Eric Swalwell schools Fox host on Russia probe: 'If this is such a hoax, why are so many people pleading guilty?'

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, on Thursday pointed out to Fox News host Bill Hemmer that "many people are pleading guilty" in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation -- even though President Donald Trump has called it a "hoax."

In an interview with Hemmer, Swalwell condemned House Republicans for moving forward with an attempt to impeach Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein because he will not reveal sensitive information about Mueller's investigation.

"What they are trying to do right now is to reach into an ongoing investigation and turn over evidence in that investigation to subjects and potential targets," Swalwell explained.

"We don't know when this investigation is going to conclude," Hemmer complained. "If you were stonewalled, you wouldn't be happy."

"I get stonewalled all the time," the California Democrat said. "Not on ongoing investigations though, Bill. We never allow this to happen and we shouldn't make an exception now. Otherwise, whoever is in power can just end any investigation against them if they don't like it. Is that fair?"

"Here's the tricky thing," Hemmer replied, ignoring Swalwell's question. "You don't know where this investigation is going. You don't know how this investigation began. Republicans in the White House believe that there's a dirty dossier that gave you information to go to court and spy on a member of a campaign. And they want to figure that out!"

"Bill, I've read every piece of information available to me," Swalwell shot back. "I have also seen the guilty pleas. And so, I would ask, if this is such a hoax, why are so many people pleading guilty? Why are so many people under indictments? And why is this investigation continuing to grow? Why would you tamper with witnesses? Why would you obstruct justice."

"And why would you refuse, as the president has, to sit down in the witness chair if it's a hoax," he continued. "It looks a lot like there's evidence out there and we should let it reach its logical conclusion."

Hemmer argued that Congress was only doing its job by attempting to impeach Rosenstein.

Swalwell retorted: "Bill, in what case would a police officer ever sit down with a suspect and say, 'Before I interview you, I want you to see all of the evidence I have against you'? You don't do that because witnesses will tailor their answers to the evidence that exists."

"Because it's the president of the United States, [House Republicans] are doing everything they can to protect him," he added. "It's corrosive and we should do everything to stop this."

Watch the video below from Fox News.