SOME PRIMARY PERSPECTIVE.
GOOD MORNING.
I’M ADAM SEXTON.
IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS WE’VE HEARD FROM TWO REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES FOR CONGRESS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE’S SECOND DISTRICT.
IN THIS MORNING, WE HAVE THE INCUMBENT.
CONGRESSWOMAN ANNIE KUSTER JOINING US FOR A CONVERSATION.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
>> WONDERFUL TO BE WITH YOU.
1 HAPPY -- ADAM: HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEKEND.
SO YOU CAME OUT IN FAVOR OF AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY IN JULY OVER THE FINDINGS OF THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION.
NOW WE’RE MUCH FARTHER ALONG ON A DIFFERENT IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY, OVER THE PRESIDENT’S ACTIONS REGARDING UKRAINE, MILITARY AID AND THE BIDENS.
HAVE YOU HEARD ENOUGH EVIDENCE FROM THE HEARINGS ALREADY TO VOTE TO IMPEACH?
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
I CAME OUT FOR THE IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY THAT WE WERE HEARING FROM PEOPLE ACROSS THE DISTRICT THEY WANTED A HEARING PROCESS.
THEY WANTED IT TO BE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT RED LIKE OTHER AMERICANS I WAS RIVETED IV TESTIMONY LAST WEEK OF FIONA HILL AND AMBASSADOR YOU HAVE ON AVERAGE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF CHARACTERS.
THE STORY IS CONSISTENT.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SOLICITING HELP FROM A FOREIGN COUNTRY IN DIGGING UP DIRT ON HIS OPPONENTS, ON HIS RIVAL.
THAT IS CONTRARY TO AMERICAN LAW AND OUR SECURITY INTERESTS IN THE REGION AND IT IS CONTINUING TO INTERFERE IN OUR ELECTIONS.
WE KNOW THAT THERE WAS RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN OUR 2016 ELECTION.
NOW THE PRESIDENT IS SEEKING A FOREIGN COUNTRIES TO -- A FOREIGN COUNTRY TO INTERFERE IN OUR ELECTION.
IT’S ALL THE BASIS OF THE CONSTITUTION.
YOU CAN GO BACK TO 50 YEARS AND THERE WAS A JUDGE JUST THIS WEEK BUT DID EXACTLY THAT TO DETERMINE OUR CONSTITUTION, OUR REPUBLIC IS NOT A MONARCHY.
SHE WROTE, PRESIDENTS ARE NOT KINGS.
THAT’S REALLY WHAT IS AT THE CRUX OF THIS INVESTIGATION.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS THE TESTIMONY GOES IN A REPORT TO THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.
THAT WILL BE HAPPENING OVER THE COURSE OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND THEN DECEMBER 4, IT NEXT WEEKEND, THERE WILL BE THE FIRST IMPEACHMENT HEARING IN THE HOUSE JUDICIARY.
THEY WILL START WITH THE LAW SO ALL OF THE PEOPLE CAN BE IN THE SAME PLACE AND THEN WE WILL GET A SENSE.
I HAVE NOT PREJUDGED THE EVIDENCE.
I DO FIND THE WITNESSES TO BE CREDIBLE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS WITNESSES THAT HAVE EVIDENCE THAT WOULD BE WHAT WE CALL EXCULPATORY -- IF HE HAS A
DIFFERENT VERSION OF EVENTS, LET THOSE PEOPLE TESTIFY, AND RIGHT NOW, HE IS NOT LETTING THOSE PEOPLE TESTIFY.
YOU HAVE BEEN ALIKE CHIEF OF STAFF MICK MULVANEY AT THE HEART OF THE STORY.
LET HIM COME TO THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE AND TELL THE STORY.
BUT RIGHT NOW THE EVIDENCE IS VERY CONSISTENT.
ADAM: AMONG THE PUBLIC, IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE JUST MADE UP THEIR MINDS ALREADY.
A LOT OF THIS SEEMS TO BE PRESIDENT TRUMP BEING TRUMP, HE GOES PAST LINES OTHER THAN OTHER POLITICIANS.
DO YOU THINK THAT THIS BEHAVIOR WOULD BECOME THE NORM OR IS HE A SINGULARITY?
THIS IS MY GREATEST CONCERN.
WE NEED TO PRESERVE THE REPUBLIC.
ONE OF THE MOST BASIC, AGAIN, GO INTO THE CORE OF OUR DEFENSE, OF OUR SECURITY IS NOT TO HAVE FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS DECIDING OUR ELECTIONS TO RID IS WHAT THE CONSTITUTION WAS ABOUT.
WE DID NOT WANT ENGLAND OR SOME OTHER COUNTRY MAKING THESE DECISIONS.
I STILL FEEL THE SAME WAY TO HUNDRED 50 YEARS LATER.
I WANT AMERICAN CITIZENS TO DECIDE OUR ELECTION AND THAT IS -- IT YOU KNOW, WE ARE FIRST IN THE NATION PRIMARY STATE.
WE TAKE OUR ELECTIONS VERY SERIOUSLY.
