EVERY REASON TO TAKE TODAY OFF
BUT YOU'RE HERE TO TELL AMERICA
AND YOU'RE STILL WORKING AND
FIRST THINGS FIRST ARE YOU
SURPRISED YOU HAVEN'T BEEN
HANDED THE TWO IMPEACHMENT
ARTICLES FROM THE SPEAKER?
>> YEAH.
THE PAPERS HAVE TO PHYSICALLY BE
BROUGHT OVER TO THE SENATE AND
WE CAN'T GO FORWARD UNTIL THE
SPEAKER DOES THAT AND SHE'S
APPARENTLY TRYING TO TELL US HOW
TO RUN THE TRIAL.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT ANXIOUS TO
HAVE THIS TRIAL, SO SHE WANTS
ALL OF THE PAPERS GO RIGHT AHEAD
>> LISA: SENATOR WHY DO YOU
THINK SHE HASN'T?
>> SHE APPARENTLY BELIEVES SHE
CAN TELL US HOW TO RUN THE TRIAL
LOOK, WHAT I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING
FOR SENATOR SCHUMER IS EXACTLY
THE SAME WAY WE HANDLED THE
CLINTON IMPEACHMENT 20 YEARS AGO
WHICH HE VOTED FOR.
YOU LISTEN TO THE OPENING
ARGUMENTS AND HAVE A WRITTEN
QUESTION PERIOD AND AT THAT
POINT IN THE CLINTON TRIAL, WE
HAD A DECISION ABOUT WHICH
WITNESSES TO CALL AND AS YOU CAN
IMAGINE THAT WAS A PRETTY
PARTISAN EXERCISE BUT WE DIDN'T
LET THE PARTISAN PART OF IT KEEP
US FROM GETTING STARTED SO ALL
I'M DOING IS SAYING WHAT WAS
GOOD ENOUGH FOR PRESIDENT
CLINTON IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
GRIFF: LEADER DO YOU BELIEVE
THAT IF SHE DOESN'T HAND THEM
OVER DO YOU HAVE THE
CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY TO HOLD
A TRIAL WITHOUT HER HANDING THEM
OVER?
>> I DON'T THINK SO.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT PURPOSE IS
SERVED BY HER HOLDING ON TO THE
PAPERS, SO SOONER OR LATER I'M
ASSUMING SHE WILL SEND THEM OVER
>> LISA: YOU MENTIONED
WITNESSES.
WHAT WITNESSES WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CALL?
>> WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO
LISTEN TO THE ARGUMENTS, HAVE A
WRITTEN QUESTIONING PERIOD AND
THEN DECIDE WHETHER WE NEED
WITNESSES OR NOT.
THE HOUSE WENT AHEAD WITHOUT
WITNESSES, AND THEY DIDN'T
PURSUE THE WITNESSES IN COURT,
WHEN THE PRESIDENT DID WHAT
EVERY PRESIDENT SINCE GEORGE
WASHINGTON HAS DONALD EXERT
EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE AND WHAT THE
CONGRESS COULD HAVE DONE IS THE
HOUSE COULD HAVE DONE IS TO GO
TO COURT TO TRY TO COMPEL THE
ATTENDANTS AND THEY DIDN'T DO
THAT.
THEY JUST BLEW RIGHT THROUGH
THAT AND ACCUSED THE PRESIDENT
OF DOING SOMETHING IMPROPER BY
SIMPLY INVOKING EXECUTIVE
PRIVILEGE WHICHEVER ARE
PRESIDENT HAS DONE.
>> SO THE DELAY IS BECAUSE IT
SEEMS AS THOUGH THE SPEAKER SAYS
I WON'T RELAY THESE ARTICLES
UNTIL MITCH TELLS ME THE RULES
OF THE SENATE.
SHE GOES ON TO SAY THIS.
"FEAR IS NEVER A WORD USED TO ME
" AND THE QUESTION WAS, IS SHE
FEARFUL OF YOU.
