Adam Schiff obtains, releases personal phone records of Rudy Giuliani, Devin Nunes — without explanation of why or how

With impeachment enthusiasm waning, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) released his committee's 300-page impeachment report Tuesday, formalizing his committee's findings in order that the impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump may proceed.

Perhaps the biggest revelation stemming from the report is that Schiff obtained the phone records and text message logs of Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal attorney.

In addition, he also collected phone records and text messages of journalist John Solomon and Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee.

NEWS: Rep. Adam Schiff obtained call records for journalist John Solomon, the president's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, and Rep. Devin Nunes as part of the impeachment inquiry.

See pg. 157 of Democratic impeachment report. pic.twitter.com/RYbOv4Vjv2

— Ivan Pentchoukov (@IvanPentchoukov) December 3, 2019

According to NBC News, the phone records fuel speculation that Giuliani in particular acted nefariously to advance the president's personal interests.

Who in the White House budget office called Rudy Giuliani on an August afternoon, and what did they have to talk about for 13 minutes?

It's unclear what legitimate purpose the president's personal lawyer would have to speak at length with the White House Office of Management and Budget. But the revelation is likely to fuel arguments from House Democrats that Giuliani was intimately involved in a scheme to use U.S. taxpayer dollars as leverage to advance Trump's personal political interests.

There is little doubt the phone records were included in the report to advance theories that Trump's staunchest defenders have conspired to protect him and further his interests.

But what the report does not spell out, and what NBC noted, is how — and why — Schiff obtained the records.

At the very least, it is odd for a House committee to subpoena the phone records of its ranking member, a journalist, and the president's personal attorney — let alone in the midst of a presidential impeachment inquiry.