MSNBC "The Rachel Maddow Show" - Transcript: Interview with Zoe Lofgren

Interview

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Joining us now is California Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren. She is chair of the Administrative Committee. She`s a member of the Select Committee.

Congressman Lofgren, it`s a pleasure to have you here with us tonight. Thank you so much for taking time.

REP. ZOE LOFGREN (D-CA): Thank you, Rachel.

MADDOW: What should the American people understand about the preparations for that rally next weekend? Obviously it`s better to be safe than sorry, it`s better to prepare for something to be worse than it ultimately ends up being?

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But how are you thinking about it and how confident are you in the preparations?

LORGREN: Well, I got briefed, as you mentioned, and we have new leadership in the Capitol police as well as the House sergeant at arms. They had a lot of questions and clearly there is a better plan, more organization for this event than was the case in January. We may get a little more information in the next day or two. As you mentioned, the speaker and the minority leader will be getting information as well.

Now, it is a Saturday. House will not be in session, so others that difference. There is some chatter out in the Internet, some people promising violence. To me, it is astonishing that people who attacked the Capitol Police. We saw the video, just brutal attacks name some of these officers, trying to kill Mike Pence and members of Congress. And some people are calling these people political prisoners? I mean, come on.

So this is a weird view of what is going on. But we hope to be very prepared and the security preparations are made by the professionals, not my by my committee but I wanted to be fully briefed.

MADDOW: Obviously, there is a through line between the January 6th attack and this forthcoming event next weekend. Literally, that event is being held to celebrate the people who attacked the Capitol and to lionize them, as you described. By that comes as your investigation, the select committee investigation of January 6th is really hitting a crucial phase.

What can you tell us about the requests from information that have been out for the committee? I know today was the deadline to receive a lot of information from government and companies, records related to that attack.

LOFGREN: Well, I talked to the staff a few hours ago. And quite a bit of information has come in. And it is still coming in. The deadline extends to, I think, midnight tonight. So I can`t really tell you what has come in except that there is a great amount of material.

And we will be learning more tomorrow about what`s in it. And the staff may have an announcement, later this evening. I don`t know for sure. But it is clear that agencies responded.

MADDOW: The House Republican leader, Kevin McCarthy, had a striking response to the request to top telecom companies in particular, asking them to retain records, including records related to members of Congress who participated in the rally that participated preceded the attack on the Capitol. He basically threatened the companies, saying that if they complied with these requests, they would lose their ability to operate in the United States. And when Republicans were in the majority they would not forget companies that comply with this request for information.

I have to ask what you make of that. I think anybody else telling companies not to respond to congressional inquiries would be considered attempting to tamper with that investigation. I don`t know if that designation applies to the Republican leader here. But I want to get your reaction to that.

LOFGREN: I was astonished, frankly, by his statements. Number one, there is no basis in law for it. Number two, as you point out, eighties a felony to obstruct a congressional investigation, 1505 of the 18 USC. Now, whether he has a defense or not, I don`t know. Sometimes there is a speech or debate clause by the doesn`t protect against criminal activity.

The real point is, what is he hiding? What is he trying to keep the proof from coming out? I think the leaders of our country, and Kevin is one of them, should be stepping forward and trying to get to the bottom of everything that led up to January 6th. People who are not doing that are a mystery to me, unless they have participated.

I don`t know. I can`t imagine what his reason for that is, if there is a benign reason for these statements.

MADDOW: California Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, chair of the House Administration Committee, member of the January 6th Select Committee -- Congresswoman Lofgren, it`s nice to have you here with us, thanks for helping us understand.

LOFGREN: Thanks, Rachel.

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