YOU SHOULD KNOW RIGHT AWAY I'M
NEVER AFRAID AND I'M RARELY
SURPRISED SO SHE'S NOT AFRAID OF
YOU AND SHE'S RARELY SURPRISED
AND WE KNOW SHE'S POLITICALLY
VERY ASTOOT SO MY SENSE IS
PERHAPS SHE'S WAITING FOR MORE
EVIDENCE OR WITNESSES TO BECOME
AVAILABLE.
>> I HAVE NO IDEA.
IT SEEMS TO ME A RATHER ABSURD
POSITION TO SAY AFTER YOU'VE
IMPEACHED THE PRESIDENT THAT YOU
WON'T SEND THE PAPERS OVER TO
THE SENATE FOR THE IMPEACHMENT
TRIAL, MANDATED BY THE
CONSTITUTION.
GRIFF: SENATOR, HER COUNTERPART,
SENATOR SCHUMER HAD HARSH WORDS
FOR YOU THIS WEEKEND.
LET ME PLAY THIS FOR YOU AND GET
YOUR REACTION.
>> SO FAR, SENATOR MCCONNELL
AND PRESIDENT TRUMP HAVE COME UP
WITH NO GOOD REASON WHY THERE
SHOULDN'T BE WITNESSES, WHY
THERE SHOULDN'T BE DOCUMENTS.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WITNESSES
WILL SAY.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DOCUMENTS
OR HOW THE DOCUMENTS WILL READ.
THEY MIGHT EXONERATE PRESIDENT
TRUMP, OR THEY MIGHT FURTHER
INCRIMINATE HIM.
MITCH MCCONNELL HAS SAID HE'S
PROUD TO BE A PARTIAL JUROR.
HE WON'T, EVERY SENATOR HAS TO
UPHOLD AN OATH TO RENDER
IMPARTIAL JUSTICE AND HE SAID
HE'S PROUD TO BE PARTIAL.
THAT SAYS IT ALL.
GRIFF: SENATOR BOTH YOUR
REACTION AND WHAT WAS THE LAST
CONVERSATION YOU HAD WITH
SENATOR SCHUMER?
>> WELL FIRST ON ON THE
IMPARTIAL, DO YOU THINK CHUCK
SCHUMER IS IMPARTIAL?
DO YOU THINK --
GRIFF: NO.
>> BERNIE SANDERS IS IMPARTIAL
SO LET'S QUIT THE CHARADE.
THIS IS A POLITICAL EXERCISE.
A POLITICAL EXERCISE.
ALL I'M ASKING OF SCHUMER IS
THAT WE TREAT TRUMP THE SAME WAY
WE TREATED CLINTON.
WE HAD A PROCEDURE THAT WAS
APPROVED HUNDRED HUNDRED-0
SCHUMER VOTED FOR IT, TO GO
THROUGH THE OPENING ARGUMENTS,
TO HAVE A WRITTEN QUESTION
PERIOD, AND THEN, BASED UPON
THAT, DECIDING WHAT WITNESSES TO
CALL.
WE HAVEN'T RULED OUTWITS.
WE'VE SAID LET'S HANDLE THIS
CASE JUST LIKE WE DID WITH
PRESIDENT CLINTON.
FAIR IS FAIR.
GRIFF: HAVE YOU SPOKEN RECENTLY
WITH HIM?
>> YEAH, BEFORE WE LEFT TOWN.
LOOK WE'RE AT AN IMPASSE.
WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE
SPEAKER SENDS THE PAPERS OVER SO
EVERYBODY ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS.
GRIFF: [LAUGHTER]
>> LISA: AND SENATOR WE'VE
HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE DEMOCRATS
RUNNING IN DISTRICTS THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP WON BUT YOU HAVE
REPUBLICANS YOU'RE LOOKING TO
PROTECT LIKE THOM TILLIS, MARTHA
MCSALLY, AND I MEAN, ARE THEY --
>> SUSAN COLLINS.
