The famous philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal once declared that “the only shame is to have none.” The problem with shame is that it requires a sense of guilt over one’s actions. In the age of rage, there appear fewer and fewer actions that are beyond the pale for politics. Take Adam Schiff and the Steele dossier. While even the Washington Post has admitted that it got the Russian collusion story wrong in light of the findings of Special Counsel John Durham, House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff, D-Calif., is still insisting that he was absolutely right to promote the discredited Steele dossier. Schiff’s interview on NBC’s Meet the Press may be the final proof of the death of shame in American politics.
Schiff was one of the greatest promoters of the Steele dossier despite access to briefings casting doubt about Steele and the underlying claims. However, Schiff recently has attempted to defend himself by claiming that Steele was a respected former spy and that he was lied to by a Russian source.
Schiff told host Chuck Todd:
“I don’t regret saying that we should investigate claims of someone who, frankly, was a well-respected British intelligence officer. And we couldn’t have known, of course, years ago that we would learn years later that someone who is a primary source lied to him. [Igor] Danchenko lied to Christopher Steele and then lied to the FBI. He should be prosecuted. He is being prosecuted. And I’ll tell you this, if he’s convicted, he should not be pardoned the way Donald Trump pardoned people who lied to FBI agents, like Roger Stone and Mike Flynn. There ought to be the same standard in terms of prosecuting the liars. But I don’t think there ought to be any pardon, no matter which way the lies cut.”
Schiff’s spin is enough to cause permanent vertigo.
Some of us have spent years being pummeled for questioning the obvious problems with the Steele dossier, including the long-denied connection to the Clinton campaign. Schiff was the main voice swatting down such criticism and his endorsements were treated as dispositive for media from MSNBC to the Washington Post. After all, he was the chair of the House Intelligence Committee and assured the public that our criticisms were meritless and the dossier was corroborated.
Schiff’s spin, however, continues to deny the obvious about the Russian collusion scandal.
First, many would guffaw at the claim that Steele was and remains a “well-respected British intelligence officer.” Soon after the dossier was shopped to the FBI, British intelligence flagged credibility problems with Steele. The FBI severed Steele as an asset. Even his own sources told the FBI that Steele wildly exaggerated information and distorted intelligence. Most recently, Steele went public with a laughable claim that Michael Cohen, Trump’s former counsel, was lying to protect Trump despite spending years trying to get Trump charged criminally.
Second, Schiff ignored repeated contradictions in Steele’s dossier as well as evidence that the dossier was paid for and promoted by the Clinton campaign. In 2017, even fired FBI agent Peter Strzok admitted that “we are unaware of ANY Trump advisors engaging in conversations with Russian intelligence officials” and “Steele may not be in a position to judge the reliability of his subsource network.” Schiff would have had access to some of this intelligence. Indeed, while the Clinton campaign was denying that it funded the dossier, American intelligence knew that that was a lie. Indeed, until the Durham indictments, Schiff continued to defend the Russian collusion investigation and the Steele dossier.
Third, Schiff attempts to portray the sole problem with the Steele dossier as Russian analyst Igor Danchenko. That is simply not true. Schiff was long aware that there were allegations of misleading or false information given by the FBI to the secret court. Indeed, the first Durham conviction was of Kevin Clinesmith, the former FBI agent who pleaded guilty. Schiff was aware that President Barack Obama was briefed in 2017 that Hillary Clinton was allegedly planning to manufacture a Russian collusion scandal — just days before the start of the Russian investigation. The dossier was riddled with disproven allegations.
Fourth, Schiff states that he merely sought to investigate allegations. However, Schiff was one of the most active members fueling the Russian collusion allegations. Indeed, when the Mueller investigation found no proof of Russian collusion, Schiff immediately went public to claim that he had evidence of collusion in his committee files. It was meant to keep the scandal alive. Schiff has never produced his promised evidence of collusion.
While Schiff insists that he was just doing his due diligence in pushing for an investigation, the claim is not only undermined by his refusal to acknowledge obvious flaws in the dossier for years but his opposition to the investigation by John Durham. Indeed, while Schiff insists that he is glad to see people like Danchenko prosecuted, he opposed the continuation of this and other investigations.
