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McConnell: Dangerous Partisanship has Consumed U.S. House; U.S. Senate to Formally Hear Articles of Impeachment; Giuliani Associate Implicates Trump in Ukraine Scandal; Lev Parnas Describes Multiple Quid Pro Quos with Ukraine; Schumer Says We Must Call Witnesses, Subpoena Documents; Pelosi Formally Sign Articles of Impeachment; Parnas on How Attorney Giuliani Said He Represented Trump; Parnas Says Pence Kew What He was Doing in Ukraine; Prince Harry Makes First Appearance Since Shock Announcement. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired January 16, 2020 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), U.S. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: This has been a major priority for the President and for many of us in both houses of
Congress. That's because American livelihoods in every corner of every state depend on the critical trading relationships -- farmers, growers,
cattlemen, manufacturers, small businesses, big businesses. This is a major step for our whole country.
In the 26 years since the ratification of NAFTA, trade with Mexico and Canada has come to directly support 12 million American jobs. 12 million
workers and their families who depend on robust trade with our North American neighbors. Our neighbors to the north and south purchase half a
trillion dollars in American goods and services every single year. That includes more than a quarter of all the food and agricultural products
grown here in the United States.
Take my home state of Kentucky as an example. Mexico and Canada buy $300 million of agricultural exports from Kentucky growers and producers every
year. They buy $9.9 billion of our state's manufacturing exports and on and on. Commerce with our neighbors is essential across the board.
No wonder experts estimate that USMCA would create 176,000 new American jobs. No wonder they predict it will yield tens of billions of dollars in
economic growth. No wonder farmers, ranchers, steel workers and manufacturers across our country have been so eager to see the USMCA
signed, sealed and delivered.
In one recent letter, Kentucky farmers told me, quote, we need the agreement ratified, and we need it to happen now. I know my colleagues have
been hearing the same thing from their home states, Republicans, Democrats, Senators, Representatives. Our incoming has been the same. Get this deal
passed. Failure is not an option.
Of course, for far too long, our counterparts in the House kept all these Americans waiting. It took more than a year and a lot of pressure from
Senate Republicans to get the Speaker of the House to stop blocking the trade deal and finally let the House vote on it. Late last year she finally
relented. It passed by a big bipartisan margin, of course, and I now expect that kind of vote will repeat itself here in the Senate.
I'm especially grateful to our colleagues and counterparts who got this across the finish line. To the U.S. Trade Representative Bob Lighthizer and
his hardworking team led by his Chief of Staff Jamieson Grier. To chairman Grassley for leading the bipartisan effort and the Senate finance committee
and his trade team led by Nasim Fussell.
To ranking member Wyden, his trade council, Jayme White and all of our finance committee colleagues and staff. To the chairman of our other
committees of jurisdiction who work nimbly to get this done. I want to thank the exceptional cloakroom staff, in particular Christopher Tuck and
I'd like to thank members of my own team whose members were invaluable. Most especially my chief economic policy council Jay Khosla whose roll in
securing this agreement --
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: Well the U.S. Senate is in session. Senior Senator, Majority Leader there, Mitch McConnell, kicking off what will be
an historic day. Soon we will hear the Articles of Impeachment against President Donald Trump.
We are expecting to hear from Chuck Schumer shortly. It is all kicking off today. In two hours, the U.S. Senate will formally hear the Articles of
Impeachment against President Donald Trump, setting the stage for his trial. CNN has a big new interview with explosive allegations that will
play into this.
So before we get to my colleagues, how will this all work. Well starting today at noon Eastern time in the U.S. House, impeachment managers will
present the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate. A bit later, the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John Roberts, will be sworn in to
preside over the trial. Senators will also be sworn in as jurors. President Trump will be officially summoned and given time to respond to the charges.
The actual trial in the Senate is expected to begin next Tuesday.
