CNN "Wolf" - Transcript: Interview With Chris Coons and Danny Short

Interview

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BLITZER: We will see. Excellent reporting. Thanks very much, Evan, for all of that.

And joining us now, Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware. He's a member of the Judiciary Committee. He's joining us from beautiful Georgetown, Delaware.

Senator, thanks so much for joining us.

Let's -- I want to get your quick reaction to this latest report that this Matt Whitaker is the acting attorney general of the United States right now, has no intention of recusing himself from the Russia investigation despite all the public statements he's made questioning it, suggesting ways to limit its credibility, its worthfulness. What do you think?

SEN. CHRIS COONS (D), DELAWARE: Well, I'm very concerned by that, Wolf. Matt Whitaker made a year ago on CNN public statements where he suggested ways in which the president could interfere with Robert Mueller's ongoing investigation by doing exactly what's happened, firing or forcing the resignation of the attorney general. Replacing him with a partisan like Matthew Whitaker. And then having him squeeze the resources of the investigation.

Whitaker should recuse himself. If they had followed the appropriate process, the deputy attorney general should be the acting attorney general. And I'm going to be calling on my colleagues to act as soon as we return next week to take up and pass the bipartisan bill that's already cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee that would further protect the special counsel.

BLITZER: Why do you think that the president rejected moving up the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, who used to be the U.S. attorney in Baltimore? Why do you think that he rejected that advice and went to this -- the man who was the chief of staff for Sessions?

[13:25:06] COONS: I'm not sure, but I'm very concerned that it was for the inappropriate purpose of trying to interfere with the Mueller investigation. We don't know that for certain yet, but it certainly is highly suspect that someone like Rod Rosenstein, who is a long- serving, well respected career federal law enforcement leader was not made the acting attorney general. Instead, Matt Whitaker, who's recently run for office as a Republican, who has only served briefly as the U.S. attorney in Iowa and has only served briefly in the U.S. Department of Justice was put in place instead. It raises some real concerns. BLITZER: Well, do you believe it's a calculated effort to remove

Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, from overseeing the Mueller probe because now Whitaker is going to oversee the Mueller probe. He'll make decisions on whether to go forward with subpoenas or anything along those lines.

COONS: That's exactly my concern, Wolf. I was encouraged that there were statements from Senator Lamar Alexander, Senator Susan Collins, Senator-elect Mitt Romney, saying the president should not use this as a means to interfere with the investigation. But we're going to have to take strong words like that and translate them into action when we get into session next week.

BLITZER: Senator Richard Blumenthal, a colleague of yours on the Judiciary Committee, says this is a break the glass moment, his words, an emergency where democracy, he suggests, is actually under attack. So what is Congress, in general, Democrats in particular, you're going to be in the minority again in the U.S. Senate, going to do to protect Robert Mueller and his Russia investigation?

COONS: The best thing we could do is take up and pass next week the bipartisan bill that's already cleared the Judiciary Committee. I also think we should call Whitaker in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. But, frankly, this comes down to the Republican majority. Majority Leader McConnell has said repeatedly that it would be inappropriate for the president to interfere with the investigation. I'm very hopeful that we'll find a bipartisan strength to come together and take action to defend the investigation next week.

BLITZER: Senator, on a very, very different subject. I know that politicians where you are in your home state of Delaware today celebrating what they call Return Day where they literally bury the hatchet --

COONS: Return Day.

BLITZER: Tell us -- tell us about that and tell our -- tell us whether you think that Congress could learn a lesson from Return Day in Delaware.

COONS: That's right, Wolf. This is Danny Short, who is the Republican House minority letter here in Delaware. We, on Tuesday, had candidates up and down the state fighting hard against each other and here in Georgetown on Thursday we gathered for Return Day.

Danny, what can you tell us about Return Day?

DANNY SORT (R), DELAWARE HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: Return Day is a tradition. It has hundreds of years of tradition. And today's the day, like after the big game we all played hard and today's the day we're on the field to congratulate the other team for the hard play, whether they win or lose and just say thank you for the honest effort. And today we're going to bury the hatchet. We're going to go downtown and enjoy each other and have a good time with all the constituents that gather here in Delaware. And, coincidentally, Delaware State University will be here as a band.

And the University of Delaware will be here, my alma mater, along with Jay Flacko's (ph) school, to celebrate the day for the first time. So it's going to be a great day.

BLITZER: Well, let's hope that politicians in Washington can learn some lessons from you guys over there in Delaware. Thanks so much to both of you for joining us and good luck.

COONS: Thank you, Wolf.

SHORT: Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you very much.

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