Elaine Kamarck, of the Brookings Institution says "we're pretty much at the end of this process" as she discussed the next steps in the special prosecutors Russia probe.

Kamarack, Senior fellow in the Governance Studies program as well as the Director of the Center for Effective Public Management , said on Tuesday that "The only thing that really seems to remain is whether or not the president himself is guilty of some crimes and do those crimes constitute in the minds of the members of Congress, high crimes and misdemeanors."

In a related story The Associated Press reports that President Donald Trump has been calling the Russia probe a witch hunt for two years.

But now, Trump and his allies are starting to see it as something potentially very different: a political opportunity.

Trump has grown increasingly confident that special counsel Robert Mueller's report will produce no clear evidence of a conspiracy between Russia and his election campaign.

A change is also underway among congressional Democrats, who had believed the report would offer damning evidence

Kamarack says "We're at a point where this is about to move unless there's some you know smoking gun. This is this investigation is about to move from the legal to the political and there the Democrats are going to have to decide do we move forward with impeachment."

Washington - 19 March 2019

1.Wide shot of Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro walking out of White House into Rose Garden

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"It's not often that a president is subject to a special counsel and that means often that the findings of a special counsel could lead to something very dramatic like impeachment. Or it could just turn out to be a bunch of nothing. And so everybody was interested in this. Everybody was excited about it. The president himself was furious about it. But this is a big deal. We don't generally have investigations like this of sitting presidents."

3. Side shot of Trump speaking

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"The only thing that really seems to remain is whether or not the president himself is guilty of some crimes and do those crimes constitute in the minds of the members of Congress, high crimes and misdemeanors, which is the constitutional issue for impeachment, and so we're sort of down to the end game here. I mean it looks like there was a rapid string of indictments, trials, etc. It's possible that one or more of the president's children or in-laws could get indicted but it's, we're pretty much at the end of this process."

5. Trump speaking

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"The issue, though, is did the House and Senate, did the intelligence committees when they were controlled by Republicans ignore important pieces of evidence? The Democrats think they did. And so the Democrats will have to start their own investigation. They may find nothing as well."

Washington - 25 February 2019

7. STILL - The Capitol is seen in Washington as Congress returns to work following a week-long recess. A top House Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has threatened to call special counsel Robert Mueller to Capitol Hill, subpoena documents and sue the Trump administration if the full report on Mueller's Russia investigation is not made public.

Washington - 06 March 2019

8. STILL - House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, of California, left, and Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., return to hear Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, testify before a closed-door session of the House Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill

Washington - 19 March 2019

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"We're at a point where this is about to move unless there's some you know smoking gun. This is this investigation is about to move from the legal to the political and there, the Democrats are going to have to decide do we move forward with impeachment? Now, Nancy Pelosi has said, wisely I think, that probably not that. There's just not unless there's some blockbuster finding in the Muller report or someplace else. Probably not because bet we're almost at 2020. Let, it's cleaner, easier for democracy to let the voters decide."

Washington - 06 March 2019

10. STILL - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., with Ranking Member Doug Collins

Washington - 19 March 2019

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"This investigation has taken place simultaneously with a very chaotic presidency and with a separate investigation into Donald Trump's business empire. Now it may not be impeachable to be a corrupt businessman. All you have to do is look at the Deutsche Bank story in today's (New York) Times and you can see that that's that's going to be a big story. But maybe it's not impeachable but it sure isn't desirable."

12. STILL - President Donald Trump walks along the Colonnade of the White House, towards the Rose Garden with visiting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro

Elaine Kamarck, of the Brookings Institution says "we're pretty much at the end of this process" as she discussed the next steps in the special prosecutors Russia probe.

Kamarack, Senior fellow in the Governance Studies program as well as the Director of the Center for Effective Public Management , said on Tuesday that "The only thing that really seems to remain is whether or not the president himself is guilty of some crimes and do those crimes constitute in the minds of the members of Congress, high crimes and misdemeanors."

In a related story The Associated Press reports that President Donald Trump has been calling the Russia probe a witch hunt for two years.

But now, Trump and his allies are starting to see it as something potentially very different: a political opportunity.

Trump has grown increasingly confident that special counsel Robert Mueller's report will produce no clear evidence of a conspiracy between Russia and his election campaign.

A change is also underway among congressional Democrats, who had believed the report would offer damning evidence

Kamarack says "We're at a point where this is about to move unless there's some you know smoking gun. This is this investigation is about to move from the legal to the political and there the Democrats are going to have to decide do we move forward with impeachment."

Washington - 19 March 2019

1.Wide shot of Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro walking out of White House into Rose Garden

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"It's not often that a president is subject to a special counsel and that means often that the findings of a special counsel could lead to something very dramatic like impeachment. Or it could just turn out to be a bunch of nothing. And so everybody was interested in this. Everybody was excited about it. The president himself was furious about it. But this is a big deal. We don't generally have investigations like this of sitting presidents."

