CNN host grills Adam Schiff over motive for not hearing from witnesses who 'challenge' Jan. 6 narrative

CNN host Dana Bash grilled Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on Sunday over why the House Jan. 6 committee is not hearing from witnesses who counter the committee narrative about the United States Capitol riot and former President Donald Trump.

What happened?

At the end of Schiff's interview on CNN's "State of the Union," Bash observed that every public witness the Jan. 6 committee has called thus far only confirmed the committee's narrative.

"Why aren't you calling witnesses in a public way who might challenge the committee?" Bash asked. "Is that intentional, because you don't want to deviate from the storyline that you're trying to present to the public and, of course, potentially to the Justice Department?"

Schiff denied that it is "intentional" and claimed the committee is willing to hear from any witness who possess "relevant evidence." But he did not state whether the committee has, in fact, heard from any witness who challenged their narrative.

"So, like, why not subpoena Mike Pence, for example?" Bash pressed in response. "I know you asked him to testify voluntarily. That didn't happen."

The Jan. 6 committee is not "taking anything off the table," Schiff responded, "in terms of witnesses who have not yet testified." He claimed there are several "high-profile" people whom the committee would like to speak with, but declined to identify them and whether they would offer testimony challenging the committee's narrative.

In the end, Schiff admitted that former Vice President Mike Pence is "certainly a possibility."

Hear what Schiff wants to know from Ginni Thomasyoutu.be

Bash's line of questioning highlighted a problem that former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy brought attention to last week, namely that the committee is conducting its public hearings in a manner akin to a kangaroo court.

As I've said from the beginning, they've got a very good story to tell. The problem is, they've set it up in a process that is not a fair process that's aimed at getting to the truth and giving whatever contra arguments there are on their day in court.

And as a result, it's more like messaging than it is like a real investigation. And if you would try this in court, you know, I could have been very impressive in court if there were no defense lawyers, you know. Like the government put on its own case, own witnesses, own exhibits, and then no cross-examination and no defense arguments. I'd have been 1000 - 0.

Anything else?

Earlier in the interview, Bash grilled Schiff after he claimed the Jan. 6 committee has evidence Trump was involved in a scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Schiff claimed the committee "will show evidence of the president's involvement in this scheme." But when Bashed repeatedly asked whether the committee has evidence showing that Trump directed it — asking, in fact, three times — Schiff repeatedly dodged the question.

"I don't want to get ahead of our hearing," Schiff said.