Schiff says Trump’s political relevance may have slowed DOJ probes

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on Sunday said former President Trump’s political relevance may have impacted the Justice Department’s probes involving Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, his potential mishandling of classified documents and his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

When asked by co-anchor Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State of the Union” whether he thinks Trump should be charged, Schiff replied, “I think that he should.”

“I think he should face the same remedy, force of law, that anyone else would. I do worry that it may take until he is no longer politically relevant for justice to be served,” Schiff said.

“That’s not the way it should be in this country, but there seems to be an added evidentiary burden with someone who has a large enough following. … I find it hard otherwise to explain why, almost two years from the events of Jan. 6 and with the evidence that’s already in the public domain, why the Justice Department hasn’t moved more quickly than it has,” Schiff said.  

Schiff, who serves on the Jan. 6 committee investigating the circumstances of that day, made the remarks days ahead of that panel issuing its much-anticipated report and possible criminal referrals to the Justice Department that involve Trump as well as recommending fellow members of Congress be investigated by the House Ethics Committee for ignoring subpoenas.

The Jan. 6 panel is expect to issue its report on Wednesday.