DPCC Co-Chair Cicilline: We Must Defend the Integrity of the Mueller Investigation
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman David Cicilline, Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC), appeared on the Situation Room on CNN to discuss the Mueller investigation. Cicilline called on Republicans to join Democrats in protecting the investigation and ensuring it proceeds without political interference from President Trump. Below are excerpts of the interview. Click here to watch the video.
"Well, I think it was a very welcomed statement from the Attorney General. Although I disagree on him on so many policies, it is good to hear him finally speak up and to defend the professionals at the Department of Justice and the men and women who are as he says the best investigators in the world and best prosecutors who are doing their job and his commitment to protect the Department from political interference. It is a complete rejection by a Republican Attorney General - a close ally of the President - to the President's claim that the Department is run amuck and run by Democrats out to get him in a witch hunt. So it was long overdue. An important statement from the Attorney General and I hope he'll continue to raise his voice to defend the integrity of the investigation.
"I don't think there is any question that's the President's intention. He has tried every way that he possibly could to undermine this investigation and undermine the professionals who are engaged in the investigation – to in fact say the whole thing is a hoax and a witch hunt and make believe and all these sorts of things. He also continues to say Jeff Sessions should never become the Attorney General if he wasn't loyal to the President and would oversee this. He seems to misunderstand the role of the Attorney General it's not to protect the President of the United States, but he owes the loyalty of the Constitution and the American people – that's what Mr. Sessions job is. And the President does not seem to understand that everyone's function is not to look out and protect him from his own behavior and his own wrong doing but instead to uphold the rule of law and protect the Constitution.
"Well, I mean that's sort of the language you would expect from a mob boss and not the President of the United States. Our law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels rely on cooperating witnesses and keep America safe, to solve crimes, to prevent some of the most serious terrorist attacks and other dangers to communities that they investigate every day. The idea that they should not keep the American people safe by benefitting from the willingness of individuals to share information is part of an ongoing investigation is lunacy and it will endanger the lives of the American people if that policy actually stopped. He should know that. But he's looking at this through the lens of his own legal situation and his own predicament rather than understanding or caring about how important it is to law enforcement and how essential it is to keeping communities safe.
"Well, I think this is very significant. This cooperates the plea and the statements of Mr. Cohen about the efforts to silence these two stories, sort of a catch and kill as they call it. These are close allies of the President who played a role in keeping a secret. I am sure the President is disappointed but this is an example of people understanding it is important to tell the truth to avoid prosecution and to be sure they are doing their part in cooperating in this investigation. And they were granted immunity which means they can't be prosecuted but they are sharing important facts that will continue to support the ongoing investigation and other prosecutions in this case."