Interview with Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL)
REP. TED DEUTCH (D-FL), MEMBER, JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: -- any threats to the rule of law. And in the case of this White House, that means a full and thorough investigation into the potential corruption charges, the potential abuse of power that we've seen over and over again, and obstruction of justice. We've gone through this process where we've allowed the Mueller report -- the Mueller investigation to play out as we need to, and we're waiting for that report and it has to be public. But we have an important job to do to lay out all of the facts in a fully transparent way for the American people so that they understand whether or not there is a threat to the rule of law and how Congress will ensure that no one is above the law.</s>JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. For instance, what do you want to know from Donald Trump, Jr.?</s>DEUTCH: Well, in each one of these cases there are -- there are a whole range of issues that we're going to be asking about. In the case of Donald Trump, Jr. -- in the case of -- I'm going to take a step back, John, in all of these. For example, we know -- on the issue of obstruction of justice, we know that it certainly looked like obstruction of justice when the president fired Jim Comey and asked him to go easy on Flynn. It looked like obstruction of justice when the president -- when the president allegedly reached out to the former acting attorney general to ask if the -- Southern District New York -- Southern District of New York U.S. attorney could unrecuse himself so he might get more favorable treatment. We know the issues about the potential corruption and the president enriching himself while he's president --a violation of the Emoluments Clause -- by having foreign governments spend money to enrich the president. In all of these issues, the people who are closest to him have information about what the president was actually doing. That's why it's so important for us to reach out to them. We've -- I'm just going to say this. We -- John, throughout this entire process for two years, the Republican leadership of the Judiciary Committee has done everything they can to try to shift attention away from everything the president is doing. We are now going to focus like a laser on all of these areas. That's why we're reaching out and that's why we're starting --</s>BERMAN: You --</s>DEUTCH: -- with these requests to 60 people.</s>BERMAN: You keep on using the phrase "we know." And let me channel Oprah here for a second if I can and ask you the question that she always asks under a different context. What do you know for sure? What do you feel that you already know?</s>DEUTCH: Well, we already -- we already know that -- we know the facts as they have been reported in public. We don't know more than that. So we know that the president said that he fired the FBI director because of the Russia investigation. We know that the president -- that the actions by the president throughout his presidency have attempted to undermine -- he used his power to undermine the institutions of our country. Whether it's the press, whether it's our national security apparatus, he has gone out of his way to use the power in that way. We know that there is evidence of possible violations of the Emoluments Clause from the payments, whether it's to the Trump Hotel and others. So this is just what's been reported. The problem is what we don't -- what we've not been able to do is move beyond talk of the Mueller report -- which the Mueller investigation report, which is important -- and broaden it to all of these areas and investigations, whether in federal court in New York or Virginia or whether in state court.</s>BERMAN: So --</s>DEUTCH: All of the investigations that the American people need to understand.</s>BERMAN: For what, then? To what end? You will try to find this out to do what?</s>DEUTCH: Well, to enforce the rule of law. To make sure that no one is above the law. Look, I -- just let me just answer -- right. So let me answer --</s>BERMAN: What is the only way to enforce the rule of law and to make sure that no one is above the law to make sure that no one is above the rule of law when you're talking about the President of the United States?</s>DEUTCH: Well, we -- it's the President of the United States and everyone around him. And I'll anticipate your question -- I guess you're hinting at, which is the question of impeachment. Chairman Nadler was clear yesterday that that's a decision that gets made, if it gets made, only if the American people have seen evidence that the president has committed impeachable offenses. And rather than reacting after each of one of the scandalous headlines and stories about the way that the president has abused power, about the way that he's attempted to obstruct justice, it makes sense for us to lay all of this out --</s>BERMAN: OK.</s>DEUTCH: -- in a thoughtful way over the course of the next year.</s>BERMAN: Let me play you something that the House minority leader Kevin McCarthy said. And this is an argument that we've heard on this show from Rick Santorum and others, specifically having to do with the --</s>DEUTCH: Sure.</s>BERMAN: -- Stormy Daniels payoffs. That basically, even if he was connected, it's not a big deal. Listen to this exchange.</s>GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ANCHOR, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA", "THIS WEEK": If there's no problem with these checks, if there's no problems with reimbursement, then why did the president lie about it for so long?</s>REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA), HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: You know, you could ask that question of the president, but this is a personal issue and why would most people not go to the American public about this? You've seen politicians do this exact same thing in the past. So, to me, they're trying to find a case for a problem that doesn't exist.</s>BERMAN: Is this a problem that doesn't exist? Is this something that all politicians have done before?</s>DEUTCH: Of course not -- of course not. It's unprecedented and let's be clear because we've heard this argument before from people in the administration that this is a personal matter. The criminal code is full of personal matters that are also crimes. This was the President of the United States acting through Michael Cohen -- through his personal attorney -- to silence someone right before an election in order to win an election. Let me put it more simply, John. This is -- by appearance, anyway, this is the President of the United States committing a felony in order to be elected president, then attempting to cover it up. And then, throughout this process, tried to silence witnesses and intimidate witnesses while also dangling the potential of pardons. No, this is not -- it's not normal for someone running for president to make a large payoff that's meant to keep information silent so that he can become President of the United States. That's just one example but it's a great one because the minority leader here, again, shows that it is his first goal and top priority to defend everything that the president is doing rather than working with us to ensure that the rule of law is respected. That's what's so disappointing when I hear statements like that. But it's not going to -- going to deter the House Judiciary Committee from doing the work we need to on behalf of the American people.</s>BERMAN: Congressman Ted Deutch, if you believe all those things you just laid out, the next few months, for you, I think will be fascinating. Thank you on behalf of me and Oprah Winfrey. Thanks for being with us this morning. I appreciate it.</s>DEUTCH: Thanks very much.</s>ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Are you now speaking for Oprah because</s>I -- BERMAN: I think it's a good question in terms of Democrats with this, though --</s>CAMEROTA: I do, too.</s>BERMAN: -- because they keep on saying on saying we know, we know, we know, and I'm curious what they feel like they know already and what else they want to learn.</s>CAMEROTA: What's the one thing you're sure of? I think it's a good question for everyone.</s>BERMAN: Yes. I just think here, normally.</s>CAMEROTA: Good. Will Donald Trump, Jr. be the next person summoned to testify before Congress? We discuss that and more, next.