Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the probable incoming chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told Axios that he intends to use his new role to aid special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
Schiff told Axios that he plans to publicly release dozens of interviews the committee has conducted in its own investigation of Russia’s election interference.
{mosads}Schiff said he wants Mueller to have that evidence at his disposal and be able to use it to determine whether any witnesses lied to the committee. Schiff said some information in the transcript contradicts facts and other testimony related to the Russia investigation.
“I want to make sure that Bob Mueller has the advantage of the evidence that we’ve been able to gather,” Schiff said in an appearance on “Axios on HBO.” “But equally important: that Bob Mueller is in a position to determine whether people knowingly committed perjury before our committee.”
Schiff added that the committee will also take a look into whether Russia has any potentially compromising information over President Trump.
“We’re going to want to look at what leverage the Russians may have over the president of the United States,” he said.
Schiff on Sunday warned acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, who took over after Jeff Sessions resigned last week, from interfering in Mueller’s probe.
He added that there were “very strong facts” that indicate that Whitaker should recuse himself from the investigation.
“It seems to me the facts for recusal are very strong here,” Schiff said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“This is someone who’s made repeated and prejudicial comments against the investigation,” he continued. “Someone who has made false statements about it, claiming that the Russians really had no impact on our election. It’s someone who has a relationship with one of the important witnesses in the investigation.”