CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview with Sen. Richard Blumenthal

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

BLITZER: Let's see what happens.

Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, thank you.

Joining us now, Senator Richard Blumenthal. He's a Democrat who serves on both the Armed Services and Judiciary committees.

Senator, thanks so much for joining us.

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): Thank you.

BLITZER: Let's begin with Barbara Starr just reporting.

Do you think these cyberattacks against these Iranian-backed militias are an appropriate response to the downing of that American drone?

BLUMENTHAL: They are part of an appropriate response. Economic sanctions are another element.

But there also has to be some reliance on diplomacy. And right now, we are failing as a nation to involve allies who are essential to bringing Iran back to the table, as the president says he wants to do.

Our allies are in the middle of this dispute about economic sanctions. And involving them and engaging them is essential.

BLITZER: But the president has repeatedly said over the past few days he's willing to meet with the Iranian leadership without any preconditions. It's the Iranians who say that, as long as these sanctions continue, they don't want to talk to him.

BLUMENTHAL: The threat to obliterate Iran, saying that we have no exit strategy, and the lack of conclusive proof that the drone was even in international waters, as opposed to the Iranian territory, all belie the president's approach here.

[18:10:12]

And...

BLITZER: So, you don't accept the U.S. position that that drone was in international -- over international waters, not in Iranian airspace?

BLUMENTHAL: Our allies certainly haven't indicated they do.

BLITZER: But you -- I assume, as a member of the Armed Services Committee, you have been briefed.

BLUMENTHAL: I have been briefed.

I think that the Iranians purposely shot down that plane. It is yet to be confirmed where exactly it was.

BLITZER: So you have doubts on the U.S. version?

BLUMENTHAL: I continue to have doubts.

And I think the administration owes it to the American people and the world community to present that conclusive evidence.

BLITZER: So did you make that point to the briefers, the Pentagon briefers, others who came to brief the Armed Services Committee?

BLUMENTHAL: Well, I can't go into the classified briefing that we received.

But we need a strategy. We are lacking an endgame here. We're lacking even a tactical strategy. To think that the president had no idea about the number of casualties and deaths there would be until right before the potential strike is extremely alarming.

BLITZER: But you think, in the end, he made the right decision and called off that strike that potentially, he says, could have killed 150 Iranians?

BLUMENTHAL: He made the right step in a crisis that was self- generated and self-inflicted.

BLITZER: What about the personal attacks that we have from the top Iranian leadership that are now being leveled against the White House and the president, mental disability and all of that?

How should the U.S. respond to that?

BLUMENTHAL: We need to keep our eye on American interests and our national security.

Engaging in these kinds of personal attacks seems to be the president's modus operandi. And he's receiving back what he's giving. But, in the end, our national security and our strategy has to be determined by what serves our interest.

We backed out of a deal that was working on nuclear arms. We need to find a way back into it.

BLITZER: So do you think this is a crisis of the president's making?

BLUMENTHAL: It is definitely a crisis, maybe not solely of the president's making, but it would not be there but for the president's actions.

BLITZER: Well, do you think it's doable to do a new nuclear deal with the Iranians?

BLUMENTHAL: The only way it's doable is if we involve and engage our allies.

Right now, they continue to hope that Iran will stay within the limits on enriched uranium. The Iranians give every indication of perhaps moving beyond that limit. But, before they do, we need to reengage our allies.

And, yes, I think it's possible to bring them back to the table.

BLITZER: And very quickly on -- then I want to move on.

But the president now says, you know what, the U.S. doesn't need, for its own interest, to keep the Straits of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf free. The Japanese have a lot more interest in that. The Chinese have a lot more interest, the Indonesians.

Do you think it's time for the U.S. to pull out of that Persian Gulf region?

BLUMENTHAL: We have a vital interest in that region.

Our allies depend on some of the fuel. Japan depends on it. And, yes, we are more and more energy-independent, but our partners and allies in the world depend on it.

And there's a central principle here. We have defended the navigational rights of free passage in the Straits of Hormuz for generations, and we need to continue to do so.

BLITZER: Let's talk about the border situation right now.

It's amazing and it's awful that kids, little kids, are suffering on U.S. territory. They don't have toothpaste, they don't have soap. Toddlers don't have diapers, the bath -- no baths, no showers.

How is this possible? And what are you doing about it?

BLUMENTHAL: It is inhumane and un-American. And my hope and belief is that we will pass that supplemental aid package that will provide more than $4 billion to address the unfolding humanitarian tragedy that we're seeing at the border. BLITZER: Some of the liberals, Democrats in the House, they're

reluctant to go ahead and pass the legislation that the Senate has moved forward.

BLUMENTHAL: I believe that they will approve it in the House. And I think the Senate will move forward.

And I think the two versions of this bill will be reconciled, with conditions and safeguards, like congressional oversight, and standards that have to be imposed on contractors.

BLITZER: Are you encouraging your fellow Democrats in the House to go ahead and pass this -- it's a compromise.

BLUMENTHAL: It is a compromise. And compromise is not a dirty word.

My hope is, Wolf, that this compromise will, in fact, be bipartisan, because we have an equal stake.

BLITZER: All right.

Finally, you want to -- seem to have won a nice win today, big victory against the president of the United States in a lawsuit. Tell us about that.

BLUMENTHAL: In a lawsuit named Blumenthal vs. Trump seeking to enforce the main anti-corruption provision of the United States Constitution, the Emoluments Clause, we have already won a couple of victories in court telling the president we have standing, as members of Congress.

[18:15:07]

There are 200 of us, including the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Jerry Nadler. And, today, the court ruled, really a tremendous victory, that we can move forward with discovery, that is, ascertaining the records and the documents that will show the president is receiving benefits and payments from foreign governments, in violation of that clause, without coming to Congress.

And we're going to make every effort to avoid the president running out the clock, as he no doubt...

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: So you think you're going to be able to get those business documents?

BLUMENTHAL: The court, my hope is, will order it. I don't want to presume what the court is going to do.

But it is essential to our lawsuit that these facts come out. We already know that the president has taken uncounted benefits from Saudi Arabia, from other countries around the world for his hotels, his condos, his rental properties. Those payments and benefits violate the Constitution. We're seeking to enforce accountability. He is not above the accountability the Constitution imposes on him.

BLITZER: An impressive legal victory today. We will see what happens next.

Senator Blumenthal, thanks so much for joining us.

BLUMENTHAL: Thank you.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source