Schiff Claims Trump ‘Flip-Flopping’ on Abortion: ‘He Lacks Values’

On Sunday, Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) sharply criticized former President Donald Trump for what he described as “flip-flopping” on abortion. This criticism followed Trump’s own recent attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris for modifying her stance on fracking.

During an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Schiff emphasized the contrast between Harris’s policy change from four years ago and Trump’s more frequent shifts on abortion. “Let’s compare a situation where someone changed their position four years ago,” Schiff said, referring to Harris. “To Donald Trump, who’s changed his position four times on abortion in the last 48 hours.”

Schiff called Trump’s fluctuating stance particularly troubling, stating, “When you’re talking about abortion and the rights and freedoms of the American people, being so pandering, wishy-washy, flip-flopping… is disrespectful to millions of American women.”

He highlighted the importance of a leader’s values on such crucial issues, noting, “When on something like the right to an abortion, you flip-flop every 15 minutes, that shows essentially, he has no values.”

Trump has faced scrutiny for apparently altering his position on a Florida ballot initiative, which aims to guarantee the right to abortion “before viability,” typically understood to mean around 24 weeks of pregnancy. In a recent interview with NBC News, Trump indicated opposition to the measure by stating, “I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks.”

However, Trump’s campaign appeared to clarify his remarks soon after, suggesting he was not making a definitive statement about how he would vote but was simply expressing the belief that six weeks is insufficient.

Just a day later, during an interview on Fox News, Trump claimed he would support the ballot initiative, seemingly in response to backlash from conservative circles following his earlier comments.

Similarly, Harris has been in the spotlight recently due to questions regarding her shifting position on fracking. This was particularly evident during her first sit-down interview of the campaign with CNN’s Dana Bash, who pressed her about her previous advocacy for a fracking ban.

Schiff defended Harris against the criticism regarding her evolving views on fracking, arguing her fundamental values remain unchanged. “I favor banning fracking, and I strongly believe that the pathway to attacking climate change is to wean ourselves off of fossil fuels,” he stated, when asked about Harris’s current stance.

He continued, “But look, I’m not the vice president of the United States, and I do think that when you are representing the whole country, you have a different perspective.” Schiff noted that Harris, in her recent interview, asserted that her core values have remained consistent.

Harris has made clear that she would not pursue a ban on fracking if elected president, arguing that it is possible to foster a clean energy economy without such restrictions. “What I have seen is that we can grow and we can increase a thriving clean energy economy without banning fracking,” she said in the interview.

Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, quickly responded to Schiff’s comments, criticizing his character while referencing a nickname Trump has used previously. “Shifty Schiff has no right to talk about morals, considering he’s one of the most despicable and disgusting elected officials in Congress,” Cheung stated, asserting that Harris has misrepresented her positions.

He further characterized Schiff’s remarks as “more disgusting gaslighting from a disgusting person who has no decency and lacks the character to actually be president.”

Trump has consistently targeted Schiff, particularly due to Schiff’s role as the lead prosecutor in Trump’s first impeachment trial and his participation in the January 6 select committee.

As the political landscape evolves, the debates surrounding abortion rights and energy policy will continue to resonate among voters, with candidates navigating their stances to align with their party’s base and gain public support.

Source: Various News Outlets