MARIA: WELCOME BACK, IMPEACHMENT
AT THE FOREFRONT, THE HOUSE
MAKING HISTORY POISE TODAY BEGIN
IMPEACHMENT PROCESS AGAINST
PRESIDENT TRUMP IN ABOUT HALF AN
HOUR FROM NOW, SHOULD IT PASS?
IMPEACHMENT MOVES TO SENATE FOR
TRIAL, JOINING ME RIGHT NOW WITH
EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT THAT,
EXCLUSIVE FOX BUSINESS INTERVIEW
TEXAS SENATOR TED CRUZ.
SENATOR, ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO
SEE YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, GREAT TO BE
WITH YOU, MARIA.
MARIA: CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH
WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTING ONCE THE
IMPEACHMENT GETS TO THE SENATE
FOR TRIAL?
>> WELL, THE HOUSE VOTE AND
DELIVER ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT
TO THE SENATE AND THE SENATE
STANDING RULES OF IMPEACHMENT
KICKS IN AND NOTIFIES THE
PRESIDENT AND ISSUES SUMMONS TO
CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE UNITED
STATES AND A TRIAL WILL COMMENCE
IMMEDIATELY, I THINK IT'S VERY
LIKELY THAT BOTH SIDES WILL
AGREE TO START THE TRIAL IN
JANUARY IF I WERE TO GUESS A
DATE I WOULD SAY JANUARY 6TH,
FIRST MONDAY IN JANUARY AND WE
WILL ENTER A TRIAL WHERE ALL 100
SENATORS ARE JURORS, WE ARE
SITTING IN OUR SEATS, WE WILL
LISTEN TO -- IT WILL START WITH
ALL 100 SENATORS BEING SWORN IN
WITH AN OATH THAT IS PRESCRIBED
IN THE SENATE RULES, WE WILL
THEN HEAR PRESENTATIONS FROM THE
HOUSE MANAGERS, WE WILL HEAR
PREPARATIONS FROM THE WHITE
HOUSE DEFENSE TEAM, SENATORS ARE
NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK IN OPEN
SESSION, SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO
SEE ELIZABETH WARREN AND ME
GOING 15 ROUNDS ON C-SPAN
BECAUSE THE SENATE RULES DON'T
ALLOW IT, WE ARE REQUIRED TO SIT
IN OUR SEAT AND LISTEN WHICH FOR
A NUMBER OF US IT MAY PUT US IN
THE HOSPITAL OR THE GRAVEYARD.
MARIA: HOW HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE
PLACE IN JANUARY?
>> I THINK A TRIAL WOULD BE 2 TO
6 WEEKS.
MARIA: 6 WEEKS.
>> THE CLINTON TRIAL WAS 6 WEEKS
LONG.
MARIA: YOU BRING THE GOOD POINT
BRINGING ELIZABETH WARREN, WHAT
HAPPENS TO ELIZABETH WARREN,
BERNIE SANDERS, AMY KLOBUCHAR,
COREY BOOKER, DON'T THEY HAVE TO
GET TO THE IOWA CAUCUS WHICH IS
IN JANUARY?
>> ASSUMING THIS I THINK THE
ODDS ARE VERY HIGH WE WILL SPEND
THE ENTIRE MONTH OF JANUARY HERE
IN SESSION 6 DAYS A WEEK, EVERY
DAY BUT SUNDAY WE ARE IN
SESSION, THIS IS UNCHARTERED
TERRITORY, DEMOCRATIC
PRESIDENTIALS, THEY CAN'T BE IN
IOWA, THEY CAN'T BE IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE, LOOK, I REMEMBER WELL
IN JANUARY OF THE ELECTION YEAR,
YOU'RE AT A PIZZA RANCH IN CEDAR
RAPIDS, YOU ARE IN A LIVING IN A
HOUSE MEETING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE,
YOU'RE MEETING WITH VOTERS BUT
THEY'RE GOING TO BE HERE AND I
DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO
MEAN FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.
