MSNBC "he Rachel Maddow Show" - Transcript: "US Sanctions on Russia."

Interview

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MADDOW: Nothing trying to influence anything happening today. Again, at the time that have interview, Kurt Volker was the U.S. special envoy to Ukraine. Now, he is the former special envoy because last Friday, he abruptly resigned, just after he was named in the whistleblower complaint that has given rise to this impeachment investigation. And really, even with the seemingly nonstop flow of breaking news about this whole impeachment scandal, there is a ton we don`t know. It is unclear whether U.S. special counsel envoy Kurt Volker may have been part of this scheme to pressure the Ukrainian government. He showed up meeting with the Ukrainian government right after President Trump pressured them in a phone call to hand over dirt on Biden as a condition of getting military aid. Was Volker part of the scheme? Part of enacting that pressure campaign by president Trump? Or was he not part of this scheme but rather an important witness to it who might be able to shed light on what was done wrong? We may be about to get some answers. The House of Representatives as part of the their inquiry has now announced they`ll be deposing five key State Department officials who are named or referenced in the whistleblower`s complaint. They include Kurt Volker, former special envoy to Ukraine. Mr. Volker tonight says he will be there, he will show up for that House deposition on Thursday, which raises all kinds of interesting questions in terms of the prospect of really unraveling some of the mystery and intrigue that continues to surround this situation. I mean, Congress has to start somewhere. They are starting with the State Department depositions this week. They appear to be planning to move fast. Joining us now is Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. He is a member of the House Intelligence Committee, which is currently the leading the impeachment proceedings. He also serves on the Oversight Committee. Congressman, I really appreciate you being here. Thanks tonight.

REP. RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI (D-IL): Hey, thanks, Rachel. And congrats on your book.

MADDOW: Thank you very much. I`m very embarrassed. Let me ask you about your committee and its plans and the speed at which this is proceeding. As far as I can tell, we`ve got the slate of five depositions coming up, five State Department officials who would have had knowledge of Trump`s engagements with Ukraine. Those depositions are scheduled to begin this week. Do you think you`re going to get all those people to come in for the depositions?

KRISHNAMOORTHI: I hope most of them come in. Certainly, it`s important that Mr. Volker comes in as you mentioned. He is mentioned in the complaint several times by the whistleblower, and, you know, he has some interesting potential conflicts of interest that might shed light on whether he actually helped to pressure the Ukrainian president to actually do what President Trump wanted him to do. In any case, he`s an important witness to some of the events that unfolded in Ukraine at that time.

MADDOW: Having him resign basically very shortly after you announced --

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Yes.

MADDOW: -- your committee announced that you wanted to depose, you raised some interesting questions as to the timing of his resignation. I wonder if that has an effect, though, on the White House`s ability to try to block this deposition if they`re going to try to do so? We`ve seen them say, basically, no to request for information.

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Right.

MADDOW: We`ve heard them saying no to subpoenas. Do you think they`re going to try to block any of these depositions and does it make a difference if these are current or former employees if they`re going to try to do that?

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Yes, if they are not currently employees of the administration, so to speak, in his case he was never an employee. He was kind of some kind of unpaid volunteer adviser in any case. But, yes, if they are no longer employees of the administration, they have a little more freedom to testify. That being said, I wouldn`t put it past this White House to assert all kinds of privileges with regard to information that these folks may or may not possess. Certainly, we`ve seen that in the case of Don McGahn in our demands for him to come before Congress to testify on any number of issues.

MADDOW: Obviously, there`s going to be a huge amount of public interest in what Kurt Volker might have to say. The former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, who was recalled early from her post in sort of suspicious circumstances, seemed suspicious at the time. It seems particularly suspicious now in retrospect, now that we know what was going on at that time.

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Sure.

MADDOW: Do you expect the public will ever know what happens in these proceedings? Are these going to be taped or transcribed? Is this committee council who`s going to be carrying them out or members of Congress? Are we ever going to see any of this stuff?

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Sure. I think with regard to former Ambassador Yovanovitch, I don`t think that you`re exactly right. I think she`s going to have a lot to say about what occurred with regard to the allegations in the complaint. I think that we should have maximum transparency with regards to the proceedings. That being said, if classified information is shared or something that can`t be, you know, displayed in open setting, it makes sense to have them in closed setting and perhaps later on, Chairman Schiff will decide whether to publish the transcripts as he has in other situations. But in any case, we`re trying to get exactly what`s what and make sure that we get to the bottom of the complaint ASAP.

MADDOW: With the exception of classified information which, of course, goes without saying --

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Correct.

MADDOW: -- people like me and a lot of people in the public will be banging down the door trying to get the transcripts of these depositions, if not the tapes. I can tell you now. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee -- sir, thank you for being here tonight.

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Thank you. Thank you, Rachel.

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