HE’LL TELL US WHAT KIND OF RECORDS OF THOSE PHONE CALLS
SHOULD EXIST AND COULD BE MADE
PUBLIC.
PUBLIC. >>> THE STONEWALL, THE
REPUBLICAN STONEWALL IN CONGRESS
THAT HAS SUPPORTED AND DEFENDED
DONALD TRUMP AT EVERY TURN
THROUGHOUT HIS PRESIDENCY, THAT
STONEWALL FINALLY CAME TUMBLING
DOWN TODAY ON THE MATTER OF THE
WHISTLEBLOWER.
WHISTLEBLOWER. A WHISTLEBLOWER HAS BLOWN THAT
STONE WALL DOWN IN JUST SEVEN
DAYS.
DAYS. ONE WHISTLEBLOWER HAS TRIGGERED
A FORMAL IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY.
JUST ONE WEEK AGO, MICHAEL
ATKINSON, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
SECRETLY NOTIFIED THE HOUSE AND
SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEES
THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
WAS VIOLATING THE LAW BY
REFUSING TO TURN OVER A
WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT.
WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT. TONIGHT NANCY PELOSI BECAME THE
FOURTH SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IN
AMERICAN HISTORY TO PRESIDE OVER
AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY OF THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
>> THE PRESIDENT HAS ADMITTED TO
ASKING THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE
TO TAKE ACTIONS WHICH WOULD
BENEFIT HIM POLITICALLY.
THE ACTIONS OF THE TRUMP
PRESIDENCY REVEALED DISHONORABLE
FACT OF THE PRESIDENT’S BETRAYAL
OF HIS OATH OF OFFICE, BETRAYAL
OF OUR NATIONAL SECURITY, AND
BETRAYAL OF THE INTEGRITY OF OUR
ELECTIONS.
ELECTIONS. THEREFORE, TODAY, I’M ANNOUNCING
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MOVING FORWARD WITH AN OFFICIAL
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY.
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY. I’M DIRECTING OUR SIX COMMITTEES
TO PROCEED WITH THEIR
INVESTIGATIONS UNDER THAT
UMBRELLA OF IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY.
>> HISTORY IS MOVING FAST
TONIGHT ON ALL FRONTS OF THIS
STORY.
STORY. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
IN THE SENATE AND IN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION WITH THE ACTING
DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE JOSEPH McGUIRE
FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE LEGALLY
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE TODAY
REPEATEDLY ACCUSED JOSEPH
McGUIRE OF COMMITTING A CRIME
WITHOUT MENTIONING HIM BY NAME.
SHE TWICE SAID THIS IS A
VIOLATION OF LAW.
THOSE WERE HER WORDS.
SHE WAS REFERRING TO JOSEPH
McGUIRE’S REFUSAL TO DELIVER THE
WHISTLEBLOWER’S COMPLAINT
WHISTLEBLOWER’S COMPLAINT DIRECTLY TO CONGRESS AS THE LAW
REQUIRES HIM TO DO.
>> THE LAW IS UNEQUIVOCAL.
THE DNI’S STAFF -- IT SAYS THE
DNI, DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE, SHALL PROVIDE
CONGRESS THE FULL WHISTLEBLOWER
COMPLAINT.
COMPLAINT. THIS THURSDAY THE ACTING DNI
WILL APPEAR BEFORE THE HOUSE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE.
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE. AT THAT TIME, HE MUST TURN OVER
THE WHISTLEBLOWER’S FULL
COMPLAINT TO THE COMMITTEE.
HE WILL HAVE TO CHOOSE WHETHER
TO BREAK THE LAW OR HONOR HIS
RESPONSIBILITY TO THE
CONSTITUTION.
CONSTITUTION. >> AND TONIGHT IN RESPONSE, THE
ACTING DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE JOSEPH McGUIRE
RELEASED A WRITTEN STATEMENT
SAYING, IN LIGHT OF RECENT
REPORTING ON THE WHISTLEBLOWER
COMPLAINT, I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR
THAT I HAVE UPHELD MY
RESPONSIBILITY TO FOLLOW THE LAW
EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
THE LAW TELLS THE DIRECTOR OF
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE THAT HE
MUST DELIVER THE WHISTLEBLOWER
COMPLAINT TO CONGRESS, AND HE
HAS REFUSED TO DO THAT.
