Full Interview: Marco Rubio with Jake Tapper

I'M JOINED BY A MEMBER OF THAT
COMMITTEE, FLORIDA SENATOR MARCO
RUBIO, REPUBLICAN SENATOR.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US
THIS MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU.
SO PRESIDENT TRUMP MADE THIS
VERY SERIOUS ALLEGATION.
YOU'RE ON THE SENATE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY EVIDENCE AT ALL
TO SUGGEST THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP
IS STATING SOMETHING FACTUAL
HERE?
>> BY THAT YOU MEAN THE TWEET
YESTERDAY ABOUT THE PRESIDENT
OBAMA?
>> YES.
>> YEAH.
SO OBVIOUSLY I HAVE NO -- I'M
NOT SURE WHAT IT IS HE IS
TALKING ABOUT.
PERHAPS THE PRESIDENT HAS
INFORMATION THAT IS NOT YET
AVAILABLE TO US OR TO THE
PUBLIC, AND IF IT'S TROW,
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GOING TO FIND
OUT VERY QUICKLY, AND IF IT
ISN'T, THEN OBVIOUSLY HE'LL HAVE
TO EXPLAIN WHAT HE MEANT BY IT,
SO I -- I DON'T -- I'M NOT SURE
WHAT THE GENESIS OF THAT
STATEMENT WAS, BUT I IMAGINE
WE'RE GOING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
IT HERE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF
DAYS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
>> DO YOU THINK THE FBI SHOULD
CLEAR IT UP ONE WAY OR ANOTHER
IN.
>> THAT'S ALSO A DIFFICULT
THING.
I MEAN, THE FBI DOES NOT CONFIRM
EITHER THAT THERE IS OR THAT
THERE IS NOT INVESTIGATIONS.
IT DOES NOT TALK ABOUT PENDING
MATTERS, EITHER DENYING THAT
THEY EXIST OR ADMITTING THEM FOR
THE MOST PART.
THAT'S BEEN THEIR PRACTICE AND I
KNOW THAT'S A SOURCE OF DEEP
FRUSTRATION FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE,
NOT JUST ON THIS ISSUE BUT OTHER
ISSUES IN THE PAST AND WHAT I
THINK WE SHOULD DO EVERYBODY
NEEDS TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH HERE
HAND CALM DOWN HERE HAND LET'S
GO THROUGH OF WHAT WE'RE DOING
AND THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE WE ARE WORKING IN A
BIPARTISAN WAY TO COLLECT FACTS
THAT INVOLVES REVIEWING
CLASSIFIED AND SOMETIMES
UNCLASSIFIED AND OPEN-SOURCE
INFORMATION.
WE WILL ISSUE A REPORT TO THE
SENATE THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, AND THEN
PEOPLE CAN FORM JUDGMENTS ON THE
BASIS OF THE COLLECTION OF
FACTS.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE UNDERTAKING.
I REMAIN CONFIDENT THAT THE
SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE IS
GOING TO PRODUCE A DOCUMENT
BUILTIN THE FACTS THAT WILL
ALLOW PEOPLE TO REACH JUDGMENTS
BASED ON FACTS, AND THAT'S WHAT
WE SHOULD BE DOING IN SOMETHING
LIKE THIS.
>> THE WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL RIGHT
NOW IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
THEY CAN RELEASE FROM THE TOP
SECRET FISA COURT IN THEIR
EFFORT TO PROVIDE SOME SORT OF
EVIDENCE TO THE PRESIDENT'S
TWEETS.
DOES IT CONCERN YOU AT ALL,
WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL'S OFFERS
THEORETICALLY REACHING OUT TO
THE FISA COURTS TO FIND HOW THE
WHAT THEY CAN RELEASE BECAUSE OF
THESE TWEETS?
>> WELL, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH
THE CONVERSATION THAT YOU'RE
SAYING IS TAKING OPERATION
BETWEEN THE WHITE HOUSE AND FISA
COURTS.
I WILL SAY TO YOU THAT THIS
ENTIRE ISSUE HAS REACHED THE
POINT NOW WHERE SO MUCH OF IT IS
BEING LITIGATED IN THE PRESS.
