Rep. Dan Kildee: ‘I Have Been a Very Careful Visitor to This Whole Conversation’ of Impeachment

CAMEROTA I just want ░░░░░░░░ take the temperature of ░░░░░░░░ Democratic caucus this morning ░░░░░░░░ I know you all ░░░░░░░░ a big some of ░░░░░░░░ the top leadership had ░░░░░░░░ meeting last night So ░░░░░░░░ are you with the ░░░░░░░░ count today on how ░░░░░░░░ Democrats want to move ░░░░░░░░ with impeachment KILDEE Well ░░░░░░░░ mean this is not ░░░░░░░░ we re whipping I ░░░░░░░░ people have to come ░░░░░░░░ their own conclusions on ░░░░░░░░ But it s increasing ░░░░░░░░ number of members that ░░░░░░░░ coming to the conclusion ░░░░░░░░ the President is essentially ░░░░░░░░ us no choice but ░░░░░░░░ exercise our responsibility under ░░░░░░░░ Constitution that number is ░░░░░░░░ And it s because ░░░░░░░░ President is taking us ░░░░░░░░ I think for a ░░░░░░░░ of members we re ░░░░░░░░ the political implications of ░░░░░░░░ That s certainly the ░░░░░░░░ for me I swore ░░░░░░░░ oath to the Constitution ░░░░░░░░ ve read the Mueller ░░░░░░░░ I ve seen what ░░░░░░░░ s done to try ░░░░░░░░ block our use of ░░░░░░░░ constitutional tools to provide ░░░░░░░░ check on this president ░░░░░░░░ can t ignore my ░░░░░░░░ and I can t ░░░░░░░░ the fact this president ░░░░░░░░ trampling all over the ░░░░░░░░ So if we go ░░░░░░░░ it ll be because ░░░░░░░░ President is behaving in ░░░░░░░░ way that doesn t ░░░░░░░░ us a choice CAMEROTA ░░░░░░░░ sounds like you have ░░░░░░░░ further into that camp ░░░░░░░░ when we last spoke ░░░░░░░░ That s certainly the ░░░░░░░░ I have been a ░░░░░░░░ careful visitor to this ░░░░░░░░ conversation because I think ░░░░░░░░ s something we have ░░░░░░░░ tread very lightly on ░░░░░░░░ is a very significant ░░░░░░░░ of our oversight authority ░░░░░░░░ it s something we ░░░░░░░░ to be careful when ░░░░░░░░ exercise it I think ░░░░░░░░ how I m going ░░░░░░░░ explain what I did ░░░░░░░░ this moment 15 or ░░░░░░░░ years from now to ░░░░░░░░ grandchildren And to think ░░░░░░░░ the temporary electoral implications ░░░░░░░░ this I think it ░░░░░░░░ an abdication of my ░░░░░░░░ Unless the President significantly ░░░░░░░░ his course becomes more ░░░░░░░░ and is willing to ░░░░░░░░ with us and allow ░░░░░░░░ to provide just the ░░░░░░░░ essential oversight on this ░░░░░░░░ I don t think ░░░░░░░░ s leaving us any ░░░░░░░░ And of course we ░░░░░░░░ t ignore the fact ░░░░░░░░ in the Mueller report ░░░░░░░░ what Mr Barr may ░░░░░░░░ said there are very ░░░░░░░░ instances where the President ░░░░░░░░ directed people to break ░░░░░░░░ law And that s ░░░░░░░░ to turn away from ░░░░░░░░ Just to be clear ░░░░░░░░ you now a yes ░░░░░░░░ the begin impeachment process ░░░░░░░░ KILDEE I m not ░░░░░░░░ that point but I ░░░░░░░░ much closer to it ░░░░░░░░ the sense that I ░░░░░░░░ not see another path ░░░░░░░░ somehow something changes rather ░░░░░░░░ and I put that ░░░░░░░░ at the doorstep of ░░░░░░░░ President CAMEROTA Well I ░░░░░░░░ not sure what could ░░░░░░░░ dramatically to change your ░░░░░░░░ KILDEE Neither do I ░░░░░░░░ my point is this ░░░░░░░░ have to take great ░░░░░░░░ in exercising this responsibility ░░░░░░░░ s been used so ░░░░░░░░ in the history of ░░░░░░░░ country that we have ░░░░░░░░ just take great care ░░░░░░░░ make sure that if ░░░░░░░░ go down this path ░░░░░░░░ s because there is ░░░░░░░░ other alternative And we ░░░░░░░░ getting close to that ░░░░░░░░