CNN "Anderson Cooper 360" - TRANSCRIPT Seven Killed In Apparent "Workplace Violence" In Half Moon Bay As California Suffers Three Mass Shootings In 44 Hours; McCarthy Denies Reps. Adam Schiff & Eric Swalwell Seats On House Intelligence Committee; Double Murder Trial Of Alex Murdaugh Expected To Begin Tomorrow. Aired 9-10p ET

Interview

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Joining us now is Congressman, and former Committee chairman, Adam Schiff.

Congressman Schiff, I'm wondering what your response is, to Speaker McCarthy's decision, to block you, from serving on the committee?

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): Well, sadly, it's going to do damage, to the Committee, to have him use it as this kind of political play thing.

This is Kevin McCarthy, responding to the demands, of the most extreme elements, of his Conference, the Marjorie Taylor Greenes, the Paul Gosars, and responding to the wishes, of his boss, down in Mar-a-Lago.

His upset is over the fact that we investigated, and impeached, Donald Trump, over his withholding of hundreds of millions of dollars, from Ukraine, in its war with Russia, in order to extort that country, into helping his campaign.

And sadly, I think, this is effort, to try to stop oversight, to stop those who will stand up to him. But I can tell you, Anderson, it's not going to work. I'm more determined than ever, to hold him accountable, and to do what I can, to protect our democracy.

COOPER: Speaker McCarthy addressed this, tonight. And I just want to play a little bit of what he said.

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COOPER: He says, you lied, and that, there are Republicans, who can argue that Republicans won the House, and this is their prerogative, they can do this.

SCHIFF: Well, they could do any number of destructive things. And it appears they're very much ready to do that.

This is merely the latest smear, from Kevin McCarthy. He's had kind of a shifting series of rationalizations, for removing me, or Eric Swalwell from the committee.

But, at the end of the day, I think what came out of crystal clear was his real motivation. He sent out an email blast, encouraging people, to click a button, to remove me from the Committee.

It was a fundraising gimmick, on the one hand. But more seriously, this is Kevin McCarthy's way of getting and keeping the votes he needs to be Speaker. This is what Marjorie Taylor Greene demanded. And he's ready to do it.

And my primary concern, Anderson, is in essentially playing, with the members of our committee, in destroying some of the independence, of the Intelligence Committee, in establishing a new Select Committee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, this Orwellian creation? It's going to breed distrust, in the Intelligence community.

They're not going to want to share information with Congress that we need, to make good decisions, because they're not going to trust McCarthy, or the people that he puts on these committees.

COOPER: The Republican congressman, Don Bacon, said tonight that it's, quote, "Corrosive," unquote, to be kicking people off committees, in hopes that it can end.

Also, just moments ago, Republican congresswoman, Victoria Spartz, weighed in against the move.

Given that would you support a deal, between Speaker McCarthy and Minority Leader Jeffries that would put an end to either party blocking lawmakers, from certain committees?

SCHIFF: The precedent that was set, in the last Congress, was if members of Congress incite violence, against other members of Congress, they shouldn't be serving on committees. I think that's the right precedent. If we would stick to that, then I don't think we would have this issue, except for when people are encouraging violence.

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But I appreciate these Republican members, speaking out against what McCarthy is doing. Sadly, with the Intelligence committee, he doesn't need to bring it to a House vote, which he might lose. But I think it does show that there are Republicans, who understand this is very ill- considered, it's just going to damage the institution. It's not justified.

The votes, last year, were bipartisan. These efforts are not at all bipartisan. Indeed, the opposition to it is bipartisan.

COOPER: You're in the Minority, in the House. You're not going to be on the Intelligence Committee. Does this give you more incentive, to run for Senate, in California, in 2024? You're considered a likely candidate, as you know.

SCHIFF: Well, I'm speaking with Leader, Jeffries, about what is the best way I can be helpful, in the House, to continue to defend our institutions, to continue to do the work that people in California sent me to do.

In terms of other potential responsibilities, I don't want to make an announcement here, tonight. But I'll have more to say about that in the near future.

But I will say this, Anderson, if Kevin McCarthy thinks this is going to stop me from doing my job, protecting our democracy? He's going to soon learn that he's only going to make me fight harder.

COOPER: Congressman Schiff, appreciate your time, tonight. Thank you.

SCHIFF: Thank you.

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