CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Transcript: "Interview with Rep. Debbie Dingell"
Interview
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WHITFIELD: All right. I'm pleased to be joined now by Michigan Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell.
Good to see you, Congresswoman. So there is impeachment and then there is the impeachment inquiry. Where are you on impeachment?
REP. DEBBIE DINGELL (D-MI): You know, I think I'm where the bulk of my colleagues are, which is we need to follow the facts. So I think my colleagues before me just stated it very clearly. Impeachment is very serious for this country. One of my concerns has been how divided we are, but we are divided but we can't be divided on the rule of law so we need to get the facts. So as others have said, that's why these investigations are so important. They need to be done in classified settings at the Intelligence Committee with the whistleblowers, with the inspector generals. We need the facts.
WHITFIELD: So this inquiry, or in this inquiry, what are the facts that you believe are missing? What is needed in which to take it a step further into impeachment proceedings?
DINGELL: You know, I'm going to be -- by the way, I plan on still trying to lower the cost of prescription drugs in the committees that I'm on as this is happening. My colleagues in the Intelligence Committee with the skill of Chairman Nadler and Chairman Cummings from Oversight who have had a look at record, you know, we've had a report from a whistleblower that there could be conversations, that there could be a pattern of corruption that's endangering our national security.
The inspector general thought -- had reported to us that it was a credible and urgent threat. Now we need to know what is in that, and by the way, a lot of this probably should never be made public. There are issues that need to be very confidential. We have to make sure that the whistleblowers are safe. That's one of the most important parts of our whistleblower's law. That we need to know, has the rule of law been violated? Has our national security been harmed? And if so, they'll come forward with this recommendation.
WHITFIELD: So while you're an advocate of the inquiry and yes, you know, you want as much information to come to the surface as possible as it pertains to these concerns, you are still focused on prescription drugs among the issues that you believe your constituents and Americans want you to spend your time on. Are you worried, however, that there are a number of pressing issues that will take the back -- take to the back burner because of the energy going into the fact-finding mission during this impeachment inquiry?
DINGELL: I'm worried that the media is going to focus on fact-finding and not in communicating to the American people what we're going to be doing on like lowering drug prices. Fact of the matter is, we all have different committee assignments. I care very much. I don't think this is a happy day for this country. I think it's a very sad day that we are where we are. Having to have this impeachment inquiry. But I also -- I was home this weekend. I've a very divided district of Ann Arbor which has been putting a lot of pressure on me for months. But I went down river yesterday which had very significant Trump numbers in the presidential. And I was in Monroe County, that President Trump won by 21 percent.
People there are trying to -- they do want to know that we're going to do things that they're concerned about. They're worried about tariffs. I've got UAW workers that are walking the picket line, that are worried about trade deals. But they're also really concerned about what's happening to our country. They want more information. I thought I might be yelled at more yesterday. I was yelled at on a plane by somebody not many my district. But people are thoughtful. They're engaged. They're worried.
WHITFIELD: Yes. And did this impeachment talk reach a new level in your view once the House speaker said laws have been violated, the Constitution has been violated, and the inquiry took on a whole new momentum as a result of the House speaker's words this week? Are you in agreement with that method, that style?
DINGELL: I would say that the speaker probably contribute that, but I'm also going to tell you that when it becomes public that a whistleblower has said that our country's national security could be harm and inspector general and the head -- the acting director of Homeland Security say they're credible and that our national security could be at risk, our jobs as elected officials are to protect our national security and to protect our Constitution. Quite frankly, those are the words that I'm so deeply disturbed about.
WHITFIELD: Among the Democratic candidates in the race for the White House, Senator Elizabeth Warren. She's been a very strong proponent of impeachment. Not just the inquiry but the impeachment. She had this to say at a presidential forum in Detroit earlier today. Listen.
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SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We cannot have a man in the White House who believes that he can use whatever tools are available in government to him that he can squeeze world leaders, that he can use your tax dollars to dangle as aid in front of a foreign country, not for purposes of helping the United States of America, but for purposes of helping Donald Trump get re-elected. That is wrong and Congress has a responsibility to step up and vote on impeachment.
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WHITFIELD: So she also said apparently, you know, that the investigation should happen quickly. In your view, what is a reasonable time frame in which to get to the bottom of all these questions?
DINGELL: So first of all, I think that one of the fundamental principles of our Constitution is due process as well. But I agree with everything that she said about how we have to make sure that our national security is not being violated and those kinds of conversations aren't happening with the president. And because I do know that Republicans and Democrats alike have promised to delivery lowering prescription drugs and everybody is going to be held accountable for that for next year. I -- you know, story after story because I've got those UAW members walking the picket line because their jobs have been shipped overseas to Mexico, we need to not have this dominate the headlines every single minute. That we need to get the facts and I do believe we need to move quickly.
WHITFIELD: All right. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, thank you so much.
DINGELL: Thank you.
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