>> HOUSE INTEL COMMITTEE THAT'S
HEADED UP BY ADAM SCHIFF AND
REPUBLICANS WE ARE TOLD ARE
ABOUT TO TEE OFF.
THIS IS CONGRESSMAN CONWAY FROM
TEXAS.
HE JUST STARTED.
>> PRESIDENT TRUMP OR ANYONE
ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRUMP
CAMPAIGN COLLUDED OR CONSPIRED
WITH THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.
MINORITY VIEWS, WHICH YOU
SUBMITTED WERE ATTACHED TO OUR
COMMITTEE'S FINDINGS AND YET
YOUR VIEWS DID NOT PROVIDE ANY
EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE CLAIM
OF COLLUSION.
MARCH 24, 2019 THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL DELIVERED HIS FINDINGS
TO THE GOVERNMENT -- TO THE --
SPECIAL COUNSEL'S INVESTIGATION
DID NOT FIND THAT THE TRUMP
CAMPAIGN OR ANYONE ASSOCIATED
WITH CONSPIRED OR COORDINATED
WITH THE RUSSIA IN ITS EFFORTS
TO INFLUENCE THE 2016
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
SPECIAL COUNSEL MUELLER'S
FINDINGS ARE CONSISTENT WITH
THOSE OF THIS COMMITTEE AS WELL
AS THE PUBLIC STATEMENTS AND
VARIOUS SENATORS ON THE SENATE
SELECT COMMITTEE ON
INTELLIGENCE.
DESPITE THESE FINDINGS YOU
CONTINUE TO PROCLAIM TO THE
MEDIA THERE IS SIGNIFICANT
EVIDENCE OF COLLUSION AND
STATED YOU WILL CONTINUE TO
INVESTIGATE THE COUNTER
INTELLIGENCE ISSUES, THAT IS,
IS THE PRESIDENT OR PEOPLE
AROUND HIM.
YOUR WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE TO
PROMOTE A FALSE NARRATIVE IS
ALARMING.
THE FINDINGS.
SPECIAL COUNSEL REFUTE YOUR
PAST AND PRESENT ASSERTIONS AND
EXPOSED YOU AS HAVING ABUSED
YOUR POSITION TO KNOWINGLY
PROMOTE FALSE INFORMATION.
DAMAGED THE INTEGRITY OF THIS
COMMITTEE AND UNDERMINED THE
FAITH OF THE UNITED STATES AND
THESE ASSOCIATIONS.
YOUR ACTIONS PAST AND PRESENT
ARE INCOMPATIBLE WITH YOUR DUTY
OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THIS
COMMITTEE THAT HAS THE
OBLIGATION AND AUTHORITY TO
PROVIDE EFFECTIVE OVERSIGHT OF
THE U.S. INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY.
AS SUCH WE HAVE NO FAITH IN
YOUR BAILT TO DISCHARGE YOUR
DUTIES AND CONSISTENT WITH YOUR
CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
AND URGE YOUR IMMEDIATE
RESIGNATION AS CHAIRMAN OF THE
COMMITTEE.
IT IS SIGNED BY ALL NINE
THEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND I
ASK IT BE ENTERED INTO THE
RECORD AT TODAY'S HEARING.
>> I WILL TURN TO OUR WITNESSES
WHO ARE THE SUBJECT OF THE
HEARING TODAY BUT BEFORE I DO,
AND AS YOU HAVE CHOSEN INSTEAD
OF ADDRESSING THE HEARING TO
SIMPLY ATTACK ME, CONSISTENT
WITH THE PRESIDENT'S ATTACKS, I
DO WANT TO RESPOND IN THIS WAY.
MY COLLEAGUES MAY THINK IT'S
OKAY THAT THE RUSSIANS OFFERED
DIRT ON A DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE
FOR PRESIDENT AS PART OF WHAT
WAS DESCRIBED AS THE RUSSIAN
GOVERNMENT'S EFFORT TO HELP THE
TRUMP CAMPAIGN.
YOU MIGHT THINK THAT'S OKAY.
MY COLLEAGUES MIGHT THINK IT'S
OKAY THAT WHEN THAT WAS OFFERED
TO THE SON OF THE PRESIDENT WHO
HAD A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE
CAMPAIGN THAT THE PRESIDENT'S
SON DID NOT CALL THE F.B.I., HE
DID NOT ADAMANTLY REFUSE THAT
FOREIGN HELP.