I CAN TELL THERE YOU ARE THINGS
BEING REPORT THAT HAD ARE NOT
TRUE.
I CAN TELL YOU THINGS REPORTED
OUT THERETO THAT ARE TRUE, AND
IN BETWEEN ALL OF THAT IS WHAT
WE'RE WORKING ON THE SENATE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE TO GATHER
FACTS.
WE'RE NOT A COW.
THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE IS NOT A LAW
ENFORCEMENT ENTITY.
WE'RE REVIEWING EVERYTHING
THAT'S HAPPENED HAND PRIMARILY
WITH THE FOCUS ON ACTIVE
MEASURES THAT WERE UNDERTAKEN BY
RUSSIANS OR OTHERS IN OUR
CAMPAIGNS IN 2016, WE'LL COMPILE
THAT INTO A REPORT THAT WILL BE
RELEASED TO OUR COLLEAGUES AND
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND WOULD I HOPE
PEOPLE WOULD RESERVE JUDGMENT ON
ALL OF THESE AND I KNOW THAT'S
FRUSTRATING AND WE ALL WANT IT
TO BE AVAILABLE TOMORROW AND
THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THE
RIGHT WAY AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON.
I TRULY FEEL CONFIDENT THAT IT
WILL BE A DOCUMENT AND A REPORT
THAT WILL BE BIPARTISAN AND
ACCURATE.
>> WE LEARNED THIS WEEK THAT
ATTORNEY GENERAL SESSIONS WAS IN
CONTACT WITH THE RUSSIAN
AMBASSADOR ON AT LEAST TWO
SEPARATE OCCASIONS DURING THE
CAMPAIGN.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT
SOMEBODY CLOSE TO PRESIDENT
TRUMP HAS SPOKEN WITH THE
RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR AND THEN NOT
BEEN FORTHCOMING ABOUT IT.
THE OTHER PERSON OBVIOUSLY WAS
GENERAL MICHAEL FLIRNG THE
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER, WHO
HAD TO RESIGN AS A RESULT.
WHY DO YOU THINK SENIOR
OFFICIALS IN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION KEEP FAILING TO
BE FORTHCOMING ABOUT THEIR
COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE
RUSSIANS?
>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE
OTHERS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHO
THEY MET WITH OR TALKED WHERE.
CAN I TELL YOU ABOUT SENATOR
SESSIONS AND AMBASSADORS.
THAT'S WHAT AMBASSADORS DO.
I MEET WITH DOZEN OF AMBASSADORS
A YEAR AND I RUN INTO THEM ALL
THE TIME.
THEY ARE OUT THERE TRYING TO
REACH PEOPLE AND TALK TO THEM SO
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR A MEMBER OF
THE SENATE TO THE MEET WITH AN
AMBASSADOR.
NOW, OBVIOUSLY, HE IN A -- IN
THE SENATE COMMITTEE SAID HE HAD
NOT BEEN IN CONTACT WITH ANYONE.
THAT TURNED OUT TO BE
INACCURATE, AND -- AND THAT I
THINK WAS WHAT BECAME
PROBLEMATIC IN TERMS OF THE WAY
HE ANSWERED THAT QUESTION IN
COMMIT.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS
INTENTIONAL IN ANY WAY BECAUSE
AT THE END OF THE DAY IT WAS NOT
THE KIND OF THING THAT JEFF
SESSIONS DOES AND IT'S NOT KIND
OF THING THAT WOULD BE EASY TO
HIDE, AND NOR WOULD THERE BE ANY
REASON, TO BUT, AGAIN, I THINK
WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT OF
HYSTERIA HERE.
AMBASSADORS TRY TO MEET WITH
PEOPLE ALL THE TIME.
I LITERALLY MEET WITH DOZENS OF
AMBASSADORS AND SO DO MOST
SENATORS, ESPECIALLY THOSE HON
COMMITTEES THAT TOUCH UPON
FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND FOREIGN
RELATIONS.
>> US A POINT OUT ISSUE IS NOT
BEING FORTHCOMING ABOUT IT, NOT
THE THUILE MEETING.
