The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee says he plans to not only reignite a full-blown Russia probe if the House flips in November, but he will also prioritize investigating the Trump Organization’s ties to Russia.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) told The Hill on Wednesday that he specifically intends to look into allegations of Russians laundering money through the Trump Organization.
“There was one issue we were not allowed to look at and the Senate hasn’t been either that concerns me a great deal and that is the issue of whether Russians were laundering money through the Trump Organization and [if] that is the leverage they have over the president,” Schiff said.
“Someone needs to determine whether those allegations are true or they are not. That certainly would be a priority for me.”
Republicans on the panel voted along party lines earlier this year to conclude the yearlong Russia probe that became marked by bitter partisan infighting.
Schiff said while the GOP decision limited his party’s efforts — since the minority lacked power of subpoena — their efforts to examine ties between the Trump’s campaign and Russia never ended.
“It is ongoing and it will continue if we are in the majority with power of subpoena,” the California lawmaker told The Hill, declining to name ”specific individuals” he would like to interview.
“We never closed the Russia investigation. A few months ago the Republicans decided they were going to end their participation. They were solely going to focus on investigating investigators. But we continue to bring in witnesses and review documents,” Schiff added.
Rep. Chris Stewart (Utah), a Republican member of the panel, dismissed the investigation as a never-ending issue that Democrats are dragging out.
“Of course [Schiff] will [reopen the probe and investigate Trump]. And other allegations as well. It will be years of unending investigations. That’s the concern I have had for a year now,” Stewart told The Hill. “There is other important work to do and we have been singular[ly] focused on Russia. It’s too bad.”
With the upcoming November midterm elections just weeks away, there is increasing buzz on Capitol Hill about what will happen if there is a flip in favor of Democrats while Trump remains in the White House, including what will happen to several congressional committee probes.
The latest FiveThirtyEight forecast rates the chances of Democrats winning control as being highly likely — at nearly 83 percent.
