CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Jan Schakowsky

Interview

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BALDWIN: Some 73 House Democrats now support an impeachment inquiry into President Trump. That is all according to a CNN tally.

And one of the latest to join that list is Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. She is a close friend of someone who has been publicly and privately opposed to that idea, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

And Congresswoman Schakowsky joins me now from Capitol Hill.

Congresswoman Schakowsky, nice to have you on. Welcome.

REP. JAN SCHAKOWSKY (D-IL): Thank you so much for having me.

BALDWIN: So, all right, in announcing your decision, you declared that Donald Trump is unfit to be president. And I tracked down some tape. I know that last week you told our

correspondent on the Hill Manu Raju that Trump may be begging for impeachment because he thinks it will help him politically.

Now, at the time, you were not fully committed to impeachment proceedings, but said that you were moving closer. So, what was the tipping point for you personally?

SCHAKOWSKY: Well, personally is the right word, because I'm not whipping this. I'm not trying to get others to join.

But, for me personally, it was not only the letters and the calls from people with -- from my district who are very much in favor of impeachment, in a lot of ways, it was really about my son, who said: "Mom, come on, you're a progressive Democrat."

BALDWIN: Hmm.

SCHAKOWSKY: Doesn't this president actually meet the criteria.

[15:30:00] REP. JAN SCHAKOWSKY (D), ILLINOIS: It was really about my son who said, "Mom, come on, you are a progressive Democrat. Doesn't this President actually meet the criteria, meet the challenges of -- that we're all facing right now to call it impeachable offenses and to say that we ought to have an inquiry, an impeachment inquiry?"

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: So your son, and I want to come back to your point, I'm listening to your constituents in just a moment. I know you are about to leave for recess, but you are a member of House Democratic leadership. I know you talked to Speaker Pelosi before going public.

SCHAKOWSKY: I did.

BALDWIN: How did she respond?

SCHAKOWSKY: You know, Nancy Pelosi is not trying to change anyone's mind. I talked to her about it and gave her a heads up on it. And, look, Nancy Pelosi herself has been one of the most ardent critics, actually, of Donald Trump today dealing with the issue of Iran when -- you know, saying clearly that he has committed crimes. So, she has been a critic and continues to be with the investigations that we're conducting as well as legislation, as well as --

BALDWIN: But she didn't go. She's not going as far as you are, Congresswoman. So, does she mind that you took that step?

SCHAKOWSKY: Not at all. She did not try and talk me out of it. We had more than a cordial, but actually a friendly conversation. I think she is absolutely the more sure footed member of -- speaker of the House than I've ever seen, doing a fantastic job and taking a lot of things under consideration. But certainly not seeing that Donald Trump doesn't have to obey the laws like every other American, and not stopping short of holding him accountable.

BALDWIN: And by the way, she also -- she agrees that she believes that Trump is goading your party into impeaching him and that's one reason why she says it actually shouldn't happen, that lawmakers should continue gathering information. Is she wrong about that?

SCHAKOWSKY: Look, I don't think anybody who is even saying that they're for impeachment really expects that it is impeachment that it is going to get rid of Donald Trump, something that we have to do. We have to have a different president in 2020 and that is the most likely way that it's going to happen.

BALDWIN: But is she, Congresswoman, is she holding Democrats back from fully investigating the President? Because you know all the stonewalling coming out of the White House, the defying of subpoenas, you know, the Hope Hicks testimony yesterday, they didn't get a lot of information. So, is she holding your party back?

SCHAKOWSKY: No. I think it's unclear anyway that even if there were an impeachment inquiry that we would necessarily be able to get more information. But every day with the America --

BALDWIN: You don't think so.

SCHAKOWSKY: Wait, every day that the American people see the kind of stonewalling that we're having, the kind of cover-up that this administration is doing, more and more people are increasingly for impeachment.

And, Nancy Pelosi herself has never said that impeachment is off the table. But if we're expecting that that's actually the way that we're going to replace Donald Trump, unlikely. And so what we all need to do is to prepare for a massive turnout in 2020. That will get rid of him.

BALDWIN: You are all about to go home for recess. You will be meeting with folks in your district who will speak their minds. You mentioned how many of them have already done so with you. I know some polls show Democratic support for impeachment growing.

So do you think when -- collectively when you all come back to Washington, that more of your colleagues' minds might be changed, that they will be feeling more of the pressure?

SCHAKOWSKY: You know, it's possible that there may be more people who call for impeachment, but no one in our caucus is saying that we can't -- that we can stop being vigorous about the kinds of investigations that we're having and pressing.

And, you know, even yesterday, Hope Hicks as much as she tried to stonewall on questions, did answer some of the questions, things about the President saying that he would accept help and dirt from a foreign country.

She said that she didn't think he was kidding about that. So, little by little we are getting more information that I think is going to change the minds of the American people.

BALDWIN: Congresswoman Schakowsky, thank you very much.

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