DPCC Chair Cicilline on Democrats’ Oversight Responsibilities
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman David Cicilline, Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC), appeared on FOX News' Outnumbered Overtime with Harris Faulkner to discuss Democrats' oversight responsibilities and Special Counsel Mueller's investigation. Below are excerpts from the interview. Click here to watch the video.
"First, I don't think it was of course the epicenter of the investigation. I think as Adam Schiff just said, this was a natural point of inquiry to know who Donald Trump Jr. spoke with after that meeting. The only reason that we didn't know who it was is because the Republicans on the intelligence committee who refused to issue a subpoena…What's really important in this investigation is what did the President know, and when did he know it? What we know and the fact that we do know are that there was a Trump Tower meeting. We know from the emails of Donald Trump Jr. that it was about dirt on Hillary Clinton. We know that they lied about it, the President participated in issuing a statement saying it was about Russian adoption. We also know that while Donald Trump Jr. is negotiating the terms of that meeting the President says, ‘as a candidate, I have big news about Hillary Clinton that I will announce on Monday!' Which of course never happens when dirt is produced. So there's a lot of data points that suggest maybe the President had some knowledge with this meeting was about. We don't know it into the report is done. But I don't think everyone should celebrate that this one data point ends the inquiry."
"I think we will of course read the report carefully. We will do oversight. I think if there is nothing in Mr. Mueller report that warrants proceeding with removal of the President, we obviously won't do it. But we need to wait for that report. We will continue, of course, to have oversight responsibilities. I would just push back respectfully, Harris, on the notion that this is a central piece of the investigation."
"I would just say, they are 101 contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives, 15 blanket denials, which have all proved to be untrue. And so there's a lot of reason to question what was the relationship was between the Trump campaign and the Russians. A lot of data points. we need to await Mr. Mueller's report to see how those are put together, and take whatever action it requires."
"I didn't actually hear Democrats saying that. I think there was a lot of interest to know who those calls go to, which would make sense…the Republicans would not authorize subpoenas so we could get the question answered. So I think people were interested in it. But I don't think that I never had a Democrat say ‘Don Jr. called his father.' The question as always, "what did the President know? Has that information communicate it to him? When did he learn those things? And the President has behaved in a way like he knew a lot. He says, I have something big coming on Hillary Monday!'"