FOUND MORE EVIDENCE THAT THE GOOD WILL IS OVER.
[ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ]
>> WELL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
>> JOINING ME NOW REPUBLICAN
SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS OF MAINE.
SHE SITS ON THE THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE.N THE THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE. SENATOR COLLINS, WELCOME BACK TO
"MEET THE PRESS."
>> THANK YOU, CHUCK.
>> I WANT TO GET TO STORIES, IM GOING TO START WITH RUSSIA., IM
GOING TO START WITH RUSSIA. TAKEN AT FACE VALUE, THERE ARE
TWO SORT OF ALARMS QUOTES.
ONE COMES FROM THE PRESIDENTS
TWITTER FEED.
TWITTER FEED.
WE REFERENCED IT EARLIER ON THE LEAD IN THAT HE SAYS THE REASON
HE FIRED FLYNN IS HE LIED TO THE
VICE PRESIDENT AND THE FBI,
APPARENTLY INVOKING THE IDEA THAT HE KNOWINGLY OBSTRUCTED
JUSTICE, PERHAPS.
JUSTICE, PERHAPS.
AND THEN LET ME SHOW YOU THIS KT McFARLAND QUOTE.SHOW YOU THIS KT
McFARLAND QUOTE. SHE WAS THE DEPUTY NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISER FOR A SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME.
THERE IS AN E-MAIL THAT SHE SENT AROUND DURING THE TRANSITIONSENT
AROUND DURING THE TRANSITION SAID -- TRUMP WILL HAVE
DIFFICULTY IMPROVING RELATION WITH RUSSIA WHICH HAS JUSTION
WITH RUSSIA WHICH HAS JUST THROWN USA ELECTION TO HIM.
NOW WE HAVE THE WHITE HOUSE TRYING TO BACKTRACK, CLARIFY ALL
OF THOSE THINGS.
HOW ALARMING ARE THOSE TWO
QUOTES TO YOU?
>> WELL, THEYRE THE REASON WHY WE HAVE TWO INVESTIGATIONS WHY
WE HAVE TWO INVESTIGATIONS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
SPECIAL COUNSELS INVESTIGATION
CLEARLY IS BEARING FRUIT, AS
WEVE SEEN WITH THE GUILTY PLEA
WITH GENERAL FLYNN. AND WE HAVE THE SENATE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE INVESTIGATION, WHICH IS A
DIFFERENT KIND OF INVESTIGATION,
A COUNTERINTELLIGENCE
A COUNTERINTELLIGENCE INVESTIGATION, AND WERE ALSO
MAKING PROGRESS.
MAKING PROGRESS. >> ITS INTERESTING YOU SAID
BEARING FRUIT.
BEARING FRUIT. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS
COLLUSION?
COLLUSION?
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS IS WHERE THIS IS HEADED, THATS
WHERE THIS IS HEADED, THAT MUELLER IS SLOWLY BY SURELY
PROVING HIS CASE THERE WAS
COLLUSION BETWEEN THE TRUMP
CAMPAIGN AND THE RUSSIANS?
>> WE DONT KNOW THAT YET, BUT
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THERE
WERE CONVERSATIONS DURING THE
TRANSITION PERIOD.
TRANSITION PERIOD.
DURING THE TRAININGS PERIOD THERE IS STILL ONLY ONERIOD
THERE IS STILL ONLY ONE PRESIDENT AND THAT WAS PRESIDENT
OBAMA, SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS
SHOULD NOT HAVE CONFIRMED --
BEEN MAKING PLACE.
BUT THAT DOES NOT CONFIRM
COLLUSION.
COLLUSION. >> THIS DEAL FOR FLYNN TO WORK
WITH MUELLER NOW, HOW MUCH DOES
THAT SLOW DOWN THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE INVESTIGATION?
COMMITTEE INVESTIGATION? >> WELL, THATS A GREAT QUESTION
BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY ASKED
GENERAL FLYNN TO COME BEFORE US
AND TO ALSO PRODUCE HIS PERSONAL
PAPERS AND HIS ATTORNEY ASSERTED
HIS FIFTH AMENDMENT RIGHT
AGAINST SELF-INCRIMINATION. SO NOW, REALLY, THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL IS IN THE DRIVERS SEAT
AS FAR AS GENERAL FLYNN IS.
I STILL WANT TO HEAR FROM HIM
BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT HE COULD
CONTRIBUTE A GREAT DEAL TO OUR
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. >> DO YOU THINK AT THIS POINT --
YOU GUYS HAVE SOME COOPERATION
BETWEEN THE SPECIAL PROSECUTORS
OFFICE AND WHAT YOU GUYS ARE
DOING.
