House intelligence committee releases 57 transcripts from Russia probe

May 7 (UPI) -- The House intelligence committee on Thursday released transcripts from its investigation into a Russian campaign to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

The committee made public 57 transcripts of interviews conducted between 2017 and 2018 as part of the investigation to determine whether President Donald Trump and his 2016 presidential campaign colluded with Russia to influence the results of the election.

Upon the conclusion of the investigation in 2018, former special counsel Robert Mueller found that Russia did interfere in the election but was unable to conclude whether Trump's campaign colluded with the Russian government or whether Trump obstructed the investigation.

House intelligence committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., on Thursday said the transcripts show "ample evidence" of corrupt interactions between the Trump campaign and Russia.

"The transcripts released today richly detail evidence of the Trump campaign's efforts to invite, make use of and cover up Russia's help in the 2016 presidential election," Schiff said. "Special counsel Robert Mueller identified in his report similar, and even more extensive, evidence of improper links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government. A bipartisan Senate investigation also found that Russia sought to help the candidacy of Donald Trump in 2016."

Included in the transcripts released Thursday were interviews with Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, former chief strategist Steve Bannon, former campaign aide Corey Lewandowski and former Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats.

They also include law enforcement and intelligence officials from the Obama administration, including former Director of National Intelligence Jams Clapper and former deputy Attorney General Sally Yates.

Transcripts from Tump's former political strategist, Roger Stone, had previously been released as part of a criminal case in which he was convicted of lying to Congress and witness tampering in Mueller's investigation.