3. Side shot of Trump speaking

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"The only thing that really seems to remain is whether or not the president himself is guilty of some crimes and do those crimes constitute in the minds of the members of Congress, high crimes and misdemeanors, which is the constitutional issue for impeachment, and so we're sort of down to the end game here. I mean it looks like there was a rapid string of indictments, trials, etc. It's possible that one or more of the president's children or in-laws could get indicted but it's, we're pretty much at the end of this process."

5. Trump speaking

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"The issue, though, is did the House and Senate, did the intelligence committees when they were controlled by Republicans ignore important pieces of evidence? The Democrats think they did. And so the Democrats will have to start their own investigation. They may find nothing as well."

Washington - 25 February 2019

7. STILL - The Capitol is seen in Washington as Congress returns to work following a week-long recess. A top House Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has threatened to call special counsel Robert Mueller to Capitol Hill, subpoena documents and sue the Trump administration if the full report on Mueller's Russia investigation is not made public.

Washington - 06 March 2019

8. STILL - House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, of California, left, and Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., return to hear Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, testify before a closed-door session of the House Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill

Washington - 19 March 2019

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"We're at a point where this is about to move unless there's some you know smoking gun. This is this investigation is about to move from the legal to the political and there, the Democrats are going to have to decide do we move forward with impeachment? Now, Nancy Pelosi has said, wisely I think, that probably not that. There's just not unless there's some blockbuster finding in the Muller report or someplace else. Probably not because bet we're almost at 2020. Let, it's cleaner, easier for democracy to let the voters decide."

Washington - 06 March 2019

10. STILL - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., with Ranking Member Doug Collins

Washington - 19 March 2019

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"This investigation has taken place simultaneously with a very chaotic presidency and with a separate investigation into Donald Trump's business empire. Now it may not be impeachable to be a corrupt businessman. All you have to do is look at the Deutsche Bank story in today's (New York) Times and you can see that that's that's going to be a big story. But maybe it's not impeachable but it sure isn't desirable."

12. STILL - President Donald Trump walks along the Colonnade of the White House, towards the Rose Garden with visiting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro

Elaine Kamarck, of the Brookings Institution says "we're pretty much at the end of this process" as she discussed the next steps in the special prosecutors Russia probe.

Kamarack, Senior fellow in the Governance Studies program as well as the Director of the Center for Effective Public Management , said on Tuesday that "The only thing that really seems to remain is whether or not the president himself is guilty of some crimes and do those crimes constitute in the minds of the members of Congress, high crimes and misdemeanors."

In a related story The Associated Press reports that President Donald Trump has been calling the Russia probe a witch hunt for two years.

But now, Trump and his allies are starting to see it as something potentially very different: a political opportunity.

Trump has grown increasingly confident that special counsel Robert Mueller's report will produce no clear evidence of a conspiracy between Russia and his election campaign.

A change is also underway among congressional Democrats, who had believed the report would offer damning evidence

Kamarack says "We're at a point where this is about to move unless there's some you know smoking gun. This is this investigation is about to move from the legal to the political and there the Democrats are going to have to decide do we move forward with impeachment."

Washington - 19 March 2019

1.Wide shot of Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro walking out of White House into Rose Garden

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"It's not often that a president is subject to a special counsel and that means often that the findings of a special counsel could lead to something very dramatic like impeachment. Or it could just turn out to be a bunch of nothing. And so everybody was interested in this. Everybody was excited about it. The president himself was furious about it. But this is a big deal. We don't generally have investigations like this of sitting presidents."

3. Side shot of Trump speaking

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"The only thing that really seems to remain is whether or not the president himself is guilty of some crimes and do those crimes constitute in the minds of the members of Congress, high crimes and misdemeanors, which is the constitutional issue for impeachment, and so we're sort of down to the end game here. I mean it looks like there was a rapid string of indictments, trials, etc. It's possible that one or more of the president's children or in-laws could get indicted but it's, we're pretty much at the end of this process."

5. Trump speaking

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"The issue, though, is did the House and Senate, did the intelligence committees when they were controlled by Republicans ignore important pieces of evidence? The Democrats think they did. And so the Democrats will have to start their own investigation. They may find nothing as well."

Washington - 25 February 2019

7. STILL - The Capitol is seen in Washington as Congress returns to work following a week-long recess. A top House Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has threatened to call special counsel Robert Mueller to Capitol Hill, subpoena documents and sue the Trump administration if the full report on Mueller's Russia investigation is not made public.

