JOHN BERMAN: Joining me now’s the highest Democrat within the House, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Leader Jeffries, thanks a lot for being with us this morning. You now have this $70 billion invoice in entrance of you that funds ICE totally for the following few years. What recourse do you might have?
LEADER JEFFRIES: House Democrats are going to strongly oppose this effort to spend $70 billion in taxpayer funds on persevering with to supply assist for an ICE company that the American individuals know is uncontrolled. At the top of the day, proper, taxpayer {dollars} must be used to make life extra inexpensive for the American individuals, significantly in an atmosphere the place the price of dwelling is much too excessive. Instead, what Republicans wish to do is use $70 billion to proceed to unleash masked and untrained ICE brokers on American residents, in some instances brutalizing or killing them, as was the case in Minnesota, or goal violently law-abiding immigrant households. It’s unacceptable and we’re going to battle it to the very finish.
JOHN BERMAN: As for the $1.8 billion compensation fund, some individuals name it a retribution fund, the President calls it anti-weaponization. There’s been plenty of speak amongst even some Republicans about attempting to legislate it out of even the potential of existence. In the top, they didn’t. What’s your view there of why they weren’t capable of get that carried out, and what’s going to you do about that now?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It was an in depth battle within the Senate. Unfortunately, the trouble to completely ban the $1.8 billion corrupt slush fund that Donald Trump is attempting to go to upon the American individuals in such an out-of-control vogue, it fell simply quick. But within the House, we’re going to work extremely laborious to completely ban it legislatively as a result of this administration, this President, this Acting Attorney General, can’t be trusted to do the suitable factor on behalf of the American individuals. The notion that anybody who violently beat cops on January 6 ought to get a dime of taxpayer {dollars} is so abhorrent to the American individuals, we’re going to battle it tooth and nail within the House of Representatives. We’ll introduce amendments to completely ban it. It could also be on life assist, in line with some. We’ve acquired to completely pull the plug.
JOHN BERMAN: Leader Jeffries, I do know that is the opposite chamber, however Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner—there’s a brand new story within the New York Times the place there are allegations of bodily threatening habits by him in opposition to at the very least one former girlfriend. I wish to play you his response to that story. Let’s hear.
RECORDING OF GRAHAM PLATNER: There are some allegations on this piece that I simply wish to be sort of unequivocal about are merely not true. Anything alleging physicality, something alleging that I knew what my tattoo was, these are the statements of somebody who’s politically motivated.
JOHN BERMAN: Now, Congressman Ro Khanna, who’s a part of your convention, goes to marketing campaign with him tonight. He says that Platner—the alleged habits is flawed and poisonous, however nonetheless going to marketing campaign with him. What could be your recommendation to House Democrats about whether or not or not they need to assist Graham Platner?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, let me say extra usually, violence in opposition to ladies in any manner, form or type is totally and completely unacceptable. And that must be clear to everybody, and everybody wants to attract that brilliant line within the sand. In phrases of the allegations which have been waged with respect to this explicit candidate for the Senate, I haven’t adopted it carefully. I’ll proceed to defer to Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand when it comes to the perfect path ahead in Maine. I haven’t had a dialog with Ro Khanna about this. Listen, John, we’re centered on attempting to take again management of the House of Representatives so we will really function a check-and-balance on an out-of-control administration and deal with the issues that matter to the American individuals, like driving down the excessive value of dwelling, fixing our damaged healthcare system and cleansing up corruption right here in Washington, DC.
JOHN BERMAN: He denies the habits—we performed that sound—however you additionally simply mentioned that any violence of girls is unacceptable. Does that imply whether it is in any manner confirmed to be true, it must be disqualified?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, let’s cross that bridge after we get to it.
JOHN BERMAN: Congressman, I wish to play some sound. Kate Bolduan, my co-anchor, esteemed co-anchor, had an interview with Congressman Seth Moulton from Massachusetts yesterday. He’s working for Senate in Massachusetts, however he additionally has some feedback concerning the Democratic institution usually. I need you to take heed to what he mentioned.
RECORDING OF REP. MOULTON: I feel there comes a time to move the torch to the following era, and what higher time than when the Democratic institution is simply not getting it carried out? I imply, when you actually are a Democrat at the moment who says Democrats are knocking it out of the park, we’re profitable all throughout the board, we shouldn’t change a factor, then vote for the institution, vote for Chuck Schumer, vote for the established order.
JOHN BERMAN: What do you say to the suggestion that the Democratic institution—you’re the House Leader of Democrats—the Democrat institution just isn’t getting it carried out?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, we’re persevering with to work laborious within the House of Representatives to do what’s essential to each push again in opposition to the extremism that Donald Trump is unleashing in opposition to the American individuals and to chart a path ahead that truly is designed to make life higher for working-class Americans, middle-class Americans and hardworking American taxpayers. Just this week, House Democrats have been profitable in passing a War Powers Resolution to finish Donald Trump’s reckless and expensive battle of alternative that hasn’t made the American individuals safer. Iran is in a stronger place now than what they have been previous to the beginning of this battle, and naturally, this battle is growing fuel costs and placing financial stress on the American individuals. We’re persevering with to do what we have to do aggressively to push again in opposition to Donald Trump. We’ve been profitable races for the final 16 months, however we now have a job forward of us that we now have to perform. And in the end, I feel we’ll be judged by whether or not we take again management of the House in November. That’s what we intend to do.
JOHN BERMAN: Other massive objects. Game two of the NBA finals tonight in San Antonio. Game three shall be subsequent week in New York City. President Trump says he plans to attend. What do you suppose the reception shall be?
LEADER JEFFRIES:I’m unsure it’s going to be reception for him, however why does Donald Trump at all times should spoil factor? Like, actually, the Knicks haven’t been within the NBA finals for 27 years. The metropolis is attempting to have fun this. We’ve embraced this staff, and this man has to inject himself. I imply, come on, significantly, give us a break. Why doesn’t this man simply deal with attempting to enhance the standard of lifetime of the American individuals as a result of the Trump financial system has been a catastrophe?
JOHN BERMAN: Are you going once they’re in New York?
LEADER JEFFRIES: No, subsequent week we’re in session. We’ll be right here in Washington, D.C., however I hope to assemble with a gaggle of buddies and colleagues and watch the Knicks achieve success in each recreation three and recreation 4 on the earth’s most well-known area, Madison Square Garden.
JOHN BERMAN: Leader Jeffries, we simply acquired an alert, if somebody might inform me the place it’s from, that Janet Mills, the Governor of Maine, has been inspired to reenter the Senate race. She suspended her marketing campaign. She by no means went via. Could somebody inform me, inspired by whom? Hang on. A supply near her. According to sources, she is being inspired, I think about by perhaps Democrats, I’m unsure, to reenter the race or unsuspend her marketing campaign. What do you consider that, simply days earlier than the precise main?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, hear, we’re simply three seats in need of taking again management of the House of Representatives. We want to try this as a result of House Republicans have been functioning like a reckless rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s excessive agenda, they usually haven’t carried out a rattling factor to make life higher for the American individuals. I’m going to remain in that lane and deal with doing what we now have to do, which is reclaiming the gavels within the Congress.
JOHN BERMAN: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, I respect you rolling with the breaking information. I respect the Knicks dialogue. Sorry you gained’t be on the video games subsequent week. Tickets are robust to afford anyway.
Full interview may be watched here.
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