The Daily Signal - #473: Rep. Andy Biggs on Mueller's Statement, Border Security

Episode Date: May 29, 2019

Special Counsel Robert Mueller recently broke his silence on the Russia investigation, and Democrats are ramping up calls for impeachment. Today, Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs joins the podcast to weigh in on Mueller, impeachment, and a subject very important to his state: border security.We also cover these stories:-President Donald Trump steps up attacks on Mueller.-Missouri's last abortion clinic could be closing shortly.-Fetal "heartbeat bill" sent to governor's desk in Louisiana.The Daily Signal podcast is available on Ricochet, iTunes, SoundCloud, Google Play, or Stitcher. All of our podcasts can be found at DailySignal.com/podcasts. If you like what you hear, please leave a review. You can also leave us a message at 202-608-6205 or write us at [e-mail]. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feeling festive. Catch classic holiday favorites like Home Alone, the Santa Claus and Die Hard, along with holiday episodes from Family Guy, Abbott Elementary, and more with Hulu on Disney Plus. From festive Disney flicks to binge-worthy Hulu originals, Hulu on Disney Plus is your home for the holidays. Celebrate the season with Hulu, available on Disney Plus in Canada. This is the Daily Signal podcast for Friday, May 31st. I'm Daniel Davis. Robert Mueller recently broke his silence on the Russia investigation, and Democrats are now ramping up calls for impeachment.

Today, Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs joins the podcast to weigh in on Mueller, impeachment, and a subject very important to his state, border security. By the way, if you're enjoying this podcast, please consider leaving a review or a five-star rating on iTunes and encourage others to subscribe. Now on to our top news. President Trump tweeted Thursday, Russia, Russia, Russia, Russia, Russia. That's all you heard at the beginning of this witch hunt hoax. And now Russia has disappeared because I had nothing to do with Russia helping me to get elected. It was a crime that didn't exist, end quote. But later in the day Thursday, in a video captured by Vox journalist Aaron Rupar, Trump struck a different tune.

No, Russia did not help me get elected. You know who got me elected? You know who got me elected? I got me elected. Russia didn't help me at all. Russia, if anything, I didn't. I think help the other side. What you ought to ask is this. Do you think the media helped Hillary Clinton get elected? She didn't make it. But you take a look at collusion between Hillary Clinton and the media. You take a look at collusion between Hillary Clinton and Russia. She had more to do in the campaign with Russia than I did. I had nothing to do. President Trump is not letting up on his attacks on Special Counsel Robert Mueller following the special counsel's press conference Wednesday where he addressed his investigation into Russian collusion in the 2016 presidential election.

I think Mueller is a true never-trumper. He is somebody that dislikes Donald Trump, the president told reporters Thursday before heading to Colorado to speak at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation. Trump also pushed back on the notion of impeachment, which has been floated by Democrats such as freshman representative Rashida Talib. Here's what he had to say. I don't see how they can because they're possibly allowed, although I can't imagine the courts allowing it. I've never gone into it.

I never thought that would even be possible to be using that word. To me, it's a dirty word, the word impeach. It's a dirty, filthy, disgusting word, and it had nothing to do with me. So I don't think so because there was no crime. You know, it's high crimes and not with or or. It's high crimes and misdemeanors. There was no high crime and there was no misdemeanor. So how do you impeach based on that?

And it came out that there was nothing to do with Russia. The whole thing is a scam. It's a giant presidential harassment. And honestly, I hope it goes down as one of my greatest achievements. Because I've exposed corruption. I've exposed corruption like nobody knew existence. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the White House worked with the Navy to make sure that a Navy ship, the USS John McCain, didn't have its name in the president's site during his trip to Japan. The ship is named after relatives of the late Senator John McCain.