And on the eve of today's events, an explosive interview. Indicted Rudy Giuliani associate Lev Parnas speaking to CNN's Anderson Cooper.
[10:05:02]
Parnas directly implicating the U.S. President, high-ranking officials of the President's inner circle in the Ukraine scandal. CNN's Athena Jones
watching all of this unfold on Capitol Hill. Laura Jarrett is in New York. And CNN legal analyst Michael Gerhardt joining us from Chapel Hill in North
Carolina. Athena, let's start with you, and just tee off events for us today if you will. Just how significant is what we are about to witness?
ATHENA JONES, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, it's significant because this is the next phase of impeachment. We've been
waiting for this for weeks now. Now the wait is almost over. This next phase is set to begin just the next couple of hours.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JONES (voice-over): With the stroke of her pen, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi formally sending impeachment into its next phase.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER: Making it be very clear that this President will be held accountable. That no one is above the law.
JONES: The seven newly appointed House impeachment managers walking the Articles of Impeachment against President Trump across the capitol in
silence.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A message from the House of Representatives.
JONES: Beforehand delivering them to the Senate. At noon, they'll return to the Senate chamber to formally present the articles and read them aloud.
Then at 2:00 p.m., Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts will swear in all 100 members as jurors for the trial. Which is expected to begin next
Tuesday. The Senate waiting nearly a month for the articles as Pelosi clashed with Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell over the rules of the
trial.
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): This time has given us the ability to show the American people the necessity of a fair trial. To expose the degree to
which McConnell is working hand in hand with the subject of the impeachment, the President.
JONES: So how will this all work? Next week Senators will hear the Democratic impeachment managers present their case and then President
Trump's defense for 24 hours each spread out over several days. Senators will then get their chance to ask both teams questions over a couple of
days for a total of 16 hours.
CNN has learned the Senate's impeachment resolution guarantees there will be a vote on whether to hear from witnesses. There is growing pressure on
moderate Republicans who could shape the trial.
SEN. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D-MD): Senate Republicans will face that very important vote. And that will be a signal to the country as to whether or
not they want a fair trial or they want to participate in rigging the trial.
JONES: Representing the Democrats, Pelosi picked seven lawmakers she says represent the diversity of her caucus. Including key players in the House's
impeachment investigation. Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff and Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler.
REP. JERRY NADLER (D-NY): We are preparing for the trial by going over all the evidence -- the overwhelming evidence that was presented in the House.
Will the Senate be complicit in the President's crimes? Will the Senate hold a real trial or will they deny witnesses and evidence?
JONES: Senate Republicans are eager for the trial to begin to clear President Trump.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): The Senate will conduct a fair trial. Once the President is able to defend himself, I am confident that the result of that
is the President will be acquitted.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JONES: Now, there are some big questions as we enter this next phase of the impeachment process. Among them, how will the bombshell revelations
coming from Lev Parnas, the Rudy Giuliani associate, how will those impact the Senate trial? Will Senators call witnesses? And will they allow any new
evidence, evidence that has emerged since the House impeached the President? Will they allow that new evidence to be introduced in the trial
-- Becky?
ANDERSON: Thank you for that. I want to get to Laura and picking up from what Athena said, Laura. That Parnas is the businessman whose work in
Ukraine with Rudy Giuliani stands at the center of this impeachment inquiry. His attorney said in a tweet there were two times that Parnas gave
the message of quid pro quo to Ukrainian officials. And the first, Parnas told former President Poroshenko he could come to the White House and get a
meeting with Donald Trump if he announced an investigation into Joe Biden. Parnas spoke to CNN's Anderson Cooper about the second quid pro quo that he
delivered. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR, ANDERSON COOPER 360: You go in. Your message is, announce the Biden investigation.
LEV PARNAS, BUSINESSMAN AND ASSOCIATE OF RUDY GIULIANI: Announce the Biden investigation, get rid of certain individuals and that are enemies of the
President in his administration.
