The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., is pushing for first daughter and White House adviser Ivanka Trump to testify before his panel as he seeks to interview “dozens” more witnesses for the inquiry into Russian interference in the presidential election.
"I think it would be valuable to have her come and testify before the committee," Schiff said at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, according to Politico.
Just days ago it was reported that Ivanka Trump had become a subject of interest to special counsel Robert Mueller and his federal Russia probe due to her brief exchange with individuals who were present for the meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in June 2016.
No interviews with Trump in any of the investigations have been announced.
Schiff is also angling for the panel to interview Ivanka Trump’s husband and White House adviser Jared Kushner again, according to Reuters, and mentioned he would like former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon to testify as well. That comment came just before it was revealed that Bannon would appear before the committee as part of its probe.
The committee, along with other congressional panels and Mueller's team, are examining whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin during the 2016 election.
In preparation for the hearing next week, Bannon has hired lawyer Bill Burck. Burck was hired only for his testimony before the House Intelligence Committee, and not in connection to Mueller’s probe.
Bannon left his post at the White House in August and was ousted earlier this week from his position as executive chairman of Breitbart News.
The panel has already interviewed figures including Attorney General Jeff Sessions, President Trump’s son Eric Trump, along with Kushner. However, Democrats are concerned that Republicans on the panel will wrap up the probe prematurely.
President Trump has maintained that the was “no collusion” and said he believes it’s “unlikely” he’ll be called upon as a witness in Mueller’s investigation.