THE WHISTLEBLOWER’S ATTORNEY,
ANDREW BAKAG, WROTE A LETTER TO
JOSEPH McGUIRE SAYING, I AM
PROVIDING YOU FORMAL NOTICE OF
OUR INTENT TO CONTACT THE
CONGRESSIONAL INTELLIGENCE
CONGRESSIONAL INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEES DIRECTLY.
COMMITTEES DIRECTLY. THAT PROVOKED A REPLY FROM JASON
KITONIK, THE OFFICE OF THE
DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE.
INTELLIGENCE. IN THAT LETTER HE SAID, WE HAVE
DETERMINED AFTER CONSULTING WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THAT
YOUR CLIENT’S DISCLOSURE TO THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL DOES NOT FALL
WITHIN THE STATUTORY DEFINITION
OF AN URGENT CONCERN.
THAT MEANS JASON KLITENIK HAS
NOW PUT IN WRITING THAT HE
PERSONALLY JOINED IN THIS
VIOLATION OF LAW WITH JOSEPH
McGUIRE.
McGUIRE. WE HAVE DETERMINED, HE WROTE.
THE LAW DOES NOT ALLOW HIM TO
DETERMINE ANYTHING ABOUT A
WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT.
WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, ADAM
SCHIFF, THEN WROTE A LETTER TO
THE WHISTLEBLOWER’S LAWYER
SAYING, IN LIGHT OF YOUR NOTICE
OF INTENT TO THE ACTING DIRECTOR
OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, THE
COMMITTEE REQUESTS A VOLUNTARY
INTERVIEW WITH YOUR CLIENT ON
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 IN
THE AFTERNOON FOLLOWING THE
PUBLIC TESTIMONY OF ACTING
DIRECTOR McGUIRE BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE.
COMMITTEE. NANCY PELOSI HAS BEEN RESISTING,
FORMALIZING THE IMPEACHMENT
PROCESS.
PROCESS. UNTIL TODAY.
UNTIL TODAY. >> THE PRESIDENT MUST BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE.
ACCOUNTABLE. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.
GETTING BACK TO OUR FOUNDERS, IN
THE DARKEST DAYS OF THE AMERICAN
REVOLUTION, THOMAS PAYNE WROTE,
THE TIMES HAVE FOUND USs.
THE TIMES FOUND THEM TO FIGHT
FOR AND ESTABLISH OUR DEMOCRACY.
THE TIMES HAVE FOUND US TODAY.
>> LEADING OFF OUR DISCUSSION
TONIGHT ARE DEMOCRATIC
CONGRESSMAN BEN RAY LUJAN OF
MEXICO.
MEXICO. HE IS THE MEXICAN SPEAKER OF THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND
HE’S RUNNING FOR SENATE IN NEW
MEXICO.
MEXICO. ANNABEL, MEMBER OF THE FOREIGN
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. SHE AND OTHER SIX DEMOCRATS
AUTHORED AN OP-ED IN THE
"WASHINGTON POST" ASKING FOR AN
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY.
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY. AND ANGIE CRAIG OF MINNESOTA,
SHE CAME OUT LAST NIGHT IN
SUPPORT OF AN IMPEACHMENT
INQUIRY.
INQUIRY. CONGRESSMAN
CONGRESSMAN CONGRESSMAN LUJAN, YOU’RE A
MEMBER OF THE LEADERSHIP.
YOU HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF THE
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY.
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY. WHAT WAS YOUR READING OF THE
SPEAKER’S DECISION-MAKING
SPEAKER’S DECISION-MAKING PROCESS THAT GOT US TO HERE?
>> WELL, LAWRENCE, GOOD TO BE
WITH YOU TONIGHT, NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO, EVERYONE SHOULD
UNDERSTAND THE SPEAKER ALWAYS
HAS A PLAN.
THE SPEAKER IS SOMEONE THAT CAN
SEE AROUND THE CORNER AND IT
MAKING SURE THAT WE’RE MAKING
STRONG DECISIONS.
STRONG DECISIONS. BUT THE SPEAKER’S ANNOUNCEMENT
TODAY OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THE
IMPEACHMENT PROCESS OF MAKING IT
ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT THE SIX
COMMITTEES THAT HAVE
JURISDICTION AND THAT ARE
CONDUCTING INVESTIGATIONS ARE
NOW OPERATING UNDER THIS
UMBRELLA HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE
MAGNITUDE OF THIS MOMENT.
