CSPAN — Washington Journal Chandler Hall
20260810 195100 UTC
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[00:00:01] >> TUESDAY, AUGUST 11 ON C-SPAN,
[00:00:03] OUR CAMPAIGN 2026 COVERAGE CONTINUES WITH ANOTHER PRIMARY
[00:00:07] NIGHT IN AMERICA. VOTERS IN SIX STATES.
[00:00:10] ALABAMA, CONNECTICUT, MINNESOTA, SOUTH CAROLINA, VERMONT, AND WISCONSIN ARE HEADED TO THE
[00:00:14] POLLS AND PRIMARY RACES THAT WILL SET THE BALANCE FOR
[00:00:16] NOVEMBER'S GENERAL ELECTIONS IN CRITICAL HOUSE AND SENATE RACES
[00:00:19] THAT COULD TIP THE BALANCE OF POWER ON CAPITOL HILL.
[00:00:22] AFTER MONTHS OF FUNDRAISING AND CAMPAIGNING, SEE THE RESULTS IN
[00:00:26] VICTORY AND CONCESSION SPEECHES AS THEY HAPPEN. DO NOT MISS OUR PRIMARY NIGHT
[00:00:30] COVERAGE ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, STARTING AT 7:00 P.M. EASTERN ON
[00:00:34] C-SPAN, C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE VIDEO APP, OR ONLINE AT
[00:00:38] C-SPAN.ORG. PRIMARY NIGHT IN AMERICA ON C-SPAN.
[00:00:41] EVERY MOMENT, EVERY RESULT, EVERY SPEECH.
[00:00:44] >> WELCOME BACK TO WASHINGTON GENERAL.
[00:00:48] WE ARE JOINED BY CHANDLER HALL, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR PUBLIC
[00:00:51] SAFETY AT THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS. WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.
[00:00:57] SO YOUR ORGANIZATION, CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS, PUT OUT A
[00:01:00] REPORT WITH THE HEADLINE THE
[00:01:04] TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S $1.7 BILLION NATIONAL GUARD
[00:01:08] DEPLOYMENTS FAILED TO REDUCE URBAN CRIME.
[00:01:10] FIRST, TALK ABOUT YOUR OVERALL
[00:01:13] FINDINGS AND THEN WE WILL GET INTO DETAILS. >> THANK YOU.
[00:01:16] SO WE LOOKED AT WHAT WERE THE
[00:01:19] EFFECTS OF THE -- NOT JUST IN
[00:01:21] D.C. BUT IN ALL CITIES IN WHICH THE NATIONAL GUARD WERE
[00:01:25] DEPLOYED, BASICALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE ACTUALLY WAS
[00:01:28] A CHANGE IN THE PRE-EXISTING TREND BEFORE IT GOES DEPLOYMENTS
[00:01:32] OCCURRED TO THE POST-EXISTING TREND AFTER IT SAW THE NATIONAL
[00:01:35] GUARD DEPLOYMENTS IN VIOLENT CRIME RATES GET WHAT WE FIND IS THAT ACROSS MULTIPLE CITIES,
[00:01:39] MULTIPLE DATA SETS, AND MULTIPLE
[00:01:42] TIME WINDOWS, WE FIND NO EFFECT THAT VIOLENT CRIME ASHLEY DID
[00:01:46] CHANGE POST THE NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENTS IN ANY OF THE CITIES.
[00:01:49] THIS HAS ALSO BEEN SUPPORTED BY OTHER RESEARCH, OTHER FOLKS HAVE
[00:01:52] LOOKED AT THIS QUESTION AS WELL.
[00:01:55] RECENTLY, THE CENTER ALSO PUBLISHED THEIR OWN PAPER
[00:01:58] LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT D.C. AND THEY FIND THE SAME RESULT IN
[00:02:02] TERMS OF VIOLENT CRIME THAT THE NATIONAL GUARD APPOINTMENTS DID
[00:02:06] NOT IMPACT VIOLENT CRIME RATES DOWN IN THE CITY OF D.C.
[00:02:10] ALTHOUGH IN THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS, THEY DID FIND THERE
[00:02:12] WAS AN EFFECT ON PROPERTY CRIME AND THEY FOUND A DECREASE IN
[00:02:15] OPPORTUNISTIC PROPERTY CRIME BASED ON THE NATIONAL GUARD
[00:02:19] DEPLOYMENTS IN THE DISTRICT.
[00:02:20] >> SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE DATA
[00:02:24] ITSELF BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF
[00:02:28] CONTROVERSY AROUND CRIME DATA. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THEY WILL SAY,
[00:02:32] LOOK, NOT EVERYTHING IS REPORTED
[00:02:36] TO THE FBI. NOT EVERYTHING IS DETERMINED TO
[00:02:39] BE IDENTIFIED THE SAME WAY.
[00:02:40] THE SAME -- SOME THINGS ARE AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND NOT
[00:02:44] CONSIDERED VIOLENCE. THINGS ARE CONSIDERED VIOLENCE.
[00:02:47] TALK ABOUT YOUR DATA AND HOW WE CAN BE SURE THAT YOU HAVE GOT
[00:02:51] DATA THAT CAN MAKE THESE KINDS
[00:02:53] OF IMPLICATIONS, ESSENTIALLY.
[00:02:56] GUEST: ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S A QUICK QUESTION AND I
[00:02:59] AGREE WITH ALL THE POINTS YOU MADE ABOUT THE LACK OF
[00:03:02] CONSISTENT DATA INFRASTRUCTURE IN THIS COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE DOING COMPARATIVE
[00:03:07] ANALYSIS ACROSS CITIES. ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE ATTEMPT TO SOLVE FOR THIS IS BY USING
[00:03:11] MULTIPLE DATA SETS TO TRY TO
[00:03:15] EFFECTUATE IF THERE ARE ANY BIASES IN THOSE INDIVIDUAL DATA
[00:03:18] SETS, HOW THEY ARE RECORDING DATA, COLLECTING DATA AND
[00:03:22] REPORTING IT, THAT WE ARE WATCHING THOSE OUT BY USING
[00:03:24] MULTIPLE DATA SETS, LOOKING ACROSS ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS IN
[00:03:27] WHICH WE ARE COLLECTING DATA, WHETHER OR NOT THE RESULTS ARE
[00:03:30] CONSISTENT AND THAT IS EXACTLY
[00:03:32] WHAT WE FIND IS THAT THEY ARE CONSISTENT ACROSS MULTIPLE DATA
[00:03:35] SETS WE ARE USING, NOT JUST
[00:03:36] THOSE THAT ARE DIRECTLY REPORTED BY EITHER THE DISTRICT AND THE
[00:03:40] CITIES THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THIS STUDY BUT ALSO USING A
[00:03:44] THIRD-PARTY TO SEE AS WELL THAT
[00:03:46] DOES NOT DIRECTLY RELATE AND USE
[00:03:50] DATA FOR ANY OF THESE AGENCIES.
[00:03:52] HOST: PRESIDENT TRUMP DID WEIGH
[00:03:55] IN ON THE CRIME RATE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND I AM GOING TO PLAY WHAT HE PLAYED AND THEN YOU CAN RESPOND TO IT.
