SEEMS TO DENY THAT THIS IS NOT A MAJOR ISSUE IS DONALD TRUMP.
>> WELL, JOINING ME NOW IS
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR DIANNE
FEINSTEIN OF CALIFORNIA, WHO LIKE SENATOR COLLINS ALSO SITS
ON THE INTEL COMMITTEE.
SHE HERSELF WAS A LONGTIME CHAIR
AND VICE CHAIR OF THE INTEL COMMITTEE.HAIR OF THE INTEL
COMMITTEE.
SENATOR FEINSTEIN, WELCOME BACK
TO THE SHOW.
>> THANKS VERY MUCH, CHUCK.
>> SAME QUESTION TO YOU AS I
STARTED OFF WITH SENATOR
COLLINS.
JUST AT FACE VALUE, AND WE KNOW THAT THE WHITE HOUSE HAS TRIEDW
THAT THE WHITE HOUSE HAS TRIED TO WALK BACK BOTH THE KT
McFARLAND E-MAIL THAT SEEMED TO
IMPLY THAT THEY ARE AS FACT THAT
THE RUSSIANS DID THIS, AND, OF
COURSE, THE PRESIDENT APPARENTLY
ADMITTING TO POTENTIALLY
OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE.
THEYVE WALKED ALL OF THOSE
BACK.
WHAT DOES THAT SAY TO YOU THESE
TWO, EVEN CALL THEM MISTAKES, IS IT SORT OF ACCIDENTAL ADMISSIONS
IN YOUR MIND?
>> WELL, I WOULD BEGIN BY SAYING
THIS, AS YOU KNOW, IM RANKING
ON JUDICIARY, AND THE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE HAS AN INVESTIGATION
GOING AT WELL.
IT INVOLVES OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.VES OBSTRUCTION OF
JUSTICE.
I THINK WHAT WERE BEGINNING TO SEE OF THE PUTTING TOGETHER OF A
CASE OF OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.
I THINK WE SEE THIS IN THE
INDICTMENTS, THE FOUR INDICTMENTS AND PLEAS THAT HAVE
JUST TAKEN PLACE AND SOME OF THE
COMMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE.
I SEE IT IN THE HYPER FANETIC
ATTITUDE OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
THE COMMENTS.
THE COMMENTS. THE CONTINUAL TWEETS.
AND I SEE IT MOST IMPORTANT IN
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE FIRING OF
DIRECTOR COMEY AND IT IS MY
BELIEF THAT THAT IS DIRECTLY
BECAUSE HE DID NOT AGREE TO LIFT
THE CLOUD OF THE RUSSIA
INVESTIGATION.
THATS OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.
>> YOU KNOW, THE PRESIDENT A FEW TIMES HAS INSISTED HES NOT A FEW
TIMES HAS INSISTED HES NOT UNDER INVESTIGATION.
UNDER INVESTIGATION. IS THE PRESIDENT -- EVERYTHING
YOUVE SEEN NOW, THE DEAL WITH
FLYNN, DOES THAT INDICATE TO YOU
THAT ACTUALLY THE PRESIDENT MAY
NOW BE -- YOU JUST LAID OUT THE
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE CASE.
THAT WOULD IMPLY THAT THE
PRESIDENT IS NOW UNDER
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION.
HES A TARGET.
>> WELL, I WOULD ASSUME THAT MANY IN THE WHITE HOUSE ARET
MANY IN THE WHITE HOUSE ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION IN THIS.
I WOULD ASSUME, YOU KNOW, I DO
NOT BELIEVE THAT GENERAL FLYNN
WAS A ROGUE AGENT.
I DONT BELIEVE THAT ON HIS OWN
CONCLUSION HE WOULD GO OUT AND
TRY TO TELL THE RUSSIANS IN TWO
INSTANCES, ONCE TO STOP A
NATIONAL SECURITY RESOLUTION
GOING THROUGH THE UNITED NATIONS
REGARDING ISRAEL, AND ON THE
SANCTIONS THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA
HAD JUST PUT IN URGED THAT THEY
NOT BE TAMPERED WITH BY THE
TRANSITION COMMITTEE.
