Sen. Chuck Schumer: Republicans are ‘afraid’ to speak out against Trump
WASHINGTON–Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told Yahoo Global Anchor Katie Couric in an exclusive interview Wednesday that he believes his Republican colleagues are concerned but “afraid” to speak out against President Trump.
Schumer singled out Trump’s recent reply to Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly when O’Reilly criticized Vladimir Putin’s government for killing political dissidents. “You think our country’s so innocent?” Trump responded.
Schumer called the comments “appalling” and “degrading” to the United States.
“If this was said by a Democrat, every one of my Republican colleagues would be howling at the moon at the moral equivalence of Russia and the United States,” he told Couric. “They’re silent. And that is one of the things that bothers me the most. Trump goes way overboard. The people who could have the most effect at bringing him back are the people in his party. They’re afraid to say anything, it seems.”
The Democrat from New York also said his Republican colleagues are aware that the president “has shown an overreach” as president and a disregard for the checks and balances in the Constitution. “I think our Republican colleagues don’t know what to really do about it,” he said. “I think they’re troubled deep down inside about this man.”
Schumer also expressed concern about the role of White House adviser Steve Bannon, the former CEO of Breitbart News who was recently elevated to the Principals Committee of the National Security Council, which shapes domestic and foreign security policy.
“I really worry about him,” Schumer said. “I think he has too much influence, far too much.”
Schumer said that Trump’s apparent inability to “focus on things” has helped Bannon become “the strongest person” in the president’s orbit.
“The person who seems to be exerting the influence is Bannon, not [Jared] Kushner, not [White House Chief of Staff Reince] Priebus, not [Vice President Mike] Pence,” Schumer said. “If he would leave the administration, that would be a good thing for the country and, I would argue, for Trump himself.”
Schumer also revealed that in his Tuesday meeting with Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, the judge refused to answer his questions about his views on the emoluments clause of the Constitution, whether a total ban on Muslims entering the country would be constitutional, and if President Trump’s public criticisms of judges and the judiciary are appropriate.
“What kind of independence can there be for a judge like that who can’t even condemn a Muslim ban?” Schumer asked.
Schumer said he was dismayed that Gorsuch would not state his views on the emoluments clause, which forbids public officials from taking gifts from foreign governments. Some ethics experts have speculated that the provision could lead to legal challenges to Trump’s business interests abroad.
“People claim he’s an originalist. OK, he should then have a view,” Schumer said.
Schumer said he was leaning toward voting against the judge because he believes Trump is overreaching his executive power already and the court must be able to stand up to him. Schumer has earlier threatened to filibuster any nominee whom he views as being outside the mainstream.
“We need independent courts. I’m not sure Judge Gorsuch would do that,” Schumer said.
The Democratic leader also called the recent wave of grassroots liberal protests “wonderful” — even those protesters stationed outside his Brooklyn home yelling “Chuck is a chicken” and other insults aimed at persuading him to block Trump’s Cabinet nominees. “I am glad that people are aroused and out there and protesting and voicing their concerns,” he said. “It’s a wonderful thing. The idea of having an inspired electorate who will help us stand up to some of the great excesses, and there are so many, in the Trump administration is a good thing.”
So far, Schumer has voted for five of Trump’s Cabinet nominees and voted against five others. He defended his “no” votes as an “obligation” the American people.
“I think this is just about the worst bunch of Cabinet nominees — with certain exceptions; I respect Gen. [James] Mattis and voted for him — that I’ve seen,” he said.
Democrats’ opposition has led to tense moments on the Senate floor lately. Schumer called Sen. Mitch McConnell’s Tuesday night rebuke of Sen. Elizabeth Warren for “impugning” the integrity of Sen. Jeff Sessions “wrong” and a “huge mistake.” He said the Senate rule under which Warren was rebuked is selectively enforced and should be changed.
Nevertheless, Schumer said, there are issues he would collaborate with the Trump administration on. He said he “absolutely” would have worked with the president to tighten vetting procedures for visitors to the United States if Trump had asked, instead of suddenly dropping an executive order canceling tens of thousands of valid visas on a Friday night. He pointed out that Trump’s executive order, which barred the entry of immigrants from seven majority-Muslim countries, does not address the fact that potential terrorists could be entering the United States from Western nations whose residents are not specially vetted at our borders.
“Now we have learned that lots of people have become residents of places like Belgium and France who may have immigrated from Syria, who may have been poisoned by ISIS, and we’re asking them almost no questions,” Schumer said. “This, which seems to me to be a Muslim ban, makes us weaker in terms of security.”
Schumer also conceded that the Democratic Party had to regroup after its crushing loss in 2016, saying that the party was working on developing a “sharp edged” economic vision. The minority leader has been in touch with defeated Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and says that she will play a “helpful role” in rebuilding the party.
