"I don't want to prejudge where we ultimately end up and, of course, there's one thing to say there's evidence," Adam Schiff said. | Getty Schiff, defending Trump-Russia probe, cites 'direct evidence' of deception

The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said Sunday there was "circumstantial evidence" of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials — and "direct evidence" of deception.

Rep. Adam Schiff of California, appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," said he was "surprised" to hear former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper say there was no evidence of coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian officials.


"I was surprised to see Director Clapper say that, because I don't think you can make that claim categorically, as he did," Schiff said. "I would characterize it this way: At the outset of the investigation, there was circumstantial evidence of collusion. There was direct evidence, I think, of deception."

"I don't want to prejudge where we ultimately end up and, of course, there's one thing to say there's evidence. There's another thing to say we can prove this, or prove it beyond a reasonable doubt, or there's enough evidence to bring to a grand jury for purposes of criminal indictment," Schiff said. "But there was certainly enough for us to conduct an investigation."