SHANNON: SENATOR COTTON, HAPPY
THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND YOUR
FAMILY.
>> THANK YOU, SHANNON.
SHANNON: JOINING US NOW,
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR MARK WARNER
OF VIRGINIA WHO CHAIRS THE
SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE.
WELCOME BACK TO "FOX NEWS
SUNDAY."
>> THANK YOU, SHANNON.
SHANNON: LET’S START WITH
TIKTOK.
YOU ALSO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT
THIS, ASK YOU’RE QUOTED AS
SAYING AS PAINFUL AS IT IS FOR
ME TO SAY, IF DONALD TRUMP WAS
RIGHT AND WE COULD HAVE TAKEN
ACTION THEN, THAT WOULD HAVE
BEEN A HECK OF A LOT EASIER THAN
TRYING TO THE TALK ACTION
NOVEMBER OF 2022.
DID WASHINGTON NOT LISTEN
BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T LIKE THE
MESSAGE, AND WHAT CAN WE DO NOW?
>> WELL, I THINK DONALD TRUMP
WAS RIGHT.
TIKTOK IS A ENORMOUS THREAT.
IT’S A THREAT ON TWO LEVELS.
ONE, IT IS A MASSIVE COLLECTOR
OF INFORMATION, OFTEN TIMES OF
OUR CHILDREN.
THEY CAN VISUALIZE EVEN DOWN TO
YOUR KEY STROKES.
SO IF YOU’RE A PARENT AND YOU’VE
GOT GOT A KID ON TIKTOK, I WOULD
BE VERY, VERY CONCERNED.
ALL OF THAT DATA THE THAT YOUR
CHILD IS INPUTTING AND RECEIVING
IS BEING STORED SOMEWHERE IN
BEIJING.
THE IDEA THAT WE CAN SOMEHOW
SEPARATE OUT TIKTOK FROM THE
FACT THAT THE ACTUAL ENGINEERS
WRITING THE CODE IN BEIJING, I
THINK, IS A JUSTICE DEPARTMENT’S
TRYING TO COME UP WITH A
SOLUTION.
I’M GOING TO LET -- I’M GOING TO
TAKE A LOOK AT THAT SOLUTION,
BUT THEY’VE GOT A HUGE MOUNTAIN
TO CLIMB.
THE SECOND PROBLEM IS THAT
TIKTOK IN A SENSE IS A
BROADCASTING NETWORK, IN A
SENSE.
AND IF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST
PARTY AND TIKTOK AT THE END OF
THE DAY HAS TO BE RELIANT ON THE
COMMUNIST PARTY, THE CHINA LAW
STATES THAT, IF THEY SUDDENLY
WANT TO DIAL UP THE FACT THAT WE
ARE GOING TO DECREASE THE
CONTENT THAT CRITICIZES CHINESE
LEADERSHIP BUT INCREASE THE
CONTENT THAT YOUR KIDS MAY BE
SEEING SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW,
TAIWAN REALLY IS PART OF CHINA,
THAT IS A DISTRIBUTION MODEL
THAT WOULD MAKE RT OR SPUTNIK OR
SOME OF THE RUSSIA PROPAGANDA
MODELS PALE IN COMPARISON.
SHANNON: OKAY.
SO BIPART A SAN AGREEMENT ON
THAT -- BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT ON
THAT.
YOU HEARD WHAT THE SENATOR SAID
ABOUT HOW WE CHARACTERIZE THE
RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH SAUDI
ARABIA.
YOU SAID A BACK IN 2018 WHEN
PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS MT. WHITE
HOUSES THAT HE FAILED TO HOLD
SAUDI ARABIA RESPONSIBLE IN ANY
MEANINGFUL WAY FOR THE DEATH OF
JAMAL KHASHOGGI.
SO YOU HEARD A ABOUT WHAT THE
STATE DEPARTMENT HAS ESSENTIALLY
DONE NOW SAYING HE SHOULD HAVE
SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY.
WILL YOU ALSO CALL OUT PRESIDENT
BIDEN?
>> WELL, LET’S -- AND AGAIN, I
HATE TO, THERE ARE SO MANY
PLACES WHERE I ACTUALLY MAY
AGREE WITH MY FRIEND, TOM
COTTON.
[LAUGHTER]
SHANNON: IT’S NOT A BAD THING.
>> HE’S ON THE INTEL COMMITTEE
WITH ME.
THE REASON WHY THERE WAS A GRANT
OF SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY EVEN TO TO
LEADERS WE DON’T LIKE IS AS MUCH
TO PROTECT AMERICAN LEADERS AND
AMERICAN DIPLOMATS WHEN THEY’RE
POSTED ABROAD FROM BEING SUBJECT
TO SAUDI ARABIAN LAW OR RUSSIAN
LAW OR SOUTH AFRICAN LAW.
