CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: "Interview with Rep. John Garamendi"
Interview
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BLITZER: All right, Jessica, thank you, Jessica Schneider reporting.
Joining us now, Congressman John Garamendi, a Democrat. He serves on the Armed Services Committee.
Congressman, thanks so much for joining us.
REP. JOHN GARAMENDI (D-CA): Sure.
BLITZER: So, let me get your immediate reaction to what we heard from Jessica, her report.
How concerned are you that this threat came from a soldier inside the U.S. military?
GARAMENDI: Very, very concerned.
Obviously, he knows what he could do. And he is also corresponding with others. It is a very, very serious threat. Unfortunately, it is not the only threat.
We had a problem with the U.S. Coast Guard just a couple months back with a similar situation.
We are living in the age of Trump. We are living in the age where these kinds of activities within the United States seem to be ever- increasing, without the president condemning it.
So, we have a problem not only of the highest part of our government, but also in the ranks of the military. It has to be ferreted out. The command down through the ranks, all the way to the sergeant that is taking care of the platoon, has to be on top of these things.
They have to understand what their troops are doing, and they have to call attention to any problem.
BLITZER: Well, let me just press you on that.
You seem to be suggesting President, what, Trump is responsible for what this U.S. Army soldier is accused of doing?
GARAMENDI: I am saying Trump is responsible for not putting down the kind of violence that we have seen.
We saw this in Charlottesville. We see this in his own rallies where he is saying, beat that person up and I will back you up. I will make sure I will pay for your legal costs.
These are things that Trump has said repeatedly over the last three years. I'm not saying he is specifically responsible, but for creating an atmosphere in this country with this kind of activity seems to be approved -- excuse me -- where the kind of activity at his rallies, beating up reporters and others, seems to be approved by the president.
BLITZER: All right, let's move on to this whole issue of Ukraine right now.
I understand, Congressman, you are going to be traveling to Ukraine later this week to meet with military and political leaders there.
GARAMENDI: Yes.
BLITZER: What are you hoping to learn about President Trump's July phone call with President Zelensky?
GARAMENDI: Well, this is a rapidly unraveling or raveling story.
It's not at all clear what we will -- what the news will be at the end of this week, when we do arrive in Ukraine. So much of what you have just asked is to be -- we just don't know.
The original purpose of our trip was to look at what the American government is doing in Ukraine with the $250 million that originally was supposed to go to Ukraine, then withheld by the president, and just recently released to Ukraine.
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We also wanted to look at what was going on in Eastern Europe with the European Deterrence Initiative. The president has withheld $770 million of money for our NATO allies to build critical infrastructure, everything from roads and transportation systems to military bases and airports and the like.
All of those things are very, very serious problems, Ukraine being one of several series issues that we have to investigate. We have got to find out what the impact is of that $770 million not being available.
Will we learn more about it Ukraine? Possibly. I simply can't say now.
BLITZER: Well, you're on the Armed Services Committee. Do you know exactly when, Congressman, and why the U.S. military aid to Ukraine was put on hold?
GARAMENDI: We're trying to find out the exact date.
It appears as though the hold occurred slightly before the July 25 phone call that the president made to Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, or right in that period of time.
Interestingly enough, the money was released just about the time that the whistle-blower incident became known probably at the White House and then publicly.
So these dates seem to match and raise even more concerns about what is going on and the leverage that the president appears to be willing to have used to pressure Zelensky into carrying out the -- the investigation into Biden's son's involvement in Ukraine.
Now, that's extortion, and clearly a violation of the campaign laws and who knows what beyond that. We are going to find out. The committee is asking for that information.
I'll tell you, if I were chairman of either of those committees, I would have the subpoena ready for signature on the 26th, when the information is supposed to be delivered. And if it's not, I would sign that, and we would get under way.
BLITZER: Do you believe that this does represent a tipping point right now for House Democrats when it comes to impeachment?
GARAMENDI: Yes.
I thought we reached the tipping point some time ago. And, clearly, we're beyond the tipping point. The president acknowledges that the discussion took place with Zelensky, that he did talk about Biden during that discussion.
We do know that there's a whistle-blower that was so upset about this incident that he went through the proper channels. We do know that the White House and the Department of Justice are stonewalling, contrary to the clear letter of the law.
Frankly, both the White House and the Justice Department are breaking the law by not allowing the DNI to come forward with the information, the national defense director -- intelligence director.
All of that is readily known. So, once again, the president and the Department of Justice are breaking the law by withholding the information. There's no ambiguity about this process of the whistle- blower and that information going to the DNI, and then, from there, directly to the appropriate Intelligence Committees.
That's the clear letter of the law. And the president and the Department of Justice, by stonewalling, are breaking the law. Chalk that up to one more indictment for impeachment.
BLITZER: Congressman John Garamendi, thanks so much for joining us.
GARAMENDI: Thank you.
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