Watch: CNN Confronts Schiff Over His Claim There Was ‘Direct Evidence’ of Russian Collusion

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is facing questions about some of his past claims after being blocked from serving on the House Intelligence Committee.

CNN’s Dana Bash confronted the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee about his previous claim to have evidence of Russian collusion in 2016.

“You said that there was direct evidence of the fact that Donald Trump colluded with Russia back in 2016,” Bash said.

However, she noted, “Special counsel Robert Mueller said in his report, quote,’ The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government.’”

“Republicans argue that’s proof that you used your position on the intelligence committee to intentionally mislead Americans, which is why you should not be on that committee,” she added.

Schiff responded, “If you read the Mueller report, he makes clear even in the first few pages of the report that he states no conclusion on whether Donald Trump and his campaign colluded with the Russians.”

He continued:

“But what he does reveal in his report, what we found in our investigation is that Donald Trump’s campaign manager was sharing internal campaign polling data and a strategy for key battleground states with an agent of Russian intelligence, while that same unit of Russian intelligence was helping the Trump campaign.”

He added, “To most Americans, that is collusion. Now, whether it’s proof beyond a reasonable doubt of the crime of conspiracy — that’s what Bob Mueller was talking about — I have always distinguished between the two.”

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Democrat Adam Schiff triples down on the Russian collusion hoax. pic.twitter.com/T4HmvT1QVe
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 29, 2023

The exchange comes after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) blocked Schiff, the former intelligence committee chairman, from continuing to serve on the panel.

He argued Schiff “lied to the American public” during his time on the committee.

McCarthy explained:

“Even the inspector general said it. When Devin Nunes put out a memo, he said it was false. When we had a laptop, he used it before an election to [play] politics and say that it was false and said it was the Russians when he knew different, when he knew the intel … He used his position as chairman, knowing he has information the rest of America does not, and lied to the American public.”