Washington - 06 March 2019

8. STILL - House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, of California, left, and Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., return to hear Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, testify before a closed-door session of the House Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill

Washington - 19 March 2019

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"We're at a point where this is about to move unless there's some you know smoking gun. This is this investigation is about to move from the legal to the political and there, the Democrats are going to have to decide do we move forward with impeachment? Now, Nancy Pelosi has said, wisely I think, that probably not that. There's just not unless there's some blockbuster finding in the Muller report or someplace else. Probably not because bet we're almost at 2020. Let, it's cleaner, easier for democracy to let the voters decide."

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP Clients Only

Washington - 06 March 2019

10. STILL - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., with Ranking Member Doug Collins

Washington - 19 March 2019

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution:

"This investigation has taken place simultaneously with a very chaotic presidency and with a separate investigation into Donald Trump's business empire. Now it may not be impeachable to be a corrupt businessman. All you have to do is look at the Deutsche Bank story in today's (New York) Times and you can see that that's that's going to be a big story. But maybe it's not impeachable but it sure isn't desirable."

12. STILL - President Donald Trump walks along the Colonnade of the White House, towards the Rose Garden with visiting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro

The House Judiciary Committee is expected to prepare subpoenas this week seeking special counsel Robert Mueller's full Russia report as the Justice Department appears likely to miss an April 2 deadline set by Democrats for the report's release.

The Judiciary panel plans to vote on subpoenas Wednesday, a day after the deadline.

The chairmen of several House committees asked for the full report last week after Attorney General William Barr released a four-page summary laying out the report's principal conclusions.

Barr said in a letter to the House and Senate Judiciary committees on Friday that a redacted version of the full 300 page report would be released by mid-April, if not sooner.

At the White House, President Donald Trump said the prospect of subpoenas were "ridiculous," but that he would abide by Barr's decision on the matter.

"I think it's a disgrace," Trump said.  "These are just Democrats that want to try and demean this country and it shouldn't be allowed."

The planned committee vote, announced Monday morning, would not automatically issue subpoenas but authorize House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., to send them.

The panel will also vote to authorize subpoenas related to a number of President Donald Trump's former top advisers, including strategist Steve Bannon, Communications Director Hope Hicks, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, White House Counsel Donald McGahn and counsel Ann Donaldson. Donaldson served as McGahn's chief of staff before both left the administration.

The five were probably key witnesses in Mueller's probe of possible obstruction of justice.

Washington - 2 April 2019

1. Wide, US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Oval Office  

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"Reporter: There is going to be a vote in the House Judiciary Committee tomorrow whether or not to authorize subpoenas to demand an unredacted version of the Mueller report and all of the background materials.  If they do vote out the authority for subpoenas will the White House fight that?

Well, I think it's ridiculous. We went through two years of the Mueller investigation. We have, I mean, not only that you read the wording that was proven ... who could go through that and get wording where it was no collusion, no nothing. So there's no collusion. The attorney general now and the deputy attorney general ruled no obstruction. They said no obstruction and so there's no collusion, there's no obstruction and now we're going to start this process all over again? I think it's a disgrace. These are just Democrats that want to try and demean this country and it shouldn't be allowed. And I'll totally live by what the attorney general ... I have great respect for the attorney general. I'll live by what he said but I will tell you this, nothing you give them, whether it's shifty Schiff (House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff) or (House Judiciary Chairman) Jerry Nadler, who I've known he's been fighting me for half of my life in Manhattan and I was very successful, thank you. But Nadler's been fighting me for years and years in Manhattan. Not successfully I will tell you anything we give them will never be enough."

3. Pan from reporters to Trump

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"This has been a very, very bad thing for our country. The question was asked before about Russia, about Germany, about all of the different things that you and I discussed so often. There's been a very bad thing for the United States. It's been a total waste of time. But what has it been a waste of time is some very bad people started something that should have never been started. And I hope that's going to continue forward, because people did things that were very, very bad for our country and very, very illegal. And you could even say treasonous. OK, thank you very much everybody. "

5. Wide, Oval Office meeting

The House Judiciary Committee is expected to prepare subpoenas this week seeking special counsel Robert Mueller's full Russia report as the Justice Department appears likely to miss an April 2 deadline set by Democrats for the report's release.

The Judiciary panel plans to vote on subpoenas Wednesday, a day after the deadline.

The chairmen of several House committees asked for the full report last week after Attorney General William Barr released a four-page summary laying out the report's principal conclusions.

Barr said in a letter to the House and Senate Judiciary committees on Friday that a redacted version of the full 300 page report would be released by mid-April, if not sooner.

At the White House, President Donald Trump said the prospect of subpoenas were "ridiculous," but that he would abide by Barr's decision on the matter.

"I think it's a disgrace," Trump said.  "These are just Democrats that want to try and demean this country and it shouldn't be allowed."

The planned committee vote, announced Monday morning, would not automatically issue subpoenas but authorize House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., to send them.

