MSNBC "The Beat with Ari Melber" - Transcript: Interview with Elaine Luria

Interview

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MELBER: Yes, and I appreciate that, a bit of a legal fact-check or guidance for those who`ve heard that aspect of the debate.

My thanks to Joyce and Chai.

As promised, we proceed directly to another special guest on a very busy day on the Hill, Congresswoman Elaine Luria, who is on the committee.

Thanks for making time tonight.

REP. ELAINE LURIA (D-VA): Thank you.

MELBER: What do you think people should take from today`s testimony? What is it important that the investigative hearing today conveys?

LURIA: Well, I think that, for those of us in the room, and I imagine for those watching around the country on TV, as we saw scenes replayed, and the officers there today who were subjected to the most brutality and threats for their life, seeing and hearing and putting all that together with their personal stories just to truly understand how dangerous that day was, how dangerous the people were who came to the Capitol, and it really struck me this comment that was made by one of the insurrectionists in the video was that: We didn`t come here to be violent.

Of course, they were violent. But he said: We didn`t come here to be violent. We just came here to overthrow the government.

And the fact that we just have to take that seriously, this threat to our democracy. And those officers who were courageous to tell their stories today, they were the last line of protection that we had.

MELBER: So many Republican leaders have now joined the side of discussing the riot in inaccurate terms, to say the least.

Is your view that they are all just comfortable lying about this? Or are they confused? Unlike certain debates, this is one where you were all in or near the venue, to say nothing of the video. So you all went through it.

What is it like trying to work through this with individuals who are lying about what happened in the building you`re speaking to us from?

LURIA: Well, I think Liz Cheney said it really well in her remarks.

There`s been a huge sea change. After this happened, everyone, including Leader McCarthy, understood the gravity of it, understood the violence that happened. And since then, they have just forgotten. And this truly discredits the pain, both physical and emotional, for those officers.

And we heard from four of them today. There`s hundreds more who responded and saved the lives of people in the Capitol, saved the process of certifying the election results. And then that saved our democracy.

And the fact that they have twisted this into something else and tried to whitewash it and make it go away and make it appear that it was something, just peaceful protesters or tourists in the Capitol, it`s just -- it`s disgusting.

MELBER: Yes.

We`re running over on time in this block, but I did want to ask you as well. As a member of the committee, do you support seeking the testimony of Kevin McCarthy and Donald Trump?

LURIA: You know, like we have said, like all the members on the committee agree, we are going to go where the evidence takes us. Nothing is off the table.

And I fully expect that we will leave no stone unturned until we get all of the evidence necessary to understand what happened that day.

MELBER: Copy.

And I know you and other members have been keeping the questioning strategy, the plans close to your vest. But we did want to ask.

So, Congresswoman Luria, after today`s rather significant testimony and a busy day for you and your team, thank you for again making time for us on THE BEAT.

LURIA: Thank you.

MELBER: Appreciate it.

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