>> Chris: KEVIN CORKE
REPORTING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE,
KEVIN, THANK YOU.
JOINING US NOW FROM LOUISIANA,
THE NUMBER TWO REPUBLICAN IN THE
HOUSE, CONGRESSMAN STEVE SCALIS
STEVE SCALISE.
CONGRESSMAN, WELCOME BACK TO
"FOX NEWS SUNDAY."
>> Representative Scalise:
CHRIS, GOOD MORNING, GOOD TO BE
BACK WITH YOU.
>> Chris: WILL TALK ABOUT THAT
LOUISIANA ELECTION A LITTLE BIT
BUT I WANT TO START WITH DAVID
HOLMES.
HE IS THE OFFICIAL THAT KEVIN
JUST MENTIONED, THE AMERICAN
OFFICIAL IN UKRAINE WHO SAYS HE
OVERHEARD A CONVERSATION BETWEEN
THE PRESIDENT AND GORDON
SONDLAND ON JULY 26TH, THE DAY
AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP AND
PRESIDENT ZELENSKY SPOKE.
HOLMES TOLD MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
AND HIS TESTIMONY HE ASKED
WHETHER THE PRESIDENT CARES
ABOUT UKRAINE.
HE SAYS SONDLAND TOLD HIM IF
MR. TRUMP CARES ABOUT BIG STUFF
THAT BENEFITS THE PRESIDENT,
LIKE THE BIDEN INVESTIGATION.
DOESN'T THAT CONTRADICT THE
PRESIDENT'S STORY, SIR?
ALL THE PRESIDENT CARED ABOUT
WAS GOING AFTER THE BIDENS?
>> Representative Scalise: IF
THAT WAS THE CASE, THE
PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULDN'T HAVE
DONE ALL THE THINGS THAT HE'S
DONE TO HELP UKRAINE STAND UP TO
RUSSIA AND IN FACT IN THE
ORIGINAL ZELENSKY PHONE CALL
THAT WAS RELEASED, PRESIDENT
ZELENSKY WAS THANKING
PRESIDENT TRUMP THINGS HE'S
DONE, LIKE SELLING THE JAVELIN
MISSILES, WHICH HELP THEM STAND
UP TO THE RUSSIAN AGGRESSION.
AND THE TANKS.
BY THE WAY, BARACK OBAMA AND
JOE BIDEN WOULD NOT SELL UKRAINE
THOSE SAME JAVELIN MISSILES AND
WOULD NOT GET THAT SAME KIND OF
AID.
>> Chris: ALL OF THAT IS TRUE.
YOUR STATEMENT OF THE RECORD IS
ACCURATE, BUT THE DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN THE APRIL PHONE CALL AND
THE JULY PHONE CALL,
PRESIDENT TRUMP SUSPENDED
MILITARY AID, $391 MILLION IN
AID THAT THE U.S. CONGRESS, YOU,
HAD AUTHORIZED.
THE PRESIDENT SUSPENDED THAT IN
THE QUESTION IS, DID HE SUSPEND
IT BECAUSE ALL CARED ABOUT WAS
INVESTIGATING THE BIDENS?
>> NO, AND IN FACT PART OF WHAT
CONGRESS APPROPRIATED HAD
LANGUAGE ATTACHED TO IT THAT
REQUIRED THE ADMINISTRATION MAKE
SURE THAT UKRAINE'S ROOTING OUT
CORRUPTION BECAUSE THERE WERE
ELECTIONS DURING THAT SAME
PERIOD YOU JUST MENTIONED AND
ZELENSKY GOT ELECTED ON A
PLATFORM OF ROOTING OUT
CORRUPTION, WHICH WE ARE GLAD
ABOUT, BUT NOBODY REALLY KNEW IF
THAT WAS WHAT HE WAS GOING TO
FOLLOW THROUGH ON BECAUSE OF
UKRAINE'S HISTORY OF CORRUPTION.
THE LAW REQUIRED THAT BEFORE ANY
TAXPAYER MONEY GO TO UKRAINE,
THE PRESIDENT HAD TO ENSURE THAT
THEY ARE ROOTING OUT CORRUPTION,
WHICH ULTIMATELY THEY DID IN THE
MONEY WAS RELEASED AND HE GOT
THE MONEY HE NEEDED.