Schiff told MSNBC that ongoing investigations would constitute “tearing down our democracy” and would serve as a way to “delegitimize” a president. Schiff denounced the Durham investigation as a “politically motivated” effort and resisted demands from Trump to issue a report before the election. Schiff raised the termination of the Durham investigation by Attorney General Garland before Durham could issue any indictments or reports. He added “The appointment is not consistent with the language of the statute that he’s relying on and can be rescinded, I think, by the next attorney general. I would presume the next attorney general will look to see if there is any merit to the work that John Durham is doing.”
So Schiff is now heralding indictments by Durham despite the fact that, if he had gotten his way, there would have been no Durham and no indictments.
The Russian collusion scandal was not some harmless political ploy. Lives were destroyed. Carter Page, who was never charged with a single crime, was labeled a Russian agent and pilloried across networks and print media. A fortune was spent on investigations by Congress, two special counsels, and inspectors general investigations. Hundreds of people faced questioning and many spent their savings on legal representation. A presidency was derailed, agencies like the Justice Department and the FBI were whiplashed by scandal, and Congress dropped a myriad of other issues to focus on various investigations.
In the wake of those costs, Schiff offers little more than a shrug.
Many have long marveled at the incapacity for shame in politicians. That missing emotion was most famously captured by lawyer Joseph Welch in the Army-McCarthy hearings in 1954: “Have you no shame, sir, at long last? Have you no shame?” The answer is that we now live in a post-shame era where the only shame is yielding to the impulses of decency or decorum. The Russian collusion scandal served its purpose and Adam Schiff would be the first say that there is no shame in that.
Well said. The lies of Adam Schiff is finally catching up to him. The shameful thing is, Schiff is in such deep denial
that he believes everything he is saying to the press. Like the emperor without any clothes, he doesn’t even realize
that he is being exposed. He needs to go to a 12 Step program to deal with his compulsive lying.
@Vince,
I don’t know that its a question of the ‘lies’ catching up to him.
Schiff is a product of the Clintons. (Remember they got him into office.)
Schiff’s also a lawyer.
He’s got his marching orders and when the blow back hits, he’s trying to spin the best he can.
Hopefully no one, especially his constituents aren’t buying this and there’s someone capable of challenging him for his seat.
(A Jewish Republican)
In my mind, what Schiff did exceeded the limited immunity that he is afforded and he should face either civil or criminal charges. (or both)
But if you charged Schiff for continually telling outrageous fibs, you’d probably have to indict Pelosi, Cori Bush, and many others. AOC? She’d probably survive because she could always claim ignorance.
Schiff is of the professional political class. He should be tossed out and told to find work. I know maybe he could take a 10 week course and learn how to code. Then he maybe will end up doing something useful for a change.
-Gumby
As a general rule, I don’t think that Republicans should engage in the post-election investigations, etc, that the D’s do, even tho I acknowledge that they do (still. we need to be better than those people). I would make at least one exception for Mr. Schiff – if the GOP takes control of the next Congress, he needs to be censured for his actions. His conduct in this whole affair has been inexcusable
I haven’t voted for a Republican ever. However, if I were to vote next election for one as a newly registered Independent, I would vote for Republicans on one condition: that they promise to impeach every single Democrat in the US House and Senate that fomented a coup against Trump since his first day in office. It will never happen because Republicans are spineless (e.g. Republicans controlled Congress when Trump was elected and yet….complete charlie foxtrot).
If Republican candidates were to run on a party platform to impeach every single Democrat in Congress who participated in the coup of Trump, then I would vote for them, and visit cemeteries to make sure the dead voters counted too, because racism is a terrible thing to allow
😉
Actually, it won’t happen precisely because there’s no provision for impeaching legislators. They can be 1) voted out by their constituents, 2) expelled from their chamber, 3) die in office or 4) choose not to run again. Those are the only ways to get rid of them.
Not that much different than roaches.
Estovir, you’re absolutely right. Most republicans have no spine nor a moral compass.
The only good spies the UK produced worked for the USSR
So true. So very true.
civium in moribus rei publicæ salus
the welfare of the state rests on the morals of its citizens
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
John Adams
I love that quote. George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation is another great one:
Thanksgiving Proclamation, 3 October 1789
By the President of the United States of America. a Proclamation.
