CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) Is Interviewed About The Impeachment Inquiry Of Trump

Interview

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BLITZER: Yes. Indeed. All right. Jim Acosta, thanks very much. Let's get more on all of this. Joining us now, Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna of California. He is a member of both the Oversight and Armed Services Committees.

Congressman, thanks so much for joining us. And as you know, tomorrow kicks off a very busy week of public impeachment hearings. What are Democrats hoping to accomplish as the House interviews the next round of nine witnesses tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday?

[17:09:58]

REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): We hope to get further corroboration for a story that is very simple. This president has pressured Zelensky to announce investigations into Joe Biden and he withheld aid if Zelensky didn't do that.

And now we're seeing corroboration. We're even seeing that the president admitted this in a phone call with Sondland. All of that evidence needs to come out. BLITZER: They've just told us, the committees, that David Holmes, the

counselor for political affairs at the U.S. embassy in Ukraine who overheard that phone conversation with the president and Ambassador Sondland, he will now testify before the cameras on Thursday. What do you hope to achieve then?

KHANNA: Wolf, I think that's going to be explosive. He's going to recount based on the public reporting the president's phone call that he overheard where the president basically is admitting that he wanted to focus on the Biden investigations.

The Republican arguments that this is hearsay don't hold water because anyone who has been in law 101 knows that a defendant's admission is admissible evidence.

That does not constitute hearsay and Holmes is going to testify to that. And by the way, Taylor has verified that Holmes told him about the conversation when it happened.

BLITZER: As you know, Ambassador Sondland who is also on the other end of that phone conversation, he will appear before the committees on Wednesday.

He's had to revise his testimony earlier deposition at least once. Should Sondland, if necessary, if he decides to plead Fifth or whatever, refuses to answer questions, should Congress offer him immunity in exchange for his full testimony?

KHANNA: Yes, we should. And I'd be surprised if he doesn't plead the Fifth given how much he has to revise. But what we really need to know from Sondland is what did he speak to Donald Trump about. He can provide further verification for the phone call that Holmes overheard. He can talk to what Trump ordered him to do. But I do think he is at significant criminal liability risk and we should provide him immunity.

BLITZER: In light of the conclusion of the Roger Stone trial last week, the House is now investigating whether or not the president lied -- lied in his answers to Robert Mueller. Do you believe the president lied to Mueller and, if so, will Democrats include that in the articles of impeachment?

KHANNA: Yes, I do believe he lied and so did Bob Mueller. I mean, Bob Mueller in his testimony to one of the members of Congress said that the president generally was not truthful.

Now, it is becoming increasingly clear that the president had knowledge about these WikiLeaks. There is evidence suggesting that he actually engaged in conversations about the timing of those WikiLeaks.

So, this is something that should be included in the articles of impeachment. I mean, the president misleading the Congress and not being honest is an impeachable offense.

BLITZER: Let me read to you a statement that Speaker Nancy Pelosi released today in a letter to Democratic colleagues. She said among other things, she said this, "The facts are uncontested that the president abused his power for his own personal political benefit at the expense of our national security interest." Do you agree with her?

KHANNA: I do. And what is surprising to me is that you don't have more Republicans agreeing with this. I mean, Larry Tribe had a great op-ed calling this president the anti-president. He's exactly the opposite of what the founders envisioned.

Someone who is abusing his office, who is using his office for personal political gain, compromising our national security -- the facts are so obvious and yet it seems that there remains Republican resistance to considering those facts.

BLITZER: So is it a good thing if the president provides written answers to your questions?

KHANNA: It would be a good thing if he were actually forthcoming. I unfortunately think this is a distraction. You know, he said he was going to sit down with Mueller then he never did. Then he provided selective written answers to selective questions.

So, I think he's just trying to grasp at straws, distract from the news cycle. Obviously, we would welcome his testimony, but I'm dubious about his intentions.

BLITZER: Congressman Ro Khanna, thanks for joining us.

KHANNA: Thank you, Wolf.

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