Will Republicans Investigate Wiretapping Allegations?; House to Probe Trump Wiretap Claim in Hearings This Month.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, breaking news: work in progress. The president publicly embraces the House GOP's health care bill, with many crucial details like the cost still a mystery. Tonight, rebel Republicans are blasting their own party's plan as Obamacare-lite. Is it dead on arrival? Not backing down. The White House says Mr. Trump has no regrets about claiming President Obama tapped his phones during the campaign. The accuser in chief still failing to offer any proof, as Congress agrees to investigate. CIA breached. WikiLeaks claims to reveal the agency's secret hacking operation using high-tech phones and TVs to spy on people worldwide. I will ask the former CIA Director Leon Panetta for his response to this truly stunning allegation. And Russian dressing down. The president's nominee for deputy attorney general feeling the heat at his confirmation hearing. Did Democrats get anywhere in demanding a special prosecutor investigate the Trump campaign's contacts with Moscow? We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in</s>THE SITUATION ROOM. ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.</s>BLITZER: Breaking news this hour: The House Intelligence Committee chairman sets a date for the first public investigation of Russia's alleged election meddling and potential ties to the Trump campaign. The chairman, Devin Nunes, announcing a hearing will be held on March 20 that will also look into Mr. Trump's claim that President Obama had his phones tapped during the campaign. Nunes joining other top Republicans in acknowledging that he's seen no evidence that the wiretaps actually happened, this as the White House says Mr. Trump has no regret about making the truly stunning claim without offering a shred of proof. Also breaking, President Trump says he's proud to support the House Republican health care bill. He's warning fellow Republicans that the party will suffer a bloodbath in the 2018 midterm if they fail to repeal and replace Obamacare. Republican opposition is growing, though, with conservatives coming forward to push for changes in the legislation they're dismissing as Obamacare-lite. The fate of the measure is now in question, as both parties seek critical details, including a price tag and how many people would gain or lose coverage. Tonight, there are also urgent new questions about CIA spying techniques and the agency's security after the latest bombshell from WikiLeaks. The group posting what it claims are internal CIA documents that describe software used by the United States to break into computers, smartphones and even Internet-connected TVs. I will talk about that and more with former Obama Defense Secretary and former CIA Director Leon Panetta. And our correspondents and expert analysts, they are also standing by. First, let's go to our senior White House correspondent, Jim Acosta. Jim, the president is ramping up his public show of support for the House Republican bill to repeal and replace Obamacare.</s>JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, he is, Wolf, but this was not a united Republican front on health care today. President Trump did throw his support behind the House Republican plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, but some influential conservatives were howling over the proposal, with some calling it Obamacare-lite. And barely after the ink was dry, conservative groups like the Heritage Foundation and FreedomWorks announced their opposition along with the House Freedom Caucus. But sitting down with House Republicans who are backing the plan, the president said he does favor the proposal. Here's what he had to say.</s>DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm proud to support the replacement plan released by the House of Representatives and encouraged by members of both parties. I think really that we're going to have something that's going to be much more understood and much more popular than people can even imagine.</s>ACOSTA: But the House is only one half of the equation. More evidence of the split inside the GOP over health care, four Republican senators announced they're concerned about plans to scale back Medicaid coverage. That, of course, is a key pillar of Obamacare. And Ohio Governor John Kasich, one of the president's old campaign foes, said today is a bad idea to scale back Medicaid as part of this effort to repeal and replace Obamacare. Wolf, the new HHS secretary, Tom Price, was over here at the White House today calling all of this a work in progress. Indeed, it is.</s>BLITZER: Jim, the White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, held his first on-camera briefing in about a week. You were able to press him on the president's claim that his phones over at Trump Tower in New York were tapped under the direct order of President Obama. Explain what happened.</s>ACOSTA: That's right. Well, simply put, Wolf, the White House once again declined to provide any evidence to back up the president's claims that he was bugged by former President Obama. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the president has no plans to withdraw the accusation, insisting he has no regrets about making this allegation. I asked him about all of that earlier today. Here's what he had to say.</s>ACOSTA: The president made a very serious allegation over the weekend, and I think we would all be remiss if we went through this briefing and not try to get you on camera to at least offer some evidence. Where's the evidence, where is the proof that President Obama bugged President Trump?</s>SEAN SPICER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Well, I answered this question yesterday on camera on your air, so just so we're clear, I know this will now be twice. But I think I made it clear yesterday...</s>ACOSTA: Since yesterday?</s>SPICER: Nothing has changed. No, it's not a question of new proof or less proof or whatever. The answer is the same. And I think that -- which is that I think that there is a concern about what happened in the 2016 election. The House and Senate Intelligence Committee have the staff and the capabilities and the processes in place to look at this in a way that's objective. And that's where it should be done. And, frankly, if you have seen the response from -- especially on the House side, as well as the Senate, they welcome this. And so let's let the Senate do their job, and the House, Intelligence Committees, and then report back to the American people.