'They want to discredit whatever he comes up with': Schiff blasts Trump's 'scorched earth' Mueller attacks

Speaking on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday morning, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told interviewers that Trump and his legal team want to "take down" Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

"They want to lay the foundation to discredit whatever Bob Mueller comes up with," Schiff said. "They're essentially engaging in a scorched earth litigation strategy that is beginning with trying to discredit the prosecutor. And that's all that's happening here. I don't think we should acquiesce in the besmirchment of this good man. And we ought to let him do his job. He is just getting started."

As if to illustrate Schiff's point, Trump booster and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich called the context of Mueller's investigation "Russian baloney."

Gingrich insisted repeatedly that there is "no evidence" of either obstruction of justice on the president's part or of collusion between Trump and the Russians. He also said he has "every problem" with Mueller's investigation, and finds the special counsel's public friendship with fired FBI Director James Comey "weird."

Watch the entire "This Week" segment with Schiff and Gingrich below, via ABC.