CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA) is Interviewed on Impeachment
Interview
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Let's talk about that and a lot more with Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle.
Good morning, Congressman. Thank you very much for being with me.
You saw, I'm sure, the letter from White House Attorney Pat Cipollone to Jerry Nadler, who says, quote, we cannot fairly be expected to participate in a hearing while the witnesses are not yet named. More importantly, an invitation to an academic discussion with law professors does not begin to provide the president with any semblance of a fair process.
If the tables were turned here and this was a Democratic president being impeached in this way on this timeline, would you be comfortable with it?
REP. BRENDAN BOYLE (D-PA): Yes, I certainly would.
Let's be clear, this has stretched for months now. And, you know, it's funny to me because all along the way all the White House has wanted to talk about and complain about is process because they don't want to discuss the facts.
Now, if they are concerned that they think there's something that would exonerate them in any way, they can free up John Bolton, for example, to testify, and he can come forward and say whether or not the 11 witnesses so far that have come forward and testified and given evidence about a quid pro quo, he can tell us whether or not that is accurate or inaccurate. Certainly any other White House official. But this White House has blocked us every step of the way and then wants to cry that the process is unfair.
So we have more than enough evidence to move forward with impeachment. I think that it is the right thing to do. In fact, I think it's our obligation to do so.
HARLOW: Public hearings 48 hours away in the Judiciary Committee. Have you made up your mind after the Intelligence Committee hearings on whether you will vote yes or no on impeachment at this point? Do you have any remaining questions?
BOYLE: No, I really don't. You know, this has been -- so, first, let me jump to the conclusion first. Yes, I will vote for impeachment. There's simply no doubt in this case.
And for me it really began as kind of like that old detective show "Columbo" where you know the result at the very beginning of the show and then the rest of the show was just filling in the details. That's the case right here because the White House summary of the phone call with Zelensky was the smoking gun and then all of the hearings and depositions have been about what led up to that and the months and months of the shakedown that was going on and how many people were involved in it.
Now we have Ambassador Sondland even testifying and using the term quid pro quo. So, yes, there is more than enough evidence that this was bribery, it was a shakedown, it is explicitly impeachable to our Constitution.
HARLOW: Two -- two points here. Two points here.
BOYLE: Yes.
HARLOW: One, the president is tweeting about a series of interviews that the president of Ukraine, President Zelensky, just gave. Let me quote from one of the interviews from Zelensky. Quote, "I never talked to the president from a position of a quid pro quo." He did go on to say, though, and this is important, quote, "If you're a strategic partner, then you can't go blocking anything for us."
But it sounds like you're saying, Congressman, that whatever happens in the Judiciary Committee doesn't matter at all to your vote.
BOYLE: No, I -- so for me, personally, I mean, I just have one vote. I have seen enough evidence. If something came along that in some way contradicted the evidence and testimony that's been given by 11 witnesses, then I'm certainly open-minded. But, frankly, at this point, I would be shocked if that were to happen.
Just to come back to one previous question, though, that you had that I do want to explain something that I haven't heard in the public domain.
HARLOW: Yes.
BOYLE: To this question that could we possibly be making a mistake and not waiting for John Bolton, for example, to be compelled to testify, there is nothing stopping the Senate, once we go to the trial phase, I would like to see John Bolton called to testify. I would like to see others in the White House called to testify.
HARLOW: Well, it's a possibility. It's a real possibility that --
BOYLE: Yes, and then just to be --
HARLOW: That Jake Tapper talked about with Adam Schiff about a week ago that John Roberts, the chief justice, could do that, could compel John Bolton.
BOYLE: Yes.
HARLOW: So I hear you on that.
I wonder what you think about how narrowly focused or not the articles of impeachment against the president should be because you've got some of your fellow Democrats in the House who say, you know, you've got to just focus on Ukraine.
You've got members like Veronica Escobar of Texas on Judiciary who said recently, I believe being as focused as possible as well. I think the broader we go that may pose challenges for the American people.
And then you've got the other camp that says, no, you have to include things about obstruction, tying back to the Mueller report. What do you think?
[09:45:00]
BOYLE: Yes. I -- so you are right, there is a diversity of opinion on that within the House Democratic caucus. I come down on the side that frankly it should be contained to the matters that are in the report that the Intelligence Committee is writing up as I speak and what the hearings were about over the last couple months.
That doesn't mean that there isn't further evidence that could potentially be explored, but I really think that making sure that this is narrow and tailored specifically to this series of events, the bribery scheme with respect to Ukraine, that for me, is what this is about.
I think that including other things on top of that would be a mistake and then we could possibly run the risk of losing sight of the incredible seriousness of this matter in front of us.
HARLOW: Congressman Brendan Boyle, I appreciate your time this morning. It's a busy week as everyone gets back to work.
BOYLE: All right, thank you.
HARLOW: Thank you.
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