MSNBC Interview - Transcript

Interview

MSNBC Interview with Rep. Chris Van Hollen

Subject: The Transfer of Guantanamo Bay Detainees

Interviewers: Contessa Brewer and Carlos Watson

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MR. WATSON: Now, Congressman Chris Van Hollen is a Democrat from Maryland and the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Congressman, good to see you.

REP. VAN HOLLEN: Good to be with you.

MR. WATSON: Congressman, so how do you interpret what is a fairly significant rebuke: 90 votes in the Senate against President Obama's request for funding to close Gitmo?

REP. VAN HOLLEN: Well, the White House says it understands that the Congress is going to want to see a plan now before we move forward with closing Gitmo. I think it makes sense that, if you're going to be providing the money to close Gitmo, that you also have an opportunity to see a plan. And so what the Senate has said, and the House said in its amendments is, "Let's have a little more information on exactly how you plan to go about closing Gitmo before we provide the money."

And as I understand the White House, they understand that that's a congressional prerogative, and they understand that we're asking for the plan first.

MS. BREWER: That seems reasonable and logical, but here's the thing. You have some Democratic lawmakers who've joined Republican lawmakers saying, "Not in my backyard," the refrain we're hearing over and over again. I don't understand why not. There are serial murderers, mass rapists, child pedophiles, molesters, who are in our prisons now. People don't want them in the backyard, either. If they're in a maximum-security prison, what danger are they?

REP. VAN HOLLEN: Well, there are also both domestic and foreign terrorists that have been tried in U.S. courts, which is why I think it's reasonable to say to the administration, "Come up with a plan. Let us know, if you intend to move people here for judicial process, that you tell us how you're going to make sure that you secure the facilities." And there's not an outright prohibition. I mean, people haven't said, "Never." I mean, some people have said that, but really what we're looking for right now is a plan, because, as you suggested, we have a lot of very scary and dangerous people who are in maximum- security facilities right now.

At the same time, we're also asking some of our allies overseas to take some of these prisoners at Gitmo, and so, if we're going to be asking them to take it, it's going to be difficult to say "Never," no matter what the circumstances here in the United States.

MS. BREWER: The other thing is, I'm getting questions from viewers about why, if we've already paid for Guantanamo Bay -- it's down there and that's where it's working, too -- why would we spend even $80 million to close it down, and bring them here? What would you answer to those folks?

REP. VAN HOLLEN: Well, Guantanamo Bay, I think as we all know, like Abu Ghraib, had become a symbol of the fact that the United States was not necessarily following the same kind of norms that we have preached about around the world. And so during the campaign, now-President Obama said that it's important for us to close Guantanamo if we want to be able to get the cooperation of our allies in this fight against terrorism. Because a lot of countries and a lot of our allies were saying, "We're not going to help you prosecute this war on terrorism until we're satisfied that you're going to be dealing with these in accordance with international law."

MS. BREWER: Right.

REP. VAN HOLLEN: And that's how this whole debate came about.

MR. WATSON: Hey, Congressman, we're effectively out of time, but, quickly, are you hearing of any potential Democratic primary challenges around this issue of torture? Are you seeing those on the left wing threatening to run against some of your House incumbents?

REP. VAN HOLLEN: I have not. That doesn't mean you won't see more in the days ahead, but while we may have some Democratic challengers in primaries, I have not heard that being the organizing issue or the issue that brought them into the race.

MR. WATSON: Congressman, thank you so much for joining us. You've got a big challenge ahead. The first mid-term elections are typically tough for the party in power.

REP. VAN HOLLEN: We did. I should mention we just passed in the House 10 minutes ago a bill to provide credit card holders with a bill of rights to help crack down on a lot of the abuses for credit card companies. That's headed to the president's desk right now. I think it's a good day for consumers.

MS. BREWER: Well, he said he wanted that before Memorial Day, and you guys got the work done. Thanks.

REP. VAN HOLLEN: Thank you.

END.

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