TRANSITION COMMITTEE. AND THAT HE WOULD GO IN ON HIS
OWN AND ATTEMPT TO TAMPER WITH
THEM WITH RUSSIA.
I JUST DONT BELIEVE THAT.
I THINK HE HAD TO HAVE BEEN
DIRECTED.
DIRECTED. NOW WHETHER THE SPECIAL COUNSEL
CAN FIND THAT EVIDENCE OR NOT,
WHETHER WE CAN, I DONT KNOW
YET, BUT I SEE THAT THATS WHERE
THIS IS GOING.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE HAVE -- KT McFARLANDer WHO WA FOR A SHORT TIME DEPUTY NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISER.
SECURITY ADVISER. SHES NOW I BELIEVE NOMINATED TO
BE THE AMBASSADOR OF SINGAPORE.
SHE HAS NOT BEEN A PERSON WHO
HAS BEEN PUBLICLY CONNECTED WITH
THIS INVESTIGATION.
THIS INVESTIGATION.
HAS THE INTEL COMMITTEE
INTERVIEWED HER?
>> NO, THE INTEL COMMITTEE I
CANT TELL YOU.
THE STAFF HAS DONE MORE THAN 100
INTERVIEWS.
>> ASKED TO HAVE HER COME BEFORE
THE COMMITTEE?
>> NO, BUT THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE I
CAN ASSURE YOU WILL AND I HOPE
THAT THE REPUBLICAN SIDE WOULD
JOIN IN IT.
>> HOW MUCH DOES THIS FLYNN COOPERATION DEAL -- SENATOR
COLLINS NOTED YOU WANTED FLYNN
TO COME BEFORE THE INTEL
COMMITTEE, HIS LAWYER ASSERTED
THE FIFTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
NOW OBVIOUSLY YOU WANT TO ASK
HIM TO COME BACK.
MUELLER HAS PRIORITY OVER HIM AT
THIS POINT.
THIS POINT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> OBVIOUSLY IT SLOWS DOWN THE
INTEL COMMITTEES INVESTIGATION.
HOW MUCH DOES IT?
>> WELL, I DONT REALLY BELIEVE
IT DOES.
I THINK THE INVESTIGATION THAT
REALLY HAS THE CLOUT IS BOB
MUELLERS INVESTIGATION.
HES GOT ALL THE TOOLS HE NEEDS, INVESTIGATIVE AND LEGAL, TO DO,
INVESTIGATIVE AND LEGAL, TO DO WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO.
I THINK WHAT WERE SEEING IS
SOME OF THE FALLOUT FROM THAT
AND I THINK INCREASINGLY,
HOPEFULLY, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
BE MORE WILLING WITHOUT SUBPOENA
TO COME AND BE INTERVIEWED AND
PROVIDE INFORMATION.
PROVIDE INFORMATION. FOR EXAMPLE, JARED KUSHNER.
BOTH SENATOR GRASSLEY, OUR
CHAIRMAN, AND MYSELF, WE HAVE
SENT A LETTER ASKING FOR
INFORMATION.
INFORMATION.
HE HAS AGREED TO GIVE IT. THINK THATS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENED.
I THINK THERE IS NO QUESTION BUT
THAT HE IS A PRINCIPAL IN THIS.
I DONT MAKE ANY ALLEGATIONS
BECAUSE I DONT KNOW, BUT I
THINK HIS TESTIMONY WOULD BE
VERY IMPORTANT.
VERY IMPORTANT. >> THERE IS A CAMPAIGN AD THATS
RUNNING A LOT IN CALIFORNIA AND
SOME ON CABLE BY SOMEBODY WHO
MAY BE AN OPPONENT OF YOURS IN A
SENATE RACE, A MAN BY THE NAME
OF TOM STEYER.
LET ME PLAY THE AD.
>> PEOPLE IN CONGRESS AND HIS
OWN ADMINISTRATION KNOW THAT
THIS PRESIDENT IS A CLEAR AND
PRESENT DANGER WHO IS MENTALLY
UNSTABLE AND ARMED WITH NUCLEAR
WEAPONS AND THEY DO NOTHING.
