CNN "Erin Burnett Out Front" - Transcript: "Interview with Rep. Steny Hoyer"

Interview

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BURNETT: All right. Manu, thank you very much.

Out front tonight, House Majority Leader Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer. Congressman, I appreciate your time tonight and, of course, as you've heard, we understand Democrats are starting to discuss what articles of impeachment would look like. Your colleague, David Cicilline, a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, says members of Congress have been talking about what the articles may include. What can you tell us?

REP. STENY HOYER (D-MD): Well, look, the Speaker and I have both said that we're going to wait until we get all the facts before we make decisions on whether or not we ought to move forward. I'm not surprised that there are some members talking about this possibility, that possibility and the other possibility.

But what we are doing now is the fact-finding investigation portion of our responsibility under the Constitution. When that's completed, then we will be timely to discuss if it is proper to move ahead. How so, what should the articles of impeachment be or articles of impeachment be, but I'm sure there are members who are discussing that themselves.

BURNETT: So do you think, you're using words like if and all the facts, is it still an if? I mean, do you think after going down this far from what you've seen that it - I mean, are you really trying to put out there that you might not do it?

HOYER: No. What I'm saying is we haven't done it at this point in time and we're waiting to conclude the investigatory best part of our responsibility. That is what is proceeding now. And when we complete that, then I'm sure we will sit down. If articles are required and appropriate, then we're going to discuss what articles they will be and whether they can be one two or more.

BURNETT: So when you say one, two or more, we do understand that among Democrats, you're still dealing with, you and the Speaker, with two camps, those who want to keep any articles very focused on the quid pro quo and Ukraine, between the President and Ukraine, and those who want them to be much broader, including things from the Russia investigation from the Mueller report. Are you open to it being broader than the quid pro quo in Ukraine?

HOYER: I'm certainly open to it based upon what the facts dictate that we all say. I think there are a lot of members who believe that the American people get that it is improper to be asking a foreign head of government to involve himself in our elections. They think that's not the right thing to do.

It's under the Constitution and laws of our country or under the election laws, so that I think that most members believe that is something that most Americans believe should not have happened, should not have occurred and they believe it's an abuse of power. And we don't believe that anybody is above the law, including the President of the United States.

So that article, I think, if we move ahead and I keep saying if because we have not concluded the investigatory process yet and we ought to wait until we do that. But clearly, I think you're right and ...

BURNETT: So you're saying it from a procedural point of view, not an intellectual point of view.

HOYER: Correct.

BURNETT: OK. So some of the most damning testimony that we have seen publicly at least when we saw the prepared remarks came from Bill Taylor.

HOYER: Correct.

BURNETT: The top U.S. Diplomat in Ukraine and he testified there was a quid pro quo, no military aid unless Joe Biden was investigated. I want to play more of the exchange between Manu Raju and Lindsey Graham about Mr. Taylor.

HOYER: OK.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRAHAM: Did he talk to the President?

RAJU: He talked to Ambassador Sondland who talked to the President.

GRAHAM: Oh, that's hearsay. So here's what I can ...

RAJU: You don't think he's trustworthy?

GRAHAM: ... no, no, here's what I can get over, if Rudy Giuliani had a 15-page statement saying he did nothing wrong, would you want to know more? Would you accept that statement? I've got nothing against Bill Taylor. It's the process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: Do you buy, Congressman that Lindsey Graham who we just showed has defended this process in the past, you just heard him defend it in the past.

[19:10:01]

Do you buy it as if an issue with the process or do you think he is trying to make this witness look untrustworthy?

HOYER: I think the process argument is a distraction and his phony. What is at question here is the substance of the President's actions. Did he abuse the power he has as president, did he abuse the power in not giving the 391 million to a Ukraine that was under attack by Russia.

Now, we know Russia is headed by Putin and so we don't know whether the President and Putin have talked about this, but Russia has also been advantaged by what happened in Turkey. So I think Mr. Graham's argument with respect to process is simply a distraction, a pounding on the table.

BURNETT: I also want to ask you about one other thing tonight and that is the service on Capitol Hill today in memory of your friend Elijah Cummings, the Chairman of the House Oversight Committee who passed away one week ago. And I know you spoke at the service today, Congressman, as did your friend, the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others.

But more surprisingly perhaps too many Americans right now, there were Republicans who also spoke very movingly. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Congressman Mark Meadows, here are some of what Mr. Meadows said.

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REP. MARK MEADOWS (R-NC): Some have classified it as an unexpected friendship but for those of us that know Elijah, it's not unexpected or surprising. Perhaps this place in this country would be better served with a few more unexpected friendships. I know I've been blessed by one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: What can Democrats and Republicans learn from Congressman Cummings who was able to move his friend Mark Meadows to tears as he remember him today?

HOYER: First, I think any American who did not know Elijah Cummings, nevertheless they watched him on television, they heard him speak, they knew he was a man of great principle, of great empathy, civility, a passion for civil rights, but at core he was a good human being. He was a human being who respected others. He was a human being who would listen to others.

And I think that's what Mark Meadows was saying. We need more of that. Unfortunately, we have a very confrontational politics in our country which is reflected in our Congress and that I think disturbs the American people. Of course, my advice to them is to elect people like Elijah Cummings who are willing to work with others based upon principle, not based upon politics.

BURNETT: All right. Well, thank you very much, Congressman Hoyer. I appreciate your time tonight.

HOYER: Thank you.

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