HAVE BEEN INFORMAL TALKS WITHIN
THE ADMINISTRATION TO DO JUST
THAT.
THE MAN HIMSELF, REPUBLICAN
CONGRESSMAN ADAM KINZINGER JOINS
US NOW.
HE’S NOW THE FIRST GOP MEMBERS
OF CONGRESS TO CALL FOR
PRESIDENT TRUMP TO BE REMOVED
FROM OFFICE.
CONGRESSMAN, YOU JUST POSTED A
TWEET CALLING FOR THE 25th
AMENDMENT TO BE INVOKED.
TALK US THROUGH THIS.
>> IT’S NOT SOMETHING I DO WITH
A LIGHT HEART.
IT’S WITH A VERY HEAVY HEART.
THE REALITY IS THE 25th
AMENDMENT WAS PUT IN PLACE TO
ENSURE THAT GOVERNMENT CAN
CONTINUE TO SURVIVE IN
UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.
IT’S BEEN INVOKED IN THE PAST,
FOR INSTANCE, WHEN A PRESIDENT
UNDERGOES ANESTHESIA FOR
SURGERY.
I THINK YESTERDAY IT BECAME
CLEAR THAT THE PRESIDENT IS
UNMOORED FROM REALITY AND FROM
HIS OATH, AND I THINK THE VICE
PRESIDENT TAKING OVER AND
ENSURING THAT THE NEXT COUPLE
WEEKS ARE A PEACEFUL TRANSFER IS
ESSENTIAL RIGHT NOW TO THE
CONTINUATION OF THIS STRONG
UNION.
>> HAVE YOU TALKED TO YOUR
REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES ABOUT THIS
MOVE THAT YOU ARE MAKING?
DID YOU ADVISE ANY OF THEM IN
ADVANCE, AND DO YOU EXPECT MORE
POTENTIALLY TO COME OUT IN
SUPPORT OF THIS WITH YOU?
>> THERE WEREN’T A LOT OF
DETAILED DISCUSSIONS.
LAST NIGHT WAS ONE FOCUS, WHICH
WAS GETTING THROUGH THE VOTE
COUNT, OBVIOUSLY THE WHOLE
SITUATION HERE.
AS I WOKE UP THIS MORNING, I HAD
KIND OF GONE TO BED AT 3:00 A.M.
PONDERING ON THIS QUESTION.
I WOKE UP AND REALIZED THAT THIS
MATTERS.
IT’S NOT THE IMPEACHMENT OF THE
PRESIDENT.
WE DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THAT, BUT
IT IS ENSURE THAT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT CAN CONTINUE,
CONSPIRACIES WILL NOT BE DRIVEN
AND THAT, FRANKLY, WE CAN LIVE
UNDER COMPETENT LEADERSHIP UNTIL
A TRANSITION OF POWER.
>> YOU’RE OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST TO
DO IT.
ARE YOU ACTING ALONE, OR HAVE
YOU SPOKEN TO OTHER MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS WHO YOU BELIEVE WILL BE
JOINING YOU?
>> I’M ACTING ALONE.
I WOULDN’T BE SURPRISED IF
OTHERS DO JOIN ME.
I THINK THERE IS A FEELING THAT
SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT
I HAVE ALSO WOKEN UP TODAY AND
SEEN SOME MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
POSTING CONSPIRACIES ABOUT THIS
WASN’T TRUMP SUPPORTERS AT ALL,
IT WAS SOMEHOW ANTIFA AND THE
CONSPIRACIES DROVE TO THIS
ENTIRE INCIDENT HAVE STARTED
AGAIN.
IT’S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO
STAND UP AND TELL THE TRUTH.
IF PEOPLE DON’T HEAR THE TRUTH,
THEY’RE GOING TO ASSUME THE
CONSPIRACIES ARE THE TRUTH.
>> CONGRESSMAN, IT’S HALLIE
AGAIN.
THERE IS A BAR, OF COURSE, THAT
HAS TO BE CLEARED FOR SOMETHING
LIKE THE 25th AMENDMENT.
I WILL TELL YOU, I KNOW IT IS
SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE DON’T TAKE
LIGHTLY.
YOU HAVE SAID YOURSELF IT’S NOT
SOMETHING YOU TAKE LIGHTLY.
BECAUSE IT’S SO SERIOUS, THERE
WOULD HAVE TO BE SUPPORT FROM
THE MEMBERS OF THE CABINET, THE
VICE PRESIDENT.
HAVE YOU HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS OR
YOUR STAFF WITH EITHER PEOPLE IN
THOSE OFFICES OR THE PRINCIPALS
DIRECTLY?
>> NO, I HAVE NOT.
