DPCC Co-Chair Lieu: The American People Need to Know the Facts
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Ted Lieu, Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC), appeared on MSNBC Live with Hallie Jackson to discuss the House Judiciary Committee's investigation into potential Constitutional abuses and public corruption by President Donald Trump. Below are excerpts from the interview. Click here to watch the video.
"We're asking for documents that many of these people have already given to other entities. We want to know if there are dots to be connected and then we're going to try to connect the dots and we're going to leave no stone unturned. This is just the first wave of document requests. We'll have additional document requests and we're going to be trying to interview as many witnesses as possible and then show the American people what we we found."
"It's certainly possible. In terms of these document requests, they may open up new leads which will result in additional requests based on what we get. And I just want to note, Special Counsel Mueller's investigation is narrow. He's interested only if anyone committed a crime related to Russia interference. The House Judiciary's Oversight function is more broad – we want to know if Donald Trump and associates committed any crime. We also want to know did they engage in any misconduct, whether or not it arise to the level of a federal crime."
"That would depend on what our investigation finds. Right now we have good reporting from MSNBC, we've got news articles, we have people making various statements – but the House Judiciary Committee doesn't have a record. So we need to build this record, collect the documents, interview witnesses under oath. We're going to show the American people what we found and then we'll make a decision based on what our investigation reveals."
"That's correct. That's my view. We need to make sure we have all the facts, present them to the American people and then we'll have a conversation in how to proceed."
"Prior to entering Congress, I already had a security clearance. I had to fill out an SF86 form that Jared Kushner had to fill out. And right there on the form it says if you make false statements or omit material facts, you can go to prison for up to five years. Jared Kushner not only sent in one false and misleading form, he sent in two. Congressman Don Beyer and I have made a criminal referral to the Department of Justice and asked them to investigate Jared Kushner to see whether he should be indicted for putting in false or at least material false SF86 forms."
"We have not. We just recently sent them the letter. We have a new Attorney General. We don't know what Bill Barr thinks. I hope he looks at the facts and the law. And it's very clear, if this was anyone but Kushner, they would be in a lot of trouble right now."
"We do hope they open the investigation. That is not a difficult ask. And if career prosecutors simply want to look at the facts, they would open investigation because what Jared Kushner did in leaving out his meetings at Trump Tower, leaving out over 100 foreign contacts, those raise all sorts of red flags – the exact same flags the CIA and FBI raised when they denied him a security clearance only to be overruled by Donald Trump."