>> Chris: BUT SIR, BOTH IN THE
APRIL PHONE CALL AND IN THE JULY
PHONE CALL, PRESIDENT TRUMP
NEVER MENTIONS THE WORD
CORRUPTION.
WHAT HE TALKS ABOUT HIS
INVESTIGATIONS.
INVESTIGATIONS OF THE DEMOCRATS,
POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE IN 2016.
INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE BIDENS
AND BURISMA, AND THE PHONE CALL
THAT DAVID HOLMES OVERHEARD ON
JULY 26TH, HE SAYS WHAT THE
PRESIDENT ASKED WAS IS HE GOING
TO DO THE INVESTIGATIONS?
>> Representative Scalise:
WELL, AND AGAIN, WE CAN TALK
ABOUT SECOND AND THIRD AND
FOURTH HAND INFORMATION OF
PEOPLE, WHO ULTIMATELY ARE GOING
TO TESTIFY.
YOU CAN HEAR IT FROM THEM ON
WEDNESDAY.
BUT WHAT THE FACTS ARE COMING TO
THE MONEY ACTUALLY GO TO
UKRAINE?
AND EVEN ON THE PHONE CALL WITH
PRESIDENT TRUMP AND
PRESIDENT ZELENSKY, THEY TALKED
ABOUT THE STEPS THAT UKRAINE IS
TAKING TO ROOT OUT CORRUPTION.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT ZELENSKY
GOT ELECTED ON, A PLATFORM OF
DOING -- EVERYBODY KNEW THAT
UKRAINE HAD PROBLEMS WITH
CORRUPTION GOING BACK, TWO
POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE WITH THAT
ALSO WAS INVOLVED IN IN THE 2016
ELECTION.
>> Chris: IT YOU'VE SET UP THE
BIG WITNESS THIS WEEK, WHICH IS
ON WEDNESDAY.
AMBASSADOR GORDON SONDLAND IS
GOING TO TESTIFY.
SO FAR REPUBLICANS HAVE
COMPLAINED, AND THEY ARE RIGHT,
THAT ALL OF THE EVIDENCE HAS
BEEN SECONDHAND OR THIRDHAND.
SOMEBODY WHO TALKED TO THE
PRESIDENT TOLD ME, OR SOMEONE
WHO TALKED TO THE PRESIDENT TOLD
SOMEBODY WHO TALKED TO THE
WITNESS, BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE FOR
GORDON SONDLAND.
ACCORDING TO AN NSC OFFICIAL WHO
TESTIFIED, WHICH SAW THE
TRANSCRIPT YESTERDAY, GORDON
SONDLAND MET DIRECTLY WITH THE
PRESIDENT AT LEAST A HALF-DOZEN
TIMES DURING THIS PERIOD.
AND HERE IS WHAT HE SAID.
HE CORRECTED HIS TESTIMONY ON
SEPTEMBER 1ST WITH A TOP EIGHT
IN WHICH HE SAID "I SAID THE
RESUMPTION OF U.S. AID WOULD
LIKELY NOT OCCUR UNTIL UKRAINE
PROVIDED THE PUBLIC
ANTICORRUPTION STATEMENT THAT WE
HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING FOR MANY
WEEKS."
CONGRESSMAN, IF GORDON SONDLAND,
WHO MET WITH THE PRESIDENT
HALF-DOZEN TIMES THIS SUMMER,
TESTIFIES ON WEDNESDAY, YES, THE
PRESIDENT SAID TO ME WE ARE NOT
RELEASING THE AID UNTIL THEY
ANNOUNCE THEY ARE GOING TO
INVESTIGATE THE BIDENS AND
BURISMA, DOESN'T THAT BLOW A
HOLE IN THE PRESIDENT'S DEFENSE?
>> Representative Scalise:
WELL, THE PRESIDENT'S DEFENSE IS
THAT THOSE THINGS DIDN'T HAPPEN.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE
PRESIDENT'S WORD.
PRESIDENT ZELENSKY HIMSELF SAID
THAT THE AIDE WASN'T CONDITIONED
AND THERE WAS NO PRESSURE.