[00:03:59] PRES. TRUMP: THIS WAS THE CRIME
[00:04:02] CAPITAL, FRANKLY, OF THE WORLD, THE MOST UNSAFE CAPITAL OF ANY
[00:04:06] COUNTRY IN THE WORLD AND NOW
[00:04:08] IT'S ONE OF THE SAFEST AND IT'S
[00:04:11] ONE OF THE SAFEST PLACES IN THE UNITED STATES. PEOPLE ARE COMING DOWN.
[00:04:15] YOU SEE THE TOURISM IN WASHINGTON. EVERYONE IS SAFE NOW.
[00:04:18] NOBODY IS GETTING MUGGED, SHOT.
[00:04:21] WE USED TO LOSE THREE PEOPLE A WEEK.
[00:04:25] DEATH. THAT'S AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE IN
[00:04:29] TERMS OF DEATHS. 150 PEOPLE A YEAR.
[00:04:32] THEY COME DOWN FROM IOWA, FROM INDIANA.
[00:04:36] I AM LOOKING AT THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT. I'M LOOKING AT -- AND THEY END UP GETTING KILLED.
[00:04:42] IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ANYMORE.
[00:04:45] WE ARE ROUGH BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT ANYMORE.
[00:04:47] HOST: THAT WAS ON MONDAY.
[00:04:51] WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THAT?
[00:04:52] GUEST: BOTH THINGS CAN BE TRUE.
[00:04:56] VIOLENT CRIME AND HOMICIDES IN THE DISTRICT ABSOLUTELY ARE GOING DOWN.
[00:05:00] AS OUR RESEARCH POINTS TO, THAT TREND THAT WAS GOING DOWN IN THE DISTRICT AND IN OTHER CITIES
[00:05:05] PREDATED THESE DEPLOYMENTS.
[00:05:09] INDEED, THE DISTRICT IS SAFER TODAY THAN IT WAS A FEW YEARS
[00:05:12] AGO OR EVEN SINCE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
[00:05:15] THAT BEING SAID, I THINK WHEN THE PRESIDENT MAKES STATEMENTS
[00:05:17] LIKE THIS LIKE CRIME IS
[00:05:21] COMPLETELY GONE, IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR FOLKS TO FLATLY
[00:05:24] REJECT THE KIND OF CLAIMS THE PRESIDENT IS MAKING AND WE KNOW THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
[00:05:30] IT IS QUITE EVIDENT THAT CRIME
[00:05:32] DOES STILL EXIST AND AT ANY
[00:05:35] LEVELS IS UNACCEPTABLE EVEN WITH THESE IMPROVEMENTS WE HAVE BEEN SEEING OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
[00:05:41] AND AGAIN, WHAT I THINK OUR RESEARCH REALLY MEANT TO SHOW
[00:05:43] WAS WHETHER OR NOT THE
[00:05:46] DEPLOYMENTS AND TACTICS THE PRESIDENT IS USING TO DRIVE DOWN
[00:05:49] CRIME TO HAVE EVIDENCE TO
[00:05:52] SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS. WE FIND NONE. I THINK IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT
[00:05:55] THE PRESIDENT IS CONTINUING TO
[00:05:58] STILL CHOOSE TO BOAST THAT THESE
[00:06:02] DEPLOYMENTS, THESE VERY COSTLY INTERVENTIONS ARE SHOWING ANY
[00:06:06] RESULTS TO TRY TO CONVINCE
[00:06:08] VOTERS THAT THEY SHOULD SIGN ON
[00:06:10] FOR MORE OF THESE KIND OF INTERVENTIONS AND FEDERAL
[00:06:13] OVERREACH BUT AGAIN, THERE IS NO PROOF THAT THEY HAVE ANY EFFECT
[00:06:15] AND IN FACT, IT'S MAKING IT MORE
[00:06:19] DIFFICULT FOR THE WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE IN THE CITY
[00:06:24] THAT IS HELPING FOLKS. HOST: WE HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT
[00:06:28] NATIONAL GUARD TO PLEMONS IN CERTAIN CITIES.
[00:06:30] WASHINGTON, D.C. AND OTHERS IN THE CRIME RATE.
[00:06:34] YOU CAN CALL NOW. CHANDLER PAUL IS OUR GUEST.
[00:06:37] REPUBLICANS ARE ON (202) 748-8001.
[00:06:42] DEMOCRATS ARE ON --
[00:06:48] WHEN YOU SAY THAT THE CRIME RATE HAD BEEN GOING DOWN AND
[00:06:51] CONTINUES TO GO DOWN, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN SAY IT IS NOT
[00:06:54] BECAUSE OF THE NATIONAL GUARD
[00:06:58] DEPLOYMENTS, THAT THAT TREND HAS CONTINUED? I MEAN, THERE IS NO WAY TO PROVE
[00:07:02] THAT NEGATIVE. GUEST: THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT OUR
[00:07:06] RESEARCH ATTEMPTS TO DO AND SO WE DO THAT NOT JUST BY LOOKING
[00:07:08] AT THE DISTRICT WHERE THE DEPLOYMENTS OCCURRED.
[00:07:11] WHEN THEY WERE DOING THEIR RESEARCH, THEY LOOKED SPECIFICALLY AT D.C. AND COMPARE
[00:07:15] THE PRE-EXISTING TREND TO THE POST-EXISTING TREND AFTER THE NATIONAL GUARD WERE DEPLOYED AND
[00:07:20] FOUND AGAIN THAT THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN THE TREND THAT WE
[00:07:22] SAW PRE-OR POST.
[00:07:25] THAT MEANS THAT WE CANNOT SIGN REALLY ANY CREDIT TO THE FACT THAT THE CONTINUING TRENDS AFTER
[00:07:30] DEPLOYMENTS WERE RELATED TO THE
[00:07:34] NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENTS. WHAT WE DID WAS ACTUALLY TO EXTEND THAT EVEN FURTHER AND AGAIN TRY TO BRING EVEN MORE
[00:07:37] EVIDENCE TO BEAR THAT IS NOT
[00:07:41] JUST IN D.C. THAT WE HAVE THIS EXAMPLE WHERE THE CRIME CHANGE
[00:07:45] ACTUALLY COULD STILL BE CONFUSED WITH THE NATIONAL GUARD
[00:07:47] DEPLOYMENTS OR NOT BUT BY BRINGING IN AN ADDITIONAL CITIES
[00:07:50] AS WELL AS USING CONTROLS, USING DIFFERENT DATA SETS ALL OF THESE
[00:07:54] DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE APPROACHED IT. IT GIVES US THE MOST AMOUNT OF
[00:07:57] EVIDENCE POSSIBLE TO SAY THAT THE PRE-EXISTING TREND, WHETHER
[00:08:00] IT IS IN THE DISTRICT OR OTHER
[00:08:02] CITIES HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED MEANINGFULLY OR MEASURABLY BY THE NATIONAL GUARD.
[00:08:06] I THINK TO YOUR POINT ABOUT
[00:08:09] FINDING THE NEGATIVE IN THERE,
[00:08:12] MY QUESTION BACK TO THAT WOULD BE IF THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT WE ARE SEEING A POSITIVE
[00:08:16] IMPROVEMENT FROM THESE NATIONAL
[00:08:18] GUARD TO PLEMONS, IS IT REALLY WORTH SPENDING BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR
[00:08:21] SOMETHING THAT HAS NO EVIDENCE TO PREVENT THAT IT WORKS IN
[00:08:26] ANYWAY? -- TO PROVE THAT IT WORKS IN ANY WAY?
