In a Twitter thread from this Friday, House Intelligence Committee ranking Democrat Adam Schiff warned that Republicans may be gearing up to shut down the committee’s Trump-Russia investigation, saying that the move could come as early as the “end of this month” and that special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation could be next.
Schiff tweeted that the investigation is making “important progress” in its effort to “expose Russia’s meddling and protect our democracy.”
“Yet, Republicans have scheduled no witnesses after next Friday and none in 2017,” he tweeted. “We have dozens of outstanding witnesses on key aspects of our investigation that they refuse to contact and many document requests they continue to sit on.”
According to Schiff, Republicans “want to conduct just enough interviews to give the impression of a serious investigation.”
Schiff says that if the House Intellience Committee’s investigation is shut down, Mueller’s could be next.
“By shutting down the congressional investigations when they continue to discover new and important evidence, the White House can exert tremendous pressure to end or curtail Mueller’s investigation or cast doubt on it. We cannot let that happen.”
Read Schiff’s Twitter thread below:
I’m increasingly worried Republicans will shut down the House Intelligence Committee investigation at the end of the month.
Here’s why:
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 15, 2017
Since March, our investigation has made important progress. We’ve interviewed numerous key witnesses behind closed doors, held public hearings, reviewed thousands of documents, identified new leads — all to understand and expose Russia’s meddling and protect our democracy.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 15, 2017
Yet, Republicans have scheduled no witnesses after next Friday and none in 2017. We have dozens of outstanding witnesses on key aspects of our investigation that they refuse to contact and many document requests they continue to sit on.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 15, 2017
It appears Republicans want to conduct just enough interviews to give the impression of a serious investigation.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 15, 2017
Next week, they scheduled critical witness interviews out of state, when we are voting on the tax bill and vital government funding bills and no Members will be able to ask questions, in an effort to squeeze them in before end of year.
These witnesses are willing to come to DC.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 15, 2017
Despite our repeated urging, Majority has declined to issue subpoenas in numerous avenues of the investigation, where there’s simply no other way to get the information. Some refusals we’ve made public, like witnesses hiding behind nonexistent privileges, many others we haven’t.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 15, 2017
The responsibility to conduct a thorough investigation, or to prevent one, ultimately falls on @SpeakerRyan. I’m concerned he’s heeding the calls of Bannon and @POTUS to “DO SOMETHING” by closing down the Russia investigation & opening up another investigation of Hilary Clinton.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 15, 2017
Beyond our investigation, here’s what has me really concerned: The attacks on Mueller, DOJ and FBI this week make it clear they plan to go after Mueller’s investigation.
Aggressively and soon.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 15, 2017
By shutting down the congressional investigations when they continue to discover new and important evidence, the White House can exert tremendous pressure to end or curtail Mueller’s investigation or cast doubt on it. We cannot let that happen.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 15, 2017
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