CNN "Erin Burnett Outfront" - Transcript: Interview with Stacey Plaskett

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

STACEY PLASKETT (D), DELEGATE TO U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Well, we don't say much to them at this point, because you cannot debate ignorance. And so what we're trying to do is I'm grateful that we do have some Republicans as in the Ranking Member, John Katko, who's willing to partner with Chairman Bennie Thompson to create this commission that is going to look at January 6th as sort of 9/11 commission that is equally divided and we'll be able to see what were the factors that created an insurrection on our democracy, be able to make recommendations work with those federal agencies that are doing ongoing investigations to say that there was no violence there.

We know that people died that day, over a hundred officers were injured. Police officers battled for four, five hours trying to keep the Capitol safe and it's just - that is the reason that we continually have to have these discussions, because we have members on the Republican side who continue to gaslight, who continue to lie about what happened.

If they would, in fact, say what happened, we could have the commission do their work and move on to the people of America's business. But because they have a leader like Kevin McCarthy and others who are too afraid to stand up to Donald Trump, who does not want us to continue to discuss what happened on January 6th, because he was the person who led the insurrection. He was the person who tried to overthrow our democracy for his own gain and that is why they have to continue to lie.

BURNETT: So you saw the newly uncovered video of Congressman Marjorie Taylor Greene when she traveled to Washington before election to harass Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her staff, yelling through the mailbox, talking about her wearing a diaper and other things, calling her crazy eyes. This is not the only time Greene has harassed the Congresswoman or others, what do you make of her behavior?

PLASKETT: Well, I don't make much of her behavior. I think that Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez is being very kind when she talks about her having mental instability and that is being very generous with her. I think a lot of what she does is performative politics, attempting to get information, get an audience, a platform that we're providing for her.

One day she's going to say something to the wrong person and they're not going to walk away. Some of us are not going to walk away when she attempts to harass us or come and say anything to us.

BURNETT: So when Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez says Marjorie Taylor Greene is a woman that is deeply unwell, I'm concerned about her perceptions of reality, you think that's fair? Would you agree with that assessment?

PLASKETT: I think that that's being generous to who Taylor Greene really is.

BURNETT: And one final question before we go. Obviously, you have to work with Republicans and I know there are some you do work with, but you're going to have to work with them to pass priorities like Biden's jobs and infrastructure bill that you hold dear. Can you work with someone like Marjorie Taylor Greene on anything or Louie Gohmert on anything?

PLASKETT: Well, thankfully, most of the work that is going on for the American Jobs Plan and the other bills are taking place in committees, and she doesn't have a committee assignment. So there isn't a need to work with an individual like her. There are those who want to support the people of America, who are willing to sit down.

I represent Virgin Islanders who need jobs, who need climate change, who need job training, who need the components in President Biden's bill and I'm very willing to work with them. Unfortunately, what I think will happen is that we will attempt to negotiate. We will work on something that is bipartisan among the American people. And many of these Republicans, most of them are not going to vote for it. And then they're going to take credit for it in their districts.

That's been their MO and that's probably what they'll do. They did it with the American Rescue Plan bringing support to the American people during the COVID pandemic to bring us out and to stop the bleeding that was going on in this country. And I suspect they'll do the same with the American Jobs Plan that is going to jumpstart our economy and move us into the 21st century.

BURNETT: Congresswoman Plaskett, I appreciate your time. As always, thank you very much.

PLASKETT: Thank you.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source