After President Trump attacked Adam Schiff, the Democratic Chairman of the House Committee on Intelligence, Republicans on that committee called on Schiff to resign. In a powerful statement (about 3:22 in), during today’s committee hearing, Congressman Schiff perfectly summarizes why some Republicans have become morally bankrupt.

“I’m going to turn to our witnesses who are the subject of our hearing today, but before I do, and as you have chosen instead of addressing the hearing, to simply attack me consistent with the President’s attacks, I do want to respond in this way.

“My colleagues may think it’s okay that the Russians offered dirt on a democratic candidate for president as part of what was described as the Russian government’s effort to help the Trump campaign. You might think that’s okay.

“My colleagues might think it’s okay when that was offered to the son of the president, who had a pivotal role in the campaign, that the president’s son did not call the FBI. He did not adamantly refuse that foreign help. No, instead that son said that he would love to help with the Russians. You might think it’s okay that he took that meeting.

“You might think it’s okay that Paul Manafort, the campaign chair, someone with great experience running campaigns, also took that meeting. You might think it’s okay that the president’s son-in-law also took that meeting. You might think it’s okay that they concealed it from the public. You might think it’s okay that their only disappointment after that meeting was that the dirt they received on Hillary Clinton wasn’t better. You might think that’s okay.

“You might think it’s okay that when it was discovered a year later, that they lied about that meeting and said it was about adoptions. You might think it’s okay that the president is reported to have helped dictate that lie. You might think that’s okay. I don’t.

“You might think that it’s okay that the chairman of a presidential campaign would offer information about that campaign to a Russian oligarch in exchange for money or debt forgiveness. You might think that’s okay. I don’t.

“You might think it’s okay that that campaign chairman offered polling data, campaign polling data to someone linked to Russian intelligence. I don’t think that’s okay.

“You might think it’s okay that the president himself called on Russia to hack his opponent’s e-mails, if they were listening. You might think it’s okay that later that day in fact that Russians attempted to hack a server affiliated with that campaign. I don’t think that’s okay.

“You might think that it’s okay that the president’s son-in-law sought to establish a secret back-channel of communications with the Russians through a Russian Diplomatic facility. I don’t think that’s okay.

“You might think it’s okay that an associate of the president made direct contact with the GRU [Russian intelligence] through Guccifer 2.0 and Wikileaks that is considered a hostile intelligence agency.

“You might think it’s okay that a senior campaign official was instructed to reach that associate and find out what that hostile intelligence agency had to say in terms of dirt on his opponent.

“You might think it’s okay that the national security advisor designate secretly conferred with the Russian ambassador about undermining U.S. sanctions. And you might think it’s okay that he lied about it to the FBI.

“You might say, that’s all okay.

“You might say, that’s just what you need to do to win!

“But I don’t think it’s okay. I think it’s immoral. I think it’s unethical. I think it’s unpatriotic. And, yes, I think it’s corrupt, and evidence of collusion.

“Now, I have always said that the question of whether this amounts to proof of conspiracy was another matter; whether the special counsel could prove beyond a reasonable doubt the proof of that crime would be up to the special counsel and I would accept his decision and I do. He is a good and honorable man and he is a good prosecutor.

“But I do not think that that conduct, criminal or not, is okay, and the day we do think that’s okay is the day we will look back and say that is the day America lost its way.

“And I will tell you one more thing that is apropos of the hearing today.

“I don’t think it’s okay that during a presidential campaign, Mr. Trump sought the Kremlin’s help to consummate a real estate deal in Moscow that would make him a fortune, according to special counsel, hundreds of millions of dollars.

“I don’t think it’s okay that he concealed it from the public.

“I don’t think it’s okay that he advocated a new and more favorable policy towards the Russians even as he was seeking the Russians help, the Kremlin’s help to make money.

“I don’t think it’s okay that his attorney lied to our committee.

“There’s a different word for that than collusion and it’s called compromise and that is the subject of our hearing today.”

With that, Chairman Schiff continued with the agenda of the meeting.

House Republicans on the Intelligence Committee have abdicated their duty to the Constitution and the public in order to aid and abet a U.S. President who has done all of the above and more.

I don’t think that’s okay and you shouldn’t, either!