House Intel Chair Schiff Fabricates Trump Quotes During Hearing, Later Calls It 'Parody'
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff on Thursday fabricated quotes from President Donald Trump as he spoke about Trump’s July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Later, the California Democrat said the quotes, which he made up out of thin air, were a “parody.”
Schiff’s comments came as acting Director of Intelligence Joseph Maguire testified before lawmakers regarding a whistleblower complaint made by a member of the intelligence community following Trump’s call with Zelensky.
The whistleblower complaint was made public by Schiff’s committee Thursday, one day after the Trump administration released a transcript of the phone call.
“The essence of what the president communicates” during his call with Zelensky, Schiff said, was as follows: “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.”
The Ukraine Call Transcript was so damning that Adam Schiff had to completely rewrite it and make up quotes that weren’t in it.pic.twitter.com/bkB6RxLFjV
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) September 26, 2019
“I hear what you want,” the congressman continued. “I have a favor I want from you, though. And I’m going to 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, on this and on that. I’m going to put you in touch with people, not just any people, I’m going to put you in touch with the attorney general of the United States, my attorney general, Bill Barr.
“He’s got the whole weight of the American law enforcement behind him. And I’m going to put you in touch with [Trump attorney] Rudy [Giuliani], you’re going to love him, trust me.”
Schiff wasn’t done.
“You know what I’m asking, and so I’m only going to say this a few more times, in a few more ways. And by the way, don’t call me again. I’ll call you when you’ve done what I asked,” he said.
Schiff then claimed “this was in sum and character what the president was trying to communicate with the president of Ukraine. It would be funny if it wasn’t such a graphic betrayal of the president’s oath of office.”
Later on in the hearing, Schiff admitted that the fabricated Trump quotes were a “parody.” And the fact that some people couldn’t realize that, he said, was a problem in and of itself.
“My summary of the president’s call was meant to be at least part in parody,” Schiff said.
“The fact that that’s not clear is a separate problem in and of itself. Of course, the president never said, ‘If you don’t understand me, I’m going to say it seven more times.’ My point is that’s the message that the Ukraine president was receiving, in not so many words.”
Trump himself expressed his displeasure with Schiff’s behavior as a whole during the hearing.
Adam Schiff has zero credibility. Another fantasy to hurt the Republican Party!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2019
“Adam Schiff has zero credibility. Another fantasy to hurt the Republican Party!” the president tweeted.
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