SO THIS IS, THIS HAS BEEN
HISTORICAL PRECEDENT.
DO I THINK THE MURDER OF JAMAL
KHASHOGGI WAS AWFUL IN
ABSOLUTELY.
AM I DISAPPOINTED PARTICULARLY
IN THE MOST RECENT TIMES WHEN
SAUDI ARABIA -- WHICH USED TO BE
A BULWARK AGAINST THE SOVIET
UNION FOR DECADES ON IN DECIDED
TO KIND OF SKATE THE MIDDLE IN
TERMS OF SIDING WITH DEMOCRACIES
AGAINST VLADIMIR PUTIN’S ILLEGAL
INVASION OF UKRAINE?
I’M VERY DISAPPOINTED.
BUT I ALSO HAVE TO, WE NEED TO
BE ENOUGH OF A REALIST TO
REALIZE THAT A SAUDI ARABIA HAS
BEEN A BULWARK AGAINST IRAN, IT
IS A LEADER IN A VERY MESSY PART
OF THE WORLD.
AND IF THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE
CAN CONTINUE TO PUSH THE SAUDI
GOVERNMENT, MBS IN PARTICULAR,
TOWARDS GREATER REFORM AND A
WILLINGNESS TO GET OFF THE
SIDELINES AND STAND WITH
DEMOCRACIES AGAINST PUTIN OR IN
UKRAINE, I I THINK THAT WOULD BE
A GOOD THING.
SHANNON: WAS IT UNFAIR THEN TO
CRITICIZE PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR
NOT BEING TOUGHER ON THENNING
TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO AND THEN
SAY THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S
JUST DOING WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO?
>> LOOK, I THINK YOU SAW MANY
MEMBERS WITHIN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION AT THAT MOMENT IN
TIME CALL OUT THE SAUDI
LEADERSHIP FOR THE BRUTAL MURDER
OF KHASHOGGI.
WHAT YOU DIDN’T SEE BECAUSE OF
THIS, YOU KNOW, STRANGE AFFINITY
THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS
FAMILY -- REMEMBER, HIS SON HAS
RECEIVED MASSIVE INVESTMENTS
FROM THE SAUDI INVESTMENT
FUNDS --, THOSE STILL BOTHER ME
A GREAT E DEAL.
SHANNON: OKAY.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BILL, THE
RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT, THAT
ESSENTIALLY HAS GOTTEN THROUGH
THE ITS FIRST VOTE IN THE
SENATE.
IT WILL HAVE MORE ACTION DOWN
THE LINE, BUT IT ESSENTIALLY
INSURES ALL 50 STATES WILL
RECOGNIZE MARRIAGES FROM OTHER
STATES.
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION COULD
END UP USING THIS AS A WEAPON.
HERE’S SOMETHING SENATOR TED
CRUZ SAID ABOUT IT ON HIS
PODCAST THIS WEEK.
>> ANY CHARITY THAT A BELIEVES
MARRIAGE IS THE UNIGALLON OF ONE
MAN -- UNION OF ONE MAN AND ONE
WOMAN, ANY CHARITY THAT DOES NOT
EMBRACE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, THIS
BILL IS DESIGNED TO STRIP THEIR
501(C)(3) STATUS TO PERSECUTE
THE CHURCHES AND UNIVERSITIES
AND SCHOOLS AND CHARITIES.
SHANNON: SENATOR MIKE LEE --
>> FIRST OF ALL, LET’S MAKE ONE
THING CLEAR -- HAP SAN.
SHANNON: SAN OKAY.
>> ONE MORE TIME, TED CRUZ IS
100% WRONG ON THAT STATEMENT.
YOU WOULD NOT SEE ON ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT GAINED 12 REPUBLICAN
VOTES AND I THINK MORE ON FINAL
PASSAGE IS THAT THERE WERE
GREATER PROTECTIONS FOR
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
AND SO WHEN YOU SEE THE MORMON
CHURCH,S YOU SEE A NUMBER OF
MAINSTREAM PROTESTANT
DENOMINATIONS, YOU SEE A SERIES
OF OTHER FAITH ORGANIZATIONS
ACTUALLY SUPPORT THIS MARRIAGE
EQUALITY LAW.
THIS MARRIAGE EQUALITY LAW IS
NOT ONLY ABOUT SAME-SEX
MARRIAGE, BUT IT ALSO VALIDATES
SOMETHING THAT LITERALLY 60
YEARS AGO IN MY STATE OF
VIRGINIA WAS ILLEGAL WHICH WAS
INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE.