>> THERES BEEN SOME IMPLICATION
HERE THAT HES -- THAT THE ADS
ARE DIRECTED AT YOU BECAUSE YOU
TOOK A MORE CAUTIONARY NOTE
ABOUT IMPEACHMENT.
ABOUT IMPEACHMENT. WHERE ARE YOU ON THAT?
IS THE OBSTRUCTION OF CASE THAT
YOU LAID OUT PRETTY SUCCINCTLY
EARLIER WITH ME, IS THAT AN
IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE?
IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE?
>> WELL, IN THE FIRST PLACE, I
JUST TOLD YOU I HAPPEN TO BE
RANKING ON JUDICIARY, WHICH MEANS IM THE LEAD DEMOCRAT ON
THIS.
THIS.
IM TRYING TO BE VERY CAREFUL AS TO WHAT I SAY AND WHAT I DO. AS
TO WHAT I SAY AND WHAT I DO. WE HAVE TO PUT TOGETHER FACTS
THAT ARE SOLID, THAT ARE VERY
CLOSE TO EVIDENCE, IF NOT
EVIDENCE, AND ALSO DRAW SOME
CONCLUSIONS AND POSSIBLY DO SOME
LEGISLATION.
LEGISLATION. SO THIS IS A PROCESS THATS
ONGOING.
ONGOING. NOW, IM NOT WITHOUT THE POWERS
OF OBSERVATION --
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT.
>> OR SEEING WHATS GOING ON AROUND ME OR WATCHING THE DAY BY
DAY EPISODES GO BY.
THE CONCERN RISES WITH THE DAY.
THE CONCERN ABOUT THIS WHITE
HOUSE --
HOUSE --
>> THE CONCERN ABOUT THE
PRESIDENT?
YOUR CONCERN ABOUT THIS
PRESIDENTS ABILITY TO DOT JOB
RISES BY THE DAY?
>> OH, YES.
OH, YES.
IVE BEEN HERE FOR 25 YEARS NOW.
THERE IS A KIND OF INSTABILITY,
UNPREDICTABILITY.
ITS ONE ISSUE AFTER THE OTHER.
WEVE GOT MAJOR PROBLEMS IN THE
WORLD WITH OUR ALLIES NOW.
IN THE MIDDLE EAST, WITH NORTH
KOREA, IT GOES ON AND ON. AND I THINK THAT THIS PRESIDENT
IS JUST PRECIPITATING MORE AND
MORE ANGST THATS GOING TO LEAD
TO SERIOUS DISCORD.
>> WHEN DO YOU HITCH YOUR YOUR E
IS ENOUGH MOMENT?
>> WELL, IT HAPPENED ABOUT A MONTH AGO, AND I CANT GIVE YOU
ANY PARTICULAR EVENT, BUT IT
HAPPENS -- YOU KNOW, THOSE OF US
THATS ARE HERE --
>> YOU NEED TO GET HIM OUT OF
OFFICE?
OFFICE?
>> UNDERSTAND HOW THE WHITE
HOUSE FUNCTIONS.
AND AS YOU BEGIN TO SEE ONE DAY ITS ONE STORY, THE NEXT DAY DAY
ITS ONE STORY, THE NEXT DAY ITS ANOTHER STORY, THE THIRD
DAY ITS ANOTHER STORY.
ITS VERY CONCERNING TO GET AT
THE TRUTH.
THE TRUTH. >> SO, I MEAN, YOU JUST SAID
YOUVE HIT YOUR POINT.
DO YOU BELIEVE ITS TIME TO
THINK ABOUT GETTING HIM OUT OF
OFFICE?
OFFICE?
>> I BELIEVE ITS TIME FOR US TO FINISH OUR INVESTIGATION. US TO
FINISH OUR INVESTIGATION. >> OKAY.
>> OKAY.
>> AND I DONT WANT TO BIAS ANY PART OF THE INVESTIGATION WITH
PREMATURE THINKING.
PREMATURE THINKING.
>> ALL RIGHT.
>> I THINK THATS VERY
IMPORTANT.
>> OKAY.
SENATOR FEINSTEIN, IM GOING TO
HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.