Rep. Schiff: Our Political Division on Nuke Deal ‘Only Helps Iran’
RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
WAGNER: "Why is that do you think? I know Chris Murphy brought up the same point, that there seems to be a double standard in terms of oversight. All the oversight in the world. But when it comes to war powers, it's like a game of hot potato. Why do you think that is?"
SCHIFF: "Well, I suspect it's because some of the members think there's a political benefit, a domestic political benefit from voting on the negotiation, but don't see any benefit at all from voting on a war resolution. And while I can understand the political dynamic as someone who cares a lot about the institution of Congress and our role as checks and balances and as a counterweight to the president's power to make more, I think this is a terrible advocation of our responsibility. So I hope that we will find some of the same eagerness about an aumf vote that so many in the Senate are displaying over a vote during the negotiations."
WAGNER: "Well, some of those overeager or eager folks in the Senate include Democrats. And I wondered, did it surprise you that there were many Democrats in the upper chamber who came out in support of a more stringent version of this bill, one that would have doubled the review period to 60 days. A bill that the White House didn't like. The support for that bill, the bill that the White House didn't like, was coming from Democrats. What is that about? "
SCHIFF: "Well, I'm not sure. I have to think again that it's the domestic political considerations that were drifing that. Secretary Kerry among others made a persuasive case that they ought to be given the chance to see if they can get a deal. After all, we don't have a deal yet. We may not get a deal. And if we were smart about this, and Congress is not often accused of that, but if we were smart about this, we would try to coordinate our efforts with the White House to put maximum pressure on Iran in these final weeks of the negotiation to the degree that we are divided, I think it only helps Iran."
