Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that he was “concerned” former President Donald Trump had not yet been indicted.
Anchor Dana Bash said, “I want to ask you about something a federal judge said, overseeing some of the January 6 cases. He said in a court hearing this month that the rioters that day were ‘Called to Washington, D.C., by an elected official prompted to walk to the Capitol by an elected official, those who created the conditions that led to their conduct have in no meaningful measure been held accountable.’ He appears to be referring to former President Trump. Do you believe Merrick Garland’s Justice Department is letting Trump off the hook?”
Schiff said, “I am concerned about certain things. In particular, frankly, and this is not January 6 related specifically at least to the violence of that day, but I am concerned that there does not appear to be an investigation unless it’s being done very quietly by the Justice Department, of for example the former president on the phone with the Georgia secretary of state asking him, really demanding he find 11,780 votes that don’t exist. The precise number he would need to overturn Joe Biden’s victory in that state. I think, Dana, if you or I were on that call and recorded, we’d be under investigation, if not indictment by now, for a criminal effort to defraud the people of Georgia and the people of the country. That specifically, I’m concerned about. But I share the judge’s broad concern that those responsible for the violence that day in terms of organizing it have yet to be held to account.”
Bash said, “It sounds like you’re saying you want the Biden administration, the Biden Justice Department to be more aggressive.”
Schiff said, “We tried to hold the former president accountable through impeachment. That’s the remedy we have in Congress. We are trying to expose the full facts of the former president’s misconduct as well as those around him. It is certainly possible that what we reveal in our investigation will inform the Justice Department of other facts that they may not be aware of yet. So we will pursue our role in this, which is to expose the malefactors to bring about legislation as a result of our investigation and protect the country. We will count on the Justice Department to play its role.”
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