Trump, however, pushed back. I don't know what happened. I wasn't involved. I would not have done that. I was very angry with John McCain because he killed health care. I was not a big fan of John McCain in any way, shape, or form. I think John McCain had a lot to getting President Bush, a lot to do with it, to go into the Middle East, which was a catastrophe. To me, John McCain, I wasn't a fan, but I would never do a thing like that. Now, somebody did it because they thought I didn't like him, okay?

And they were well-meaning, I will say, I didn't know anything about it. I would never have done that. On the view, co-hosts Megan McCain, daughter of the late senator, addressed the matter. It's impossible to go through the grief process when my father who's been dead 10 months is constantly in the news cycle because the president is so obsessed with the fact that he's never going to be a great man like he was. Missouri could be the first state to lose its last abortion clinic depending on what circuit judge Michael Stelzer decides Thursday. The license for Planned Parenthood's last abortion clinic expires Friday, and during a briefing with press on Wednesday, Missouri Governor Mike Parson, a Republican, said that the state will not renew Planned Parenthood's license unless it adheres to the state's stipulations. On Tuesday, the Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis region sued the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, saying that the institution was, quote, unlawfully holding up renewal of the St. Louis' abortion. clinics license until the department could finish an investigation into an unidentified patient complaint,

end quote, according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Stelzer, the Missouri judge, quote, heard an hour of arguments on Planned Parenthood's request for a temporary restraining order that would prohibit the state from allowing the clinic's abortion license to lapse, according to the Associated Press. Louisiana has passed a fetal heartbeat abortion ban, but in a surprising, twist, the governor who has said he will sign it, John Bell Edwards, is a Democrat. In a lengthy statement, Edwards explained, in 2015, I ran for governor as a pro-life candidate after serving as a pro-life legislator for eight years. As governor, I have been true to my word and my beliefs on this issue. But it is also my sincere belief that being pro-life means more than just being pro-birth.

Then Edwards touted his work on health care, criminal justice reform, adoption, and raising the minimum wage, among other issues. He also said, quote, as I prepare to sign this bill, I call on the overwhelming bipartisan majority of legislators who voted for it to join me in continuing to build a better Louisiana that cares for the least among us and provides more opportunity for everyone. New Hampshire has put an end to the death penalty after overturning a veto from the state's Republican governor to keep the practice. There was only one person, Michael Addison, currently on death row in New Hampshire. Addison was sentenced to death over 10 years ago for killing Michael Briggs, a Manchester police officer. There were apparently, however, no plans to execute Addison as prison officials said they did not have and were not looking to obtain lethal injection drugs, according to the Washington Post.

Former Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi died Thursday at age 81. Cochran, who was first elected to the Senate in 1978, ultimately served for about four decades, stepping down in April of last year. Before that, he was a House member for three terms and was a Navy veteran. President Trump tweeted his appreciation for Cochran, writing, very sad to hear the news on the passing of my friend, Senator Thad Cochran.

He was a real senator with incredible values, even flew back to Senate from Mississippi for important health care vote when he was desperately ill. Thad never let our country, or me, down. A premature baby has won the world record for being the smallest baby ever born and just left a San Diego hospital. The baby born in December weighed 8.6 ounces and was nicknamed Seby by staff at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women and Newborns in San Diego due to the parents' requests for privacy. Born at only 23 weeks when most pregnancies last about 40 weeks, Sabie gained 5.6 pounds before graduating from the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit this month. Next up, our interview with Congressman Andy Biggs.

Did you know you can now listen to all of our events through SoundCloud or just by visiting our events page on heritage.org. You now have access to hundreds of events and compelling discussions on policy issues from your car, on the train, or the comfort of your own home. Visit heritage.org slash events for more information or search for the Heritage Foundation on SoundCloud. Well, I'm joined now by Congressman Andy Biggs. He represents Arizona's fifth congressional district and the House of Representatives. Congressman, thanks for being on. Thanks for having me, Daniel. Good to be with you. So first thing I want to ask you, we've recently seen Robert Mueller, Special Counsel Robert Mueller, give a statement, breaking his silence after over two years

after this report. What do you make of his statement about his findings in the report? Well, I was very disappointed that he even made a statement. It was unnecessary. I thought it was reckless and irresponsible, quite frankly. So, unnecessary. Why? Because he said himself almost right off the bat, He said, I'm not going to say anything more than what is in the report already. Well, then that should have been the shortest news conference on history. He should have said, thank you for coming after that. But then he went on and tried to basically justify some of his findings with regard to obstruction of justice and light up what he certainly would know with his experience, my impeachment-minded judiciary colleagues.

