CNN "Erin Burnett Outfront" - Transcript: Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) Discusses About Trump and Justice Department Involvement in Roger Stone Sentencing
Interview
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BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Kaitlan. And I want to go OUTFRONT now to congressman Ted Lieu, a Democrat who sits on the House Judiciary Committee.
[19:05:03]
And I appreciate your time, sir, as always. Trump today said he didn't tell the Justice Department to get involved in Roger Stone sentencing. Of course, they saw his tweet and knew his sentiment before they got involved, but he says he didn't tell him to do it. Do you believe him?
REP. TED LIEU (D-CA): I don't. And if we actually took Donald Trump's words to be true, it's even worse. Because normally when Donald Trump tells his enablers to jump, they say how high.
In this case, they jumped before he even told him to do so and that is very disturbing. Look, we call it the Department of Justice because they're supposed to base their actions on justice, not the whims of one man. And in this case, they did a favor for Donald Trump's friend, that's very definition of corruption.
BURNETT: And, of course, as we say these four prosecutors, they've all stepped aside now in unison, voting with their feet in terms of how unacceptable they see it. They, of course, work for the Department of Justice and now Bill Barr's department of justice is siding with the President.
What would you do about this? I mean, is this something you think is impeachable in and of itself or what?
LIEU: Because of their failure of Senate Republicans other than Mitt Romney to uphold their constitutional oath, it is now up to the American people to hold the President accountable in November. The House Judiciary Committee in which I sit, we are going to investigate, we are going to hold hearings, we're going to have Bill Barr come in and testify in March. We're going to continue to expose the misconduct of the Trump administration, so the American people can make a decision in November. BURNETT: So Congressman Lieu, the President said, obviously, he put
his tweet out, but then he said, you know what, so what if I spoke to the Justice Department, that's fine, too, even if, as he likes to do, I'm not saying I did, but if I did, it'd be fine. Let me play what he said.
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TRUMP: No, I didn't speak to the judge. I'd be able to do it, if I wanted, I have the absolute right to do it. I stay out of things to a degree that people wouldn't believe that I didn't speak to him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Your response?
LIEU: No ordinary American gets to escape the law or get favors from prosecutors. But somehow if you're Donald Trump's friend, you get to get a favor from the Department of Justice. That is exactly the swamp that Donald Trump promised to drain.
He has now become the very embodiment of their swap and I think the American people are going to take it out on him in November.
BURNETT: So obviously, the seven to nine-year sentence that the prosecutors, the four prosecutors involved, they recommended four years and, of course, Jessie Liu, the person who was overseeing this entire thing, the President has now pulled her nomination to Treasury, so he's made it clear. But the judge ultimately has full say, so the Justice Department can come in and say don't do it that Bill Barr is now doing.
Don't do it. That's way too aggressive of a sentence. But the judge does still have full say. Do you believe, you trust that Roger Stone will still receive a fair sentence from the American justice system?
LIEU: I do. Our judges and their federal judiciary have lifetime tenure. The judge will look at the facts and make decision based on the facts and the law. So I do trust this judge.
I think it's important, again, to note that bipartisan prosecutors in this case, as you said, not only left the case but entirely resigned from the Department of Justice. We have institutional rock happening right now at the Department of Justice. This needs to be fixed because it is very dangerous for our democracy and for America and Americans cannot trust its law enforcement system.
BURNETT: So Congressman, President Trump also talked about those four prosecutors, specifically, the ones who stepped aside, who have resigned because of his behavior. Here's what he said.
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TRUMP: They ought to go back to school and learn because I'll tell you what, the way they treated people, nobody should be treated like that. (END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Congressman Lieu, you're a former prosecutor. Does it concern you to hear this that these prosecutors are resigning from the case, even from the Department? And the President of the United States said they should go back to school and learn.
LIEU: Yes. I'm a former prosecutor. Donald Trump has no idea what he's talking about. If you look what happened with Roger Stone case, he was convicted fairly and squarely in a court of law. Their sentence recommendations by Department of Justice, initially, were well within the sentencing guidelines.
It was really upper management, whether it was Donald Trump or not, it was his enablers and maybe the President overruling these career prosecutors. That should not happen, because you're basically doing favors for friends of the President. Ordering Americans don't get these kinds of breaks, this is not going to sit well with most of America.
BURNETT: And Bill Barr, I know you want to appear before your Committee, do you understand that he will, is he going to appear and answer questions?
LIEU: He has agreed to appear in March. We expect him to honor his word and appear. And so far he has not come in for any oversight hearings whatsoever. He's been Attorney General for quite a long time. It is simply inexcusable. He has not yet been before the Judiciary Committee. We fully expect to see him in March.
BURNETT: All right. Let's see if he keeps his word.
[19:10:00]
Thank you very much. Congressman Lieu, I appreciate your time tonight, sir.
LIEU: Thank you.
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