CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Transcript: Interview with Representative Ryan Costello

Interview

HILL: That sounds pretty great. So where are those seven plants? We asked U.S. Steel. In a statement to CNN the company didn't deny the president's claim but also did not confirm his statement that seven new plants were opening up saying only that the openings of new mills would be, quote, "publicly announced if they happened."

Joining me now, Republican congressman from Pennsylvania, Ryan Costello.

Sir, good to have you with us. So U.S. Steel of course is based in your state. Do you know anything about these seven plants, any announcements you want to share with us?

REP. RYAN COSTELLO (R), PENNSYLVANIA: I don't have any announcements on that front. I do -- I mean, let's be honest. I hope that we do hear an announcement from U.S. Steel but I don't know of anything. No.

HILL: So what we heard from the president then at this point, we don't know that that's actually happening?

COSTELLO: Yes, I have no way of -- I don't know that. I have no way of knowing that. HILL: There was a lot of talk understandably yesterday after we saw and heard from five officials, of course, in the White House briefing room about where things stand in terms of Russia trying to interfere in U.S. elections. And we were told very clearly, this is a top security priority for all of these officials for these various departments and agencies.

When it comes to lawmakers, what we've seen in terms of that threat, we know in the Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic amendment that would ramp up election security. And in the House, Democrats tried to add an amendment to a bill last month for election security funding. Republicans voted against it. Is this -- is election security a priority for Republicans?

COSTELLO: Election security is a priority for Republicans. It's a priority for everyone. I thought that the press conference yesterday with --

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ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: -- voted against it. Is this -- is election security a priority for Republicans?

REP. RYAN COSTELLO (R), PENNSYLVANIA: Election security is a priority for Republicans. It's a priority for everyone. I thought that the press conference yesterday with those administration officials was extremely important. And whether or not the president's comments are consistent with that or not, doesn't matter in the following respect. What they said is accurate. Every American should believe what those administration officials said. And if the president deviates from that, the accuracy should be -- is to be found in what the administration officials had to say.

To be sure Russia is interfering. They have interfered. The Mueller investigation as it investigates Russia's involvement is a legitimate investigation and we should see it through to its conclusion.

HILL: And what about in terms of -- you know, as you're siding with all of those intelligence officials that we heard from and their message has been, as you point out, it has been consistent and they have the information to back it up, even if it may not be the same message we're hearing from the president, but when we look at that, do we need to hear more from your fellow Republicans and from other lawmakers who will stand up and say to the president, why, sir, are you not sharing the same message as your intelligence officials?

COSTELLO: Some of my colleagues do say that. I think the thing -- what I have come to accept is that no one is going to tell the president not to say something and have him listen. He's going to say and do -- particularly say what he wants to say. I think where I disagree with the president I'm going to say that and I think what you saw at the press conference is those administration officials getting out there and saying things that the president has chosen not to say for whatever reason. And I think it's very important that those administration officials did that yesterday. I found that press conferences to be extremely significant for that reason.

HILL: Can Americans trust the process today?

COSTELLO: What process?

HILL: In terms of their voting. We're hearing from these officials they're doing everything they can to secure it. Some efforts that have been proposed in Congress in terms of the funding have been shut down.

COSTELLO: No.

HILL: You don't think Americans can trust the process or the security of that process?

COSTELLO: No, no, no, I don't say that.

HILL: OK. OK. I heard a no.

COSTELLO: No, no, I -- Americans should --

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COSTELLO: I said oh. Sorry about that. Americans should trust our process. I think -- yes, they should. I think that we have adequate funding for this election cycle. As you may know, elections actually are administered at the local level by county government with federal funding. But it's also very important to be vigilant and stay on top of this. That's why the national director of Intelligence, Homeland Security director and others had indicated that we are on high alert for Russian interference and that our intelligence community will provide an additional layer of security.

But Americans should have confidence in our election cycle this time around. But we are going to have to be vigilant throughout the election cycle for the very unfortunate reality that Russia is seeking to interfere.

HILL: The president last night repeating that he's willing to shut down the government over immigration, funding of the wall. Take a quick listen to those comments.

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HILL: The president even saying earlier in the week, this could be a great midterm strategy. Do you agree?

COSTELLO: No. I think it would be a terrible midterm strategy. This election coming up in November is not going to be about whether or not we hold on to the most conservative districts in the country. It's going to be whether we win in the competitive districts across the country where you have a lot of independent voters. Independent voters right now are not leaning in favor of Republicans. You have a lot of centrist Republicans as well that are looking to hear what our economic message is.

And doubling down on immigration I don't think works. I might also add that we had a bill in the House that failed that I voted for that would have solved the DACA issue and would have provided border security. And we didn't get many conservative Republicans to vote for it. And the president could have leaned in on that and it could have passed the House. So if he cares about border security, we had the bill that would have been able to do that.

Taking immigration and using it as a political wedge issue is ultimately not a good long-term strategy for the Republican Party. And I also don't think it's going to be a good strategy in November. So hopefully, everyone running for re-election will see to it that they're talking about what they've done in their district, where they agree with the president, where they disagree as well as talking about the fact that we have record low unemployment. We have more people looking for jobs than are jobs available.

I think that's the message that we want to sell. Not another shutdown over immigration. I think that's a losing issue.

HILL: We're just about out of time but really quickly we know the government now saying that the ACLU should step in and help find some of these parents, help with the reunification of the more than 500 children who remain separated.

[10:35:07] Do you agree? Is it their responsibility to clean up this mess?

COSTELLO: I don't -- I only saw the headline. But it is the administration's responsibility to bring separated children and their parents who had crossed the border back together. It's not some outside organization. So no, I don't agree with that.

HILL: Representative Ryan Costello, always appreciate you taking the time. Thank you.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Erica.

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