Eric Swalwell: Donald Trump Jr.’s emails show ‘eagerness to collude’

Rep. Eric Swalwell said Monday that Donald Trump Jr.’s emails showed a “eagerness to collude” with the Russians.

“Those emails are absolutely evidence of an eagerness to collude. Now what we’re piecing together is whether it amounted to a working relationship, and what we’re hoping to do is to continue to go through the witness list,” Mr. Swalwell, California Democrat, said on CNN.

“I would like the House Intelligence Committee investigation to be as curious and as dogged as [special counsel Robert] Mueller’s,” he added.

Mr. Mueller is also investigating whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials, in addition to the ongoing investigations in the House and Senate.

Mr. Trump Jr.’s emails became of interest to the investigation when it was discovered he met with a woman said to have ties to Russian officials. He was led to believe she had compromising information about Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, but Mr. Trump Jr. said she wanted to discuss the troubles with the U.S.-Russia adoption policy.

Mr. Swalwell, who sits on the House Intelligence Committee, said he fears House Republicans are focused on “the wrong things” when questioning witnesses. He pointed to a lengthy testimony from former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power before the committee, while White House adviser Jared Kushner, who was part of the Trump campaign from the beginning, testified for two hours.

“That’s why I’m supporting having an independent commission,” Mr. Swalwell said. “I think it would be an insurance policy against an investigation in the House that, right now, still has an asterisk around it.”