CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. John Garamendi

Interview

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BLITZER: Yes, lots going on up on Capitol Hill already.

Phil Mattingly, thanks very much.

Joining us now, Democratic Congressman John Garamendi. He is a member of the Armed Services Committee.

Congressman, thanks so much for joining us.

And, as you just heard, Democrats on the Judiciary Committee are now going to hold hearings on what they call lessons learned from the Mueller report. Could these hearings persuade more of your colleagues and perhaps more Americans to actually support opening formal impeachment proceedings?

REP. JOHN GARAMENDI (D), CALIFORNIA: Well, I don't know about the persuasion, but I do know about the necessity.

It's absolutely necessary that we hear Mueller explain to the American public and to Congress what his report is all about. The 400-and-some pages, a written document, that's good, but, frankly, it's -- unless you happen to be an attorney, it's rather boring.

We need to know. This is critically important. There are serious allegations, 10 instances of obstruction of justice on one side, on the other side, clear information that needs to be brought out, both to us and to the general public, about the Russian engagement in the 2016 election.

And what do we knew -- what do we need to know to protect ourselves in 2020? Critical issues. We need that public testimony.

BLITZER: On Sunday, the number three House Democrat, Congressman James Clyburn, said he thinks that Democrats will eventually start an impeachment inquiry.

Do you see any shift in the Democratic leadership on this, at least so far?

GARAMENDI: I really can't say, but I do know there's increasing concern.

My personal concern is that the general public and the Congress need to have Mueller testify. We need to hear him, in his own words, explain what his report is all about and other people that are associated with that report.

As that information is out there, as that knowledge grows here in the Congress, then the issue of what do we do with it comes up. Is that an impeachment issue, or is it not? It's too early for me and I believe too early for this Congress to make a decision about whether to go all out on impeachment.

I am all out, however, on full public testimony.

BLITZER: Let's get to some foreign policy-sensitive issues, Congressman.

The president is on his first state visit, as you know, to the United Kingdom. This trip is about strengthening bilateral relations. But President Trump launched the trip by actually criticizing the duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, attacking the mayor of London, praising potential candidates to be Britain's next prime minister.

Is that appropriate?

GARAMENDI: Absolutely not. It is not appropriate.

The queen said so carefully and correctly it is about an alliance. It is about common values. It is about democracy. It is about each country deciding for themselves how they want to go.

The president, it's nice to go to Buckingham Palace wonderful and have a state dinner and to have lunch with a very, very proper lady, the queen, and then at the same time to just show your, frankly, immaturity, your inability to control your own emotions, when you are somehow, in a -- in an editorial, somebody speaks out against you.

And what does the president of the United States does? Takes to his tweet, and then takes on the political system, the key politicians in the United Kingdom. It's just immature.

BLITZER: The president's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, gave a rare interview to Axios. He was asked about his Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, but he questioned whether Palestinians could actually govern themselves.

This comes as the secretary of state, Congressman, Mike Pompeo, was recorded saying that this plan might be un-executable, his word.

Is it dead, do you believe, on arrival? And it certainly hasn't even arrived yet.

GARAMENDI: Well, whatever that peace plan is, if it does not call for a two-state solution, it is indeed dead.

The two-state solution has gone now for at least four administrations that recognize that you have a Palestinian group there, a nation, if you will. You have an Israeli nation. And that's the two-state solution.

It seems to have been abandoned by the Trump administration, quite possibly by Kushner, as well as by, some say, the political process in Israel itself.

I don't see any way to solve the Palestinian issue without a two-state solution. If Kushner is not going there, I don't see how that plan can go anyplace.

BLITZER: Well, he hasn't made a commitment yet. And we don't know what his plan will include. We will see what happens, but it's going to be months down the road, after their new elections in September in Israel, a new government is formed. That could take another month or two.

GARAMENDI: Exactly.

BLITZER: So it's going to be quite a while before we learn what his peace plan includes.

Congressman Garamendi, thanks so much for joining.

[18:15:01]

GARAMENDI: Thank you.

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