CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Mike Quigley

Interview

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BLITZER: Phil Mattingly up on Capitol Hill, thank you very much.

Let's stay up on Capitol Hill.

Democratic Congressman Mike Quigley of Illinois is joining us. He's a member of the Intelligence Committee.

And I know, Congressman, you have to go vote at some point. As soon as that is absolutely necessary, we're going to let you go.

But let me get your reaction to what we just heard from the president. He says he's enjoying this fight with these progressive freshman Democrats. And he says your party is moving so far to the left, that you're about to fall off the cliff.

How do you respond?

REP. MIKE QUIGLEY (D-IL): This is a president who has divided this country, rather than unite it.

This is a country (sic) that's pitted one group against another. This is not how you lead. You don't build coalitions to get something done. The fact that he's enjoying this makes me extraordinarily concerned about his mental health and his well-being, clearly his ability to lead this country.

BLITZER: You're also going to be voting any moment now, Congressman, to hold the attorney general, Bill Barr, and the commerce secretary, Wilbur Ross, in contempt over their refusal to comply with subpoenas related to the 2020 census.

The administration has now abandoned its effort to include a citizenship question on the census. So why are you still holding this vote?

QUIGLEY: I think we're sending a message, besides the fact that we need to find out exactly what took place.

The attorney general applied for this job attacking the rule of law. He wrote memos agreeing with the president on issues relating to the Russian investigation. And he lied to the country about the Mueller report and its outcome.

He is unfit for his job. So, at some point in time, when the administration continues to attack the rule of law, the congressional branch has to hold its own. It has to hold them accountable and show that we're serious about the investigations that we have a constitutional power to conduct.

BLITZER: As you know, the House of Representatives just voted to table Congressman Al Green's articles of impeachment resolution.

First of all, how did you vote?

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QUIGLEY: I voted against Mr. Green, for the following reason.

I am for impeaching this president. It is not a question of whether he is fit for office. He is not. It's not a question of whether he should be impeached. He should.

It is a question of making it work. We have maybe one shot at this in the public forum, and certainly with the United States Senate. We have to get it right.

The way this was done was an impeachment inquiry under Watergate. It is the most effective way to build the case, to succeed more in our cases that we have before the court, to get information about this president of the United States.

I understand Mr. Green's concern here. I am just as disgusted as he is with the president's tweet -- tweets. It is the basis, the sole basis, for what he filed today.

I think there are a long list of crimes and misdemeanors. So let's take our time. Let's do it right. It doesn't mean it can't move quickly. It just has to begin with an impeachment inquiry to be more effective.

BLITZER: Unlike you, Congressman, more than 80 of your Democratic colleagues voted not to table this resolution of impeachment. What does that tell you?

QUIGLEY: I think what you have to look at is the other way around.

His vote did not succeed even within the Democratic Caucus. We have to win over Republican votes, as well as the hearts and minds of Middle America. So, in my mind, the question is more for my friend and colleague Mr. Green.

Let's move this forward in a way that can get you the vast majority, if not every single Democratic vote, and attempt to get beyond Mr. Amash on the Republican side.

BLITZER: The former special counsel Robert Mueller will be testifying before your committee, and the Judiciary Committee next week, the Intelligence Committee and the Judiciary Committee. Do you think you will actually sway any of your colleagues on this

question of an impeachment inquiry?

QUIGLEY: Oh, look, I moved -- the needle moved for me some time ago, after Mr. Mueller spoke for eight minutes and the response from the administration, because it was clear the administration wasn't going to follow the rule of law.

And the only way we were going to get the documents necessary is to file the impeachment inquiry. It's a much stronger case in court. He's not going to change anybody's mind. But I do think he will have a profound influence on the American public.

Clearly, the American public hadn't read the report, for the most part, and the fact that, in eight minutes, he convinced many of them that he had not exonerated the president, let's do four hours of this, and detail an extraordinarily disturbing report, reflecting the -- what I believe are crimes and misdemeanors of the president of the United States.

BLITZER: On another very important issue, the House speaker, Congressman, Nancy Pelosi, says she wants a budget and debt ceiling agreement reached by the end of this week.

Is there any chance you will leave -- you will be -- you and your colleagues will be able to leave town without a deal in place?

QUIGLEY: I think that might happen this week. We have one more week before the summer break work session. It has to happen before we leave. I always vote to raise the debt ceiling. I believe in fiscal responsibility.

But part of that responsibility, as President Reagan said, is to be responsible for the debts you have already incurred. It is incredibly irresponsible for anyone to threaten the fact that they wouldn't vote to raise the debt ceiling.

And I do have to go vote, sir.

BLITZER: All right, go ahead and vote.

QUIGLEY: All right.

BLITZER: And thank you so much, Congressman Quigley, for joining us.

QUIGLEY: Sure. Take care.

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