NO, INSTEAD THAT SON SAID THAT
HE WOULD LOVE THE HELP OF THE
RUSSIANS.
YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S OKAY THAT
HE TOOK THAT MEETING.
YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S OKAY THAT
PAUL MANAFORT, THE CAMPAIGN
CHAIR, SOMEONE WITH GREAT
EXPERIENCE IN RUNNING CAMPAIGNS
ALSO TOOK THAT MEETING.
YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S OKAY THAT
THE PRESIDENT'S SON-IN-LAW ALSO
TOOK THAT MEETING.
YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S OKAY THEY
CONCEALED IT FROM THE PUBLIC
AND YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S OKAY
THAT THEIR ONLY DISAPPOINTMENT
AFTER THAT MEETING WAS THAT THE
DIRT THEY RECEIVED ON HILLARY
CLINTON WASN'T BETTER.
YOU MIGHT THINK THAT'S OKAY.
YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S OKAY THAT
WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED A YEAR
LATER THAT THEY LIED ABOUT THAT
MEETING AND SAID IT WAS ABOUT
ADOPTIONS, YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S
OKAY THE PRESIDENT IS REPORTED
TO HAVE HELPED DICTATE THAT LIE.
YOU MIGHT THINK THAT'S OKAY.
I DON'T.
YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S OKAY THAT
THE CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN OF A
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN WOULD
OFFER INFORMATION ABOUT THAT
CAMPAIGN TO A RUSSIAN OLIGARCH
IN EXCHANGE FOR MONEY AND DEBT
FORGIVENESS.
YOU MIGHT THINK THAT'S OKAY, I
DON'T.
YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S OKAY THAT
THAT CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN OFFERED
POLLING DATA, CAMPAIGN POLLING
DATA TO SOMEONE LINKED TO
RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S OKAY.
YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S OKAY THAT
THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF CALLED ON
RUSSIA TO HACK HIS OPPONENT'S
EMAILS IF THEY WERE LISTENING.
YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S OKAY THAT
LATER THAT DAY IN FACT THE
RUSSIANS ATTEMPTED TO HACK A
SERVER AFFILIATED WITH THAT
CAMPAIGN.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S OKAY.
YOU MIGHT THINK THAT IT'S OKAY
THAT THE PRESIDENT'S SON-IN-LAW
SOUGHT TO ESTABLISH A SECRET
BACK CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATIONS
WITH THE RUSSIANS THROUGH A
RUSSIAN DIPLOMATIC FACILITY.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S OKAY.
YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S OKAY THAT
AN ASSOCIATE OF THE PRESIDENT
MADE DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE
GRU AND WIKILEAKS AND
CONSIDERED THAT IS CONSIDERED A
HOSTILE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY.
YOU MIGHT THINK THAT IT'S OKAY
A SENIOR CAMPAIGN OFFICIAL WAS
INSTRUCTED TO REACH THAT
ASSOCIATE AND FIND OUT WHAT
THAT HOSTILE INTELLIGENCE
AGENCY HAD TO SAY IN TERMS OF
DIRT ON HIS OPPONENT.
YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S OKAY THAT
THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR
DESIGNATE SECRETLY CONFIRMED
WITH A YOU U.N. AMBASSADOR AND
ABOUT SANCTIONS AND THAT HE
LIED ABOUT IT TO THE F.B.I.
YOU MIGHT SAY THAT'S ALL OKAY.
YOU MIGHT SAY THAT'S JUST WHAT
YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN.
BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S OKAY.
I THINK IT'S IMMORAL, I THINK
IT'S UNETHICAL, I THINK IT'S
UNPATRIOTIC, AND YES, I THINK
IT'S CORRUPT.
AND EVIDENCE OF COLLUSION.
NOW, I HAVE ALWAYS SAID THAT
THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THIS
AMOUNTS TO PROOF OF CONSPIRACY
WAS ANOTHER MATTER.
WHETHER THE SPECIAL COUNSEL
COULD PROVE BEYOND A REASONABLE
DOUBT THE PROOF OF THAT CRIME
WOULD BE UP TO THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL AND I WOULD ACCEPT HIS
DECISION, AND I DO.