The panel will also vote to authorize subpoenas related to a number of President Donald Trump's former top advisers, including strategist Steve Bannon, Communications Director Hope Hicks, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, White House Counsel Donald McGahn and counsel Ann Donaldson. Donaldson served as McGahn's chief of staff before both left the administration.

The five were probably key witnesses in Mueller's probe of possible obstruction of justice.

Washington - 2 April 2019

1. Wide, US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Oval Office

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"Reporter: There is going to be a vote in the House Judiciary Committee tomorrow whether or not to authorize subpoenas to demand an unredacted version of the Mueller report and all of the background materials. If they do vote out the authority for subpoenas will the White House fight that?

Well, I think it's ridiculous. We went through two years of the Mueller investigation. We have, I mean, not only that you read the wording that was proven ... who could go through that and get wording where it was no collusion, no nothing. So there's no collusion. The attorney general now and the deputy attorney general ruled no obstruction. They said no obstruction and so there's no collusion, there's no obstruction and now we're going to start this process all over again? I think it's a disgrace. These are just Democrats that want to try and demean this country and it shouldn't be allowed. And I'll totally live by what the attorney general ... I have great respect for the attorney general. I'll live by what he said but I will tell you this, nothing you give them, whether it's shifty Schiff (House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff) or (House Judiciary Chairman) Jerry Nadler, who I've known he's been fighting me for half of my life in Manhattan and I was very successful, thank you. But Nadler's been fighting me for years and years in Manhattan. Not successfully I will tell you anything we give them will never be enough."

3. Pan from reporters to Trump

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"This has been a very, very bad thing for our country. The question was asked before about Russia, about Germany, about all of the different things that you and I discussed so often. There's been a very bad thing for the United States. It's been a total waste of time. But what has it been a waste of time is some very bad people started something that should have never been started. And I hope that's going to continue forward, because people did things that were very, very bad for our country and very, very illegal. And you could even say treasonous. OK, thank you very much everybody. "

5. Wide, Oval Office meeting

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus120930

House Republicans say Robert Mueller's testimony Wednesday uncovered no meaningful new information and that it's time to move on.

Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy told press on Wednesday that "this should be the end of the chapter that we put America through."

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, following Mueller's testimony, is making some of her strongest comments yet about the House possibly proceeding with impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.

Pelosi says a "cone of silence" from the White House that's not providing documents and witness testimony "will not prevent us from going forward." She adds, "In fact, it's even more grounds to go forward."

Pelosi tells reporters she wants "the strongest possible hand" by continuing the House's court actions aimed at forcing White House cooperation.

Washington - 24 July 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House:

"We want to have the strongest possible case to make a decision as to what path we will go down and that does, is not endless in terms of time or endless in terms of the information that we want. But if it comes to a point where the cone of silence and the obstruction of justice and the cover-up in the White House prevents us from getting that information, that will not prevent us from going forward. In fact, it's even more grounds to go forward."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Republican Minority Leader:

"It was a historical day because today is the day that we close the book on this investigation. It is time that America turns the page. It is time for America to move forward. The Democrats have to stop wasting time in trying to have a do-over of the 2016 Presidential election."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York:

"Today was a watershed day in telling the facts to the American people. With those facts we can proceed and we face a time of great danger. Richard Nixon said he thought that the president was a dictator. He said if the president does it, that means it's not illegal. President Trump echoed that yesterday. He said under Article 2 'I' that is he can do anything I want. That is a totalitarian picture, not a democratic picture. The United States must be saved from this."

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, (R) Georgia:

"I challenge the Democratic colleagues, get over the election of 2016. Run in 2020 if you want. This President has put forward a great economy. This President has put forward great ideas. Run on this, quit trying to dredge up a picture that today got painted, that said your investigation is over. Mr Mueller has done his job. He presented a report. Someone asked did you find out anything new? The answer is no."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California:

" But there are two juries in an impeachment there is the jury which is the Senate which decides removal from office. And then there is the jury that is the American people and I'm most concerned about the jury that is the American people. And before we embark on a course as significant to the country as the impeachment of a president I want to make sure that we can make that case to the jury of the American people."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Devin Nunes, (R) California:

"I think what you see today is collusion between the Republican Party and the Trump campaign is over. There was no evidence. There was a dossier that was built and paid for by the Clinton campaign. That was the real collusion. You've had collusion through a British former MI6 agent who was working supposedly with Russian sources. We didn't get any new information on that today. But the Democrats have refused to accept reality, they live in an alternative universe."

Democrats denounced on Friday a plan by President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, to urge Ukraine to open investigations that could benefit Trump politically.

Giuliani is expected to travel to Kiev to push for two investigations. One is the origin of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference. The other is the involvement of 2020 rival Joe Biden's son in a gas company owned by a Ukrainian oligarch.

