Adam Schiff, House Intelligence Committee chairman, claimed the intelligence community, particularly the National Security Administration, is withholding “potentially relevant documents” from Congress regarding Ukraine.
Appearing Sunday on ABC’s This Week, the California Democrat accused the agency of refusing to hand over documents related to Ukraine to lawmakers ahead of President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, which will begin on Tuesday.
“The intelligence community is beginning to withhold documents from Congress on the issue of Ukraine,” he said. “They appear to be succumbing to pressure from the administration. The NSA, in particular, is withholding what are potentially relevant documents to our oversight responsibilities on Ukraine, but also withholding documents potentially relevant that the senators might want to see during the trial.”
Schiff continued: “That is deeply concerning. And there are signs that the CIA may be on the same tragic course. We are counting on the intelligence community, not only to speak truth to power but to resist pressure from the administration to withhold information from Congress because the administration fears that they incriminate them.”
His remarks came after he was asked to weigh in on a recent Politico report, which claimed intelligence officials were urging the House and Senate intelligence committees to skip public testimony during an annual briefing on world security threats.
“Well, you know, unfortunately, I think those reports are all too accurate,” he said. “The intelligence community is reluctant to have an open hearing, something that we had done every year prior to the Trump administration because they’re worried about angering the president.”
In a statement to the Washington Examiner, Amanda Schoch, assistant director of National Intelligence for Strategic Communications, said: “The Intelligence Community is committed to providing Congress with the information and intelligence it needs to carry out its critical oversight role. The IC is working in good faith with House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence to respond to requests on a broad range of topics and will continue to do so.”
The House impeached Trump in December on two articles, abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, relating to his July 25, 2019, phone call with the president of Ukraine. During the call, the president asked the foreign leader to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, the 2020 Democratic presidential front-runner, and his son Hunter. The president has been accused of withholding nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine in exchange for the investigations.
Schiff will lead a team of seven House impeachment managers in Trump’s Senate trial.
