CNN "Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees" - Transcript: Interview with Senator Chris Murphy

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

COOPER: He said back then he didn't know. Tonight, the question is, how could he not?

Joining us now is Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat of Connecticut.

Senator Murphy, the fact the president says what he learned from the impeachment trial is that the Democrats are crooked and vicious, it doesn't sound like someone who's learned any lessons as some of your Republican colleagues have said is the case, or hoped was the case.

SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): Well, I mean, he definitely learned a lesson. He learned that he could get away with corrupting his office with absolutely no consequences. And, you know, we all knew it was laughable when our Republican colleagues who were voting to acquit the president suggested that he will have learned his lesson.

Well, he did learn a lesson. What he learned is he can do anything. He can use all of the tools that are at his disposal in the White House, at the State Department, at the Justice Department, in order to destroy his political rivals, in order to silence anyone who speaks out against him, and to forgive, pardon, or let off the hook his co- conspirators.

That's the lesson that he has learned, and what I think we all worry is that we're just seeing the tip of the iceberg. He essentially has a get out of jail free card from Republicans in the Senate. And so, if he could get away with corrupting our Ukraine policy, if he can get away with firing everybody who told the truth about it, and if he can get away with lessening the sentences of people who offended in his name, I just don't know that there's any end to this.

COOPER: I mean, if President Obama had gone after the federal prosecutors and federal judge involved in prosecuting one of his cronies who'd been convicted of multiple felonies by a jury, you know, there's no doubt Republicans would have flipped out. Maybe, you know, he would have even stood up to, you know, previous Republican presidents who might have tried such a thing, but not this president.

MURPHY: No. I mean, listen, that's obviously the case. Just imagine what Lindsey Graham would be screaming about if President Obama had engaged in any of the conduct that is -- happened in simply the last three days.

And what we're seeing is the Republican Party turn into a cult. They have a "dear leader" that they follow without question and it's really sad to see. I mean, it's really heartbreaking to see Republicans in the Senate who I know in their heart understand the damage that's been done in democracy fall in line over and over and over again.

And, you know, we all worry that they're going to wake up some day in the near future and find our democracy gone.

[20:25:01]

It's a fragile, delicate, creature. It's only been around for 240 years, and I don't think anybody should assume it's going to be around for another 240 if you don't take steps to protect it from people like this.

COOPER: You think it's that bad? I mean, you think this -- actually democracy could come to an end?

MURPHY: Listen, I think that there are all sorts of different versions of democratic governments out there, and I don't know that in the next 10 to 20 years, America transitions into a Saudi Arabian- style autocracy, but we certainly could all lose our rights of political dissent, if we, all of a sudden, find out that the Justice Department targets people who criticize the president or is lenient on those who commit crimes directed by the president or in coordination with the president's political agenda -- then, all of a sudden, that doesn't feel like a democracy to me. And then, all of a sudden, it just makes it a lot easier for people who are in power to stay in power.

I mean, that's the fundamental -- that's the foundation of our democracy that you can't use your official powers to try to preserve your power. And that's what the president is doing today on almost a daily basis.

COOPER: Just lastly, part and parcel of keeping the president's powers in check, the Senate in a bipartisan vote passed a War Powers Resolution today that would restrict the president from taking action against Iran without Congress' approval. The president tweeted the resolution shows, quote, weakness, and Democrats are just trying to embarrass him.

Some Republicans joined Democrats in passing the measure.

What do you say to him? What do you say to the president on this?

MURPHY: Well, I mean, listen, this is a sliver of good news. We were able to get a few Republicans to join us with to make clear that he can't go to war with Iran without congressional authorization. And there are other ways in which Congress is trying in a bipartisan way to push back on the ways in which the president has abused his power.

I'm going to be going this weekend to Ukraine, the first congressional visit there since the impeachment trial with Republicans. And I will be sending a message once more to President Zelensky that he should stay out of American politics, even if Rudy Giuliani is still skulking around.

So, whether it be a War Powers vote or trips abroad, to try to make sure that our foreign policy doesn't continue to be perverted by this president, we're going to have to all be active in defense of democracy.

COOPER: Senator Chris Murphy, I appreciate your time. Thank you.

MURPHY: Thanks.

COOPER: We're going to have more on this story just ahead.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source