Trump Gets Pushback On Promise Of New Mexican Tariffs

Speaker 1: 00:00 From tariffs on Mexico to Robert Mueller in front of the cameras. It's been another big news week in Washington. All of this is happening while many members of Congress are back home in their districts for the memorial day break and hearing from their constituents. Democratic Congressman Scott Peters is back in San Diego and he joins us now. Congressman Peters, welcome to the program. Speaker 2: 00:22 Thanks for having me, Maureen. Good be good to be with you. Speaker 1: 00:24 Now we've got a lot to talk about. Let's start with the news of the day. President and Trump is threatening to impose tariffs on all Mexican products into the US until that country stops migrants from crossing through Mexico to the US. First of all, my question is, what's your take on the effectiveness of that idea and can the president do that without congressional approval? Speaker 2: 00:48 Well, it's very alarming that he would suggest that this is a good tactic. Uh, particularly at a time when we're close to finalizing an update of the Nafta Agreement, the u s MCA. This will oppose x effectively on American consumers from food, like tomatoes and avocado to TVs to cars. It disrupts the supply chain, which is about two point $5 billion manufacturing operation shared by the two countries and really won't have anything to do with immigration. He, he suggested we have to end illegal immigration. This won't do it. Affect asylum by international law is legal immigration. Um, there's a process for it. Uh, we should deal with that separately, but this is just very counterproductive and impetuous. It seems to me, Speaker 1: 01:31 if the president does go through with this terror threat, what effect do you think it's going to have on the San Diego economy? Speaker 2: 01:37 Clark economies intertwine quite intertwined with Mexico. We, um, we know that one of the drivers of the economy is, is that, is that trade and that the same seadrill border crossing for instance, is the busiest land port in the, in the western hemisphere. Um, we rely on Mexico for fur trade in terms of manufacturing, in terms of tourism, retail, you know, it's not just part of our economy, it's part of our culture. So this is devastating for us. Uh, and for communities like ours are long along the border. We need to make sure that the rest of the country knows, understands that, uh, you know, as Mexico is one of the nations, um, two biggest trading partners and it's, it's tough on everyone and this is a senseless act that doesn't respond to the, to the state of purpose. Speaker 1: 02:21 Now this week, former special counsel Robert Mueller made a statement about his report that many see as a clear signal to Congress. He says he couldn't charge the president with a crime, but that there are quote constitutional processes for addressing presidential misconduct. Does that mean impeachment proceedings to you? Speaker 2: 02:40 Well, that's what he's referring to. I mean, uh, you know, he made it clear, special counsel. Mueller made it clear that he did not exonerate the president. He said if they had confidence that the president did not commit a crime, they would have said so. And in fact, there's 10 instances in the Mueller report of obstruction of justice from telling people not to lie, not to cooperate from threatening to fire people if they didn't do what the president said with respect to this environment, uh, to the investigation. And, um, 900 fed, former federal prosecutors, uh, from both parties have said that anyone else would be prosecuted and jailed for this kind of behavior. Speaker 1: 03:16 In reference to those other investigations you were talking about right now, these congressional investigations are being stonewalled by the administration with no witnesses or documents handed over. Some legal experts say a fast track to getting those witnesses and information is to start an official impeachment inquiry. Would you support doing that? Now Speaker 2: 03:40 we don't have to open an impeachment inquiry to get documents and witnesses. The courts have ruled just recently in fact, that I'm under Congress's basic investigatory powers, um, under our role as an oversight coequal oversight role in a coequal branch of government. We're entitled to those documents. It may lead to that point though, marine because, um, the congress doesn't give us a lot of options about what to do. I, I personally think a censure resolution is, is a weak response if in fact we've seen that the president has committed crimes while he's been in office. And that's what, um, Mr Muller was suggesting, I think pretty, pretty strongly that a, it's congress' job to find out, Speaker 1: 04:21 but right now you're not one of the 50 or so members of Congress calling for impeachment. Speaker 2: 04:27 I would say that I understand that oversight is important part of our job. I think it's, it's quite possible that we'll get to that point, but I think we should follow the facts. Speaker 1: 04:35 Okay. So finally, as you probably know, a war crimes trial in San Diego against a navy seal is now in limbo, but the allegations are that he killed in a rocky prisoner and pose for a selfie with a dead Iraqi. One of the members of San Diego's congressional delegation. Your colleague Duncan Hunter is defending the actions of the navy seal that he's accused of and, and says, Hey, Duncan hunter took pictures with dead Iraqis. What's your reaction to that? Speaker 2: 05:04 Well, I think that we should leave this to military justice. I, um, believe that, um, these are very serious allegations and it's not just the one, a victim and Saul's, there's also allegations that a chief Gallagher from a sniper's perch shot at a young girl and an old man, that he fired indiscriminately into villages without a target. Now, I'm not in a position to evaluate whether that's, that's true or not, but that's what military justice is for. And I think we should let that process play out. Uh, as for, um, you know, my colleague, Mr. Hunter, I'm astounded that anyone would do something like that. Uh, but I, I certainly don't think it bears on the, the trial that chief Gallagher deserves and that the military justice deserves. Speaker 1: 05:44 Congressman Scott Peters represents a San Diego's 52nd congressional district. I've been speaking to him via Skype. Congressman Peters, thank you very much. Thank you, Maureen. Have a good weekend.