So you're going to see, and we did see this immediately. the Jerry Nadler, all these people on the Judiciary Committee, they say, okay, so now we have the reason, basically the causes Belize to go forward and do this thing with impeachment. Yeah, it seems like Mueller wanted to stop short of saying there was any, you know, obstruction of justice, but wanted to give a nod to some members of Congress that they could pursue that? Yeah, exactly right. But I mean, think how he did it.

He basically flipped the constitutional presumptions. on end. He said, you know, we never, we didn't quite get there and find that there was indictable material. I mean, that's what he wrote. But then, but then he flipped it on on its head because if you don't find indictable material, guess what? You don't charge and that's all you say. It's a bill or no bill type of thing. And I was very disgusted with it. And I think we're in a situation where you're going to see within the next couple of months the, the, the, the bloodwaters that call for impeachment are going to breach the dam. Okay, well, I was just going to ask about that because House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been trying to hold that back.

I think she knows it would damage the Democratic Party, but you think that she won't be able to hold it back. She won't be able to hold it back. I mean, you have some people that are, who have, otherwise, I would say, have taken a more moderate approach to it, or more wait and see. They're now basically using this as justification to go away. forward. When I say this, I'm talking about the Mueller's statement. And Nancy Pelosi will be able to hold it back. I mean, don't forget, two votes switched the other way. She doesn't become Speaker of the House. So she's got to placate everybody. And she's got to walk a very sharp-edged razor to make this word, because don't forget, she's got 20-plus seats that are tipable, you know,

so she could lose those seats very easily. I think she also has to be able to. I think she also has to be able. a legacy issue that she's concerned about. If the House goes back to majority Republican based on an impeachment deal, that'll be twice that she's been Speaker and she's lost the majority. So these all figure into it, but I think she doesn't want to do this. I think she's, she is a smart politician understands the damage. I also think that the polling data that I'm aware of indicates that the vast majority of unaffiliated voters don't want to impeachment. Well, you get Democrat majority wants impeachment, Republican majority doesn't want impeachment, but the people who will help decide this next election are unaffiliated,

and they don't want impeachment. Yeah, well, when you talk to your constituents about this, what do they say? They say it's over and move on. Let's see something else. Talk about something else. I mean, really, that's even from my people who are staunch pro-Trump, they're like, what's with the Democrats? Can't we move on to something? something else. So they're agitated, frustrated, and they want to get going. A big issue for your state is immigration and border security. I wanted to ask you, how is it affected, the recent surge in illegal immigration, how has that affected your district in Arizona?

Well, it's affected basically in the entire country, and I'll tell you how it has. My district is a suburban district of the Phoenix metro area. And just the raw numbers that you have of people crossing the border that were. So we're apprehending, what, 109,000 in April, 103,000 in March, 76,000 in February. You're talking over 300,000 people that are being apprehended at our border. A year ago, they told me we caught one and two.

Four months ago, they told me we were catching one and three. Now they say, we have no idea, because what's happening is they're sending groups of people over, We'll have agents go. All their time is taken up with them, and we know other groups are coming in. Some of them are bad people, some of are drug people, and you've got human trafficking.

So let me tell you how it impacts not just my district, but other districts. You've got opioids coming through at unprecedented levels. So we're interdicting, but they claim and believe we're catching maybe 10, 15%. Another thing that you've got to realize, too, and this is critical to understand, is the human trafficking component to this is awful. We know that children are being recycled.

