Fox News "The Story" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. John Ratcliffe
Interview
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MACCALLUM: Here now Republican Congressman, John Ratcliffe, a member, also, of the House intelligence committee. He joins me now. Congressman Ratcliffe, good to have you with us today.
REP. JOHN RATCLIFFE, R-TEXAS: Hi, Martha.
MACCALLUM: Do you believe that he needs to step down?
RATCLIFFE: Well, let's look at the facts. Let's look at the conduct of Chairman Schiff. As the chairman of the intelligence committee, he accused President Trump of crimes. He did that repeatedly over a two-year period. He said he had evidence of those crimes.
And as you pointed out, Martha, Bob Mueller came back and said that's simply wasn't true. Bob Mueller said there wasn't -- it wasn't that there wasn't sufficient evidence to charge collusion, he said there was no collusion. So --
MACCALLUM: What was Adam Schiff talking about? I mean, you know, I know he was asked this in the hallway today. Let's play what he said in response to the calls for his resignation. Watch this.
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MACCALLUM: So, he didn't say much about what his evidence was but he said that he wasn't surprised that you guys were coming after him.
RATCLIFFE: Well, it's not just us, Martha. It's not just Republicans, it's Americans who are concerned about the integrity. Again, this is not just an issue of judgment. This is an issue of integrity, of not telling the truth over a two-year period of essentially yelling fire in a crowded theater to the American people about a false collusion narrative that simply was not true where there was no evidence even though he said he had it.
And I think one of the things that is most troubling, Martha, is as you can see from that, Adam doesn't feel bad about what he did. And in fact, now he wants to double down on it. He wants to continue the investigation into Donald Trump for Russia related crimes, even though the special counsel with the benefit of 20 prosecutors, 40 federal agents, unlimited time, unlimited money, and unlimited resources has said there are no -- there is no evidence.
So why they want to --
(CROSSTALK)
MACCALLUM: But I guess --
RATCLIFFE: -- why they want to double down, Martha, on a narrative that is only helping Vladimir Putin is one of the great ironies of the Mueller report summary that we just received.
MACCALLUM: Well, I guess that raises a really important question, which is what, you know, what measures can the House judiciary committee take to demand that he substantiate what he charged.
And then if you believe that this is continuing to exacerbate the success that the Russian government did have, which was to pit everyone in this country against each other for two whole years which was extremely successful, how, you know, how can he be held accountable for that if what you say is true?
RATCLIFFE: Well, Martha, Republicans have held, as people know, our own members accountable when they've been out of line. We've removed them from committees, we've asked them to step aside. The Democrats dug this hole. We're not going to take the shovel out of their hands.
Do they think that the chairman of this the committee that handles all of our intelligence community assets, our most sensitive national security measures saying untruthful things about the president, about evidence against the president for two-year period is something that he should be held accountable for?
MACCALLUM: So, you're saying they have to do it? There's nothing that -- you're part of the equation on the Republican side, on your committee can do?
RATCLIFFE: We're doing it. We're having this discussion before the public about whether or not the American people think that Adam Schiff should continue to be the chairman of the intelligence committee.
MACCALLUM: Yes. Well, the House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy has said that he must resign. Dan Crenshaw, Congressman Dan Crenshaw also has said you have been exposed to up the charade. No collusion, move on. So, we will see where all of it goes. Congressman Ratcliffe, thank you so much.
RATCLIFFE: Thanks, Martha.
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