Who is Adam Schiff and why does Donald Trump want him to resign?
The president accused the California Democrat for 'knowingly and unlawfully lying and leaking' information related to the special counsel investigation
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump called on Rep. Adam Schiff to resign from his position as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee on Twitter, alleging the California Democrat “knowingly and unlawfully lying and leaking” information regarding special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
On Thursday morning, Mr Trump tweeted: “Congressman Adam Schiff, who spent two years knowingly and unlawfully lying and leaking, should be forced to resign from Congress!”
Mr Schiff has come under fire for continuing to launch investigations into the president and the Trump campaign to determine whether there was any possible collusion with the Kremlin and if Mr Mueller had any limitations during his investigation.
Since Mr Muller did not find the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia, according to a letter sent to Congress by Attorney General William Barr, many Republicans believe the California Democrat’s continue investigation of the president to be an act of “congressional overreach” and an abuse of power to “knowingly promote false information.”
In addition to the president, nine other Republicans sitting on the House Intelligence Committee signed a letter calling on Mr Schiff to resign.
The letter read: “Your willingness to continue to promote a demonstrably false narrative is alarming. The findings of the Special Counsel conclusively refute your past and present assertions and have exposed you as having abused your position to knowingly promote false information, having damaged the integrity of this Committee, and undermined faith in U.S. government institutions.”
Rep. Mike Conaway, the Republican leading the House Intelligence Committee’s Russia investigation, echoed calls for Mr Schiff’s resignation at the beginning of the public committee hearing on money laundering.
“Your actions both past and present are incompatible with your duty as chairman,” Mr Conway said. “We have no faith in your ability to discharge duties.”
Who is Adam Schiff?
Mr Schiff is a Democrat representative of California’s 28th congressional district. He first assumed congressional office in January 2001 representing the Golden State’s 27th District and then the 29th District.
He was tapped to serve on the House Intelligence Committee in 2008 until earlier this year when he became chairman of the committee.
What is the California Democrat’s political background?
Mr Schiff graduated from Stanford University in 1982 with a degree in political science before earning his law degree from Harvard University in 1985.
In Los Angeles, Mr Schiff made headlines as an assistant US attorney for his successful prosecution of Richard Miller. Mr Miller was an FBI agent who leaked confidential US documents to the former Soviet Union.
What was his role as House Intelligence Committee chairman like?
Until recently, among Democrats, Mr Schiff was often seen as a heroic figure as a ranking member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, using his political prowess to bring forward concerns about the president and his campaign’s possible collusion with the Kremlin.
Mr Schiff was also credited for standing up against former House Intelligence Chairman Republican Rep. David Nunes. Despite working alongside him in the committee, Mr Schiff called on California Republican to step aside as the head of the Russia investigation after Mr Nunes appeared to safeguard the Trump administration.
How is Mr Schiff responding to the president's call for his resignation?
The California Democrat brushed it off. He said: "It's nothing new from this president.:
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