Rep. Adam Schiff said Wednesday he hasn’t seen any evidence — nor will he — to back up President Trump’s claims that former President Barack Obama had phones at Trump Tower wiretapped during the height of last year’s campaign.
“I haven’t seen any evidence to back up the president’s claim. There isn’t going to be any evidence about this, because frankly if there were, I would know it by now,” Mr. Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
Mr. Schiff said FBI Director James B. Comey “will be” at a Monday hearing the committee is holding on Russian interference in last year’s campaign and will have the opportunity to answer questions about it.
He said they would issue a subpoena if necessary, but said it’s likely that Mr. Comey will provide answers.
“I don’t think that’s going to be required because essentially on Monday we’ll be able to ask the director this question,” he said. “And I have to think he’s going to answer. I can’t imagine he’s going to come into open session and say ’I won’t answer whether the president was wiretapped by his predecessor.’ “
“Obviously, the director of the FBI would be in a position to know. He would have to have been involved,” Mr. Schiff said. “So I imagine that he will have the opportunity to refute that quite directly and a subpoena won’t be necessary.”
SEE ALSO: Lindsey Graham: Congress will ‘flex its muscle’ if we don’t get wiretap answers
Mr. Schiff and Rep. Devin Nunes, the committee chairman, had given the Justice Department until Monday to muster any evidence that could back up the claims, but DOJ asked for more time and the committee then asked for the information before Monday’s hearing.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Tuesday the president is “very confident” there will be forthcoming information to vindicate him on the claims.
A spokesman for the former president has denied the charges.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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