>> I COULD HAVE USED ADAM SCHIFFS HELP TWO YEARS AGO
GETTING DOCUMENTS FROM A DIFFERENT WHITE HOUSE, SO I
APPLAUD HIM FOR FINALLY COMING TO THE FULL REALIZATION YOU NEED
DOCUMENTS TO BE ABLE TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION.
I FULLY EXPECT THIS WHITE HOUSE TO PROVIDE ALL DOCUMENTS THAT
ARE NOT OTHERWISE LEGALLY PROTECTED.
I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THEY WERE NOT.
I THINK THOSE DOCUMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED IN TIME TO CONDUCT
FULSOME INTERVIEWS NECESSARY. I SMILE A LITTLE BIT AT THE
IRONY OF CONGRESSMAN SCHIFF COMPLAINING ABOUT A WHITE HOUSE
THAT WON'T PRODUCE DOCUMENTS. I SWEAR I COULD HAVE USED HIS
HELP OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS. >> JOINING US NOW, RANKING
MEMBER OF THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN
ADAM SCHIFF, THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THE SERVICE THIS MORNING.
>> IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU. >> I WONDER IF YOU COULD FIRST
COMMENT ON THE BANNON NEWS, HIS REMOVAL FROM THE NSC?
>> I THINK IT'S A VERY POSITIVE STEP.
HE CERTAINLY INTRODUCED A POLITICAL ELEMENT THAT DOESN'T
LONG THERE. FROM MY OWN POINT OF VIEW, HE
DOESN'T LONG IN THE WHITE HOUSE EITHER.
THIS IS I HOPE A FIRST AND VERY POSITIVE STEP.
CERTAINLY IF IT SHOWS GENERAL McMASTER IS GETTING THE
AUTHORITY HE WAS PROIMSED TO GET HIS PERSONNEL DECISIONS TO
CONSOLIDATE DECISION OVER THE NSC, I HOPE IT WILL RESULT IN A
POLICY LESS FOCUSED ON MAKING OBAMA FOR THINGS AND WHAT ARE
THE DECISIONS WE NEED TO MAKE IN SYRIA.
I WOULD HOPE THE PRESIDENT RIGHT NOW ASKING HIM, WHAT ARE MY
OPTIONS, WHAT ARE THE DIPLOMATIC OPTIONS, IF NECESSARY, WHAT IS
THE LEGAL BASIS TO USE FORCE, IF THAT'S NECESSARY.
WHAT ARGUMENT DO WE NEED TO MAKE WITH THE RUSSIAN, AFTER ALL,
THEY ARE THEIR CLIENT. THEY BROKERED A DEAL.
ASSAD CLEARLY DIDN'T COMPLY WITH IT.
I'M HOPING THE REMOVAL OF BANNON AND CONSOLIDATION IN AUTHORITY
IN McMASTER RESULT IN A MORE SOUND POLICY.
>> DO YOU WANT TO RESPOND WITH TREY GOWDY.
HE TALKED ABOUT YOU BEING LESS THAN FORTHCOMING WITH DOCUMENTS
AT TIMES. >> THE IRONY DURING BENGHAZI, I
WAS URGING WE ALLOW THE WHITE HOUSE AND STATE DEPARTMENT
AUTOMATE SEARCHES TO USE WHATEVER TERMS MR. GOWDY WANTED
AND GET DOCUMENTS MORE QUICKLY. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO.
THAT I THINK THEY WANTED TO FIGHT WITH THE WHITE HOUSE AND
THE STATE DEPARTMENT. I THINK MR. GOWDY'S CHIEF
ARGUMENT IS I DON'T WANT IT TO BE RUN LIKE THE BENGHAZI WAS,
THAT WAS A POLITICAL INSTRUMENT. >> THAT WOULD BE THE WORST THING
POSSIBLE FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION TO COME.
>> CONGRESSMAN, RICHARD HAASE HERE, DO YOU THINK THEY CAN
CLAIM THE LEGITIMACY HERE AND THE PERCEPTION THEY CAN CARRY
OUT A INVESTIGATION OR DO YOU THINK IT'S BEEN TAKEN OUT OF THE
GAME AND IT'S UP TO THE SENATE OR SOME OTHER MECHANISM.
>> IT CERTAINLY HASN'T BEEN TAKEN OUT OF THE GAME.
WE ARE FULLY ONE-HALF OF THE RESOURCES DEVOTED TO THE RUSSIAN
INVESTIGATION. SO THERE IS NO WAY THAT WE CAN
WALK AWAY FROM OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
THERE IS CERTAINLY A CLOUD OVER IT ON THE BASIS OF THE
CHAIRMAN'S EVENING RENDEZVOUS AT THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE WAY THE
WHITE HOUSE TRIED TO EFFECTIVELY USE THE COMMITTEE TO LAPDER THE
INVESTIGATION. >> THAT CLOUD WILL PERSIST T.