[00:08:30] WE HAVE A LOT OF STRATEGIES THAT WE KNOW TO WORK AND THOSE ARE
[00:08:33] THE KINDS OF THINGS WE SHOULD BE INVESTING IN THAT HAVE THE
[00:08:35] EVIDENCE TO SHOW FOR THEM VERSUS
[00:08:39] NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENTS WHICH AGAIN, GIVEN ALL THE TESTS THAT
[00:08:41] WE USED AND EVEN TRIED TO BIASED THEM TOWARDS FINDING AN EFFECT OF THE NATIONAL GUARD, WE DO NOT
[00:08:45] FIND ANY CONSISTENT EVIDENCE.
[00:08:45] HOST: AND THIS IS A CHART FROM
[00:08:49] YOUR REPORT AND IT TALKS ABOUT
[00:08:54] WHERE THE NATIONAL GUARD HAS BEEN DEPLOYED SO IT WAS DEPLOYED IN LOS ANGELES AND THAT ENDED IN
[00:08:59] JANUARY. WASHINGTON, D.C., WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT.
[00:09:02] MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, AND NEW ORLEANS. MEMPHIS HAD THE HIGHEST, I BELIEVE, MURDER RATE.
[00:09:06] CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING AS A RESULT OF NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENTS?
[00:09:09] GUEST: TAKING A STEP BACK ON ALL
[00:09:13] OF THESE CITIES AS A KIND OF ALLUDED TO ALREADY IS THAT
[00:09:16] PRETTY MUCH EVERY SINGLE CITY IN WHICH HE NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL WAS DEPLOYED, WE HAVE
[00:09:19] BEEN SEEING DECLINES IN THOSE
[00:09:23] CITIES THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH A BROADER NATIONAL TRENCH THAT WE HAVE BEEN SEEING ACROSS
[00:09:27] VIRTUALLY EVERY MAJOR AMERICAN
[00:09:29] AS WELL AS ALL THE CITIES YOU MENTIONED.
[00:09:36] MEMPHIS WAS A BIT OF AN OUTLIER IN THIS CASE WHEN OTHER CITIES
[00:09:39] WERE SEEING CRIME COME DOWN IN
[00:09:41] 2023 AND 2024, THIS
[00:09:44] UNFORTUNATELY TOOK A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
[00:09:46] EVEN THROUGH MOST OF 2024, THERE
[00:09:50] WERE ELEVATED VIOLENT CRIME AND HOMICIDE RATES.
[00:09:53] BUT A PATH FROM 2024 INTO 2025,
[00:09:57] WE STARTED TO SEE DRAMATIC DECREASES IN HOMICIDE AND
[00:10:01] VIOLENT CRIME.
[00:10:05] HOST: LET'S TALK TO CALLERS
[00:10:09] STARTING WITH GARY IN KENTUCKY.
[00:10:12] CALLER: I JUST WONDERED HOW YOU
[00:10:16] ARE FUNDED AND HOW MUCH DID YOU BEEN INVESTIGATING THE NATIONAL
[00:10:20] GUARD, EXACTLY WHAT DO YOU THINK
[00:10:27] THE NATIONAL GUARD IS SUPPOSED TO DO?
[00:10:33] IS THE NATIONAL GUARD GOING TO CURE MURDER RATE?
[00:10:37] NO, THEY ARE A POLICING AGENCY.
[00:10:39] THEY ARE MAINLY DEPLOYED TO MAKE
[00:10:44] PEOPLE FEEL -- THEY ARE THE
[00:10:50] POLICE.
[00:10:52] HOST: HE WANTS TO KNOW HOW YOUR
[00:10:56] ORGANIZATION IS FUNDED AND SAYS THEY'RE NOT THERE TO IMPROVE
[00:10:59] CRIME, THEY ARE THERE TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SAFER.
[00:11:01] >> I APPRECIATE THAT SENTIMENT,
[00:11:05] THE GUARDING EFFECT ESPECIALLY
[00:11:08] IN THESE HIGH VISIBILITY, HIGH COMMERCIAL AREA CORE DOORS.
[00:11:11] BEING THERE AND GIVING FOLKS FROM OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT A SENSE OF COMFORT.
[00:11:16] AS SOMEONE WHO LIVES AND WORKS IN THE DISTRICT, IT'S NOT BEEN
[00:11:20] MY EXPERIENCE OF GOING OUT TO RESTAURANTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT AND NOT FEELING SAFE
[00:11:23] BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT MILITARY PERSONNEL STANDING THERE.
[00:11:28] IN FACT, I THINK THAT IF YOU ASK
[00:11:31] SURVEYED FOLKS IN THE DISTRICT, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERING
[00:11:35] OPINIONS ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY DO FEEL SAFER WITH THE NATIONAL GUARD IN THEIR PRESENCE IN THE CITY.
[00:11:39] THAT BEING SAID, I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S A MATTER OF
[00:11:43] THE FACT THAT THESE DEPLOYMENTS ARE EXTREMELY COSTLY, THEY ARE
[00:11:46] COSTING THE AMERICAN TAXPAYERS
[00:11:48] BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO PLACE NATIONAL GUARD IN THE CITY WHERE
[00:11:52] THAT MONEY COULD BE SPENT ON SUBSTITUTE ALTERNATIVES, WHETHER
[00:11:54] THAT'S ADDITIONAL LAW
[00:11:58] ENFORCEMENT PREVENTION MEASURES, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF FOLKS WHO HAVE EVIDENCE TO SAY THAT
[00:12:01] ACTUALLY WILL MAKE PEOPLE SAFER AND MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SAFER AS WELL.
[00:12:09] FRAN, A DEMOCRAT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, GOOD MORNING.
[00:12:16] I'M INTERESTED IN THIS DISCUSSION AS I WAS JUST SPEAKING TO MY HUSBAND ABOUT HOW
[00:12:20] DISGUSTED I AM THAT THEY ARE STILL HAVING TROOPS IN
[00:12:22] WASHINGTON, D.C. WILL HE AGREE WITH ME THAT IT'S EITHER TIME
[00:12:26] FOR THEM TO RETURN HOME OR BE
[00:12:30] DEPLOYED TO HELP WITH THE FOREST FIRES OUT WEST?
[00:12:35] HOST: ARE THERE PLACES THE
[00:12:38] NATIONAL GUARD SHOULD BE BUT ARE NOT BECAUSE OF THESE DEPLOYMENTS?
[00:12:45] GUEST: I DON'T HAVE PARTICULAR KNOWLEDGE ON THAT, BUT WHAT I
[00:12:48] WILL SAY IS THAT AGAIN THE NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENTS IN
[00:12:53] D.C., MEMPHIS, ALL THE CITIES YOU MENTIONED, THEY ABSOLUTELY
[00:12:57] COULD BE USED ELSEWHERE FOR WHAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO DO.
[00:13:01] THAT'S A MOST IMPORTANT PART OF
[00:13:04] THIS, THAT THEY'RE NOT TRAINED
[00:13:09] OR PARTICIPATING IN LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS.
