CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview With California Congressman Ted Lieu
Interview
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BLITZER: We're following breaking news on the Trump administration's response to the president's demand for an investigation into claims that an FBI source infiltrated his presidential campaign.
The White House says it has asked the Justice Department inspector general to expand his current investigation into -- quote -- "any irregularities."
Joining us now, Congressman Ted Lieu. He's a Democrat from California who serves on the Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees.
Congressman, thanks so much up for joining us.
Let's get to some of these specific issues.
What are your concerns, first of all, about the president's demands from the Justice Department?
REP. TED LIEU (D), CALIFORNIA: Thank you, Wolf, for your question.
The continued assault on the rule of law by Donald Trump, as well as the independence of the Department of Justice, is highly disturbing.
But it's also very telling. I'm a former prosecutor, and these are not the actions of an innocent person. This shows consciousness of guilt. If Donald Trump was truly innocent, he would let the investigation conclude without trying to interfere with it at every single step.
And I think it's time for the president to stop smearing the Department of Justice and FBI. And to quote Sarah Huckabee Sanders, when you're attacking the FBI because you're under criminal investigation, you're losing.
BLITZER: The deputy attorney general who oversees this Russia probe, Rod Rosenstein, he says the inspector general, Michael Horowitz, will look into the president's accusations.
You tweeted this. And I will quote your tweet: "Perfect response from Republican Rod Rosenstein to Trump. Rosenstein knows FBI counterintelligence agents were doing their duty and is not afraid of any inquiry."
But by agreeing to have the inspector general expand his investigation into the president's claims, is Rosenstein following the president's order?
LIEU: Well, yes, Wolf, Rosenstein is.
But I think that was a very perfect response to the president's demands. I have no problem with the inspector general expanding his investigation, because it's going to show that this was a counterintelligence investigation. And informants are a routine and necessary part of all counterintelligence investigations.
It's going to show the FBI did nothing wrong. And I think this now puts to rest any issue the president may have, which means the president now has to let this investigation against him proceed to its conclusion.
BLITZER: Are you confident that the House Judiciary Committee -- and you're a member -- has the proper oversight on how confidential sources gather information and how the FBI handled the investigation into the Trump campaign?
LIEU: No, not at all.
The Republican-controlled Judiciary Committee has completely fallen down on its oversight responsibilities. Unlike other committees of jurisdiction, the House Judiciary Committee has done nothing to look at any of the very important allegations surrounding Russia's influence into or meddling in our elections.
And it's very sad to see the House Judiciary Committee really lose its oversight responsibilities.
BLITZER: What are the possible consequences now, Congressman, of this confidential source? We have not named the source, but other news organizations have.
LIEU: So, when a defendant doesn't have information or fears information, what the defendant does is, they put law enforcement on trial.
And now you're watching the Trump campaign printing the source and the FBI and DOJ on trial. But what they're not talking about is, well, what did the source find out? What was the information that was revealed?
Because, again, if we believe the president, that he and his campaign did nothing wrong, they should not be so freaked out about the fact that there was a source in a counterintelligence operation, because this operation at its beginning was to protect the Trump campaign and to prevent Russian influence.
BLITZER: I will ask you what I asked General Hayden just a little while ago.
Is this source in any danger right now?
LIEU: I would not know that.
But it's my expectation that, if there was any danger, the Department of Justice would do everything possible to protect that source.
I also have no problem with members of Congress knowing who that source is, as long as those members of Congress are able to keep the highly classified information confidential.
BLITZER: Let me turn to that meeting that Donald Trump Jr. had in August the 2016, three months before the election, with a representative of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, along with an Israeli social media strategist.
They supposedly offered to help for the Trump campaign in the election. The -- Donald Trump Jr., through a spokesperson, a lawyer, says nothing came of the meeting.
Are you sure of that? LIEU: Well, now we know at least two things. If reports are true, there's been at least two meetings at Trump Tower with Donald Trump Jr. involving foreign powers who wanted to help the Trump campaign. That's illegal.
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Under federal law, foreign powers cannot participate in American elections.
Second thing we know is that Erik Prince is in a lot of trouble, because he testified to Congress under oath that basically his interactions with the Trump campaign consisted of donations and fund- raising.
This meeting he set up was none of those two things.
BLITZER: Well, could this meeting be potentially fund-raising?
LIEU: Potentially.
That would be a high stretch. And, again, he also said that he had no formal relationship with the campaign. But here, he is setting up this meeting with foreign powers with Donald Trump Jr.
BLITZER: Congressman Ted Lieu, thanks so much for joining us.
LIEU: Thank you, Wolf.
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