House intelligence committee Chairman Adam Schiff issued a subpoena Wednesday demanding to see special counsel Robert Mueller’s full report and his supporting evidence, adding a new wrinkle to the ongoing battle.
Mr. Schiff announced the subpoena just hours after another panel, the Judiciary Committee began contempt proceedings against Attorney General William P. Barr for not turning over the full Mueller report and backing evidence to them.
The congressman suggested his request could be more powerful because he said his committee has powers to see secret information, including things collected by a grand jury that might normally be shielded by law.
Such grand jury information is at the crux of the dispute between Mr. Barr and the Judiciary Committee, with Mr. Barr saying he would be breaking the law by turning it over.
Judiciary Committee Democrats seemed to back off their insistence for grand jury information Wednesday, but Mr. Schiff — one of President Trump’s most vociferous critics — made clear he intends to see it.
“The law is on our side. The committee’s efforts to obtain necessary documents to do our constitutionally-mandated oversight work will not be obstructed,” he said.
In his subpoena letter he said the National Security Act grants Congress’s intelligence committees broad powers to see secret information pertaining to foreign intelligence or counterintelligence.
He said that covers the Mueller probe into Russian interference in the election, and he said that surmounts the usual bar on releasing grand jury information to non-prosecutors.
Mr. Schiff said he and Rep. Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the panel, have twice requested the information but they have been stonewalled.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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