MSNBC "The Beat with Ari Melber" - Transcript: "Congress confronts Lewandowski."

Interview

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MELBER: New reports that under the Trump administration the U.S. Military has spent nearly $200,000 at Trump`s resort in Scotland. We turn now to Senator Gary Peters. He`s the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Government Affairs Committee calling for an independent investigation and new legislation. What are you calling for?

SEN. GARY PETERS: (D-MI): Well the legislation that we`ve introduced with 35 of my colleagues says that, basically you cannot use federal per diem at a hotel that is owned by a high government official and that`s defined as the President or the Vice President or a cabinet official. I think it`s pretty clear that when that occurs, certainly the appearance of a conflict of interest is there or there may just be an outright conflict of interest as well. It needs to be a prohibited behavior. And certainly it`s been highlighted now from what we have seen. You mentioned that - at the opening here with what we`re seeing in Scotland where the Air Force has been directing Air Force personnel who are staying at the at the Trump resort in Scotland. It certainly raises a lot of troubling issues.

MELBER: When you look at this, a lot of people would wonder how is it even legal in the first place?

PETERS: Yes, absolutely. It should be. You should not be mixing that government business with the personal gain of a government officials. Certainly, back in Michigan, I can tell you the folks in Michigan want to make sure that taxpayer money is being used the way it should be used and for good government purposes. It should not be used to line the pockets of a President or any other high government official. It`s simply something we should not allow. And this is through my work as the Ranking Member on Homeland Security and Government Affairs. We are the top Oversight Committee in the United States Senate. Our job is to oversee government action to make sure taxpayer money is being used properly and most efficiently, and clearly, this is not proper. We need to end this practice.

MELBER: What do Republican say about opposing the bill or denying it a vote, if as you say, you`re arguing it`s a basic good government, clean corruption, fight the swamp security measure.

PETERS: It is. And it`s always surprising to me that my Republican colleagues aren`t willing to step up and do what is what is right. To me this is very clear. We need to maintain trust in the government, maintaining the integrity of the governmental process. And elected officials should be first and foremost on their mind. But unfortunately they`re unwilling it`s across the President, even though he crosses just through many, many ethical lines on a repeated basis.

MELBER: Yes. And that`s your new piece of legislation there. We try to cover a policy and substance on this show in addition a lot of the other things that are going on. So I wanted to get your views on what you`re doing. While I have you, I also want to ask you about another big a substantive issue, which is the gun violence epidemic in this nation.

PETERS: Right.

MELBER: A new ad from Sandy Hook promise that is quite striking. Like other items in the news I would warn everyone this is - about the serious topic of the shootings in our schools. Take a look.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This year my mom got me the perfect bag for back to school.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: These colorful binders help me stay organized.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These headphones are just what I need for studying.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These new sneakers are just what I needed for the New Year.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This jacket is a real must-have.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My parents got me this skateboard I wanted, it`s pretty cool

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: These scissors really come in handy in art class.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These colored pencils too.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: These new socks, they can be a real lifesaver.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I finally got my own phone to stay in touch with my mom.

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MELBER: It`s tough to watch.

PETERS: Yes.

MELBER: It`s not the first time I`ve watched it today, and it is tough.

PETERS: Yes, yes.

MELBER: What do you think must be said and done to get more people`s attention? And do you welcome an effort like this and what are you doing?

PETERS: I do welcome an effort. We have to keep this front and center on people`s minds, this epidemic of gun violence that we see. Certainly that video pulls at everybody`s heart ringing, the terror that those children, the fear and what we`ve seen in these horrific incidents. But I think it`s also just remember as horrible as these mass shootings are that we lose close to 36,000 people to gun violence each and every year in this country. Today a 100 people are going to die as a result of gun violence. Tomorrow another 100 and again another 100. We`ve got to be doing common-sense things. I`m a gun owner. I believe in Second Amendment rights. But we`ve got to have common-sense gun safety. And that`s why to me it`s just unbelievable that we can`t get on the floor of the United States Senate a bill that is supported by over 90% of the American people, which says that we should have, at a minimum, have comprehensive background checks to make sure we keep guns out of the hands of those who we know should not have it. I know that will save lives. It`s not going to end the gun epidemic. But it`s a meaningful first step that we have to do. It will save lives. It is absolutely unconscionable that we have Mitch McConnell refusing to put a bill like that on the floor of the Senate and letting Senators vote on that bill, and vote their conscience and go back to their states and tell the folks why they voted the way they did. But we need to have that vote and we need to have it soon.

MELBER: I wanted to get your view on that. Senator Gary Peters thanks for joining us tonight.

PETERS: Thank you. Great to be with you.

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