HAVE YOU EVER MET WITH THE
RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR, SERGEI
KISLYAK?
>> I'VE MET WITH AMBASSADORS
FROM OTHER COUNTRIES INCLUDING
COUNTRIES FROM TIME TO TIME WE
MAY HAVE STRONG ISSUES WITH.
IT HAPPENS.
THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE HERE TO DO
AND WHEN A NEW AMBASSADOR IS
APPOINTED OR A NEW SENATOR IS
APPOINTED OR YOU GET ELECTED TO
A COMMITTEE THEY TRY TO REACH
OUT PROACTIVELY AND MEET WITH
YOU.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF
COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE RUSSIANS
BECAUSE THEY THINK I'M A LOST
CAUSE AND WE MEET WITH DOZENS OF
AMBASSADORS EVERY YEAR.
>> U.S. INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS
SAY THAT KISLYAK IS NOT JUST AN
AMBASSADOR.
HE'S ALSO A SPY AND A RECRUITER
OF SPIES.
YOU'RE ON THE SENATE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE.
IS THAT YOUR AS UNING?
>> I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO
WHAT THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE
ASSESSES AND IT'S NOT HAD A
MYSTERY, NOT HIM IN GENERAL,
THAT VIRTUALLY EVERY EMBASSY IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. HAS SOME
INTELLIGENCE COMPONENT
ASSOCIATED WITH IT, AND THAT'S
JUST THE NATURE OF DIPLOMATIC
FACILITIES, NOT JUST IN
WASHINGTON BUT ALL OVER THE
WORLD, BUT IN THE END, AGAIN, I
GO TO REITERATE THE POINT I'VE
MADE EARLIER AND IT'S THIS.
AMBASSADORS TRY TO MEET WITH
SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN AND
PEOPLE ON THE HILL ALL THE TIME.
IT IS WHAT THEY SPEND A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THEIR TIME
DOING.
THAT IS THEIR JOB.
IT IS NOT UNUSUAL THAT AN
AMBASSADOR WOULD MEET WITH A
SENATOR ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
AISLE, AS IN THE CASE HERE, BY
THE WAY.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT IMMIGRATION.
BEFORE HIS TUESDAY SPEECH TO A
JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS
PRESIDENT TRUMP MET WITH NEWS
KINGORS AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
I WAS THERE.
HE SAID HE WOULD SUPPORT
THEORETICALLY A COMPROMISE
IMMIGRATION BILL AND A SENIOR
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL WENT ON
TO SAY THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP
WOULD EVEN SUPPORT LEGAL STATUS
FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS WHO
HAVE NOT OTHERWISE COMMITTED
SERIOUS CRIMES WHILE
BEING-IN-THE-UNITED STATES.
PRESIDENT TRUMP DIDN'T BRING
THIS UP DURING HIS ADDRESS TOING
COULD.
HIS STAFF TOLDER?
THE NEXT DAY THAT THE WHOLE
THING ABOUT A COMPROMISED
IMMIGRATION GOAL WAS, QUOTE, A
MISDIRECTION PLAY.
AS SOMEONE WHO WORKED HARD ON
THIS ISSUE, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF
ALL OF OF IT IN.
>> I DON'T THINK IT'S A
MISDIRECTION PLAY.
I THINK THE PRESIDENT REALIZES
WE HAVE AN IMMIGRATION PROBLEM
IN AMERICA AND WE NEED TO NICKS
IT AND IT'S BEEN MY ADVICE AND
ANYBODY WHO WILL LISTEN THAT THE
BEST WAY TO DO THIS IS TO TAKE
OUR TIME AND DO IT RIGHT.
>> SENATOR, THE WHITE HOUSE TOLD
CNN IT WAS A MISDIRECTION PLAY
AND THE WHITE HOUSE SAID HEY
WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID THAT
TO YOU GUYS, HE WAS JUST
THROWING A LOT OF SMOKE THERE SO
YOU GUYS WOULD GIVE HIM GOOD
PRESS FOR A FEW HOURS AND THEN
HE GAVE RED MEAT TO HIS BASE IN
THE ACTUAL SPEECH.
