MSNBC "All In With Chris Hayes" - Transcript: Interview with Adam Schiff
Interview
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REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): In real terms, it means that we`re not going to be deterred by the hypocrisy from the Republicans. We negotiated with them in good faith. Chairman Bennie Thompson did a remarkable job into agreement with his ranking member, the Republican counterpart, on a commission, five Democrats, five Republicans, both parties necessary to prove a subpoena. And nonetheless, the Republicans said no. Mitch McConnell called in a personal favor with his senate colleagues.
Now, why on earth would you do that? Well, you showed why. Donald Trump doesn`t want it to happen. And the speaker took the next step, which is if you`re not going to allow commission, we`re not going to simply turn away from this terrible tragedy. We`re going to get to the bottom of it. And so she`s established, or will establish a select committee to conduct this investigation to find out what went into this insurrection, why didn`t we see it coming, what was the status of the intelligence, was it shared, why were we so ill-prepared on that day? And most important, how do we protect ourselves from something like this in the future?
HAYES: This is almost a banal point but I think it`s worth mentioning because I don`t know if people know this, right? So, the two options on the table, the bipartisan commission, the math of it was five and five, equal numbers. And that was the 911 Commission. And what`s significant about that is that, you know, committees in Congress, for instance, the majority holds a majority. When the majority holds the majority, they could kind of do what they want as long as they hold the caucus together on all the business of the committee.
A bipartisan commission, you set up a situation where you must find consensus, right, you have to have everyone kind of get together, and that was the model, right? So, one offer to the Republicans was share power as equals. And they said, no. So, now, they`re going to get a committee where they`re on the minority -- in the minority and don`t have the same power. Like, what -- how do you understand why they have chosen that?
SCHIFF: Well, it is -- it is pretty remarkable because it`s a big leap of faith when you`re the majority to say, let`s do a commission, it will be 50-50.
HAYES: Yes.
SCHIFF: And frankly, if you`re not operating in good faith, you can stop the commission by refusing to grant any subpoena. So, that was a remarkable, you know, expression I think of goodwill, and more than that, commitment to do this the way it should be done. And the Republicans said no. And the reason they said no is they don`t want it done. They`re afraid that it will show complicity among their members in propagating the big lie, in creating the environment for that insurrection.
Whatever their fears are, they don`t want this to see the light of day. And most particularly, Donald Trump doesn`t. And they are nothing about the party, the cult of Donald Trump. So, the result, yes, is there`ll be a select committee. They will be in the minority in a select committee. We are nonetheless going to try, whoever the Speaker points to this, to conduct this in an objective way to get to the truth, to have a thorough and objective report.
You know, what the Republicans will do for their side? I don`t know. But I think we have to assume that it won`t be operating in good faith, but we can -- we can try. That`s all -- that`s all we can do. Well, we can`t walk away from responsibility.
HAYES: The last big select committee I think on people`s minds is the Benghazi Select Committee that the House Republican majority empaneled. Very famously, it had Hillary Clinton testifying for 11 hours always. Also very famously, Kevin McCarthy touted it in this very instrumental fashion as being essentially conjured to push down her poll numbers, Hillary Clinton. What are the lessons from that Select Committee?
SCHIFF: Well, you know, I was on that Select Committee. I was actually on two investigations of Benghazi. The first was done by the House Intelligence Committee, and it was bipartisan. And it debunked all these conspiracy theories about Hillary Clinton and about the security and allegations that she had interfered with it somehow. We debunked that on a bipartisan basis as did six or seven other bipartisan committees. But that wasn`t the answer that Kevin McCarthy wanted.
So, he pushed for a select committee that would be a purely political instrument. That is not the situation here. Here, we tried for the bipartisan commission. They rejected it so far. We still want this done right, but it has to get done. And it will have to get done right as a select committee unless they come to their senses and embrace it a truly bipartisan commission.
HAYES: All right, Congressman Adam Schiff who did serve on that Benghazi Select Committee those many years ago, thanks for making time tonight.
SCHIFF: Thank you.
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