There is a strong case to be made that House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff seriously mismanaged the House’s impeachment proceedings into President Trump. But Schiff has one word for his critics: whatever.

The Senate’s impeachment trial is still in its early stages, but, as one of the House’s appointed trial managers, Schiff took to the Senate floor on Tuesday and dismissed Republican concerns as nothing more than a “distraction.” Schiff basically argued that the next time Republicans complain about the impeachment managers, himself included, voters should ask themselves: What are they trying to distract me from?

This is as lame as it is deceptive. Schiff is arguing that, because the Senate is weighing charges against Trump, the only information important to the trial is information that has to do with Trump. But Schiff’s past role in the impeachment proceedings is indeed relevant insofar as it informs the impeachment process.

There is substantial evidence that Schiff used his position as House Intelligence Committee chairman to kick-start the impeachment proceedings for nakedly partisan reasons, permitting his staff to meet with the anonymous Ukraine whistleblower, concealing that meeting from his colleagues, and then lying about it repeatedly when confronted. Schiff also spread misinformation about Trump throughout the process, making up the content of Trump’s July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to make the Democrats’ accusations sound more legitimate.

Schiff played a role in orchestrating the Ukraine scandal, leaking knowledge about the whistleblower’s complaint to the media while reportedly advising the whistleblower. The result, of course, was impeachment. So, it’s completely fair that Republicans would criticize Schiff for his past dishonesty and his present attempt to feign seriousness.

Denunciation of Schiff is both legitimate and relevant. If anything, Schiff’s attempt to dismiss these criticisms is in itself an attempt to distract the public from his past dishonesty and political maneuvering. Let’s hope they see through it.