{"id":1834,"date":"2017-03-19T12:06:58","date_gmt":"2017-03-19T16:06:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/press.nbcnews.com\/?p=1834"},"modified":"2017-03-19T12:06:58","modified_gmt":"2017-03-19T16:06:58","slug":"mtp-exclusive-ranking-dem-intel-member-rep-schiff-there-was-circumstantial-evidence-of-collusion-between-trump-campaign-and-russia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nbcuniversalnewsgroup.com\/nbcnews\/2017\/03\/19\/mtp-exclusive-ranking-dem-intel-member-rep-schiff-there-was-circumstantial-evidence-of-collusion-between-trump-campaign-and-russia\/","title":{"rendered":"MTP EXCLUSIVE: RANKING DEM INTEL MEMBER REP. SCHIFF: ‘THERE WAS CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE OF COLLUSION’ BETWEEN TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIA"},"content":{"rendered":"

PLUS: OMB Director Mick Mulvaney: \u201cWe won\u2019t be able to balance the budget this year\u201d <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

SUNDAY EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.): Trump wiretapping claims are \u201cjust patently false\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

SUNDAY EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine): Trump \u201cowes us that explanation\u201d on wiretapping claims<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

MARCH 19, 2017 — Ahead of tomorrow\u2019s House Intelligence Committee hearing on Russian interference in the 2016 election, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.)<\/strong> told \u201cMeet the Press\u201d moderator exclusively that \u201cat the outset of the investigation, there was circumstantial evidence of collusion\u201d<\/a> between President Trump\u2019s campaign and Russia.<\/p>\n

Rep. Schiff, the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, called Trump\u2019s wiretapping claims \u201cpatently false\u201d and said he expects FBI Director Comey to say that definitely in tomorrow\u2019s hearing. Watch the full, exclusive interview.<\/a><\/p>\n

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)<\/strong>, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, also joined the program exclusively, telling Todd that she doesn\u2019t \u201cknow the basis for President Trump\u2019s assertion\u201d about being wiretapped. \u201cI wish he would explain to us on the Intelligence Committee and to the American people. And I do believe he owes us that explanation,\u201d<\/a> she added. Watch the full, exclusive interview.<\/a><\/p>\n

Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget<\/strong>, told Todd that he thought \u201cthe thing with Angela Merkel\u201d was \u201csort of tongue in cheek.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mulvaney addressed the administration\u2019s proposed budget and said that \u201cwe won\u2019t be able to balance the budget this year.\u201d He also addressed the debt ceiling <\/a>and noted a timeline of possibly mid-May for a proposed balanced budget with the administration\u2019s next focuses on tax reform (following health care reform) and infrastructure \u201caround summer or early fall.\u201d Watch the full interview.<\/a><\/p>\n

Yamiche Alcindor <\/strong>of The New York Times, Robert Costa<\/strong> of The Washington Post, Katty Kay<\/strong> of the BBC and syndicated columnist George F. Will<\/strong> joined this morning\u2019s roundtable for insight and analysis.<\/p>\n

Read the full transcript of this morning\u2019s \u201cMeet the Press.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

For more from moderator Chuck Todd throughout the week, watch <\/strong>MSNBC\u2019s \u201cMTP Daily\u201d<\/strong><\/a> weekdays at 5 p.m., and subscribe to the <\/strong>\u201c1947: The Meet The Press Podcast\u201d<\/strong><\/a> for on-demand interviews.<\/p>\n

MANDATORY CREDIT: NBC\u2019S \u201cMEET THE PRESS WITH CHUCK TODD\u201d \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n