Rep. Adam Schiff (D., Calif.) on Sunday said it was potentially concerning U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis would express skepticism about special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.
"I can understand the judge asking certain of these questions, although some seem to be non-germane," Schiff said on CNN's "State of the Union."
Ellis questioned whether investigators’ mandate covered charges of tax and bank fraud against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, even though they are unrelated to the 2016 election, the Wall Street Journal reported. Ellis suggested Mueller’s team was simply trying to put pressure on Manafort "to sing" and reveal information about President Donald Trump.
"You don't really care about Mr. Manafort," Ellis said to Mueller’s team. "You really care about what information Mr. Manafort can give you to lead you to Mr. Trump and an impeachment, or whatever."
Ellis was equally blunt in saying there must be limits on Mueller’s authority.
"We don’t want anyone with unfettered power," Ellis said.
The president read some of the judge's comments during his speech at the National Rifle Association Annual Meeting Friday and affirmed Ellis' concerns, praising him as a "respected" judge.
CNN's Jake Tapper asked Schiff about the judge's pushback on the Mueller investigation.
"You heard the president touting that criticism from a federal judge about the investigation on Friday before the NRA saying that Robert Mueller is ultimately only interested in evidence of wrong doing by the president himself," CNN anchor Jake Tapper said. "The president accurately quoted the judge and the CNN story about the judge. Is the judge wrong?"
"I'm not sure that it is germane for example for the judge to be asking how much Bob Mueller has spent on the investigation. It is appropriate to ask about the scope of what Bob Mueller is doing ... I can understand the judge asking certain of these questions, although some seem to be non-germane to the legal issues involved," Schiff said.
Tapper followed up by asking if Schiff is concerned about Ellis' statement that Mueller and his team are only interested in Manafort in order to get him to flip and reveal incriminating information about Trump.
"Doesn't that concern you that a judge would think that?" Tapper asked.
"It does concern me if it influences the judge's review of the facts and the law. That seems to be the judge questioning motives of the special counsel ... I think that Bob Mueller will prevail in the sense of being able to go forward with the litigation. I don't think there is legal question about that," Schiff said.