Schiff: Leaks Are A Serious Problem, But Trump Admin "Attacks On The Press" Also Serious Problem

MSNBC: Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) reacts to breaking news that a recently retired high-ranking staffer on the Senate Intelligence Committee was arrested for lying to the FBI while a New York Times reporter’s email and phone records were also seized. Plus should Mueller consider perjury charges against Trump associates, including Donald Trump Jr.?



From Schiff's interview on MSNBC's The Last Word with host Lawrence O'Donnell:





REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): I don't know anything about the facts of it, Lawrence. I know only what I’ve seen in these very recent public reports about his position within the Senate. And it's a very key and important position. We have a like responsibility on the House Intelligence Committee.







And so these charges obviously very serious. Leaks are a serious problem. But the attacks on the press are also a serious problem also with this administration.



And I have to hope with extraordinary use of either national security letter or subpoena or whatever device the Justice Department used to seize the reporter's records that they followed all the proper procedures that this was a remedy of last resort, because that's another problem we've seen in this administration, in addition to the leaks, is this whole scale attack on the press.



O’DONNELL: Well, in addition to the administration, though, Congressman, it seems the United States Senate itself has been a party on this investigation, because that resolution that we all reported that the Senate voted on unanimously last night without knowing what it was about. It was just a matter of a resolution saying that the Senate Intelligence Committee could and should cooperate with the Justice Department on an investigation. And at that point it was an unknown investigation.



On the assumption that it was this investigation -- and, in fact, we don't know that -- but on the assumption that it was, then this investigation would have the complete support of the United States Senate, not necessarily the particulars of subpoenaing information from reporters?