MSNBC "All in with Chris Hayes" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Rashida Tlaib

Interview

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HAYES:  With me now, one of the House Democratic freshmen who tried to track down Mitch McConnell today, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan.  Congresswoman, Kevin McCarthy said it`s unbecoming of the Speaker for this modification to her invite.  What do you think of that?
 
REP. RASHIDA TLAIB (R), MICHIGAN:  Look, I think the priority right now is the American people.  You know, we`re supposed to have an open functional government.  It`s not even the workers.  It`s what the workers were doing for our residents back home.  And it`s absolutely our responsibility and we have to lead with compassion.  We have to focus on getting our government open and running.  We don`t have time for speeches.
 
We don`t have time for these kinds of events when we actually are in jeopardy of risky not only our public health, our environment, and so many things that are very much essential to our residents back home that need us to have a functional working government that`s working for all of us.
 
HAYES:  Well, here`s a question for you.  If it is that important to get the government back open which a Democrat seem to be making that argument more strenuously than Republicans and more strenuous to the White House that doesn`t really frankly seem to care to be honest.  Is there a point at which it just becomes worth it to throw them some appropriations to get the thing back open?
 
TLAIB:  Look, it`s not about the wall.  It`s not about that.  You can see that.  This is the same bills that we passed before we took the majority in the House.  These are the same exact bills that Senator McConnell and many of his colleagues supported.  We have actually bipartisan support of what we passed.  We even sent them an appropriations bill that just said we`re going to open it up for two weeks just so that the American workers, the workers that work for the federal government all across this nation can actually get back up and running and get paid.
 
We just don`t want to negotiate in these terms.  This is not the way to basically come in a good faith and trying to again work for the American people.  I can tell you, I went into McConnell`s office today with my colleagues.  It is very clear that they`re hiding, that this is not about some sort of crisis.  The only crisis that we have right now is the crisis that he created in shutting down our government.
 
HAYES:  What do you want to tell Mitch McConnell?
 
TLAIB:  Look, you work for the American people not the President of the United States.  We need you to lead.  We need you to do right for the people.  This is so critical for us to understand.  There are people getting evicted from HUD housing.  We have it right now.  I have one of the most polluted areas in Michigan and we don`t have EPA inspectors on the ground watching our air quality.  It is important for us to understand, McConnell, lead.  Lead for the American people.  We don`t need the President of the United States to sign this.
 
You send this back and let me tell you, in ten days it becomes a fact.  And even if he tries to veto it, we can override it.  Let`s put people first before this president.
 
HAYES:  What has it been like -- this is your first few weeks in Congress, what -- I mean, what a strange experience to come to Congress to inherit this situation?  What is that been like?
 
TLAIB:  This is not normal.  I mean, you have right now constituents calling me.  People that are trying to reach out to the SSA, my veterans who can`t get deferment on loans because again nobody`s there to pick up the phone.  It is not normal.  This is not the way to negotiate in any issues that you`re trying to resolve.  And the President knows this.  He`s being reckless.
 
HAYES:  Do you still think the President should be impeached?
 
TLAIB:  Absolutely.  Look, think about it today, just today, we found out that even though our national parks are closed that the Trump Tower here in D.C., the Trump Hotel in D.C. is being staffed by national -- the Park Rangers despite the fact that we have no staffing, no parks open for the American people.  And even today the Inspector General said that the federal agencies were in violation of the United States Constitution by creating a lease agreement with the Trump Organization.
 
Look, this is leading continually on to know that there`s a direct violation of the United States Constitution.  Think about the precedent that we`re setting allowing the President of the United States not to divest in all of his corporations.  He`s making decisions based on profit not based on what`s the best interest of our people.
 
HAYES:  Final question.  You were a state legislator, you`re not a new hand in politics, but you are new to Congress.  You had that moment that was blown up into a full news cycle, and I just wonder what that experience was like, what your takeaway from being sort of under that microscope for that period once?
 
TLAIB:  Well, look, I can tell you, you know, I am unapologetically authentic on me.  I am a Muslim American woman, brown woman that is living in the United States of America under his leadership so I`m passionate.  I`m passionate about making sure that we`re following the values that I believe in, of justice equality and freedom, and of course, my passion got the best -- better of me.  But I can tell you, more and more people around this country are with me and saying that we don`t want to create the slippery slope of having a President that really is for the bottom line for profit and not for the people.
 
HAYES:  All right, Congressman Rashida Tlaib, thank you for making some time tonight.
 
TLAIB:  Thank you so much.

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