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>> Chris: WELCOME BACK TO
DUBUQUE, IOWA, OR WE WILL BE
HOLDING A TOWN HALL TONIGHT WITH
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND.
MANY DEMOCRATS INTERPRETED
ROBERT MUELLER'S REMARKS THIS
WEEK ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP AS AN
IMPEACHMENT REFERRAL TO
CONGRESS.
JOINING US NOW FROM GEORGIA,
CONGRESSMAN DOUG COLLINS, THE
TOP REPUBLICAN ON THE HOUSE
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, OR FORMAL
PROCEEDINGS WOULD BEGIN.
CONGRESSMAN, BOTH
ATTORNEY GENERAL BARR AND
SPECIAL COUNSEL -- FORMER
SPECIAL COUNSEL ROBERT MUELLER
SPOKE THIS WEEK AND THERE WERE
SOME CONTRADICTIONS.
HERE THEY ARE ON WHETHER
PRESIDENT OBAMA COMMITTED
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.
>> THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE
TO SHOW THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS
FRUSTRATED AND ANGERED BY HIS
SINCERE BELIEF THAT THE
INVESTIGATION WAS UNDERMINING
HIS PRESIDENCY, PROPELLED BY HIS
POLITICAL OPPONENTS AND FUELED
BY ILLEGAL LEAKS.
>> IF WE HAD HAD CONFIDENCE THAT
THE PRESIDENT CLEARLY DID NOT
COMMIT A CRIME, WE WOULD HAVE
SAID SO.
>> Chris: YOU SIDE WITH THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND YOU SAY
THAT THE MUELLER REPORT SHOWS
THAT THERE WAS NO OBSTRUCTION,
BUT WHEN YOU LISTEN TO ROBERT
MUELLER THERE, THAT'S NOT WHAT
HE SAYS.
>> Congressman Collins: GOOD
MORNING, IT'S INTERESTING TO
ROBERT MUELLER.
HE STARTS FROM THE PREMISE SO
INTERESTINGLY THE WRONG -- HE IS
TRYING TO TAKE AND SAY WE'RE
PROVING INSINCERE AND IF YOU'RE
GUILTY UNTIL WE PROVE YOU
INNOCENT.
IT'S REALLY AN INTERESTING
CORRELATION HERE.
I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IS IS THAT
REPORT IS NOW OUT.
WE SEE -- YOU HAD STATED EARLIER
THAT THIS WAS THE CALL FOR THE
DEMOCRATS TO START IMPEACHMENT.
THEY'VE BEEN WANTING TO IMPEACH
THIS PRESIDENT SINCE NOVEMBER OF
2016.
THEY'VE NEVER LIKED HIM.
THEY USE ANY EXCUSE TO BEGIN
IMPEACHMENT PROCESS BUT WHAT WE
FOUND WAS NO COLLUSION, THERE
WAS NO CHARGED OBSTRUCTION.
REMEMBER ATTORNEY GENERAL BARR
AND ROD ROSENSTEIN, APPOINTED
UNDER OBAMA, BOTH CAME TO THE
CONCLUSION TAKING OUT A NO
PRETENSE AND SAID THERE WAS NO
CHARGES TO BE HAD WHEN THEY MADE
THEIR FINAL REPORT AFTER GETTING
IT FROM BOB MUELLER.
SO I THINK WHAT HE SAID THIS
WEEK FRANKLY WAS SORT OF
FRUSTRATING THAT HE WANTED TO
BASICALLY JUST MEMORIALIZE WHAT
HAD ALREADY WRITTEN DOWN.
AND AGAIN, TO CAUSE MORE
QUESTIONS FOR MANY OF US THAT
INSTEAD OF FINDING ANSWERS WE
STILL FIND MORE QUESTIONS.
>> Chris: ALL ALL RIGHT, THN
THERE'S THE ISSUE OF WHETHER OR
NOT MUELLER FELT BOUND BY THE
OFFICE OF LEGAL COUNSEL, PART OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, BY
THE OLC'S RULING THAT A SITTING
PRESIDENT CANNOT BE INDICTED FOR
A CRIME.
HERE AGAIN ARE BARR AND MUELLER
BURIED HIM >> HE REITERATED
SEVERAL TIMES IN A GROUP MEETING
THAT HE WAS NOT SAYING THAT BUT
FOR THE OLC OPINION HE WOULD
HAVE FOUND OBSTRUCTION.
>> UNDER LONG-STANDING
DEPARTMENT POLICY, A PRESIDENT
CANNOT BE CHARGED WITH A FEDERAL
CRIME WHILE HE IS IN OFFICE.
THAT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
>> Chris: AGAIN, BARR SAYS
THAT THE DEPARTMENT GUIDELINES
WAS NOT THE ISSUE AND BOB
MUELLER INDICATES THAT IT WAS A
CENTRAL CONCERN.
>> THIS IS NOTHING NEW.
THIS IS BEEN OUT FOR A WHILE.
IT WAS ACTUALLY WRITTEN ON THE
REPORT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT
THIS WAS SOME KIND OF A NEW
REVELATION FROM BOB MUELLER THIS
WEEK.
