DPCC Co-Chair Cicilline: Republicans Should Put the Country Ahead of Their Own Political Ambitions

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WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman David Cicilline, Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC), appeared on CNN to discuss the guilty plea by President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen and how it could potentially implicate the President in campaign finance violations. Cicilline called on his Republican colleagues to put the interest of the country and preservation of the democracy ahead of their own political ambitions. Below are excerpts of the interview. Click here to watch the video.

"I think Ambassador Eisen is right. [The President] may have in fact admitted to another crime right here on air. But the President changed his story on this on several occasions. First, he denied knowing about [Cohen's hush money payments], he denied knowing where the money came from, then he admitted he actually provided the money. I think this is a very, very a sad day for the country. The President now has been basically an unindicted co-conspirator in a criminal offense.

"Michael Cohen testified under oath at his plea hearing that he was directed to do this by a candidate. Obviously that was the President of the United States to commit a federal offense. It is very serious. There's also the conviction of Paul Manafort, his campaign chair. There's now 35 either indictments, pleas or con to this investigation. I think this is a very, very serious development.

"It is very disappointing. We tried on the Democratic side to really press the [Judiciary] Committee - the Chairman and the Republicans on the Committee -to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities. We have very serious oversight functions that we should be performing. We have written letters, we've done motions in the Committee to try to force the Committee to do oversight. And in a disappointing way. Republicans on the Committee often act like Donald Trump's defense team than individuals that are constitutionally required to provide meaningful oversight against this President and his Administration.

"I think we have a lot of work to do to bring members of the Administration before the Committee to do our oversight, but unfortunately we've had no cooperation from our Republican colleagues. It is very sad. This should be an American priority. It shouldn't matter if you're a Democrat, Republican or Independent. We need to get to the bottom of this.

"The President needs to come clean. The American people have the right to know the truth. We have to protect Robert Mueller and his investigation because the President has been engaged in a campaign to undermine the Department of Justice, the FBI and the Special Counsel.

"We have legislation pending to protect Mr. Mueller from being fired without cause. We need to move forward on that because the President and it's closing in. I think the President is feeling the pressure. We need to protect the investigation so that the American people can finally hear the truth to know exactly what happened.

"As someone said, we would have to peel them off the ceiling at this point. Look how [Republicans] behaved on an investigation relating to Hillary Clinton's e-mail that went on for months and months and months and there was nothing there. You can only imagine how they would behave.

"Look, I understand he is there, it is their team. I understand they support the President. But you ought to be able to do what's right for the country and put your country over your political party. And this is serious. It is a very sad day when the President of the United States is implicated in a crime, lied about it to the American people, when his campaign chairman has been convicted, and part of that case is related to a relationship with Russian oligarchs.

"We all ought to be concerned about an adversary of the United States, a foreign adversary, interfering and attacking our elections. We saw the President stand in Helsinki and in that moment he sided with those that attacked our democracy. It was disgraceful. We need Republicans to add their voices, put the interest of our country and preservation of our democracy ahead of their own political ambitions or political preservation. I hope we'll see some Republicans speak out. I know there are good men and women in that party. We need them to speak out in this moment. Their country needs them to do that.

" I hope Michael Cohen will come before the judiciary committee. We'll certainly press the Chairman to invite him. Michael Cohen is prepared to testify truthfully he says and share what he knows. He hasn't gotten a deal. He is not getting anything for it. I take him at his word he wants to put his family and country first and tell the truth. And I think he has a lot to tell - as counsel has said. He said he has information that would be valuable. I know this is uncomfortable for some people, but we need to get to the facts. We need to understand exactly what happened and make sure it never happens again and to be sure those responsible for this attack on our democracy are held accountable.

"I think Michael Cohen is not getting anything for his admission. He's pleaded guilty without an agreement so he's acknowledged that. He also has a tape recording. We know, we listened to it, of a conversation he had with the President in which they discussed the payments.

"The President said he didn't know about them, he didn't provide the money. We know there's actually evidence to corroborate Mr. Cohen's story, and he doesn't really have incentive to makeup a story to land him in jail, so I think we need to examine the facts, allow Mr. Mueller to finish his investigation and present his report to Congress. And then we need to take appropriate action. But what we need to hear from Republican colleagues is some commitment to the rule of law. These are serious offenses committed against the United States. These are serious convictions of Trump's inner circle. And they ought to be expressing disappointment and concern rather than trying to act like their responsibility is to put a good spin on it or say nothing in order to protect their own political future or the President's."