Transcript: Sen. John Kennedy on "Face the Nation," January 20, 2019
The following is a transcript of the interview with Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana that aired Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019, on "Face the Nation."
MARGARET BRENNAN: We turn now to Louisiana Republican Senator John Kennedy who sits on the committee responsible for keeping the Department of Justice in check. He joins us this morning from New Orleans. Senator would you like to respond to anything that the congressman said there and what is your interpretation of the special counsel statement regarding this report?
SENATOR JOHN KENNEDY: My- my understanding Margaret and I sat through every minute of the hearing, is that there is an FBI rule that says an investigation report is not released. It's given to the attorney general, and the attorney general reports on the report. Now, I've said how I feel about it. I think they ought to release Mueller's report for a couple of reasons. Number one, it's going to leak anyway. Washington D.C. leaks like the Titanic. And number two, I think the American people have a right to know. If there's a rule that gets in the way, I hope that Mr. Barr will consider- consider waiving it. But- but if anybody is--
MARGARET BRENNAN: Is that a factor in--
SEN. KENNEDY: If anybody--
MARGARET BRENNAN: -- you deciding to vote him in for confirmation?
SEN. KENNEDY: Nah, I think Barr is eminently qualified--
MARGARET BRENNAN: And--
SEN. KENNEDY: But anybody--
MARGARET BRENNAN: you're a yes vote?
SEN KENNEDY: But anybody who-- Yes. If anybody who thinks this report is going to remain confidential has been smoking some of that medicinal marijuana.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But back to the question about the report in BuzzFeed regarding whether the president directed his attorney to lie. What do you understand--
SEN. KENNEDY: Right.
MARGARET BRENNAN: --the special counsel's comment on that to mean?
SEN. KENNEDY: I- I found that what happened with respect to the BuzzFeed article- it was embarrassing. I think the first amendment was bruised. But, reporters make mistakes. We all do. I was--
MARGARET BRENNAN: Buzzfeed stands by it.
SEN. KENNEDY: I understand BuzzFeed also has to answer to the fact that the Mueller said it's not true. And- and what surprised me was not that somebody made a mistake, intentional or not, but it was just the- it was astonishing to me that so many folks didn't stop and say hey you know let's think about this. Could this be true? Who are the sources? Had these particular reporters had problems before? It was- it was almost as if it was some of the reporting was not reporting, it was wishful thinking and I think that hurts the First Amendment.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator I'm coming up against time so I'm going to ask you briefly will you vote for the proposal put forward by the president to end the shutdown?
SEN. KENNEDY: Yep. It represents progress, not perfection, but progress. Ms. Pelosi's response was predictable but I can promise you that the more centrist Democrats right now are glad the president put something on the table. Third point I'll make is, I talk to the president about this issue for about an hour last week. And if you bring a plan to him that doesn't include a wall, it's dead as four o'clock.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Kennedy thank you very much for your time.