[00:13:11] >> LIVE TO SAN FRANCISCO WHERE
[00:13:16] DEMOCRATIC SENATOR ADAM SCHIFF IS SPEAKING ABOUT THE IMPACT OF TRUMP ADMINISTRATION POLICIES.
[00:13:20] THIS IS LIVE COVERAGE ON C-SPAN.
[00:13:27] >> WELCOME AGAIN. SENATOR, I'D LIKE TO START
[00:13:29] LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE, SPECIFICALLY TO NOVEMBER.
[00:13:33] EMMETT KRATZ ARE MORE LIKELY TO
[00:13:36] RETAKE THE HOUSE THAN THE SENATE AND THIS NOVEMBER'S ELECTIONS.
[00:13:39] AS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE HOUSE, WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST
[00:13:44] INVESTIGATION WE WOULD WANT THE
[00:13:45] HOUSE TO UNDERTAKE AS DEMOCRATS
[00:13:49] -- IF DEMOCRATS WIN CONTROL?
[00:13:50] SEN. SCHIFF: FIRST OF ALL, THANK
[00:13:54] YOU FOR MODERATING AND THANK YOU
[00:13:57] TO THE COMMONWEALTH CLUB FOR INVITING ME. I'VE BEEN HERE MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS.
[00:14:00] THE FIRST TIME WAS WITH ELLEN TAO SURE MODERATING, SO I'M
[00:14:06] THINKING OF ELLEN TODAY.
[00:14:07] SHE WAS A GREAT COLLEAGUE IN THE HOUSE. THAT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION,
[00:14:12] BECAUSE WHAT I MIGHT IDENTIFY TODAY MIGHT BE DIFFERENT A WEEK FROM NOW.
[00:14:17] I HAD PLANNED TO GIVE A FLOOR
[00:14:19] SPEECH ON 10 TOP CORRUPTION
[00:14:23] SCHEMES OF THE PRESIDENT, AND
[00:14:27] THE REPUBLICANS, FOR A NUMBER OF
[00:14:31] REASONS, CANCELED THAT DAY SESSION.
[00:14:34] SO TWO WEEKS LATER I CAME BACK,
[00:14:36] BUT DURING THOSE TWO WEEKS, I KEPT TEXTING MY STAFF, WE HAVE
[00:14:40] TO ADD THIS ONE, AND WE HAVE TO ADD THIS ONE, BECAUSE THERE WERE
[00:14:44] NEW CORRUPTION SCHEMES EMERGING EVERY DAY.
[00:14:47] SO I THINK I GAVE THE TOP 13 OF
[00:14:50] THE TOP 10 CORRUPTION SCHEMES,
[00:14:54] SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY. BUT I DO THINK A COUPLE OF THINGS.
[00:14:59] FIRST, WE SHOULD FOCUS PRIMARILY ON WHAT WE ARE CAMPAIGNING ON,
[00:15:03] THAT IS BRINGING DOWN COSTS FOR AMERICAN PEOPLE.
[00:15:06] SO OUR TOP PRIORITY SHOULD BE INTRODUCING LEGISLATION THAT
[00:15:10] ATTACKS RISING GAS PRICES AND
[00:15:12] ENERGY PRICES GENERALLY, FOOD
[00:15:16] PRICES, THE COST OF HOUSING.
[00:15:18] THE OVERSIGHT THAT WE DO I THINK
[00:15:25] ALL HAS TO ALSO COME BACK TO THE
[00:15:30] COST TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
[00:15:33] AND THE MESSAGE ABOUT DRAIN THE
[00:15:36] SWAMP HAD A LOT OF RESIDENTS. NOW, HE HAS MADE THE SWAMP JUST
[00:15:40] OVERFLOWING, BUT NEVERTHELESS, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DON'T LIKE
[00:15:44] TO SEE A CORRUPT GOVERNMENT. BUT THEY MOST PARTICULARLY DON'T LIKE IT WHEN THEY SEE THAT
[00:15:48] CORRUPTION AFFECTING THEIR PERSONAL LIVES.
[00:15:51] AND SO JUST TO GIVE ONE EXAMPLE THAT IS MUCH IN THE NEWS THESE
[00:15:55] DAYS, AND THAT IS THE PROPOSED
[00:15:57] MERGER BETWEEN PARAMOUNT AND
[00:15:59] WARNER BROS..
[00:16:03] IT'S ONE THING IF THAT MERGER IS GOING THROUGH BECAUSE THERE HAS
[00:16:06] BEEN A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE COMPETITION IN THE INDUSTRY AND
[00:16:10] IT IS BELIEVED THAT THIS IS BEST FOR CONSUMERS.
[00:16:13] IT'S ANOTHER THING IF THIS IS GOING THROUGH BECAUSE OF SOME KIND OF CORRUPT BARGAIN WITH THE
[00:16:17] PRESIDENT THAT GOES TO THE
[00:16:18] CONTENT OF CNN, TO CHANGE THE
[00:16:23] CONTENT OF CNN. THE WAY THE PREVIOUS MERGER INVOLVING SOME OF THE SAME
[00:16:25] PARTIES HAS AFFECTED THE CHANGED
[00:16:29] CONTENT AT CBS AND THE NEUTERING OF THINGS LIKE 60 MINUTES.
[00:16:33] IF THIS MERGER IS FOR AN ILLICIT PURPOSE, THEY WE SHOULD
[00:16:36] INVESTIGATE WHAT IS BEHIND IT. THEN YOU COULD HAVE THOUSANDS OF
[00:16:41] PEOPLE LOSE THEIR JOBS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY AND
[00:16:44] THROUGHOUT THE ECONOMY AT THAT INDUSTRY SUPPORTS.
[00:16:47] YOU COULD HAVE FEWER STREAMING SERVICES AT HIGHER PRICES FOR CONSUMERS.
[00:16:51] SO THE COST COULD BE THOUSANDS OF LOST JOBS.
[00:16:54] IT COULD BE HIGHER PRICES FOR WHAT YOU PAY FOR STREAMING SERVICES.
[00:16:59] AND I THINK THE OVERSIGHT THAT WE DO SHOULD ALWAYS COME BACK TO THAT.
[00:17:04] WHAT DOES IT COST THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?
[00:17:07] I WOULD PRIORITIZE, AND THIS IS
[00:17:12] A COST THAT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO MEASURE, BUT I WOULD PRIORITIZE
[00:17:15] THE CORRUPTION THAT WE HAVE SEEN
[00:17:19] WITHIN THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ITSELF. AND MAYBE THAT'S BECAUSE I COME
[00:17:22] OUT OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, I HAVE A CERTAIN REVERENCE FOR
[00:17:26] THAT DEPARTMENT. BUT ALSO BECAUSE I THINK THE DAMAGE TO THAT DEPARTMENT HAS
[00:17:29] BEEN THE MOST WIDESCALE OF ALL
[00:17:33] THE AGENCIES, CERTAINLY THINGS LIKE USAID HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED.
[00:17:37] BUT IT WILL TAKE YEARS, IF NOT
[00:17:39] DECADES, TO RESTORE THE REPUTATION OF THE DEPARTMENT
[00:17:42] FROM INDEPENDENTS AND PARTNERS,
[00:17:48] BUT THAT DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO DO GREAT DAMAGE.
