Evie Fordham, DCNF

Democratic California Rep. Adam Schiff is working on a “spy drama” screenplay, although it’s unclear how much time he’ll have to devote to the project as the next chair of the House Intelligence Committee.

“It’s a spy drama,” he told Jeffrey Toobin for The New Yorker in a story that appeared in the magazine’s Dec. 24 and 31 issue. “That one is a work in progress.”

The screenplay will be Schiff’s third. His previous scripts, one about the aftermath of the Holocaust and another about a mysterious murder, have not been picked up. Toobin wrote:

It’s less known that, like many lawyers in Los Angeles, Schiff has been writing screenplays on the side for years, which together amount to a kind of autobiography. “The first was a post-Holocaust story called ‘Remnant.’” As Schiff recalled, “I had an agent at William Morris tell me it was good but no one would want to see it—too depressing. Then ‘Schindler’s List’ came out, and I was, like, ‘Come on!’” His next, written when he was a prosecutor, was a murder mystery called “Minotaur.” “I had a friend who was a producer, and he said there were two answers in Hollywood—’Yes,’ and ‘Here’s a check.’ I was getting lots of yeses.” But perhaps there is hope for his third.

Schiff also told Toobin he wants to investigate President Donald Trump’s “financial issues” once the 116th Congress convenes.

“We are going to be looking at the issue of possible money laundering by the Trump Organization, and Deutsche Bank is one obvious place to start,” Schiff said.

The congressman has been in the spotlight for his defense of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 election. Schiff said Trump “may be the first president in quite some time to face the very real prospect of jail time” on “Face the Nation” Dec. 9.

Schiff attracted Trump’s ire in November when he said acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker was a “flawed appointment” who was “chosen for the purpose of interfering with the Mueller investigation.”

Trump responded with a new nickname for Schiff, writing Nov. 18, “So funny to see little Adam Schitt (D-CA) talking about the fact that Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker was not approved by the Senate, but not mentioning the fact that Bob Mueller (who is highly conflicted) was not approved by the Senate!”

So funny to see little Adam Schitt (D-CA) talking about the fact that Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker was not approved by the Senate, but not mentioning the fact that Bob Mueller (who is highly conflicted) was not approved by the Senate! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 18, 2018

Mueller’s investigation has cost roughly $25 million since its inception, according to a Department of Justice filing.

Follow Evie on Twitter @eviefordham.