CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview With Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal

Interview

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BLITZER: A lot of nervous tension right now. No doubt about that. Jim Acosta, thank you.

Joining us now, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. He's a member of both the Judiciary and Armed Services Committees.

Thanks so much for joining us.

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D), CONNECTICUT: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: So, what does it tell you that FBI agents are looking at records related to that infamous "Access Hollywood" videotape?

BLUMENTHAL: What it tells me -- and we have no certain knowledge because the investigation has been conducted with very methodical and systematic confidentiality -- is that they are looking at obstruction of justice, both in New York by Michael Cohen, concealment and hiding of evidence, money laundering, bank fraud, as well as obstruction of justice in Washington, D.C., by the president of the United States.

But there's also a link in the timing of those payments to Stormy Daniels and others, insofar as the tape's release at the time imperiled the campaign. And those payments may have been related to trying to hide or conceal that kind of evidence.

BLITZER: But could any of that, whether the Stormy Daniels, the Karen McDougal, former Playmate, or the "Access Hollywood" videotape, have any connection with the Russia probe?

BLUMENTHAL: They have possible connection to the president.

We're learning about those conversations now as a result of the excellent reporting that you have just indicated. And whether it relates to the Russia probe or not is still unknown.

BLITZER: But if it were connected to the Russia probe, the special counsel, Robert Mueller, would not have referred it, presumably, to the U.S. attorney in New York.

BLUMENTHAL: He might have asked the U.S. attorney simply to do the search warrant and conduct the raid, because logistically it might have been easier to do it in that way. Prosecutors frequently do.

But remember also, Wolf, Michael Cohen was involved in the Trump hotel negotiations in Russia. He represented Donald Trump and the Trump Organization in connection with potentially other financial transactions involving Deutsche Bank, money laundering by Russia to Deutsche Bank, which Deutsche Bank has already acknowledged. That was Donald Trump's bank.

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There's a variety of potential connections to Russian collusion, but I think one of most likely connections concerns the hiding of material evidence, obstruction of evidence, potential destruction of documents, which is the reason why the FBI would have conducted this raid, not only that evidence existed, but that it was in danger of destruction.

BLITZER: Does this raise the chances, do you believe, that the

president might fire Jeff Sessions, for example, the attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, Robert Mueller, the special counsel?

BLUMENTHAL: That's the timely and important question of the day.

It's the reason we have reintroduced legislation that would protect the special counsel. And, yes, it increases the threat level, clearly. The president is in substantial turmoil, upset, upheaval.

The rant and tirade that he conducted just the other day in the presence of his generals, supposedly considering the Syrian strike, indicates that he is really deeply troubled. And so it raises the very possible prospect that is also affecting my colleagues on the Republican side that he would do something rash and impulsive.

BLITZER: If the president were to fire Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general who is overseeing the Mueller probe, would it be possible if somebody new came in that we might never see the bottom- line collusion of Mueller's report?

Because he has to submit it to the deputy attorney general. Sessions, the attorney general, has recused himself. And then that deputy attorney general, whoever it might be, decides whether to release it, send it to Congress or whatever.

BLUMENTHAL: Firing Rod Rosenstein, in my view, would be evidence of obstruction of justice on the part of the president, because it would possibly have the effect of suppressing a report and continuing to conceal evidence, impede the investigation, intimidate the investigators, so it would be an act of very serious legal consequence, in my view, evidence of obstruction of justice.

BLITZER: Senator Blumenthal, thanks for joining us.

BLUMENTHAL: Thank you.

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