CNN "Erin Burnett Out Front" - Transcript: "Interview with Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee"

Interview

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BURNETT: Out front now, Democratic Congresswoman from Texas, Sheila Jackson Lee. She sits on the House Judiciary Committee here with me tonight. So Chairman Nadler says this vote means you're going to have an aggressive series of hearings. You're going to go well beyond the four corners of the Mueller report, but the top Republican on your committee, Mr. Collins, Congressman Collins says, "The difference between formal impeachment proceedings," I'm quoting him, "and what we're doing today is a world apart." Is it?

JACKSON: Well, first of all you know I'm at Texas Southern University so let me say how excited I am to be here tonight before the debate. But I love the word game that ranking member Collins desires to use.

We are serious. This is an impeachment investigation. Let me refresh your memory.

The Senate investigated for nine months before there were actual articles of impeachment. Many investigations, impeachment investigations proceeded without a vote on the floor of the House.

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This is the indicting body. What we're saying to the American people is, that we are not in a witch hunt. We are not going after an individual. We are fact finders in a constitutional process that is an investigation leading to the articles of impeachment.

I want the Republicans to sit with us as Americans in this impeachment investigation, which we will now have the strength of an investigation as we go to court, as we subpoena witnesses, to be able to tell the American people.

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: So, on that front, you are subpoenaing witnesses, right? So, if it is an impeachment proceeding, you are able to do more of that.

Are we going to see the main players testify? You know, part of what made Watergate Watergate was people could see it on television. Are we going to see more of that?

JACKSON LEE: Absolutely. These will be public hearings. You know we had a few closed sessions for a variety of reasons.

BURNETT: Yes.

JACKSON LEE: But we have a list of individuals now that really have no excuse for not appearing before the Judiciary Committee. And we are using the subpoena power. The White House counsel is one of them who has indicated or said that he's being blocked or the White House is saying that they're blocked. Now, with the impeachment investigation --

BURNETT: Mr. McGahn.

JACKSON LEE: Mr. McGahn.

Now, the impeachment investigation, we're going to expect the court to side with us, because we will not be able to find out the facts. We can't talk to him about what the president told him to do with Director Mueller.

BURNETT: Yes.

JACKSON LEE: We're going to have Corey Lewandowski next week. We will go on and on with witnesses that can tell us the story.

BURNETT: All right. So, you're talking -- in some cases, Mueller, but perhaps beyond, that's the big question, because I know, you know, Madeleine Dean, she came back and said look what my constituents care about is the corruption, the public profiting from office, whether the law was broken there by the president of the United States.

Is that now as big of a focus as the Mueller report?

JACKSON LEE: The Mueller report as you well know was two volumes, one the Russian intrusion and the involvement of the campaign with Russian operatives. We think that's important. And we believe that as we interview witnesses or have them in hearings, who knows what may be discovered?

BURNETT: I'm just trying to understand, but things like emoluments or, you know, when you look at Mike Pence staying at Turnberry, those sorts of things, profiting from the office of the president, is that part of this or not? Obviously, that's separate from other volume --

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JACKSON LEE: It is, but it will not be precluded. Remember the trigger for the Nixon impeachment were the tapes. When we started out, with a burglary, it was whether the president directed a burglary then the tapes. In this instance, no, the emoluments will not be precluded, nor will the payments to individuals to keep them silent as it relates to an affair.

So, this is opening up an impeachment investigation to look at under the Constitution the question is high crimes and misdemeanors. It's sometimes confusing to the American people. But it's about abuse of power.

BURNETT: Right. So, Chairman Nadler says you say impeachment investigation, inquiry, look, those are the same things. OK. But, you know, nomenclature, words matter. Chairman Nadler is fed up with this whole discussion, but part of that is because Nancy Pelosi is not using these words. He doesn't seem to be playing ball.

Today, she was asked about, OK, are you going to call it impeachment inquiry, we are loud and clear here. And here's what happened.

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REPORTER: Are you uncomfortable with the term impeachment inquiry? Is there another term we should be using?

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): I'm not -- thank you all very much.

You are hung up on a word over here when lives are at stake over there. Thank you all very much and good night.

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BURNETT: So, look, she's -- people hung up on the word because she won't use the word. Why won't she use the word? Words do matter. Her ability to get behind this matters. What's the holdup?

JACKSON LEE: Well, I think by her yielding to the Judiciary Committee on the word, we now have said that we are through with impeachment inquiry and impeachment investigation debate. It is the impeachment investigation and the speaker is allowing the judiciary committee to do its work.

We think once we get started, the American people will start holding onto the words impeachment investigation. What are they doing? They're investigating under the constitution to determine whether the articles of impeachment.

I respect the speaker and I think her words today, her silence today was, she's not going to get into semantics. Watch what the committee is doing. Watch what the courts are doing when we are an impeachment investigation and watch how the people of the United States will see and what will be a respectful detailed and definitive approach to the question of whether or not the president has violated the Constitution of the United States as relates to impeachment.

BURNETT: All right. Congresswoman, thank you so much. Good to see you here in Texas tonight.

JACKSON LEE: Thank you so very much. Thank you for having me.

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