COOPER: At that point, was there any mention of withholding of aid?
PARNAS: Yes, it was -- well, if they didn't make the announcement, basically there would be no relationship. Not just --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: All right. I'm just going to jump out of this for a moment. And, Laura, forgive me. I want to get to Chuck Schumer who is on the floor in
the Senate.
[10:10:00]
Let's have a listen to exactly what he is saying.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), U.S. SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADER: Yesterday, the Senate received notice that the House of Representatives has two Articles
of Impeachment to present. The House managers will exhibit those two articles today at noon. The first article charges the President with abuse
of power. Coercing a foreign leader into interfering in our elections, thereby using the powers of the presidency, the most powerful public office
in the nation to benefit himself, rather than the public interest.
The second charge, the second charges the President of obstruction of Congress. For an unprecedented blockade of the legislature's ability to
investigate those very matters. Let me just talk about each one.
The first is so serious, some of our Republican colleagues have said, some of the President's own men have said, yes, he did it, but it doesn't
matter. It's not impeachable. Some of them even failed to say many of my Republican colleagues amazingly failed to say it's wrong.
Let me ask the American people, do we want foreign leaders helping determine who is our president, our senators, our congressmen, our
governors, our legislators? That's what President Trump's argument will be. That it's OK to do that. That there's nothing wrong with it. That it is
perfect. Hardly anything is more serious than powers outside the borders of the United States, determining, influencing elections inside the United
States. And it's bad enough to do it, but even worse to blackmail a country of aid that was legally allocated to get them to do it. It is low. It is
not what America has been all about.
The second charge as well. The President says he wants the truth. But he blocks every attempt to get the facts. All the witnesses that we're asking
for, he could have allowed them to testify in the House. They wanted them. The President is blocking them. And again, the American people, just about
all of them, are asking the question, what is the President hiding. What is he afraid of? If he did nothing wrong, why didn't he let the witnesses, the
documents come forward in the House of Representatives?
Put another way, the House of Representatives has accused the President of trying to shake down a foreign leader for personal gain. Deliberately
soliciting foreign interference in our elections, something the founding fathers greatly feared and then doing everything he could to cover it up.
The gravity of these charges is self-evident to anyone who is not self- interested.
If proved, they are not petty crimes or politics as usual, but a deep wounding injury to democracy itself. Precisely, precisely the conduct most
feared by the founders of our institution -- of our constitution. So we, as Senators, Democrats and Republicans, must rise to the occasion. Realizing
the seriousness of the charges and the solemnity of an impeachment proceeding.
The beginning of the impeachment trial today will be largely ceremonial. But soon our duty will be constitutional. The constitutional duty is to
conduct a fair trial and then, as our oaths this afternoon command, Senators must, quote, do impartial justice, unquote. Senators must, quote,
do impartial justice. The weight of that oath will fall on our shoulders. Our ability, our ability to honor it will be preserved in history.
Now yesterday evening, I was gratified to hear the Republican leader at least in part of his speech ask the Senate to rise to the occasion. I was
glad to hear him say so. For somebody who has been partisan, deeply, strongly and almost unrelenting for a partisan for two months, he said
something that could bring us together. The Senate should rise to the occasion.
But far more important than saying it is doing it. What is doing it mean? The best way for the Senate to rise to the occasion would be to retire
partisan considerations and to have everyone agree on the parameters of a fair trial.
[10:15:00]
The best way for the Senate to rise to the occasion would be for Democrats and Republicans to agree on relevant witnesses and relevant documents. Not
run the trial with votes of a slim majority. Not jam procedures through. Not run the -- not define rising to the occasion as doing things my way,
which is what the majority leader has done thus far. But, rather, a real and honest and bipartisan agreement on a point we all know must be
confronted. That we must, we must have witnesses, documents in order to have a fair trial.
A trial without witnesses is not a trial. A trial without documents is not a trial. That is why every completed impeachment trial in our nation's
history, every single one, that has gone to completion, 15, have all have included witnesses. The majority leader claims to believe in precedent.