"It's stunning that the Trump administration is going down the same tragic path they did in 2016 seeking help from a foreign government again to influence an American presidential election. It's appalling," said Rep. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.  

Schiff said Trump allies were indicating, "'We're going to do everything short of what's downright criminal. Ethics don't matter. Patriotism doesn't matter.'

Giuliani has pushed back against the criticism. Meanwhile, Congress continues to debate a number of investigations targeting the Trump administration, which are being led by Democrats in the House of Represenatives.

House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal suggested that he would make his next move in his push to acquire Trump's tax returns soon. Neal's demand for the returns is about to head to federal court.

The top republican on the committee, Rep. Kevin Brady said he wrote to Rep. Neal "cautioning him against trying to compel the president's private tax returns either by subpoena or by lawsuit."

Washington - 10 March 2019

1. Schiff walking to reporters

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California

++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

"It's stunning that the Trump administration is going down the same tragic path they did in 2016. Here you have the president's lawyer seeking help from a foreign government, again to influence an American presidential election. It's just appalling. And his defense that he's not seeking a foreign government's help in the election, just an investigation -- yes, it's an investigation designed to affect one of the candidates they fear the most, Joe Biden, and I think it's reprehensible. Giuliani said, 'Well, some people may think it's improper', all Americans should think this is improper. Do we really want to take the country down this path again of getting a foreign government involved in our presidential politics? And it seems to me that what Giuliani is saying and what others, Brad Parscale, and others in the Trump campaign are saying is we're going to do everything short of what's down right criminal. Ethics don't matter anymore. Patriotism doesn't matter anymore. And if that's where we are as a country then we're in deep trouble."

3. Rep. Richard Neal walks down US Capitol Steps as he responds to questions from reporters UPSOUND: (English) Rep. Richard Neal, (D) Massachusetts (Responding to reporter question on if he's informed his members about how he plans to proceed on obtaining Trump's tax returns) "They will all know this afternoon. I've given some hints to them but I've been careful until House Counsel finishes the documents that you'll know in the next couple of hours. (Reporter: Since the subpoenas haven't been going well do you think you'll go straight to the courts?) I can't control that. The attorney said, no a reporter said to me 'can't you tell the courts what to do?' Well it doesn't work that way."

4. Neal walking down steps of Capitol

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Kevin Brady, (R) Texas:

"I sent a letter to Chairmen Neal today essentially cautioning him against trying to compel those, the president's private tax returns either by subpoena or by lawsuit. Again, this is a very dangerous precedent to be setting. The president's exactly right to be fighting this because if Democrats can obtain the president's tax returns for purely political reasons, nothing can stop them in obtaining any American that they view as a political enemy in obtaining and making public those returns as well. That's why this is dangerous."

(Reporter: Do they have any legal standing to do this?) "The question is how do you compel them. So, I don't know what their legal strategy is going to be. My letter was to essentially caution them and basically request that they stop this compulsory process because I think it leads ultimately to a Supreme Court fight and, frankly, distracts from the work we ought to be doing on drug pricing, on surprise billing, on retirement security, a number of those issues."

Democrats on the House intelligence committee are sharply disagreeing with Republicans on the panel who say they don't see any evidence of collusion or coordination between President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia.

The top Democrat on the panel said Tuesday there is "significant evidence" of collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia. California Rep. Adam Schiff said Democrats are writing their own report with conclusions from the intelligence panel's yearlong investigation into Russian meddling.

Republicans announced Monday that they'd completed the committee's report and they saw no evidence of collusion. Democrats saw that report for the first time Tuesday.

The House panel is one of several congressional committees looking into the meddling. Special counsel Robert Mueller is conducting a separate criminal probe.

POOL

Washington - 13 March 2018

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee:

"Last night the majority on the Intelligence Committee made the decision to prematurely shut down the Russian investigation. The only authorized investigation in the House of Representatives into what the Russians did in the last election, what the U.S. government response was, and the issue of any coordination or collusion with the Trump campaign. That was a terrible disservice to the country and the American people, and represented a reneging on the commitment that was made at the outset of the investigation to follow the facts wherever they lead."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee:

"We will be putting together a report that will set out for the country what evidence we have seen to date, of what evidence we have seen in terms of the Russian hacking and dumping operation, what evidence we have seen in terms of the Russian social media campaign, their paid media campaign, and yes the issue of collusion with the Trump campaign. There is significant evidence, much of it in the public domain, on the issue of collusion."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee:

"Sadly, from a very early point in the investigation, the chairman made the decision that his mission was not to find out what Russia did, not to determine the role of U.S. persons, but rather to endeavor to distract the public to put the government on trial. That problem persisted throughout our investigation and has led to its premature conclusion last night. But the work is too important to leave undone. In particular, the American people need to know whether the Russians still have something they can hold over the president's head, the president of the United States. So our work is far from done, and we will be submitting to the public a detailed account of what we have learned to date, and the work that has to be done if not by us then by others."

