“President Trump has suggested Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) should face “arrest for treason” after he “illegally made up a FAKE & terrible statement” that he read out in Congress in an attempt to frame the president.”
For the second time in days, President Trump has accused a Democratic member of Congress of treason, escalating his attacks on those leading an impeachment inquiry against him based on a complaint lodged by a “whistleblower” with no first-hand knowledge of events.
On Sunday, Trump tweeted that Schiff should be “questioned at the highest level” for “treason.”
Trump suggested in a tweet Monday that House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA) should face “arrest for treason,” claiming Schiff “illegally made up a FAKE & terrible statement.”
The U.S. Constitution defines treason as waging war on the U.S. or giving “aid and comfort” to American enemies. Punishment for the crime may include the death penalty.
During a House hearing Thursday, Schiff tried to ramp up criticism of President Trump portraying him as a mob boss.
“It reads like a classic organized crime shakedown,” Schiff said of Trump’s call. “Shorn of its rambling character and in not so many words, this is the essence of what the president communicates.”
He then parodied Trump’s call in wildly inaccurate terms.
“We’ve been very good to your country, very good. No other country has done as much as we have, but you know what? I don’t see much reciprocity here,” Schiff said, supposedly “parodying” Trump’s demands to the Ukrainian leader. “I have a favor I want from you, though, and I’m gonna say this only seven times, so you better listen good. I want you to make up dirt on my political opponent, understand, lots of it.”
Schiff explained he was trying to make clear what the president “was trying to communicate with the president of Ukraine.”
“This is, in some character, what the president was trying to communicate with the president of Ukraine,” Schiff said. “It would be funny if it wasn’t such a graphic betrayal of the president’s oath of office.”
Schiff’s remarks received coverage from Fox News.
