Sarah Huckabee Sanders On Impeachment: 'Utterly And Completely Ridiculous'

WASHINGTON, DC — White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that the president maintains that the special counsel's investigation is a "witch hunt," even as Donald Trump Jr. is facing criticism for taking a meeting in which he was promised dirt on Hillary Clinton from the Russian government. These comments came on the third off-camera briefing of the week.

The White House's decision to hold the majority of briefings off camera has been controversial, but there has been little pushback on the decision from the president's own party. (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Reporters continued to press Sanders about the recent revelation that Donald Trump Jr. met with a Russian lawyer for dirt on Clinton, though she had previously referred all questions to outside counsel.

Asked about Trump Jr.'s decision to release the emails, Sanders said that the White House was trying to be as "transparent as humanly possible and to put every bit of information that we have at the forefront." However, Trump Jr. only appears to have released the emails because the New York Times was going to publish them. As the Times dug deeper and deeper into the story, Trump Jr. gave ever-changing statements. Initially, he denied that the meeting with the Russian lawyer had ever taken place.

Watch: Democrat Files To Impeach President Trump, But Don’t Hold Your Breath

Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman of California filed an impeachment bill Wednesday. Asked about this bill, Sanders said, "I think that is utterly and completely ridiculous, and a political game at its worst."

Some reports found that Trump Jr. worked with the White House on his statements to the press and that the president even signed off on final versions.

"I'm not sure about specific communications and the nature of those conversations," Sanders said. She was asked about the president's communication with his son Tuesday. "I know that they've spoken at least at some point over the last few days, but beyond that I don't have any other further details."

Asked if Trump still thinks the Russia investigation is a "witch hunt," Sanders said yes, "Because the President knows very specifically any action or inaction that has taken. And so I think that's pretty clear."

However, the White House has denied that Trump knew about Trump Jr.'s meeting with the Russian lawyer, which also included Jared Kushner and then-Campaign Manager Paul Manafort.

She went on to say that if any collusion took place, it happened between the DNC and the government of Ukraine.

One reporter noted that many members of the Trump team have forgotten to disclose contacts with the Russian government when they've been asked to do so.

"Every single day we do our best to give the most accurate information that we have, and we continue to do that every single day, and have offered to be as transparent as possible with all committees and anyone looking into this matter," Sanders said in response.

Once again, Sanders was asked what Trump thinks of the relationship between the United States and Russia. Sanders has previously said that she would talk to the president and give an answer on this topic.

Though again she had no answer, she said, "I do assure you I will certainly work to make sure I get that answer to you."

Write a letter to the editor of the White House Patch.

Like The White House Patch Facebook Page.

Follow us on Twitter.

Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images