[00:17:51] SO IN THE CASE OF THE SLUSH FUND
[00:17:55] FOR COMP LEADERS, THAT IS 1.76
[00:18:02] BILLION DOLLARS THAT IS A DIRECT COST TO TAX -- TAXPAYERS IF THAT
[00:18:05] IS ALLOWED TO GO ON. THE PRESIDENT TODAY WAS ASKED
[00:18:08] ABOUT IT AND HE SAID, WELL, THAT
[00:18:10] WILL BE UP TO TODD BLANCHE. WELL, I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH
[00:18:15] CONFIDENCE IN TODD BLANCHE. I COULD SEE A SCENARIO, FOR
[00:18:18] EXAMPLE, WHERE INSTEAD OF RESURRECTING THAT PARTICULAR
[00:18:20] SLUSH FUND, THEY SIMPLY USE
[00:18:23] OTHER FINDS OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO PAY OUT PEOPLE WHO
[00:18:25] ATTACKED THE CAPITOL IN BEHALF OF THE PRESIDENT.
[00:18:29] INDEED, THEY HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO USE SOMETHING CALLED THE JUDGMENT FUND AND THE
[00:18:33] FEDERAL TORT CLAIMS ACT TO PAY OFF SOME OF THE PRESIDENTS
[00:18:37] CRONIES AND ENABLERS. PEOPLE LIKE MIKE FLYNN, YOU
[00:18:39] MIGHT REMEMBER IS THE ERSTWHILE
[00:18:43] NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR FOR TRUMP IN THE FIRST TERM, UNTIL IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT HE HAD
[00:18:46] LIED TO THE FBI ABOUT CONTACTS
[00:18:49] HE HAD WITH THE RUSSIANS AND
[00:18:50] PLED GUILTY TWICE TO LYING TO
[00:18:54] THE RUSSIANS WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION INTERVENED AND
[00:18:58] BASICALLY DISMISSED A CASE IN WHICH THE DEFENDANT ALREADY PLED GUILTY, WHICH IS QUITE EXTRAORDINARY.
[00:19:03] ANOTHER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IN ITS SECOND ITERATION HAS GONE
[00:19:05] FURTHER AND HAS PAID OFF, WITH
[00:19:08] YOUR MONEY, WITH TAXPAYER MONEY,
[00:19:11] $1.25 MILLION -- SO WE ARE
[00:19:14] SEEING THOSE PAYOFFS TAKE PLACE
[00:19:17] OUTSIDE THE PUBLIC VIEW AND OUTSIDE THIS PARTICULAR SLUSH FUND.
[00:19:21] BUT I THINK INVESTIGATING HOW THEY ARE ABUSING TAXPAYER DOLLARS AT THE JUSTICE
[00:19:25] DEPARTMENT, LOOKING INTO THIS
[00:19:28] CORRUPT IRS SUPPOSED SETTLEMENT,
[00:19:34] ISSUES LIKE THAT WARRANT THOROUGH INVESTIGATION BY A
[00:19:37] DEMOCRATIC HOUSE, AND I AM INCREASINGLY OPTIMISTIC,
[00:19:40] DEMOCRATIC SENATE.
[00:19:42] >> I WANT TO GET TO THE SENATE
[00:19:46] LATER AND CERTAINLY MORE ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND
[00:19:48] TODD BLANCHE'S RECENT CONFIRMATION OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS.
[00:19:52] BUT GOING BACK TO THAT SENATE FOR SPEECH, YOU LAID OUT AGAIN
[00:19:56] WHAT YOU DESCRIBE IS THE TOP 10
[00:19:56] WAYS THAT TRUMP HAS PROFITED
[00:20:00] FROM THE PRESIDENCY.
[00:20:02] YOU NAMED A COUPLE OF THEM,
[00:20:05] DONATION, FINDING HIS BALLROOM RENOVATION, THE SETTLEMENTS WITH
[00:20:07] MEDIA COMPANIES, THE -- THE
[00:20:16] MONEY HIS FAMILY HAS MADE MOSTLY FROM CRYPTO IN HIS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE.
[00:20:20] HAVE ANY OF THOSE ACTS MET THE
[00:20:23] THRESHOLD OF AND IT -- OF AN IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE?
[00:20:26] SEN. SCHIFF: I THINK THERE HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN ABUSES OF THE
[00:20:31] PRESIDENCY THAT WOULD QUALIFY.
[00:20:33] THE QUESTION I THINK WILL BE A TACTICAL ONE WHEN THE TIME
[00:20:37] COMES. DOES IMPEACHMENT PROVIDE THE
[00:20:38] BEST REMEDY, OR ARE THERE OTHER
[00:20:42] REMEDIES THAT WE SHOULD USE? I DON'T WANT TO PREJUDGE THAT.
[00:20:45] I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE COUNTRY IS GOING TO BE WHEN WE GET TO
[00:20:49] THE NEW YEAR, WHICH IS WHEN, KNOCK ON WOOD, WE WILL CONTROL
[00:20:53] ONE OR BOTH HOUSES.
[00:20:56] THE COUNTRY I THINK LOOKS
[00:20:59] FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT TODAY THAN IT DID SIX MONTHS AGO AND
[00:21:01] IT LOOKED SIX-MONTH FOR --
[00:21:04] DIFFERENT SIX MONTHS AGO THAN IT DID A YEAR AGO. SO I DON'T WANT TO PREJUDGE
[00:21:08] IMPEACHMENT AS A REMEDY, BUT THERE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE
[00:21:11] CONSEQUENCES FOR THIS CORRUPT
[00:21:15] REGIME AND THOSE WHO HAVE ENABLED IT.
[00:21:17] I FULLY EXPECT AS MUCH AS WE SAW
[00:21:20] DURING TRUMP 1, THE
[00:21:24] ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO STONEWALL OUR SUBPOENAS. FOLKS MIGHT REMEMBER IN THE
[00:21:27] FIRST IMPEACHMENT, THE PRESIDENT
[00:21:30] WAS IMPEACHED FOR TWO ABUSES OF POWER.
[00:21:32] THE FIRST WAS WITHHOLDING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
[00:21:36] IN MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE IN ORDER TO EXTORT THAT COUNTRIES
[00:21:40] LEADER ZELENSKYY INTO HELPING HIM CHEAT IN THE ELECTION.
[00:21:42] AND THE SECOND WAS HIS
[00:21:45] STONEWALLING, HIS IGNORING, HIS REFUSING TO COMPLY WITH CONGRESSIONAL SUBPOENAS.
[00:21:48] THAT SECOND ARTICLE WAS ALSO GOING TO BE AN ARTICLE OF
[00:21:53] IMPEACHMENT FOR PRESIDENT NIXON HAD HE NOT RESIGN FROM OFFICE.
[00:21:57] I FULLY EXPECT PEOPLE TO DO THE
[00:21:57] SAME AGAIN, AND WE WILL HAVE
[00:22:01] LIMITED REMEDIES ON WHAT TO DO
[00:22:02] ABOUT HIS STONEWALLING, BUT THE
[00:22:06] PRIVATE SECTOR WILL NOT BE IN A POSITION TO STONEWALL US, AND
[00:22:10] THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN ALL TOO MANY CASES HAS ENABLED AND PARTICIPATED IN THIS CORRUPT
[00:22:14] REGIME.
