The G.O.P.-led House formally censured Representative Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California, on Wednesday over his role investigating former President Donald J. Trump, the first in what could be a series of votes seeking to punish those whom Republicans have deemed the party’s enemies.
The censure passed by a party-line vote of 213 to 209 with six Republicans voting “present.” The measure had the backing of Speaker Kevin McCarthy after its lead sponsor, Representative Anna Paulina Luna, Republican of Florida, altered its language to remove a multimillion-dollar fine some Republicans viewed as unconstitutional.
“Adam Schiff launched an all-out political campaign built on baseless distortions against a sitting U.S. president,” Ms. Luna said. The censure accused him of engaging in “falsehoods, misrepresentations and abuses of sensitive information” as he sought to unearth connections between Mr. Trump and Russia.
It is rare for a member of Congress to be censured, a punishment that amounts to a public reprimand. The House has censured members just 24 times in the chamber’s history, and typically only after a finding of wrongdoing. Before Mr. Schiff, just two members of the House had been censured in almost four decades.
Democrats erupted in chants of “Shame!” at the Republicans after the vote, and surrounded Mr. Schiff in a protective circle as he walked to the well of the House to receive the censure. Representative Eric Swalwell, Democrat of California, called out that the proceedings were a “disgrace.”
Five of the six Republicans who voted “present” are members of the Ethics Committee. Such a vote is traditional to maintain independence in such cases for ethics panel members, who would have the task of investigating Mr. Schiff.
Mr. Schiff, who is seeking a Senate seat and has cited the censure against him in fund-raising efforts, said he was being made a target solely because he had stood up to Mr. Trump.
Mr. Schiff led the first impeachment prosecution against Mr. Trump and served on the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
“You honor me with your enmity,” Mr. Schiff told the Republicans from the House floor, pointing out that Mr. Trump had been indicted over charges that he mishandled classified documents.