SPEAKER SAID NONETHELESS THIS CHAIRMAN WILL CONTINUE TO RUN
THE INVESTIGATION. WE WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT
FACT UNTIL AND UNLESS THERE IS A DECISION BY THE REPUBLICAN
LEADERSHIP TO ESTABLISH A FULLY INDEPENDENT COMMISSION.
NONETHELESS, WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF AGREEING ON OUR
INITIAL WITNESS LIST. I THINK WE MADE A LITTLE
PROGRESS ON THAT. WE'LL BE SCHEDULING PEOPLE TO
COME IN BEFORE THE COMMITTEE. WE CONTINUE TO REVIEW DOCUMENTS.
AND WE CONTINUE TO PRESS THE WHITE HOUSE TO SHARE THESE
DOCUMENTS THAT NOW ONLY THE CHAIRMAN AND I HAVE SEEN AT THE
WHITE HOUSE, APART FROM OUR STAFF WITH THE FULL COMMITTEE T.
PRESIDENT DID MAKE IT CLEAR TO ME WHEN I MET WITH HIM, HE HAD
NO OBJECTION TO PEOPLE HAVING ACCESS TO THESE DOCUMENTS.
IT IS APPARENTLY HIS STAFF THAT ARE OBJECTING AND YOU WOULD
THINK IF THESE DOCUMENTS WERE SO INSINUATING AS THEY WOULD LIKE
TO SUGGEST THAT THEY WOULD WANT THE FULL COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO
REVIEW THEM, SO LET'S PUT THEM TO THE TEST.
LET'S SEE IF THEY WILL BACK UP THE PRESIDENT'S WORDS ON THIS.
>> CONGRESSMAN, OBVIOUSLY, THE PRESIDENT HAS WE HEARD YOUR
CONCERNS AND HAS WE HEARD YOUR VERSION OF THE STORY AND HOW IT
UNFOLDED FOLLOWING YOUR MEETING WITH HIM, WHERE HE SAID THAT HE
WOULD PRESENT YOU WITH THE DOCUMENTS.
YOU HAVE YET TO BE PRINTED WITH THE DOCUMENTS.
IT'S BEEN A FEW DAYS NOW SINCE YOUR MEETING.
GIVEN ALL OF THAT, IS THIS A PRESIDENT THAT YOU TRUST?
>> AGAIN, I DON'T THINK IT'S MY VERSION THE WHITE HOUSE HASN'T
QUARRELLED WITH WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID.
THEY SIMPLY DON'T AGREE WITH HIS RECOMMENDATION APPARENTLY, IN
TERMS OF TRUSTING THE PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW, LOOK, I HAVE A VERY
IMPORTANT INVESTIGATION TO TRY TO HELP RUN AND THAT REQUIRES ME
SIMPLY TO FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE WHERE IT LEADS, IT DOESN'T
REQUIRE ME TO HAVE TRUST OR LACK OF TRUST IN THE PRESIDENT.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT I FIND IT ENORMOUSLY DISTRESSING THAT THE
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF WILL LEVEL ACCUSATIONS AGAINST PRESIDENT
OBAMA COMMITTING A CRIME AND NOW SUSAN RICE OF COMMITTING A CRIME
WITHOUT PUTTING FORWARD ANY EVIDENCE.
BUT YOU KNOW, EQUALLY TROUBLING, IS THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, IN
THE MEETING, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH ONE OF OUR STRONGESTER ALLIES,
ANGELA MERKEL, HE WOULD DO THINGS DELIBERATELY INSULTING TO
REPORTEDLY HAND HER A BILL FOR AMOUNTS DUE LIKE SHE IS A DEBTOR
OR A DEADBEAT OF SOME KIND. THAT'S THE KIND OF THING YOU DO
IF YOU WANT TO DIRECTLY SABOTAGE AN IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP.
I DON'T SEE WHY THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE UNITED STATES
ANYWAY, SHAPE OR FORM. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT TRUST, BUT
IT IS ABOUT WHETHER THESE ACTIONS ARE DAMAGING OUR
NATIONAL SECURITY. >> JOE.
>> CONGRESSMAN, OBVIOUSLY, WE AGREE WITH MOST OF WHAT YOU HAVE
SAID THIS MORNING, IF YOU WATCH ANY OF THE SHOW.
WE ALSO HAVE BEEN TALKING TO DAVID IGNACIOUS AND OTHER PEOPLE
ABOUT THE INTEL COMMUNITY AND THE INVESTIGATION.
SHORT OF ADOPTING THIS 95-5 RULE.
