CNN "CNN Newsroom" - TRANSCRIPT McCarthy Officially Denies Schiff, Swalwell Intel Committee Seats; Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) Discusses McCarthy Denying Intel Cmte Seats To Schiff And Swalwell, Pence Classified Docs Discovery, U.S. & Germany Sending Tanks To Ukraine; Opening Statements Set For 3PM ET In Murdaugh Double Murder Trial; VA School Chief Denies Award Notification Delays Were Due To "Equity"; U.S. & Germany To Send Tanks To Ukraine, Ending Diplomatic Impasse. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Interview

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Let's discuss now with Massachusetts Congressman Seth Moulton. He has served on the Armed Services Committee.

Congressman, great to see you.

So here is Speaker McCarthy's rationale for removing these two, for removing Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell.

He said in a statement yesterday, "It is my assessment that the misuse of this panel during the 116th and 117th Congresses severely undermined its primary national security and oversight missions, ultimately leaving our nation less safe.

What your response?

REP. SETH MOULTON (D-MA): What's Kevin McCarthy is talking about is the fact that Donald Trump, who he will defend to the hilt, is trying to blackmail the Ukrainian president. And Kevin McCarthy continues to defend Trump no matter what it takes.

This is probably some promise he made to Donald Trump as part of his deal to become speaker of the House.

And just like --

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CAMEROTA: Well -- yes. Let me just interrupt for a second.

Because I think what Speaker McCarthy is referring to is the fact that, in 2014, this Chinese spy was working for Eric Swalwell's campaign. The FBI had to get involved.

So is that disqualifying from him serving on this committee? MOULTON: It's interesting because, in the letter that Speaker McCarthy

provided, he only talked about integrity. And this was a man who was defending George Santos, who lies about literally everything, and says he can't remove him from a committee assignment.

McCarthy has no basis for this whatsoever. He couldn't even describe what his concerns were in the letter he wrote to all of us.

When Democrats removed Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar from the committee for, let's remember, blatantly racist tweets, and parroting the violence against another member, when we removed them, it was through a bipartisan vote in the House.

Republicans joined us in having a vote to remove them from their committee assignments.

McCarthy has done this unilaterally with a paper-thin justification that there's no resemblance to reality.

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And so it's just clearly political retribution. That's not the behavior we should expect from the speaker of the House.

CAMEROTA: I want to ask you about documents that are cropping up everywhere this point.

President Biden and the classified documents found at his home and office and Vice President Pence down at his home. They are cooperating with the National Archives, with the DOJ. President Trump, 300 were found at his home and he was obstructing.

But politically speaking, because this is happening more than just to Donald Trump, do you feel like it's a wash?

MOULTON: No, absolutely not. Because, Alisyn, you hit on the key point, which is it's about how these different leaders are handling their mistakes.

But let me be clear. Standing here, as a member of Congress and a member of the Armed Services Committee and a former Marine officer, this is a mistake. Classified documents are important and we need to be careful with their handling.

None of these people should have classified documents in their private possession.

But there's a massive difference between how Donald Trump is handling this and how President Biden and Mike Pence have handled it.

This is not a partisan comment. I am saying that Pence and Biden are handling the same. They are handling it respectively. They are acknowledging their mistake and cooperating with officials.

Donald Trump is obstructing justice at every chance he gets. The FBI had to go and raid his property because he refused to turn over these documents. Whereas Biden and Pence are asking the Justice Department to get the documents they need.

So it could not be more different. And I think the American people are smart enough to see that.

CAMEROTA: Congressman, as a veteran, I know you are familiar with the M1 Abrams. So it was last week that the Pentagon was saying of these tanks are labor-intensive, too complicated, they involve jet fuel, it's too much to send to Ukraine.

Today, they are announcing 31 are being sent there. So what changed? And was it true last week that they were too complicated?

MOULTON: They are complicated tanks but they are not too complicated for the Ukrainians to handle.

The Ukrainians have proven time and again that they can take weapons from all across the world and use them effectively in a matter of days and weeks. That's what they have been doing since the beginning of this war.

So, yes, the M1s are a complicated tank but the Ukrainians can handle it. And most importantly, by accepting these M1 Abrams, it's unlocking tank deliveries from a lot of European allies.

So this is a right thing to do. The Biden administration was right to it. I honestly wish they had just done it sooner.

CAMEROTA: Congressman Seth Moulton, thank you for your time.

MOULTON: Thanks, Alisyn. Take care.

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