DPCC Co-Chair Jeffries: America is a Democracy, Not a Dictatorship
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC), appeared on At This Hour on CNN with Kate Bolduan where he called on the Senate to reject Judge Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court. Jeffries also highlighted how Democrats, if elected to lead in November, will focus on lowering health care costs, increasing pay and cleaning up corruption in Washington. Below are excerpts from the interview. Click here to watch th video.
"Well, it's not a surprise because this President has not hesitated in misrepresenting facts to the American people consistently. His team has regularly done that. Alternate facts, of course, and other ways of communicating that Giuliani has indicated, which belie the truth. And so, this is par for the course as it relates to what we have seen from the Trump Administration. Again, it's the reason why we need to ensure that Bob Mueller conducts a full, fair, and comprehensive investigation, gets to the bottom of this whole sordid affair connected to the 2016 election, so that we can determine whether the cloud of illegitimacy that is hanging over 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue can be wiped away or whether there should be consequences."
"Well, I think we're going to have to proceed on two tracks, and our primary focus as House Democrats will be fighting for the people: lowering health care costs, increasing pay, cleaning up corruption in Washington, D.C. That's what we've promised the American people we would do should we be successful in achieving the majority in the House of Representatives. We have to keep our word to the American people. But we also have a constitutional obligation as a separate and coequal branch of government to be a check on an out of control executive, which could include the possibility of appointing someone who is unfit to sit on the Supreme Court of the United States of America. And so that will have to be examined and explored, but I have great confidence in Jerry Nadler and his leadership to do the right thing, consistent with our constitutional obligations."
"No, and I'm not sure anyone has mentioned that there are actually grounds for impeachment. I think we have to deal with what's before us right now, which is the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh. I think he should be rejected, and hopefully a handful of senators on the Republican side of the aisle will see fit to do so. I mean, this whole sordid affair indicates the fact –"
"Right, I think an investigation is different than the initiation of articles of impeachment. Certainly, consistent with our oversight responsibilities on the Judiciary committee, which is charged with overseeing the judicial branch of government of which the Supreme Court is the highest court in the land. That if there were credible allegations that a nominee subsequently confirmed perjured himself, misrepresented facts to the United States Senate and the American people, that seems worthy of some sort of oversight. What the consequences of that would be is hypothetical, and I don't think that anyone is prepared to go down that particular road."
"Well, I think Mitch McConnell has no credibility on this particular issue. Barack Obama was elected once, and then re-elected. And then had a Supreme Court nomination stolen from him by Mitch McConnell and his co-conspirators and now he wants to lecture us about process."
"I'm not saying that two wrongs make a right, but let's just independently evaluate the dynamics here. This is a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land, which will determine the rights and responsibilities of the American people for decades to come. It seems to me that we should not be operating on some artificial political timetable imposed on the American people by Mitch McConnell of all individuals who's got no credibility to lecture us about timelines given the fact that he stole a Supreme Court Justice already in 2016. Let's just allow a comprehensive investigation to take place, and then that information to be reported to the senators who have the advice and consent responsibility as well as the American people."
"Well, I think the FBI report should be thrown into the mix of information that has come out through this confirmation process. And of course, it's the senators' responsibility to make the ultimate determination as to whether to confirm or not. But it should be a thorough report. It should be made available to the American people, because at the end of the day, this is a democracy, not a dictatorship, and we should be transparent with the information that is being used by individuals to decide a lifetime appointment."