CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript Interview with Richard Blumenthal

Interview

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I will get reaction from Senator Richard Blumenthal.

We will be right back.

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BLITZER: We're getting new reaction this hour to the U.S. coronavirus death toll rising above a truly horrific new level of 200,000.

We're also following breaking news on a new warning about foreign interference in the upcoming U.S. election.

Joining us now to discuss this and more, Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat who serves on both the Judiciary and the Armed Services committees.

[18:20:03] Senator, thanks so much for joining us.

Let me get your reaction to this new warning from the FBI about foreign actors -- that's how they call it -- foreign actors working to spread disinformation about the results of the upcoming November 3 election here in the United States.

How concerning is this to you?

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): I have seen these classified reports, Wolf.

Let me just say bluntly, these reports of foreign interference in our election are absolutely chilling. They should be declassified. The American people deserve to see them. They need to understand the magnitude of this attack on our democracy.

The State Department released a report on global interference by Russia just a few weeks ago. It makes the 2016 interference look like child's play, as directed at democracies around the world.

That's Vladimir Putin's objective, to sow discord. There's no reason to think that the United States would be immune from it. And the American people need to see what I have seen, these classified reports.

I am barred from talking publicly about the details because I'm sworn to secrecy in that classified setting. The American people deserve to know.

BLITZER: And when they say for foreign actors, I assume they're referring to the Russians. Is that right?

BLUMENTHAL: It is principally the Russians.

Other countries have the capability to do so. There's some question about how actively they are doing it around the world, according to that State Department report.

I am not at liberty to talk about the details, but Vladimir Putin is intent on sowing discord and division in the United States. It's an attack on our democracy.

And, unfortunately, Donald Trump has failed to stand up to it, just as he has the reports about bounties put on our service men and women.

BLITZER: Let me give you a reaction on a different subject.

The president just told reporters that he's going to announce his Supreme Court nominee, a new justice for the U.S. Supreme Court, at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. He says he's going to have a news conference and make that announcement.

I assume whoever he's going to pick will be there together with him.

This is moving very quickly. And it looks right now, Senator, like the Republicans have the votes, barring something strange going on, to get this individual approved, confirmed for the U.S. Supreme Court, the third Trump nominee for the Supreme Court, approved by the November 3 election.

What do you think?

BLUMENTHAL: No matter who the president nominates, this process totally lacks legitimacy.

The Republican majority has broken its word. We can't force them to keep their word, any more than we can force them to care about the health care of their constituents. The president is nominating someone who will strike down protections for people with preexisting conditions, including people who have suffered from COVID, because he has said, the strong test, in his words, for his nominee will be striking down the Affordable Care Act and overturning Roe v. Wade.

He's doing it at a time when we have just reached that horrible $200,000 -- 200,000-life death mark.

BLITZER: The vice president, Mike Pence, said today that, within the next two weeks, the administration would come out with a new executive order guaranteeing that preexisting conditions would be honored in any new health care plan.

The president has said this repeatedly over the past year or so. Every two weeks, he seems to be saying there will be a new plan for preexisting conditions, a new health care plan within two weeks.

Now the vice president said it today. So, I assume they're going to do it at some point. Would you trust that?

BLUMENTHAL: I have no trust in Republicans saying they have any sort of replacement for the Affordable Care Act and its protection for people with preexisting conditions, because they have been saying it since 2011, when they first sought to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

And they promised a replacement. Again and again and again, they say there's going to be a replacement, just as they say they have a coronavirus relief package. Instead of nominating a justice who would strike down the Affordable Care Act in a case that's now pending before the Supreme Court -- it'll be argued in early November -- they should be pushing for a new relief bill for the families that are struggling to put food on the table, businesses striving to keep their doors open, all of us now reaching this heartbreaking 200 (sic) lives lost.

[18:25:00]

BLITZER: Yes.

Despite your complaints, the president looks like he's going forward with a nominee 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. And it certainly looks like Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham are going to go forward and try to get this approved by the Republican majority in the Senate before November 3. We will see what happens.

Senator Blumenthal, thanks so much for joining us.

BLUMENTHAL: Thank you.

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