CNN "Anderson 360 Cooper Degress" - Transcript

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

REP. JARED POLIS (D), COLORADO: It's extremely easy.

First of all, according to the Congressional staff director, there's seven people in that office, seven suspects. Secondly, we know which computer it came from. All you need to do is look at the browser history. And if one of them erased their browser history, boom, you figure out who it is.

It couldn't be easier. If they can't figure it out, I will go down there myself and do it for them.

A. COOPER: Clarke, what about that? Seven people in an office, it sounds like it would be pretty easy.

R. CLARKE COOPER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS: Sure.

I don't think there's any disagreement that the bigoted staffer should be fired. I'm not a forensics or a criminal investigator. And so it could be just as easy as that. I have talked to friends of mine who do IT and they said, yes, the IP part is easy. What's not easy are the keystrokes, who actually had their fingerprints on the keyboard.

But the bigoted staffer should be fired. And, as far as keeping them honest --

A. COOPER: But there's -- but there's got to be a limited number of people who actually have -- who can actually use --

R. COOPER: Oh, sure.

A. COOPER: -- that computer.

R. COOPER: Sure.

A. COOPER: I mean, most of the people might be able to use a computer, but there's got to be a very --

R. COOPER: Yes. And congressional offices -- I'm sure Congressman Polis could attest to this -- they're not State Department or Defense computers, where you have to -- you're in a SCIF, and you have to log off when you go to the bathroom. They're pretty open environments. In fact, you have a fleet of interns coming in and out. I'm not defending the delay. I'm not defending the bigoted staffer. But it sounds like that they're wanting to get to the bottom of it.

And why aren't we talking about the Witt ruling tonight? Why aren't we talking about -- we have talked about "don't ask, don't tell".

Keeping them honest, why isn't President Obama firing his Department of Justice attorneys who are equating homosexuality to all kinds of things, like incest?

I mean, so, if we want to talk about firing people, I would like to see some Justice attorneys let go from their jobs right now.

A. COOPER: Representative Polis, do you think Senator Chambliss --

POLIS: Look, you want to talk about -- do you want to talk about -- you want to talk about don't --

A. COOPER: Sorry. Go ahead.

POLIS: Yes. You want to talk about "don't ask, don't tell", again, 96 percent of the Democrats in the Senate, everyone except for two, voted for it. Zero percent of the Republicans voted for repealing "don't ask, don't tell", despite the fact that 75 percent of the American people support it, according to a recent "USA Today" poll, and it's in the interests of securing our country.

A. COOPER: Guys, I --

(CROSSTALK)

POLIS: Look, this is an easy one to figure out.

(CROSSTALK)

R. COOPER: Congressman, I agree with you on the 75 percent. We -- I use -- that's data I use --

(CROSSTALK)

A. COOPER: You know, guys, I agree both of these stories are important. And we have covered "don't ask, don't tell" an awful lot.

But a death threat was sent from the office of a United States senator.

R. COOPER: Right, which was a no-go. That shouldn't happen.

A. COOPER: And that's what we're asking you about.

So, Representative Polis, do you think Senator Chambliss's office did the appropriate thing in referring the matter to the Sergeant at Arms?

POLIS: Yes, it's a strange thing to do.

I asked my chief of staff, I asked a couple former chiefs of staff what -- what they would do in that situation. The Sergeant at Arms Office protects us. So, when we receive a death threat, they -- they investigate it, in conjunction with local police.

They're not a body that looks at the behavior of the people that work for us. That's a very unusual thing for them to do. I don't think they're equipped to do that. That's what your chief of staff and your own hierarchy is responsible for.

In this case, the senator and their hierarchy -- and, ultimately, the senator is responsible for the behavior of the people that work for them -- should find out who did it and fire them. And the trail goes -- grows colder with time. It shouldn't take more than a day or two to figure it out, ask who did it.

And you know what? If people are lying about it, then it needs to end at a higher level, because somebody is responsible.

A. COOPER: Clarke, Chambliss has a pretty poor record on gay issues. Do you think that's involved here at all?

R. COOPER: I don't.

I will say we have had an open-door policy with his professional staff in Washington. I have never engaged with his staff in the district office in Atlanta. But I do agree with Congressman Polis on the buck stops with the member, regardless of what party or if they're in the House or the Senate.

So, as far as the ultimate decision, it's not the Senate Sergeant of Arms. It's not the chief of staff. The ultimate decision to fire this bigoted staffer will come from Senator Chambliss. And -- and I presume he will do the right thing.

A. COOPER: Congressman Polis, I appreciate your time, Clarke Cooper as well. Thanks, guys.

R. COOPER: Thank you. Let's talk about don't ask, don't repeal, the court case. Come on.

POLIS: Thank you.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source