DOING.
DOES THAT INCLUDE YOUR ABILITY TO GET -- READ ALL THE INTERVIEW
TRANSCRIPTS FOR INSTANCE OF
MICHAEL FLYNN?
MICHAEL FLYNN?
>> WELL, IVE BEEN READING THE INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS THAT OUR
STAFF IS DOING --
>> DO YOU GET ACCESS TO
MUELLERS?
MUELLERS?
>> WE DO NOT GET ACCESS TO MUELLERS AND I UNDERSTAND THAT
BECAUSE ONLY HE CAN PURSUE
CRIMINAL WRONGDOING.
CRIMINAL WRONGDOING. OURS HAS A DIFFERENT MISSION BUT
ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT ONE.
>> IM CURIOUS THE SCOPE, DOES
IT INCLUDE THE TRANSITION?
I KNOW THE SCOPE IS ABOUT THE
CAMPAIGN, DOES THAT INCLUDE THE
TRANSITION?
TRANSITION?
>> YES.
>> YOU BELIEVE THE SCOPE OF
INTEL COMMITTEE DOES INCLUDE THE TRANSPORTATION. DOES INCLUDE THE
TRANSPORTATION.
EVERYTHING UP TO JANUARY 20th OR
EVEN MORE?
>> IT NOT ONLY INCLUDES THE TRANSITION PERIOD, IT INCLUDES
THE CAMPAIGN PERIOD, AND THATS
WHY WERE LOOKING AT THE
CONVERSATIONS THAT OCCURRED
DURING THAT PERIOD AS WELL.
>> DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHERE
MUELLER IS IN HIS PROBE?
DO YOU FEEL AS IF THIS IS THE
END OF THE BEGINNING, BEGINNING
OF THE END?
DO YOU GUYS HAVE A SENSE OF THE LENGTH OF THIS PROBE RIGHT NOW?
>> ALTHOUGH WERE IN TOUCH OR
THE CHAIRMAN IS IN TOUCH WITH
THE SPECIAL COUNSEL, ITS VERY
DIFFICULT TO SAY, BUT CLEARLY HE
IS MAKING PROGRESS.
HES HAD GUILTY PLEAS FROM TWO
INDIVIDUALS.
INDIVIDUALS.
HES HAD TWO OTHER INDICTMENTS.
SO THE HE IS MAKING PROGRESS. >> THE CHAIRMAN OF THEOGRESS.
>> THE CHAIRMAN OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, FELLOW
REPUBLICAN RICHARD BURR,
ACKNOWLEDGED IN AN INTERVIEW TO
"THE NEW YORK TIMES" THAT THE
PRESIDENT HAS TALKED TO VARIOUS
REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF THE INTEL
COMMITTEE, ENCOURAGING THEM TO
MOVE THE PROBE ALONG, END THIS
PROBE.
PROBE. SENATOR BURR WROTE IT OFF TO
INEXPERIENCE IN GOVERNMENT.
HE DIDNT VIEW IT AS AN ATTEMPT
TO OBSTRUCT JUSTICE.
TWO QUESTIONS.
TWO QUESTIONS. ONE
ONE ONE, HAS THE PRESIDENT CALLED
YOU?
YOU?
>> NO, HE HAS NOT.
>> THAT DOESNT SURPRISE ME,
FRANKLY.
BUT SECOND, DO YOU THINK RICHARD
BURR -- DO YOU AGREE WITH HIS
TAKE, OH, THIS IS JUST INEXPERIENCE IN GOVERNMENT BY
THE PRESIDENT?
THE PRESIDENT? HE DOESNT REALIZE HES
VIOLATING SOME PROTOCOL HERE.
>> WELL, EVEN IF ITS
INEXPERIENCE, THAT DOESNT MAKE
IT RIGHT.
IT RIGHT.
THE PRESIDENT SHOULD HAVE NO
COMMENT WHATSOEVER ON EITHER OF THESE INVESTIGATIONS AND THE OF
THESE INVESTIGATIONS AND THE ONLY THING HE SHOULD BE DOING IS
DIRECTING ALL OF HIS STAFF AND
ASSOCIATES TO FULLY COOPERATE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
LET ME MOVE TO THE TAX BILL.
I WANT TO MOVE TO THE DEBT PART FIRST. TO MOVE TO THE DEBT PART
FIRST.
LET ME PLAY A LITTLE MASH-UP OF WHAT YOUVE SAID ABOUT THE DEBTF
WHAT YOUVE SAID ABOUT THE DEBT IN THE PAST.
TAKE A LISTEN.
>> AND SENATOR COLLINS, YOU
SUPPORTED PRESIDENT OBAMA ON THE
STIMULUS PACKAGE.
