DPCC Incoming Chair Cicilline: The President Is Distracting the American People, Democrats are Fighting For the People
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman David Cicilline, Incoming Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC), appeared on The Situation Room on CNN to discuss the Russia investigation and the Trump Shutdown. Cicilline highlighted how President Trump is using the government shutdown to distract the American people from all the problems the Trump Administration is facing. Once assuming control of the House of Representatives this week, Democrats will reopen the federal government while remaining committed to Fighting for the People to lower health care costs, increase pay and clean up corruption in Washington. Below are excerpts from the interview. Click here to watch the video
"Yeah, I mean I think it is obviously very concerning. I think this is further evidence that Russia is not our friend. They're adversaries of the United States. We know that they attacked our democracy in the last presidential election. We have really seen a tremendous amount of evidence about the sophistication of that attack on our democracy and it is ongoing in very serious ways. So it is not surprising that they're attempting to retaliate from the rule of law in our country, and we have to learn a lot more about this. But, you know, this is conduct you would expect from a despot, from a tyrant, from a country that's an adversary of the United States that doesn't share our values."
"Well, I mean it is breathtaking. I mean to think that a person who is leading an American presidential campaign is in debt to a Russian oligarch and is trading access, briefings by the campaign in exchange for relieving some of the debt, I mean it is very, very concerning. For those who think that the Russian effort to compromise and attack our democracy isn't serious, this is further evidence of that. Our elections ought to be decided by the American people, free from any interference by foreign adversaries. This is, again, part of a growing amount of evidence about the Russians' campaign to attack our democracy, to help elect Donald Trump and undermine the candidacy of Hillary Clinton. Whether you are a Republican or Democrat, a Trump supporter or a Clinton supporter, we ought to be united to protect the integrity of our election and punish any foreign government that attempts to interfere in any way and hold people accountable who are in positions of Mr. Manafort who may have in fact compromised the integrity of our elections for his own financial advantage."
"Well, I think what we hope will happen is, look, there is broad consensus on the six funding bills. They're bipartisan. The Senate already approved that spending 100-0. So those departments we ought to just fund them to the end of the fiscal year, which is what one package will be. Let's isolate the disagreement - the Department of Homeland Security. We will propose and pass a piece of legislation that will provide the current funding of $1.3 billion for border security until February 8th. That will give us an opportunity to engage in additional discussions with the Republicans, but let's isolate the problem. The other six Departments, let's open those up. Let's act like adults. As Speaker Designate Pelosi said, we will do that right away and reopen the government. Those six bills hopefully will pass both the House and the Senate. The President should sign them. There's no dispute on those issues. Then that remaining Department of Homeland Security, where there's a disagreement, let's keep the current level and engage in real discussions to see if we can reach agreement. It is a perfectly sensible way to approach it that will reopen the government and ensure that over 800,000 employees that are being affect by this can have their lives back and the President can engage with the Democrats and the Republicans in the Senate and try to come up with a solution."
"Look, it is not a question of not blinking. We've supported border security. We have a bipartisan agreement. It was 100-0 in the Senate. The President said he would sign it and he changed his mind…..there is no disagreement on those six bills. Let's do that. I disagree that the President won't sign it. He should sign it."
"I don't think it is a messaging vote. It is reopening the vote. It is passing a bill with bipartisan support…it is isolating where the conflict is, that's one department. But let's be very clear. Democrats supported almost $1.7 billion over the last two years in border security. We support securing our borders. We think it should be done in a smart way using technology, drones, satellites, cargo inspections, things that will actually work, more personnel. We don't think a concrete wall, which is a 19th century solution for a 21st century problem, makes sense. And I think, again, the suggestion that Democrats somehow don't support border security is just not true. The President's own Chief of Staff, the outgoing John Kelly and the incoming Mick Mulvaney, both said a border wall will not solve the problem. They both acknowledge that. But the President has shut down the government because he wants a fight over this so we will distract from all the other problems he is facing: his Defense Secretary leaving, the ISIS Coordinator leaving, his foundation being shut down for persistent corruption, the Mueller investigation proceeding, Mr. Flynn's sentencing hearing. All of these things. Instead, he is distracting. He said, I'm shutting the government down because it achieves an objective: we are no longer talking about all of the problems the Administration faces. We are talking about the government shutdown. This was done purposely. It is an easy problem to solve if the President is really interested in reopening the government, but so far it hasn't expressed an intention to do that."