ICYMI: Senator Collins Discusses Russia Investigation, Barbara Bush Memorial Service, and Other Topics on NBC’s “Meet the Press
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Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” this morning with host Chuck Todd to discuss the Russia investigation, the Barbara Bush memorial service, and other topics.
A transcript of the interview follows:
“Meet the Press”
April 22, 2017
TODD: Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine joins me now. Senator Collins, welcome back to the show.
COLLINS: Thank you, Chuck.
TODD: I'm going to ask about that very question. You heard Mitch McConnell say, “I decide what goes on the floor, it's not happening.” Where are you on this bill?
COLLINS: I believe that it is important to have a debate on this bill in order to send a clear message to the president that Congress does not support his taking any action with regard to Mr. Mueller's investigation. Now, I don't think there's any chance in the world that the president is going to sign the bill, and there are some legitimate constitutional issues that have been raised, but I think that message is an important one.
TODD: Well, you and I both know that you can always attach stuff to must-sign pieces of legislation. President Obama got forced to pass laws that he didn't want to necessarily pass because the other parts of the bill were more important. You guys could do something like that.
COLLINS: We could, but I think the president might well veto the entire bill that it's attached to, and also there is the possibility that it would be struck down. But the message is an important one.
TODD: That's why you want this debate. You think having this public debate…What about Mitch McConnell’s pledge not to bring it to the floor?
COLLINS: It's his call, but I would hope that he might reconsider after the Judiciary Committee reports the bill.
TODD: Let me ask you a larger question here. When I saw that -- I think the House decided to adjourn a day early -- it feels as if Washington is almost paralyzed right now by the Mueller probe. And I know that -- or at least it's a pall that makes everything hit -- everybody is hitting the pause button -- can't seem to focus on a lot of other issues. Is it consuming Washington? The Mueller probe?
COLLINS: Well, there's certainly a lot of interest in it, and in some ways I think people are following the daily developments, but we are getting work done in other areas. I'm optimistic that this year we may finally return to a regular appropriations process. We just passed the sex trafficking bill.
TODD: By the way, you brought up -- what do you make of this decision to potentially repeal some spending, a rescissions bill that you heard just talked about? You guys just cut a deal with the Democrats and with everybody and what kind of dealmakers would you be if you pulled the rug?
COLLINS: I would advise the president to focus on the coming year’s appropriations and not try to relitigate and--
TODD: --So you won't support something like this?
COLLINS: No, I will not.
TODD: Well, that means, frankly, with the razor-thin margin here, doesn’t that send a message that this isn't going anywhere?
COLLINS: Well, this was an agreement that all the parties were in the room, both chambers and the administration agreed to, and I just don't think that anyone should renege on it. We should focus going forward on the appropriations bills before us.
TODD: I want to ask you about your role in the Senate Intelligence Committee. Michael Cohen, he has made one appearance before the Intel Committee in closed session. What's your sense of Michael Cohen's connection to this Russia probe?
COLLINS: That's a very difficult question to answer. There's been one interview of Michael Cohen. It has not been released to the public. I'm not at liberty to say what he said, but let me just say that I don't see him as being a central figure in this. The fact that the special counsel referred the allegations against Mr. Cohen back to the Justice Department and was referred to a U.S. Attorney suggests to me that it is not intimately connected to the Russian probe.
TODD: Do you feel as if Special Counsel Robert Mueller has expanded his probe beyond the scope of what he was assigned, or do you feel like he's staying within the parameters?
COLLINS: I believe he's staying within the parameters. And the proof of that is when he came across the allegations against Mr. Cohen, he did refer them back to the Justice Department and they're now being handled by a U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York. He didn't keep those.
TODD: James Comey's book tour, what do you make of James Comey, and what do you make of the -- what's the lesson now you're taking way from perhaps -- what advice would you give a future FBI director by watching James Comey and the book tour and how he's handled this?
COLLINS: Well, if I were advising a future FBI director, I would say two things: One, always follow the Department of Justice’s protocols and guidelines, which unfortunately James Comey did not do in the Hillary Clinton investigation, and he did not do when he leaked documents that were FBI work documents to a friend of his knowing they would go to the press. And so that would be my first advice. The second would be don't write a book in the middle of an investigation that’s ongoing
TODD: Do you think this is potentially disruptive to the Mueller probe?
COLLINS: That's what worries me. I cannot imagine why an FBI director would seek to essentially cash in on a book when the investigation is very much alive. He should have waited to do his memoir.
TODD: The Senate confirmation process on everything seems to be more and more difficult all the time. Let me ask you about two. Mike Pompeo, you voted to confirm him as CIA director. Any reason you wouldn't vote to confirm him for secretary of state?
COLLINS: I am going to vote to confirm him.
TODD: Any concerns at all or no?
COLLINS: I worked closely with him as a member of the Intelligence Committee. He is a very bright individual. I don't agree with every position he has taken or every word he has spoken, but I believe he has an extensive knowledge of world affairs that has been enhanced by his time at the CIA.
TODD: Gina Haspel, the nominee to replace Mike Pompeo. Dianne Feinstein came out against. Where are you on her? Have you made a decision?
COLLINS: I have not. I want to wait until we have the hearings. I had a lengthy meeting with her last week. I would note that the Mike Morell memo to look at her role in the destruction of the videotapes, which had been a major concern of mine, --
TODD: --Of potential torture--
COLLINS: --Exactly, of detainees--exonerated her as far as the destruction of the tapes. But we still have a lot of questions to ask of her.
TODD: Before I let you go can you just share with us -- I know you attended the memorial service for Barbara Bush. Who is a long-time, part-time resident of your home state of Maine. Tell me about the service.
COLLINS: It was a heartwarming tribute to Barbara Bush. It included a beautiful liturgy, wonderful tributes to her, lots of grandchildren, and representatives from the first families going back to Lyndon Baines Johnson’s family. And that was--and to President Kennedy’s family as well--and that was heartwarming as well, to see people putting away partisanship and coming together to honor a truly wonderful woman who had a huge influence on this country and my state. And I’m very grateful that I was able to be there.
TODD: It felt like America said goodbye to its grandma.
COLLINS: Exactly.
TODD: Susan Collins, Republican Senator from Maine, thank you for coming on. Much appreciated.
COLLINS: Thank you.
