MSNBC "All in with Chris Hayes" - Transcript: Russian Investigations

Interview

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HAYES: Joining me now, Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, who was a Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. She's been fighting to protect the Special Counsel's investigation. Senator, your response to that remarkable statement from Rod Rosenstein, the Department of Justice will not be extorted?

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO (D-HI), SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: I completely agree with him. And contrary to the President's belief that everybody works for him including the Justice Department. Rod Rosenstein is a professional. He's doing his job. And this is why the Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bipartisan bill that would ensure that Special Counsel, not just Mueller but going forward that they would protect it from political pressures, the kind of political pressure that the House Republicans Freedom Caucus, don't make me laugh. You know, we should be free from Russian interference in our elections. What the Freedom Caucus is so prepared to support the President in any way, shape, or form that they'll just leak their own non- signed articles of impeachment which Rosenstein said, you know what? If you're going to do something like this, at least have a factual basis, at least have the courage to put your names to it.

HAYES: What do you think them leaking their draft of possible impeachment proceedings against Rosenstein is about? What do you make of that?

HIRONO: Well, I think it's a big telegraph to the President we're on your side, Mr. President. We'll do whatever we can do to put the skids on this impeachment. So that is not where our country should be.

HAYES: That's -- that would be a nonstarter in the Senate, wouldn't it?

HIRONO: Well, considering they're going to need I think two-thirds vote, that's about 67 votes, I don't think that even if the House gathered up the courage to do something that can't be substantiated, I don't think it will pass the Senate. But these are unusual times. Who knows? So what this all points out to is the importance of the Mueller investigation. It needs to proceed. And I'm very disappointed, more than disappointed that Mitch McConnell has unilaterally taken the position that he's not even going to bring the bill to the floor for a vote in spite of the fact that the chair of the committee, the Judiciary Committee in the Senate in a bipartisan vote wants this vote.

HAYES: You were on the committee that before which Rod Rosenstein testified when he was confirmed to the position. Has your confidence --

HIRONO: Yes.

HAYES: -- or view of him changed over time? Has it improved? Has it declined?

HIRONO: I'm glad that he's staying the course and when he came up for confirmation, I asked him if the President asks you to do anything immoral, unethical or illegal, would you be prepared to resign and he said yes so I'm holding him to it. And so far, he's behaved in the professional way that I expect from the person who is overseeing this most important investigation.

HAYES: All right, Mazie Hirono, thanks for joining us.

HIRONO: Thank you.

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