With multiple–and potentially overlapping–investigations into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election under way, a top Republican is trying to ensure that the House Intelligence Committee probe doesn’t interfere with the work of special counsel Robert Mueller.
South Carolina congressman Trey Gowdy is helping Texas congressman Mike Conaway lead the panel’s probe into Russian election interference, which includes looking into any potential links between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin as well as leaks of classified information.
The Republican leaders of the probe and the committee’s top Democrat, California congressman Adam Schiff, met with Mueller Tuesday in what Gowdy described as “an effort to keep our lanes completely clear.”
“I want to stay so far away from what Bob Mueller is doing. I don’t want to interview the same witnesses,” Gowdy said Wednesday during an appearance on Fox News. “I don’t want to get involved in immunity discussions. He has a critically important role to play and I want to get the heck out of his way.”
Conaway told reporters later that the committee is “in the process of setting up a deconfliction program with Mueller so that his equities are protected and we get access to everything we need.”
Gowdy appeared hopeful that the probe was picking up after being slow to start.
“There are a number of witness interviews that have already been scheduled,” he said. “The most important thing is to agree on the witness list, and then you can start structuring the order of the witnesses.”
Gowdy stressed that the special counsel probe, unlike the House investigation, deals with “all things criminal or quasi-criminal.” Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller to oversee the FBI counterintelligence investigation into Russian election interference in May.
Mueller’s probe is wide-ranging and includes the nature of any links between the Trump campaign and Russia. It also reportedly includes examining whether Trump or his allies tried to obstruct justice, a question that emerged in the wake of the president’s firing of FBI director James Comey.