[00:22:17] BY THESE EXTORTED CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BALLROOM AND OTHER TRUMP
[00:22:22] PROJECTS, AND I WOULD CERTAINLY
[00:22:23] LIKE TO KNOW WHAT OTHER
[00:22:27] MACHINATIONS WENT ON FOR EXAMPLE
[00:22:30] IN THE CAPITULATION OF LAW FIRMS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS TO THE PRESSURE OF THE PRESIDENT.
[00:22:35] WHAT KIND OF DISCUSSIONS WERE
[00:22:37] HELD ABOUT THE EXTORTION OF
[00:22:40] MONEY FROM ABC AND CBS?
[00:22:44] THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REFUSE OUR SUBPOENAS.
[00:22:48] SO THERE IS A LOT OF OVERSIGHT THAT WE CAN DO TO OVERSEEING THE
[00:22:51] PRIVATE SECTOR'S RELATIONSHIP
[00:22:52] WITH THIS REGIME, AND WE CAN
[00:22:56] ALSO USE THE POWER OF THE PURSE TO GET ANSWERS, TO FORCE COMPLIANCE.
[00:23:01] SO WE WILL HAVE TO USE THOSE
[00:23:02] TOOLS AND OTHERS TO DO THE OVERSIGHT WORK THAT IS NECESSARY
[00:23:06] TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ROOT OUT CORRUPTION AND AT THE GOVERNMENT
[00:23:10] STARTS TO WORK AGAIN FOR THE PEOPLE AND NOT TO ENRICH MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
[00:23:14] >> IF YOU WERE THE LEAD HOUSE
[00:23:19] IMPEACHMENT MANAGER AND PRESIDENT TRUMP'S -- IN PRESIDENT TRUMP'S FIRST
[00:23:22] IMPEACHMENT, I'M CURIOUS, DID
[00:23:23] YOU THINK THE TWO IMPEACHMENTS
[00:23:27] -- A KIND OF THINKING ABOUT IT IN CONTEXT OF 2024 WHEN
[00:23:30] PRESIDENT TRUMP RETOOK THE WHITE
[00:23:33] HOUSE, HE HAS BEEN IMPEACHED TWICE.
[00:23:35] DEMOCRATS THINKING ABOUT IMPEACHMENT, THOUGH, OR IS IT
[00:23:40] TAKING POTENTIAL LESSONS FROM 2024 AND THINKING MAYBE
[00:23:44] IMPEACHMENT ISN'T THE BEST PATH FORWARD POLITICALLY, AND WERNER
[00:23:48] -- VOTERS WEREN'T THAT SWAYED IN
[00:23:50] 2024 WITH TWO IMPEACHMENTS ON
[00:23:54] THE PRESIDENT'S RECORD? SEN. SCHIFF: I'LL SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS.
[00:23:58] FIRST, OUR THINKING DURING THE FIRST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, IN
[00:24:01] THE HOUSE, WAS THE PRESIDENT HAD
[00:24:06] ABUSE THE POWERS OF HIS OFFICE. HE HAD COMMITTED IMPEACHABLE OFFENSES.
[00:24:11] WE WENT INTO THOSE IMPEACHMENTS KNOWING THAT THE BURDEN IN THE
[00:24:15] SENATE OF PERSUADING A TWO
[00:24:18] THIRDS MAJORITY TO CONVICT WOULD
[00:24:22] BE VERY, VERY HIGH. BUT OUR VIEW WAS THAT WE HAD A
[00:24:26] RESPONSIBILITY IN THE HOUSE, IF SOMEBODY HAD COMMITTED IMPEACHABLE OFFENSES TO CHARGE
[00:24:30] THEM WITH IMPEACHABLE OFFENSES. AND I THINK THAT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION.
[00:24:35] I DO THINK THAT THOSE IMPEACHMENTS AND WHAT THEY
[00:24:37] REVEALED ABOUT THE PRESIDENT
[00:24:40] ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE
[00:24:42] COUNTRIES UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE
[00:24:46] EVENTS AND THE SERIOUSNESS OF THOSE OFFENSES.
[00:24:49] SO I THINK THERE WAS GREAT VALUE IN THOSE IMPEACHMENTS, AND
[00:24:52] CERTAINLY THE PRESIDENT FEELS THERE WAS GREAT STIGMA ATTACHED
[00:24:55] TO THOSE IMPEACHMENTS. IT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY HE
[00:24:59] AND HIS ENABLERS IN THE HOUSE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO EXPLORE IS
[00:25:02] THERE A WAY TO EXPUNGE THOSE
[00:25:05] IMPEACHMENTS, IS THERE SOME WAY TO TAKE AWAY THE STAIN OF THOSE
[00:25:09] IMPEACHMENTS, HE WILL FOREVER BE THE MOST IMPEACHED PRESIDENT IN HISTORY.
[00:25:15] WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION, AND CERTAINLY THERE ARE GOING TO BE CONVERSATIONS
[00:25:19] ABOUT THAT WHEN WE TAKE OVER THE
[00:25:22] MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.
[00:25:24] BUT WE WILL ALSO THINK, WHAT IS
[00:25:27] THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL RIGHT NOW? GIVEN WHERE THE COUNTRY IS AT THIS POINT.
[00:25:32] AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
[00:25:34] RESOLUTION WILL BE, I THINK THERE WILL BE ENORMOUS PUBLIC
[00:25:38] INTEREST IN AN IMPEACHMENT, BUT
[00:25:41] WHETHER WE WILL MAKE THAT DECISION OR NOT, I RESERVE JUDGMENT ON THAT.
[00:25:45] BUT I DO THINK BOTH IMPEACHMENTS IN HIS FIRST TERM WERE MORE THAN
[00:25:49] WARRANTED, I ALSO THINK THEY WERE INCREDIBLY PRODUCTIVE AND I
[00:25:53] WILL ALSO SAY THAT I SERVED ON
[00:25:56] THE JANUARY 6 COMMITTEE, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK YOU DID
[00:25:58] ON THAT COMMITTEE TO EXPOSE THE
[00:26:01] VIOLENCE OF THAT DAY, THE PRESIDENT'S ROLE IN THE
[00:26:04] INCITEMENT THAT DAY, AND TO SET
[00:26:07] THE HISTORIC RECORD, AND I SAY
[00:26:10] THAT SEEING EVERY DAY HOW MUCH
[00:26:13] THEY ARE TRYING TO ERASE THE MEMORY OF THAT DAY, AND THE
[00:26:17] TERRIBLE PERMUTATIONS AND
[00:26:20] GYRATIONS THAT PEOPLE GO THROUGH WHEN THEY APPEAR BEFORE A
[00:26:23] COMMITTEE, SENATE JUDICIARY
[00:26:27] COMMITTEE, AND CANNOT SAY THAT THE PRESIDENT LOST HIS
[00:26:32] REELECTION IN 2020. THEY CANNOT PRONOUNCE THOSE WORDS IF THEY HOPE TO BE
[00:26:37] CONFIRMED, IF THE HELP NOT TO HAVE THEIR NOMINATIONS WITHDRAWN
[00:26:41] FROM THE BENCH ARE OTHER HIGH APPOINTMENT.
