CNN "Erin Burnett Outfront" - Transcript: Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) Discusses About The Republicans Who Support The Idea Of New Witnesses

Interview

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BURNETT: All right. They've got to have their full 51 to do that. All right. Thank you very much, Manu.

I want to go out front now to Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin. And I appreciate your time, Senator. So I know you're anticipating that we're here, this is all going to begin very, very shortly in your chamber.

SEN. TAMMY BALDWIN (D-WI): Yes.

BURNETT: Senators Romney, Alexander and Collins have all now said they're open to witnesses. Mitt Romney today explicitly saying John Bolton, he wants to hear from him. You need four Republicans to vote your way to get new witnesses to testify. Have any other Republicans told you that they support that idea?

BALDWIN: Well, I certainly think that Republicans are hearing from their constituents. We all have a sense of what a trial involves. It involves evidence and witnesses. And it would be really very unusual for there to be an impeachment trial without witnesses and documents for us to review.

[19:05:04]

The American people want a full, fair and honest trial. And as they're talking to their elected senators, I think they're feeling the pressure that they shouldn't make a mockery out of this, but they should take it seriously. Now, we heard last week, Leader McConnell indicate that he had the vote wrapped up to prevent witnesses and documents.

It is unclear to me whether there might be a little bit of a presentation of the case and then another opportunity to vote on documents and witnesses.

BURNETT: Yes. So can I ask you a question on that. I just want to understand because it seems that the process here could be that the trial begins and you hear three days from one side of arguments, three days from the other, you senators get to submit your questions and then after all of that, you vote on witnesses. So we could be a solid eight days into this trial in front of the country before we even get resolution on this issue, correct?

BALDWIN: It could be and I think what's very frustrating about this is that Speaker Pelosi has said time and time again that her managers, her selection of managers might be based on whether they will be cross examining witnesses or whether they will simply be arguing the case. And so I still believe that it's important to show the American people that nobody is above the law, that presidents aren't above the law.

And when we have these two very important articles of impeachment abuse of power when President Trump basically used the power of his office to withhold congressionally-approved dollars to the Ukraine for personal and political benefit, the American public deserves a full fair and honest trial with witnesses and documents. BURNETT: So if you win this on allowing witnesses, now we heard Mitt

Romney, right he explicitly said John Bolton.

BALDWIN: Yes.

BURNETT: When Susan Collins approached this issue, a few days ago, she suggested witnesses from both sides. So in other words with Bolton may come Hunter Biden, would that be acceptable for you any world in which Hunter Biden appeared if John Bolton also did?

BALDWIN: Yes, let's talk about this. The four witnesses that were identified by Democrats in the Senate all have firsthand knowledge of what's exactly at the heart of this case, about the telephone conversation between President Trump and President Zelensky. And the related activities of this president to withhold congressionally- approved aid to Ukraine.

We want to hear from witnesses who have direct knowledge. And it's very clear that Hunter Biden was not involved in monitoring this phone call or it has nothing to do. And so, I would welcome the President to submit a case to the Senate.

I fear that the fact that we're not hearing witnesses that the President wants to call that are relevant to the articles of impeachment, it gives me great concern that they're more about cover up than they are about getting to the truth. The American people want the truth.

BURNETT: So the President, you mentioned him, President Trump is going to be in your home state tomorrow.

BALDWIN: Yes, he is.

BURNETT: And he's going to be holding a campaign rally. Look, there are many who believe Wisconsin could be the most important state in the 2020 election. We'll see, but that is far from a farfetched point of view.

And a recent poll asked voters in your state, Senator, whether the Senate should vote to convict the president and remove him from office. It was close, but 48 percent said no and only 44 percent said yes. Does that have any bearing on how you'll vote?

BALDWIN: Absolutely not. I will take an oath to do impartial justice and that's what I intend to do. And a poll asking before a trial has occurred what the outcome should be is, in my mind, misleading. What we want is a full, fair and honest hearing and we want the American people to get to the truth just like we want to get to the truth.

So obviously, I think the question is premature. What I will tell you is that most people in Wisconsin think something wrong happened here, regardless of what they think the vote should be at the end. But I will tell you as the president comes to Wisconsin and tomorrow night, the very same time the Democrats will be debating each other in the primary debate, people in Wisconsin care about health care. They care about whether pre existing conditions are going to be covered. [19:10:02]

They care about whether a court is going to strike down the Affordable Care Act.

So President Trump has sabotaged health care. People in Wisconsin want to know they have champion in the next president.

BURNETT: All right. I appreciate your time, Senator Baldwin. Thank you very much.

BALDWIN: Thank you.

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