Morgan Ortagus, a former State Department spokeswoman, challenged Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), “credibility” Tuesday on ABC’s The View.
Ortagus asked Schiff to answer a question about something in the news. As the head of Intel Committee, you have been a prolific figure over the last few years. You supported and promoted the Steele dossier, and even got into the congressional records. We know that the FBI indicted the principal source of the dossier for lying about the majority of the key claims made in the dossier. Are you able to reflect on the role that you played in promoting this to American citizens? ”
Schiff responded, “First, anyone who lied to Christopher Steele or the FBI should be prosecuted. And they are. And, unlike the Trump administration, if they are convicted, they should be sent to prison and not pardoned. Donald Trump pardoned Roger Stone because he was lying. Trump pardoned Michael Flynn’s lying. People who lie to the FBI should be sent to prison.
He said, “Let us not forget what was learned during that investigation.” We discovered that Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was providing campaign polling data to Russian intelligence, while Russian intelligence was supporting the Trump campaign.
Ortagus stated, “To be precise, he was fired halfway through his campaign.”
Schiff replied, “Well, he might have been fired, but the effort for Russian assistance continued.”
Ortagus responded, “You have spread Russian disinformation yourself over years by promoting it.” That’s why I believe the Republicans and those who entrusted to you as the Intel Committee Chair are so confused about all of this.
Schiff replied, “I totally disagree with your premises.” It’s one thing for allegations to be investigated. It’s quite another to claim that we should have known in advance that certain people were lying about Christopher Steele. This is obviously impossible. Let’s not make that a cover for Donald Trump’s guilt for inviting Russia to his election, which they did, for trying to coerce Ukraine into helping him in the next one, which he also did, and for inciting insurrection which he did. The fact that Christopher Steele was lied to is not an excuse for this serious behavior.
Ortagus stated, “No, I think only your credibility is.”
Schiff stated, “I believe the credibility of your query is in doubt.”