NO, IT WAS ACTUALLY WRITTEN INTO
THE REPORT.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT THEN --
>> Chris: IT DOES CONTRADICT
CONTRADICT -- IT DOES CONTRADICT
WHAT BARR WAS SAYING, THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL WHEN HE SAID
THAT MUELLER SAID THAT WASN'T AN
ISSUE AND MUELLER SAYS IT WAS AN
ISSUE, SO AT LEAST WAS SETTING
THE RECORD STRAIGHT WITH REGARD
TO WHAT ATTORNEY GENERAL BARR
HAS BEEN SAYING.
>> Congressman Collins: AND
THAT'S HIS DECISION HE MADE TO
DO HIS PRESS CONFERENCE THIS
WEEK, OR THE DISCUSSION ABOUT IT
BUT IT WAS ALSO VERY CLEAR THAT
BILL BARR AND ROD ROSENSTEIN
BASICALLY SAID THAT THEY DID NOT
TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT WHEN THEY
TOOK THE INFORMATION FROM BOB
MUELLER, WHO BY THE WAY -- HE
SENT IT BACK AND SAID WE ARE NOT
GOING TO MAKE A DECISION BASED
ON THE EVIDENCE THAT THEY HAD
FOUND.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, AGAIN, THE
FRUSTRATION POINT IS THE REPORT
HAS BEEN OUT.
MR. MUELLER DECIDED HE WANTED TO
END HIS TIME AND RESIGN AND GO
BACK INTO PRIVATE LIFE.
HE DID SO BY GOING UP AND
RESTATING POINTS THAT HE PICKED
FROM THE REPORT THAT HE WANTED
TO DO ON WEDNESDAY.
LOOK, I RESPECT THEM, HE NEEDS
TO GO BACK TO PUBLIC LIFE,
THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS TO DO,
THAT'S FINE.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS REPORT,
THERE'S ALSO MANY THINGS THAT
WERE LEFT UNANSWERED, WHERE IT
STARTED, HOW THEY GOT THE
INFORMATION, WHY THEY ONLY PICK
AND CHOOSE A LITTLE OF THE
DOSSIER TO DISPROVE BUT YET NOT
TALK ABOUT THE OTHER ISSUES
AROUND US.
LIKE WHEN DID THEY STOP AND FIND
THAT NO COLLUSION ACTUALLY
EXISTED?
WHEN DID THEY CONTINUE ON WITH
THIS CONTINUATION OF LOOKING
INTO THE PRESIDENT?
THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF A
DISCUSSION THAT HAPPENED
WEDNESDAY THAT SHOULD HAVE ENDED
WITH THE REPORT.
NOW I BELIEVE BILL BARR IS RIGHT
IN SAYING HOW DID WE GET TO THIS
POINT TO START WITH MACK THIS IS
A CRITICAL POINT BECAUSE WE'VE
HAD TWO YEARS ARE BASICALLY
TURMOIL CAUSED BY A CABAL THAT
STARTED AT THE FBI THAT WE ARE
NOW ACTUALLY GETTING A CHANCE TO
LOOK INTO.
>> Chris: ALL RIGHT, I PROMISE
I'M GOING TO GET TO THAT IN A
MOMENT, BUT YOU HAVE RAISED A
LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT ROBERT
MUELLER COULD ANSWER.
IN THE PAST YOU HAVE SAID THAT
YOU WOULD LIKE THEM TO TESTIFY
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.
HE MADE IT CLEAR THIS WEEK HE
HAS NO INTEREST IN DOING SO.
WOULD YOU SUPPORT A VOTE BY
DEMOCRATS ON YOUR COMMITTEE, THE
HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO
SUBPOENA ROBERT MUELLER SO THEY
CAN ASK THE QUESTIONS AND YOU
CAN ASK YOUR QUESTIONS?
>> Congressman Collins: THAT
WOULD BE AN INTERESTING QUESTION
FOR CHAIRMAN NADLER BECAUSE HE
HAS SHOWN THAT HE IS WILLING TO
SUBPOENA ANYTHING THAT MOVES AND
AMAZINGLY HAS NOT TALKED ABOUT
THAT WITH ROBERT MUELLER.
I DON'T BELIEVE HE REALLY WANTS
TO TALK TO ROBERT MUELLER
BECAUSE IT'S BETTER FOR HIM TO
CONTINUE A NARRATIVE THAT ROBERT
MUELLER SAYS THINGS OR IMPLIED
THINGS THAT HE IS TRYING TO
IMPLY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR
IMPEACHMENT.
ONE OF THE FIRST REPUBLICANS
THAT SET PUBLICLY ALONG WITH
JOHN RATCLIFFE AND OTHERS THAT
SAID WE WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO
ROBERT MUELLER BECAUSE WE DO
HAVE QUESTIONS.
I BELIEVE IT'S A TWOFOLD
PROCESS.
