CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview With California Congressman John Garamendi

Interview

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BLITZER: Yes, we will see what happens in Helsinki. I will be there myself covering this historic moment.

Jim Acosta, thank you.

Joining us now, Democratic Congressman John Garamendi. He's a key member of the House Armed Services Committee.

Congressman, thanks so much for joining us.

REP. JOHN GARAMENDI (D), CALIFORNIA: Good to be with you, Wolf.

BLITZER: How significant is the fact that these indicted Russian individuals were members, senior members of Russian military intelligence?

GARAMENDI: It's extraordinary importantly.

The president's actions are unbelievable, Wolf. We're looking at the president even hours ago saying that this is still a witch-hunt.

Well, listen, Mr. President, the witch-hunt has produced 12 Russian witches at the highest level of the Russian military. This is nothing to be waved off. This is a very serious allegation, backed up by indictments and backed up by lengthy information, including some very classified documents and other sources that the FBI has used and the other intelligence agencies.

It is time for this president to stand up for America. It's time for him to put on his big boy pants and push back against Russia. Russia is not a friend. Russia is an enemy. Russia has invaded Crimea. Russia has invaded the Ukraine. Russia has tried to disrupt the elections in Europe.

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They surely disrupted the elections in the United States. It's time for the president of the United States to stand up for America.

BLITZER: Should the president demand the extradition of these 12 Russian military officers? GARAMENDI: Absolutely. Absolutely, and the 12 before -- and the 13

before, 25 of them in the whole.

And who knows what will come from this from other areas. The indictment indicates that there's a whole lot more going on here. We know that the Russian GRU operatives committed a crime in the United States.

We must demand their extradition to the United States. And the president must not meet with Putin until and unless this happens. If we continue to be a little baby in the background, as the president thinks we should be, then we're going to get pushed around and there's going to be a very serious consequence in Europe, in the United States, in elections, in every free election around this world, because Putin has been absolutely clear.

He is out to destroy the democracies of the West. He's out to destroy the unity of NATO and the European Union and in any way possible to destroy the relationship between the United States and our allies. It has to stop and this president has to stand up for America.

BLITZER: Do you expect eventual indictments against Americans who actually communicated with these individuals?

GARAMENDI: Yes. Yes, I do.

Exactly what it will be, we don't know. There's the question of collusion and the breaking of American laws. That's probably where this is likely to go. The question of whether there is -- whether the president actually conspired in this whole thing remains to be seen.

Whether there was an attempt by the president to put a stop to this is also under investigation. And then there's the whole Cohen issue going on in New York with a different set of jurisdictions. There's a very complex web here.

But beyond and more -- as important as all of that is, it is critical that, in the days ahead, the president of the United States stands up for America, not just tells Putin, oh, my, you have done wrong, Mr. Putin, but, simply, if it's a face-to-face confrontation with others there to watch and observe, it's time for Mr. Trump to put on his big boy pants and to stand up for this nation.

BLITZER: The indictment also alleges a scheme to manipulate voting systems in the United States and officials, secretaries of states of various states, including the theft of information related to 500,000 American voters, very sensitive personal information about those American voters.

What is Congress doing to protect the integrity of the American electoral system?

GARAMENDI: The Republican Congress is doing almost nothing.

We have appropriated some money to the Department of Homeland Security. Have there been any real investigations? No, they're off on these tangents, trying to destroy the FBI, which is out there trying to protect our democracy. That's what the Republicans did yesterday.

It is a dereliction of the duty of Congress. We must be investigating. We must follow along. We must give the resources to the state. And, Wolf, it's not just the election system. These folks hacked into our nuclear power plants. They gained -- they were able -- although they didn't, they were able to gain control of the operations of our electrical grid.

They were in a position to literally shut down America. We know who did it. It was the Russians. What has this administration done to push back? Well, that's what Congress has to find out.

If the president is not willing to push back, then Congress has to push the president to act as though he is the commander in chief of the United States military.

BLITZER: Congressman John Garamendi, thanks for joining us.

GARAMENDI: Happy to be here.

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