THAT'S FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.
>> MY SENSE IS THERE WHAT IS A
DESIRE AND INTEREST TO FIX THIS,
BUT IT'S GOING TO BE DONE THE
RIGHT WAY AND IN THE RIGHT
SEQUENCE AND IN THE RIGHT ORDER.
>> DURING THE CAMPAIGN THEN
CANDIDATE TRUMP WAS ASKED IF HE
WOULD SPLIT UP FAMILIES AS PART
OF HIS DEPORTATION POLICY AND HE
SAID, QUOTE, WE HAVE TO KEEP THE
FAMILIES TOGETHER, UP QUOTE BUT
CNN CONFIRMED ON FRIDAY THAT THE
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
IS CONSIDERING A PROPOSAL THAT
WOULD SEPARATE CHIRP FROM ADULTS
WHEN THEY ARE TRYING TO ENTER
THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY AT THE
SOUTHERN BORDER.
PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS THESE
CHILDREN ARE BEINGOUSED AS
PAWNS.
AND IN THIS COMES TO FRUITION
WOULD YOU SUPPORT IT?
>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S IN THE
PROPOSAL OR DOCUMENT THAT
SOMEONE INERNLLY DRUMMED UP AND
WE HEARD REPORTS THAT THEY WERE
GOING TO USE THE NATURAL TO
ROUND PEOPLE UP AND THAT TURNED
OUT NOT TO BE TRUE.
SUFFICE IT TO SAY THERE IS NO
DOUBT IN MANY PARTS OF CENTRAL
AMERICA AND THE WESTERN
HEMISPHERE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO
ARE SENDING THEIR CHILDREN AND
OFTENTIMES ARRIVING WITH
CHILDREN BECAUSE IF THEY DO THEY
WILL BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY THAN
IF THEY ARRIVE WITHOUT CHILDREN.
WE NEED TO HELP COUNTRIES LIKE
HONDURAS AND GUATEMALA AND EL
SALVADOR AND THAT'S WHY I
SUPPORT THE ALLIANCE FOR
PROSPERITY AND I DON'T KNOW IF
THIS IS A REAL PROPOSAL.
I NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT TO
UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE
TALKING ABOUT DOING AND IN
GENERAL JUST THE WAY YOU
MENTIONED IT TO ME WOULD BE
PROBLEMATIC TO IMPLEMENT AND I'M
NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON
SOMETHING IF IT'S A REAL
PROPOSAL AN IDEA THAT SOMEONE
WAS FLOATING AROUND AND WASN'T
TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND UNTIL WE DO
IT WOULD BE PREMATURE TO OPINE
ON IT.
>> BIG SPLITS EMERGING IN THE
ROPE CAN PARTY ON THE QUESTION
OF WHETHER OBAMACARE SHOULD BE
REPEALED IN ITS ENTIRETY AND
THEN FIXED THAT REMAINS.
REPUBLICANS ARE SUPPORTING A
PLAN WOULD LOW OF SOME OBAMACARE
POLICIES INTAC.
RAUND PAL AND TED CRUZ ARE
INSISTING ON A FULL REPEAL.
ARE YOU WITH THEM ON THIS ISSUE?
>> I WANT TO REPEAL OBAMACARE
AND I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO
THE SYSTEM WE HAD IN 2009 HAND
THAT DIDN'T WORK EITHER AND WHEN
PEOPLE TALK ABOUT PARTIAL REPEAL
IT'S BECAUSE THE PROCESS BEING
USED FOR REPEAL IS
RECONCILIATION.
THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO
THROUGH RECONCILIATION AND
CANNOT.
WE DON'T HAVE 60 VOTES IN THE
SENATE TO DO THINGS OUTSIDE OF
THAT RECONCILIATION PRODUCT.
I THINK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
OBAMACARE NEEDS TO BE REPEALED
AND NEED TO PUT SOMETHING BETTER
IN PLACE BECAUSE WHAT I DON'T
SUPPORT IS GOING BACK TO 2009
BECAUSE THAT

Full Interview: Marco Rubio with Jake Tapper

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