Fox News "Sunday Morning Futures" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Bob Goodlatte
Interview
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BARTIROMO: We will talk with Greg Walden on the technology hearings coming up.
But first: The midterm is among the most consequential, so 12 House Republicans are calling on President Trump to declassify documents related to that FBI probe of Russian actions during the 2016 presidential election, specifically the surveillance renewal applications the FBI used to spy on former Trump campaign aide Carter Page and forms relating to the Justice Department's official Bruce Ohr contacts with Trump dossier author Christopher Steele.
Want to bring in the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee right now, Bob Goodlatte.
And, Mr. Chairman, it's good to see you this morning. Thanks very much.
We have been talking about the importance of this upcoming midterm election, because we know that, if the House flips, we're not going to hear another word about your investigation into what took place in the '16 election.
Where do we stand in that investigation, sir?
REP. BOB GOODLATTE, R-VIRGINIA: Well, we're digging them out one at a time. And we're making a lot of progress.
We didn't waste the August recess. We interviewed a number of key witnesses, including Bruce Ohr. And now we are proceeding to get additional documents from the FBI and line up, additional witnesses.
But I also agree with those members who have called upon the president to declassify the documents that are necessary for the American people to see what was going on in 2016 and early 2017 regarding the disparate way the FBI handled these two major investigations, one involving Hillary Clinton, the other involving the Trump campaign.
And it truly is stunning. We will persist to -- through this Congress. I agree with Leader McCarthy. We're going to hold on to the House and we will get to the truth of this matter. But it would also help greatly if the Justice Department would appoint a special counsel.
We have been calling for that for over a year now. And it's my hope that they will see the wisdom in doing that.
BARTIROMO: Well, where are you in terms of the interviews? Are you going to be able to interview people like Loretta Lynch, Jim Comey, Sally Yates before the midterm elections?
GOODLATTE: We are working right now to schedule them.
If they don't appear voluntarily, we will subpoena them. We're going to do that work right through the fall. And whether it falls before or after the election, we're going to persist. But we want them in as quickly as possible, as well as some other key people, Nellie Ohr, the wife of Bruce Ohr, Glenn Simpson, her employer at Fusion GPS, and others who have knowledge of what was going on where a major law firm and an opposition research firm were actually working -- that are related to the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign were actually working with the FBI to launch an investigation.
That's an amazing thing. And then to use that information to try to get and, in fact, succeed and getting warrants to investigate, to listen in on Carter Page, this is a serious abuse of power, and it should never happen again.
So, we will persist to get the truth out, no matter what.
BARTIROMO: Well, why wouldn't the president declassify these documents, so that the American people can understand how this whole investigation was hatched and what took place during the 2016 election?
Will he declassify?
GOODLATTE: I think he will. I certainly hope that he will. He should declassify them.
And he needs to do it, of course, to protect sources and methods, but he should do it, and he should do it quickly, so that the American people have the benefit of this information right now.
BARTIROMO: OK.
So in terms of this upcoming election, what do you want to see in terms of the focus going into the midterms for your party?
GOODLATTE: Well, first of all, I think it's vitally important that we focus on exactly what has been accomplished by this administration, and that is economic growth and job creation.
It was stunning results. The Congress did exactly the right thing in passing the tax reform legislation, putting more money back in the hands of the American people, so they could spend it and invest it in ways that have resulted in very, very substantial job growth. And not a single Democrat in either the House or Senate voted for that most important piece of legislation.
BARTIROMO: That's right.
GOODLATTE: It's also critical -- it's also critical that we point out how that effort and curtailing abusive government regulations is leading to major employment for women, for minorities.
BARTIROMO: Yes.
GOODLATTE: This is a growing economy that is helping everyone. And Republicans should campaign on it.
BARTIROMO: Let me ask you, Congressman, because, recently, we heard the news that federal prosecutors have impaneled a grand jury to investigate FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.
What's the significance of the grand jury now?
GOODLATTE: Well, I think it's very significant. It means that those prosecutors are considering whether or not to bring criminal charges against Mr. McCabe related to his giving false testimony.
And it is, again, a part of this overall problem with the leadership in the FBI and some in the Department of Justice in 2016 who were abusing their powers in ways that are very inappropriate.
A lot of this was brought out in Inspector General Horowitz's report. He is continuing with a further investigation into how the FISA applications were handled.
BARTIROMO: Right.
GOODLATTE: Mr. McCabe's testimony was important. And he apparently didn't tell the truth. That is something that certainly should be investigated.
BARTIROMO: Which is why you want the special counsel.
But Jeff Sessions hasn't appointed a special counsel. Will the president fire Jeff Sessions after the midterms and get in another A.G. to put in a special counsel to investigate all of this? Real quick.
GOODLATTE: Well, I hope that Jeff Sessions will step up and appoint a special counsel. And I also hope that we get to the bottom of this matter.
We can do that with Attorney General Sessions, but it's important that he act, and he act properly.
BARTIROMO: All right, Congressman, it's good to see you this morning. Thanks very much for joining us.
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