BECAUSE AT THIS POINT, IT IS
IMPRUDENT.
>> JOINING ME NOW IS DEMOCRATIC
SENATOR KIRSTIN GILLIBRAND OF
NEW YORK.
A LOT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE
MILITARY AND ABOUT RUSSIA, BUT
FIRST LET’S START WITH THE
CORONAVIRUS AND THIS DECISION TO
BACKTRACK ON THE PLAN TO HAVE
INDOOR DINING.
A GOOD DECISION, BAD DECISION?
>> I THINK THE GOVERNOR MADE THE
RIGHT DECISION.
AND I DO SHARE HIS CONCERNS THAT
UNFORTUNATELY WE’RE SEEING
RESURGENCES ALL ACROSS AMERICA
AS PEOPLE STOP WEARING MASKS, AS
THEY STOP SOCIAL DISTANCING.
WE’RE SEEING A MASSIVE SPREAD.
AND SO THE GOVERNOR IS DOING
WHAT HE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT
NEW YORK DOES NOT HAVE ITS OWN
RESURGENCE.
I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THAT
PEOPLE CONTINUE TO KNOW THAT
WHEN THEY WEAR A MASK, WHEN THEY
SOCIALLY DISTANCE, THEY MAY BE
SAVING LIVES.
IT’S IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF US
SHARE THAT DUTY TO PROTECT
OTHERS.
>> SENATOR, PART OF THE NEW YORK
GOVERNOR’S APPROACH IS THIS
14-DAY QUARANTINE FOR A RISING
NUMBER OF STATES, I THINK NOW 16
STATES WHERE THERE ARE SPIKES.
HOW DOES THAT GET ENFORCED WHERE
PEOPLE DRIVE IN AND OUT OF THE
STATE ALL THE TIME?
>> I THINK IT’S DIFFICULT TO
ENFORCE.
BUT THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO DO
HIS BEST.
AND I THINK MAKING IT THE
STANDARD IS IMPORTANT.
SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT IF
THEY DO COME TO NEW YORK, THEY
HAVE TO QUARANTINE FOR TWO
WEEKS.
I THINK IT’S SMART.
I THINK IT MAKES SENSE.
AND IT’S, AGAIN, JUST ASKING
PEOPLE TO DO THEIR SHARE, TO DO
WHAT THEY CAN TO PROTECT THE
VULNERABLE.
>> AND AS A MEMBER OF THE ARMED
SERVICES COMMITTEE, OBVIOUSLY I
WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THIS
RUSSIA INVESTIGATION NOW.
THE CIA IS GOING BACK OVER THE
ANALYSIS.
IT’S VERY CLEAR THAT THERE WAS
AN INITIAL DISAGREEMENT AND THEN
MORE INFORMATION CAME TO THE
FORE.
AND LIKE ALL INTELLIGENCE
ASSESSMENTS, EVERY NEVER 100%,
THERE IS A CERTAIN DEGREE OF
CONFIDENCE.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PRESIDENT’S
DEFENSE THAT HE WASN’T TOLD,
WHAT TO SAYDOES THAT MEAN?
AND NOW HE KNOWS, BECAUSE HE’S
BEEN READING THE NEWSPAPERS AND
HE’S BEEN TOLD AND BRIEFED IN
THE LAST, YOU KNOW, ALMOST A
WEEK, AND STILL NO ACTION, NO
REACTION, NO DEMARCHE OF ANYONE
IN RUSSIA.
>> IT’S MORE THAN THAT.
HE ACTUALLY TODAY SAID IT WAS A
HOAX.
THIS IS PRESIDENT TRUMP’S
UNWILLINGNESS TO STAND UP TO
VLADIMIR PUTIN.
WE SAW IT IN HELSINKI.
WE SAY IT AGAIN NOW.
HE PLACES THIS OWN JUDGMENT
ABOVE THOSE OF HIS INTELLIGENCE
AGENCIES.
IT’S HARMING AMERICAN TROOPS.
I’M DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT WE
NEED A FULL INVESTIGATION OF
BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE,
WE NEED IT IN THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE AND THE ARMED SERVICES
COMMITTEE.
I AM THE RANKING MEMBER ON THE
PERSONNEL SUBCOMMITTEE.
I WANT TO KNOW THAT MEMBERS OF
OUR SERVICES WHO ARE SERVING
ABROAD, SERVING IN AFGHANISTAN,
ARE PROTECTED.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT RUSSIA
ISN’T PAYING FOR A BOUNTY FOR
THEIR LIVES.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
REPORTING WE’VE SEEN THAT
THERE’S POSSIBLE THREE SERVICE
MEMBERS WHO LOST THEIR LIFE
BECAUSE OF THIS BOUNTY, SOMEONE
NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
WE NEED TO KNOW IF PRESIDENT
TRUMP WAS BRIEFED AND IF HE
WASN’T BRIEFED, WHY NOT.
