CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Transcript: Mueller Investigation

Interview

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I want to talk more about this with Democrat congressman Ro Khanna of California Silicon Valley.

So congressman, a lot I want to talk to you about. Let's start with just your reaction to President Trump's personal lawyer calling for the Mueller investigation to be shut down on the heels of the firing of former deputy FBI director Andy McCabe?

REP. RO KHANNA (D), CALIFORNIA: Well, it's outrageous. And you saw that he walked it back. I mean, it leads to the question, why was McCabe fired? Are they really setting this up to fire Mueller or to try to end the investigation?

We all have had confidence in Mueller. We should let him do his job. Find the facts, and have an independence of investigation. And the last two days have really been concerning in terms of the independence of that investigation.

CABRERA: So based on Dowd's statement and also the tweet from the President celebrating McCabe's firing, do you worry that the President is on the verge of trying to fire the special counsel?

KHANNA: I certainly wouldn't put it past them. And I think we need to ask some very basic questions. Was the President or attorney general or anyone else involved in telling the in part inspector general what to do with McCabe? You mentioned in your earlier segment that these were career people, but there's a question, was there any political interference here. And if so, that goes to obstruction of justice.

But McCabe's firing and what McCabe said afterwards where he said he believes he was singled out because of what he did after the Comey firing, raises huge questions of obstruction of justice. And I wouldn't put anything past this administration at this point.

CABRERA: So I just want to make sure I'm understanding what you are saying. Are you worried that people inside the office of professional responsibility were pressured to recommend McCabe's firing?

KHANNA: Well, I think the question needs to be asked. The timing is very suspicious. Two days before his -- he qualified for pensions. And I think we need to know from the White House, from attorney general Sessions, was anyone in the political sphere, did they have any communication with the career officials on this investigation? Did they have any influence on the timing of the investigation? On the recommendations? Did they ask for it to be expedited, or was this purely a career decision? And then we need to know who made the decision that he should be fired. Was this -- was the FBI director consulted? Was this a political decision? Was this a recommendation from the career officers? But it seems the timing seems very fishy. And the facts seem very fishy.

CABRERA: We have also learned McCabe has memos of the conversations he has had with the President. They are now in the hands of Mueller. Are you confident the truth, whatever it is, will all come out eventually?

KHANNA: Well, I do think the truth eventually comes out in American politics. And I'm looking forward to seeing what McCabe has to say. And I don't want to prejudge the matter.

What I have said time and again is Mueller is one of the most trusted people in Washington. He used to be a Republican. He was trusted by Republican administrations. What is sad is seeing people, for personal gain, tarnish his reputation, tarnish the reputation of career officers who have served for 20 years. Let's have an investigation. Let the facts play out, and let's go where the facts are. I don't want to prejudge the investigation. I want to preserve the independence of these agencies and the rule of law.

[16:25:37] CABRERA: At this point, when you say that, preserving the independence of the agencies, that's so important. So many Americans are hearing that and saying yes, that is what's important. But the bottom line, with the President's tweets, and even Andrew McCabe's response, do you worry there has been some serious damage to the credibility of some of America's institutions, particularly the justice department?

KHANNA: I do worry about it. I mean, you know, when you grow up, the one thing you love about this country is that we don't have unlimited power. The executive branch has checks on it. I mean, every high school kid, every kid in elementary school, frankly, learns that. And tor the first time in many, many years, certainly in my lifetime, you are seeing that questioned. You are seeing people acting out of their own political interests and running roughshod over agencies that were independent, over law enforcement, and that American tradition, American institution is being questioned.

Frankly, it's the exact opposite of conservatism, where conservatives usually believed in the independence of institutions and institutional democracy. I do think damage has been done. The good news is I think America's institutions will survive this. We still have an independent judiciary. We have a Congress and senators, and I hope colleagues of mine on both sides of the aisle will stand up for American institutions and independence.

CABRERA: Congressman Ro Khanna, thank you very much for your time.

KHANNA: Thank you.

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