CNN "Erin Burnett Outfront" - Transcript: Interview with Congressman Ted Lieu of California

Interview

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BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Jessica Schneider, with those new details from you and Laura Jarrett as well. Thank you.

And, now, Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu. He sits on the House Foreign Affairs and Judiciary Committees.

Congressman, thanks very much for being with us tonight.

Not really what we expected to be talking about frankly on anything, but that's the way the world goes, the world completely changes every hour when it comes to covering this administration. What's your reaction to the president's attack on the attorney general? And to the crucial thing that happened today which has never happened before, which is Jeff Sessions fought back?

REP. TED LIEU (D-CA), JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Thank you, Erin, for your question.

I think what we are seeing now are high level officials ranging from John Kelly to Jeff Sessions pushing back on the president saying we're not going to take any more of your bullying. We're going to stand up to you and we're going to do what is right.

And Jeff Sessions' statement today was rather remarkable. He's basically saying the president was asking him to do something that he considered dishonorable and something that would violate his integrity and he was not going to do it.

BURNETT: Right. The first words from his response, perhaps the most crucial, I will continue to discharge my duties with integrity and honor. Very clear that he felt that the president was doing exact -- the president is implying he was doing the exact opposite of that.

What's the president trying to do here? Obviously I ask this in the context of "The Washington Post" report about the special counsel investigating the president's apparent efforts to oust Sessions as far back as last summer. What is he trying to do right now, Congressman?

LIEU: I'm former prosecutor, and I can tell you the actions of Donald Trump are not consistent with that of an innocent person. If we are to believe that this whole Russia investigation is a hoax, then why would Donald Trump keep trying to obstruct it?

He fired Comey. He tried to fire Mueller. He tried to put pressure on Rosenstein to resign. And now we know he tried to oust Jeff Sessions.

Those are the actions of a guilty person, someone who has something to hide.

BURNETT: Now, is it possible that maybe he has something to hide, but it has nothing to do with Russia, Congressman. And I ask this -- I mean, is it possible that he wants people to be loyal to him, if they're not loyal, he thinks there is no there there. And if you're not going to be loyal and help me do that so I can move forward and do my job, then I want to get rid of you. Is it possible that that is the motive and it's not actually covering up for anything?

LIEU: It's possible. But if you look at the over all context, it's not likely, because as we sit here today, Donald Trump has still not implemented bipartisan congressional sanctions law on Russia. He still refuses to condemn the Kremlin or Putin for attacking American democracy in 2016, and he still has not ordered the NSA or FBI to prevent another attack.

[19:40:07] So, if you take that in context, it looks more like he has something to hide specifically about the Russian investigation.

BURNETT: And just one more reaction here to this report in "The Washington Post", that Mueller is looking at Trump's apparent efforts to oust Sessions as far back as July. One of the crucial line here, people with whom the president has spoken. So, they are saying multiple people say that Trump derisively has referred to Mr. Sessions as Mr. Magoo, elderly, myopic and bumbling character.

Your reaction?

LIEU: I'm not surprised. I think that could explain one reason so many administration officials have already departed the White House, why there's been scandal after scandal. And I get a very real sense you have Americans who want to serve their country and the White House and then they're confronted with a president that's taking actions and making statements that are harmful to the nation and they can't reconcile the two.

So, either they leave or in this case, they are pushing back.

BURNETT: Thank you very much, Congressman Lieu. Appreciate your time.

LIEU: Thank you, Erin.

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