4. Schiff and group leave podium

Democrats on the House intelligence committee are sharply disagreeing with Republicans on the panel who say they don't see any evidence of collusion or coordination between President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia.

The top Democrat on the panel said Tuesday there is "significant evidence" of collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia. California Rep. Adam Schiff said Democrats are writing their own report with conclusions from the intelligence panel's yearlong investigation into Russian meddling.

Republicans announced Monday that they'd completed the committee's report and they saw no evidence of collusion. Democrats saw that report for the first time Tuesday.

The House panel is one of several congressional committees looking into the meddling. Special counsel Robert Mueller is conducting a separate criminal probe.

POOL

Washington - 13 March 2018

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee:

"Last night the majority on the Intelligence Committee made the decision to prematurely shut down the Russian investigation. The only authorized investigation in the House of Representatives into what the Russians did in the last election, what the U.S. government response was, and the issue of any coordination or collusion with the Trump campaign. That was a terrible disservice to the country and the American people, and represented a reneging on the commitment that was made at the outset of the investigation to follow the facts wherever they lead."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee:

"We will be putting together a report that will set out for the country what evidence we have seen to date, of what evidence we have seen in terms of the Russian hacking and dumping operation, what evidence we have seen in terms of the Russian social media campaign, their paid media campaign, and yes the issue of collusion with the Trump campaign. There is significant evidence, much of it in the public domain, on the issue of collusion."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee:

"Sadly, from a very early point in the investigation, the chairman made the decision that his mission was not to find out what Russia did, not to determine the role of U.S. persons, but rather to endeavor to distract the public to put the government on trial. That problem persisted throughout our investigation and has led to its premature conclusion last night. But the work is too important to leave undone. In particular, the American people need to know whether the Russians still have something they can hold over the president's head, the president of the United States. So our work is far from done, and we will be submitting to the public a detailed account of what we have learned to date, and the work that has to be done if not by us then by others."

4. Schiff and group leave podium

Democrats on the House intelligence committee are sharply disagreeing with Republicans on the panel who say they don't see any evidence of collusion or coordination between US President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia.

The top Democrat on the panel said Tuesday there is "significant evidence" of collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia.

California Rep. Adam Schiff said Democrats are writing their own report with conclusions from the intelligence panel's yearlong investigation into Russian meddling.

Republicans announced Monday that they'd completed the committee's report and they saw no evidence of collusion.

The finding enraged Democrats, who say Republicans are protecting the president by cutting the probe short.

Democrats saw that report for the first time Tuesday.

The House panel is one of several congressional committees looking into the meddling.

Special counsel Robert Mueller is conducting a separate criminal probe.

++NO CUTAWAYS / SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

POOL

Washington DC - 13 March 2018

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee:

"Last night the majority on the Intelligence Committee made the decision to prematurely shut down the Russian investigation. The only authorized investigation in the House of Representatives into what the Russians did in the last election, what the U.S. government response was, and the issue of any coordination or collusion with the Trump campaign. That was a terrible disservice to the country and the American people, and represented a reneging on the commitment that was made at the outset of the investigation to follow the facts wherever they lead."

++BLACK FRAMES++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee:

"We will be putting together a report that will set out for the country what evidence we have seen to date. What evidence we have seen in terms of the Russian hacking and dumping operation, what evidence we have seen in terms of the Russian social media campaign, their paid media campaign, and yes the issue of collusion with the Trump campaign. There is significant evidence, much of it in the public domain, on the issue of collusion."

++BLACK FRAMES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee:

"Sadly, from a very early point in the investigation, the chairman made the decision that his mission was not to find out what Russia did, not to determine the role of U.S. persons, but rather to endeavor to distract the public to put the government on trial. That problem persisted throughout our investigation and has led to its premature conclusion last night. But the work is too important to leave undone. In particular, the American people need to know whether the Russians still have something they can hold over the president's head, the president of the United States. So our work is far from done and we will be submitting to the public a detailed account of what we have learned to date, and the work that has to be done if not by us then by others."

4. Schiff and group leave podium

US President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, will testify publicly before a House committee next month in a hearing that could serve as the opening salvo of a promised Democratic effort to scrutinise Trump, his conflicts of interest and his ties to Russia.

The House Oversight and Reform Committee announced on Thursday that Cohen will testify before that panel on 7 February, a little more than a month after the Democrats took the House majority.

The hearing marks the latest step in Cohen's transformation from a trusted legal adviser to the president to a public antagonist who has cooperated extensively against him.

It is likely to pull back the curtain on key episodes involving Trump's personal life and business dealings, including hush-money payments to women and a proposed Moscow real estate deal that federal prosecutors have been dissecting for months.