That is the precedent -- witnesses. There is no deviation. Let us hope we don't have one this time.
Over the centuries, Senators have stood where we stand today confronted with the responsibility of judging the removal of the President. They
rightly concluded they were obligated to seek the truth. They were under a solemn obligation to hear the facts before rendering a final judgment. The
leader -- incorrectly in my judgment -- but the leader complained that the House was doing short termism and rushed.
The leader is trying to do the exact same thing in the Senate. The very things he condemns the House Democrats for, he seems bent on doing.
Condemning short termism, are we going to have a full trial? Condemning the rush? Are we going to allow the time for witnesses and documents? Or is the
leader going to try to rush it through at the very same time out of the other side of the mouth he condemns the House -- incorrectly, in my
judgment, for doing it.
And another thing about the importance of witnesses and documents. The leader has still not given a good argument about why we shouldn't have
witnesses and documents. He complains about process and pens and signing ceremonies, but still does not address the charges against the President
and why we shouldn't have witnesses and documents.
We're waiting. Rise to the occasion. Remember the history. That is what the leader said he would do last night. I was glad to hear it. But he must act,
not talk about rising to the occasion and then doing the very same things he condemns the House for.
If my colleagues have any doubts about the case for witnesses and documents in a Senate trial, the stunning revelations this week should put those to
rest. We have new information about a plot by the President's attorney and his associates to oust an American ambassador and potentially with the,
quote, knowledge and consent, unquote, of the President. Pressure Ukrainian President Zelensky to announce an investigation of one of the President's
political rivals.
The effort to remove Ambassador Yovanovitch by Lev Parnas and Mr. Giuliani is now the subject of an official probe by the government of Ukraine.
My friends, this information is not extraneous. It's central to the charges against the President. We have a responsibility to call witnesses and
subpoena documents that will shed light on the truth here. God forbid we rush through this trial and only afterward the truth comes out. How will my
colleagues on the other side of the aisle feel if they rushed it through and then even more evidence comes out.
We've seen lots come out. There's barely been a few -- a week where significant new evidence further making the House case hasn't come out as
strong as the House case was to begin with.
Here's what Alexander Hamilton warned of in Federalist 65. He said the greatest danger is that a decision in an impeachment trial will be
regulated more by the comparative strength of the parties than by the real demonstration of innocent or guilt. Alexander Hamilton, even before the day
political parties were as strong as they are today, warranted us to come together.
[10:20:00]
The leader wants to do things on his own without any Democratic input. But fortunately, we have the right to demand votes and to work hard as we can
for a fair trial -- a full trial, a trial with witnesses, a trial with documents.
The founders anticipated that impeachment trials would always be buffeted by the wind of politics. But they gave the power to the Senate anyway
because they believed the chamber was the only place where impartial justice of the President could truly be sought. In the coming days, these
eventful and important coming days, each of us -- each of us will face a choice about whether to begin this trial in the search of the truth or in
the service of the President's desire to cover up and rush things through.
The Senate can either rise to the occasion or demonstrate that the faith of our founders was misplaced, in what they considered a grand institution. As
each of us swear an oath this afternoon, let every Senator, every Senator reflect on these questions. I yield the floor.
ANDERSON: We must have witnesses in order to have a fair trial. A trial without witnesses is not a fair trial. A trial without documents is not a
fair trial. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer setting out the Democrats' position on what he describes as the gravity of these impeachment charges
against U.S. President Donald Trump.
We are live on Capitol Hill this hour as Washington kicks into gear on what is an historic day. And I do not use that word lightly. After weeks of
waiting, first up, an hour or so from now, House managers or prosecutors will formally present the articles charging Donald Trump with abuse of
power and obstruction of Congress. They will read them out loud from the well of that upper chamber.