MARIA: UNBELIEVABLE, THE
PRESIDENT SENT LETTER TO NANCY
PELOSI AND WENT THROUGH THE TWO
ARTICLES, OBSTRUCTION OF
CONGRESS AND -- AND THE ABUSE OF
POWER, YOUR REACTION TO THESE
TWO ARTICLES BECAUSE WEEK AGO WE
WERE TALKING ABOUT BRIBERY AND
ALL THE REAL CRIMES AND
MISDEMEANORS, WHAT DO THE
ARTICLES LOOK LIKE TO YOU?
>> THEY ARE AN ADMISSION OF
FAILURE FROM THE HOUSE
DEMOCRATS, WE HAVE SEEN THEIR
CASE COLLAPSE, 3, 4 WEEKS AGO
EVERY DEMOCRAT WAS SAYING
BRIBERY, BRIBERY, THE REASON FOR
THAT IS THE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN
COMMITTEE POLLED IT AND POLLED
REALLY BADLY AND THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE BRIBERY AND
THAT BECAME TALKING POINT EVERY
DEMOCRAT SAID.
THE ACTUAL EVIDENCE THEY HEARD
THEY CAN'T PROVE BRIBERY, THE
EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONY DOESN'T
BACK UP BRIBERY.
WHERE THE HOUSE DEMOCRATS ARE
NOW, THEIR POSITION IS THEY CAN
IMPEACH THEY -- WITHOUT THE
PRESIDENT HAVING BROKE ANY CRIME
OR LAW WHATSOEVER.
THE POSITION IS HE DOESN'T HAVE
TO HAVE A SPEEDING TICKET, THEY
COULD IMPEACH FOR WHAT ARE
ESSENTIALLY POLICY AND POLITICAL
DIFFERENCES WITH THE PRESIDENT,
THAT'S AN ABUSE OF OUR
CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESS,
IMPEACHMENT -- THE CONSTITUTION
SETS OUT THE STANDARDS FOR
IMPEACHMENT THAT IS TREASON,
BRIBERY OR OTHER HIGH CRIMES AND
MISDEMEANORS AND WHAT THEY'VE
ALLEGED HERE ON ITS FACE DOESN'T
MEET THAT BUT THIS IS A
POLITICAL GESTURE OF ANGER,
THEIR BASE HATES DONALD TRUMP
AND THEY ARE GOING TO IMPEACH
HIM BECAUSE THEY HATE HIM, THAT
REALLY IS TELLING THE VOTERS
THAT THAT WASHINGTON POLITICIANS
THINK THEY KNOW BETTER THAN THE
PEOPLE WHO CAST THEIR BALLOTS.
MARIA: IT'S INCREDIBLE,
HISTORICAL, WE HAD EUGENE SCALIA
AND TALKS ABOUT HOW INCREDIBLE
THE IMPEACHMENT SHOULD BE THE
THIRD TIME EVER AND YET SEEMS
LIKE IT'S A POLITICAL THING,
NOW, SENATOR MCCONNELL IS
RIPPING SENATOR SCHUMER
IMPEACHMENT DEMANDS SAYING WE
WILL NOT PURSUE A FISHING
EXPEDITION, DO YOU THINK THAT
THERE SHOULD BE WITNESSES IN A
SENATE TRIAL?
>> WELL, I THINK THE TWO SIDES
ARE SITUATED DIFFERENTLY.
IN TERMS OF THE PROSECUTION, THE
HOUSE DEMOCRATS, THEY HAVE HAD
SEVERAL MONTHS OF HEARINGS,
THEY'VE CALLED THEIR WITNESSES
AND THEY -- THEY DIDN'T FOLLOW
THEIR OWN HOUSE PRECEDENCE, IT
WAS A ONE-SIDED HEARING, THE
WHITE HOUSE GOT ZERO CHANCE TO
CROSS EXAMINE WITNESSES,
REPUBLICANS WERE NOT ABLE TO
CALL WITNESSES BECAUSE ADAM
SCHIFF DENIED ABILITY TO CALL
WITNESSES AND THEY BUILT RECORD
ONE-SIDED RECORD, NOW CHUCK
SCHUMER IS COMING TO THE SENATE
AND SAYING HERE ARE THE
WITNESSES WE WANT TO CALL, WELL,
IF THEY WANT TO CALL THOSE
WITNESSES, YOU KNOW THEY CAN
CALL ALL FOUR OF THEM, POSTPONE
THE VOTE TODAY IN THE HOUSE AND
ISSUE SUBPOENAS FROM THE HOUSE,
THE HOUSE HAS THE ABILITY TO
CALL THOSE WITNESSES.
