House chairman probes White House role in climate testimony

Schiff is sending a similar letter to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, his office said.

Context: According to reports last week in the Washington Post and the New York Times, White House aides sought to heavily edit and cut the testimony.

The White House ultimately never cleared the testimony for submission after State resisted the changes and it was not sent to the committee for entry into the official record, both papers reported. However, Schoonover testified orally at the June 5 hearing.

What they're saying: "These reports raise profound concerns that White House officials abused the interagency process in an effort to manipulate, remove, and ultimately suppress the independent, objective analysis State INR planned to present before the Committee on a matter of national urgency," Schiff's letter states.

The White House did not provide immediate comment Tuesday.