Former Secretary Nielsen testified to that. What do you mean by recycled? So they get better treatment as family units, shorter terms in custody, parole and get out the door. They get to do all this stuff. But here's the deal. DEA tells me, in a briefing I had a month ago, that they have had to work with local law enforcement

because people are coming in, they're all using the same sponsor's address in mainly five cities in this country, one of them being Houston, one being Charleston, South Carolina. And what they found is people are going there, 40 and 50 people going to the same address. When they get there, they have a drug cartel affiliate, greets them with fraudulent Social Security and other fraudulent ID. But we've given them a work permit with the parole. So that is important to them. So they get to work. In the meantime, they also have kids that are there. There were three children at this one facility that they went in and busted everybody.

And they were just waiting to send them back to be used again as props for family units at the border. This human trafficking is horrific. Now the other aspect of this, the cartel affiliates are literally putting these people in indentured servitude situation so they'll say okay you owe us another 50,000 bucks and you're going to work to us till you've paid it off and then they've got this other pipeline of people coming back to the same place the person that they busted had made millions of dollars in 18 months from these illegal aliens and this is what's going on it is throughout the country it's pervasive we're we're overrun we're letting we're letting literally hundreds of thousands of people into this country who are

otherwise illegal aliens and we're given them work permits to work in the country as well. Well, something that the president speaks to a lot about on this is asylum laws, which allow folks to just apply for asylum and then get in while they're waiting for their hearing and not show up for the hearing. Do you think Congress has any will to close those loopholes to at least bring some order to the process? I doubt it. And I'll tell you why. I mean, I mean, I just says was at an event yesterday with a Democrat colleague of mine, and he didn't seem to have the will to close the asylum loophole. But here's the way it works. I show up with a kid, I declare asylum.

There's no place for me in the end. So they put people in that have been in a couple days. I go in for a couple of days. I come out. When I come out, I have a basically initial appearance. They parole me. they give me a work permit, I go off in there. I've declared asylum, but I will never come back for the credible fear hearing,

the actual asylum hearing, because the court dates are two to five years off. Right. And so Congress has got to do that. There's some things that the administration can do, too, by the way. They can, and they're doing some of their training, some, very few Border Patrol agents, to be asylum officers, basically do the credible fear examination. We can eliminate some of the parole for some of these people so they don't just get out. We can try to find ways to detain them and keep them as long as possible.

We can get Mexico to enter into an agreement with us that is legal. It's an true international agreement where they would keep the last safe country. They would, just like Canada is in the north, they would be the last safe country. So if you're coming from Guatemala, we're still going to put you back in Mexico. We can do these things. The administration can do these things. And really, I've asked McLean, who's the acting Homeland Secretary, to do these things. Because, quite frankly, Congress is not acting.

Sad to say. What's holding them back, do you think? Two things. When the Republicans had the House, I introduced legislation that, I couldn't get the leadership to move on, okay? For whatever reason, they would not move on that. And I had one-on-ones with leadership saying, please, and they didn't buy it as a crisis.

Now you've got Democrats in charge. They don't buy it as a crisis. It's not what they want to do. I mean, think of it. You've got the Speaker of the House, comes from one of the biggest sanctuary cities in the country, the sanctuary state. It is contrary to their policy will to do something.

on this. Well, I sure hope there's some action on this in the next, I mean, you've got a long time until the next Congress. I wanted to also just mention your podcast. You're also a podcast host. It's called the Big's Idea. Is that right? What's the Big's Idea? Yeah. I love that. And it can be found on iTunes. Is that right? iTunes is your best bet to find them. Or you can go and link up with my congressional website, which is bigs.house.gov. Fantastic. Biggs. Thathouse.com.

Well, Congressman Biggs, really appreciate your time today. Thanks, Daniel. Good to be with you. Do conversations about the Supreme Court leave you scratching your head? If you want to understand what's happening at the court, subscribe to SCOTUS 101,

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