MSNBC "The Rachel Maddow Show" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Pete Aguilar
Interview
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Joining us now is Congressman Pete Aguilar, Democrat of California. He`s a member of the January 6 investigation.
Congressman Aguilar, a pleasure to have you here. Thanks for making time.
REP. PETE AGUILAR (D-CA): Thanks for having me.
MADDOW: So we`ve got these oral arguments at the D.C. circuit court. How important are President Trump`s White House records to the investigation, there is no way to know how the courts are going to handle this from here on out, particularly if this goes to the Supreme Court.
Would it be a critical factor for your investigation if ultimately, you weren`t able to get these Trump White House records?
AGUILAR: We`ve said all along that we want to tell the full and complete story. In order to do that, we are going to need documents were going to need interviews and so clearly that is what is helpful about the document requests and National Archives requests. So we are pleased at the time when a court is addressing this and the team here will be arguing that before the court appeals tomorrow.
So, we are excited to go to that next step and -- but it`s helpful and important to the work that we need to have those documents.
MADDOW: We`ve already seen the Justice Department charge Steve Bannon for content, for his refusal to hand over documents and testify to your investigation. It looks like there is a possibility, your college will decide on Wednesday, whether or not there is a scenario referral made around Jeff Clark.
What is the difference between Jeffrey Clark and his behavior towards the investigation and the other former Trump officials, other people related to the investigation, who have slow walk to you, or not testified yet? Or not handed over the documents that you have requested?
It sounds like there`s been a lot of resistance encouraged by former President Trump. What puts Jeffrey Clark potentially in the same boat as Steve Bannon, as this being criminal contempt?
AGUILAR: Mr. Clark is in a small group that have continued to stonewall us. He has not produced any documents. He came to the deposition and refused to answer questions, and exerted both executive privilege and attorney client privilege, which is a little confusing. And so, we are going to proceed. That is with the business committee meeting on Wednesday will be about, is the referral of the criminal content.
We feel that he has shown unwillingness to come forward and testify. We feel that over 250 people have come before us and given submitted interviews. He should be no different, including his two superiors at the time, Acting Attorney General Rosen and Deputy Attorney General Donoghue.
So, we`ve received a lot of information. The Senate Judiciary Committee put out a report as well that talked about Mr. Clark`s role in delegitimizing the election results. And we feel that he has an obligation to come before us and share what he knows.
MADDOW: Did you say over 250 people have communicated with the investigation at this point? Either given you documents, or testified, or both? Over 250?
AGUILAR: Two hundred and fifty interviews. So, there`s been a ton of activity that has been going on, 25,000 documents that the committee is sorting through and has sorted through. So, there`s a lot of activity.
And I know that there`s -- some of these names that are in the news obviously. But an overwhelming portion of the people who we have asked to submit for interviews and folks who we have subpoenaed, have come forward, and have been interviewed.
So, we continue to make progress. Chairman Thompson and Vice Chair Cheney continue to guide and lead our group and our pursuit of the truth. We just want to make sure our fundamental goal is that this never happens again.
And so, in order to do that, we are going to need documents and testimony. We are going to need the full and complete story.
MADDOW: Congressman Pete Aguilar, Democrat of California, member of the January 6th investigation -- sir, thank you for being here. I did not realize that the number of interviews had grown that large. That`s a remarkable scope your investigation. Thanks for helping us understand it, sir.
AGUILAR: Thanks, Rachel.
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