After Dodge and Weave, Adam Schiff Sort of Says He’ll Accept Mueller Report Even if it Finds No Collusion

Chair of the House intelligence committee Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) was reluctant to commit to the integrity of Special Counsel Robert Mueller‘s report when pressed on it by Dana Bash on CNN on Sunday.

In broad discussion about the investigation into collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, Schiff contradicted Republicans and media reading of the news last week regarding the Senate’s committee findings, and waffled when asked about accepting such a finding from Mueller.

“We expect at some point maybe soon, maybe not, the findings of the Mueller investigation to finally be if he finds that there was no direct collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, will you accept that?”

“We’re going to have to do our own investigation, and we are,” said Schiff. “We’ll certainly be very interested to learn what Bob Mueller finds. We may have to fight to get that information.” Schiff was referring to the fact that the Justice Department has not committed to releasing the full findings to the public.

“The American people are going to need to see it. We may also need to see the evidence behind that report,” he said. “There may be, for example, evidence of collusion or conspiracy that is clear and convincing, but not proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”

“The American people are entitled to know if there’s evidence of a conspiracy between either the president or the president’s campaign and a foreign adversary,” said Schiff, describing the actual purpose of the probe in a way that suggests the findings may not be in the report.

He continued that way for a bit before Bash followed up.

“You’re talking about transparency, but I guess the question is, in terms of what the substance of his findings are,” said Bash. “Will you, given the fact he has had such an extensive investigation, will you accept the findings separate from the investigation that you are doing?”

“You know, I will certainly accept them in this way, Dana,” he said, starting with a caveat rather than a direct answer. “I have great confidence in the special counsel. And if the special counsel represents that he has investigated and not been interfered with, and not been able to make a criminal case, then I will believe that he is operating in good faith.”

In the end, he committed to believing Mueller acted in good faith if Mueller holds out that he has not been interfered with, but did not answer Bash’s question about accepting the findings if they say there was no collusion.

Watch the clip above, courtesy of CNN.

[Featured image via screengrab]

—

Follow Caleb Howe (@CalebHowe) on Twitter

Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com