Schiff accuses NSA, CIA of withholding documents on Ukraine

WASHINGTON — The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee is accusing US intelligence agencies of withholding documents from Congress on Ukraine that could be significant to US President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial.

“They appear to be succumbing to pressure from the administration,” Representative Adam Schiff says Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.” Schiff was selected by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as the lead impeachment manager for Trump’s Senate trial.

Schiff, a California Democrat, contends that the National Security Agency “in particular is withholding what are potentially relevant documents to our oversight responsibilities on Ukraine, but also withholding documents potentially relevant that the senators might want to see during the trial. That is deeply concerning.” He also says “there are signs that the CIA may be on the same tragic course.”

The NSA and CIA don’t immediately respond to a requests for comment.

Trump’s impeachment trial resumes Tuesday.

Democrats have previously criticized the State Department for withholding relevant documents to the impeachment inquiry. In the weeks since Trump was impeached, Democrats have sought to focus on new evidence about Trump’s effort to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rivals and are pushing the Senate to consider new documents and testimony, such as from former national security adviser John Bolton.

— AP