CNN "The Lead with Jake Tapper" - Transcript: Interview with Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

TAPPER: Well, I don't think this mob care -- honors the police. I think they just don't like Black Lives Matter. Shimon, thank you so much. Joining me now is Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries; he is the Chairman of the Democratic Caucus. Congressman, thanks so much for being with us. A short time ago, Speaker Pelosi called for the 25th Amendment to be invoked.

She said if the vice president and cabinet do not act, Congress may be prepared to move forward with impeachment. Just a second ago, I heard from a former Republican Congressman, Paul Mitchell, who said to me, he's now an independent and he didn't run for re-election. And he said "President Trump should step down or the 25th Amendment should be invoked". What do you think, impeachment, 25th Amendment, what do you -- what do you want?

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): Well, the most important thing, Jake, is that the president should be removed from office. He's a clear and present danger to the health, safety and well-being of the American people. We saw that in quite vivid and violent ways yesterday.

This was a mob that was incited and directed to attack the Capitol, attack our democracy, attack the rule of law and attack the constitution, in order to subvert the peaceful transition and transfer of power. That's what it was all about. And this is a logical consequence of the corrupt behavior that we have seen from this president from the moment that he was sworn into office. Now, I've indicated that I believe all options should be on the table, including the impeachment, conviction and removal of Donald Trump.

That is something that Congress has in our control, in both the house and the Senate. We'd need to do it, of course, in a bipartisan and bicameral way, given the constraints in the United States Senate. But the most important thing is to end this nightmare before he can do anymore damage to our country.

TAPPER: Tell us about your experience at the Capitol yesterday, both when the mob was terrorizing the building and the individuals there. And also, when you came back, what was the scene?

JEFFRIES: Well, I happen to be on the floor of the House of Representatives at the time that the so-called objections were being debated in connection with the state of Arizona. And that debate was interrupted by the Sergeant at Arms, I believe, who indicated that there were individuals who were trying to break into the Capitol, and that for the moment, things were under control. But that he wanted to brief us as to where things stood.

Shortly thereafter, after the constitutional officers were removed, he came back and indicated to us that the mob had breached the Capitol, was on the second floor, and was en route to the House of Representatives' chamber, urged us to secure the gas masks that were underneath our seats in the event that tear gas was disseminated, and that things could escalate from there.

TAPPER: And tell us about when you came back, what you saw. I heard that you saw that somebody had urinated in the hall of Congress or something.

JEFFRIES: Well, that's correct, in front of my Capitol Hill office, there was urination, and I was informed about it based on the fact that a staff member of mine, who was sheltering in place in that office as the mob riots were taking place, was able to hear what was occurring, as part of the desecration that was the clear intent of what was occurring, as well as the assaults on the officers, the rummaging through the different offices.

It was just a disgraceful display of insurrection which is why this such a serious issue for us to address and address decisively.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: The Capitol Police, a lot of them worked really hard to try to get the mob under control. Many of them are injured. But as an institution, it's inescapable the conclusion that the Capitol Police failed to protect the Capitol yesterday.

Speaker Pelosi said that the chief, Steven Sund, has not even called her to talk about what happened. She's calling on him to resign. Who do you think should be held accountable for the failings yesterday? Obviously, the mob is responsible for the terrorism they wreaked, but law enforcement failed.

JEFFRIES: There was definitely a failure of leadership at the law enforcement level. I know for a fact that Speaker Pelosi made clear to the sergeant at arms and the Capitol Police Chief in advance, be prepared for the worst. And that is something that they were clearly not prepared for.

And it's deeply troubling that you had the violent mob individuals who were in some cases ushered into the United States Capitol. And then ushered out or allowed to leave almost with red carpet-like treatment, with no arrests being made with the exception of a handful as of the evening yesterday.

And so I think we need a complete and total review. I've got great confidence in the committees of jurisdiction, including the House Administration Committee and also Congressman Tim Ryan, who sits on the relevant committee, with respect to the appropriations of resources to the Capitol Police. We're going to get to the bottom of this and we're going to make sure that it is fixed, so this never happens again.

TAPPER: Yes, we all knew this day was coming. And President Trump was inciting his supporters. Last question for you, Congressman. If that had been hundreds, if not thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters storming the Capitol violently, committing acts of domestic terrorism, do you think the response from the Capitol Police would have been the same?

JEFFRIES: No. And I think that's just clear. We understand, listen, this is a country that's an exceptional country. We've come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. One of the challenges that we continue to grapple with is the systemic racism that has been in the soil of America for approximately 401 years.

And sometimes it manifests itself in different ways, whether that's explicit or implicit. And it's clear to many of us, both African- American members of Congress as well as colleagues who I've spoken to on both sides of the aisle, that there appear to have been differential treatment and that is one of the reasons why the insurrection escalated and was so successful.

But let me also say in closing, Jake, we came back to Congress. We completed our work. We certified the election of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States of America, because we understood that their effort as domestic terrorists was to try to stop us from being who we are as a democratic republic and we did not allow that to happen.

TAPPER: Democratic Congressman and Democratic Caucus Chair, Hakeem Jeffries, thank you so much and so glad you're OK and safe, Congressman. Thanks for being with us today.

JEFFRIES: Thanks, Jake.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source