'I didn't hear an answer': House Republican gets more than he bargained for on CNN
CNN anchor Boris Sanchez cornered Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA) in a fiery back-and-forth live interview on Wednesday over claims dropped in the explosive Vanity Fair article exposing the inner workings of the Trump administration.
Sanchez pressed Cline to respond to his questions as the conversation became tense.
"I didn't hear you answer the actual substance of the question, but nevertheless, Congressman, I do wonder what you make of what we heard from the White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles acknowledging to Vanity Fair that Trump doesn't wake up thinking about retribution, but when there's an opportunity, he will go for it," Sanchez said.
"Do you think Republicans run the risk of coming across as though they're simply trying to facilitate the president getting his version of payback?" Sanchez asked.
Cline responded and shifted the conversation.
"The Judiciary Committee is conducting its constitutional duty of oversight over the Department of Justice," Cline said. "Not only do I sit on the Judiciary, sit on the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Judiciary. So we have an obligation to follow the taxpayer dollars. It was over $50 million spent on this targeted weaponization against President Trump, against members of Congress and against conservatives. And we're going to find out the facts and ensure accountability follows."
The two discussed expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, and the conversation turned back to the revealing Vanity Fair story featuring Wiles and major revelations about Trump's inner circle shared in the article — including the administration's viewpoint on Venezuela and escalating military operations in the Caribbean, where multiple alleged drug boats have been struck.
"One final question, Congressman. Going back to Susie Wiles, specifically her comments on Venezuela, she says that the president wants to keep on blowing up boats until Nicolás Maduro cries, uncle," Sanchez said. "Now the president is announcing this blockade of sanctioned oil tankers in Venezuelan waters. At what point does President Trump need the authority of Congress to help him carry out these actions? Shouldn't lawmakers on Capitol Hill have a say over these matters?"
Cline appeared to approve of the Trump administration's actions without Congressional input.
"We are conducting oversight. We had the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense in front of all members of the House and Senate yesterday, explaining in a confidential briefing the legal justification for these strikes. It is sound. It is constitutional, and it is warranted, given Maduro's behavior, the trafficking that is going on that is killing Americans each and every day," Cline said.
But Sanchez wasn't fully satisfied with that answer.
"You're talking about the boat strikes here. Susie Wiles is essentially talking about regime change. Is that not something that should go through Congress?" Sanchez pressed again.
Cline claimed that he had not read Wiles' statements.
"I haven't read this Vanity Fair article you're speaking of, but I do know that Congress will continue to assert its oversight role and make sure that the president's actions and these strikes are constitutional and within the scope and letter of the law," Cline said.
Sanchez encouraged him to read the article, saying, "It's a long read, but I bet it's worth your time."
Rep. Ilhan Omar speaking in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo credit: Gage Skidmore / Flickr)