House Speaker Nancy Pelosi To Send Articles Of Impeachment To Senate; Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI) Reacts To Pelosi's Defense Of Impeachment Delay.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): We feel that it was a very -- has reached a very positive result in terms of additional e-mails and unredacted information that has come forward, that Bolton has said that he would testify if subpoenaed by the Senate.</s>CAMEROTA: All right, that was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi defending the nearly month-long pause after President Trump was impeached. She is reportedly preparing to send the two Articles of Impeachment to the Senate. Joining us now is Congressman Dan Kildee. He is Chief Deputy Whip, and a member of the House Democratic leadership. Good morning, Congressman.</s>REP. DAN KILDEE (D-MI): Good morning. Thank you.</s>CAMEROTA: Great to have you. Has the Speaker signaled to you that she will be sending those two Articles of Impeachment over tomorrow?</s>KILDEE: Well, she did send a message to the entire caucus on Friday afternoon. We have a leadership meeting tonight and a full caucus meeting in the morning, where I'm sure she will lay out what her strategy is. But the expectation is that the Articles will be sent over along with who we designate or who she designates as the managers and, you know, there's a lot of questions, I've heard some of the conversation about whether this delay produced any result. I think it clearly did and --</s>CAMEROTA: And what was that result?</s>KILDEE: Well, I think for the most part, it was exposing the extent to which Mitch McConnell seems to be willing to protect this President, all the facts notwithstanding. And I think, created greater pressure on those senators who want to be careful about what their legacy will be, to make sure that no matter the outcome that the trial has to be fair. So we've seen some of the pressure, particularly on Republican senators. We've had one witness Mr. Bolton come forward and say he would be willing to testify. So the way this looks now as compared to the day we voted on the Impeachment Articles is significantly different. I think the pressure is really on the Senate.</s>CAMEROTA: So you're convinced now that the trial will be fair?</s>KILDEE: No, I'm not. But I'm certainly convinced that the public has a much greater understanding of what that means. The fact that witnesses ought to be called, that this kind of a judgment made by the U.S. Senate only for the third time in the history of the United States shouldn't be something that is done in a slapdash fashion. It ought to be done with a full airing of whatever facts are available, including some of the new information that has come to light as a result, frankly, of really good reporting. That information ought to be examined, and it's the Senate now that has the ball, they ought to be willing to take a look at that information and include it in their deliberation.</s>CAMEROTA: Well, as you know, the President's supporters, as well as just Republicans think that all of that should have been done in the house. They think that the slap-dashery, if you will, happened in the House, that that's where it was rushed. And that it is the House's job to call -- to get all of that new information that you're talking about.</s>KILDEE: Well, a couple of responses to that. One, most of the criticism of the House for the month that led up to the vote was that we were taking too long, and that why don't we get on with it? Remember that the House Republicans were particularly critical that we hadn't voted to initiate an Impeachment Inquiry. They went on for weeks and weeks and weeks on that. So they want to invent an argument that somehow we rushed the case.</s>KILDEE: The other problem with their argument is that the fact that some of those key witnesses didn't come forward was a direct result of the fact that the President himself ordered them not to, and we understood that it would take months and months potentially to get through the court process. But when we had adequate information to take that step, to take the step of impeaching the President essentially indicting him, based on the facts that we had, we did so. But that doesn't forgive the Senate the obligation to carefully examine the information we sent them and any additional information, including hearing testimony from key witnesses, at least, one of whom is now willing to come forward and then examine the new facts that have been revealed as a result of good reporting, as I said, that's important information.</s>CAMEROTA: Let's talk about that key witness that has come forward during this pause. John Bolton. If Mitch McConnell won't call witnesses, will the House subpoena John Bolton?</s>KILDEE: Well, I don't think we should get ahead of ourselves on that. I think we ought to wait and see what the Senate does. But the fact that Mr. Bolton has relevant information, I mean, he described what was taking place as a drug deal. That ought to be a signal that we ought to ask him a few questions. But I think it really -- right now, it rests with the Senate. The ball is in their court. The decision on impeachment and on removal from office is something that they will have to determine, and the idea that they would not want Mr. Bolton to come forward and answer whatever questions remain, I think is not respectful of the process. But either way, Mr. Bolton's story has to be told and not just through a book deal, but through our oversight responsibility. We have to hear from him because that's our job.</s>CAMEROTA: What if President Trump exerts executive privilege over John Bolton talking, then what?</s>KILDEE: Well, I think that sets up a very interesting question and as the previous conversation pointed out, it will be Chief Justice John Roberts sitting in the chair at this trial. We don't know what role he will play, but it does strike me that he may have something to say about whether or not the constitutional responsibility for impeachment and all the responsibility that we have to make sure that that process has integrity might be in if you don't mind, the term might trump the President's interpretation of executive privilege, which seems to be so broad as to allow him to simply tell everybody involved that they can't testify no matter what the circumstance is. I don't think that will stand. The question is whether Chief Justice Roberts will insert himself into that question or simply allow the courts to determine that over months of delay. I hope that's not the case.</s>CAMEROTA: A couple more questions. What's the latest thinking on who the House Managers will be?</s>KILDEE: Well, we have a talented group and this is a decision that the Speaker obviously is going to weigh in on me. Obviously, with Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler playing a key role, one would expect they might be involved. I think Zoe Lofgren would be a great choice. This is only my thinking, certainly not reflective of what the President or I'm sorry, what the Speaker might choose. You know, this would be for Zoe, the third time she has been involved in an impeachment trial, but there are others. Jamie Raskin, a constitutional scholar. Hakeem Jeffries is a talented individual on our team. So who knows? The Speaker is going to make those decisions, but there's a deep bench. There's a lot of talent in our caucus, and I'm sure a lot of interest.</s>CAMEROTA: As you may know, President Trump thinks that this should be dismissed outright. He tweeted this, "Many believe that by the Senate giving credence to a trial based on the no evidence, no crime, read the transcripts, no pressure impeachment hoax, rather than an outright dismissal, it gives the partisan Democrat witch hunt credibility that otherwise does not have. I agree. Exclamation point." Is that possible that Mitch McConnell would do that?</s>KILDEE: I hope not and I sure hope Mitch McConnell isn't taking advice on the operation of the Constitution from President Trump who seems to have sort of a coloring book understanding of that document. He ought to think carefully about the oath that he swore, and let the President tweet away. But he should do his job independent of what the President's obviously biased position might be.</s>CAMEROTA: Congressman Dan Kildee, thank you very much, very busy week in Washington. We appreciate you being here.</s>KILDEE: Thank you very much.</s>CAMEROTA: John?</s>BERMAN: One day before the key Democratic debate in Iowa and new attacks in that race. What the Bernie Sanders campaign is saying that has Senator Elizabeth Warren crying foul. That's next.