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness…… and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions—to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed—to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord—To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05
And for a quote that actually captures America’s founding principles: “Reason: The Only Oracle of Man” (Ethan Allen).
Thank you! I heard part of the Meet the Press while driving on an errand. I was arguing with my radio. I am glad I am not the only one who thinks he is bizarre. How can the press just sit there?
This man is shameless! Durham has been slow but methodical and thorough with his indictments and there are people going to prison.
If only those harmed, including the American people, could sue him for damages. If only.
After reading your truly head spinning essay, I have recovered long enough to say, you have got to be kidding. The entire Republican Party seems incapable of shame about anything including but not limited to lying about the election, lying about Covid, encouraging people not to get vaccinated while rushing to the head of the line to get vaccinated themselves. Schiff has nothing to be ashamed about but you certainly do. Give it a rest Professor we all know who you support.
Adam speaks…
And we ignore….
Turn off your msnbc, it has addled you.
After reading your truly,,,
Ignore
It is way past time for a national divorce.
If there was justice Schiff and his toadie Smellsme would be tossed from office.
Schiff for Brains…..nuff said.
The Media, other Democrats, members of Congress, John McCain, and other Never Trumpers all committed gross acts of misconduct.
As the Legal System in this Country is so corrupt they shall never be called to account for that.
Trumped up evidence, leading to multiple criminal and counter-intelligence investigations…and two trumped up Impeachments both of which failed as forewarned by Professor Turley in his Testimony before Congress.
At some point the only resolution for this sad predicament we are in is for the People to take action….serious action…and demand an end to this craziness by the Left.
At some point is the only way by the means afforded us by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution and described by the Declaration of Independence?
We hear passionate debates that would get excellent grades in the class room in a hypothetical situation but fall apart in the real world. We desperately need real people in government these days not actors reading scripts. Adam Schiff will continue the script until they give him a new one.
Political shame died during Bill Clinton’s second term. By brazening it out through his impeachment he showed every politician in America that you could survive any crisis of personal integrity if you just didn’t care what people thought about you and simply refused to resign. He paved the way for every schlock politician that came after him, most pointedly Donald Trump.
Come on, we’ve known for centuries that weasels are shameless.
Adam Schiff is his name.
He rode off with Robert E. Lee!
It’s only a walk of shame if you’re capable of feeling shame.
Dchiff represents his constituents, Hollywood millionaires and billionaires, very well. He is shameless but to admit shame over all his lies and the evil he caused would anger his voter base. Rules he is a horrible person on this, but no more so than his constituents and the media they create and believe. We’re ge to go do, I am sure he would be replaced by someone equally horrid.
This is an easy read with closed eyes. Schiff knows there is a high probability he is going to be indicted by Durham.
SCHIFF knew exactly what he was doing backed by the deep state and media and THEY FAILED to remove Trump. Now, if allowed to finish and make public Durham will expose the SCAM and LIES and perhaps expose the Truth leading right to the Clintons and others.
Bravo! The truth about Schiff won’t change much, but this article just might shed some skepticism by others on his veracity. I would hope that any time he opens his mouth, folks will weigh and question what comes out of it!
JT, No media is connecting the dot 98% of population has no idea the impeachment was based on 100% manufactured “evidence” The whistle blower? The anonymous Whistle blower. The Phony IG tshat wrote up the phony whistle blower.
Get out a legal pad, a handful of highlighters and read this over at Conservative Treehouse
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/11/16/a-curiously-random-coincidence-keeps-repeating/#more-220229
The Democrat party will be defined by Schiff as long as they continue to embrace him (remember Schiff and others leading the solemn Trump impeachment march?).
Republicans were defined by McCarthy – to their shame.
Let’s hear from the Lefty posters today as they speak up for integrity and condemn Schiff.
(Just joking, we will see “But Trump…” or “Fox News…”).
Climate change. Recycling some of your trash. Where do all those plastic containers go? To Asia? Does my recycle end up floating back across the Pacific to the west coast?
If so then why don’t we deal with reusing plastic back here in America? Or just put them in our landfills?
Climate change? I think you are commenting on a different posting from a different blog. On second thought, you might be referring to the hot air that politicians spew on a daily basis,,,,