Schiff Addresses Impasse Between House, Trump

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff talked to VOA’s Armenian Service on Monday about a variety of topics, including the impeachment inquiry of U.S. President Donald Trump.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Monday the House would vote on Thursday to formalize the procedures of the impeachment inquiry into Trump and Ukraine, in what will be the first time the House will go on the record on the proceedings.

Schiff discussed the impasse between Congress and the White House over subpoenas and documents requested for the inquiry.

Trump has been a repeated critic of Schiff, saying he should be arrested for “treason” and charged with “lying to Congress” for mischaracterizing Trump’s July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Most recently, he characterized Schiff as “the biggest leaker in D.C., and a corrupt politician” in justifying his decision to keep members of Congress in the dark on the successful raid that ultimately killed IS mastermind Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Monday.

A selection of Schiff’s comments on the impeachment inquiry:

* “We’re not going to allow the administration to delay the impeachment inquiry by trying to draw this out endlessly in the courts. And so we’re moving forward.”

* “We’re bringing additional witnesses, and we’re gathering new documentary evidence.”

* “I think what the administration is succeeding in doing is building a case against the president for obstruction of Congress. That was one of the articles of impeachment against [former] President [Richard] Nixon.”

* “The president is building a case against himself. And so, there’s no free pass here. Whatever they do to hamper our investigation into the president’s misconduct … only strengthens the case against the president in terms of obstruction of Congress.”

On the president’s comments regarding the impeachment inquiry:

* “Well, you know, I’ve gotten used to the president’s attacks. He will attack anyone who stands up to him. I wish more of my colleagues would stand up to the president.”

* “But look, I’m going to keep my focus on the job, on the task I have, which is to bring out all the facts show them to the American people [so] that the American people see what this president is doing. Not in their name, not in their interests, but in his own political interests.”

* “The president was willing to abuse his office, abused his power, to coerce an ally that is fending off Russian troops and Russian irregulars that are occupying Ukrainian territory, [and] was willing to coerce that ally into investigating one of its political opponents, interfering in our presidential election. That ought to be shocking to all Americans.”

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