CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Transcript: Interview with Sen. Tom Reed (R-NY)

Interview

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POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Well, that says it all, it's about time government does something about it.

Let me bring in someone who can do something about it. Joining me now, Republican Congressman Tom Reed of New York. He met with the president yesterday on this.

Thanks for being here. We appreciate it.

REP. TOM REED (R), NEW YORK: Thank you so much, Poppy. Good to be with you.

HARLOW: And let me -- let me just remind our viewers, you're not someone who just votes down party lines. It was not long ago, a few weeks ago, that you broke with your Republican colleagues. You voted with Democrats on a rules package. The first member to do so and cross the aisle since 2001.

REED: It's true.

HARLOW: So, you talked to the president yesterday. Where is he willing to compromise? REED: Well, I will tell you, Poppy -- and we were also joined by a

handful of Democrat members who came with us. And kudos to them for leading on the issue and being willing to meet with the president to have a conversation. That's how bad and childish the leadership here in Washington, D.C., has become. They won't even sit down and talk. It is time to work out our differences and get this resolved.

HARLOW: So I --

REED: Not only for those government employees but also to fix a problem at the border that's been there for decades.

[09:35:03] HARLOW: So where is the president willing to compromise? What did he tell you?

REED: You know, I was very impressed with where the president was willing to say, let's talk, let's figure out, where is the deal that can be struck here? He is, obviously, very much committed to border security. And I think if we can give the parameters of what that means from a Democratic point of view and actually start those conversations, we can resolve this in short order. It's time to negotiate this.

HARLOW: All right. So I read that as you saying -- I read that as you saying, he didn't throw a number out there, he didn't say, all right, I'm willing to budge from this $5.7 billion number.

Look, you read "The New York Times" this morning I'm sure. You know, second line of Maggie Haberman's front page reporting is that the president privately is really worried, that he said to his chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, quote, we're getting crushed.

And if you look at, you know, the Democrats here and you look at, for example, Dick Durbin, who's joining us next hour, the headline on his Senate page right now is, President Trump is holding 250,000 veterans' paychecks hostage for his border wall.

The polling, you know, shows that more Americans blame the president right now for the shutdown than blame Democrats. Are you worried about the optics for your party as this continues?

REED: You know who I'm fundamentally worried about are those America people, both those that are suffering from a broker border but also the employee --

HARLOW: For sure. That goes without saying.

REED: But also, rightfully so, Poppy, where I think this -- the fingers that are going to get pointed are going to be at Congress itself. Congress has to act.

HARLOW: So you're not worried -- so are you worried about how Republicans in Congress look then?

REED: I'm worried about how the institution of Congress is being laughed at -- HARLOW: OK.

REED: And looked at as a childish institution that is not dealing with this by talking to each other. That has to end.

HARLOW: Salaries. Let's talk about some of your fellow members of Congress who are saying no thank you to their paycheck during the shutdown. You called that a PR stunt, frankly. Those are the words you used to my colleague Brianna Keilar a week or so ago.

REED: I did.

HARLOW: Why is it a PR stunt?

REED: Here --

HARLOW: And what are you doing with your salary, your paycheck, during the shutdown as long as this continues?

REED: Well, let's be clear, you know, those paychecks are going to go to members of Congress even -- you can't stop that. Even a letter to the Treasury won't stop that. So this is all about, what are you going to do? You know, we have historically given our paychecks during government shutdowns to charity. We're going to continue to do that going forward. But I do this because it's the right thing to do, not because the cameras are on. And that's what I -- I asked both -- both my --

HARLOW: So your whole paycheck will go -- your whole paycheck, as many as it takes, are going to go to charity until the government re-opens?

REED: What we have done is given that money to charity and we'll continue to do that.

HARLOW: OK.

REED: But these members who are doing this with this withholding paychecks on both sides of the aisle, you should ask the question, are you going to actually get a check on the 1st?

HARLOW: Let me ask you about the Russia probe and a really significant statement that the president's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, made last night to our colleague Chris Cuomo. Here it is.

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HARLOW: OK, he did. Point of fact here, he did say there was no collusion among campaign members. The president has tweeted at least 13 times directly saying no one on his campaign colluded with the Russians.

Rudy Giuliani just moved the goal posts in a really significant way. And I wonder, congressman, does it concern you to hear that?

REED: You know, the -- on this issue, the investigation that Mueller -- we need to see the evidence. Let's get to the end of it. Why do we have to keep speculating and answering hypothetical questions? Mueller's been at this for years. It's time to show the evidence.

HARLOW: Well, I hear that. I hear that. Mueller should, you know -- when he finishes, the American people should see it for sure. But I'm asking you, are you concerned that no longer is the president's attorney saying definitively no one on the Trump campaign team colluded with Russia? He's saying now that's a possibility.

REED: That is -- well, and that's why the investigation, and as I've always said, let the evidence lead this investigation to its conclusion. Speculating, having commentary in the press as to what is actually there, that just leads to that frenzy that can occur. What we need to do is focus on the evidence and then hold accountable each and every individual that the evidence shows needs to be held accountable.

HARLOW: Very importantly, before we go, your fellow Republican congressman, Steve King of Iowa, he was reprimanded, slapped on the wrist, but he was not censured by the House. A, should he be censured, yes or no?

REED: He has been disciplined. And I think the discipline, whatever that level of discipline is for his commentary, as I voted for the discipline on that issue, you know, white nationalism and supremacy is something we should all, Democrats and Republicans, repel and make sure we send the message it's not acceptable.

HARLOW: Should he be censured?

REED: You know, that's up to the powers to be. And I will tell you his accountability is to him and his electorate. And censure is part of those disciplinary actions.

HARLOW: You're one of those powers that be, but, OK.

Should he resign?

REED: You know, that's up to him and his constituents. And, at the end of the day, what we can do is what we've done, is say that that commentary is not appropriate and should be condemned, and rightfully so.

[09:40:05] HARLOW: Would you resign if you said that?

REED: I'm not going to be in a position to make that type of commentary because I reject it. And so, therefore, I'm not concerned about that in any way.

HARLOW: Congressman Tom Reed, we appreciate your time on a lot of issues. Thank you.

REED: Thank you.

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