CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Ro Khanna

Interview

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BLITZER: All right, Manu, thank you. Manu Raju up on Capitol Hill.

Joining us now, Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna of California. He's a member of both the Oversight and Armed Services Committees.

Congressman, thanks for coming in.

REP. RO KHANNA (D), CALIFORNIA: Thanks for having me, Wolf.

BLITZER: So Democrats are deeply divided whether to go forward with formal impeachment proceedings. How do you think lawmakers should move forward?

KHANNA: With aggressive committee inquiry. And it's working. We got Bill Barr to concede and finally give us the underlying evidence which we're going to need to pursue a case.

And it's important to realize it's not just the Judiciary Committee. It's the Oversight Committee. It's the Financial Services Committee. We're investigating all of the scandals, and that is increasing pressure.

BLITZER: But as you know, those who want formal proceedings to begin, they say you're wasting opportunities right now to conduct an even more rigorous investigation. If you start the impeachment investigation, you have bigger opportunities.

KHANNA: I don't think that's true. Their case is that we would have more success in court, but we're already having success in court. Every time we've gone to court, we've won.

And secondly, you would only have one committee then doing the investigation, the Judiciary Committee. You would lose the ability to go after financial crimes. You'd lose the ability to go after the census fraud. I think having six committees focused on the breadth of the misconduct is more effective.

BLITZER: The argument also has been made if you have one investigation, one impeachment inquiry by the Judiciary Committee, you can focus the public's -- the public can focus on it more directly as opposed to having six separate investigations.

KHANNA: Well, Wolf, when we had the investigation on Michael Cohen testifying on the Oversight Committee, the public was focused. Everyone in the country was watching.

So I think if we get Bob Mueller there testifying, if we get Don McGahn testifying, if we continue to have dramatic television hearings on all the committees, the public will focus. But it's important to be methodical and build a case and get the American public along.

BLITZER: Your Oversight Committee now wants Kellyanne Conway, the counselor to the President, to come testify. She was cited today by the office of the Special Counsel, which is not connected to Robert Mueller's Special Counsel, to -- of violating what's called the Hatch Act.

KHANNA: Well, Wolf, when I was at the Department of Commerce, the first day, they tell you, you can't engage in any political activity while serving in the federal government. And if you, do you will be immediately dismissed. Now, what I don't understand is, why are the rules any different for Kellyanne Conway than the thousands of other people who serve in the federal government?

BLITZER: So what do you want to ask her? What do you want to do?

KHANNA: I want to ask her, why did she violate the Hatch Act? Was she warned about this? Why does she think she shouldn't be dismissed? And why does she think she should have an exception that doesn't apply to every other person in the federal government?

BLITZER: The President in this interview with ABC News yesterday -- you saw it -- says he's open to accepting foreign dirt on his political opponents going into the 2020 campaign. He may or may not report it to the FBI.

[17:34:57] KHANNA: Every time you think the President can't say something more outrageous, he surprises you. I mean, I can't imagine a single person running for president in the past who has said, I welcome foreign governments helping our campaign.

And his allegation that members of Congress do this all the time is absurd. I don't know a single member of Congress, Republican or Democrat, who has taken information from a foreign power. And we should ask every member of Congress on the record if they have.

BLITZER: I know you've got to run but very quickly, you want to react

to what we heard from the Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, on the Khashoggi matter? Also on the latest escalated tensions with Iran.

KHANNA: Well, I really appreciate your holding him accountable because Khashoggi was murdered for one reason. He was speaking out about the human rights violations in Yemen.

And our own CIA, Wolf, concluded that there was a very, very high probability that MBS ordered that killing. MBS told his brother who was the Saudi Ambassador to call Khashoggi and tell Khashoggi to show up at the Istanbul Embassy. And this is documented by the CIA, which he blatantly ignored during your questioning.

I am very, very concerned, both about the human rights situation in Yemen where the Saudis continue to have a blockade, where we passed for the first time a war powers resolution to get us out, and also the escalating tension in Iran.

Just a quick point on that, we were up all night last night at the House Armed Services Committee debating the issue in Iran. And one thing was clear, even the Ranking Member Thornberry acknowledged, this president has no constitutional authority to go into Iran. He has to come to Congress first.

BLITZER: Congressman Ro Khanna, thanks so much for coming in.

KHANNA: Thank you, Wolf.

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