MSNBC "All in with Chris Hayes" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries

Interview

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HAYES:  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest member of the incoming class of Congress is giving her soon-to-be constituents an insider look at the Capitol documenting her freshman orientation on Instagram as she and others learn how to navigate Congress.  Two more House seats went to the Democrats today.  And while eight races are still to be called by NBC News, there are at least 87 new incoming House members, 87. 
 
Here`s a Republican freshman, those new to Congress who will soon be taking office on the Republican side, look at that for a second, and then here are the new Democrats.  Yes, there are more Democrats and Republicans but there`s another difference.  In case you need some, help here the two incoming groups of freshmen side by side.  The Republicans overwhelmingly white and male, the Democrats look more like well, America.
 
Here was me now someone who will be returning the Congress come January and who had a hand in helping elect all those Democrats, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Democrat of New York.  How does it change Congress that this many new people in your caucus from this many new different backgrounds?
 
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D), NEW YORK:  Well, it`s a phenomenal thing and they are the majority makers and in many ways we will clearly represent the gorgeous mosaic of the American people, you know, we`re black, we`re white, we`re Latino, we`re Asian, we`re men, we`re women, we`re young, we`re older, we`re gay, we`re straight, we are --
 
HAYES:  Let me just stop you there and say young and older, spoken like a true politician.
 
JEFFRIES:  Well, we got seasoned members and we`ve got newer members who`ve never served in elected office.  It`s been a great combination.  And many of these individuals, Chris, as you know, you know, they`re veterans, they`re national security professionals, they`re super moms, they`re nurses, they`re activists.  It really runs the gamut and they will supercharged and energize the new Congress next year.
 
HAYES:  Is it -- I mean, is it strange?  You got -- the House Republican caucus is now I think 90 percent white men and the Democratic caucus is going to be 38 percent white men.  I mean, there is something striking about the demographic fissures of American politics being so replicated in the -- your workplace.
 
JEFFRIES:  Well, we absolutely represent the face of America in every facet possible which is consistent with what the Congress should look like particularly the people`s house here in the House of Representatives which as you know the Founding Fathers envisioned as the most direct representatives of the American people.  And when you look at the other side of the aisle it`s like a country club that is pretty exclusive and I think that is the direction that we`ve seen our colleagues and the Republican Party going and they`re going to need to reverse course or they`re going to lose America.
 
HAYES:  There`s a leadership -- all sorts of leadership talks, so there`s going to be leadership elections, I think you`re running for House caucus chair if I`m not mistaken, some other folks running for that position as well.  What do you make of the -- there`s a letter out today of a bunch of Democrats saying they don`t want to vote, they won`t vote for Nancy Pelosi, I think 15 or 20 years those.  Is there a serious challenge to her speakership or not?
 
JEFFRIES:  Well, I think that she`s got the votes to be the speaker designee.  I`m certainly going to support her effort and on her path toward 2018, I`ll be one of the people that support her.  She led us into the majority once in 2006 and is now led us back into the majority.  But of course, there is a desire, Chris, as you know for generational change and for that to be reflected in the leadership in some way shape or form.  Hopefully, we`ll be able to work this all out in a manner that will allow us to then focus on the things that we promised the American people we would do lowering health care costs, increasing pay, cleaning up the mess and corruption here in Washington.
 
HAYES:  So let me stop you there because you said that -- you said that the generation -- the desire for generational change which to me is the more -- most -- I have a hard time figuring out what the argument about Nancy Pelosi is.  Is it a personal one about who she is and her ineffectiveness as a leader?  Is it an ideological one?  Was it a political one?  Because people are on the trail and she`s been turned into this lightning rod I think largely by conservative media.  What -- or is the generational argument.  Is that do you think the argument that`s driving all this?
 
JEFFRIES:  Well, I do think that there are people of goodwill who have legitimately concluded that our leadership moving forward and in terms of how we run the House has got to allow everyone to be on the playing field so they can contribute and elevate the aspirations and dreams of the districts that they represent.  But I do believe that there`s a way for us to work this out, and the bottom line is as you pointed out, the other side right-wing conservatives tried to weaponize Nancy Pelosi to stop us from seizing the majority.  It didn`t work.  We`ve seized the majority.
 
HAYES:  Yes, it`s a pretty good political argument.  It also be a little weird if after losing in 2010, 2012, and 2014, reelecting Nancy Pelosi and then after winning in 2018 to dump her.
 
JEFFRIES:  Yes -- no, certainly, and that is a case that`s being made and that we shouldn`t let the other side dictate to us how we proceed.  I think you`ll see a more inclusive Congress in the next Congress in terms of how we provide opportunities to newly arriving members to fully display their talent and ability.
 
HAYES:  That`s interesting.  All right, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of Brooklyn.  Thank you very much for your time.
 
JEFFRIES:  Thank you, Chris.

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