CNN "Erin Burnett Outfront" - Transcript: Interview with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D), Oregon

Interview

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OUTFRONT now, Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which, of course, held today's meeting. So, you are there, Senator.

There were a lot of questions in the hearing about Pompeo's relationship with Trump, whether it was too close, whether he was willing to do the president's bidding when it comes to Russia. You just heard that exchange there.

What did you make of it?

SEN. JEFF MERKLEY (D), OREGON: Well, certainly, I understand that he didn't want to disclose a personal conversation, probably, there was no expectation that he would disclose it. But what really the hearing came down to was whether Mike Pompeo, teaming up with John Bolton, is a war cabinet that is going to not exercise appropriate restraint and diplomacy in international affairs.

BURNETT: So, obviously we have a big question tonight on Syria, but I want to ask you about a couple other things that came up here. When Mike Pompeo, who, of course, is CIA director currently, he was asked whether he spoken to Special Counsel Bob Mueller, and he said yes, he had. He had been interviewed and he had answered Mueller's questions. He didn't reveal what they discussed.

Did you have any concern that he wouldn't reveal it? Were you surprised that he'd been interviewed?

MERKLEY: I was surprised he'd been interviewed, but I know those interviews are wide sweeping. I mean, it wasn't a sort of a shocking surprise, but the -- you heard him -- if you played a tape of all the times he said, "I don't remember," "I can't share that with you", "I don't want to talk about it," it comprised a good share of the hearing.

BURNETT: So you were disappointed?

MERKLEY: Well, I was really concerned about this question of how he viewed the ability of the president to take us into war without the constraints imposed by the Constitution. The Constitution says that that power rests with Congress. It says that only way he can act without Congress --

BURNETT: Yes.

MERKLEY: -- is if there's an emergency in which the United States or our forces or assets are attacked. And he said explicitly today that he felt the president can act even beyond that power -- in any case. And that's extremely scary.

BURNETT: That was scary to you. What about what's happening in Syria right now? You know, the national security meeting just wrapped up, of course, on what they're going to do. The president yesterday, you know, said to Russia, you know, basically, get ready, the missiles are coming. Today, he said, you know, never said, maybe very soon, maybe not at all.

Are strikes imminent? And do you think he has the authority to call for them?

MERKLEY: I think strikes are probably imminent. Many of us have asked Mike Pompeo about a Syria strategy, what are the basic principles.

And the fact is we are in complete chaos. A couple weeks ago, the president said we have troops in Syria, in pursuit of ISIS, but I want to pull them out. Now, he's talking about announcing to Russia in advance, I'm going to strike Syria.

Today, it made clearer by Mike Pompeo, he doesn't think there's any constraint on the degree that the president can act without permission of Congress, but there's no coherent plan on how you get to the point of trying to restore civil governance in that nation.

BURNETT: Does Pompeo have the votes in your committee right now? We know Rand Paul is a no. Tim Kaine and Jeanne Shaheen on the Democrats have issues with him. Is Pompeo going to get a yes to move ahead as secretary of state?

MERKLEY: It is still in question whether he can get the votes.

BURNETT: Still in question. I mean, that's pretty significant.

And finally before we go --

MERKLEY: Yes. BURNETT: -- I don't know if you've seen, Senator, these reports

coming out about the book, Jim Comey's book, what he says about the president. Do you have any reaction to what he is saying the president said, you know, referring to him as wanting a mob boss-like loyalty, asking Jim Comey about the lurid allegations in the Russian dossier about prostitutes in Moscow up to four times?

MERKLEY: Yes, I think it certainly reinforces the story that we've been hearing and seeing time and time again. When he was talking about -- when Comey was talking about the Trump in the context of being like a mob boss, he said it comes down to this issue of loyalty, and that that's how he conducts himself. And we saw that cabinet meeting that I think symbolized that, where he went around to each cabinet member and each one had to genuflect to a president, which was just a sorry sight to see in a democracy.

BURNETT: All right. Senator Merkley, I appreciate your time. Thank you.

MERKLEY: Thank you.

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