Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., led the Russiagate investigation into former President Donald Trump while chairing the House Intelligence Committee — and he’s never let it go.
Now, Schiff has since emerged as a serious critic of President Joe Biden’s Justice Department’s current cases against Trump.
On Sunday, Schiff appeared on CNN to slam the Biden administration for delaying the case regarding the Jan. 6 Capitol riot — because he says it’s taking too long.
“I think the Justice Department did wait at least a year to look beyond the foot soldiers — those that broke into the Capitol that day — and refrained from looking at those who were the inciters of the attack on the Capitol, the organizers by the higher-ups,” Schiff said. “And yes, I think that delay has contributed to a situation where none of these trials may go forward.”
Trump is facing four total criminal indictments, two in state courts and two in federal courts. In the Democrat-dominated D.C. federal court, he’s been charged with conspiracy to defraud the U.S and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding.
Schiff said he wants Trump in handcuffs before the election.
“It is still my hope and belief that one or two of these trials might go forward before the election. So yes, the Department bears some of that responsibility,” the Democratic leader complained.
CNN host Dana Bash remarked on Schiff’s long record of criticizing the Justice Department, and cited prior remarks by Schiff.
“You vehemently disagreed with Attorney General Garland’s handling of the Trump investigations and what you saw as his ‘real desire not to look backward,'” Bash said.
Schiff stood by his criticism.
However, Schiff also blamed the delay on Trump’s lawyers and a “partisan” Supreme Court.
“When they [the Justice Department] did bring the indictments, there was still time to bring those cases in a timely way. They’re not responsible for any delay at that point. The Trump legal team is, and the courts should not play into that stratagem… There is a chance that he could evade justice by delaying justice. This is a tried-and-true tactic of Trump throughout his career, and I hope that the courts are aware of exactly what he’s doing and his incentive and trying to prolong this,” Schiff said.
“The Supreme Court moved with great speed when it came to ruling that Trump could appear on the ballot. The question is, will it also move with great speed when rejecting this bogus immunity claim? If it doesn’t, it’s making a deliberate decision essentially to push the trial past the election. And I think that would be a terrible decision both for the interest of justice. It would be a terrible decision in depriving American voters of the information they would learn during the course of that trial. But it would further discredit this radical and partisan court.”
Late last month, the Supreme Court agreed to decide whether former Trump can even be constitutionally prosecuted in D.C.’s federal court, calling into question whether his case could go to trial before the November election.
While the court set a course for a quick resolution, it maintained a hold on preparations for a trial focused on Trump’s efforts to overturn his election loss. The court will hear arguments in late April, with a decision likely no later than the end of June.
That timetable is much faster than usual, but assuming the justices deny Trump’s immunity bid, it’s not clear whether a trial can be scheduled and concluded before the November election. Early voting in some states will begin in September.
The court’s decision to intervene in a second major Trump case this term, along with the dispute over whether to bar Trump from the ballot in Colorado, underscores the direct role the justices will have in the outcome of the election.
The Horn editorial team and the Associated Press contributed to this article.