Schiff warns Pompeo: Encouraging witnesses not to testify 'will be considered evidence of obstruction'

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) warned Secretary of Secretary Mike Pompeo about discouraging officials from cooperating with the House impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump.

"We are deeply concerned about Secretary Pompeo’s effort now to potentially interfere with witnesses whose testimony is needed before our committee, many of whom are mentioned in the whistleblower complaint," Schiff said at a press conference on Wednesday.

"And we want to make it abundantly clear that any effort by the secretary, by the president or anyone else to interfere with the Congress’ ability to call before it relevant witnesses will be considered as evidence of obstruction of the lawful functions of Congress," he continued.

"And more than that, we’ll allow an adverse inference to be drawn as to the underlying facts," Schiff said.

The chairman later added: "We're not fooling around now."

Schiff also accused Trump of a "blatant" attempt to intimidate the whistleblower who outed his call with the president of Ukraine.

"No attack on the whistleblower or anybody else is going to change the underlying facts," he explained.

Watch the video below from CNN.