Schiff throws cold water on bringing Bolton to House committee before Senate trial

Schiff, a California Democrat, said "we have not" had discussions with Bolton or his team since the former White House aide announced this week that he'd be willing to testify before the Senate if subpoenaed.

With Republican senators resisting calls to bring him in before their chamber, some have suggested that House Democrats should instead compel testimony from Bolton, who previously warned the House Intelligence Committee he'd fight any subpoena in court.

But Schiff said Thursday that Bolton should testify before the Senate -- not the House.

"We haven't taken anything off the table," Schiff said, leaving a meeting in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office. "But if we are proceeding in a rationale way where we are trying to be fair to the President and fair to the American people, he should testify before the triers of fact, which are the senators."

Schiff added: "There's little to be gained by having him testify separately and then have the Senate get the stale records. If we're doing this rationally and we're trying to achieve a fair trial, he should testify before the Senate."

Whether Schiff later calls in Bolton if senators ultimately decline to subpoena him remain uncertain.