The House Intelligence Committee voted Wednesday to release transcripts from its Russia investigation to special counsel Robert Mueller.
The move was the committee’s first official action under the leadership of Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who plans to renew the panel’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and the Trump campaign’s potential collusion with Russia.
Schiff also said the committee will broaden its investigation into President Trump’s personal finances.
Trump quickly turned his rhetorical fire on Schiff.
“Under what basis would he do that?” Trump said hours later. “He has no basis to do that. He’s just a political hack. He’s trying to build a name for himself. … It’s called presidential harassment.”
Seventy-three witnesses have already been interviewed as part of the committee’s investigation.
Democrats on the committee have repeatedly speculated whether some of those witnesses lied during their testimony. Releasing the transcripts to Mueller would allow the special counsel to examine whether anyone lied under oath or obstructed justice.
Using previously released transcripts, Mueller has already charged two former associates of President Trump, alleging they made false statements during their testimony to congressional investigators.
The special counsel charged Roger Stone last month with lying to the House Intelligence Committee. Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to making false statements to both the House and Senate intelligence committees about a potential Trump Tower project in Moscow.
Cohen was scheduled to testify behind closed doors to the House panel Friday, but Schiff announced Wednesday morning his interview had been postponed until Feb. 28, citing “the interests of the investigation.”