</s>ACOSTA: Will the president withdraw the accusation? Does he have any...</s>SPICER: Why would he withdraw it until it's adjudicated? That's what we're asking. It's for them to look at this and see if there is...</s>ACOSTA: No regrets from him about raising this accusation?</s>SPICER: No, absolutely not.</s>ACOSTA: Now, the White House was also being very careful today about questions of confidence in the FBI director, who privately raised questions of his own about these unfounded claims from the president of bugging Trump Tower. Asked if the president still supports Jim Comey, the White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, Wolf, said he has no reason to believe that the president does not. But, Wolf, you have to question whether the strategy that the White House is implementing here is the right one. Keep in mind, earlier today, the House Republican Intelligence Committee chairman, Devin Nunes, said he plans to hold hearings on this coming up, and that if you look at the slew of people who may be invited to testify, from the DNI, Jim Clapper, to John Brennan, the former CIA director, Jim Comey, the FBI director, this could really open up a Pandora's box up on Capitol Hill and implode in ways that the White House never intended -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Yes, and both Republican chairmen of the two Intelligence Committees say they have seen no evidence yet to back up what the president said. All right, Jim Acosta, thank you very much. Let's get some more on the president's wiretap claim and the pressure to offer up at least some evidence, even as Congress prepares to investigate. CNN's Jessica Schneider is with me here. Jessica, the Trump White House clearly not backing down from this allegation.</s>JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf, they're not backing down. But they're also not backing up their claims with any evidence. Press Secretary Sean Spicer today saying the White House will not offer specifics on the wiretap allegations and will only continue to call for those reviews and the congressional investigations.</s>SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Tonight, the White House refusing to comment on the president's accusation that, as president, Barack Obama ordered Trump's phones tapped when he was a candidate, but the White House reiterating the president's desire to investigate leaks to the press.</s>SPICER: As the president said in a statement on Sunday, we believe that that investigation, as well as the investigation of other classified leaks and other important information that threatens our national security, be looked into by the House and Senate Intelligence Committees.</s>SCHNEIDER: The House Intelligence Committee announcing public hearings on the Russia charges, including wiretapping, beginning March 20. Witnesses will include FBI Director James Comey and former acting Attorney General Sally Yates, who was fired by Trump. The House Intelligence Committee chairman saying he hasn't seen the wiretap evidence.</s>REP. DEVIN NUNES (R), CALIFORNIA: I have not seen that evidence. As you know, I think a lot of that was maybe a little bit -- the multiple tweets were, perhaps, a little bit strung together, but I think the bigger question that needs to be answered is whether or not Mr. Trump or any of his associates were, in fact, targeted by any of the intelligence agencies or law enforcement authorities.</s>SCHNEIDER: The wiretap accusations now also part of the Senate Intelligence Committee's comprehensive investigation. The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, saying it's up to the Intelligence Committee to investigate. When asked if he's seen evidence the former president wiretapped Trump, his response?</s>SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MAJORITY LEADER: No, I haven't.</s>SCHNEIDER: The Justice Department staying mum on the issue. Earlier today, Attorney General Sessions refused to refute the president's allegation.</s>JEFF SESSIONS, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Sorry. No comment this morning.</s>SCHNEIDER: All of this as Rod Rosenstein was grilled on Capitol Hill in his confirmation hearing to become Sessions' deputy. Now that Sessions has recused himself from the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, Rosenstein would be the one in charge.</s>ROD ROSENSTEIN, DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE:  ROSENSTEIN: I certainly did read about the tweets that were reported over the weekend, yes.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What was your reaction?</s>ROSENSTEIN: I don't think it's appropriate for me to share my reaction, Senator. If the president is exercising his First Amendment rights, that's not my issue.</s>SCHNEIDER: Rosenstein also facing relentless questioning on whether he would appoint a special prosecutor, but he danced around numerous questions on whether that special counsel is necessary.</s>SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: So, I'm trying to figure out what your bottom line is. I interpret that as a no. Is that fair?</s>ROSENSTEIN: Well, I don't know, Senator. I think the answer is, I'm simply not in a position to answer the question because I don't know the information that they know, the folks who are in the position to make that decision.</s>SCHNEIDER: Republicans seeking to shut down the questions. Rosenstein also confronting lingering anger toward Attorney General Sessions.</s>SEN. AL FRANKEN (D), MINNESOTA: I think Senator Sessions should come back. I think he owes it to this committee to come back and to explain himself.</s>SCHNEIDER: Senator Franken still stewing seven weeks after A.G. Sessions told him he was not aware of Trump campaign contacts with Russia.</s>SEN. CHARLES GRASSLEY (R), IOWA: And I consider what Senator Franken asked Sessions at that late moment that that story just came out as a gotcha question.</s>FRANKEN: It was not a gotcha question, sir.</s>GRASSLEY: It was, from the standpoint he didn't know what you were asking about.</s>SCHNEIDER: And Senator Al Franken tonight telling CNN he has come to the conclusion that Attorney General Sessions -- quote -- "perjured himself" when Sessions said he had no contact with Russian officials. Franken did point out that he never even directly asked Sessions a question on that subject during his confirmation hearing. Senator Franken tonight also saying that Sessions' response letter addressing the discrepancy was -- quote -- "ridiculous," Wolf, and he does want Sessions to come back before the committee to explain himself.