Chairman of the US House Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff has announced a sweeping investigation into the finances and activities of President Donald Trump
WASHINGTON DC – A broad investigation into the personal and business finances of U. S. President Donald Trump was launched on Wednesday by the House Intelligence Committee.
It was the first major action taken by the committee since the Democrats took control of the House.
« It will allow us to investigate any credible allegation that financial interests or other interests are driving decision-making of the president or anyone in the administration, » Chairman Adam Schiff told journalists.
« That pertains to any credible allegations of leverage by the Russians or the Saudis or anyone else, » he said.
In a statement issued immediately after Wednesday’s meeting, Schiff said: “Consistent with its jurisdiction, investigative responsibilities, and building on substantial work undertaken during the last Congress, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence will conduct a rigorous investigation into efforts by Russia and other foreign entities to influence the U. S. political process during and since the 2016 U. S. election. In addition, the Committee will investigate the counterintelligence threat arising from any links or coordination between U. S. persons and the Russian government and/or other foreign entities, including any financial or other leverage such foreign actors may possess. »
“In the more than two years since the Intelligence Community released its assessment of Russia’s malign influence operation targeting the 2016 U. S. elections, much has been learned about the scope and scale of Russia’s attack on our democracy, including how covert and overt Russian activities intersected with individuals associated with Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, transition, administration, and business interests, including the Trump Organization. It is now known that, from late 2015 through early 2017, individuals close to Donald Trump engaged in a significant number of contacts with an array of individuals connected to, or working on behalf of, the Russian government, and that several of these contacts involved efforts to acquire and disseminate damaging information about Hillary Clinton and her campaign, or related to Russia’s desired relief from U.
