President Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani said on ABC's “This Week” on Sunday that he will cooperate with the House Intelligence Committee in its impeachment investigation of Trump and Ukraine if the president tells him to, but called Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) an "illegitimate chairman."
Why it matters: The committee is quickly moving ahead with its investigation into allegations that Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden, issuing a subpoena for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday and scheduling a series of hearings and depositions for this week. Schiff later said on ABC that the committee will "make that decision down the road" on whether it would be "productive" to bring in Giuliani, a Trump loyalist who is notoriously combative in cable news interviews.
NEW: Asked repeatedly if he would cooperate with House Intelligence Committee, Rudy Giuliani tells @ThisWeekABC, "I wouldn't cooperate with Adam Schiff," but then says he would "consider" it were chair Adam Schiff removed. https://t.co/S0bTTE1vKj pic.twitter.com/gszI6zeRUV
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) September 29, 2019
What he's saying: When first asked whether he would cooperate, Giuliani rebuked Schiff: "I wouldn't cooperate with Adam Schiff. I think Adam Schiff should be removed."
- He said he believes Schiff has "already prejudged the case. If we want fairness here, we got to put somebody in charge of that committee who has an open mind. Not someone who wants to hang the president."
Go deeper: Schiff says House Intel has reached agreement for whistleblower testimony