[00:26:46] AND IT IS BREATHTAKING TO ME
[00:26:49] THAT, AFTER WHAT OUR COMMITTEE
[00:26:52] REVEALED, THAT THIS WOULD EVEN BE POSSIBLE IN THIS COUNTRY.
[00:26:55] BUT FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, THAT
[00:26:57] DOESN'T NEGATE THE INFLUENCE OF WHAT HE DID AND THAT COMMITTEE
[00:27:01] IN A REAL WAY AND IT ONLY
[00:27:04] ACCENTUATES THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT WE DO. >> YOU MENTIONED SUBPOENAS.
[00:27:09] SHOULD THE HOUSE OR COMMITTEES SUBPOENA MEMBERS OF TRUMP'S
[00:27:14] FAMILY AS PART OF INVESTIGATIONS
[00:27:17] INTO HIS BUSINESS DEALINGS WITH FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS,
[00:27:20] CRYPTOCURRENCY, THE CRYPTOCURRENCY BUSINESS?
[00:27:24] HOW MUCH MIGHT THE TRUMP FAMILY BE PART OF SUBPOENAS OR AN INVESTIGATION?
[00:27:27] SEN. SCHIFF: I THINK THAT'S VERY
[00:27:30] POSSIBLE AND VERY LIKELY, GIVEN THE NATURE OF WHAT HAS BEEN
[00:27:33] ALLEGED AND IT WOULDN'T BE
[00:27:37] OVERSIGHT INVOLVING HIS FAMILY JUST FOR THE SAKE OF DOING
[00:27:39] OVERSIGHT ON HIS FAMILY. IT WOULD BE ONLY OVERSIGHT OF
[00:27:43] MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY IF THERE IS CREDIBLE EVIDENCE THAT THEY
[00:27:45] WERE ENGAGED IN CONDUCT THAT
[00:27:48] VIOLATES THE INTEREST OF THE
[00:27:51] COUNTRY, THE LAWS OF OUR COUNTRY, THAT INVOLVES
[00:27:55] CORRUPTION, AND THEY DON'T GET A PASS ANYMORE THAN ANYONE ELSE.
[00:27:58] I SAW THE PRESIDENT RECENTLY WAS
[00:28:00] ASKED ABOUT THE ETHICS LANGUAGE THAT I'VE BEEN FIGHTING TO GET
[00:28:04] INTO ANY BILL WHEN WE ARE SEEING
[00:28:10] CRYPTO. AND THE PRESIDENT MAKING THE FALSE CLAIM TO REPORTERS AT THAT
[00:28:13] WANT TO TREAT ME DIFFERENTLY THAN EVERYBODY ELSE.
[00:28:16] NO, ACTUALLY THE PROM FOR HIM AS WE WANT TO TREAT HIM THE SAME AS EVERYBODY ELSE.
[00:28:20] HE WANTS TO BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY. HE DOESN'T WANT ETHICS RULES TO
[00:28:24] APPLY TO HIM. AND THEY SHOULD APPLY TO HIM,
[00:28:28] AND THEY SHOULD APPLY TO HIS KIDS JUST LIKE THEY SHOULD APPLY
[00:28:30] TO ANYONE AND THEIR FAMILY, IF
[00:28:34] THEY ARE ENGAGED IN CORRUPT CONDUCT.
[00:28:35] WE SIMPLY DON'T KNOW WHEN THIS
[00:28:40] ADMINISTRATION IS MAKING DECISIONS ON FOREIGN POLICY, ARE
[00:28:43] THEY WITH THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC IN MIND?
[00:28:47] OR ARE THEY BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT GOT A $400 MILLION JET FROM QATAR?
[00:28:51] ARE WE MAKING DECISIONS
[00:28:55] VIS-A-VIS SAUDI ARABIA BECAUSE THEY ARE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COUNTRY, OR BECAUSE THE
[00:28:58] SAUDI'S ARE INVESTING BILLIONS
[00:29:01] IN JARED KUSHNER'S INVESTMENT FUND, OR BECAUSE HAVE INVESTED
[00:29:04] BILLIONS IN TRUNK PROPERTIES ARE
[00:29:08] CRYPTO ENTERPRISES, OR THAT OF THEIR KIDS?
[00:29:12] THERE'S IS SIMPLY NO WAY OF KNOWING, AND TO PROTECT THE COUNTRY, WE REALLY DO NEED TO
[00:29:16] KNOW.
[00:29:17] SO I WOULD SAY NO, AND NO ONE IS
[00:29:24] INCLUDED JUST BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE OR WHOSE FAMILY THEY
[00:29:26] ARE IN A POSITION TO INFLUENCE
[00:29:30] THE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES.
[00:29:31] >> SUPPOSE THEM WEDNESDAY WHITE
[00:29:35] HOUSE IN 2028, WE ARE GOING AHEAD A COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT 2028 HAS STARTED.
[00:29:40] WHAT IS THE FIRST THING THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND DOING TO BEGIN REVERSING WHAT YOU HAVE
[00:29:43] DESCRIBED AS TRUMP'S ABUSES OF PRESIDENTIAL POWER?
[00:29:48] WOULD YOU REHIRE THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE? WOULD YOU REBUILD THE DEPARTMENT
[00:29:52] OF EDUCATION, USAID, WOULD YOU OVERHAUL PRESIDENTIAL ETHICS LAWS?
[00:29:59] WHAT IS DAY ONE IF A DEMOCRAT WINS THE WHITE HOUSE, WHAT SHOULD THEY DO?
[00:30:01] SEN. SCHIFF: I THINK THEY WON,
[00:30:05] WE SHOULD BE READY TO GO WITH AN
[00:30:08] AGGRESSIVE, BOLD AGENDA TO TRY TO MOVE THE COUNTRY FORWARD.
[00:30:13] AND WE SHOULD TAKE AIM AT I THINK THE CENTRAL PROBLEM FACING
[00:30:16] THE COUNTRY, WHICH IS THAT PEOPLE ARE WORKING HARDER THAN
[00:30:20] EVER AND THEY ARE JUST STRUGGLING TO GET BY. THAT OUGHT TO BE OUR PRIMARY
[00:30:25] FOCUS, A REASON FOR BEING.
[00:30:27] AND I WAS A KID, MY FATHER WAS
[00:30:33] IN A BUSINESS -- IF YOU DON'T
[00:30:37] SPEAK YIDDISH, YOU SHOULD LEARN.
[00:30:38] IT IS USED FOR THE CLOTHING
[00:30:41] BUSINESS, OR THE RIDE BUSINESS, AS MY FATHER USED TO CALL IT.
[00:30:44] HE WAS A TRAVELING SALESMAN AND
[00:30:45] HE MADE $18,000 A YEAR.
[00:30:51] ON THE STRENGTH OF THAT, MY PARENTS BOUGHT THEIR FIRST HOME FOR $18,000.
[00:30:55] YOU COULD BUY A HOME FOR THE ANNUAL INCOME OF THE CLOTHING SALESMAN.
[00:30:59] NOW WE HAVE A WHOLE GENERATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WONDER IF THEY WILL EVER BE ABLE TO BUY A HOME.
[00:31:02] THE YEAR THAT I WAS BORN, THE
[00:31:06] AVERAGE NEW HOME BUYER WAS 28 YEARS SO. THE AVERAGE HOME BUYER TODAY IS
[00:31:10] 40 OR SO.