I BELIEVE CHAIRMAN NADLER LIKES
TO CONTINUE THE INNUENDO AND
DOUBTS THAT HAS BEEN PLACED AND
THEN ALSO AT THE SAME POINT,
ROBERT MUELLER DOESN'T WANT TO
TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS BECAUSE
HE'S GOING TO GET REAL QUESTIONS
ABOUT HOW THE INVESTIGATION WAS
DONE, WHERE IT STARTED, HOW IT
BECAME, AND WHY THEY SORT OF
PICKED IT USED THINGS IN THE
REPORT, HOW THIS ACTUALLY GOT
GOING SO I THINK IT'S A TWO-WAY
STREET HERE.
WE WILL SEE WHAT CHAIRMAN NADLER
DOES.
HE IS OBSESSED WITH SUBPOENA
SINCE HE BECAME CHAIRMAN, LET'S
SEE WHAT HE DOES NOW.
>> Chris: OKAY, LET'S GET TO
THE QUESTION YOU WERE RAISING.
ATTORNEY GENERAL BARR HAS
INDICATED THAT HE HAS NOW
LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION INTO
THE ORIGINS OF THE RUSSIA PROBE.
WHAT IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST
QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU
WOULD HOPE THAT THIS
INVESTIGATION WOULD ANSWER?
>> Congressman Collins: MINE
IS TAKING ACCOUNT WHAT WE'VE
ALREADY SEEN AS A PATTERN THAT
SEEMED TO BE DEVELOPED BY WHAT I
WOULD CALL THE CORRUPT CABAL
WITH PETER STRZOK, PAGE, COMEY,
BAKER, McCABE THAT SEEMED TO
BE IN THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING
GOING ON FROM THE METEOR
INVESTIGATION TO THE CLINTON
EMAIL INVESTIGATION THAT MOVED
INTO THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION.
THE INFORMATION THAT WAS GIVEN
TO THE FISA COURT, THE
DOSSIER -- MR. COMEY LATER SAID
WAS A SALACIOUS AND UNVERIFIED
BUT HE VERIFIED THAT IT WAS
ACCURATE GOING BEFORE THIS
COURT.
THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS
THAT YOU LOOK AT HIM AND SHOULD
CONCERN EVERY AMERICAN.
NOT JUST THE REPUBLICANS, NOT
JUST A DEMOCRAT OR INDEPENDENT,
THIS SHOULD CONCERN EVERY
AMERICAN THAT YOU HAD A GROUP IN
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND
THE FBI, A CABAL THAT WAS SAYING
WE DON'T LIKE DONALD TRUMP.
WE DON'T WANT TO SEE HIM
PRESIDENT.
THEY EVEN SAID IN A TEXT MESSAGE
WE WILL HAVE AN INSURANCE
POLICY.
THEY WERE GOING IN A ROUNDABOUT
WAY TO SAY WE ARE GOING TO TAKE
IT INTO OUR OWN HANDS.
THEY SHOULD CONCERN EVERYBODY
WHEN YOU USE A COURT SUCH AS THE
FISA COURT, WHICH IS A SECRET
COURT, WHICH IS ONE IN WHICH
THEY HAVE SEEMINGLY NOT USED ALL
THE EVIDENCE THEY COULD HAVE
DONE.
>> Chris: CONGRESSMAN, EXCUSE
ME, I FELT LESS THAN A MINUTE
LEFT.
WANT TO ASK YOU ONE LAST
QUESTION AND THIS GOES TO THE
ORIGINS OF THE INVESTIGATION.
JAMES COMEY SAYS LOOK, THEY HAD
INFORMATION BY JULY OF 2016 THAT
THE RUSSIANS WERE HACKING
DEMOCRATIC EMAILS AND WE KNOW
THAT GEORGE PAPADOPOULOS, AN
ADVISOR OF SOME SORT TO THE
TRUMP CAMPAIGN WAS TALKING ABOUT
THAT.
COMEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN
DERELICT IN THEIR DUTY IF THEY
HADN'T PURSUED THAT, DO YOU
AGREE?
>> Congressman Collins: JIM
COMEY RIGHT NOW IS TRYING TO
REWRITE HISTORY.
I BELIEVE HIS 15 MINUTES OR UP.
HE KNOWS IT.
HE'S GOING EVERYWHERE TALKING
ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HE DID OR
SHOULD HAVE DONE.
I THINK THE INTERESTING THING IS
HERE HE DOESN'T WANT TO, I
BELIEVE, THE LIGHT OF THE
INVESTIGATION TRYING TO WHAT
THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING.
I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF THE
OTHERS WANTED AS WELL, SO THEY
ARE REMAKING THEMSELVES NOW.
WHEN THEY GO BACK AND LOOK AT
THIS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
INFORMATION THEY HAD A NUMBER
WAS ESSENTIALLY DISPROVEN AND
MANY TIMES EVEN THROUGH HIS OWN
WORDS WERE SALACIOUS AND
UNVERIFIED, HOW DO YOU TAKE THAT
WITH A STRAIGHT FACE TO THE
COURT?
MR. COMEY, YOUR TIME IS UP.
IT'S TIME FOR US TO FIND OUT HOW
THIS STARTED AND GO FROM THERE.