AND THEN BECAUSE OF SOME OF
THESE INNUENDOS THAT YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT, THE FOREIGN
MINISTER OF UKRAINE JUST A FEW
DAYS AGO RELEASED ANOTHER
STATEMENT SAYING THAT THERE WAS
NEVER A LINK BETWEEN AID AND
INVESTIGATIONS, AND ONCE AGAIN,
THERE WERE ONLY TWO PEOPLE THAT
PARTICIPATED IN THAT PHONE CALL.
IT WAS DONALD TRUMP AND
PRESIDENT ZELENSKY.
BOTH OF THEM WERE VERY HAPPY
WITH THE PHONE CALL.
>> Chris: BUT SIR --
>> Representative Scalise: THE
REAL BOTTOM LINE IS HE GOT THE
MONEY.
UKRAINE GOT THE MONEY.
>> Chris: FIRST OF ALL, A
DOZEN PEOPLE LISTEN TO ON THE
PHONE CALL AND A NUMBER OF THEM
WERE IMMEDIATELY UPSET BECAUSE
WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID ABOUT
BURISMA --
>> Representative Scalise:
THOSE WERE SCHIFF'S WITNESSES.
>> Chris: NO, SIR, THEY ARE
CAREER FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS
AND THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WORKED
IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
>> Representative Scalise:
THEY ARE SCHIFF'S WITNESSES.
>> Chris: WHAT A WOMAN
YESTERDAY --
>> Chris: WAIT A MINUTE, SIR,
YOU HAD A WOMAN YESTERDAY WHO
WAS ON VICE PRESIDENT PENCE'S
STAFF.
HE SAID IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE.
YOU HAD TO MORRISON, WHO WAS ON
THE NSC STAFF, WHO SAID THAT
HE -- ALARM BELLS IMMEDIATELY
WENT OFF FOR HIM.
ALEXANDER VENUE AND IMMEDIATELY
WENT TO SEE -- THESE ARE ALL
PEOPLE -- YOU SAY THEY ARE
SCHIFF'S WITNESSES, THEY ALL
WERE WORKING IN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION.
LET ME GET BACK TO MY --
>> Representative Scalise:
THEY WERE NOT ALL TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION FOLKS.
>> Chris: ARE YOU SAYING THAT
THE PERSON WORKING -- ALEXANDER
INMAN --
>> Representative Scalise: THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL SAID THAT THE
WHISTLE-BLOWER HAD POLITICAL
MOTIVATIONS.
>> Chris: WE ARE NOT TALKING
ABOUT THE WHISTLE-BLOWER.
>> Representative Scalise:
SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
>> Chris: WHERE NOT TALKING
BUT THERE WAS A BLOWER.
WE ARE TALKING TO MORRISON.
>> Representative Scalise:
YOU'VE SEEN THE LIST OF WHO
WE'VE ASKED TO TESTIFY.
>> Chris: I'M ASKING ABOUT THE
PEOPLE WHO WORKED IN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION.
WHO WORKED FOR THE TRUMP
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL ARE
WORKED FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT'S
OFFICE.
>> Representative Scalise:
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT,
CHRIS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO
WORKED IN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION WHO HAVE VERY
COUNTERING VIEWS TO THAT AND
THEY'VE NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO COME
FORWARD.
SO TONIGHT SOME PEOPLE CAN SAY
ONE THING ABOUT A THIRDHAND
INFORMATION PHONE CALL.
THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S
OTHER PEOPLE CAN COUNTER THAT
WITH AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN
ALLOWED TO COME FORWARD, BUT
ULTIMATELY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND
PRESIDENT ZELENSKY WERE THE ONES
ON THE CALL.
BOTH OF THEM SAID THERE WAS
NOTHING WRONG.
IF THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF
UKRAINE JUST CAME OUT A FEW DAYS
AGO TO CLEAR SOME OF THIS UP TO
SATAN THERE WAS NEVER A LINK --
>> Chris: HE INCIDENTALLY WAS
NOT ON THE CALL EITHER.
BUT IF I COULD GO BACK TO GORDON
SONDLAND.
IF GORDON SONDLAND SAYS THE
PRESIDENT TOLD HIM CONDITION AID
TO UKRAINE ON INVESTIGATING THE
BIDENS, ARE YOU GOING TO SAY
THAT HE IS WRONG, THAT HE IS
LYING?