>> LISA: ARE THEY NERVOUS WHAT
KIND OF CONVERSATIONS ARE YOU
HAVING WITH THEM?
>> WELL LOOK, WE'RE READY TO
SIT THERE AND HAVE THE TRIAL THE
CONSTITUTION REQUIRES, DIFFERENT
MEMBERS MAY HAVE DIFFERENT
POINTS OF VIEW, SOME OF MY
MEMBERS HAVE SAID I AM THINKING
OF MYSELF AS A JUROR.
OTHERS HAVE BEEN QUITE VOCAL,
BELIEVING THE CASE AGAINST
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS VERY THIN,
BUT WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO
OUR BUSINESS, AND I JUST WANT TO
INTERJECT THAT WE'VE NOW DONE 50
CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES.
BARACK OBAMA DID 55 IN EIGHT
YEARS.
WE'VE DONE 50 IN THREE YEARS,
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE
PRESIDENT AND MY PAPERBACK IS
ABOUT.
THE JUDICIAL PROCESS THAT WE'VE
GONE THROUGH OVER THE LAST THREE
YEARS THAT HAVE TRANSFORMED THE
COURTS.
ONE OUT OF EVERY FOUR U.S.
CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES NOW IS
A YOUNG MAN OR WOMAN WHO
BELIEVES IN THE QUAINT NOTION
THAT MAYBE THE JOB OF A JUDGE IS
TO FOLLOW THE LAW.
>> YEAH, THEY SAY ONE IN FOUR
CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES ARE NOW
TRUMP APPOINTEES AND IN YOUR
BOOK, "THE LONG GAME" YOU HAVE
THE PRESIDENT WRITE THE FORWARD
TO IT AND IN IT, I TALKED TO YOU
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS ON RADIO
CENTER WHEN YOU WERE IN KENTUCKY
, WEARING A SIMILAR
SHIRT IN A CASUAL SETTING YOU
MADE A COMMENT THAT WE DIDN'T
GET AS MUCH DONE AS WE WANTED TO
BECAUSE WE HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT
WHO HAD TO GET USED TO THING,
I'M JUST PARAPHRASING AND THE
PRESIDENT BLASTED BACK AT YOU
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WONDERED IS
MITCH MCCONNELL AND THE
PRESIDENT GOING TO GET ALONG?
HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE YOUR
RELATIONSHIP?
>> WELL THAT EPISODE WAS TWO
YEARS AGO.
I THINK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN ALONG
FINE AND WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER
AND THE REASON HE AND I BOTH
THOUGHT WE SHOULD HIGHLIGHT THE
JUDICIAL APPOINTMENT IS WE THINK
THAT'S THE LONGEST-LASTING
CONTRIBUTION THIS ADMINISTRATION
OR THIS REPUBLICAN SENATE WILL
MAKE TO THE COUNTRY.
REMEMBER THESE ARE LIFETIME
APPOINTMENTS.
THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WILL
BE ON THE COURTS FOR A VERY LONG
TIME, GIVING BOTH LITIGANTS A
FAIR TREATMENT WHEN THEY COME
BEFORE THE COURT AND NOT MAKING
UP THEIR MIND, NOT TRYING TO
LEGISLATE FROM THE BENCH.
GRIFF: SENATOR DO YOU BELIEVE
AND YOU MAKE A GOOD POINT ABOUT
THIS INCREDIBLE JUDICIAL SUCCESS
THAT THE ADMINISTRATION AND
YOURSELF HAVE BROUGHT ABOUT.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE
ELECTION IN NOVEMBER OF 2020,
THAT WILL GET MORE INTENTION AND
LESS ABOUT IMPEACHMENT THAN
WE'RE SEEING SO MUCH NOW?
