Staff Reports
Rep. Adam Schiff has been a vocal opponent of misinformation and its dangers to democracy, but his own history of spreading false information has been called into question. On Sunday, Schiff was challenged on CNN’s State of the Union about his belief that the 2016 Donald Trump campaign colluded with Russia’s government, which was refuted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report. The host, Dana Bash, noted that Republicans argue that Schiff used his position on the intelligence committee to potentially mislead Americans, which is why he should not be on the committee. Schiff responded by saying that Mueller did not make a conclusion on whether Donald Trump or his campaign colluded with the Russians.
More proof Adam Schiff should have never been on the Intel Committee in the first place.https://t.co/WKwcJXwWBn
— Ronna McDaniel (@RonnaMcDaniel) January 29, 2023
However, Mueller’s report clearly states that “the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government.” This statement was further reinforced by Christopher Tremoglie of the Washington Examiner who wrote that Schiff is “the exact danger he repeatedly warned the country about.” Tremoglie went on to list some of Schiff’s other unethical behavior, including his attempted censorship of dissenting viewpoints and his desire to limit the flow of information to the public.
Schiff’s false claims have had a lasting effect on the public’s perception of Donald Trump. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in 2019 found that nearly half of all Americans still believe President Donald Trump worked with Russia to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. This is despite Mueller’s report finding no evidence of collusion between Trump and Russia. It is clear that when leaders spread misinformation, people tend to believe it.
Adam Schiff has been a vocal opponent of misinformation and its dangers to democracy, yet he has been accused of spreading false information himself. His claims about Donald Trump and Russia have had a lasting effect on the public’s perception of the former president and have caused many to still believe in a narrative that has been debunked. This is a prime example of why it is so important for leaders to be careful about what they say and how they present information to the public. It is also important for citizens to be aware of the sources they get their information from and to always double-check facts before believing them.
The preceding article is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Based Politics