[00:31:12] IF YOU LOOK AT HAVING AN EQUIVALENT CIRCUMSTANCE TO MY
[00:31:15] DADS, AND BE ABLE TO BUY A HOME
[00:31:17] IN CALIFORNIA, FOR YOUR ANNUAL
[00:31:20] INCOME YOU NEED AN ANNUAL INCOME
[00:31:23] OF ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY
[00:31:27] IN THIS COUNTRY, AND I THINK THE DEMOCRATS SHOULD HIT THE GROUND
[00:31:30] ROLLING WITH AN AGENDA THAT BRINGS DOWN THE COST OF HOUSING
[00:31:33] AND THE COST OF CHILDCARE AND
[00:31:35] THE COST OF HEALTH CARE AND EXPANDS ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE
[00:31:39] WITH BOLD, NON-INCREMENTAL IDEAS OF HOW TO DO IT.
[00:31:47] ONE OF THE THINGS REPUBLICANS HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE A PAGE OF THAT
[00:31:50] BOOK, IS THAT IF YOU HAVE THE COURAGE OF YOUR CONVICTIONS, YOU
[00:31:53] CAN MOVE THE COUNTRY FAR AND FAST.
[00:31:58] THAT IS WHAT I WOULD WANT TO SEE THE ADMINISTRATION DO.
[00:32:03] IN TERMS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ITSELF AND REFORMING
[00:32:06] THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT
[00:32:09] OF WORK TO DO, AND I THINK AS WE
[00:32:12] REBUILD, WE OUGHT NOT TO REBUILD
[00:32:14] IN EXACTLY THE FORM AND FUNCTION
[00:32:17] MAY BE SOME OF THESE AGENCIES HAD BEFORE.
[00:32:19] IT'S NOT AS IF THE FEDERAL
[00:32:23] GOVERNMENT AS ANY OTHER INSTITUTION IS IMMUNE FROM THE
[00:32:26] NEED OF CHANGE AND REFORM.
[00:32:28] SO AS WE REBUILD, WE SHOULD REBUILD WITH AN IDEA OF MAKING
[00:32:32] IT BETTER THAN IT WAS. THE IDEA OF SIMPLY SAYING WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK TO THE STATUS
[00:32:37] QUO, THE WAY THINGS LOOK BEFORE THIS WRECKING CREW CAME ALONG,
[00:32:41] IS JUST COMPLETELY
[00:32:48] UNSATISFACTORY. WHAT SHOULD A JUSTICE DEPARTMENT LOOK LIKE?
[00:32:51] YES, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO
[00:32:53] DEAL WITH ALL THE IDEOLOGUES AND ALL OF THE DECISIONS THAT THE
[00:32:56] DEPARTMENT HAS MADE THAT HAVE
[00:33:00] REALLY TORN AT THE WHOLE IDEA OF
[00:33:04] BEING KNOWN AS ABOVE THE LAW. BUT WE NEED TO RETHINK IN TERMS
[00:33:07] OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OR OTHER AGENCIES, WHAT IS THE
[00:33:11] FOCUS OF THIS? ?
[00:33:13] AGENCY HOW CAN IT CONTRIBUTE TO
[00:33:16] BRINGING COSTS DOWN?
[00:33:19] THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF SHOULD
[00:33:20] HAVE A MUCH HEAVIER EMPHASIS FOR
[00:33:24] EXAMPLE ON ATTACKING THE
[00:33:30] ANTICOMPETITIVE CONCENTRATION OF POWER WITHIN THE CORPORATE WORLD. PART OF THE REASON WE SEE FOOD
[00:33:33] PRICES GOING UP SO HIGH IS WE SEE ALL THESE MERGERS OF GROCERY
[00:33:37] CHAINS THAT ARE JUST RAISING
[00:33:38] FOOD COSTS, AND A LOT OF THE
[00:33:42] CONCENTRATION OF INDUSTRY HAS RESULTED IN HIGHER PRICES FOR PEOPLE. SO AS WE GO ABOUT REFORMING THE
[00:33:45] FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE TO
[00:33:47] DO SO ALSO WITH AN EYE TOWARDS WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE HERE?
[00:33:53] AND CENTRAL TO THAT OBJECTIVE I THINK IS MAKING THE ECONOMY WORK
[00:33:57] FOR THE PEOPLE AGAIN.
[00:34:00] THE PART WE HAVE TODAY'S NOT THE SAME AS THE RECESSION OR THE GREAT DEPRESSION.
[00:34:06] THE PROBLEM TODAY IS NOT THAT PEOPLE ARE OUT OF WORK, THE
[00:34:10] PROBLEM IS THAT THEY ARE WORKING AND THEY CAN BARELY AFFORD TO GET BY.
[00:34:13] I DON'T THINK OUR DEMOCRACY WILL EVER BE ON A SECURE FOOTING
[00:34:16] UNTIL OUR ECONOMY IS ON US CURE FOOTING AND PEOPLE FEEL IT IS
[00:34:20] WORKING FOR THEM. FOR TOO MANY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, THEY LOOK AT THE WAY THE ECONOMY
[00:34:23] IS FUNCTIONING NOW AND THINK, MY
[00:34:26] PARENTS HAD IT BETTER OFF.
[00:34:29] LISE IT WASN'T AS HARD FOR THEM. THEY COULD AFFORD A HOME.
[00:34:32] THEY HAD SECURE RETIREMENT.
[00:34:35] THEY HAD HEALTH CARE THAT THEY STAYED WITH THEIR WHOLE LIFE.
[00:34:40] AND I THINK WHEN MILLIONS OF
[00:34:43] PEOPLE START TO SEE THE LIFE THEY HAVE IS LESS THAN THEIR
[00:34:48] PARENTS, ALL TOO MANY ARE WILLING TO ENTERTAIN ANY
[00:34:52] DEMAGOGUE THAT COMES ALONG PROMISING THEY ALONE CAN FIX IT,
[00:34:56] SO WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THESE BIG ECONOMIC CHALLENGES.
[00:34:59] >> [APPLAUSE]
[00:35:08] >> YOU MENTIONED THAT YOUR
[00:35:11] FATHER WAS ABLE TO AFFORD A HOME ON AN $18,000 SALARY EVEN
[00:35:15] ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION.
[00:35:21] THAT'S NOWHERE WHAT YOU NEED IN SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA TO
[00:35:24] AFFORD A HOME, SO TO PUSH ON THAT, TO PUSH ON DEMOCRATS
[00:35:28] LEADING THE CHARGE ON THE ECONOMY, IN SAN FRANCISCO, THE
[00:35:32] MAYOR CAST THE FAMILY ZONING PLAN TO BUILD MORE HOUSING HERE,
[00:35:36] BUT EVEN SO, THE RATES ARE
[00:35:40] ALARMINGLY HIGH TO BUY A HOME IN
[00:35:44] CALIFORNIA, OR IN SAN FRANCISCO, YOU TO WORK IT SEEMS LIKE AT AN
[00:35:47] AI COMPANY. SO HOW SHOULD VOTERS TRUST --
[00:35:51] WHY SHOULD VOTERS TRUST
[00:35:55] DEMOCRATS TO REMEDY SOME OF THE
[00:35:56] ECONOMIC CONCERNS W