CNN "Anderson Cooper 360" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Ruben Gallego

Interview

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COOPER: I'm joined now by someone who was in the Capitol that day Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego of Arizona. Congressman, I appreciate you being with us. These new videos, they continue to show the reality of what happened, and it's sickening to watch.

Is there any reason to believe -- well, I mean, I know the answer to this, there's no reason to believe that this is going to change any of your Republican colleagues' minds. I mean, they've been whitewashing what happened that day.

REP. RUBEN GALLEGO (D-AZ): No, they can't, and they won't be able to because they have made a calculated decision that they need a Trump base voter, and in order for them to have the Trump base voter, they basically have to ignore the fact that there was an insurrection that happened, when in fact, most of these deniers were the ones that received Capitol Police protection.

You know the Gosar and the Biggs of the world were the first ones they evacuated, when they started getting us out of the floor of the House Representatives. Representative Clyde was screaming up against the wall at security, trying to tell him what to do in order to keep some of these rioters out.

So, they know what happened, except now, they are basically selling their souls in order for them to have a chance at getting back to the House of Representatives and then eventually, the White House.

COOPER: Yes, I mean, Congressman Clyde, it's such an interesting case in point, you know, he called it a normal tourist visit. That's what he's now recently called it, but as you said, I mean, he was working to barricade the door, and I want to read something that you tweeted recently.

You said: "It's true some G.O.P. Members of Congress who are treating Capitol Police like shit were the most scared on the floor. Jody Hice took apart a hand sanitizer station to make it into a club. Gosar and Biggs were the first to leave the floor and Rep. Clyde was screaming like a banshee," end quote.

What was Clyde screaming about? GALLEGO: Yes, at that point, I couldn't tell you, but I think he was

screaming, if I remember somewhat correctly at security about what to do in order to basically barricade the doors.

And look, it's okay to be scared. I mean, I was scared.

COOPER: Sure.

GALLEGO: I mean, this is, you know, the closest I've been to any type of combat in about 16 years. The point is, is though, to appreciate the fact that these Capitol Police officers put their life on the line and then to also then at the same time insult them by refusing to acknowledge what happened, by refusing to shake their hands, and also by putting them in danger again, because the problem that you have here is when you're denying that there was an insurrection that ever happened, it encourages another insurrection. You put in these police officers' lives on the line.

So, it is absolutely disrespectful. But at the same time, it is extremely dangerous.

COOPER: Some of your Republican colleagues are now pushing this line that is being spread by FOX News that F.B.I. operatives, perhaps somehow organized and participated in the attack. I don't hear Kevin McCarthy trying to publicly denounce that theory. What do you make of it?

GALLEGO: Well, again, this is Kevin McCarthy, just being, you know, a trashy politician. Instead of being a leader of the country, or at least of his party, he is basically again, selling his corrupt soul in order for him to be Speaker of the House.

Look, the F.B.I. had nothing to do with any type of insurrection. This was entirely led by a combination of political operatives, you know, Proud Boys, a bunch of white supremacists and just general losers that were trying to stop the official count of the Electoral College.

You can't blame a lot of them because a lot of them are -- were bought in and sold many years ago by the Trump lies, but these politicians know better, and that's the sad part. They all know better and they are all participating in the lie because they're just crass politicians that just want power.

And that means that it'll cost us our democracy. It'll cost us this Constitutional Republic that we have had for more than 200 years. They are willing to do it because that's all they really care about, and that's a very sad statement, but that's what this Republican Party has gone to.

COOPER: Congressman Ruben Gallego, I appreciate it. Thank you very much.

GALLEGO: Thank you for your time.

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