</s>BLITZER: At some point, he will have no choice. He will have to come back before the committee which oversees the Justice Department. Jessica Schneider, thanks for the report. Let's get some reaction to all of these dramatic developments. Leon Panetta served as the defense secretary of the United States and the CIA director under President Obama. Mr. Panetta is joining us now. Thanks so much, Secretary, for joining us.</s>LEON PANETTA, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Nice to be you, Wolf.</s>BLITZER: The president called it a fact. He used the word fact. And Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told me last night that if President Trump is making these claims, "He's got his reasons to say it. He's got some convincing evidence that took place." That's what Kelly said. Do you believe there's any evidence to back up this assertion that President Obama illegally wiretapped Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York during the campaign?</s>PANETTA: No, I don't. You know, we have heard directly from the head of intelligence, former head of intelligence, the DNI, who said that no such wiretap took place. And we have heard stories from the FBI that indicate that they did not engage in any kind of wiretap. Those are the two agencies that have the responsibility to request wiretaps. They didn't do it. So, there is no evidence to support what the president has alleged.</s>BLITZER: What could the consequences of President Trump's claim be?</s>PANETTA: You know, Wolf, I -- I just find it very difficult when someone who's president of the United States engages in throwing out these kinds of allegations without any evidence to support it. I mean, this is the president of the United States, and he has a responsibility to speak the truth to the American people. And when he engages in these kind of tweets and throws out these kinds of allegations, I think he weakens the office of the presidency. So I'm very concerned. I sense that the White House is in a bunker mentality in which, you know, they think everybody is against them. And the president feeling that way is now tweeting out anything he wants to say in an effort to try to divert attention from, I think, their concern about what's happening with the investigation on the Russian situation.</s>BLITZER: The Senate -- the House Intelligence Committee chairman, Devin Nunes, he just said this a little while ago. Let me play the clip for you, what he said about the president's claims and his tweets.</s>NUNES: The president is a neophyte to politics. He's been doing this a little over a year, and I think a lot of the things that he says, you guys sometimes take literally. Sometimes, he doesn't have 27 lawyers and staff looking at what he does, which is I think at times refreshing and at times can also lead us to have to be sitting at a press conference like this answering questions that you guys are asking.</s>BLITZER: All right, you just heard the chairman call him a neophyte, new to politics, said sometimes he's taken too literally. Is that fair for him to say that? Is there room not to be taken literally when you are the president of the United States and you make these statements on Twitter or elsewhere? "Terrible. Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism." Should we not take the president at his word?</s>PANETTA: You know, I think President Trump has to understand that he is now president of the United States, that he won the election in last November and he became president of the greatest country on Earth. He's not the head of "The Apprentice" show. He's not a TV personality. He doesn't have, you know, the convenience of basically saying whatever he wants to the American people and to the world without substantiating that there is any kind of truth to what he's saying. He just -- he can't do that as president of the United States, without damaging the office of the presidency and without damaging our country. So, look, presidents of the United States have a staff. They're supposed to have people around them who are able to determine what the truth is. And a president who is responsible will take the time to ask that staff and the people who are working for him, what is the truth and what can I say? And when they provide that truth, then the president can speak. But for him to just throw out these kinds of accusations without any, any bit of evidence to support it, I think, creates a very dangerous precedent in the office of the presidency.</s>BLITZER: Because you would think that before he would make a serious charge like this against President Obama, he would at least consult with his FBI director, James Comey, who would know, if, in fact, it were true. We're told there was no consultation, no conversation then or even in the days since. CNN has reported, you probably know this, that Comey was incredulous when he found out what the president was tweeting very early, 6:30 in the morning, Saturday morning. Here's the question to you, Mr. Secretary. Should Comey speak publicly about this and release the facts?</s>PANETTA: Well, I'm assuming that the FBI director has made clear that this was not the case and has asked the attorney general and the Justice Department to indicate that. He's going to he's going to be called to testify, and I assume he will have the opportunity to say just that. But to have to go through these kinds of games that are being played right now -- and they're dangerous games, where the credibility of the FBI and the credibility of our intelligence agencies are called into question -- is just sending a terrible message, not only to the American people, but to the world. I mean, everybody's asking, what the hell is going on in Washington, D.C., right now? And when that happens, it weakens us. It weakens our country. Now, look, the president is going to have to try to get legislation through the Congress. He's going to have to try to deal with, you know, the whole issue of the Affordable Care Act. He's got to deal with the issue of whether or not we're going to fund infrastructure. He's got to deal with tax reform. If a president undermines his credibility by doing what he did over these last few days, he's going to weaken his power to be able to have any influence over the legislation that he wants to get through the Congress. That just puts us in a very dangerous moment in the history of this country.</s>BLITZER: Mr. Secretary, I want you to stand by. There's a lot more happening right now, including WikiLeaks releasing what it says is hard evidence of CIA espionage techniques. We will have that and a lot more when we come back.