Rep. Adam Schiff Adam Bennett SchiffTop Democrats call for DOJ watchdog to probe Barr over possible 2020 election influence Overnight Defense: Top admiral says 'no condition' where US should conduct nuclear test 'at this time' | Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings Overnight Defense: House to vote on military justice bill spurred by Vanessa Guillén death | Biden courts veterans after Trump's military controversies MORE (D-Calif.) on Sunday said the special counsel’s impaneling of a grand jury represents “a new phase” of the probe into Russia’s election meddling and any potential ties between Trump campaign staff members and the Kremlin.

During an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Schiff said the grand jury is “not unexpected,” but it means the investigation is “moving into a new phase.”

“Instead, if these allegations are true, it’s moving into a new phase with the impaneling of a grand jury so that special counsel can subpoenas witnesses and documents,” Schiff told host Jake Tapper.

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“That wouldn’t be taking place if there was really no evidence, no evidentiary basis to move forward," he added.

He also acknowledged that a grand jury does not equal guilt.

“I think it is a significant development, not particularly unexpected. And you’re right, you can’t read that this means that indictments are going to follow,” Schiff said.

Schiff, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, refused to comment on when he learned about the controversial meeting Donald Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE Jr. had with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign.

But Schiff pointed to the meeting as a reason why the probe is "probably closer to the beginning than the end" and might go on for some time.