CNN "The Lead With Jake Tapper" - Transcript "Interview with Rep. Ro Khanna"
Interview
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[15:27:03]
TAPPER: We're back with the politics lead in this special episode of THE LEAD: "The White House in Crisis."
President Trump now publicly pushing the leaders of Ukraine and China to investigate his political rivals.
Joining me now to discuss is Congressman Ro Khanna, who serves on the House Oversight Committee, which is helping to lead the impeachment inquiry into the president.
Congressman, thanks for joining us.
You heard the president earlier today just out in the open call for Ukraine and now China to investigate former Vice President Biden and his son.
Is that against the law?
REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): It is, Jake.
I mean, there is no factual dispute here. The president is brazenly committing impeachable acts on national television. He's soliciting foreign interference to get dirt on a political rival.
He's, frankly, rejecting George Washington's farewell address, where George Washington warned this country that the downfall of our constitutional republic would be foreign influence.
TAPPER: So what's the exact crime? Conspiracy to -- I mean, I don't -- I don't know exactly what the law is. I understand that you think it's impeachable, which is a political call.
And I understand people think it's an abuse of his office, an abuse of power.
KHANNA: Yes.
TAPPER: But what's the law that he's breaking?
KHANNA: Well, as you know, Richard Nixon, one of the articles of impeachment was for abuse of office, abuse of your constitutional oath.
And that is the central case against the president, that he's abused his oath of office. He hasn't protected our Constitution. Now, are there possible criminal violations as well? That can be looked into. But you don't need that for an impeachment.
What you need is an article saying that he's abused his office and violating -- violated his oath.
TAPPER: Take a listen to something else President Trump said.
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TRUMP: Well, I think Biden is going down. And I think his whole situation, because now you may very well find that there are many other countries that they scammed, just like they scammed China and Ukraine.
And, basically, who are they really scamming? The USA. And it's not good.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: Just to be clear, the president's providing no evidence for these lies and smears. He's just saying whatever in front of the cameras, in front of the American people.
What's your reaction when you hear that from the president?
KHANNA: They're ad hominem attacks. They have no place in American politics.
You know I co-chair Bernie Sanders' campaign, but every Democrat needs to condemn them. They should not allow this president to try to do to a Democrat what he did to Hillary Clinton. It's despicable.
TAPPER: Democratic Congressman Max Rose, one of your colleagues, a Democrat from New York, announced yesterday that he now supports the impeachment inquiry, though he did have some words of caution.
Take a listen.
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REP. MAX ROSE (D-NY): What's most important here is that we do not jump either to any conclusions.
This is a sad, sad day for America. No one should cheer this. No one should applaud it. There were Democrats that signed onto impeachment before they were even sworn in. That's absolutely wrong.
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TAPPER: Do you agree with the congressman? Do you see colleagues sometimes acting in a way that you think might undermine the seriousness of purpose of the impeachment inquiry?
KHANNA: I haven't.
[15:30:00]
[15:30:00]
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: -- colleagues sometimes acting in a way that you think might undermine the seriousness of purpose of the impeachment inquiry.
REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): I haven't, I respect Representative Rose, I'm glad that he's now for impeachment inquiry. I don't know a single colleague who was for impeachment before the President was sworn in. There were many Democrats who even went to his inauguration as did I. The President has signed two of my bills. Speaker Pelosi is still calling on the President to work on prescription drugs and Speaker Pelosi talked about sadness as well.
No one wants to go through an impeachment inquiry that by definition is going to further polarize this country, but we have a constitutional responsibility, and we can't have a President out there saying to foreign leaders, come meddle with our democracy. So we have no choice but to do this.
TAPPER: All right, former Congressman, I mean, sorry, current Congressman Ro Khanna of California, thank you so much. Appreciate your time.
KHANNA: Thank you, Jake. Always a pleasure.
TAPPER: Well, that was uncomfortable. Vice President Mike Pence was just asked about President Trump calling for now two countries to dig up dirt on the Bidens, stay with us.
[15:35:00]
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