Nunes: 'Miserable' for Republicans to Hear Schiff 'Actually Fabricate' President's Words

By Susan Jones | September 27, 2019 | 6:12am EDT
Committe Chairman Adam Schiff (Right), listens as Ranking Member Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) speaks at a hearing featuring Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire on September 26, 2019. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS-AFP/Getty Images)

( - Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), ranking member of the House intelligence committee, said Thursday was a "sad, sad day for America," as Democrats grilled Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire about a second-hand complaint from a whistleblower who had partisan reasons to act, according to the intelligence community inspector-general.

Nunes told Fox News's Sean Hannity:

You 're seeing the destruction of one of America's finest institutions, the U.S. Congress. If it can't get any lower, it got even lower today.

It doesn't make me proud to be in there today. I mean, it was really miserable for us to sit there and watch the other side actually fabricate statements that they assigned to the United States president.

This is really -- it's really just -- it's just unhinged -- and it needs to stop. We look forward to this whole whistle-blower coming in to testify. This is going to be really interesting as we start to get to the bottom of and peel back the onion. And I think what you're going to find again, it's going to be the same people that were behind the Russia hoax are behind Ukrainian hoax.


Intelligence committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) has come under fire for attributing words to President Trump that Trump never said.

In his opening statement on Thursday, Schiff -- with a straight face and no hint of a smile -- framed the argument his own way, telling the nation:

This is the essence of what the president communicates: 'We've been very good to your country, very good. No other country does as much as we have. But you know what, I don't see much reciprocity here. I hear what you want, 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.'

President Trump said no such thing. But apparently, what Trump did say in his phone call (see below) wasn't strong enough to seal the case of election interference that Democrats are now trying to make.

Even CNN asked Schiff about his made-up quotation on Thursday:

"Mr. Chairman, you're being severely criticized by a lot of Republicans for mocking the president during your opening remarks at the committee," CNN's Wolf Blitzer said. "Was it a mistake to make light of the situation?"

"Oh, I don't think it's making light of the situation," Schiff replied. "And I certainly wouldn't want to suggest that there's anything comical about this. But I do think it's all too accurate that this president, in his conversations with the president of Ukraine, was speaking like an organized crime boss.

"And the fact that these words are so suggestive that the president used of what we have seen of organized crime harkens back to me, of what, for examples, James Comey said, when he was asked by the president if he could let this matter involving Flynn go; when Michael Cohen testified about how the president speaks in a certain code where you understand exactly what's required.

Here, the point is that the president was using exactly that kind of language, and the president of Ukraine fully understood what he was talking about.

"Well, do you regret the parody, use of those phrases during the course of your opening statement?" Blitzer followed up.

"No," Schiff said. "I think everyone understood. And my GOP colleagues may feign otherwise, but when I suggested, 'It was as if the president said listen carefully because I'm only going to tell you seven more times' that I was mocking the president's conduct, but make no mistake about this. What the president did is of the utmost gravity and seriousness because it involves such a fundamental betrayal of his oath."

Here is what Trump said, according a memorandum summarizing the call:



[Note that the "favor" involves the origin of the Trump-Russia investigation.]


[Note that Zelensky brings up Giuliani.]



The President: Well, she's going to go through some things. I will have Mr. Giuliani give you a call and I am also going to have Attorney General Barr call and we will get to the bottom of it. I'm sure you will figure it out. I heard the prosecutor was treated very badly and he was a very fair prosecutor so good luck with everything. Your economy is going to get better and better I predict. You have a lot of assets. It's a great country. I have many Ukrainian friends, they're incredible people.


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