I THINK THIS IS WHERE THE VAST
MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ARE AT.
I THINK YOU’LL SEE THE NUMBERS
EVEN GO UP IN THE SENATE AS WE
GET TO FINAL PASSAGE.
WE SAW 47 HOUSE MEMBERS VOTE IN
FAVOR OF THIS LEGISLATION.
MR. CRUZ, ONE MORE TIME, SAYING
STUFF THAT HAS NO BASIS IN TRUTH
OR FACT.
SHANNON: OKAY.
YOU KNOW, CRITICS --
>> THAT’S JUST HOW HE ROLLS.
SHANNON: BUT SENATOR MIKE LEE
SAYS THERE ARE TOOTHLESS
PROTECTIONS IN THERE FOR
RELIGIOUS MINORITIES -- NOT
MINORITIES, BUT PEOPLE WHO HOLD,
WHATEVER FAITH THEY ARE, THIS
CONVICTION ABOUT TRADITIONAL
MARRIAGE, IS HIS WORDING.
HE’S OFFERED THIS AMENDMENT,
I’VE GOT IT HERE IN MY HAND.
HE SAYS IF DONE IN GOOD FAITH,
IT WILL OFFER FURTHER PROTECTION
TO PEOPLE IN RELIGIOUS
ORGANIZATIONS.
WHY NOT ALLOW A VOTE ON THE
AMENDMENT?
IF THAT IS TRULY AN ISSUE AND IT
I MAY GET YOU MORE VOTE ISES --
>> I WOULD, FIRST OF ALL, POINT
OUT THE FACT, YOU KNOW, I
BELIEVE MIKE LEE IS A MEMBER OF
THE MORMON CHURCH.
HIS ORGANIZATION, HIS CHURCH --
SHANNON: BUT HE’S STILL GOT
CONCERNED.
>> HIS CHURCH ENDORSED THE
LEGISLATION.
MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I HAVE NOT
FOLLOWED ALL OF THE INS AND OUTS
ON WHAT HAPPENED TWO NIGHTS AGO.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS AN OFFER ON
A 50-VOTE MARGIN FROM MR. LEE TO
HAVE THAT KIND OF AMENDMENT.
I THINK THIS IS A SERIES OF
FOLKS THAT JUST DON’T WANT THIS
TO HAPPEN, AND THEY’RE GOING TO
THROW UP ROADBLOCK AFTER
ROADBLOCK --
SHANNON: WOULD YOU LET HIM HAVE
A VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT TO QUELL
THEIR FEARS?
>> AGAIN, MY UNDERSTANDING IS
THAT THAT VOTE WAS OFFERED.
SHANNON: MY UNDERSTANDING IS
THEY WANT TO TRY AND DO IT AFTER
THANKSGIVING --
>> LISTEN, IF THE VOTE WAS
OFFERED THIS WEEK, WHICH I
BELIEVE IT WAS, I’M SURE YOUR
VIEWERS WILL CORRECT ME IF I’M
WRONG, BUT THAT WAS KIND OF
THE --
SHANNON: YEAH.
IN TALKING WITH HIS OFFICE, THEY
WANT IT AFTER THANKSGIVING.
>> OTHER THAN SIMPLY TRYING TO
DELAY, OTHER THAN SIMPLY TRYING TO BURN OFF THE CLOCK SO THAT WE
TO BURN OFF THE CLOCK SO THAT WE
CAN’T GET TO THINGS LIKE --IF HE
HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE THE VOTE ON
THURSDAY, WHY DIDN’T HE TAKE THE
VOTE THEN?
SHANNON: OKAY, WE’LL ASK HIM.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS HIS OFFICE A
WILL OFFER UP AFTER A
THANKSGIVING.
MAYBE YOU’LL WIN OVER A FEW MORE
VOTES IN AMENDMENT IS
CONSIDERED.
>> EDGE EBB OF THE DAY, END OF
THE DAY, SOME OF THE OPPONENTS
WANT TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN
TO RUN OUT THE CLOCK.
I WOULD, AGAIN, URGE PEOPLE OF
GOODWILL TO LOOK NOT ONLY AT THE
MORMON CHUMP, BUT LOOK AT ALL OF
THE CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS THAT
HAVE -- MORMON CHURCH.
THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS BILL
THAT WOULD REQUIRE ANY FAITH TO
MARRY ANYONE THAT THEY DON’T
WANT MARRIED IN THEIR HOUSE OF
WORSHIP.
SHANNON: I KNOW THEY HAVE MORE
CONCERN AT RELIGIOUS
UNIVERSITIES AND SCHOOLS AS
WELL.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, AND WE
WISH YOU THE BEST THANKSGIVING