Fox News "The Story" - Transcript: Interview with Sen. Chuck Grassley

Interview

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MACCALLUM: So joining me now in "The Story" exclusive, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, Republican from Iowa. Chairman Grassley, good to have you with us today. You know, a lot of people would ask, this is behind us now. So what's the point in continuing to pursue the claims of these two women? What would you tell them?

SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY, R-IOWA, CHAIRMAN, SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: We have to be able to make it very clear to the entire public that lying to Congress is a is a felony on a couple sections of our code and we want to make sure that the process not only of confirming Supreme Court justices but of course, almost anything where you want to take testimony from the general public that you want to know that it's truthful.

And because every one of these things that come in whether it's anonymous or whether there's a name connected with it, it takes a lot of hours for staff to follow up to see if it's legitimate. And we want to discourage coming to Congress with information that not only hurts individuals but is outright wrong and spend a lot of resources of the federal government to follow up on it.

So, we want to discourage that and that's why we have urged the FBI and the Justice Department to follow up to see if prosecution is legitimate. Congress can't prosecute, but we can suggest things that are wrong and we have a responsibility to turn over to the proper law enforcement people when we know that's a crime may have been committed.

MACCALLUM: OK. So, with regard to Ms. Munroe-Leighton, she, there was a Jane Doe letter that was written about a horrific situation. In this Jane Doe letter, Jane Doe said that she was raped in the back of a car by the judge who was trying to become the next Supreme Court justice which he ultimately did.

Now then this woman, Munroe-Leighton, she then called your office as I understand it and said that was me, I'm the person who claim that and no longer a Jane Doe. What did you learned about her, what did your investigators learned about her, what did she say once you found her?

GRASSLEY: Well, first of all, it was an anonymous letter that came from California through Senator Harris of California. And then it was anonymous at that point. So, we followed up and we were able to track the name down of this lady and following up with her, we found out it was a stunned on her part and she admitted so much.

But it might have been something that was funny to her at the time or she wanted to get part of the action. She may have not liked Justice Kavanaugh. Whatever reasons, I don't know. But the point is, it took a lot of time for our staff to follow up.

MACCALLUM: Yes.

GRASSLEY: Because we have a responsibility to follow up on that and we've got to discourage that. And that's why she was likewise turned over to the FBI for investigation.

MACCALLUM: Yes. She said, "I did it as a way to grab attention. I was angry so I sent it out." She said it was a tactic and a ploy and that she was opposed to the nomination. So, she is saying that she didn't actually write the original letter. She said she did because she wanted to jump on the bandwagon as I understand it.

Now with regard to Julie Swetnick and Michael Avenatti, he attorney, we should, some of the contradictions that she pointed out in the interview that were different than the original statement that she made that was submitted to your committee.

Here's what Michael Avenatti is saying about your committee pursuing this with the DOJ. He says, "Chuck Grassley's partisan report is garbage. There is no evidence that my client or I did anything wrong. We are still waiting and hoping the FBI fully investigates this matter. Chuck evidently didn't have any juice." He says.

GRASSLEY: Well, first of all, he got very personal with me. You didn't read that part of it. But it kind of tells me what generally happens when lawyers don't have the facts on their side then they start attacking the individual.

But also, he asking in one of his TV interviews, he said that he tried to have this whole thing open up because the facts will get out. I don't know how many more facts you can get out than 32 hours of questioning by every member of the committee. And then 1200 questions that were put to him in writing, what other information could get out that hasn't already been asked and answered.

MACCALLUM: Well, let me ask you this. Do you plan to pursue or reopen or refer to the DOJ anything with regard to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford or Deborah Ramirez?

GRASSLEY: At this point, no, but we put out a 414-page report over the weekend that I would refer you and your listeners too. And that leaves open the possibility of further investigations and further action that can be taken. But right now, I'm not in a position not because I don't want to answer your question, I just don't have an answer for you.

MACCALLUM: OK. And last question, if Democrats do take over control of the House, there's some -- or the Senate, which could happen as well of course, there is some discussion that they might reopen the investigation possibly in the perjury of Judge Kavanaugh. Your thoughts on that?

GRASSLEY: Well, my thoughts on it are that with everything that's been coming up, everything accusation that's been made, and none of it stuck, and they don't find any problems with his record of 12 years on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, and everything they threw at him personally nothing stuck to the wall, it just seems to me that they are going down a wild-goose chase.

They can do anything they want to. But to say after four days and 100 days that he was before the United States, four days of hearings and 100 days through before the Senate before he was approved that's about a third longer than the average Supreme Court justice has. If they think they can bring something out, let them go to it. But I think they are barking up a tree.

MACCALLUM: All right. Senator Chuck Grassley, thank you very much, chairman. It's always good to see you. Thank you for being here tonight.

GRASSLEY: You bet. Thank you, Martha.

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