CNN "The Lead with Jake Tapper" - Transcript: Interview with Peter Meijer

Interview

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REP. PETER MEIJER (R-MI): Thank you, Jake. You know, back in January, I cosponsored a piece of legislation that was asking for just this same bipartisan independent commission, along with 30 of my colleagues. So this was something that was strongly supported in January. But I guess, you know, some things have happened in the past couple of months.

But at the end of the day, we need accountability. We need an open transparent investigation that will yield a public document that the people can reference. I mean, right now, we still have more questions than answers on what occurred on January 6, what led up to that. And really, it's essential.

We don't move past this without that sense of accountability. If we just try to whitewash, if we try to forget what happened that day, we're guaranteed to see a repeat and additional political violence.

[17:05:05]

TAPPER: Have you spoken to Republican leaders in the House, Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise, Elise Stefanik about how you plan to vote?

MEIJER: No. And my position on this has been quite clear, and I've been consistent on it from January till now. So, this is something that we are anticipating will receive several dozen votes, but it's certainly a challenge as we've seen a shift in the winds and shift in direction.

TAPPER: Well, explain what you mean, because Kevin McCarthy asked, demanded three things from Nancy Pelosi in February, and she at first pushed back and said no, and then ultimately, she caved on all of them, including having the committee be -- commission be 50-50. Both sides, Democrats and Republicans having subpoena power, she gave him everything.

And John Katko, Congressman, from New York, he negotiated this with a Democrat Bennie Thompson. What happened? Why would Republicans not want an investigation into a deadly attack on your own workplace?

MEIJER: No, I'll be honest, I don't know some of those behind the scenes dynamics. I serve on the Homeland Security Committee with John Katko. I know we were strongly disappointed when the first iteration that Speaker Pelosi put out was stacked against Republicans, who would have been seven Democratic members and five Republicans and really was an effort to make it, you know, just a partisan roadshow rather than anything that we could focus on producing an objective document to the people.

But you know, this is challenging. There are many who say we should just move past this, that we shouldn't, you know, rehash what occurred on January 6, but especially seeing the white washing, the memory holding, the revisionism of too many who are trying to say that nothing bad happened that day that it was peaceful, that it was hugs and kisses.

You know, I find that deeply insulting to the Capitol Police officers who served us that day, to the Metropolitan Police officers as well who were injured, to those who lost their lives. It's just disgraceful.

TAPPER: Minority Leader McCarthy argues that the Commission will be duplicative. He cited the Justice Department investigation that has led to 400 arrests. Why do you think, I mean, I don't take him at his word. I think Kevin McCarthy is not operating in good faith here.

But answer the argument that he's putting out there because Mitch McConnell is making it too, that this isn't needed. It's duplicative with what the Justice Department's already doing.

MEIJER: Yes, the text legislation itself says that any ongoing investigations, anything else that will be, you know, concurrent, will be included, that'll be respectful and mindful of ensuring that it doesn't go into judicial or law enforcement activities that are ongoing, or excuse me, Justice Department or law enforcement activities that are ongoing. So, I'm really struggling with some of those -- with some of those explanations and rationale.

And, and I think at the end of the day, what John Katko negotiated as Ranking Member of Homeland Security was something that was negotiated in good faith to produce an objective bipartisan commission. And I hope we'll have some more of my colleagues supporting it as well.

TAPPER: We know from Congresswoman Herrera Beutler, a Republican colleague of yours, that Kevin McCarthy had this very heated conversation with Trump on that day. He might be subpoenaed, or at least asked to testify before this commission. If he refuses to do so voluntarily, should he be subpoenaed?

MEIJER: Again, that'll be a question for the commission. But certainly, there are plenty of folks who want to look past a lot of the hard truth of that day. Speaker Pelosi herself has a lot to answer for in terms of the timeline, and who knew what and when in terms of requesting resources.

So again, this is one of the reasons why I think she wanted to stack the deck early on, is that there's going to be a lot of difficult things that are unveiled on both sides of the aisle. But I think that's for the good of the people and for the good of the country, that we have that full accounting and understanding to be able to process have accountability and ultimately resolve and ensure this never happens again.

TAPPER: You have made a name for yourself in your short time in Washington, D.C., being conservative and standing for conservative principles, and also standing for truth and decency and accountability. Is it lonely?

MEIJER: I have my oath of office, I have my fidelity to the Constitution. But honestly, there's a lot of other folks here who are trying to do the right thing. Obviously, it's a challenging environment. It's a challenging media environment. It's a challenging political environment. But at the end of the day, I don't think we're elected to take the easy way out.

TAPPER: Republican Congressman Peter Meijer of Michigan, thanks so much. Appreciate.

MEIJER: Thank you, Jake.

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