CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Interview with Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz about Impeachment

Interview

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ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: We are now just six days away from the House Judiciary Committee's first impeachment hearing. Will Democrats unveil a new strategy after two weeks of stunning historic testimony failed to sway a single Republican to their side?

With us now is Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida.

Good morning and Happy Thanksgiving.

REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (D-FL): Good morning, Ana. Happy Thanksgiving to you as well as all your viewers.

CABRERA: We appreciate it. There are new details that seem to keep trickling out day after day that do poke holes in the president's timeline and the Republicans' defense. We now know the president released the aid and used that phrasing no quid pro quo only after learning of this whistleblower complaint. We also know two OMB officials resigned at least in part over the aid hold.

That's some of the newest information we've learned in the last 48 hours or so. So do you think House Intel ended its public hearings too soon?

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: You know, I think there's a mountain range of evidence that has come to light through public testimony, through the private depositions that I've had an opportunity to listen to as a member of the Oversight Committee, that the president abused his power, violated appropriations law by withholding hundreds of millions of dollars of vital foreign aid to Ukraine to try to pressure the president of Ukraine into investigating his political opponents for his personal and political gain.

You know, only -- you know, someone who subscribes to a cult like unfortunately the members of the Republican caucus have done would be able to deny the evidence that is really right in our face. And so we swore an oath, Ana, and it's important that we make sure that we get to the bottom of the evidence that we have already had and then proceed to essentially review whether it warrants impeachment. And that's what we're doing. CABRERA: But Republicans do argue Democrats have not been able to

directly link President Trump to the strategy of withholding the funding and the White House visit in exchange for the investigations. A witness like John Bolton or Mick Mulvaney could solidify that. Right? Why not wait to see if the courts would compel them to testify?

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Because there is a mountain of evidence that directly links the president to withholding the aid and to dangling a vital meeting that President Zelensky of Ukraine sought which he needed in order to make sure that we could provide him with added credibility to keep Russia and Putin at bay.

[09:35:10]

CABRERA: Do you not care about their testimony then?

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: What I care about is that President Trump himself in the transcript that the White House released said to President Zelensky talk to Rudy. I mean, we have it right out of the president's mouth. And -- I mean, talk to Rudy was very clear an indication that he had directed Rudy Giuliani to circumvent our foreign policy which jeopardizes our national security.

He -- we have evidence and testimony that says that the president directed through Mick Mulvaney to withhold the aid until they knew those investigations were going to be launched against the Bidens. I mean, the evidence is very clear. So only someone intentionally sticking with him --

CABRERA: So the evidence may have been presented publicly now, and I apologize for stepping on you, I think there's a slight delay.

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: That's OK.

CABRERA: But, you know, public support of impeachment has hardly moved even after all the public hearings, even after all the evidence was presented. In fact, according to CNN pollings support for impeachment among independents dropped slightly, 47 percent now compared to 50 percent in October before the hearing started. And next week we have the House Judiciary holding its first impeachment hearings.

What adjustments might Democrats make to boost the public support?

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Well, I think what we need to do is continue to make sure that we shine a bright spotlight on the president's abuse of power. That is what has come out. We have polling that shows that there are more than 50 percent of Americans that want the president not only impeached but believe he should be removed for his conduct. And we need to, as the impeachment inquiry progresses, make sure that we continue to bring the evidence out, show the president's abuse of power. Show how he jeopardized our national security in his personal political interests and look, you know, only -- getting Republicans to do anything other than blindly support this president, I think we can't hope for now. It's only the mirror that they have to look in that is going to do

that. And so hopefully as this testimony continues to come out, their constituents will say to them, you've got to do the right thing. I would never defend a president the way these Republicans have. Essentially they are risking now that their party is either like a flat earth society or a cult. That's certainly not a legacy that I would want to be attached to.

CABRERA: Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, thank you for being here. Again, Happy Thanksgiving.

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: My pleasure. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

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