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DNI Grenell demands Schiff release transcripts of Russia investigation -- or vows to do it for him
By Rowan Scarborough - The Washington Times
Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell is calling on Rep. Adam B. Schiff to honor his pledge upon taking control of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence to release transcripts of investigations.

Mr. Schiff hasn’t met that pledge. He has declined so far to release any of 53 transcripts of testimony in the committee’s 2017-18 investigation into Russia election interference and any Trump campaign involvement.

Mr. Grenell, in a letter sent to Mr. Schiff this week, said the transcripts have been cleared for release, most months ago, and that if the chairman did not release them the intelligence director would.

“All of the transcripts, with our required redactions, can be released to the public without any concerns of disclosing classified material,” Mr. Grenell said in a letter first reported by the Washington Examiner.

The 53 witnesses testified when Republicans, under the chairmanship of Rep. Devin Nunes of California, ran the committee. Their report in 2018 cleared President Trump and his campaign of any election conspiracy with the Kremlin.

A year later, special counsel Robert Mueller came to the same conclusion. No Trump associate was charged in election wrongdoing.

After Democrats won the House, the newly empowered Schiff issued a statement on Feb. 6, 2019, promising to release all transcripts:

“The Committee also plans to release to the public all investigation transcripts, as it is committed to providing the American public with greater transparency.”

The list of those who testified behind closed doors include Donald Trump Jr., an active defender of his president father, and Andrew McCabe, the former deputy FBI director.

Mr. McCabe’s words back then would add to the body of evidence in the ongoing court case of Michael Flynn, the retired Army lieutenant general and former Trump national security adviser. He pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, but has since renounced the plea. His lawyer, Sidney Powell, is asking a judge to dismiss the case.

Republicans in 2018 did release part of Mr. McCabe’s testimony. He said that that when agents returned from interviewing Flynn on Jan. 24, 2017 at the White House they didn’t think he lied. The still-unreleased portions may have more Flynn details.

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