House Judiciary Committee debates articles of impeachment against President Trump

close

Video

House Judiciary Committee debates articles of impeachment against President Trump

Reaction and analysis from the 'Special Report' All-Stars.

This is a rush transcript from "Special Report with Bret Baier," December 12, 2019. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

[BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS]

President Donald Trump: He is his foreign minister, everybody did you know they said there was no pressure he didn't do anything. There was no pressure put on us that didn't stop anybody.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y.: Well, of course, he said he wasn't pressured. The United States is a powerful nation on which his nation is dependent. He has a gun to his head.

[END VIDEO CLIPS]

Bret Bair, anchor: Talking about the Ukrainian president there that is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee as this is ongoing, we're heading towards a vote tonight there and then eventually it will head to the House floor.

Let's bring in our panel: Washington Post columnist Mark Thiessen; Leslie Marshall, Democratic strategist and Tom Bevin, Real Clear Politics co-founder and president. OK. I want to start with this juxtaposition, Mark, of where we are. There is this impeachment that's going on and it will happen. The votes, it appears, are there for Nancy Pelosi. At the same time, the president is getting probably his biggest bipartisan legislative win of his presidency wins. And it could be his biggest legislative week to date he's just seeing Boris Johnson get reelected in Great Britain. The China deal is coming through the USMC A and the new NAFTA and it's the same week. Historically, it could be his worst week being impeached as one of the few presidents who's being impeached.

Mark Theissen, Washington Post: Yeah, well, first of all, Mr. Chairman, I'd like to strike the last word I could. Secondly, I actually think it's one of his best week period. I mean, as you said, like, look, we started out on last Friday, 266,000 jobs created. Economy is booming. Boris Johnson, Socialists Defeated in Europe. USMCA defense bill which includes the includes removes all the restrictions on wall funding space force created paid family leave pending spending bill that averts a government shutdown and then on impeachment. The Democrats, after three years of telling us, alleging that Trump had committed all sorts of crimes extortion, campaign finance violations, bribery, obstruction of justice, conspiracy, treason, they've introduced two articles of impeachment that include no crimes, no statutory crimes whatsoever. First, impeachment in American history, that includes no statutory crime, so the Democrats have effectively vindicated Donald Trump of any crimes. So, and on top of that, the polls on impeachment when this started, there was a plurality of voters who supported the impeachment and removal today majorities oppose his impeachment of removal. This is a homerun week for Donald Trump.

Bret Baier: Well, I want to get to the polls in just a second, but Leslie Hakeem Jeffries, one of the really the guys who makes the case the best on the House Judiciary Committee for the Democrats talking just a few minutes ago about the case.

[BEGIN VIDEO CLIP]
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.: We had more than 200 national security professionals. Democrats and Republicans who expressed concern with the president's wrongdoing this is a president that attacks everybody to distract attacks everybody who won't bend the knee to Donald J. Trump he even attacked today. A 16-year-old teenage activist, Greta Thunberg. Are you here to defend that as well?

[END VIDEO CLIP]

Bret Baier: So, they're all over the map, they're talking about the tweet there. “So ridiculous. Greta must work on her anger management problem then go to a good old-fashioned movie with a friend. Chill, Greta, chill.” That's obviously the cover of Time magazine, and talking about their Democrats, are they making this case as this continues nonstop for impeachment towards this vote?

Leslie Marshall, Democratic strategist: I would say that they're not making any headway because we're seeing in the polls that people and their opinion is remain unchanged. I mean, if people don't like Donald Trump or if they're a Democrat, if they believe that he did wrong and this is an impeachable offense, that's where they were. That's where they are. That's not it doesn't seem to change. The hearings haven't changed that. And the same can be said on the other side of Republicans or people that support the president. Don't feel that this rises to the level of impeachment or don't want him impeached. They were there. They still are there now. And I don't think that's going to change. I also don't think it's going to change outcomes in the election. I think this is a very different time than it was during the Clinton impeachment. And I don't think that we're going to see Democrats hurt are as bad as Republicans were then and I do want to add that Gretta added to her Twitter page that she is working on her rage issues.

Bret Baier: And going to see a movie I think she said, but you don't think that there's pressure on those 31 Democrats and House districts?

Leslie Marshall: Yes, absolutely. 22 of them are freshmen and we've already had one freshman in New Jersey who said, look, I'm out. You have two Democrats we know that from Missouri and from New Jersey are pretty much going to vote no because they voted no for the inquiry to begin with anyway. And a lot of others are keeping their ear...

Bret Baier: So, you're over under is five or something like that.

Leslie Marshall: Five to seven, five to seven they're saying maybe, maybe six but she has the votes. Nancy Pelosi has the votes.

Bret Baier: All right. Since we have the RCP guy here, we'll put up your Real Clear Politics poll and the chart that shows the impeachment numbers and the impeachment removal from office. And you how see the movement there as it's getting at its lowest level for the people who are for.

Tom Bevin, Real Clear Politics: Yeah, it's been bumping along a slight plurality in favor of impeachment and removal. About 48-45, 46 -- now that gap is gone it's dead even. Those are the national polls and again, states are different.

Bret Baier: And we've seen swing states be different.

Tom Bevin: We just had a Marquette University Law pool law school poll come out today in Wisconsin showing that impeachment is it's 40 in favor of impeachment, rule 52 against. That is no movement over the past four weeks. So, no minds have been changed and impeachment is underwater, especially among independents in Wisconsin also in Michigan, Pennsylvania.

Content and Programming Copyright 2019 Fox News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Fox News Network, LLC. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.