>> APPEARBIGAIL SPAMBERGER RPGS
ME ASK YOU ABOUT SOME TESTIMONY
THE PRESIDENT GAVE TODAY THAT WE
NOW KNOW IS AN IMPEACHMENT
INQUIRY.
INQUIRY. HE SAID THIS BEFORE THE
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY WAS
FORMALIZED, AND PRESIDENTS DON’T
NORMALLY TESTIFY IN IMPEACHMENT
INQUIRIES, BUT LET’S LISTEN TO
WHAT HE SAID TODAY ABOUT
WITHHOLDING FUNDING FROM
UKRAINE.
UKRAINE. >> AS FAR AS WITHHOLDING FUNDS,
THOSE FUNDS WERE PAID.
THEMP
THEMP THEY WERE FULLY PAID.
BUT MY CLIENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN,
AND I’LL WITHHOLD AGAIN AND I’LL
WITHHOLD UNTIL SUCH TIME AS
EUROPE AND OTHER COUNTRIES
CONTRIBUTE TO UKRAINE, BECAUSE
THEY’RE NOT DOING IT.
>> CONGRESSWOMAN SPAMBERGER,
YOUR ANSWER TO THAT DEFENSE.
>> IN THAT DEFENSE HE SAID HE
DIDN’T WITHHOLD AND HE WOULD
WITHHOLD AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.
IT’S CONTRADICTORY.
IT’S CONTRADICTORY. WE KNOW FUND WERE WITHHELD AND
THIS IS DETRIMENTAL TO OUR
NATIONAL SECURITY.
NATIONAL SECURITY. THESE FUNDS WE PROVIDE TO OTHER
COUNTRIES ARE APPROPRIATED BY
CONGRESS, PART OF LARGER
PROGRAMS, ANTI-CORRUPTION
PROGRAMS, ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS, AND OUR EFFORTS TO
ENSURE AND PROVIDE FOR OTHERUR O
NATIONAL SECURITY REGIONS
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
SO THE FACT THAT AS THE
ALLEGATIONS ARE, THE PRESIDENT
WOULD USE THIS MONEY, THIS
TAXPAYER DOLLARS THAT IS MEANT
FOR SECURITY ASSISTANCE AS
LEVERAGE TO GET A FOREIGN
GOVERNMENT TO DIG UP DIRT ON AN
OPPONENT, IT IS JUST
INCONCEIVABLE FOR SO NLMANY OF U
HERE IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
REPRESENTATIVES. >> REPRESENTATIVE SPAMBERGER,
YOU HAVE JUST DECIDED TO SUPPORT
IMPEACHMENT ON THE BASIS OF THIS
INCIDENT.
INCIDENT. WHY WAS THIS THE FINAL STRAW FOR
YOU?
YOU? >> SO I HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR
THAT THESE ALLEGATIONS, THE
NOTION THAT THE PRESIDENT WOULD
ASK A FOREIGN COUNTRY TO PROVIDE
INFORMATION, DIG UP DIRT ON A
POLITICAL ADVERSARY AND TO USE
FOREIGN ASSISTANCE, MILITARY
ASSISTANCE DOLLARS TO DO IT, IT
IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE, IT IS
ABSOLUTELY A VIOLATION OF THE
PRESIDENT’S OATH, AND THESE
STAND-ALONE ALLEGATIONS AS THEY
ARE DRAWN UP ARE FOR ME WHAT IT
IS THAT I’M FOCUSED ON, I HAVE
BEEN CLEAR IN STATING THAT IF
THEY ARE TRUE THAT THEY ARE
AN -- THEY REPRESENT AN
IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE.
IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE. AND SO FOR ME, I’M LOOKING AT
THESE ALLEGATIONS IN AN ISOLATED
MANNER, FRANKLY, BECAUSE THEY
ARE SO EGREGIOUS, THEY REPRESENT
A TREMENDOUS THREAT TO OUR
NATIONAL SECURITY.
NATIONAL SECURITY. I THINK THEY ARE ALLEGATIONS
THAT WE NEED TO DEAL WITH
FULLILY, AND THAT WAS THE
PURPOSE OF OUR OP-ED.
>> REPRESENTATIVE ANGIE CRAIG,
LIKE REPRESENTATIVE SPANBERGER,
YOU ARE FROM A DISTRICT THAT WAS
A REPUBLICAN DISTRICT.
YOU FLIPPED IT, YOU BOTH FLIPPED
YOUR DISTRICTS FOR THE
DEMOCRATS.
