Trump Calls Schiff A 'Political Hack' For Looking Into Personal Finances, Russia Ties

President Donald Trump on Wednesday blasted Rep. Adam Schiff, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, over the committee's investigation into the president's personal finances and possible Russia ties.

"He has no basis to do that. He’s just a political hack who’s trying to build a name for himself," Trump told White House reporters after naming David Malpass as his first choice to lead the World Bank.

"It’s just presidential harassment and it’s unfortunate and it really does hurt our country," Trump said.

Trump's comments were made in response to Schiff's announcement Wednesday for the committee to "investigate any credible allegation that financial interests or other interests are driving decision-making of the president or anyone in the administration."

"The president’s actions and posture towards Russia during the campaign, transition, and administration have only heightened fears of foreign financial or other leverage over President Trump and underscore the need to determine whether he or those in his administration have acted in service of foreign interests since taking office," said Schiff, a Democrat from California.

Schiff later tweeted that the House Intelligence Committee had voted in favor of releasing all witness transcripts from the Russia investigation to the Department of Justice and Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is overseeing his own probe regarding Russia's meddling during the election and its ties to Trump's presidential campaign.

News of the new investigation comes only a day after the president's State of the Union address, in which Trump both made a call for bipartisanship while simultaneously bashing Democrats for failing to conform to his political agenda, especially over government spending for a border wall.

Since taking back the House after the 2018 midterm elections, there had been talk of Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee re-opening the Russia investigation, which was closed in March by Republicans, led by Rep. Devin Nunes of California.

Trump and Schiff have a history of exchanging harsh words.

"Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped!" Trump posted on Twitter in February 2018 after Democrats sought to release a four-page Republican document over alleged FBI surveillance abuses.

In December, Schiff mused on CBS' "Face The Nation" that Trump faces the "real prospect of jail time" if, as prosecutors indicated, Trump made illegal payments during his 2016 presidential campaign through his former personal attorney Michael Cohen. Cohen pleaded guilty to federal fraud and other charges last year.