Presidential harassment

Oh, boo hoo.

Schiff announces expanded scope of House Intel Russia probe

A day after President Trump made an appeal to Congress to limit what he called "ridiculous partisan investigations," the House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, announced new parameters of the panel's Democrat-led Russia investigation, calling the president's discouragement of appropriate oversight a "nonstarter."

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In remarks to the press following the newly constituted committee's first organizational meeting on Wednesday, Schiff fired back. 

"We are not going to be intimidated or threatened by the president to withhold any legislative advancement if we do our proper oversight — we're going to do our proper oversight," he said.

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One addition to the committee's newly established five lines of inquiry includes "[w]hether any foreign actor has sought to compromise or holds leverage, financial or otherwise, over Donald Trump, his family, his business, or his associates."

"The American people have a right to know — indeed, a need to know — that the president is acting on their behalf and not for some pecuniary or other reason," Schiff said. 

"That pertains to any credible allegations of leverage by the Russians or the Saudis or anyone else."

The committee will also investigate whether any of the president's policy decisions were the result of foreign exploitation and whether any foreign actors are attempting to impede congressional or other investigations into those topics.

Schiff said his committee would work with other House panels that "share a like interest and a concern." 

The Democratic chairs of the House Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees have previously indicated their committees would investigate some of the administration's policy choices.

Schiff also said the panel's first act had been to authorize the transmission of all of the transcripts of witness testimony as part of the House Russia investigation to the special counsel.

Trump blasts Schiff as 'political hack' over new investigation

President Trump on Wednesday denounced House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) as a “political hack” for opening a sweeping investigation into Trump’s ties to Russia and his personal finances.

“He has no basis to do that. He’s just a political hack who’s trying to build a name for himself,” Trump told reporters at the White House after announcing his pick to lead the World Bank.

“It’s just presidential harassment and it’s unfortunate and it really does hurt our country,” Trump said of the probe.

Schiff hits back at Trump: He’s ‘terrified’ of House Russia probe

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on Wednesday fired back at President Trump after the president accused him of being a "political hack," saying that he could understand why Trump was scared of congressional oversight.

The comments from Schiff came just minutes after Trump denounced the California Democrat for opening a sweeping committee probe into Trump’s ties to Russia and his personal finances.