>> WELL I DO THINK IMPEACHMENT
IS GOING TO FADE AWAY, IF WE'LL
ALL BE COMPLETE AT SOME TIME, I
ASSUME IN THE EARLY PART OF THE
YEAR.
WE ALL KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING TO
END.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IF THEY
THINK THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT
EPISODE CAN TAKE IT INTO ACCOUNT
WE'RE VOTING THIS YEAR.
MOST PEOPLE THAT I RUN INTO
WHETHER THEY ARE FANS OF THE
PRESIDENT OR NOT, SAY WELL, WHY
DON'T YOU JUST LET US DECIDE
THIS.
WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
ELECTION.
>> AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT KAREN
SAID YESTERDAY, IS THAT THE ONLY
WAY IT'S GOING TO BE DECIDED
WHAT THE PRESIDENT COMES INTO
FOUR YEARS IS NOVEMBER, FOR THAT
ELECTION, SO SENATOR YOU'RE IN A
TOUGH FIGHT YOURSELF, IN
KENTUCKY WHERE PRESIDENT TRUMP
HAS DOMINATED.
WHY IS IT SO CLOSE?
>> WELL I DON'T KNOW HOW CLOSE
IT'LL BE WE'LL FIND OUT BUT I'M
A BIG TARGET.
I'M THE SECOND MOST DESPISED
REPUBLICAN IN AMERICA BY THE
POLITICAL LEFT AND I'LL HAVE A
SPIRITED RACE.
I DON'T OWN THIS SEAT.
I HAVE TO GO OUT AND EARN IT AND
I'M PREPARED TO DO THAT AND I'M
PREPARED TO MAKE THE CASE TO THE
PEOPLE OF KENTUCKY THAT HAVING
ONE OF THE FOUR CONGRESSIONAL
LEADERS I'M THE ONLY FOUR
CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS NOT FROM
NEW YORK OR CALIFORNIA.
I'M IN A VERY GOOD POSITION TO
LOOK OUT FOR MIDDLE AMERICA AND
KENTUCKY.
I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY STRONG
ARGUMENT.
GRIFF: YOU'RE IN A GOOD POSITION
SENATOR ALSO TO PASS ALONG A
LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE YOU PUT
DOWN IN THE LONG GAME, QUICKLY,
AS PEOPLE CONSIDER GOING OUT AND
BUYING THAT PAPERBACK FOR
CHRISTMAS WHAT'S THE BIGGEST
LESSON YOU BRING TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE IN THAT BOOK?
>> LOOK, POLITICS AND GOVERNING
IS HARD AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
SETBACKS AND IF YOU WANT TO
SUCCEED, FOCUS ON THE THINGS
THAT ARE IMPORTANT, AND MOVE THE
BALL FORWARD AS RAPIDLY AS YOU
CAN AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
PRESIDENT TRUMP AND I FELT THAT
WE COULD DO THAT WOULD LAST A
LONG TIME WITH THESE LIFETIME
JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS OF MEN AND
WOMEN WHO ARE VERY SHARP AND WHO
BELIEVE THE JOB OF THE JUDGE IS
TO FOLLOW THE LAW.
>> YOU ALSO POINT OUT HE HAD
GREAT PARENTS AND POLIO AT A
YOUNG AGE THAT SHAPED WHO YOU
ARE AND HOW MUCH OF A FIGHTER
YOU REMAIN.
SENATOR THANKS SO MUCH FOR
SHARING YOUR STORY AND GETTING
UP ON A DAY WHICH YOU COULD
EASILY HAVE TAKEN OFF.
WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> MERRY CHRISTMAS.
>> LISA: THANK YOU, SENATOR.
>> 10 MINUTES AFTER THE HOUR.
GOOD MORNING TO YOU FOLLOWING A
NUMBER OF STORIES WE BEGIN WITH
THIS FOX NEWS ALERT.
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THE GROUP CLAIMS THEY BLEW UP AN
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