>> Representative Scalise:
LOOK, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN ASKING
AND OTHERS HAVE ASKED
HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS.
LET'S TALK IN REALITY.
WHY DON'T WE LOOK AT THE THREE
WITNESSES WHO ACTUALLY DID
TESTIFY THIS WEEK.
ALL THREE OF THEM WERE ASKED BY
WHETHER IT WAS JOHN RATCLIFFE OR
WHETHER IT WAS CHRIS STEWART,
ALL THREE OF THEM ARE ASKED, DID
YOU SEE ANY IMPEACHABLE
OFFENSES?
DID YOU SEE ANY BRIBERY?
ANY OF THAT?
NOT ONE OF THOSE THINGS WERE
MENTIONED.
NOT ONE PERSON SAID THEY SAW
CRIME COMMITTED.
>> Chris: WITH ALL DUE
RESPECT -- WITH ALL DUE RESPECT,
THAT VERY BADLY MISCHARACTERIZES
WHAT THEY SAID.
THEY WERE ASKED, WILLIAM TAYLOR,
FOR INSTANCE, THE ACTING
AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE, WAS ASKED
WHETHER OR NOT THESE WERE
IMPEACHABLE OFFENSES.
HE SAID I'M THERE IS A FACT
WITNESS.
I'M NOT THERE TO PASS JUDGMENT,
BUT HE MADE IT CLEAR WHAT HE
THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT THE PRESIDENT
WAS DOING.
HERE HE IS.
>> TO WITHHOLD THAT ASSISTANCE
FOR NO GOOD REASON OTHER THAN
HELP WITH A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN
MADE NO SENSE.
IT WAS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO ALL
OF WHAT WE HAD BEEN TRYING TO
DO.
IT WAS ILLOGICAL, IT COULD NOT
BE EXPLAINED, IT WAS CRAZY.
>> Chris: HE SAID WITHHOLDING
MILITARY AID TO HELP WITH THE
PRESIDENT'S POLITICAL CAMPAIGN
WAS CRAZY.
>> Representative Scalise: AND
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, IT
DIDN'T HAPPEN, CHRIS.
THE UKRAINE FOREIGN MINISTER,
BASED PROBABLY ON SOME OF THAT
TESTIMONY, SAID IT DIDN'T
HAPPEN.
ZELENSKY SAID IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
AND THOSE OF THE PEOPLE DIRECTLY
INVOLVED.
IT YOU CAN BRING OUT PEOPLE THAT
HAVE THIRD AND FOURTH HAND
INFORMATION.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO
BE ABOUT FINDING FACTS, AND IF
THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO IMPEACH
A PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES,
SHOULDN'T IT BE BASED ON
SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED
VERSUS ONE PERSON'S OPINION OF A
THIRDHAND CONVERSATION?
>> Chris: OKAY, ALL RIGHT.
IF YOU RAISE THE QUESTION THAT I
HAD RAISED IN A HYPOTHETICAL AND
I THINK THAT'S FAIR, SIR.
ARE YOU SAYING, THOUGH, BECAUSE
GORDON SONDLAND WAS A DIRECT
WITNESS, HE SPOKE TO THE
PRESIDENT IN THE OVAL OFFICE,
ARE YOU WILLING TO ABIDE BY
WHATEVER GORDON SONDLAND SAYS
HAPPENED?
>> Representative Scalise:
ABIDE BY GORDON -- I ABIDE BY
WHAT THE PRESIDENT DID AND WHAT
PRESIDENT ZELENSKY ACTUALLY
RECEIVED.
PRESIDENT ZALESKI RECEIVED THE
MONEY.
BARACK OBAMA WOULDN'T GIVE THAT
MONEY, BY THE WAY.
>> Chris: SORE, YOU'RE RIGHT.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS BEEN MUCH
TOUGHER IN TERMS OF GIVING AID
TO UKRAINE THAN PRESIDENT OBAMA
WAS.
BUT PRESIDENT TRUMP RELEASED THE
AIDE TWO DAYS AFTER THE
WHISTLE-BLOWER COMPLAINT WENT
PUBLIC.