NOW, THE DEMOCRATS DIDN'T DO
THAT AND THAT MEANT THEY NEVER
WENT TO COURT TO ENFORCE
SUBPOENAS, THERE'S A WAY YOU DO
THIS, REMEMBER THE NIXON CASE,
THE NIXON CASE WHERE THE HOUSE
WANTED TO GET THE TAPES IN THE
WHITE HOUSE THAT NIXON HAD AUDIO
TIPS -- AUDIOTAPES IN THE OVAL
OFFICE, WENT TO SUPREME COURT,
THE U.S. SUPREME COURT ORDERED
NIXON WHITE HOUSE TO HAND OVER
THE TAPES, TWO DAYS LATER NIXON
RESIGNED AS A RESULT OF THIS.
THAT'S HOW YOU DO THIS.
IF THE DEMOCRATS WANT THEIR
WITNESSES THEY NEED TO REOPEN
RECORD IN THE HOUSE AND LITIGATE
AND ADJUDICATE THE PRIVILEGES;
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE OTHER
SIDE HASN'T HAD A CHANCE TO CALL
A SINGLE WITNESS, THE WHITE
HOUSE HAS NOT PRESENTED ITS
DEFENSE AND SO I THINK IF THE
PRESIDENT'S DEFENSE TEAM AND IF
THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO CALL
WITNESSES AND IF THE PRESIDENT
WANTS TO CALL HUNTER BIDEN BOTH
OF WHOM SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED
IN THE HOUSE, THE PRESIDENT
SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
DO THAT AND THAT MEANS THE
SENATE SHOULD ALLOW THE
PRESIDENT TO CALL THE CORE
WITNESSES NECESSARY FOR HIS
DEFENSE.
>> ARE YOU EXPECTING ANY
REPUBLICANS TO VOTE YES ON
IMPEACHMENT?
>> YOU KNOW, I'M NOT, I THINK
THE EVIDENCE IS SO WEAK,
EVERYTHING THE HOUSE DEMOCRATS
PROMISED FELL THROUGH, THEY
DIDN'T -- REMEMBER QUID PRO QUO,
EVERYBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT QUID
PRO QUO, THEY DIDN'T ALLEGE A
QUID PRO QUO, THEY ARE NOT
IMPEACHING ON THAT.
MARIA: YEAH.
>> LET ME GET TO OTHER BREAKING
NEWS OF THE MORNING AND THAT IS
YOUR NEWS, THE ADMINISTRATION
YOU SAY NEEDS TO IMMEDIATELY
BEGIN PIPELINE VESSELS, TELL US
WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE?
>> IN THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
AUTHORIZATION ACT JUST PASSED
THE SENATE YESTERDAY, ON THE
PRESIDENT'S DESK FOR SIGNATURE
RIGHT NOW, AND WHAT IT DOES IT'S
DESIGNED TO STOP THE NORTH
STREAM PIPELINE, A PIPELINE,
NATURAL PIPELINE FROM RUSSIA TO
GERMANY, IT'S NEARLY COMPLETE,
THERE'S ONLY 5 COMPANIES ON
EARTH THAT ARE CAPABLE OF
BUILDING THAT PIPELINE, RUSSIA
HAS HIRED ONE, A SWISS COMPANY,
I'M SENDING TODAY A LETTER TO
CEO INFORMING HIM THAT UNDER THE
SANCTIONS THEY EITHER SEIZE
CONSTRUCTION THE DAY THE
PRESIDENT SIGNS THE BILL WHICH
IS SOME TIME THIS WEEK OR THEY
RISK CRUSHING SANCTIONS WHICH
CAN PUT ALLSEAS OUT OF BUSINESS.
