WASHINGTON — The House Intelligence Committee has begun work on its report in the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump, Chairman Adam B. Schiff, D-Calif., said in an interview Friday.
The committee, which on Thursday wrapped up public testimony with a dozen current and former administration officials, will continue working on its investigation while compiling the report, Schiff said in his Capitol Hill office. The report will signify a handoff in the impeachment inquiry from the Intelligence Committee to the House Judiciary Committee, which would write articles of impeachment.
“We’re not foreclosing the possibility of additional depositions or hearings, but we’re also not willing to wait months and months and let them play rope-a-dope with us in the courts,” Schiff said, referring to ongoing legal battles over the refusal of some witnesses to testify or provide documents.
Schiff said the committee will work on “both tracks” of continuing to investigate while “beginning to put our report together.” He refused to say when the report may come out or whether he believes articles of impeachment are warranted.
But at the end of Thursday’s public hearing, Schiff declared that Trump’s actions were worse than President Richard Nixon’s, who left office when it became clear he would be impeached and removed for covering up the Watergate burglary.
In this image from video, House impeachment manager Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., speaks during closing arguments in the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Feb. 3.
In this screengrab taken from a Senate Television webcast, House manager Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) speaks during impeachment proceedings against U.S. President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 3, in Washington.
In this screengrab taken from a Senate Television webcast, House manager Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) speaks during impeachment proceedings against U.S. President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 3, in Washington.
In this screengrab taken from a Senate Television webcast, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts speaks during impeachment proceedings against U.S. President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 3, in Washington.
House impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) arrives for closing statements during the impeachment trial of US President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill on Feb. 3, in Washington.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., holds a copy of the book "Profiles in Courage" by John F. Kennedy, as he arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Feb. 3, for the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Rep. Adam Schiff and fellow House Impeachment Managers hold a press conference at the U.S Capitol during U.S. President Donald Trump's Senate impeachment trial in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 28.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks to the press in the basement of the U.S Capitol during U.S. President Donald Trump's Senate impeachment trial in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 28.
In this screengrab taken from a Senate Television webcast, Legal Counsel for President Donald Trump Jay Sekulow speaks during impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 28.
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts departs the Senate chamber after the impeachment trial on Jan. 27. White House lawyers were to resume their defense of President Donald Trump at his Senate impeachment trial Monday as explosive revelations from former national security advisor John Bolton increased pressure on Republicans to call him as a witness.
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., from left, with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas and Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., speaks to reporters at the Capitol on Jan. 27, during a break in the impeachment trial.
This artist sketch depicts Ken Starr making an argument in defense of President Donald Trump during his impeachment trial on Jan. 27. Starr is best known as the independent counsel whose investigation led to the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.
This artist sketch depicts Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., left, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., right, listening to defense arguments in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on Jan. 27.
In this screengrab taken from Senate Television, legal counsel for President Donald Trump, Ken Starr speaks during impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 27, in Washington, DC.
In this screengrab taken from Senate Television, Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks during impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 27, in Washington, DC.
Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks as Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) listen during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol Jan. 27, in Washington, DC.
House Democratic impeachment managers, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., center, joined by from left, Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., address a press conference at the Capitol in Washington during the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, on Jan. 25.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks during media briefing after the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump ended for the day in Washington, on Jan. 25.
House Democratic impeachment manager and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. arrives at the Senate with carts of documents as work resumes in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020.
Presiding officer Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts gables the day to a close during the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol, on Jan. 24.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., departs the Capitol as the Senate finishes its work for the day in the impeachment trial of President Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, on Jan. 24.
President Donald Trump's personal attorney Jay Sekulow gestures while speaking to the media during a break in the impeachment trial of President Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, on Jan. 24, on Capitol Hill.
Senate Television webcast, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) speaks during impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 24.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler and the other House Democratic impeachment managers walk through the Capitol Rotunda as work resumes in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 24.
Mitt Romney arrives at the Senate for a Republican lunch before work resumes in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 24.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks during a press conference on the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump with Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Ed Markey on Jan. 24, in Washington, D.C. Democratic House managers conclude their opening arguments on Friday as the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump continues into its fourth day.
House impeachment manager Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., speaks during the impeachment trial against President Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol, on Jan. 23.
Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) speaks to reporters as he walks toward the Senate chamber after a break in the impeachment trial of President Trump at the U.S. Capitol, on Jan. 23.
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) gestures to reporters as he walks toward the Senate chamber after a break in the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump at the U.S. Capitol, on Jan. 23.
In this screengrab taken from a Senate Television webcast, House impeachment manager Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) speaks during impeachment proceedings against U.S. President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 23 in Washington, DC.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters during the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress on Jan. 23 on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Lead manager House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) speaks during the third day of the U.S. Senate impeachment trial of U.S. President Donald Trump in this still image from video in the U.S. Senate Chamber at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 23.
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“We are going to have to make a decision about whether we’re prepared to say the kind of conduct that has been demonstrated in these hearings is compatible with the office of the presidency,” he said. “Are we willing to accept that kind of flagrant misconduct?” he continued, warning of the precedent it would set for the rest of Trump’s term or for a future president.
Schiff and other Democrats have warned that the White House’s refusal to cooperate in their investigation amounts to obstruction of Congress.
“We have made it abundantly clear to the president that their failure to permit witnesses to testify and their failure to respond to any of our subpoenas has only built the case against them for obstruction of Congress,” Schiff said.
The House’s timeline in the impeachment inquiry is ticking. Democrats had expressed hope that if the House votes on articles, it would do so this year. That would require a report to be completed swiftly so that the House Judiciary Committee would have time to write articles and hold a vote before the full House could vote.