CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Deutch

Interview

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BLITZER: That's an important point as well.

I want to get reaction from Democratic Congressman Ted Deutch of Florida. He's a member of the Judiciary Committee, as well as the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Congressman, thanks so much for joining us.

You have gone through the 400-page report. What stands out in your mind? What have you learned?

REP. TED DEUTCH (D), FLORIDA: Well, what the Mueller report lays out -- and let's be clear about something, and your panel was just discussing this -- in the absence of the shameful way the attorney general of the United States played the role of counsel to the president, rather than the chief law enforcement officer of this country, in the absence of the spin that Attorney General Barr has put out there for the past almost month, the takeaway would be this.

Mueller showed us that the president of the United States was terrified when he learned that this investigation had started. He was terrified that it would mean the end of his presidency. He then, on multiple occasions, more than 10 times, tried to interfere with the investigation.

When asked about it, he didn't respond the way he responds on Twitter, with his typical bluster. He told us more than 30 times, he told Mueller more than 30 times that he doesn't recall, he doesn't have direct recollection.

And, finally, the Mueller report makes clear that it is Congress that has the authority to enforce the obstruction laws, and that that is consistent with our constitutional basis, our constitutional system of checks and balances, to show that no one is above the law.

It's clear from this Mueller report that the next step is for Congress to show that the rule of law actually means something in America and that we pick up this investigation and go full speed ahead.

BLITZER: Yes. If you go through the actual written question-and- answer document that they released today, the president answering in writing questions that were submitted in writing from Mueller, almost every answer that the president gives is either, I do not remember, I have no independent recollection, I do not recall.

Almost every answer starts with that legalese, that kind of statement.

Do you believe, Congressman, that the report, the 400-page report, shows evidence of obstruction of justice?

DEUTCH: Of course it does, Wolf, as clear as day.

Remember, we went into this having been told, incorrectly, totally mischaracterizing the report, having been told by the attorney general that the choice of the Mueller team was whether or not to prosecute.

The choice that was given to the Mueller team, because of the rule rules at the Justice Department, was simple, exonerate, find the president not guilty of obstruction, or don't find the president not guilty, because you can't exonerate.

And that was the conclusion that Mueller reached. And if that's the conclusion, and he then goes on to make clear that it is Congress that can apply these obstruction laws , and that there are more than 10 times laid out in great detail that the president attempted to obstruct justice, then it's incumbent upon the House of Representatives and our Judiciary Committee to continue this investigation to ensure, as Mueller asks us to do, to ensure that no one is above the law.

BLITZER: Well, it's one thing to continue the investigation. It's another thing to launch formal impeachment proceedings in the House Judiciary Committee.

DEUTCH: Right.

BLITZER: And you're a member of the committee. Where do you stand on impeachment?

DEUTCH: Well, it is different.

But the first thing that we need to do is to continue where Mueller left off, to examine all of these areas of obstruction of justice. Then something that's going to happen -- and there hasn't been enough discussion about this.

Something is going to happen as the House goes forward. And that's going to be now, with the full benefit of the entire Mueller report, will the Republican members of our committee, will the Republicans in the House and Senate continue as they have since the president was sworn into office?

Will they continue to serve as the president's chief defender, or will they view their job as defending the Constitution of the United States?

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That's going to be on them. And as more of this is uncovered, as we continue this investigation, I just think it's going to be more and more difficult for them to continue to bury their heads in the sand and say, well, OK, 11 cases of obstruction of justice, but the president's attorney general said it's fine, so let's move on.

The rule of law, I know, means something to every member of Congress, and it's time that my Republican colleagues start to show that they care about it as well. Then it will be clear what happens next.

BLITZER: Well, in private conversations with your Republican colleagues, have you heard any indication at all they're ready to even move toward that?

DEUTCH: Well, I haven't had conversations with them today. It's been a lot of time reading this report, as I know a lot of them have.

And I don't think, based on what Barr told us and based on what Barr told them, incorrectly, I don't think that they believed that it was going to be as clear as this report lays out, that there were going to be 11 cases of obstruction of justice, that the Mueller report was going to make clear that Congress can act next.

So it's a lot more difficult for my Republican colleagues. This isn't just a decision made by House leadership or the leadership of the Judiciary Committee. This is going to require the pressure that builds upon so many of my colleagues to finally stand up and defend the rule of law.

That's more important than ever, after we have had a chance to dig into this 400-page report. And that's even without the redacted information that Barr needs to make available to everyone in Congress, not just to a select few.

BLITZER: Congressman Ted Deutch of Florida, thanks so much for joining us.

DEUTCH: Thanks, Wolf. I appreciate it.

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