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

Interview

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BLITZER: All right, Cristina, thank you very much.

Let's get some more on all of this. Democratic Congressman John Garamendi of California is joining us. He's a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

Congressman, thanks for coming in.

REP. JOHN GARAMENDI (D-CA): Always a pleasure.

BLITZER: So far -- and I want to get to the president's tax returns in a little while.

But, so far, you haven't yet called for the start of formal impeachment proceedings against the president. Do you think Mueller's testimony tomorrow could change your mind?

GARAMENDI: Well, we're in the process of moving towards an inquiry of impeachment, which is a step before the actual impeachment resolution would undoubtedly come to the floor.

So, we're in that process. This is a very, very important moment in this whole project.

BLITZER: Do you want hearings to begin on impeachment?

GARAMENDI: No, an inquiry that would then provide the information that could lead to the resolution of impeachment.

BLITZER: So you're stopping short of formal committee hearings at this point?

GARAMENDI: We're not ready.

BLITZER: You just want an investigation the part of the House Judiciary Committee?

GARAMENDI: That is in preparation, so that we know all the information necessary that would be in an impeachment resolution.

We're not there yet. This is part. This is a very important step, moves us forward, gives us critically important information. We're going to hear from the man who studied all of what was going on. We're going to hear his words. We're going to hear his report.

BLITZER: So, specifically, what do you want to hear him say?

GARAMENDI: I would like him just to read, read the critical paragraphs about McGahn, and other critical paragraphs.

BLITZER: The White House counsel at the time.

GARAMENDI: That's correct.

BLITZER: So you're suggesting there was obstruction of justice?

GARAMENDI: Well, that's what they said. They said there is evidence that there's obstruction of justice.

Now, whether that leads to a criminal indictment, that was a big question, another question that might be asked.

BLITZER: Well, he said he couldn't lead to any charges against a sitting president, based on Justice Department guidelines.

GARAMENDI: And now we have the attorney general saying, well, maybe he could be indicted. So maybe -- did -- was there an earlier discussion in this process

with the attorney general about indicting or not indicting? Important questions.

BLITZER: You think a sitting president can be indicted? Is that what you're saying?

GARAMENDI: I think they can. I don't see anything in the Constitution that we would prohibit it.

BLITZER: But Mueller accepted the guidelines of the Justice Department.

GARAMENDI: That was a lawyer about, what, a decade-and-a-half ago that said that it wasn't possible. That was the lawyer's opinion.

But the clear reading of the Constitution says absolutely nothing about indicting a president. It does say that if you're going to remove a president, you can only do that with impeachment.

BLITZER: Well, it's now up to Congress to make that decision...

GARAMENDI: That's correct.

BLITZER: ... whether it can go forward.

You say begin at least a very preliminary process?

GARAMENDI: A formal inquiry that would then lead to a decision to impeach, that is a resolution, or not.

BLITZER: Your leadership does -- is not yet ready for that, as you know, Nancy Pelosi, the speaker.

They're deeply worried this could backfire against the Democrats politically, and focus in on this, as opposed to other substantive issues that voters want to hear about, whether it's health care or infrastructure, stuff like that.

GARAMENDI: Well, you take a look at what we have managed to do over the last four or five months. We have gone to those substantive issues.

They're sitting over in the Senate right now. So we're continuing to do our work at the same time that we're doing these investigations. We can do both and even more than that. We have passed the National Defense Authorization Act. That's over in the Senate now.

So the work goes on. The inquiries will too.

BLITZER: What do you hope your colleagues on the Judiciary Committee and the Intelligence Committee will ask Mueller tomorrow?

GARAMENDI: I would hope they talk less, ask a question. Don't do all the preface to the question. Just lay out the question. Let Mueller talk. Let him have the four-and-a-half or four minutes and 45 seconds.

BLITZER: What do you make of Mueller's decision at the last minute to have his deputy join him up there tomorrow as he's testifying?

GARAMENDI: It'll be interesting. I have absolutely no idea why he wanted to do that.

We're going to find out right away. We are going to have to wait about 20 hours.

BLITZER: The FBI director, Christopher Wray, he testified up on Capitol Hill today. He said Russia is still working to interfere in the upcoming 2020 election.

How important is it to hear what Mueller has to say about Russia, what Russia was doing in the 2016 election?

GARAMENDI: Well, this is the first part of his report in detail about Russia's involvement in the election.

[18:15:03]

He came to -- did he come to a conclusion on collusion? Well, he apparently decided that there was not. But, nonetheless, it's very, very important that the American public understands the way in which Russia involved itself, the way in which they tried to deflect the American attention and, frankly, feed us a lot of lies.

BLITZER: The president today said something that I want to get your reaction to about the U.S. Constitution basically allowing him to do whatever he wants.

Listen to this.

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TRUMP: Then I have an Article 2, where I have the right to do whatever I want as president, but I don't even talk about that, because they did a report. And there was no obstruction.

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BLITZER: What's your reaction to that?

GARAMENDI: He has always tried to be the imperial president. He is stonewalling Congress. He is already acting as though he was king of the land.

He has no regard for the Constitution. It is a very serious constitutional question that is now in play. And we have to. Members of Congress and the Senate have to stand up for the Constitution for the division of powers. And that kind of talk from this president is -- we should expect it, because that's exactly what he's been doing.

BLITZER: And what do you make of his decision today to file lawsuits trying to prevent the House of Representatives, the Ways and Means Committee specifically, from getting his tax returns?

GARAMENDI: Very simple question. What is he hiding? Why isn't he showing his tax returns?

He didn't do it during the campaign, hasn't done it during his presidency. What is he hiding?

BLITZER: He says he's still under audit.

GARAMENDI: Oh, come on. Give me a break.

BLITZER: That's what he says.

GARAMENDI: I know what he said. But that's never been a bar to putting out your tax returns. No, he's hiding something. What is it that he's hiding? Follow the money.

There's clearly been questions that have been raised. Quite likely, those tax returns would develop the information that would undoubtedly be right here on headline news.

BLITZER: Congressman Garamendi, thanks so much for joining us.

GARAMENDI: Thank you.

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