MSNBC "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell" - Transcript: "Remembering Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD)."

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O`DONNELL: That was Congressman Elijah Cummings just a couple of months ago on July this summer. Congressman`s family announced this morning that he died last night from medical complications that he had been struggling with, while serving as the Chairman of the House Oversight Committee. We`re joined now by a member of that Committee, Congressman Ro Khanna. Congressman Ro Khanna has been joining us before. But tonight Congressman, I want to give you a chance to share your thoughts on the passing of Chairman Cummings.

REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): Well, it`s a very personal loss for many members of Congress. There wasn`t a dry eye when Speaker Pelosi took to the floor to talk about Elijah Cummings, the person. And there were two things that I remembered. One actually right before the Michael Cohen hearing, Elijah Cummings took all of us into a room and he said that the weight of history is on us and that we ought to conduct ourselves in a civil way, in a respectful way, and worthy of our constitutional oath. So he had a sense of profoundness in someone who people respected. And the second, on a more lighter note, I remember one of my Committee hearings, I was on my phone texting and I started hearing this booming voice saying Ro, Ro, Ro, and I looked up and it was almost he was like a schoolteacher sort of saying get in line, what are you doing, you are in the United States Congress on my Committee, pay more attention. So he`s just someone who was a funny, respected, wise and touched a lot of people.

O`DONNELL: What is the plan for the Committee now to continue working without Chairman Cummings?

KHANNA: Well the work continues. One of the things Chairman Cummings was so passionate about and proud of is he assembled the best staff. And you talk to a lot of people in Congress, they will tell you the Oversight Committee has one of the best staffs in Congress. And so, they will continue the work and all of us will continue the work and do it in the spirit that Chairman Cummings wanted. I mean one thing he was so gracious and fair to Mark Meadows or Jim Jordan, even when he disagreed, it always bend over backwards to try to respect the process, and I think we just have to follow his footsteps, a commitment to the Constitution and values, but also a commitment to civility and to the process.

O`DONNELL: I want to get your reaction to the deposition of Mr. Sondland today that you were in. Debbie Wasserman Schultz came out of that deposition saying - telling NBC News, I`m concerned that he has been less than truthful throughout the day. Would you agree with that?

KHANNA: Well I don`t want to characterize anything in the hearing or deposition itself. But let me just say based on the public reports that the concern I have is why was Rudy Giuliani involved in the foreign policy towards Ukraine. And the public testimony suggests - the public reports of his testimony suggest that he shared the same concern, and it`s a concern that`s widespread now among Foreign Service officers. What is a President`s personal lawyer doing conducting foreign policy?

O`DONNELL: And the - were there any moments in this hearing today where you would say, ah I did discover some things that were helpful to the President`s position?

KHANNA: I don`t see that. I mean I can`t see how the President has exonerating facts in this case. I mean the President and his Chief of Staff have basically admitted to the whole case. I mean the President has gone on national television and bragged that China and Ukraine should dig up dirt on Joe Biden. And Mick Mulvaney, I mean it was staggering - I mean Mick Mulvaney basically says, yes there was a quid pro quo, move on, get over it, and that`s really the position of this administration. I mean they are saying it`s okay to dig up dirt on their rival from a foreign leader, let`s move on as a country. And if you believe that it`s not a slap in the face of the Constitution, then I guess you can take the President`s side. But this is really not a factual dispute Lawrence.

O`DONNELL: Congressman Ro Khanna, thank you very much for joining us tonight, really appreciate it.

KHANNA: Thank you for having me.

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