In a wide-ranging interview on Meet the Press Sunday, Rep. Adam Schiff had thoughts about Trump's threats aimed at him, Republican sensitive feelings, the need to call witnesses and introduce evidence in the trial, and more.
On Trump's tweeted threat:
REP. ADAM SCHIFF: Well, I don't think it was personal to refer to the CBS story. What may be personal though, and I think I have to be very candid about this, is I made the argument that it's going to require moral courage to stand up to this president. And this is a wrathful and vindictive president. I don't think there's any doubt about it. And if you think there is, look at the president's tweets about me today, saying that I should pay a price.
CHUCK TODD: Do you take that as a threat?
REPRESENTATIVE ADAM SCHIFF: I think it's intended to be.
Schiff also addressed Chuck Todd's ridiculously framed question about Hunter Biden as a witness, where he asked a former U.S. Attorney and the lead impeachment manager, "What are you afraid of?" As if fear is a driver. Schiff shattered that frame forever:
Yes, we both get to call witnesses. We both get to call relevant ones. And one other point on this, Chuck, which is important. We have a very capable justice sitting right behind me who can make decisions about the materiality of witnesses. We trust the Supreme Court justice, the chief justice, to make those decisions. And one final thing, if you will … The president's team is pushing out the argument, "We don't have time to call witnesses. We'd really love to have these people testify. We just don't have time to do it. It would be too inconvenient." That's a dodge. We have a justice who can make decisions if there's any legitimate claim of privilege.
Schiff was also surprised Jay Sekulow continued to push Putin's talking points as a credible defense.
REP. ADAM SCHIFF: I was surprised. I think it was a huge mistake. Basically, what he did, and this was really following the presentation we made the day before about the threat the president poses to the country because he continues to choose to believe people like Rudy Giuliani, he continues to believe Russian propaganda over his own intelligence agencies, over his own FBI director and that makes him dangerous to our country. And what do they do? They go and double down on that same crazy conspiracy theory, that Ukraine hacked the DNC server. It's astonishing. And, you know, for -- on the first day of the president's defense to say, "The president should disbelieve his own intelligence agencies. He has every right to believe Vladimir Putin," I wouldn't want to be making that argument.
The best part of this interview was how triggered Dirty Don was:
Sleepyeyes Chuck Todd of Meet the Corrupt Press, just had a “totally” softball interview with conman Adam Schiff, never even calling Shifty out on his fraudulent statement to Congress, where he made up ALL of the words of my conversation with the Ukrainian President! FAKE NEWS
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2020