Adam Schiff says Trump is trying to convince Americans 'not to believe the transcripts' of Russian scandal

Speaking to MSNBC's Kasie Hunt, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) said that the White House and President Donald Trump are trying to tell Americans not to believe what they read in the transcripts that were finally released from the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday.

"It's pathetic, not surprising, but pathetic, the degree to which the vice president will mimic anything the president says," said Schiff. "Apparently it's not the vice president's view a national security advisor that lies to him about contacts he's having with the Russians, that's perfectly fine, he'd be happy to have him around."

"Let's not forget what the lies were about," Schiff continued. "The Russians interfered in our election in 2016 to help elect Donald Trump, and shortly thereafter, Barack Obama imposed sanctions on the Russians for interfering in our democracy. And then Mike Flynn has a conversation with the Russians and reportedly told the Russians, 'don't react to these sanctions.' The implication being, 'we're going to make this problem go away.' After all, we know the Russians helped elect Donald Trump, and this is what he lied about. He lied about those conversations with the Russians that were meant to undermine the sanctions imposed on their interference in our democracy."

Schiff said that Attorney General Bill Barr says that the lies don't matter.

"That's breathtaking," he continued. "Now, they couldn't say he didn't lie because he pled guilty repeatedly. He also said in his plea these were material lies, and so far now Bill Barr to do the president's bidding, for Mike Pence to echo the president's attempt to rewrite history is a full-scale assault on the rule of law. And it's so discouraging for this former Justice Department, former USA."

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