STIMULUS PACKAGE.
CAN YOU SUPPORT HIS BUDGET? >> NO.U SUPPORT HIS BUDGET?
>> NO. >> WHY NOT?
>> BECAUSE IT BRINGS OUR DEBT
LEVELS TO AN UNPRECEDENTED
LEVEL.
LEVEL.
>> OUR CURRENT DEBT IS UNSUSTAINABLE. DEBT IS
UNSUSTAINABLE. ITS $14.3 TRILLION.
AND IT IS A THREAT TO THE FUTURE
PROSPERITY OF THIS NATION.
>> ALL RIGHT.
IF THE DEBT IS UNSUSTAINABLE AT
$14 TRILLION, HOW DO YOU -- HOW
DID YOU MAKE YOURSELF
COMFORTABLE VOTING FOR SOMETHING
THAT IS GOING TO INCREASE THE
DEFICIT, THIS TAX BILL?
WERE AT $20.6 TRILLION NOW AND THE BEST ESTIMATES SAY ITS AND
THE BEST ESTIMATES SAY ITS GOING TO, EVEN THE BEST
ESTIMATES OF DYNAMIC SCORING
THAT WE COULD FIND STILL HAD
HALF A TRILLION TO THE DEFICIT.
>> ECONOMIC GROWTH PRODUCES MORE
REVENUE AND THAT WILL HELP TO
OFFSET THIS TAX CUT AND ACTUALLY
LOWER THE DEBT.
I --
I --
>> WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE? CAN I -- EXPLAIN TO ME -- FIND
A -- FIND A STUDY THAT ACTUALLY
SAYS WHAT YOURE CLAIMING.
IT DOESNT EXIST.
>> LET ME DO THAT. FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU TAKE THE
CBOS FORMULA AND APPLY IT, JUST
0.04% INCREASE IN THE GDP
RENOVATES A TRILLION DOLLARS.
A TRILLION DOLLARS.
EVEN THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON
TAXATION HAS PROJECTED THAT THE
TAX BILL WOULD STIMULATE THE
ECONOMY TO PRODUCE HUNDREDS OF
BILLIONS OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
IVE TALKED TO FOUR ECONOMISTS,
INCLUDING THE DEAN OF THE
COLUMBIA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND
FORMER CHAIRS OF THE COUNCILS OF
ECONOMIC ADVISERS, AND THEY
BELIEVE THAT IT WILL HAVE THIS
IMPACT.
IMPACT. SO I THINK IF WE CAN STIMULATE
THE ECONOMY, CREATE MORE JOBS,
THAT THAT DOES GENERATE MORE
REVENUE.
REVENUE.
>> BUT WHY ISNT THERE A SINGLE STUD -- IM GOINGTHERE A SINGLE
STUD -- IM GOING STUD
STUD STUDY -- IM GOING TO THROW YOU
THEE STUDIES WE HAVE.
THE MOST KURDISH ONE, THE MOST
PRO ECONOMIC GROWTH ARGUMENT AS
$516 BILLION TO THE DEFICIT OVER
TEN YEARS.
TEN YEARS.
>> WELL, TALK TO ECONOMISTS LIKE GLENN HUBBARD AND LARRY LINDSEYE
GLENN HUBBARD AND LARRY LINDSEY AND DOUGLAS EATON WHO USED TO BE
HEAD OF THE CBO.
THEY WILL TELL YOU OTHERWISE.
YOU WILL FIND ECONOMISTS DONT
AGREE ON THIS.
>> YOURE CRITICAL WITH YOUROMFO
VOTE ON THIS?
>> I WANT TO SEE WHAT COMES OUT.
I BELIEVE THE AMENDMENTS I ADDED ON MEDICAL EXPENSE DEDUCTIONS,ED
ON MEDICAL EXPENSE DEDUCTIONS, PROPERTY TAX DEDUCTIONS, HELPING
RETIREMENT SECURITY FOR PUBLIC
EMPLOYEES IMPROVE THE BILL, I
GOT A COMMITMENT THAT WERE
GOING TO PASS TWO BILLS,
INCLUDING THE ALEXANDER/MURRAY
BILL AND ONE IVE AUTHORIZED
THAT WILL HELP OFFSET THE
INDIVIDUAL MANDATE REPEAL BY
LOWING PREMIUMS.
LOWING PREMIUMS. AND I ALSO GOT AN IRON CLAD
COMMITMENT WERE NOT GOING TO
SEE CUTS IN THE
MEDICAID/MEDICARE PROGRAM.
MEDICAID/MEDICARE PROGRAM. >> WELL BE WATCHING THAT
COMMITMENT MADE TO YOU.