House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) performed an entirely made-up conversation between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his opening statement at a committee hearing Thursday morning.
The White House released a transcript of a phone call between Trump and Zelensky on Wednesday, but Schiff made up and fabricated his own own transcript that he read at the hearing, which sought to create a quid pro quo that Democrats have accused the president of making.
“This is the essence of what the president communicates,” Schiff began.
“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. 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,” Schiff read from his fabricated conversation.
Florida AG accuses teacher of labeling student a ‘misogynist’ over ‘conservative views’: ‘She should be fired’
Harris keeps 2028 door open as she hits midterm campaign trail, warns ‘28 won’t matter’ without 2026
Takaichi and victim families make multifront plea for US to help Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea
‘Big Sister’ warning resurfaces as Massachusetts expands home visits after Clancy trial
White House Official Says Fox News and Reporter Jacqui Heinrich Have ‘Revealed Themselves for Who They Truly Are’
El-Sayed’s Trump-Backed Opponent Breaks with POTUS on Iran: ‘We Have to Bring Prices Down’
Kamala Harris says ‘attack on DEI is an attack on maternal care’ in appearance with El-Sayed
Chuck Grassley doesn’t rule out investigating Trump Jr.’s Russian-funded wedding party
Breaking: ICE Nabs Dem Staffer Who Is Former News Anchor in Airport Operation
Missouri mom who put newborn in oven instead of crib learns fate as murder charge dropped
Bodycam footage captures moments after ICE shooting of Venezuelan migrant in Austin
Beyond killer robots: China’s real AI threat to America is already here, experts warn
Former USPS worker indicted after allegedly dumping 300-plus Utah mail-in ballots without delivering one
Harris: ‘Attack on DEI’ is ‘attack on maternal care’ in el Sayed campaign stop
DOJ charges Utah USPS worker after 300 mail-in ballots allegedly tossed in dumpster
“I want you to make up dirt on my political opponent, understand? Lots of it,” he continued.
“On this and on that. I’m gonna put you in touch with people and not just any people,” he continued, affecting an accent meant to resemble Trump’s. “I’m going to put you 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 gonna put you in touch with Rudy, you’re gonna love him, trust me,” Schiff said, still avoiding any real quotations from the transcript. “You know what I’m asking, 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’ve asked.”
Schiff said of his made-up conversation, “This is in sum and character what the president was trying to communicate.”
Republican lawmakers slammed Schiff for making up the conversation entirely, instead of going off the transcript of what was actually said between Trump and Zelensky.
Florida AG accuses teacher of labeling student a ‘misogynist’ over ‘conservative views’: ‘She should be fired’
Harris keeps 2028 door open as she hits midterm campaign trail, warns ‘28 won’t matter’ without 2026
Takaichi and victim families make multifront plea for US to help Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea
‘Big Sister’ warning resurfaces as Massachusetts expands home visits after Clancy trial
White House Official Says Fox News and Reporter Jacqui Heinrich Have ‘Revealed Themselves for Who They Truly Are’
El-Sayed’s Trump-Backed Opponent Breaks with POTUS on Iran: ‘We Have to Bring Prices Down’
Kamala Harris says ‘attack on DEI is an attack on maternal care’ in appearance with El-Sayed
Chuck Grassley doesn’t rule out investigating Trump Jr.’s Russian-funded wedding party
Breaking: ICE Nabs Dem Staffer Who Is Former News Anchor in Airport Operation
Missouri mom who put newborn in oven instead of crib learns fate as murder charge dropped
Bodycam footage captures moments after ICE shooting of Venezuelan migrant in Austin
Beyond killer robots: China’s real AI threat to America is already here, experts warn
Former USPS worker indicted after allegedly dumping 300-plus Utah mail-in ballots without delivering one
Harris: ‘Attack on DEI’ is ‘attack on maternal care’ in el Sayed campaign stop
DOJ charges Utah USPS worker after 300 mail-in ballots allegedly tossed in dumpster
Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) called the statement “fiction”:
While the chairman was speaking, I actually had someone text me, ‘Is he just making this up?’ And yes, yes he was. Because sometimes fiction is better than the actual words or the text. But luckily the American people are smart. They have the transcript, they’ve read the conversation, they know when someone is just making it up.
After Turner’s scolding, Schiff said his “summary of the president’s call was at least meant to be in part parody.”
He added, “The fact that that’s not clear is a separate problem in and of itself. Of course the president never said, “If you didn’t understand me, I’m going to say it seven more times.’ My point is, that’s the message the Ukrainian president was receiving in not so many words.”
Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) accused Schiff of being intentionally misleading.
“I think it’s a shame that we started off this hearing with fictional remarks — the implication of a conversation that took place between a president and foreign leader, putting words into it that didn’t exist, they’re not in the transcript. And I would contend that they were intentionally not clear,” he said.
Florida AG accuses teacher of labeling student a ‘misogynist’ over ‘conservative views’: ‘She should be fired’
Harris keeps 2028 door open as she hits midterm campaign trail, warns ‘28 won’t matter’ without 2026
Takaichi and victim families make multifront plea for US to help Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea
‘Big Sister’ warning resurfaces as Massachusetts expands home visits after Clancy trial
White House Official Says Fox News and Reporter Jacqui Heinrich Have ‘Revealed Themselves for Who They Truly Are’
El-Sayed’s Trump-Backed Opponent Breaks with POTUS on Iran: ‘We Have to Bring Prices Down’
Kamala Harris says ‘attack on DEI is an attack on maternal care’ in appearance with El-Sayed
Chuck Grassley doesn’t rule out investigating Trump Jr.’s Russian-funded wedding party
Breaking: ICE Nabs Dem Staffer Who Is Former News Anchor in Airport Operation
Missouri mom who put newborn in oven instead of crib learns fate as murder charge dropped
Bodycam footage captures moments after ICE shooting of Venezuelan migrant in Austin
Beyond killer robots: China’s real AI threat to America is already here, experts warn
Former USPS worker indicted after allegedly dumping 300-plus Utah mail-in ballots without delivering one
Harris: ‘Attack on DEI’ is ‘attack on maternal care’ in el Sayed campaign stop
DOJ charges Utah USPS worker after 300 mail-in ballots allegedly tossed in dumpster
“The chairman described it as parody, and I don’t think this is the time or place for parody when we are trying to seek facts,” he added.
“And unfortunately today, many innocent Americans are going to turn on their TV and the media’s only going to show that section of what the chairman had to say, but I’m also glad to know that many Americans have seen this movie too many times and are tired of it.”
Story cited here.