THIS IS DEEPLY DISTURBING.
AND I’VE READ THE INTELLIGENCE
REPORTS AND I’VE READ "THE NEW
YORK TIMES" AND "THE WASHINGTON
POST" AND AP’S REPORTING WHICH
SAYS THAT BOTH INTELLIGENCE
PROFESSIONS AS WELL AS SPECIAL
OPERATIONS FORCES BROUGHT THESE
FACTS UP THE CHAIN.
>> YOU REFERRED TO THE
PRESIDENT’S TWEET TODAY.
DOESN’T THAT UNDERMINE ANYTHING
THAT WE MIGHT SAY DIPLOMATICALLY
TO RUSSIA, NOTWITHSTANDING THE
FACT THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE
DISMISSED IT OUT OF HAND TODAY
AND SAID, WELL, IRAN IS A BIGGER
PROBLEM, HOW CAN RUSSIA TAKE US
SERIOUSLY AND TAKE ANY PUSHBACK
THAT THE MILITARY MIGHT TRY TO
MAKE AGAINST RUSSIA?
>> WELL, ANDREA, YOU’RE QUITE
RIGHT, THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN
UNWILLING TO HOLD PUTIN AND
OTHER AUTOCRATS ACCOUNTABLE.
HE FAILS TO STAND UP TO THREATS.
AND HE’S FAILED TO PROTECT OUR
TROOPS.
THE ONE THING THAT’S BIPARTISAN
IN THIS COUNTRY IS THAT WE ALL
VALUE AND HONOR AND PROTECT OUR
TROOPS.
AND PRESIDENT TRUMP IS NOT.
AND HE’S FAILING IN HIS
RESPONSIBILITY AS COMMANDER IN
CHIEF.
>> AND MY COLLEAGUE KRISTEN
WELKER HAD A HEARTBREAKING
CONVERSATION LAST NIGHT WITH THE
FATHER OF ONE OF THE THREE
SOLDIERS WHO WERE KILLED
POSSIBLY IN A CONNECTED INCIDENT
LAST YEAR IN AFGHANISTAN, WHO
HAS STILL NOT HEARD FROM ANYBODY
IN THE GOVERNMENT.
SO HE HAD TO HEAR ABOUT THIS
FROM THE NEWS.
>> GOD BLESS HIM, AND THE
SACRIFICE OF HIS SON SHOULD NOT
BE IGNORED.
WE SHOULD GET FACTS AND WE
SHOULD GET ANSWERS.
OUR TROOPS DESERVE OVERSIGHT AND
ACCOUNTABILITY.
THEY DESERVE TO KNOW.
AND WITH THIS INTELLIGENCE
REPORTING, I’M DEEPLY CONCERNED
THAT RUSSIA MAY STILL BE BEING A
BAD ACTOR IN THE REGION AS IT
HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.
>> AND THE PRESIDENT ALSO
TWEETING THAT HE IS THREATENING
NOW TO VETO THE ENTIRE DEFENSE
AUTHORIZATION BILL IF THE
ELIZABETH WARREN MONUMENTS
PROTECTION ACT IS IN IT.
>> LOOK, THIS COUNTRY IS IN A
RECKONING RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK THE BLACK LIVES
MATTER MOVEMENT AS WELL AS THE
PROTESTS THAT HAVE GONE ON
ACROSS MY STATE AND ACROSS THIS
COUNTRY ARE MEANINGFUL AND
POWERFUL.
AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF
HAVING TO LOOK AT STATUES,
MONUMENTS, BASES NAMED AFTER
CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS AND
GENERALS.
IT’S NOT FAIR, IT’S NOT RIGHT.
I THINK FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP TO
THREATEN TO VETO THE DEFENSE
BILL OVER THIS ISSUE THAT IS THE
RIGHT THING TO DO, AGAIN, SHOWS
HIS LACK OF LEADERSHIP AND SHOWS
HIS DISCONNECT FROM THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
>> YOU ALSO HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO
ELIMINATE THE DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST TRANSGENDER PEOPLE IN
THE MILITARY.
>> YES, RIGHT NOW WE JUST
WITNESSED A SURPRISING BUT
WELCOMED SUPREME COURT DECISION
THAT SAID YOU CANNOT
DISCRIMINATE AGAINST THE LGBTQ
COMMUNITY IN EMPLOYMENT.
WHY WOULD WE HAVE A DIFFERENT
STANDARD FOR OUR SERVICE
MEMBERS?
WHY WOULD THE ONLY PLACE IN
AMERICA WHERE YOU CAN STILL BE
DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BE IN THE
U.S. MILITARY?
IT’S AN OUTRAGE.
AND HOPEFULLY THIS AMENDMENT
WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE NDAA AND
THAT WE WILL PASS IT.