IF RUSSIA AND TRUMP COLLUSION, THAT INVESTIGATION IS 95% OF THE
STORY. THEN PERHAPS IMPROPER MASKING,
LEAK, 5% OF THE STORY. WE ARE CRITICAL OF TRAY GOWDY
WHEN OTHER REPUBLICANS TRIED TO MAKE THAT ALL ABOUT LEAKS, BUT
DO YOU AGREE AMERICAN VERSUS A RIGHT TO KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT
THE POSSIBLE TRUMP-RUSSIA COLLUSION AS WELL AS WHETHER THE
NAMES OF TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS WERE IMPROPERLY
UNMASKED AND THEN LEAKED. CAN CONGRESS AND THE PRESS DO
TWO THINGS AT ONCE WHILE KEEPING PROPER PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT THE
BIGGER STORY IS? >> OH, ABSOLUTELY.
ABSOLUTELY. WE REALLY NEED TO THERE HAVE
BEEN AS YOU KNOW, JOE, YOU PROBABLY HAVE RAISED THIS IN THE
PAST, CONCERNS AMONG CIVIL LIBERTARIANS ABOUT A WHOLE RANGE
OF UNDER SURVEILLANCE PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES, INCLUDING
WHETHER MINIMIZATION IS BEING DONE CORRECTLY OR WHETHER THERE
IS, YOU KNOW, BACK DOOR UNDER SURVEILLANCE GOING ON, WHERE
FOREIGN PARTIES HAVE THE REAL INTENT OF FIGURING OUT WHO THEY
ARE TALKING TO BACK IN THE UNITED STATES.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE CONSTANTLY OVERSEE ON THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE. IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF
OUR RESPONSIBILITY. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR ACTIONS
ARE GETTING THE INFORMATION TO PROTECT THE COMPANY ALSO
PROTECTING OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES AND OUR PRIVACY.
SO, YES, WE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD AN, IN FACT, THAT'S WHAT WE WERE
DOING. THE CHAIRMAN SAID HE WAS
CONCERNED ABOUT. THAT I SAID, GREAT, LET'S
REQUEST THE INFORMATION THE AGENCIES HAVE AND WE DID.
WHERE WE GOT OFF TRACK WAS WHEN THE WHITE HOUSE TRIED TO SPOON
FEED THE COMMITTEE SURREPTITIOUSLY, A SUBSET OF
THAT INFORMATION. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
IF THAT ISSUE AND THE LEAK ISSUE ARE THINGS THEY SHOULD LOOK AT
IN THE COURSE OF BUSINESS. >> SO THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT CONCERNS ME, I AM GLAD TO HEAR THIS FROM YOU, IT SEEMS TO
BE A ZERO SUM GAME FOR SOME PEOPLE IN POLITICS AND ALSO IN
THE MEDIA, THAT YOU MUST EITHER INVESTIGATE RUSSIA AND TRUMP AND
POSSIBLE COLLUSION THERE OR YOU MUST INVESTIGATE SUSAN RICE AND
IMPROPER UNMASKING AND IMPROPER LEAKING AND, OF COURSE, I'M NOT
PUTTING THAT ON SUSAN RICE. I'M HOPING, THOUGH, THAT YOU ALL
WILL AGGRESSIVELY INVESTIGATE BOTH.
BECAUSE AS REPUBLICANS, SOME GOOD REPUBLICANS HAVE RIGHTLY
SAID WHAT RUSSIA DID TO REPUBLICAN -- THE DEMOCRATS IN
2016, THEY CAN DO TO REPUBLICANS IN 2020.
THE SAME IS TRUE ABOUT UNMASKING AND LEAKING IF THAT ACTUALLY
OCCURRED, RIGHT? >> THAT'S ACTUALLY TRUE.
INDEED WHEN THE CHAIRMAN AND I HAMMERED OUT WEEKS AGO WHAT THE
SCOPE OF OUR INVESTIGATION WOULD BE, IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO GOP
MEMBERS WE LOOK AT LEAKS. DEMOCRATS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
THAT, TOO. IT'S BEEN A OMNI PRESENT PROBLEM
FOR ADMINISTRATIONS OF BOTH PARTIES, WE DID INCLUDE THAT IN
THE SCOPE OF OUR INVESTIGATION. >> THAT IS A PART OF OUR MUTUAL
AGREEMENT. >> THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK
AT. I DO THINK IT IS AN EFFORT OF
MISDIRECTION FOR THE PRESIDENT TO SAY, DON'T LOOK AT THE RUSSIA
STUFF. THAT'S A FAKE STORY.
>> RIGHT. >> THESE ARE THE ONLY ISSUES
THAT MATTER. I TAKE STRONG ISSUE WITH THAT.
>> WE TAKE STRONG ISSUE AND IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO UNDER
LINE NO MATTER WHAT CAMS OUT ABOUT UNMASKING, NO MATTER WHAT
COMES OUT ABOUT MASKING, DONALD TRUMP'S TWEETS ABOUT WIRETAPPING
TRUMP TOWERS WAS A LIE, IS A LIE, WILL ALWAYS BE A LIE.