BUT I’LL TELL YOU, INDICATIONS
WERE SEEN, AND PROBABLY SOME OF
THEM MAY BE UNTRUE.
WHERE THERE’S FRANKLY SMOKE,
THERE’S FIRE.
THERE’S MASS EXODUS OF STAFF
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.
>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> IF YOU’RE SEEING MASS EXODUS
OF STAFF, YOU’RE SEEING
DISCUSSIONS OF THE 25th
AMENDMENT.
THERE’S FACT THERE, REAL CONCERN
IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF WHERE
WE’RE AT NOW.
WE ONLY HAVE TWO WEEKS LEFT.
I UNDERSTAND THERE MAY BE AN EGO
AND A PRIDE INVOLVED IN ALL OF
THIS.
THE REALITY IS FAR MORE
IMPORTANT THAN OUR CAREERS IS
THE SURVIVAL OF THIS DEMOCRACY.
AND WHEN I SAW YESTERDAY THE
CAPITOL OCCUPIED AND THE
PRESIDENT NOT EVEN -- BASICALLY
STIR THAT UP AND DO THE BARE
MINIMUM TO TRY TO CALM IT DOWN
AND VICTIMIZE HIMSELF, I
REALIZED THIS IS FAR BIGGER THAN
ANY POLITICAL MOMENT TODAY.
>> MANY OF THESE PEOPLE
RESIGNING ARE MEMBERS OF THE
ADMINISTRATION THAT ARE LOSING
THEIR JOBS IN TWO WEEKS ANYWAY.
CAN YOU CONTINUE TO BE A MEMBERS
OF CONGRESS REPRESENTING
REPUBLICANS IF YOU DO ACT ALONE
HERE.
THINK ABOUT WHAT TED CRUZ AND
JOSH HALLIE DID, MATT GATES
PUSHING THESE CONSPIRACY
THEORIES.
YOU BROUGHT IT UP.
CAN YOU CONTINUE TO SAY I’M A
MEMBER OF THIS PARTY IF THAT’S
WHO YOUR PARTY IS?
>> I CERTAINLY CAN FOR NOW,
BECAUSE I THINK OUR PARTY IS
GOING TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF
DEFINING WHO WE ARE.
NOW, IF WE DON’T LEARN ANYTHING
FROM THIS AND WE CONTINUE TO
PEDDLE THE SAME CONSPIRACY
THEORIES, DESPITE MANY OF US
STANDING UP AND CALLING IT OUT,
THERE’S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A
REAL HEART SEARCHING.
I’M GOING TO FIGHT LIKE HELL TO
RESTORE THE GOP TO THE GOP I
FELL IN LOVE WITH AS A KID, THE
ONE THAT WE HAVE LOST THE SENSE
OF, BUT THE ONE THAT BELIEVES IN
HUMAN OPPORTUNITY.
LOOK, THERE’S PROBABLY LIKELY
ONLY GOING TO BE TWO PARTIES
REPRESENTING 350 MILLION PEOPLE,
SO YOU HAVE TO BATTLE TO RESTORE
THE SOUL OF YOUR OWN.
>> THAT IS GOING TO BE THE
BIGGEST QUESTION FACING,
FRANKLY, THE GOP MEMBERS OF YOUR
PARTY IN THIS POST-TRUMP ERA.
YOU KNOW THIS, GIVEN THE GRIP
THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ON HIS
CORE BASE OF SUPPORTERS.
OBVIOUSLY THE ARGUMENT IS MADE
THAT DOESN’T REPRESENT THE
ENTIRE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
YOU SAY THERE’S ONLY TWO WEEKS
LEFT THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL BE
IN OFFICE.
THAT’S STILL 13 DAYS.
WOULD YOU -- YOU’RE SUPPORTING
THIS IDEA OF THE INVOCATION OF
THE 25th AMENDMENT.
WOULD YOU SUPPORT IMPEACHMENT,
DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT
WOULDN’T GET TO A TRIAL, IS THAT
SOMETHING YOU COULD SIGN ON TO
OR HAVE YOU RULED THAT OUT?
>> NO, I HAVEN’T RULED IT OUT.
I THINK WE’LL HAVE TO TAKE THIS
LITERALLY DAY BY DAY.
I DON’T WANT TO IMPEACH FOR THE
SAKE OF IMPEACHING AND KNOWING
IT’S NOT GOING TO HAVE AN
EFFECT.
THAT MAKES IT POLITICAL AGAIN.
THE REALITY IS WE’RE IN A
SURVIVAL MODE FOR THIS
GOVERNMENT.
WE HAVE TO TAKE THIS DAY BY DAY.
WE HAVE TO PUT ASIDE OUR CONCERN
FOR OUR OWN RE-ELECTIONS.
