Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is surprised by how many Republicans have been willing to "carry water" for President Trump, he told Politico, as his presidency careens through Washington. Particularly in the face of the ongoing probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, Schiff criticized Republicans for failing to speak out against the president:
"I think one of the really sad realizations over the last year is not what kind of a president Donald Trump turns out to be — I think it was all too predictable — but rather, how many members of Congress would be unwilling to stand up to him, and more than that, would be completely willing to carry water for him. That is a very sad realization," Schiff told Politico. "I did not expect that. I thought there would be more Jeff Flakes, more John McCains, more Bob Corkers — people who would defend our system of checks and balances, would speak out for decency, who would defend the First Amendment." [Politico]
Schiff has frequently criticized Trump and called for support for Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the investigation into Russian election interference. The congressman also called out House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) directly, saying Ryan is "complicit in all this" because he has failed to adequately push back against the president.
As ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, Schiff has often touted the importance of investigating Russian meddling. In response, Trump has slammed Schiff on Twitter, calling him a "liar and leaker" and dubbing him "Little Adam Schiff." Read the full interview at Politico.