>> Representative Scalise:
WELL, PRESIDENT TRUMP RELEASED
THE AIDE AFTER HE MADE SURE, BY
LAW, BY THE WAY, AND THEN PELOSI
VOTED FOR THAT LAW, SCHIFF VOTED
FOR THE LAW THAT REQUIRES THAT
HE ENSURE THAT CORRUPTION IS
BEING ROUTED OUT BEFORE TAXPAYER
MONEY GOES TO A COUNTRY LIKE
THAT.
>> Chris: OKAY, I'VE GOT TWO
MORE QUESTIONS, I'VE GOT
2 MINUTES, SO I'M GOING TO ASK
YOU TO SQUEEZE IF YOU CAN.
WE MENTIONED AT THE TOP, THE
PRESIDENT'S DECISION ON FRIDAY
TO CLEAR THREE MEMBERS OF THE
MILITARY WHO HAD BEEN ACCUSED OR
CONVICTED OF WAR CRIMES.
A SENIOR OFFICIALS ABIDE THE
PRESIDENT AGAINST IT SAID IT
WOULD UNDERMINE THE MILITARY
JUSTICE SYSTEM, CLEARLY THE
PRESIDENT IS COMMANDER IN CHIEF,
IS WELL WITHIN HIS RIGHTS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH
THIS DECISION TO CLEAR THESE
THREE MEN?
>> Representative Scalise: NO,
I THINK THERE'VE BEEN A LOT OF
CONCERNS EXPRESSED OVER THE
YEARS THAT MANY OF OUR MEN AND
WOMEN IN UNIFORM THAT WERE OUT
BATTLING TERRORISTS IN THE
BATTLEFIELD WERE BEING PUT IN A
POSITION WHERE THEY HAD TO THINK
ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IF THEY
RETURNED FIRE, IF THEY DEFENDED
THEMSELVES, SOME OF THESE PEOPLE
MENTIONED THAT WERE KILLED WERE
TERRORISTS, BOMB-MAKING
TERRORISTS AND GET OUR MEN AND
WOMEN IN UNIFORM IN THIS CASE
WERE IN JAIL FOR 25 PLUS YEARS
FOR KILLING A TERRORIST THE
BATTLEFIELD.
I THINK OUR TROOPS, MORALE IS
MUCH HIGHER, TROOPS THAT I'VE
HEARD FROM HIM, BECAUSE THIS IS
BEEN A CONCERN, I'VE HEARD, FROM
OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM FOR
YEARS THAT THEY FELT THAT THEY
WERE SIDELINED BECAUSE THEY
NEEDED A TEAM OF ATTORNEYS
BEFORE THEY COULD RETURN FIRE IN
THE BATTLEFIELD.
>> Chris: OKAY, I'VE GOT ONE
MINUTE LEFT.
IF YOU HAD AN ELECTION YESTERDAY
IN LOUISIANA AND THE DEMOCRATIC
GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS WAS
REELECTED.
PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS IN THERE
CAMPAIGNING HARD MULTIPLE TIMES
AND SAID, LOOK, IF EDDIE, THE
REPUBLICANS AND DOESN'T WHEN
MET, IT'S GOING TO MAKE ME COME
UP FROM, LOOK BAD, BECAUSE I
DON'T HAVE ANY COATTAILS.
DOES IT MAKE HIM LOOK BAD?
>> Representative Scalise:
WHAT HE SAID WAS HE WOULD BE
MADE TO LOOK BAD WEATHER HE CAME
INTO THE STATE OR NOT.
EDDIE RISPOLI MADE UP ABOUT A
22-POINT ADVANTAGE.
DISADVANTAGE OVER THE LAST MONTH
BECAUSE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S
INVOLVEMENT.
HE WAS AT ABOUT 27 AND THE
PRIMARY, ENDED UP AT 49, SO
CLEARLY PRESIDENT TRUMP'S
INVOLVEMENT MADE A BIG
DIFFERENCE IN HELPING CLOSE THAT
MASSIVE GAP.
AND LOOK, THE IT GOVERNOR'S
POLLING SHOWED HE WAS ABOUT 50
BEFORE PRESIDENT TRUMP STARTED
GETTING INVOLVED, THAT FORCED A
RUNOFF.
>> Chris: CONGRESSMAN
THANK YOU, ASK FOR YOUR TIME.