"His conflicts are so apparent," Rep. Adam Schiff said of acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker. "The country can have no confidence in a judgment that he makes about the handling of this investigation." | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Congress Schiff: Americans should have 'no confidence' in Whitaker's control of Mueller probe

Rep. Adam Schiff, the incoming chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, on Thursday warned that Americans "can have no confidence" in any decision acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker makes regarding special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Addressing a political conference at the University of Virginia, Schiff (D-Calif.) said Congress will exercise its oversight role to "determine whatever role Whitaker plays" in Mueller's investigation, in particular in regard to the special counsel's final report.


"His conflicts are so apparent," Schiff said of Whitaker. "The country can have no confidence in a judgment that he makes about the handling of this investigation. This is someone who auditioned for the part, by his own admission, by going on TV and bashing the Mueller investigation."

Whitaker, who was placed atop the Justice Department in an acting capacity after Attorney General Jeff Sessions' departure, has been attacked over outspoken criticism of the investigation he offered prior to joining the Justice Department. Whitaker became Sessions' chief of staff in September 2017.

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Prior to Whitaker's placement atop the Justice Department, the Mueller probe was overseen by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who stepped in after Sessions recused himself from all matters related to the 2016 campaign. Whitaker now oversees the probe, which Schiff said allows him to decide the scope of the investigation and what will ultimately happen to Mueller's final report.

"Does it get shared with Congress, is it made public, or is it buried?" Schiff said of the report. "We are determined to make sure it does not get buried."

"It's just too important to know the full facts," Schiff said.