HE IS A GOOD, HONORABLEMAN AND
GOOD PROSECUTOR BUT I DON'T
THINK THAT CONDUCT, CRIMINAL OR
NOT IS OKAY.
AND THE DAY WE DO THINK THAT'S
OKAY IS THE DAY WE WILL LOOK
BACK AND SAY THAT IS THE DAY
AMERICA LOST ITS WAY.
AND I WILL TELL YOU ONE MORE
THING THAT IS APPEAR ROW POE OF
THE HEARING TODAY, I DON'T
THINK IT'S DURING A
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN MR. TRUMP
SOUGHT THE KREMLIN'S HELP TO
CONSUMMATE A REAL ESTATE DEAL
IN MOSCOW THAT WOULD MAKE HIM A
FORTUNE ACCORDING TO SPECIAL
COUNSEL, HUNDREDS OF MILLION
ELSE OF DOLLARS.
I DON'T THINK IT'S OKAY HE
CONCEALED IT FROM THE PUBLIC
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S OKAY HE
ADVOCATED A MORE FAVORABLE
POLICY TOWARDS THE RUSSIANS
EVEN AS HE WAS SEEKING THE
RUSSIAN'S HELP TO MAKE MONEY.
I DON'T THINK IT'S OKAY THAT
HIS ATTORNEY LIED TO OUR
COMMITTEE.
THERE IS A DIFFERENT FOR THAT
THAN COLLUSION AND IT IS CALLED
COMPROMISE.
THAT'S THE SUBJECT OF OUR
HEARING TODAY.
>> WILL YOU YIELD?
WE ALL SHOULD GET THE
OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THAT.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO SAY WE
THINK YOU OUGHT TO ALLOW US TO
SPEAK.
>> YOU CAN USE YOUR FIVE
MINUTES TO SPEAK.
YOU ATTACKED ME IN YOUR OPENING
STATEMENT.
>> I HAVE NOT HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY RESPOND AT ALL TO
YOUR STATEMENTS OF WHAT WE
THINK.
NO ONE OVER HERE THINKS THAT.
YOU CANNOT SPEAK FOR US.
>> YOU ARE NOT RECOGNIZED.
AMBASSADOR, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN AND
THANK YOU RANKING MEMBER NUNES
AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S HERE
TODAY.
I WANT TO START WITH SOME GOOD
NEWS.
IDEOLOGICAL STRUGGLES --
>> Bill: THIS IS VERY REAL.
IT IS STILL VERY FRESH.
WE ARE ONLY FIVE DAYS REMOVED
FROM THE FINDINGS OF WILLIAM
BARR AS TO WHAT HE CONCLUDED
BASED ON THE MUELLER REPORT
THAT WAS RELEASED ON SUNDAY
AFTERNOON.
WHAT THE REPUBLICANS HAVE JUST
DONE ON THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE, ALL NINE REPUBLICAN
MEMBERS HAVE SIGNED A LETTER
DEMANDING THE IMMEDIATE
RESIGNATION OF ADAM SCHIFF, THE
CHAIRMAN OF THIS COMMITTEE,
FROM THE COMMITTEE CHAIR
POSITION.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
KELLYANNE CONWAY FIRST TALKED
ABOUT ON MONDAY.
MANY OTHER REPUBLICANS HAVE
JOINED THAT CHORUS DAY AFTER
DAY THIS WEEK.
THE PRESIDENT CHIMED IN LAST
NIGHT IN THE INTERVIEW WITH
SEAN HANNITY EXPECTING THE SAME.
HE WENT SO FAR AS TO SAY ADAM
SCHIFF SHOULD RESIGN FROM
CONGRESS.
IN TURN THE DEMOCRATIC
COMMITTEE CHAIR FROM CALIFORNIA
SAID THIS IS NOT OKAY.
TALKED ABOUT THE TRUMP TOWER
MEETING, RUSSIAN ADOPTION.
RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE AGENCY AND
REAL ESTATE DEALS AND GOT BACK
TO THE SUBJECT OF TODAY'S
MEETING CALLED COMPROMISE.
REPUBLICANS TRIED TO INTERJECT,
YOU SAW WHAT HAPPENED THERE.
WE'LL WATCH THIS HEARING.
WE'LL SEE WHICH WAY IT GOES.
WE KNOW CLEARLY WHERE THE