CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview With Illinois Congressman Mike Quigley
Interview
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BLITZER: We will indeed. All right, Sara, thank you, Sara Murray reporting.
Let's get some more on this.
Democratic Congressman Mike Quigley of Illinois is joining us. He is a member of the Intelligence Committee.
Congressman, thanks for joining us.
REP. MIKE QUIGLEY (D), ILLINOIS: Thank you. Busy day.
BLITZER: It appears that a source is now pushing back on the idea that the idea that Robert Mueller is facing any sort of pressure on the timeline of his investigation. What do you make of that?
QUIGLEY: Yes, I think that the special counsel has felt pressure all along.
I don't believe that there is no pressure. Obviously, we have seen the administration pressure beyond comprehension the Justice Department, the FBI. I believe that Mr. Mueller absolutely believes he has a time pressure. Who knows what takes place after the midterms?
We have heard many Republican congressional leaders suggest that, well, he shouldn't fire Mr. Sessions or anybody else until after the midterms. Hey, if it's the wrong thing to do, it's the wrong thing to do now or
after the midterms. Let's remember, the Watergate investigation took at least 28 months from the day of the break-in to the time that the president left. This is a far more complicated investigation, and, frankly, a far more important one.
BLITZER: The deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, has spoken out, strongly defending the Mueller investigation, but he and the attorney general, Jeff Sessions, might not necessarily be all that safe after the midterm elections in 19 days.
Do you think Mueller needs to wrap up his work to get ahead of President Trump's possibly replacing the people who will decide what happens with Mueller's final report?
QUIGLEY: I think that's exactly what Mr. Mueller feels. I think it's unfortunate. It's a great concern.
I would like to think that he will have more time afterwards. I think some of this will depend on the outcome of the elections. This should be what the American public is considering when they go to the polling place. There is some real truth to the old adage that absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Republicans have not shown the responsibility to investigate this White House and the Russia investigation thoroughly. The House Republicans have shut down the investigation. So be in mind of this, folks. This stuff really matters. Republicans haven't shown the willingness to truthfully find out what took place.
BLITZER: The former Vice President Joe Biden said he hopes Democrats don't try to impeach President Trump. Do you agree?
QUIGLEY: I think he's absolutely right.
I have told my colleagues all along, if we're telling the Republicans to let Mr. Mueller complete his investigation before we even consider such discussion, we should do the very same.
Let this investigation complete its course, and that includes the House investigation opening up again, because it had different purposes, different stated purposes. And, at that, when the report is done, and we look at both, and we see what the details are, then, if it is appropriate, we will talk about such things.
But right now, let's let this investigation take its course. Let the American public find out what actually happened.
BLITZER: Let's turn to the ongoing questions surrounding Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance and apparent murder.
Secretary Pompeo says the Saudi investigation will be complete, thorough and transparent.
Why do you believe the Trump administration is relying on the Saudis, rather than U.S. intelligence agencies? QUIGLEY: I have no idea why the administration, nor the president is
acting as sort of a quasi-legal counsel for the Saudi government.
Let's remember what we're talking about here. This is a crime scene. For Mr. Pompeo to suggest to the president, let's give them a few more days to investigate this, what he is really saying is, let's give them a few more days to clean up the crime scene.
If anyone trusts to Saudis to investigate this murder that took place on their own property, they're deluding themselves. I think that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee invoking thing the Magnitsky Act is an appropriate decision at this point in time.
[18:15:07]
Let there be a full-scale investigation, not by the Saudis, and not even by the White House. This should be an international investigation, and Congress should play a role. And then we should determine the proper punishment, including sanctions. It's also appropriate to talk about the role in Yemen at this time too.
BLITZER: Congressman, I need you to stand by.
I have got to take a quick break. But I want to ask you about some other news developing, including new allegations that you are raising, along with other Democrats, that President Trump intervened inappropriately in the decision whether or not to move the FBI headquarters to protect one of his hotels here in Washington.
We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:20:20]
BLITZER: We're back with Democratic Congressman Mike Quigley of the House Intelligence Committee.
Want to talk to him about these new allegations by Democrats that President Trump intervened in plans to relocate FBI headquarters in order to protect his hotel here in Washington.
Congressman, stand by.
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FOREMAN: We know that this property in downtown D.C. is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, which could also be a savings to taxpayers, at least in theory here. We also know that just beyond those trees, that spire right up there,
that is Trump Hotel. Whether all of that played a role in the president's decision, that's what we don't know and what Democrats and others are hoping to find out -- Wolf.
BLITZER: It's only a block away. Tom Foreman, thank you very much for that report.
Let's bring back Congressman Mike Quigley of Illinois, a member of the Intelligence Committee.
Congressman, you signed to this letter asking for more information on the president's role in all of this. But even the e-mails that were already released from GSA officials mention direction from the White House, what POTUS directed everyone to do, and the president's instructions.
So what else are you hoping to learn?
QUIGLEY: Well, let's understand something.
Last April, I asked the GSA administrator under oath whether the president or anyone at the White House was involved in the discussions in this decision about the FBI building. She said no.
The inspector general said that she misled us. I suppose that's a D.C. euphemism for a lie. So, I would like her to come back before my subcommittee and answer that question accurately.
Who was at that meeting in the White House when they made this decision? What was said? What did the president say? Was anything said about the Trump Hotel? The bottom line is, as a result of this opaque administration, we are less safe and we're spending more money.
[18:25:00]
BLITZER: Because if they sell that property on Pennsylvania Avenue where the current FBI building is, they could sell that for hundreds of millions of dollars, which would dramatically reduce the cost of building a new FBI headquarters, whether in Maryland, suburban Maryland, or suburban Virginia.
If you try to knock it down and rebuild it where it is right there, it's going to cost a lot more.
QUIGLEY: And we were told post-9/11 time and again during Democrat and Republican administrations that it is extraordinarily important for them to move out of that location for security reasons, to have a bigger footprint, to have more operations there, to keep us safe, to deal with antiterrorism strategies.
So someone wants to tell me, someone wants to come before the committee or any other committee and explain how we're more safe, how it's cost-effective to be downtown with this facility, I'm more than willing to listen. But the only logical answer at this point is that it doesn't keep us
safe, doesn't save money. The only thing it does right now is benefit Trump Hotel. The president has not divested himself from this interest. And, in the end, when he stops being president of the United States, he gains to profit.
The fact that there is not a hotel across the street competing with him, he is the one that profits.
BLITZER: Congressman Mike Quigley, thanks so much for joining us.
QUIGLEY: Any time. Thank you.
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