NBC News "Meet the Press" - Transcript: Russian Investigations

Interview

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CHUCK TODD:

Republican Susan Collins of Maine joins me now. Senator Collins, welcome back to the show.

SUSAN COLLINS:

Thank you Chuck.

CHUCK TODD:

I'm gonna ask about that very question you heard Mitch McConnell say, "I decide what goes on the floor, it's not happening.' Where are you on this bill?

SUSAN COLLINS:

I believe that it is important to have a debate on this bill in order to send a clear message to the President that Congress does not support his taking any action with regard to Mr. Mueller's investigation. Now I don't think that there's any chance in the world that the President's going to sign the bill and there are some legitimate constitutional issues that've been raised. But I think that message is an important one.

CHUCK TODD:

Well you and I both know you can always attach stuff to must-sign pieces of legislation. President Obama got forced to pass laws that he didn't want necessarily passed because the other parts of the bill were important. You guys could do something like that.

SUSAN COLLINS:

We could but I think the President might well veto the entire bill that it's attached to. And uh also there's the possibility that it would be struck down. But the message is an important one.

CHUCK TODD:

That's why you want this debate --

SUSAN COLLINS:

Right.

CHUCK TODD:

You think having this public debate -- What about Mitch McConnell's pledge not to bring it to the floor?

SUSAN COLLINS:

Well it's his call but I would hope that he might reconsider after the Judiciary Committee reports the bill.

CHUCK TODD:

Let me ask you about a larger question here. When I saw that I think that the House decided to adjourn a day early it it feels as if Washington is almost paralyzed right now by the Mueller probe and and and I know that or at least it it sort of it's a pall that sort of makes everything hit -- everybody is hitting the pause button. You can't seem to focus on a lot of other issues. Is it

consuming Washington? The Mueller probe a little?

SUSAN COLLINS:

Well there's certainly a lot of interest in it and in some ways I think people are following the daily developments. But we are getting work done in other areas and I'm optimistic that this year we may finally return to a regular appropriations process. We just passed a sex trafficking bill --

CHUCK TODD:

We -- by the way you just brought up a point. What do you make of this decision to potentially repeal some spending? A rescissions bill that you heard, just talked about. You guys just cut a deal um with the Democrats and with everybody. And what kind of dealmakers would you be if you pulled the rug?

SUSAN COLLINS:

I would advise the President to focus on the coming year's appropriations and not try to re-litigate and --

CHUCK TODD:

So you won't support something like this?

SUSAN COLLINS:

No I will not.

CHUCK TODD:

Well that means, frankly, there's with this razor-thin margin here. Doesn't that send the message that this isn't going anywhere?

SUSAN COLLINS:

Well this was an agreement that all the parties were in the room. Both chambers and the administration agreed to. And I just don't think that anyone should renege on it. We should focus going forward on the appropriations bills before us.

CHUCK TODD:

Alright. I want to ask you about your role in the Senate Intelligence Committee. Michael Cohen. He has made one appearance before the Intel Committee in closed session. What's your sense of Michael Cohen's connection to this Russia probe?

SUSAN COLLINS:

That's a very difficult question to answer. There's been one interview of Michael Cohen. It has not been released to the public. I'm not at liberty to say what he said.

CHUCK TODD:

Mhm.

SUSAN COLLINS:

But let me just say that I don't see him as being a central figure in this. The fact that the Special Counsel referred the allegations against Mr. Cohen back to the Justice Department and was referred to a U.S. Attorney suggests to me that it is not intimately connected to the Russia probe.

CHUCK TODD:

Do you feel as if Special Counsel Robert Mueller has expanded his probe beyond the scope of what of what he was assigned or is -- do you feel as if he is staying within the parameters?

SUSAN COLLINS:

I believe he's staying within the parameters. And the proof of that is when he came across the allegations against Mr. Cohen he did refer them back to the Justice Department and they're now being handled by a U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York. He didn't keep those.

CHUCK TODD:

James Comey's book tour. What do you make of James Comey and what do you make of the…what's the lesson that you're taking away from from perhaps what advice you would give a future FBI Director by watching James Comey, and this book tour, and how he's handled all this.

SUSAN COLLINS:

Well if I were advising a future FBI Director I would say two things. One: always follow the Department of Justice's protocols and guidelines which unfortunately James Comey did not do in the Hillary Clinton investigation. And he did not do when he leaked documents that were FBI work documents to a friend of his knowing that they would go to the press. And to it, so that would be my first advice. The second would be don't write a book in the middle of an investigation that's ongoing --

CHUCK TODD:

Do you think this is potentially disruptive to the Mueller probe?

SUSAN COLLINS:

That's what worries me. I cannot imagine why an FBI Director would seek to essentially cash in on a book when the investigation is very much alive. He should have waited to do his memoir.

CHUCK TODD:

The Senate confirmation process on everything seems to be more and more difficult all the time. Let me ask you about two. Mike Pompeo. You voted to confirm him as CIA Director. Any reason you wouldn't vote to confirm him as Secretary of State?

SUSAN COLLINS:

I am going to vote to confirm him.

CHUCK TODD:

Any concerns at all or no?

SUSAN COLLINS:

I worked closely with him as a member of the Intelligence Committee. He is a very bright individual. I don't agree with every position he's taken or every word he has spoken. But I believe he has an extensive knowledge of world affairs that has been enhanced by his time at the CIA.

CHUCK TODD:

Gina Haspel, the Director the the nominee to replace Mike Pompeo. Dianne Feinstein came out against. Where are you on her? Have you made a decision?

SUSAN COLLINS:

I have not. I want to wait "til we have the hearings. I had a lengthy meeting with her last week. I would note that the Mike Morell memo to look at her role in the destruction of the video tapes which had been major concern of mine --

CHUCK TODD:

Of potential torture.

SUSAN COLLINS:

Exactly. Of detainees.

CHUCK TODD:

Right.

SUSAN COLLINS: Exonerated her as far as the destruction of the tapes. But we still have a lot of questions to ask of her.

CHUCK TODD:

Before I let you go. Can you just share with us -- I know you attended the memorial service for Barbara Bush who was not tech--a a a long time part-time resident of your home state of Maine. Tell me about the service.

SUSAN COLLINS:

It was a heart-warming tribute to Barbara Bush. It included beautiful liturgy, wonderful tributes to her. Lots of grandchildren and representatives from the First Families going back to Lyndon Baines Johnson's family. And that was -- and to and to President Kennedy's family as well. And that was heartwarming as well. To see people putting away partisanship and coming together to honor a truly wonderful woman who had a huge influence on this country and my state. And I -- I'm very grateful that I was able to be there.

CHUCK TODD:

It felt like America said goodbye to its grandmother.

SUSAN COLLINS:

Exactly.

CHUCK TODD:

God bless. Anyone. Susan Collins. Senator from, Republican Senator Maine. Thanks for coming on the show.

SUSAN COLLINS:

Thank you.

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