Jim Banks, Indiana Republican, wants Schiff phone records to probe whistleblower scheme

A House Republican on Wednesday asked Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham to subpoena phone records of Rep. Adam B. Schiff, who led the impeachment investigation against President Trump.

In a letter to Mr. Graham, Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana said Mr. Schiff had invited the scrutiny when his investigation obtained phone records of Mr. Trump’s personal lawyer, White House officials, a journalist and Rep. Devin Nunes of California, the top Republican on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Mr. Banks said phone records of Mr. Schiff and others would shed light on any coordination between House Democrats and the whistleblower who set off the impeachment inquiry.

“The public has a right to know with whom Rep. Adam Schiff has coordinated his impeachment effort and if America’s national security is at risk in any way as a result of Rep. Schiff’s actions,” Mr. Banks wrote.

A spokesman for Mr. Graham, South Carolina Republican, said the senator looks forward to reviewing Mr. Bank’s request.

Mr. Banks also asked Mr. Graham to subpoena phone records of the whistleblower’s lawyer Mark Zaid, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden and his son Hunter.

The whistleblower, who is believed to be a CIA analyst assigned to the White House, met with Mr. Schiff’s staff before making the complaint that kicked off the impeachment effort that now is hurtling toward an impeachment vote possibly before the end of the year.

Mr. Schiff, the chairman of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, included references to phone records in the report the committee released Tuesday that outlined the impeachment case against Mr. Trump.

The report said the phone records revealed calls between Mr. Trump’s lawyer and White House officials and Mr. Nunes. It said those calls suggested coordination in a scheme to force Ukraine to investigate the Bidens.

Mr. Banks suggested an alternative scheme involving Mr. Schiff, the whistleblowers and others.

“This quixotic impeachment inquiry must be shelved,” Mr. Banks said. “And Rep. Adam Schiff should be held to the same standard to which he holds others. It is time to see his phone records.”