CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview With Rep. Gerry Connolly

Interview

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And joining me now is Congressman Gerry Connolly. He's a Democrat who serves on the Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees.

Sir, thank you so much for joining us.

REP. GERRY CONNOLLY (D-VA): My pleasure, Brianna.

KEILAR: So, the president right now -- I want to talk to you about what we're seeing going on in Iraq, where the U.S. Embassy has -- at least the compound in Baghdad has been attacked.

The president is blaming Iran. He tweeted this: "Iran will be held fully responsible for lives lost or damage incurred at any of our facilities. They will pay a very big price. This is not a warning. It is a threat."

What is your reaction to that tweet?

CONNOLLY: Well, this is a president who's made many elaborate threats against foreign leaders or other countries in the past, and has not followed through on them.

So, I fear that his credibility with adversaries is very limited. Obviously, there are several things that have to happen here. One is, we have got to secure the compound in Baghdad, make sure all of our personnel are safe and secure.

Secondly, we have to hold the Iraq government to account here. They are responsible, as the host government, for the security and safety of American personnel, the diplomatic personnel. And they need to live up to that obligation, which, frankly, they were not doing in the last 24 hours.

And then,thirdly, I would call upon the president to reexamine both his rhetoric and his policies with respect to Iran.

Much of this friction and violence flows from his very fateful decision to renounce and walk away from our own agreement that was working, the Iran nuclear agreement, thus severing any working relationship we possibly could have with Iran.

And Iran now has very little to lose in the relationship. That puts it in a very dangerous position.

KEILAR: Are Americans at the embassy compound in Iraq safe, in your view?

CONNOLLY: I don't know that. It's a big compound. It's about 100 acres.

It's one of the largest, if not the largest, diplomatic facilities in the world. It's hard to police and patrol adequately. And that's why we have to rely on security forces in the Iraqi government itself.

And, reportedly, a number of those forces stood by while Hezbollah- related Shia crowds stormed or attempt to storm the embassy. That obviously is a very dangerous situation reminiscent of 1979.

KEILAR: Well, that's exactly the image -- the moment that these images conjure up, is 1979.

And I wonder, with what is supposed to be the ability to entrust security issues to the Iraqis, and the U.S. to a degree still relying on this and telling the Iraqis, look, this needs to be something that you're paying attention to, do you think that the ability to have an effective U.S. military footprint, a U.S. diplomatic footprint in Iraq is still an ability -- or that that ability is deteriorating?

What do you think?

CONNOLLY: I think the domestic security situation is very volatile in Iraq right now. It has a very substantial Shia population that's really roused up by the United States decision to undertake retaliatory strikes after the death of an American contractor at the hands of Iranian-supported militias or insurgents.

But it is the obligation of the Iraq government. And it's my understanding, reportedly, that the Iraq prime minister gave assurances to President Trump that, in fact, they would fulfill those obligations.

Well, they need to do that.

KEILAR: I want to turn to impeachment now with you.

You have heard from Republican Senator Susan Collins, who says she's open to witnesses in the Senate trial. She does say, though, it's premature to choose witnesses before evidence is presented, which puts her in line with the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell.

What do you think about this? Do you think there's any hope in reading that perhaps she can join Democrats or provide some pressure for there to be witnesses? Or do you just think she's in line with McConnell? [18:15:03]

CONNOLLY: I think Susan Collins is struggling with her own independence.

It's got to be tough to be in her position, with the overwhelming majority of Republican members apparently having made up their minds or not seeking a fair and open process.

And so I admire what she said today, which is to strike out a little bit and put a marker down for the possibility of witnesses.

Her disclaimer about her disappointment in Democrats not pursuing subpoenas is a little disingenuous, from my point of view, because she knows that to do that would have been years of litigation in the court system.

And that's why the Democrats didn't pursue it. And the idea that we rushed to judgment is false. The impeachment process was the culmination of an over-two-year effort by Robert Mueller and, of course, compellingly documented on the Ukrainian issue in terms of what the president did.

And as clear as the nose on the face, that was abuse of office.

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: She's making the point that, if that's the case, then why weren't the articles of impeachment sent over? And, to that point, we have been trying to get answers to that question. When will they be sent over? Will they go over in January, do you think?

CONNOLLY: Well, yes.

You know, we're on recess, as is the Senate. And I'm not quite sure the obsession about, well, when will they be said over?

But I will say this. I think it's also disingenuous to suggest you went into rush -- and I was trying to explain we didn't rush. And, secondly, why aren't the articles of impeachment here?

Well, that kind of pretends that Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham and other Republicans, your colleagues in the United States Senate, Senator Collins, haven't made outrageous statements about their lack of impartiality in advance of taking an oath to be precisely that, impartial.

And I think the Democrats, and certainly Speaker Pelosi, have reason to pause as to, well, what -- to what body are we handing over these articles of impeachment? Is this a sham trial with a rigged jury? Or is it indeed going to uphold its second oath -- it's the only time senators take a second oath -- to be impartial jurors in the impeachment trial process?

And I think we're entitled to know the answer to that before we send over the articles of impeachment. And I think the speaker is right to pause to give everybody the opportunity to examine that question.

KEILAR: It seems like this has been a practice in trying to hold the articles of impeachment to raise questions about -- or, I should say, raise the issue of impartiality, and hope that it really is something that is absorbed a little more by Americans, that the Democrats' message is absorbed a little more by Americans.

CONNOLLY: Yes.

KEILAR: And maybe there's some pressure that can be put on Mitch McConnell and Republicans.

But do you really see that happening? I mean, right now, you have heard what Lisa Murkowski said, but she had criticism for you guys as well, and the same really with Susan Collins.

CONNOLLY: Yes, I kind of take some of that criticism as a bit of a disclaimer to give themselves some political protection, because their position is an awfully lonely position in the Republican Caucus in the United States Senate.

And so I admire their forthrightness and their willingness to stake out a semi-independent position. I hope they will follow through on it.

KEILAR: All right, we will watch as well.

Congressman Gerry Connolly, thank you so much for joining us, and a happy new year to you.

CONNOLLY: My pleasure, and happy New Year.

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