Trump angered as House intelligence chair announces broad investigation

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Xinhua, February 8, 2019
Adjust font size:

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday lashed out at House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, who has announced the panel will look into the president's dealings with Russia.

Schiff "is going to be looking at every aspect of my life, both financial and personal, even though there is no reason to be doing so," Trump tweeted Thursday morning. "Never happened before! Unlimited Presidential Harassment."

The president accused Democrats and the congressional panels they are leading of "going nuts," complaining that "there would be no time left to run government."

Schiff said Wednesday his committee's investigation would include a continued probe into Russia's alleged role during the 2016 U.S. presidential election and contacts between Moscow and the Trump campaign.

The investigation, added the California Democrat, would also examine "whether any foreign actor has sought to compromise or holds leverage financial or otherwise, over Donald Trump, his family, his business, or his associates."

That would move forward with the Russia probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller, whose investigation is known to have focused on the Trump team's Russian contacts and whether the president obstructed justice.

Mueller's team has so far indicted or gotten guilty pleas from 34 people, including six former Trump associates and over two dozen Russian nationals, as well as three Russian entities.

Trump has repeatedly dismissed any collusion between his campaign and Moscow, while slamming the Mueller probe as a "hoax" or "witch hunt."

Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker said last month that Mueller's inquiry is "close to being completed," although there has been no confirmation of this from the special counsel's office.

The House Intelligence Committee met for the first time in the new Congress Wednesday and voted to send more than 50 transcripts from the panel's investigation interviews to Mueller.

Among the transcripts are interviews with Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.; his son-in-law, Jared Kushner; his longtime spokeswoman, Hope Hicks. There are dozens of other transcripts of interviews with former Obama administration officials and Trump associates.

The committee already sent one transcript to the special counsel after his office requested an interview with Roger Stone, a longtime Trump associate.

Federal prosecutors accused Stone on charges of obstruction, witness tampering and making false statements to Congress in a seven-count indictment last month.

Republicans lost control of the House after eight years in power during the 2018 midterm elections, while holding onto their majority in the Senate. Newly-empowered Democrats have promised to bring more checks and balances against the White House.

In his State of the Union address Tuesday night, Trump urged an end to "ridiculous partisan investigations" - an apparent swipe at the Mueller probe and upcoming congressional inquiries.

The president said on Wednesday Schiff "has no basis" for launching an investigation into him and blasted the Democratic lawmaker as "a political hack who's trying to build a name for himself."

"I can understand why the idea of meaningful oversight terrifies the President," Schiff responded on Twitter. "We're going to do our job and won't be distracted or intimated by threats or attacks."

Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.
ChinaNews App Download
Print E-mail Bookmark and Share

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)

No comments.

Add your comments...

  • User Name Required
  • Your Comment
  • Enter the words you see:   
    Racist, abusive and off-topic comments may be removed by the moderator.
Send your storiesGet more from China.org.cnMobileRSSNewsletter