Why is Adam Schiff blocking release of Russia transcripts?
Andy McCarthy discusses why Adam Schiff is defying the request of House GOP members and blocking the release of Russia probe transcripts
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After Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., was accused by Republicans of blocking the release of relevant Russia probe transcripts, Andy McCarthy on Wednesday accused the House Intelligence Committee chairman of coordinating with the FBI during their Russia investigation back since the Democrats were the House minority, three years ago.
The former assistant U.S. attorney told “America’s Newsroom” that Schiff’s decision to block the release traces back to the time when the Democrats were the minority party and the committee was led by Republican Devin Nunes.
“Schiff’s main job was to spin for the FBI, spin for the intelligence community, spin for Christopher Steele and try to subvert and suppress what the then-Republican majority tried to do. So, this is just a continuation of that," he argued.
McCarthy said that Schiff is now in a position to “simply block” relevant documents from coming forward, a power “[Schiff] wishes he had” when he was a ranking member previously. At the time, Schiff was defending the FBI from Republicans' claims that Trump associates like Carter Page and Michael Flynn were being treated unfairly.
Republicans on the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees accused Schiff Tuesday of "blocking" Russia probe transcripts, demanding access to the materials.
Fox News obtained a letter penned by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and signed by nearly two dozen House Republicans, calling for access to interview transcripts and other material obtained during the House Intelligence Committee’s Russia probe.
HOUSE GOP SAYS SCHIFF IS 'BLOCKING' RELEASE OF RUSSIA PROBE TRANSCRIPTS, DEMANDS ACCESS
The letter, directed to Schiff and committee Ranking Member Devin Nunes, R-Calif., referenced the panel’s investigation into “Russian active measures to influence the 2016 presidential election, including whether individuals associated with the presidential campaigns worked with Russia,” which began in January 2017.
After interviewing "73 individuals and reviewing over 300,000 documents,” the committee issued a report in 2018 revealing that “the Trump campaign did not collude with Russia,” it states. It adds that the committee voted in September 2018 to release “53 transcripts.”
“We understand now that Chairman Schiff is blocking the release of these transcripts,” they wrote. “This news, if accurate, is disturbing — especially in light of Chairman Schiff’s cries in 2019 for transparency regarding allegations that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia.”
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The Republicans, calling for the public release of the transcripts, said they required access to this material for their "ongoing oversight of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
McCarthy said he hopes the public demands transparency and for the documents to come out, lamenting the lack of interest in House Republicans' report on the origins of the Trump-Russa probe that was released in 2018.
Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.