CBS "Face the Nation" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Doug Collins

Interview

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REPRESENTATIVE DOUG COLLINS (R-Georgia/@RepDougCollins/Judiciary Committee Ranking Member): Yeah. Good morning, Margaret. Yes, I have. And I've also read what Bill Barr actually-- let us go back and he actually opened it up even more and I have went to the Department of Justice and read the less redacted report which means that of the whole report I have read all of it except a little less than 2%, almost 1% of the report.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And that is what the Democrats on your committee are calling for to be made public and, in fact, there is this threat of holding the attorney general in contempt if he doesn't share more information and underlying evidence. Do you expect him to be held in contempt?

REPRESENTATIVE DOUG COLLINS: It's really interesting, Margaret, what's happened here. I mean a little over sixteen days ago the chairman asked for this material. He knows that he can't get it in a normal oversight proceeding, but, yet, he's continuing on and now with pressure, it seems like from his own side they are going to move to contempt over not producing the documents, not showing up. This is about the documents. But if you go back to any other press before Eric Holder, you know (INDISTINCT) or others. This is a longer process. We're looking at sixteen days or a little over that to actually go to a contempt report on information that he knows he can't get. My question to the Chairman is why don't he go down-- why doesn't he read what's already available and then if he wants more, then work with the Department of Justice to figure this out instead of having the public show of contempt and trying to discredit Bill Barr.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But, Democrats would say if they look at it and can't talk about it publicly, then that's not fair. But on top of this are you disappointed that the Attorney General didn't come before your committee so you could have this conversation?

REPRESENTATIVE DOUG COLLINS: I'm very disappointed that my chairman let that happen. I wanted to actually talk to Bill Barr. He had that opportunity. And the day before he was in the Senate and in the Senate for over six hours and even did a double round of questions from Democrats. Bill Barr is not afraid of testifying. Bill Barr is frankly-- has already said he will testify. He just didn't want to be part of a show in which the Democrats who have not brought up impeachment because they know they can't-- in fact, I have a question for you, Margaret. Why would you impeach a president except for the-- what is found out-- because Mueller said there was no collusion, there was no obstruction. I mean, at this point-- I mean, you-- he is-- we have the best economy we've had in years, 50 years of unemployment. What were you impeaching him for?

MARGARET BRENNAN: We're going to talk about that.

REPRESENTATIVE DOUG COLLINS: And I think they want to make it look like impeachment.

MARGARET BRENNAN: We're going to talk about that more with you.

REPRESENTATIVE DOUG COLLINS: They want to make it look like impeachment.

MARGARET BRENNAN: We're going to have to take a quick commercial break and I want to talk to you more about that on the other side of it so please stay with us.

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MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome back to FACE THE NATION. We want to continue our conversation with the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, Georgia Congressman Doug Collins. Congressman, let's pick up where we left off. In terms of the Attorney General's testimony and the questions about the accuracy and truthfulness of his accounts to the public and Congress we now know, because it became public, that the special counsel himself wrote a letter dated March 27th saying, quote, "There is now public confusion about critical aspects of the results of our investigation. This threatens to undermine the central purpose for which the department appointed the special counsel to assure full public confidence in the outcome of the investigations." Do you want the special counsel to appear and explain exactly what he was objecting to here?

REPRESENTATIVE DOUG COLLINS: We've already asked for the special counsel to come, Margaret. We did that over a month ago because we believe, you know, actually he is the fact witness here. He was the one that conducted the hearing-- the investigation over two years spending mult-- you know, well over thirty million dollars, had all the assets in place with a grand jury and everything. He's the one that is the central figure here. But the one thing he said in that letter I think is worth--

MARGARET BRENNAN: But do you know what he was objected-- objecting to in that letter because you seem to be defending the attorney general?

REPRESENTATIVE DOUG COLLINS: Well, I think if you read the letter you see what he is concerned about. He is concerned about the public perception a la what has happened through the press on how it was--

MARGARET BRENNAN: He didn't--

REPRESENTATIVE DOUG COLLINS: --being port-- portrayed. When you-- when you look at it--

MARGARET BRENNAN: The quote was as I read it--

REPRESENTATIVE DOUG COLLINS: --what he is saying is a roll out--

MARGARET BRENNAN: --there, Sir.

REPRESENTATIVE DOUG COLLINS: I read it and I read the letter as well in-- in totality in which he never disagreed with the conclusions of the attorney general. He-- the conclusions were right. And as the attorney general has said, and also Mister Mueller said in that letter, he was concerned about how it was put out. He thought there might have been more put out at a certain time, and it was the attorney general's job to actually make sure on how he was going to put that out for most of the folks in the public to see it. That was, I think, believe the difference if you take a strict reading of the letter.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay. This is not the only hearing. In fact, there are many investigations, there are many subpoenas that have been issued to the administration and-- and it seems that really you're seeing an-- a head-to-head clash between the congressional branch of government and the White House on many fronts. Is the refusal to comply worrisome to you that this is setting a precedent that undermines the oversight capabilities and charge of Congress?

REPRESENTATIVE DOUG COLLINS: No, it does not, because it's happened with every administration. In fact, you know, during the Obama administration there was a lot of pushback. There was always a slow walk of-- of information requested and sometimes a rescheduling of witnesses. This is something that goes on between the administration and the congressional branch at all times. Now I am very much in favor of congressional oversight, no matter who's in the White House. And we have that proper role, but there is a give and take between the two. And I believe if, especially in the regards of what we're seeing right now from our chairman, if the chairman would actually engage and then find a way to find accommodations--offer accommodations, do the things that have been done in the past, historically, instead of rushing to do a contempt or rushing to a press release or rushing to make a-- an assumption, then I think we could actually get to the oversight that we need to have on this.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Congressman, thank you for your time this morning.

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