WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th May, 2020) Republicans on the House of Representatives Judiciary and Oversight committees sought access to transcripts from the Intelligence Committee's (HPCSI) probe into allegations of Trump-Russia collusion and accused Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff of blocking the documents' release after the investigation found no evidence of collusion, according to a letter disclosed on Tuesday.
"In March 2018, after interviewing 73 individuals and reviewing over 300,000 documents, HPSCI issued a report finding that the Trump campaign did not collude with Russia. According to public reports, HPSCI voted in September 2018 to release 53 transcripts. We understand now that Chairman Schiff is blocking the release of these transcripts," the letter from Congressman Jim Jordan and other Republicans to Schiff and Intelligence Committee Ranking Republican Devin Nunes said.
The letter said the transcripts are needed by Republicans for oversight of the Justice Department and FBI, presumably referring to allegations that the agencies depended on fabricated evidence by a former British spy to eavesdrop on Trump campaign officials and eventually launch the Trump-Russia investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
"For almost four years, prominent Democratic politicians and commentators alleged that President [Donald] Trump colluded with Russia," the letter said. "Now that these allegations have been disproven by several investigations, the American people deserve to have transparency about why public figures such as Chairman Schiff continued to promote such wild accusations."
The letter called for public disclosure of the withheld transcripts or at least giving House Republicans access to the material if it is not released.
