The Latest: House panel backs sending transcripts to Mueller
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on Congress and the special counsel's Russia investigation (all times local):
11:35 a.m.
The House Intelligence Committee has voted to send more than 50 interview transcripts from its now-closed Russia investigation to special counsel Robert Mueller.
Republican Reps. Michael Conaway of Texas and Chris Stewart of Utah said the panel backed sending the transcripts to Mueller during a closed-door session Wednesday. It is unclear if the special counsel requested the documents.
The panel's new Democratic chairman, California Rep. Adam Schiff, has long said that sending Mueller the transcripts would be one of his first actions. Two associates of President Donald Trump have already been charged with lying to the committee, and Schiff has said Mueller should consider whether additional perjury charges are warranted.
Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, and a longtime adviser, Roger Stone, have been charged with lying to the panel.
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10:05 a.m.
The House intelligence committee has postponed closed-door testimony from President Donald Trump's former lawyer, according to the panel's chairman.
Cohen was scheduled to speak with the committee Friday. California Rep. Adam Schiff said in a statement that the interview has been rescheduled for Feb. 28 "in the interests of the investigation." He did not say which investigation he was talking about.
Trump's former fixer is a central figure in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible coordination between Russia and Trump's campaign. He begins a three-year prison sentence in March after pleading guilty to campaign finance violations and lying to Congress.
Cohen was also scheduled to speak to the House Oversight and Reform Committee this week but pulled out, citing threats from Trump and the president's attorney-spokesman, Rudy Giuliani.
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1:08 a.m.
Now controlled by Democrats, the House Intelligence Committee is expected to vote to send more than 50 interview transcripts to special counsel Robert Mueller.
The panel is meeting Wednesday for the first time since California Democrat Adam Schiff became chairman. Schiff vowed that sending Mueller the transcripts from the panel's now-closed investigation into Russian election interference would be one of his top priorities.
Two associates of President Donald Trump have already been charged with lying to the committee, and Schiff has said Mueller should consider whether additional perjury charges are warranted.
A notice for the closed-door committee meeting says that one of the agenda items is "transmission of certain committee transcripts to the Department of Justice."
Mueller is investigating Russian election interference and whether there was coordination with Trump's campaign.