I DO NOT WANT THAT DECISION MADE BY A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT.
ADAM DEMOCRATS SAY THIS IS PURELY A POLITICAL MOVE BUT DO -- TAKING THE ISSUE OF HUNTER BIDEN’S CONDUCT.
WITH HIS DAD AS VICE PRESIDENT, HE I ON THE BOARD OF A GAS PRODUCER WHICH IS A HUGE PART OF , GEOPOLITICS IN EASTERN EUROPE.
SHOULDN’T CONGRESS BE DOING MORE TO LIMIT THIS KIND OF SWAMPY BEHAVIOR ON BOTH SIDES, FROM THIS SITUATION TO TH -- THIS IS STUFF THAT REGULAR
PEOPLE WOULD NEVER GET AWAY WITH.
>> THE BIDENS HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED AND THAT WAS DEBUNKED.
I AM WITH -- WITH THE PREMISE OF YOUR QUESTION I WOULD VOTE TO HAVE NO ROLE.
I TAKE ETHICS RULES ARE VERY SERIOUSLY.
I REMEMBER MY SON WORKING ON ONE OF MY CAMPAIGNS AND MY TEAM WAS ADAMANT HE NOT BE PAID A DIME.
HE WAS A VOLUNTEER.
I FEEL THAT IS THE WAY IT SHOULD THE.
I AGREE WITH YOU ON THE PREMISE OF THAT QUESTION.
I WANT TO GO BACK TO WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE SENATORS.
THIS IS STILL EVOLVING.
I HAD LUNCH WITH A REPUBLICAN SENATOR IN THE LAST WEEK WHO IS A FRIEND OF MINE.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC.
IN THE COURSE OF THAT CONVERSATION HE TALKED ABOUT A PHONE CALL HE HAD WITH THE PRESIDENT THAT WAS THE DAY THE PRESIDENT FINALLY RELEASED THE AID -- I THINK WE HAVE SENATORS
THAT ARE MUCH MORE INVOLVED ON THIS ISSUE.
THEY CARE ABOUT UKRAINE -- JOHN MCCAIN WAS ONE OF THE LEADERS ON THIS ISSUE ON UKRAINE.
WE NEED TO BE REMINDED.
UKRAINE IS THE PLACE WHERE RUSSIA HAS INTERFERED IN THEIR COUNTRY -- ACTUALLY INVADED AN AREA OF THEIR COUNTRY CALLED THE CRIMEA.
IT WAS MILITARY AID TO PROTECT THIS COUNTRY OF UKRAINE, A FLEDGLING DEMOCRACY AGAINST INCURSION BY RUSSIA.
THAT IS WHERE EAST MEETS WEST.
IT’S WHERE U.S. INTERESTS NEED TO BE PROTECTED AND REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC SENATORS TOGETHER CARE A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
THERE’S MUCH MORE TO COME OUT.
I CAN SEE THIS BEING A MUCH MORE BIPARTISAN PROCESS.
THIS VOTE WAS ONE OF THE MOST BIPARTISAN TO GIVE UKRAINE THIS MILITARY AID.
WHEN EVERYONE WAS ASKING THE QUESTION IN JULY AND AUGUST, THE SENATOR SAID TO ME, I COULD NOT GET ENHANCED HER.
NOBODY WOULD GIVE ME AN ANSWER.
I THINK THERE IS MUCH MORE TO THIS STORY.
FRANKLY, IT MAY COME OUT DURING THE TRIAL IN THE SENATE, BECAUSE THERE’S NOTHING TO STOP WITNESSES BEING CALLED IN THE SENATE TRIAL AND WHAT IS INTERESTING IS THE PRESIDING
JUSTICE WOULD BE THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT, JOHN ROBERTS AND HE CAN MAKE AN INSTANT RULING.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT FOR APPEALS COURTS.
ADAM: SOME DEMOCRATS SEE THE 2020 ELECTION AS THE GOAL.
WILL YOU ENDORSE A CANDIDATE?
>> I WILL ENDORSE.
IT’S A BIG FIELD.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT’S A TALENTED FIELD.
I THINK WE WILL HAVE A VERY STRONG PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, AND CABINET COMING OUT OF THIS.
I HAVE CAMPAIGNED WITH AT LEAST HALF OF THE CANDIDATES ALREADY.
I FIND THEM TO BE VERY COMPELLING.
SOME HAVE POSITIONS THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN MINE.
I REPRESENT A PURPLE DISTRICT.
MOST ARE NOT LOOKING FOR A REVOLUTION, BUT LOOKING FOR MAKING SURE WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE.
THEY WANT TO SAVE OUR PLANET AND REDUCE CARBON POLLUTION.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF LOCAL ISSUES I AM TRYING TO BRING TO THE FLOOR.
AND ACCESS TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND RURAL COMMUNITIES, HEALTH CARE.
BROADBAND COMMUNICATION.
I AM HAVING A GREAT TIME GETTING INVOLVED AND AT SOME POINT I WILL LET YOU KNO