I'VE GOT DEMOCRATS ON BOARD,
BROUGHT TOGETHER, THE HOUSE, THE
SENATE, EVERYONE WE PASSED THE
SANCTIONS AND WHAT IT IS
DESIGNED -- ALLSEAS HAS A SHIP,
PIONEERING SPIRIT THAT'S LAYING
THE PIPELINE, ALLSEAS NEEDS TO
INSTRUCT TO SET SAIL FOR OTHER
WATERS BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T,
THEY'LL PUT THE COMPANY OUT OF
BUSINESS.
MARIA: TELL ME WHY, THE
MULTIBILLION DOLLAR NATIONAL
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
YESTERDAY WAS IMPORTANT AND
PEOPLE FELL THAT THE --
>> YEAH.
MARIA: THE BILL INCLUDED
SANCTIONS ON COMPANIES AS YOU
SAY ALLSEAS, I DON'T THINK
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS SO
SERIOUS THAT YOU WANT THESE
SANCTIONS IN PLACE.
>> WELL, THIS PIPELINE IF IT'S
COMPLETED IT WOULD GENERATE
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR PUTIN
AND PUTIN WOULD USE THAT TO
CONTINUE RUSSIA'S MILITARY
AGGRESSIVENESS, IT WOULD MAKE
EUROPE EVEN MORE DEPENDENT ON
RUSSIAN ENERGY AND THAT MAKES
EUROPE SUSCEPTIBLE TO ECONOMIC
BLACKMAIL, PUTIN HAS
DEMONSTRATED HE'S PERFECTLY
WILLING TO CUT OFF THE GAS IN
DEAD OF WINTER TO TRY TO FORCE
PEOPLE TO DO WHAT HE WANTS,
EUROPE DEPENDENT ON RUSSIA IS
NOT GOOD FOR EUROPE AND NOT GOOD
FOR AMERICA, BY STOPPING THE
PIPELINE, GETTING THE SANCTION'S
LEGISLATION PASSED, THAT WILL
RESULT, THAT WILL HURT PUTIN AND
THAT HELPS UKRAINE ENORMOUSLY
AND HELP AMERICAN JOBS MUCH
BETTER FOR EUROPEAN ENERGY NEEDS
TO BE SATISFIED BY AMERICAN
NATURAL GAS THAT CREATES JOBS
HERE IN AMERICA RATHER THAN
FUELING --
>> HOW MUCH CONVICTION THAT YOU
HAVE EUROPE WILL IN FACT, BUY
ENERGY FROM AMERICA?
HAVEN'T WE'VE BEEN TRYING THIS
FOR YEARS?
>> WELL, THEY ARE BUYING A
SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF ENERGY
FROM AMERICA RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF
WHAT BLOCKED IT IS UNDER THE
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, THEY MADE
IT PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO
EXPORT LIQUID NATURAL GAS, WE
COULDN'T GET OUR ENERGY TO THEM
BECAUSE THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION
WAS SO OPPOSED TO ENERGY THAT
THEY DIDN'T WANT AMERICAN JOBS.
THAT'S CHANGED, WE ARE EXPORTING
A LOT MORE CRUDE OIL, WE ARE
EXPORTING LUTE MORE LIQUID
NATURAL GAS IN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION.
MARIA: YEAH.
DO YOU NEED THE EUROPEANS ON
BOARD WITH THIS SANCTION PLAN?
>> SO THE EUROPEANS, THEY DON'T
HAVE TO IMPOSE THE SANCTION.
MARIA: I'M JUST SAYING IN TERMS
OF BEING IN UNITY WITH YOU
AGAINST PUTIN.
>> THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT VOTED
TO CONDEMN THE NORTH STREAM
PIPELINE AND THE VOTE WAS
SOMETHING LIKE 402 TO 130, IT
WAS ABOUT THAT.
