MSNBC "The Rachel Maddow Show" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Mike Quigley

Interview

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REID: Allow me to direct your attention to the calendar. Those of you who  have lost what day it is, and that can happen when you`ve been binging on  Christmas cookies and eggnog and cocktails. Today is December 27th. One  week from today is January 3rd, and that`s important, because on January  3rd, the new Congress is sworn in and Democrats take back control of the  House and all those powerful committees, including the House Intelligence  Committee, which in addition to having extensive subpoena powers has vowed  to be as determined when it comes to reopening their investigation into the  Trump campaign and administration as the previous Republican majority on  the committee was to provide Trump cover.

Joining us now is Congressman Mike Quigley, who sits on the House  Intelligence Committee.
Congressman, thanks so much for your time tonight.

REP. MIKE QUIGLEY (D-IL), HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: Thank you, Joy.

REID: So let`s talk. We just spoke with a reporter from "McClatchy" whose  story tonight is providing what they`re saying are four sources who put  Michael Cohen or at least his cell phone in Prague when he says he`s never  been there. Adam Schiff has indicated he`d like to call Michael Cohen  again.

What do you think? Should Michael Cohen come back and testify either in  open session or closed session specifically about whether he was in Prague?

QUIGLEY: Well, today`s reporting certainly gives us additional information  that he might have been in Prague, but it`s not perfectly clear. It`s not  that difficult. Mr. Cohen, you are always welcome to come back and clear  the air. I take you at your word that you want to resolve all this. But  if Mueller knows all, according to your announcement today, I think the  American public has a right to know.

So come back and share all this information, because these investigations  have very different purposes. Mr. Mueller has to determine who to bring to  justice. Our job is to find out what the Russians did, who conspired with  them, if anyone, and how to protect and inform the American public.

We can`t get to that problem. We can`t solve that problem unless everyone,  including Mr. Cohen and others like Mr. Flynn, come back and clear the air.

REID: What about Christopher Steele? Because a lot of what the dossier  alleges is a pretty straight forward attempt to cultivate Donald Trump  before he is running for president, really for years, to dangle business  opportunities in front of him, to get him to be cooperative, and he becomes  cooperative, right? And then the attempt to help him become president is  quite extensive. It involves multiple members of his campaign, whether  it`s Carter Page or whether it`s Paul Manafort or it`s Mike Flynn or Cohen.

It`s so complicated, but Christopher Steele seems to be the guy that has  the narrative. Would you consider recalling him or calling him in front of  your committee?

QUIGLEY: Well, I think we have to understand what this document was. It  was early on without complete information, and he didn`t have the benefit  of a team such as the special counsel. I believe that the Steele document  is a well done document. I believe it`s largely accurate. I just believe  it was a snapshot taken at the time, and it`s incomplete.

We need the special counsel and the House and Senate. In some respects,  working together, communicating and cooperating so that we get a complete  picture.

So I think Mr. Steele can add something to that if he`s willing to  cooperate. I certainly understand why he would hesitate given the way he  was treated by my Republican colleagues, but I think it would allow the  American public to get a little more information about what took place.  More important than all that, though, as you suggest, we`re starting next  week afresh with the abilities to subpoena documents and people and have  them not refuse to answer questions, as was allowed when the Republicans  controlled the investigation in the House.

REID: Right. We know that one of the through lines in a lot of these  investigations has to do with money, money laundering, questions hanging  over some of the people who have pleaded guilty. You`ve been to Cyprus,  which is supposedly one of the locations where money might have passed  through.

What do you want to investigate when it comes to that aspect of these  investigations?

QUIGLEY: I think money laundering is extraordinarily important. I think  there are other countries involved. This is a tough investigation. It`s  hard to subpoena a Russian oligarch, but I do think it`s a critical element  to this. We`re well aware of Deutsche Bank`s role in financing the Trump  financial world for the decade before it became president, and also quite  aware of the fact that they were fined $600 million in New York for, wait  for it, money laundering illegally for the Russians.

So it`s ripe territory. But as to your point, I think the 30,000-foot  level issues that relate to that, was the president compromised due to his  financial dealings, either with the Russians or as we might suggest, the  Saudis or other countries.

And beyond that, and even more important perhaps is it`s fair for the  American public to ask the question. Whose interest was the president  looking out for as a candidate and then the president? Was it his own?  Was it Russian oligarchs? Was it President Putin or oh, by the way, the  American public? I think that issue still stands today, and it`s more  important than ever.

REID: Congressman Mike Quigley, who sits on the House Intelligence  Committee -- thank you so much for joining us tonight.

QUIGLEY: Thank you. And happy New Year to everyone.

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