The chairman of the oversight panel, Democratic Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland, said the committee is consulting with Mueller's office about the testimony.

He said "there will be limitations" on the topics covered in Cohen's testimony.

The oversight hearing may not be Cohen's only appearance.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-California, said he welcomes Cohen's testimony before the oversight panel, but "he is going to need to answer questions about the Russia investigation".

Schiff said that his office has been in negotiations with Cohen’s legal team for some time and “hope to wrap it up soon".

ARCHIVE: Washington, DC - 29 November 2018

1. Michael Cohen, former attorney for US President Donald Trump, walking out of court

Washington, DC - 10 January 2019

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Representative Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland, Chairman of the House Oversight Panel:

"We're going to make sure that we do absolutely nothing to interfere with the Mueller investigation. That is very, very important to us. But I can tell you that as far, if Adam (Schiff), he's right so that's fine. But we're going to have a lot more comments coming out later on. Right now my major concern is making sure that our government is opened up."

++BLACK FRAMES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Representative Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland, Chairman of the House Oversight Panel:

"But as far as this hearing is concerned, we put out our statement. It's a very limited statement and we plan to do what the American people have asked us to do, and that is to conduct hearings with integrity, with transparency, with honesty, and most importantly accountability."

++BLACK FRAMES++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Representative Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland, Chairman of the House Oversight Panel:

"I think people need to, the American people will have an opportunity to hear from him, from Mr. Cohen. And their representatives, that is representatives on the Republican side and the Democrat side, will have an opportunity to ask him questions. And I think the American people will see that their votes did matter and that we opened it up for transparency."

++BLACK FRAMES++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Representative Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland, Chairman of the House Oversight Panel:

"We are in search of the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. And so that's where we stand. And that's all I have to say."

++BLACK FRAMES++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Representative Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee Chairman:

"We welcome his testimony before the Congress. It's my understanding that he doesn't intend to address the Russian investigation in his open testimony. He is going to need to answer questions about it and we are in contact with the attorney. We hope that he will come in voluntarily to testify before the Intel Committee in closed session. So we have been in negotiation with that, about that for some time and we hope to wrap that up soon."

++BLACK FRAMES++

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Representative Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee Chairman:

"He hasn't agreed but I think there is a good likelihood, I hope that he will. We would like to have him come in voluntarily testimony but at the end of the day there are questions he needs to answer. He testified once before our committee, he wasn't fully forthcoming. He's accepted responsibility for that. But that has raised questions that we need answered."

++BLACK FRAMES++

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Representative Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee Chairman:

"I don't want to make representations on behalf of the Special Counsel. We will obviously be in consultation with the Special Counsel about his testimony before our committee but we need to get a full accounting of what took place. He is in a unique position to help us do that. And so we look forward to having his testimony before our committee."

ARCHIVE: Washington, DC - 29 November 2018

9. Cohen walking with lawyer from court, surrounded by media

President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, will testify publicly before a House committee next month in a hearing that could serve as the opening salvo of a promised Democratic effort to scrutinize Trump, his conflicts of interest and his ties to Russia.

The House Oversight and Reform Committee announced Thursday that Cohen will testify before that panel February 7, a little more than a month after the Democrats took the House majority.

The hearing marks the latest step in Cohen's transformation from a trusted legal adviser to the president to a public antagonist who has cooperated extensively against him.

It is likely to pull back the curtain on key episodes involving Trump's personal life and business dealings, including hush-money payments to women and a proposed Moscow real estate deal, that federal prosecutors have been dissecting for months.

The chairman of the oversight panel, Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, said the committee is consulting with Mueller's office about the testimony.

He said "there will be limitations" on the topics covered in Cohen's testimony.

“We are going to make sure that we do absolutely nothing to interfere with the Mueller investigation,” Cummings said. “That is absolutely important to us.”

The oversight hearing may not be Cohen's only appearance.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said he welcomes Cohen's testimony before the oversight panel, but "he is going to need to answer questions about the Russia investigation.”

Schiff said that his office has been in negotiations with Cohen’s legal team for some time and “hope to wrap it up soon.”

Washington DC - 29 November 2018

1. Former Trump Attorney Michael Cohen walking out of court

Washington DC - 10 January 2019

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland, Chairman of the House Oversight Panel:

"We going to, we're going to make sure that we do absolutely nothing to Interfere with the Mueller investigation. That is very, very important to us. But I can tell you that as far, he's right so that's fine. But we're going to have a lot more comments coming out later on. Right now my major concern. Is making sure that our government is open up."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland, Chairman of the House Oversight Panel:

"But as far as this hearing is concerned, we put out a statement. It's a very limited statement and we plan to do what the American people have asked us to do, that is to conduct hearings with integrity, with transparency, with honesty and most importantly accountability."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland, Chairman of the House Oversight Panel:

"I think that, I think people need to, the American people have an opportunity to hear from him, Mr. Cohen. And their representatives, that is representatives on the Republican side and the Democrat side will have an opportunity to ask him questions. And I think the American people will see that it did matter, that their votes did matter and that we opened it up for transparency."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland, Chairman of the House Oversight Panel:

"We are in search of the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. And so that's where we stand. And that's all I have to say."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

6 . SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee Chairman:

"We love to hear his testimony before the Congress. It's my understanding that he doesn't intend to address the Russian investigation is open testimony. He is going to need to answer questions about it and we are in contact with the attorney. We hope that will come in voluntarily to testify before the Intel Committee in a closed session. So we have been in negotiation with that, about that for some time and we hope to wrap that up soon."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee Chairman:

"He hasn't agreed but I think there is a good likelihood, I hope that he will. We would like to have him come in voluntarily testimony but at the end of the day there are questions he needs to answer. He testified once before our committee, he wasn't fully forthcoming. He's accepted responsibility for that. But that has raised questions that we need answered."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee Chairman:

"I don't want to make representations on behalf of Special Counsel. We will obviously be in consultation with Special Counsel about his testimony before our committee but, we need to get a full accounting of what took place. He is in a unique position to help us do that. And so we look forward to having his testimony before a committee."

Washington DC - 29 November 2018

9. Former Trump Attorney Michael Cohen walking with lawyer from court, surrounded by media

President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, will testify publicly before a House committee next month in a hearing that could serve as the opening salvo of a promised Democratic effort to scrutinize Trump, his conflicts of interest and his ties to Russia.

The House Oversight and Reform Committee announced Thursday that Cohen will testify before that panel February 7, a little more than a month after the Democrats took the House majority.

The hearing marks the latest step in Cohen's transformation from a trusted legal adviser to the president to a public antagonist who has cooperated extensively against him.

It is likely to pull back the curtain on key episodes involving Trump's personal life and business dealings, including hush-money payments to women and a proposed Moscow real estate deal, that federal prosecutors have been dissecting for months.

The chairman of the oversight panel, Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, said the committee is consulting with Mueller's office about the testimony.

He said "there will be limitations" on the topics covered in Cohen's testimony.

“We are going to make sure that we do absolutely nothing to interfere with the Mueller investigation,” Cummings said. “That is absolutely important to us.”

The oversight hearing may not be Cohen's only appearance.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said he welcomes Cohen's testimony before the oversight panel, but "he is going to need to answer questions about the Russia investigation.”

Schiff said that his office has been in negotiations with Cohen’s legal team for some time and “hope to wrap it up soon.”

Washington DC - 29 November 2018

1. Former Trump Attorney Michael Cohen walking out of court

Washington DC - 10 January 2019

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland, Chairman of the House Oversight Panel:

"We going to, we're going to make sure that we do absolutely nothing to Interfere with the Mueller investigation. That is very, very important to us. But I can tell you that as far, he's right so that's fine. But we're going to have a lot more comments coming out later on. Right now my major concern. Is making sure that our government is open up."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland, Chairman of the House Oversight Panel:

"But as far as this hearing is concerned, we put out a statement. It's a very limited statement and we plan to do what the American people have asked us to do, that is to conduct hearings with integrity, with transparency, with honesty and most importantly accountability."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland, Chairman of the House Oversight Panel:

"I think that, I think people need to, the American people have an opportunity to hear from him, Mr. Cohen. And their representatives, that is representatives on the Republican side and the Democrat side will have an opportunity to ask him questions. And I think the American people will see that it did matter, that their votes did matter and that we opened it up for transparency."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland, Chairman of the House Oversight Panel:

"We are in search of the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. And so that's where we stand. And that's all I have to say."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

6 . SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee Chairman:

"We love to hear his testimony before the Congress. It's my understanding that he doesn't intend to address the Russian investigation is open testimony. He is going to need to answer questions about it and we are in contact with the attorney. We hope that will come in voluntarily to testify before the Intel Committee in a closed session. So we have been in negotiation with that, about that for some time and we hope to wrap that up soon."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee Chairman:

"He hasn't agreed but I think there is a good likelihood, I hope that he will. We would like to have him come in voluntarily testimony but at the end of the day there are questions he needs to answer. He testified once before our committee, he wasn't fully forthcoming. He's accepted responsibility for that. But that has raised questions that we need answered."

++SEPARATED BY BLACK++

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California, House Intelligence Committee Chairman:

"I don't want to make representations on behalf of Special Counsel. We will obviously be in consultation with Special Counsel about his testimony before our committee but, we need to get a full accounting of what took place. He is in a unique position to help us do that. And so we look forward to having his testimony before a committee."

Washington DC - 29 November 2018

9. Former Trump Attorney Michael Cohen walking with lawyer from court, surrounded by media