NBC "Meet the Press" - Transcript: Interview with Barbara Comstock
Interview
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BARBARA COMSTOCK:
Well, thank you, Todd, for showing that statement, and Mrs. Sicknick had such grace and quiet courage and spoke very directly to these members. And I do think, because of what she did, and Brian's partner, Sandra, and also Officer Fanone and Officer Dunn that we will have a thorough investigation. I would have preferred that that be an independent, outside investigation that was nonpartisan. I think that would remove it from the political sphere and allow Republicans and Democrats to return to working on the issues that they all say they want to work on. But I think now, it'll be an investigation in Congress. And one thing that did happen from our meetings this week is Lindsey Graham did promise to advocate that Officer Fanone and Officer Dunn and others who were on the front lines fighting in what was a medieval battle -- a lot of people still don't realize how violent that was. That Officer Fanone was tased 12 times at the back of his neck, that he has traumatic brain injuries and that he almost died that day. He suffered a heart attack, and people are still talking about these were like tourists. We need to have that full story out. It's going to get out one way or the other. And I think because of the courage of Mrs. Sicknick, and the sadness that she's going to have over this Memorial Day weekend, as will all of the Sicknick family. But I think their courage will prevail, and that we will get to the truth.
CHUCK TODD:
Look, I want to put up a screen here of all the senators you did meet with -- that you had a chance to meet with -- and five of this group did vote for the commission, of your meetings. But a majority that you met with did not. So -- and I look at certain people here. Let's go to James Lankford. This is somebody -- I think you and I both know him well. I have no doubt he's somebody torn on this. Roy Blunt is another one that you would think is torn on this. But they're very -- they're very loyal to Mitch McConnell. Tell me about those conversations. Bring me in the room.
BARBARA COMSTOCK:
Well, certainly all of the senators, you know -- many of them did acknowledge that what many Republicans have not acknowledged, which is that this was a violent, you know, assault on the Capitol that could never happen again, and that it does need to be thoroughly investigated. They didn't seem to think that this was the answer. And that's why I say, you know, this will still be investigated because subpoenas will get the facts. We'll find out who organized that mob, how it was orchestrated, who directed them down to the Capitol to assault the Capitol. So, and we also -- you know, you did show who, who we met with and who voted for it. Senator Sasse also had communicated with us, and he also supported it, as is -- did Senator Toomey, who we met with, indicated he would have supported it had he been present. So I am still optimistic that we will, I know we will -- the truth will come out. You know from, you know, decades past that I have worked on investigations, and when people try and hold these things back, it always comes out in the end. That's why I think both for the country, as well as for Republicans, it would be better to do it sooner rather than later. And I know we can get those subpoenas out, whether it's by partisan means -- I hope Nancy Pelosi, if she sets up a commission, that it will be exactly like the one that was designed. That it's five Democrats, five Republicans, that they share power, and that they get the people who care about this. Certainly the 35 House Republicans that voted for an investigation would be a good place to start, to get five Republicans who will, who will work on this --
CHUCK TODD:
Let me --
BARBARA COMSTOCK:
-- and get to the answers that are often -- our officers are hurting right now. People need to know that those Capitol officers that they walk by every day. They want a commission. They are hurting. They are leaving in droves. They're leaving faster than they can be replaced. --
CHUCK TODD:
I want to play something --
BARBARA COMSTOCK:
-- And this just has to be addressed.
CHUCK TODD:
I'm curious, I want to play something that Bill Cassidy said, because I thought it was -- he put together what I thought could have been an effective argument to convince skeptical Republicans to vote for the commission. Here was his rationale.
[BEGIN TAPE]
SEN. BILL CASSIDY:
Ask the American people. Are they more likely to trust an independent commission not composed of members of Congress, or are they more likely to trust one handpicked by Speaker Pelosi? Pretty clear who they would most trust, and I think this is as much as anything about building trust with the American people.
[END TAPE]
CHUCK TODD:
You and I both know -- I could picture Mitch McConnell, in another world, making the case for this commission using Bill Cassidy's argument.
BARBARA COMSTOCK:
Well, that was exactly the argument that we were making to the senators, and Senator Cassidy is exactly right, and he was so gracious in meeting with the family, and he even indicated, you know, how close his family was to Capitol police officers and how his daughter had been close to them since she grew up in this area. So we were -- he makes the best case, and I talked to one of the 35, you know, I've talked to a number that 35 in the House who voted for it, and that's exactly the argument that those who voted for it made to their constituents, some of whom aren't happy that they're doing this. But that's the whole point, it would be non-partisan. But it's this protection, I think -- I understand Republicans want to get away from Donald Trump, I mean, if Donald Trump disappeared tomorrow, I don't think you'd have many Republicans in the search party. Maybe a few prosecutors, but not Republicans. So they want to get away from him. But the problem is, he's not going to go away. But this is not about Democrats or Republicans; it's about the country, and it's about getting to the truth, and it's about protecting the Capitol, the people who work there, and also making sure this never happens again. And that's what the family so eloquently communicated, and I think, obviously, Senator Cassidy captured that well.
CHUCK TODD:
Very quickly, Barbara Comstock, Chuck Schumer has promised one more vote on this commission, at least. Do you think you'll get a face-to-face between the Sicknick family members and Mitch McConnell?
BARBARA COMSTOCK:
Well, Senator McConnell's office had offered to have a meeting with the staff. It was late in the day, it had been a long day for the family. And at that point, given they'd indicated where the vote was going to be, that was passed on. But we would be happy to meet with any of the other senators to discuss really why Senator Cassidy is right. Senator Romney, you know, discussed that in the same way, as did Lisa Murkowski made -- she was our last meeting of the day. And she was so gracious and kind to the family. And really apologizing to Mrs. Sicknick that she should even have to be there on this painful Memorial Day weekend when her son lies at Arlington National Cemetery, as she pointed out, because he fought so well. Officer Fanone said to many of the senators, he said, "We were so good at our job that day, I don't think a lot of you realize what danger you were in. What could have happened from this mob that was saying, 'Hang Mike Pence.'" And I think Officer Fanone is exactly right, which -- and he will be heard in public, and should be, as should so many of the other officers who were on the frontline.
CHUCK TODD:
Barbara Comstock, a former member of Congress from Northern Virginia, thank you for coming on and sharing your experiences this week --
BARBARA COMSTOCK:
Thank you.
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