IT WAS AN OVERWHELMING VOTE
AGAINST IT BECAUSE COMPLETING
THE PIPELINE IS BAD FOR EUROPE
AND THE TIMING, WE ARE MAYBE A
LITTLE MORE THAN A MONTH AWAY
FROM THE PIPELINE BEING DONE,
THE COMPLETION DATE WAS
ESTIMATED TO BE JANUARY 30TH, I
HAVE BEEN WORKING NIGHT AND DAY,
I HAD TO GET TOGETHER, I HAD TO
GET REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS
TOGETHER, I HAD TO GET THE
SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS
COMMITTEE IN WHICH I SERVE, UNIT
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS, HAD
TO GET THE ARMED SERVICES
COMMITTEE, HAD TO GET BANKING
COMMUNITY AND LEADERSHIP AND HAD
TO DO THE SAME THING IN THE
HOUSE TO GET EVERYBODY TOGETHER
IN THE BILL, WE'VE NOW GOT IT,
THESE ARE SANCTIONS, THEY ARE
TARGETED LIKE A SCALPEL SIMPLY
ON THE COMPANIES THAT CAN LAY
THE DEEP SEA PIPE.
FREEZES EVERY ASSET IN THE U.S.,
BLOCKS U.S. MARKET SO ANY
COMPANY UNDER THE SANCTIONS
CAN'T ACCESS U.S. MARKETS, THEY
CAN'T GET VISAS TO COME TO
AMERICA AND -- AND, LISTEN, THE
CONTRACT THAT ALLSEAS HAS WITH
RUSSIA, SURELY HAS A CLAUSE IN
IT THAT IS A LEGAL OR REGULATORY
IMPOSSIBILITY CLAUSE THAT IF YOU
CAN'T GET THE PERMITS, IF
THERE'S SANCTIONS IN PLACE
YOU'RE OUT OF IT.
I GET ALLSEAS IS MAKING A TON OF
MONEY FROM RUSSIA, IF THEY DON'T
WANT TO SUBJECT THEIR COMPANY TO
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN
SHAREHOLDER DERIVATIVE SUITS,
NOT RUSSIA TO FINISH IT,
STOPPING AND COMPLYING WITH THE
SANCTIONS IF THAT IF THEY DO
THAT, THERE'S AN ENORMOUS
VICTORY.
MARIA: HUGE DEAL IN TERMS OF
RUSSIA AS WELL.
>> YES.
MARIA: U.S. IS PUSHING BACK ON
RUSSIA.
REAL QUICK AND LET ME SWITCH
TOPICS.
SLAMMING FBI FOR THE HANDLING OF
THE APPLICATIONS TO WIRETAP
FORMER TRUMP CAMPAIGN AIDE
CARTER PAGE, ANTIETHICAL TO DUTY
OF CANDOR AFTER INSPECTOR
GENERAL'S REPORT HIGHLIGHTED
ERRORS AND OMISSIONS MADE IN THE
SURVEILLANCE OF CARTER PAGE,
MICHAEL HOROWITZ TO TESTIFY IN
FRONT OF SENATE TODAY, TELL ME
WHAT YOU WANT TO ASK HIM AND
WHAT HE SHOULD BE ASKED RATHER
AND WHAT YOU SEE IN TERMS OF
ACCOUNTABILITY?
>> IT IS 434 PAGES AND DETAILS
EXCRUCIATING DETAIL AND
MISSTATEMENTS THAT DOJ AND FBI
MADE TO FISA COURT THE MOST
STUNNING FBI LAWYER DOCTORED AN
E-MAIL, DOCTORED EVIDENCE AND
SUBMITTED FRAUDULENT EVIDENCE TO
THE COURT -- SOMEBODY IS GOING
TO JAIL OVER THAT.
MARIA: SOMEBODY IS GOING TO
JAIL, I AGREE.
>> IF YOU OR I TRIED IT IN ANY
OTHER COURT YOU OR I WOULD GO TO