DEMOCRATS. YOU ARE THE KIND OF MEMBER OF
THE HOUSE, YOU’RE BOTH THE KINDS
OF MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE THAT THE
IMPRESSION HAS BEEN NANCY PELOSI
HAS BEEN PROTECTING YOU BY NOT
LETTING IMPEACHMENT BE
FORMALIZED IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES BECAUSE FOR
REPRESENTATIVES IN SWING
DISTRICTS LIKE YOURS THAT COULD
BE POLITICALLY DIFFICULT.
YOU’VE COME OUT IN FAVOR OF
IMPEACHMENT ALSO BECAUSE OF THIS
INCIDENT.
INCIDENT. WHY WAS THIS YOUR FINAL STRAW?
>> WELL, THE SPEAKER HAS GIVEN
US THE FREEDOM TO DO WHAT WE
THINK IS RIGHT FOR OUR OWN
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS, AND
I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO THE FOLKS
IN MY DISTRICT OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL MONTHS.
SEVERAL MONTHS. I’VE WANTED TO BE DISCIPLINED.
I’VE WANTED TO LISTEN TO THE
FACTS AND USE DUE PROCESS.
BUT THE FACTS CHANGED ON SUNDAY.
THE FACTS ARE SO CRYSTAL CLEAR.
THE PRESIDENT, IRONICALLY, IS
THE ONE WHO SHARED THEM WITH US.
THE FACT THAT HE PRESSURED A
FOREIGN GOVERNMENT TO INTERFERE
WITH A POLITICAL RIVAL FOR THE
BENEFIT OF HIS OWN ELECTION IN
2020.
2020. AND THE FACT THAT THOSE FUNDS TO
UKRAINE WERE BEING WITHHELD IN
ADVANCE OF THAT.
THIS ISOLATED INCIDENT ALONE WAS
ENOUGH FOR ME TO SAY WE HAVE TO
PUT THIS COUNTRY OVER OUR
POLITICS, AND I HOPE THAT MANY
OF MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES WILL
JOIN ME IN DOING THAT.
>> CONGRESSMAN LUJAN, WE HAVE
REPORTS NOW THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP
IS GOING TO RELEASE A TRANSCRIPT
OF THE PHONE CALL AND THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION WILL EVENTUALLY
POSSIBLY THIS WEEK, BY THE END
OF THE WEEK, RELEASE THE ACTUAL
INSPECTOR GENERAL’S REPORT OF
THE WHISTLEBLOWER’S REPORT.
WHAT IS YOUR REACTION -- WE
STILL DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT
THESE THINGS WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN
THEY’RE RELEASED, WHETHER THEY
WILL BE HEAVILY REDACTED OR WHAT
THESE DOCUMENTS ARE ACTUALLY
GOING TO BE WHEN THEY’RE
RELEASED, BUT THAT IS THE
DEVELOPING SITUATION AS IT IS
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. >> LAWRENCE, IT’S ABSOLUTELY
ESSENTIAL THAT THE FULL REPORT
THAT WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY THE
WHISTLEBLOWER AS REPORTED FROM
THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO THE
DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE BE RELEASED TO THE
CHAIRS OF THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE.
COMMITTEE. NOT ONLY IS IT ESSENTIAL, IT’S
THE LAW.
THE LAW. THE LAW REQUIRES FOR THAT REPORT
TO BE TURNED OVER.
SO I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE
PRESIDENT PLANS TO DO TURNING
OVER TRANSCRIPTS.
OVER TRANSCRIPTS. I THINK IT’S ABSOLUTELY
INCUMBENT THAT WE GET WORD FOR
WORD EVERYTHING WE CAN GET OUR
HANDS ON, BUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY
EXPECTED AS THE LAW REQUIRES IS
FOR THE WHISTLEBLOWER’S REPORT
TO BE TURNED OVER, AND THAT
SHOULD BE TURNED OVER NO LATER
THAN THURSDAY.
THAN THURSDAY. IT SHOULD BE TURNED OVER NOW.
>> REPRESENTATIVE SPANBERGER,
THERE IS NEW REPORTING IN THE
"WASHINGTON POST" TONIGHT,
BREAKING NEWS REPORTING ABOUT
THE STRAINS INSIDE THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION WITH RUDY
GIULIANI BASICALLY HAVING THIS
PORTFOLIO TO ARGUE THIS CASE, TO
LOBBY, TO TRY TO INFLUENCE
UKRAINE TO INVESTIGATE JOE
BIDEN, JOE BIDEN’S SON.
AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT WAS
UPSET ABOUT THIS, JOHN BOLTON
WAS UPSET ABOUT THIS, AND
APPARENTLY THESE TENSIONS ARE
PART OF WHAT IS DELIVERING SOME
OF THE -- INSIDE THE
ADMINISTRATION SOURCING THAT THE
NEWS MEDIA IS WORKING WITH.
>> SO THE TENSIONS THAT YOU
MENTION, I THINK, ARE EASILY
DEFINABLE.
DEFINABLE. THEY ARE THE TENSIONS THAT EXIST
BETWEEN THOSE THAT ARE WORKING
POTENTIALLY TO UPHOLD THE LAW,
AND THOSE THAT ARE LOOKING TO
ABUSE THEIR POSITION.
THE FACT THERE WOULD BE STATE
DEPARTMENT OFFICERS
DEPARTMENT OFFICERS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE TYPE OF
ACTIONS THAT RUDY GIULIANI WAS
ALLEGEDLY TAKING, I THINK, IS
ABSOLUTELY WHAT I WOULD EXPECT
OF OUR CAREER DIPLOMATS WHO ARE
FOCUSED ON THE MISSION OF
ADVOCATING FOR AMERICAN
INTERESTS ABROAD, PROTECTING
AMERICAN INTERESTS ABROAD, AND
ANYONE WHO SWORE AN OATH TO
UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION.
>> REPRESENTATIVE CRAIG, ALSO IN
THE "WASHINGTON POST" TONIGHT,
THEY ARE INDICATING THAT RUDY
GIULIANI WAS OFF ON HIS OWN IN A
WAY THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT HE WAS DOING WAS
ACTUALLY BY READING NEWSPAPERS
AND WATCHING TV OF RUDY
GIULIANI’S STATEMENTS ABOUT WHAT
HIS INVOLVEMENT IN UKRAINE MIGHT
BE.
BE. THEY HAD NO WAY WITHIN THE
ADMINISTRATION, APPARENTLY, OF
FINDING OUT WHAT IT WAS.
>> WELL, THIS GETS TO THE HEART
OF THE ISSUE WITH THE PRESIDENT,
AND THAT IS HE HAS PUT HIS OWN
PERSONAL INTERESTS BY NATURE OF
PUTTING HIS PERSONAL ATTORNEY IN
THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF THIS.
AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHY WE
COULDN’T STAND ON THE SIDELINES
AND ALLOW THIS CONTINUED
BEHAVIOR, THIS BEHAVIOR TO
CONTINUE BY THE PRESIDENT AND
HIS PERSONAL ATTORNEY.
>> CONGRESSMAN LUJAN, THE
CONSENTED UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT
WAS A SURPRISE TO EVERYONE, I
THINK, THAT THEY WENT ON
UNANIMOUSLY SAYING THE
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY SHOULD BEGIN
IMMEDIATELY.
IMMEDIATELY. IS THERE A VOTE ON SOMETHING
SIMILAR TOMORROW?
SIMILAR TOMORROW? >> THAT’S CORRECT, WE’RE
EXPECTING A VOTE ON SOMETHING
SIMILAR TOMORROW.
SIMILAR TOMORROW. HERE’S THE THING, LAWRENCE.
WHILE I APPRECIATE THE URGENCY
THAT LEADER McCONNELL LISTENED
TO THE DIRECTION OF LEADER
SCHUMER TO BRING THAT RESOLUTION
TO THE SENATE FLOOR, AND EVERY
REPUBLICAN VOTED THERE IN FAVOR
AS WELL AS EVERY DEMOCRAT, THE
SILENCE OF HOUSE DEMOCRATS IS
DEAFENING.
DEAFENING. NO ONE IS COMING FORWARD TO TALK
ABOUT THE CONCERN ASSOCIATED
WITH THE FACT THAT THE LAW IS
BEING BROKEN.
BEING BROKEN. THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE REFUSES TO COMPLY
WITH THE LAW, AND I THINK THAT’S
WHY THERE IS SUCH URGENCY TO
BRING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD
AND TO CONTINUE TO MAKE
PROGRESS.
PROGRESS. I CERTAINLY HOPE MY HOUSE
REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES HAVE THE
COURAGE OF THE SENATE
REPUBLICANS TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT
AND TO DEMAND THAT THIS REPORT
BE TURNED OVER IMMEDIATELY.
>> CONGRESSMAN BEN RAY LUJAN,