Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA11) on MSNOW this morning had a bunch to say about the ridiculous contempt vote against the Clintons and the DHS funding bill. See below for a transcript and video.
- On the contempt vote against the Clintons: “Well, look, our North Star here has to be getting transparency and accountability – what the survivors are correctly demanding. And anyone who has information should talk To the committee. I think we should point out here Hillary Clinton has zip, aero, zilch, nada, nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. The fact that the Republicans have included her shows, I think the nakedly partisan approach they’re taking here. Bill Clinton and Jeffrey Epstein did have a relationship for a period of time. And I think Bill Clinton should talk to the committee about that. Every president in history, throughout our history, who’s come before Congress, there’s been a negotiation about the terms of that conversation. And my understanding, based as recently as this weekend, is that that negotiation was ongoing and an offer was made to have an on-the-record, under-oath interview in New York with the chairman and the ranking member and President Clinton. That could get us some answers. If President Clinton knows more than he has said publicly or not, and could advance our investigation. A criminal contempt process ends that and will be tied up in courts for years. I want to get answers. They should have the interview. I don’t care whether it’s in New York, Washington on the moon, we should have the interview and get the answers we need…Right now, unless Chairman Comer can convince me that he’s negotiated in good faith, and the clintons have refused to have that kind of interview that will get the answers for the survivors, then yeah, I’m a no. It just doesn’t advance the investigation. And obviously, it’s worth noting here, a person who’s in defiance of an oversight committee subpoena is the Attorney General of the United States, Pam Bondi, who has not produced the files that our subpoena requires. If we’re going to consider contempt for one, we’ve got to be bipartisan and treat everyone equally here. Chairman Comer hasn’t shown any interest in…”
- On a DHS funding bill: “I traveled to Minnesota last week to hear directly, firsthand from folks there about what they’re experiencing at the hands of ICE and the other federal immigration enforcement agencies. And I made it crystal clear at that hearing and since that if the DHS funding bill doesn’t include very strict language to rein in ICE – I mean, ending the masking, ending the refusal to identify themselves, real use-of-force standards, CBP back to the border, then i wouldn’t vote for it. And I’m someone who has voted for a series of bipartisan appropriations bills that we passed this year that were compromises that I thought made sense. I’ve read the bill. I’ve looked at it. It doesn’t do what I think is necessary. So I’m a no. Republicans still control the White House, the Senate and the House. And if they need votes from Democrats like me, they’re going to have to listen to our priorities on behalf of our constituents. They haven’t done that here.”
- On the possibility of another government shutdown: “My expectation is Republicans will probably be able to pass this bill in the House with a very strong vote from the Republican conference and maybe some Democrats – and I suspect in the Senate, where, you know, we had eight Democrats who voted to end the last shutdown. It seems like there might be enough votes there. I’m holding out hope that there still could be some changes to the bill before it comes to the floor. And the House, I know amendments have been filed. I’m going to be pushing for that, but most likely it passes with unanimous Republican support and perhaps some Democrats.”
- On contempt passing out of committee: “Yes…Republicans have a majority on the committee. They’ll vote for it. You know, I think you’ll hear Democrats talking about the need to consider Pam Bondi, who is truly in contempt and defiance of a subpoena. But Republicans have shown they’ll do anything they can to cover up the Epstein files, including covering up Pam Bondi’s refusal to comply with subpoena…And look, Democrats, we want to talk to everybody, Trump and Clinton.”
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