRATION.
WHERE I THINK I COME DOWN AT
THIS MOMENT IN TIME, TO YOUR
POINT, V PROFESSOR VLADECK, THE
USE OF NATIONWIDE INJUNCTIONS
AGAINST AN ADMINISTRATION THAT
HAS PROVEN TO BE SO
BREATHTAKING IS LAWLESSNESS AND
ENGAGED IN SUCH A SURGE OF
ILLEGAL ACTIONS, THE EFFORT TO
DO AWAY WITH THIS VITAL TOOL I
THINK YOU CALLED IT AT THIS TIME
WOULD BE DISASTROUS FOR THE
COUNY.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S NOT
GOING TO COME A TIME WHEN WE
SHOULD AGREE ON A BIPARTISAN
BASIS TO PLACE LIMITS ON THE
CAPABILITY.
I THINK WE SHOULD, PARTICULARLY
ON THE ABUSE OF FORM SHOPPING.
PICKING JUDGES SOLELY ON THE
BASIS OF THEIR POLITICAL
PREDILECTION OR WHO APPOINTED
THEM FOR THE PURPOSE OF
NATIONWIDE INJUNCTION.
THIS IS NOT THE MOMENT TO DO IT.
THIS IS THE MOMENT WE SHOULD BE
FOCUSING ON THE ILLEGALITY, NOT
THE TOOL TO CONSTRAIN IT.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE ARE
POWERLESS TO WORK ON LEGISLATION
ON THIS.
I THINK MANY OF US HAVE
CONCURRED WITH THE IDEA OF
LEGISLATION THAT TAKES EFFECT
AFTER THIS TERM, WHEN WE DO KNOW
-- DON'T KNOW WHO THE NEXT
PRESENT WILL BE.
WE WENT TO THE SAME LAW SCHOOL.
THERE WAS A WONDERFUL PROFESSOR
IN JOHN RAWLS WHO WROTE A BOOK.
HE PROBABLY READ ABOUT THE
VEIL OF IGNORANCE.
YOU CAST A VEIL OF IGNORANCE
OVER SOCIETY.
SOCIETY WOULD DEVELOP RULES TO
GOVERN THAT SOCIETY NOT KNOWING
THEIR ATTRIBUTES, RACE, GENDER,
NONE OF THAT.
FAR BE IT FOR ME TO ADVOCATE FOR
A VEIL OF IGNORANCE OVER THIS
BODY.
WE ARE IGNORANT ENOUGH.
PERHAPS THE ENDURANCE OF NOT
KNOWING WHO THE NEXT PRESIDENT
IS IS USEFUL HERE.
WE SHOULD COME UP WITH A
SENSIBLE REFORM OF INJUNCTIONS
AND FORM SHOPPING.
THERE'S NO WAY THIS IS GOING TO
HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT UNLESS
WE DEFER ITS APPLICATION UNTIL
WE DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY IT WILL
CUT.
THE SAME IS PROBABLY TRUE ABOUT
FEELING JUDICIAL VACANCIES.
WE HAVE COME TO THIS BROKEN
PLACE WHERE PROBABLY THE ONLY
WAY TO GET THINGS DONE THIS TO
POSTPONE THE APPLICATION UNTIL
WE DON'T KNOW WHO THE PRESIDENT
WILL BE.
MY TIME IS ALMOST UP.
PROFESSOR VLADECK, I WOULD YIELD
TO YOU FOR ANY KIND OF RESPONSE.
PROF. VLADECK: SENATOR, IT IS
REVEALING THAT I AS THE MINORITY
WITNESS TODAY AND NOT HERE
DEFENDING IN ALL CONTEXT
UNIVERSAL INJUNCTIONS.
I HAVE WRITTEN I THINK THERE ARE
TOO MANY OF THEM.
I HAVE WRITTEN BEFORE THEY RAISE
AT LEAST SOME PRUDENTIAL
CONCERNS THAT PROFESSOR BRAY HAS
RAISED.
I WENT TO A DORSETTE HOLISTIC
REFORM TO MAKE LITIGATION
AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT LESS
MANIPULABLE IS SOMETHING WE
SHOULD BE ABLE TO SUPPORT.
BUT THAT REFORM HAS TO BE ABOUT
MORE THAN JUST CLOSING OFF THIS
ONE AVENUE TODAY WHEN THERE HAVE
BEEN OTHER DEVELOP INSIGHT
CLOSED OFF THE OTHER AVENUES
HISTORICALLY THAT HAVE MADE
SENATOR HA

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Schiff is bringing fresh air to the Senate

Unclear if that will hinder any coalitions he tries to build there.