House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said his panel is operating like a grand jury, which is why it is being held in secret.
The California Democrat said Tuesday, because there is no special counsel to investigate the matter “Congress has to do it.” Secrecy is important “because there is a profound need” to ensure witnesses don’t hear each other’s testimony and President Trump does not interfere.
“We do anticipate a time when we will be releasing transcripts and we may call back witnesses to open session and we may call other witnesses to open session,” Schiff said.
Schiff blamed Attorney General William Barr for refusing to appoint a special counsel to investigate Trump’s July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which is at the heart of the impeachment probe. Barr’s “nothing to see here,” attitude, Schiff said, left it up to Congress to take over the inquiry.
Schiff has been holding closed-door depositions of witnesses and said it has yielded evidence of misconduct by Trump.
Lawmakers, he said, have discovered broader wrongdoing stemming from Trump’s July 25 call with Zelensky in which he sought help investigating Joe Biden and the Democrats.
“We have learned that call was not in isolation,” Schiff said. “There was a great deal of preparatory work before that call and much work after that call.”
Schiff said the pace of witness interviews “is only accelerating,” but the administration is moving to “stonewall” their subpoenas.
So far, Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and Vice President Mike Pence have announced they will not cooperate.
Schiff said part of the inquiry is now focused on attempts to “condition a meeting” with Trump by requiring Zelensky pledge to investigate Biden and the Democrats.
Schiff outlined efforts by the White House to block the probe.
“The case for obstruction of Congress continues to build,” Schiff said.
