Fox News "The Story" - Transcript: Interview with Sen. Mark Warner

Interview

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MACCALLUM: Here now, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee Senator Mark Warner. Senator, great to have you with us this evening.

SEN. MARK WARNER, D-VA: Thank you, Martha.

MACCALLUM: I noted that you say that you and Chairman Burr agree on a lot. You agree on the fact that there was Russian interference in the election. Attempt to interfere on behalf of President Trump more so than Hillary Clinton. But with regard to what you just heard the Senator say there in terms of no evidence of collusion, is that a point of disagreement between you and your colleague?

WARNER: Well, I think if we just look at what is already in the public domain, and then, people can draw their own conclusions. We know based upon Michael Cohen's testimony last week that President Trump knew about and was negotiating with the Russians well past when he announced his campaign, well into the primary season in 2016.

We know that there was, at least, some indication that he, Trump knew about the potential leakage of all the DNC materials from WikiLeaks, literally days before it was released.

We know that Paul Manafort, the president's campaign manager turned over information to the Russia -- a Russian agent in terms of campaign data. We know that potentially, Donald Trump knew about the famous Trump Tower meeting with a Russian agent. So. I'm just saying --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: All right. Well, let me -- let me jump in. Let's take a look at some of -- because I want to get -- you have said that -- you know, you believe you could prove collaboration or communications.

You know, I mean, the argument could be made in a lot of different administrations and campaigns that people had communications with people in Russia. Well, the things that you just went through.

(CROSSTALK)

WARNER: Martha.

MACCALLUM: No, I just want to ask you, you know, because for instance, the hotel. And I'm just playing devil's advocate here.

WARNER: Sure.

MACCALLUM: You look at the hotel for a second. If the -- if you're running for president, and you have a real estate operation that is ongoing. And you know, you think as Michael Cohen pointed out in the hearing that you mentioned that you might not win. And that if you don't win, you might want to leave some of those business avenues open. Is that in and of itself?

WARNER: No.

MACCALLUM: Is that -- is there something wrong or illegal about that?

WARNER: Martha, if there was nothing wrong with that, if that wasn't something, why did been Mr. Trump want to hide that information? Why was Cohen and all of the Trump organization denying these ongoing conversations?

I think most primary voters would actually think it's relevant that a candidate for president is still trying to do business with Russia. I'm not saying that in itself is illegal, but I think it is a relevant factor most voters would want to have.

MACCALLUM: So, let me ask you this thing. You know, of the things that you mentioned -- that you just mentioned, when you -- when you look at each one individually, what is it that you think that the president was trying to accomplish? You know, what do you think he was up to?

WARNER: Martha, I've been around politics a long time, I've never seen this many contacts between a campaign and the candidates business organization and a foreign power. I would say, particularly, when the foreign power is Russia that I've at least, grown up with most of my life thinking as, as an adversary.

I mean, I remember Ronald Reagan, you know, issuing the decree to Gorbachev to tear down the law.

MACCALLUM: Yes, but that was a long time ago. I mean, Hillary Clinton was very anxious to talk to Russia. In fact, she had lots of communications with Russia. So, it's very hard to understand -- you know, and President Obama said, you know, that Mitt Romney should take his 1980s foreign policy back.

We were not in a moment where there was a -- and you know, as we now know, in terms of election interference, we should have been smarter about all of that. But in terms of the actual what you call collaboration or communication, that seems like a far cry from you know, conspiracy to get together with the administration and the Russian government to try to throw the election.

WARNER: Well, here is what we know, we know the Russians did intervene in the election on behalf of Trump against Clinton. We know that there were these series of communications about business deals, about Russians offering dirt on Hillary Clinton. Julian Assange and WikiLeaks offering information that was then dump and release. We do know -- Martha, wait, OK.

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MACCALLUM: But you don't know if there's any connection between the administration and those things, as far as I can tell?

WARNER: But we also know the president -- the president's campaign manager. Why would the president's campaign manager give secret campaign documents to a Russian agent?

Again, Martha, I'm reserving judgment. What I'm -- what I've said throughout this -- throughout this whole investigation --

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MACCALLUM: We are. Yes.

WARNER: I said, I'm going to reserve judgment until every all the truth and all the facts come out. But in terms of just what is factually out there, we can -- you could potentially reach a different conclusion on their reach. My conclusion when all the facts come out, but these facts are fairly indisputable.

MACCALLUM: Now, but you say, you know, and you're going to continue and finish your investigation. How much longer and how many more people -- are you -- you've spoken to 200 people, I think. How much longer do you think the Senate investigation is going to go? And what impact will the Mueller report have on whether or not you're done?

WARNER: Listen, I want this to be finished, but I want us to make sure that we get the whole truth out there. And a number of the key individuals like Manafort, like some of the president's family, and others. More Manafort, for example, tied up with the judicial proceedings and the legal consequences out of Mueller. You know, we've not been able to have the full time that could get them in for questioning, because they've got the go through the legal process because they're -- they pled guilty to a variety of charges.

Those proceedings have to finish before we get access to some of the key witnesses.

MACCALLUM: But I mean, you can't put anyone in jail anyway. So, doesn't - - isn't that enough when you want -- you know, when that's done, you're going to want to pull them back in front of your committee and also family members, is that what you're saying?

WARNER: Well, what we want is we've got questions that still need to get answered. And we have a counterintelligence investigation. It's been done in a bipartisan fashion. We need to find out --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: Do you think the president is a Russian agent?

WARNER: Listen, I'm reserving all judgment until we finish the investigation. The charge of this investigation was to look at, was there a level of collaboration or collusion between either campaign and the Russians during the 2016 election. And we're still seeking --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: Right. No, I think everyone wants to know the answer to that. You know, and I'm just -- last question. Do you have a timeframe? You know, when you, you say you want it to be over. How much longer do you think you're going to be?

WARNER: In a lot of ways, that will depend on when Mueller finishes the legal proceedings against some of the key witnesses that need to see. I want this to be done. I want the American people to know. Well, what our conclusions are, and I want to make sure that no foreign power ever intervenes in our elections again.

MACCALLUM: Yes, the foreign -- one of the president's former attorneys, Ty Cobb, said he thinks this going to go on forever. He said even if -- he gets elected, it's going to go on another four years. Because that they will never stop investigating the president even if he gets reelected. What do you say to that?

WARNER: That what I want to say is what the House is doing in others, that's the House.

MACCALLUM: Yes.

WARNER: What I'm looking at is -- you know, I've given up guessing when Mueller's going to finish because I think frankly all of us have been consistently wrong every time we make a guess.

MACCALLUM: You're not alone. All right, there you good. Senator Warner, thank you very much for coming here to answer the questions. We appreciate it.

WARNER: Thank you, Martha.

MACCALLUM: Good see you tonight.

WARNER: Thank you.

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