California Representative Adam Schiff received pushback from a CNN host over allegedly lying about intelligence information regarding former President Donald Trump.
Schiff appeared alongside fellow California representative Eric Swalwell and Minnesota representative Ilhan Omar on a Sunday episode of CNN’s State of the Union.
Host Dana Bash noted Schiff previously suggested there was evidence proving the former President colluded with Russia in 2016.
“‘The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government,’” Bash said quoting special counsel Robert Mueller‘s 2019 findings.
“Republicans argue that’s proof that you used your position the Intelligence Committee to intentionally mislead Americans, which is why you should not be on that committee.”
Schiff countered Bash by suggesting the Mueller report did not suggest no evidence existed and further revealed Trump’s campaign manager allegedly shared internal campaign polling data with a Russian agent.
“To most Americans, that is collusion,” he claimed. “Now, whether it’s proof beyond a reasonable doubt of the crime of conspiracy — that’s what Bob Mueller was talking about — I have always distinguished between the two.”
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“Ahead of the first Trump impeachment, you said the committee had not spoken to a whistle-blower,” Bash continued providing another example of Schiff’s alleged lies. “In fact, that turned out not to be true.”
“When I was asked the question, I thought they were referring to whether we had brought the whistle-blower in,” Schiff replied. “And I should have been more clear in my answer.”
Schiff continued:
But, again, let’s be clear what’s really going on here. McCarthy has said Adam Schiff prosecuted the case against Trump. Ukraine impeachment was a hoax. He’s given 15 explanations. The only real explanation is, he needs Marjorie Taylor Greene’s vote. He needs Paul Gosar’s vote. He wants to retaliate for their removal from the committee. And, apparently, he believes I was very effective in exposing his misconduct, Donald Trump’s misconduct. And that’s what they’re trying to stop. So, I think that he benefits from having these smears repeated. And that’s part of what he gains from it. But this is a pretext, and nothing more.
The California representatives have been removed from the House Intelligence Committee by newly elected Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy. The Speaker similarly has expressed interest in removing Omar from serving on the Foreign Affairs Committee, though a majority vote is needed to remove the Minnesota representative from the committee.
Last week Schiff announced his 2024 campaign seeking California Senator Dianne Feinstein’s seat, which she has occupied since 1992.
“I’m running for the U.S. Senate from California because we’re in the fight of our lives to preserve our democracy and to build an economy that works for everyone,” Schiff told FOX 11.
