MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

Interview

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REP. STENY HOYER (D), MAJORITY LEADER: Hi, Ed.

SCHULTZ: You are going to be the Democratic whip with the new Congress getting into session. A lot of people want to know about your relationship with Jim Clyburn and the rub that took place, if there was any, because there are those over on the right that were trying to make this an issue of race.

How are you working together?

HOYER: Well, it wasn"t an issue of race at all. It was an issue we lost the majority, and therefore we have one less leadership spot.

And Mr. Clyburn and I had discussions about it. And we"re good friends, we"ve been friends for 45 years. We"re still very good friends. And we"re going to work together.

It was obvious that we had to do something other than simply run against one another, and that happened, and I"m pleased about it. And I look forward to working with Jim Clyburn, who is a very effective leader of our caucus, very well respected within our caucus.

SCHULTZ: Congressman, the night of the election, President Obama reached out to the Republicans and said let"s get together. And then 48 hours out from that meeting which was scheduled for tomorrow night, November 18th, they say no, we"ve got caucus issues, we can"t make it. Are they disrespecting the president?

HOYER: You know, I can"t remember a time--and you just referenced it earlier--when President Bush invited me and Democratic leaders to come down to the White House for a meeting that we didn"t--even if it was a 24-hour notice--redo our schedules to make sure that we could make it.

I think it was unfortunate. The American public have sent a pretty clear message, I think, that they want us to work together. They"re not too happy with either one of us. Obviously, we lost control of the House, but the message we should be getting from the American people is, look, you guys need to find common ground to solve our problems and stop playing politics.

SCHULTZ: So it goes from November 18th to November 30th. Is that critical time, in your period?

HOYER: Well, it certainly is time that we could use for planning on what we"re going to do during the week of November 29th in terms of some very important issues, taxes being one of them, certainly, as you"ve just referenced. But the fact of the matter is, I think it sends a message very early on that we"re not going to be responsive to the president"s requests to come down and talk.

SCHULTZ: So are they disrespecting the president?

HOYER: Well, I think it is a disrespectful act on behalf of the Republican leadership. Certainly, it"s hard to believe the organizing caucuses are now out of the way. It"s hard to believe that two weeks out, that they couldn"t make themselves available tomorrow to meet with the president of the United States.

SCHULTZ: Congressman, what about all of this talk about compromise? Where are the Democrats and how far are you willing to go in the House, you and Nancy Pelosi, when it comes--Speaker Pelosi--when it comes to tax cuts and this policy that"s in place right now, this legislation could sunset?

Why not go down that road? How do you feel about it?

HOYER: Well, we feel very strongly, Ed, that the only taxes we want to keep from increasing are the taxes on those $250,000 and under, middle class families.

SCHULTZ: Yes.

HOYER: We want to make sure in this economy that is growing jobs now, as you pointed out, but still not moving at the pace we want to move to create the kinds of jobs we need to replace the eight million that were lost under the Bush administration, we feel that that--keeping those tax decreases in place is an important thing to do.

SCHULTZ: And where is the line for wealthy? Yes.

HOYER: We don"t believe, however, that we ought to add $700 billion to the deficit, have our grandchildren paying for those of us who are well off. That"s not a penalty on those of us who are better off. It is a statement that Americans also wanted fiscal responsibility and fiscal balance. And we need to get that.

SCHULTZ: So where is the line drawn for the wealthy? Is it 500 grand, a million dollars? Is there any line that"s going to be drawn?

HOYER: Well, we have drawn it at $250,000.

SCHULTZ: OK.

HOYER: And I"ve talked to Chairman Levin of the committee. And is there room to talk about perhaps a different level? There is obviously talk about different levels in the Senate and, frankly, the White House as well. But we"re very focused on the $250,000 figure we"ve been using.

SCHULTZ: But as it stands tonight, the Democratic position is, no doubt, you will get something extended for the middle class and those below $250,000?

HOYER: Yes.

SCHULTZ: OK.

HOYER: That is our effort. That"s our objective.

SCHULTZ: All right. Thank you on that, Congressman.

Now, the next issue is, Darrell Issa is talking about more power for inspectors, subpoenas, investigating the Obama administration. He"s been on record saying that this is the most corrupt president, and then he backed off?

What do you think his mission is? And how concerned are you about Darrell Issa and the Government Oversight and Government Reform Committee?

HOYER: Well, first, let me say government oversight is absolutely necessary. We need to effect oversight of the executive department. That"s one of the purposes of the Congress of the United States. That"s one of our legitimate objectives.

However, misusing that objective to harass and politically attack an opponent is a wrong use, a misuse of that authority. And I would hope that Mr. Issa uses the authority in an appropriate way. Very frankly, as we saw during the course of the Clinton administration, I think an abuse of investigative power.

SCHULTZ: You think he is on the road to abuse?

HOYER: I think that certainly if he believes this president is the most corrupt in history--now, he"s backed off from that, but I thought that was absurd when he made it. I think it"s an absurd conclusion, clearly nowhere close to the truth.

In fact, this president has adopted a number of reforms to make government more transparent and more honest, and higher integrity. But the fact is, we need to watch what Mr. Issa is going to do. Mr. Issa is the chairman of the committee.

SCHULTZ: You bet.

HOYER: Hopefully, I think the American people will want to see him proceed in a judicious manner, in a fair manner. Yes, we have to make sure the executive department is acting honestly and consistent with policies that the Congress has adopted. But what we don"t need is to have kangaroo court types of proceedings putting the administration just through the griddle for political purposes.

SCHULTZ: OK. Congressman Steny Hoyer, always a pleasure. Thanks for being with us tonight.

HOYER: Thank you, Ed. Appreciate it.

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