DPCC Chair Cicilline: We Need to Get to The Truth
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman David Cicilline, Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC), appeared on Hardball on MSNBCto discuss Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee and how Democrats in Congress are working to get to the truth. Cicilline reiterated that the Justice Department's role is to protect the U.S. Constitution, not the President of the United States. Below are excerpts from the interview. Click here to watch the video
"Well, I think it's pretty clear that Matthew Whitaker's testimony and this explosive reporting cannot both be true. Mr. Whitaker evaded important answers and he clearly tried to create the impression that he was not influenced by the President. We asked him repeatedly, ‘Did the President or anyone on the President's behalf express any dissatisfaction?' And he said no. Clearly the change in counsel in the Southern District of New York was not to reward he U.S. Attorney because the President was dissatisfied. So, it's hard to believe that that was done for any other reasoning than because the President was frustrated about the direction - but this is a pattern. This is a President who thinks the Attorney General and other members of the Justice Department have a loyalty or a responsibility to protect him. They take a loyalty and an oath to the Constitution of the United States. He fundamentally misunderstands this from the very beginning with Attorney General Jeff Sessions recusal to his effort to fire Mr. Mueller to this recent reporting about trying to change out the U.S. Attorney. This is a President who continues to think that these individuals owe individuals owe a loyalty to him and have a duty to protect him, they have a duty to protect the U.S. Constituent. They're doing their job and the President should understand it is inappropriate and may constitute obstruction of justice to attempt to interfere with their work."
"Yes, I mean we attempted to get information about exactly what he heard from the President, what direction he was given. He refused to disclose conversations to the president but he certainly created the impression that no one express any dissatisfaction what was happening with Mr. Cohen's plea and the identification of individual number one. We have many more questions. The Chairman of the Committee sent a letter to him already seeking clarification based on what we've learned subsequent to his testimony and indicating to him he's going to provide that clarification or he should expect to come back to the Committee in a sworn deposition and answer our questions so we can get to the truth."