MY GOODNESS, WE WERE JUST SWORN
IN TO OUR NEW TERMS.
WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE
DEMOCRACY AND THE UNION AND MOVE
FORWARD.
I THINK WE WILL
WE’LL TAKE IT MOMENT BY MOMENT.
>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FIGHTING
TO PRESERVE OUR GOVERNMENT, IT’S
ELECTED LEADERS WHO ARE PART AND
PARCEL WITH BREAKING IT DOWN.
THESE OTHER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS,
YOU WERE WORKING WITH THEM, YOU
KNEW THEM BEFORE YOU HAD
PRESIDENT TRUMP IN THEIR LIFE.
DO YOU BELIEVE THE MATT GATES,
JIM JORDAN, JOSH HAWLEY, TED
CRUZ, DURABLE THEY ACTUALLY
BELIEVE WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
RIGHT NOW?
>> I THINK IT FALLS INTO TWO
CAMPS.
ONE CAMP DOESN’T BELIEVE WHAT
THEY’RE SAYING BUT THEY’RE
MAKING A LOT OF MONEY, GETTING
RETREATS AND EVERYBODY KNOWS
THEIR NAME NOW.
THAT’S WHAT THEY WANT.
THERE PROBABLY ARE A FEW PEOPLE
THAT REALLY DO BELIEVE THIS.
THAT’S MORE FRIGHTENING.
EITHER WAY, WE HAVE TO CALL IT
OUT.
CONSERVATIVE VALUES ARE THAT A
KID BORN IN THE WORST
ENVIRONMENT SHOULD HAVE THE SAME
OPPORTUNITY AS A KID BORN IN THE
BEST ENVIRONMENT.
ALL THIS CULTURE WORE WE’VE BEEN
ENGAGED IN ISN’T THAT.
WE CAN CONTINUE TO DEBATE
POLICY.
THAT’S IMPORTANT TO DO.
WE CAN DO IT WITHOUT HATING THE
OTHER SIDE, AND THIS IS REALLY
GOING TO BE THE FIGHT OF OUR
GENERATION.
>> CONGRESSMAN, I HAVE TO TELL
YOU, OVER THE LAST 18 HOURS THAT
WE’VE BEEN WORKING, I’VE BEEN
REACHING OUT TO A LOT OF MY
SOURCES IN WASHINGTON IN AND
AROUND THE WHITE HOUSE, WHEN YOU
SAY THE WORDS 25th AMENDMENT,
I’M TELLING YOU, PEOPLE GET KIND
OF TENSE BECAUSE IT’S SO
SIGNIFICANT.
YOU SAID YOU WERE THINKING ABOUT
THIS AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING AS
YOU WERE LEAVING THE CAPITOL,
GOING TO BED.
WHEN WAS THE MOMENT YOU DECIDED
YOU KNEW YOU NEEDED TO DO THIS?
>> I KNEW I NEEDED TO DO IT THIS
MORNING WHEN I WOKE UP AND I SAW
THESE CONSPIRACY THEORIES WERE
CONTINUING.
>> THAT’S WHAT PUT YOU OVER THE
EDGE, THIS IDEA THAT THERE
WERE -- I DIDN’T MEAN TO
INTERRUPT YOU, THE FACT THAT
THERE ARE THESE CONSPIRACIES OUT
THERE?
>> YEAH.
I THINK THERE’S PEOPLE WHOSE OWN
POLITICAL SURVIVAL WANT TO
CREATE A DIFFERENT NARRATIVE.
IT’S GOING TO LEAD TO SOMETHING
LIKE THIS HAPPENING OR EVEN
WORSE.
I BEGAN TO PONDER THIS ISSUE
WHEN I SAW PEOPLE DESTROYING THE
CAPITOL BUILDING.
I SAW MY COLLEAGUES -- I WASN’T
ON THE FLOOR AT THE TIME -- IN
FEAR FOR THIS MOB THAT WAS
COMING.
THAT’S WHEN I KNEW THAT, HECK,
THIS IS NO LONGER ABOUT
POLITICS.
IT’S ABOUT THE RESTORATION OF
OUR DEMOCRACY.
>> THE MOB MAY BE COMING FOR
YOU, AT LEAST THE PRESIDENT IS
CERTAINLY GOING TO.
ARE YOU READY FOR THAT?
>> YEAH, OF COURSE.
I’VE BEEN TO COMBAT.
THIS IS POLITICAL COMBAT.
I JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO LOOK
AT MYSELF IN THE MIRROR.
I DON’T NEED THIS JOB.
I LIKE IT BECAUSE I LIKE BEING
ABLE TO IMPACT THINGS AND
REPRESENT THE 16th DISTRICT OF
ILLINOIS.
IF IT’S TIME TO MOVE ON, IT’S