BRIAN: HOLD ON ONE SECOND HE
IS TAKING A QUESTION ABOUT
IMPEACHMENT.
>> CALL PRESIDENT HAD WITH
PRESIDENT SLESK ON JULY 25TH
AND IF SO ARE THE ACCOUNTS
WE HAVE ALL SEEN OF IT OR
INCLUDING THE TRANSCRIPT OR
PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT RELEASED
BY THE TRANSCRIPT ACCURATE
AND COMPLETE?
IF YOU YOU WERE ON THE CALL
DID YOU HEAR ANYTHING THAT
RAISED A RED FLAG OR
ANYTHING THAT GAVE YOU ANY
CONCERNS?
AND THEN SECONDLY YOU SAID
LAST WEEK THAT YOU -- AS FAR
AS YOU KNEW, EVERYONE AT THE
STATE DEPARTMENT HAS ACTED
APPROPRIATELY IN REGARDS TO
UKRAINE INCLUDING YOURSELF
IS THAT STILL THE CASE?
IS THAT STILL YOUR BELIEF?
IF IT IS, WHY OBJECT TO THE
DEMAND FOR DEPOSITION FROM
THE HOUSE COMMITTEES ON THE
HILL?
AND THEN DO YOU HAVE ANY
SPECIFIC CONCERNS AT ALL
ABOUT WHAT THE STATE
DEPARTMENT INSPECTOR GENERAL
IS GOING TO BE BRIEFING TO
HILL STAFFERS LATER TODAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANKS, MATT.
I WILL TRY TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS 4 THROUGH 7 FIRST
AND THEN 1 THROUGH 3 AFTER
THAT.
BACK TO FIRST PRINCIPLES.
THE PREDICATE OF YOUR FINAL
QUESTION ABOUT OBJECTING TO
WHAT THE FOLKS ON CAPITOL
HILL HAVE ASKED IS
FUNDAMENTALLY NOT TRUE.
WHAT WE OBJECTED TO WAS THE
DEMANDS PUT DEEPLY VIOLATE
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF
SEPARATION OF POWERS.
THEY CONTACTED STATE
DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES
DIRECTLY.
TOLD THEM NOT TO CONTACT TO
LEGAL COUNSEL AT THE STATE
DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S BEEN REPORTED TO US.
THEY SAID THAT THE STATE
DEPARTMENT WOULDN'T BE ABLE
TO BE PRESENT.
THERE ARE IMPORTANT
CONSTITUTIONAL PREROGATIVES
THAT THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
HAS TO BE PRESENT SO WE CAN
PROTECT THE IMPORTANT
INFORMATION.
SO OUR PARTNERS, COUNTRIES
LIKE ITALY CAN HAVE
CONFIDENCE THE INFORMATION
THEY PROVIDE TO THE STATE
DEPARTMENT WILL BE PROTECT
YOU HAD.
SO THE RESPONSE THAT I
PROVIDED TO THEM WAS ONE
THAT ACKNOWLEDGED WE WILL,
OF COURSE, DO OUR
CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY TO
COOPERATE WITH THIS COEQUAL
BRANCH BUT GOING TO DO SO IN
A WAY THAT IS CONSISTENT
WITH THE FUNDAMENTAL VALUES
OF THE AMERICAN SYSTEM.
WE WON'T TOLERATE FOLKS ON
CAPITOL HILL, BULLYING,
INTIMIDATING STATE
DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES THAT IS
UNACCEPTABLE AND NOT
SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO
PERMIT TO HAPPEN.
AS FOR WAS I ON THE PHONE
CALL SNIFFS ON THE PHONE
CALL THE PHONE CALL IN THE
CONTEXT NOW I HAVE BEEN
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR
COMING ON A YEARNA.
I KNOW PRECISELY WHAT THE
AMERICAN POLICY IS WITH
RESPECT TO UKRAINE.
IT'S BEEN REMARKABLY
CONSISTENT AND WE WILL
CONTINUE TO TRY TO DRIVE
THOSE SET OF OUTCOMES.
IT'S WHAT OUR TEAM,
INCLUDING AMBASSADOR VOLCKER
WERE FOCUSED ON, WEIGHS TOWN
DOWN THE THREAT THAT RUSSIA
POSES.
HELPING UKRAINIANS TO GET
CORRUPTION OUTSIDE OF THEIR
GOVERNMENT AND TO HELP NOW
THIS ENOUGH GOVERNMENT IN
UKRAINE.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT
OFFICIALS THAT I HAVE HAD
THE PRIVILEGE TO LEAD HAVE
BEEN ENGAGED IN AND IT'S
WHAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO
EVEN WHILE ALL THIS NOISE IS
GOING ON.
>> CHRIS O'DAY, NATIONAL
REVIEW.
>> THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING
HERE.
I WOULD LIKE TO, I GUESS,
ADDRESS THE QUESTION TO BOTH
OF YOU.
YOU CAN TAKE IT IN WHICHEVER
ORDER, WHOEVER WANTS TO GO
FIRST.
PRIMARILY ORIENTED TOWARDS,
I GUESS, WHAT IS
CONVENIENTLY TERMED KIND OF
THE BELTEN ROAD THESE DAYS.
BUT ON A SOMEWHAT BROADER
BASIS NOT JUST WITH HUAWEI
BUT DOES THE U.S. HAVE ANY
SPECIFIC PLANS IN TERMS OF
YOU WHO TO COUNTER CHINA'S
INVESTMENT IN THESE MAJOR,
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
ASSETS AND I ASK THAT HERE
BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE.
STEVE: ALL RIGHT.
SO THERE YOU HAVE GOT THE
SECRETARY OF STATE ANSWERING
A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
HE WAS ON THE PHONE CALL.
THEY DID TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT CORRUPTION.
WILL THEY COOPERATE, THE
DEPARTMENT OF STATE WITH