Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) has been consistent in his calls for oversight of President Donald Trump, and now that Democrats control the House of Representatives, Schiff, as head of the House Intelligence Committee, is going to be able to provide the checks and balances that have been missing during Trump’s first two years in office.
So what investigations does Schiff have planned? In recent interviews, the California Democrat was specific in what he foresees when Democrats hold the gavels in the major House committees:
Russia Probe
Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, Schiff noted:
“The president has sought to keep that off limits, but if that’s the leverage Russians pose that’s a real threat to our country.”
Money Laundering
There have been rumors that Trump — via the Trump Organization — has been washing money from questionable sources for decades. And Schiff had this to say on that matter during an appearance on MSNBC in mid-October:
“I think among the most important business that hasn’t been done at all, an investigation that hasn’t been done at all is the issue of were the Russians laundering money through the Trump Organization? Is that leverage that the Russians may have over the president of the United States?”
Trump’s Tax Returns
Whenever he’s asked why he won’t release his tax returns, Trump claims he can’t do so because he’s under audit. But now that Democrats have subpoena power, they can easily get ahold of the president’s taxes and share them with all of us.
The Appointment of Matt Whitaker As Attorney General
Why did Trump appoint a political loyalist like Whitaker to be the chief law enforcement officer of the country? Could it be because he thinks Whitaker will shut down the probe being conducted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller? Schiff says he will call Whitaker before Congress and find out.
Trump’s Connections To Saudi Arabia
Earlier this week, Trump gave the Saudis a pass on the brutal murder and dismemberment of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. That calls into question whether or not Trump did so because he doesn’t want to damage business deals his company has with members of the Saudi royal family.
While the president maintains he has no financial ties to the Saudis, Schiff says he plans to find out the truth:
“There are a whole set of potential financial conflicts of interest and emoluments problems that Congress will need to get to the bottom of.”
Adam Schiff is Donald Trump’s worst nightmare in the flesh, and Schiff could well wind up being an American hero if he’s able to prove that this president is indeed a criminal the likes of which we have never before seen in the White House.
Featured Image Via NBC News