To be clear, these charges center on the allegation that Donald Trump withheld military aid and a White House meeting to pressure Ukraine to
investigate his political rivals, including former Vice President Joe Biden.
We are taking a very short break on what is a very busy day in Washington. Do stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. At this hour, the U.S. Senate preparing to beginning the impeachment trial of
Donald Trump. You are we looking at the Senate floor here where within hours Senators will formally hear those Articles of Impeachment. Those
charges against Mr. Trump.
As this happens, there are new developments out of Ukraine that are connected to all of this.
[10:25:00]
CNN's Athena Jones watching the action on Capitol Hill unfold. Laura Jarrett is in New York and CNN's legal analyst Michael Gerhardt joining us
from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Laura, let me start with you. What are we hearing out of Ukraine today that may or likely will have an impact on this
trial.
LAURA JARRETT, CNN U.S. JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well one interesting development is they are undertaking their own investigation of some of the
issues that were raised in the documents produced by Lev Parnas this week that former associate of Rudy Giuliani, the President's personal attorney.
And the documents showed these text messages back and forth between Parnas and another associate -- a Congressman actually here, who is running in
Connecticut -- talking about the surveillance of former ambassador Marie Yovanovitch. Something that was quite disturbing and Ukraine has vowed to
take a look at it. The U.S. State Department hasn't said a word about it. The U.S. Justice Department hasn't said a word about it.
But these text messages are raising questions. Obviously, Senators on Capitol Hill are going to have to deal with this imminently in deciding how
to proceed here, whether to press for more documents and whether this adds more ammunition for Democrats who certainly want to call witnesses --
Becky.
ANDERSON: Michael, let me bring you in here. Lev Parnas, of course, is the businessman who is working in Ukraine with Rudy Giuliani. Stands at the
very center of this impeachment inquiry. His attorney said in a tweet there were two times that Parnas gave the message of, and I quote here, quid pro
quo, to Ukrainian officials.
And the first he told President Poroshenko he can come to the White House and get a meeting with President Trump if he announced an investigation
into Joe Biden. Parnas spoke to CNN's Anderson Cooper about the second quid pro quo that he delivered. I want our viewers to just hear from the man
himself. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: You go in. Your message is, announce the Biden investigation.
PARNAS: Announce the Biden investigation. Get rid of certain individuals and that are enemies of the President in his administration.
COOPER: At that point, was there any mention of withholding of aid?
PARNAS: Yes, it was -- well, if they didn't make the announcement, basically, there would be no relationship. Not just -- it no specific
military. There was no aid that was going to be assisted. There was going to be no inauguration. Pence wouldn't be at the inauguration. And there
would be no visit to the White House. There would be basically -- they would have no communication.
COOPER: So you told the top official in the Zelensky inner circle that if they did not announce an investigation of the Bidens immediately, and get
rid of some folks around Zelensky who they believed were opposed to President Trump, that there wouldn't be any aid and Vice President pence
would not even come to the inauguration?
PARNAS: Correct.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: What we are hearing from Lev Parnas, to a certain extent underscores surely how important it is that this trial has witnesses. How
do you think this new information will impact the trial, if at all.
MICHAEL GERHARDT, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, it should impact the trial. This new information most importantly supports the foundation for the two
articles of impeachment that are about to be read to the United States Senate. This is pertinent information by any means. Obviously, somebody who
has got to talk with Parnas, interview him, perhaps put him under oath, either in the deposition in the House or to do that in the Senate.
But there's no good reason to ignore it. Ignoring it in fact, just furthers what appears to be increasingly a cover-up by this administration. An
effort by this administration not to listen to or pay attention to all the people that have come forward so far telling the same for which is the
President abused his powers in the course of trying to pressure Ukraine to help himself personally in the next election.
ANDERSON: And we have to be clear here. This is a man who does have credibility issues. But I hear what you're saying there.
Laura, here is a look at the history-making moment from Wednesday. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi handing the pens she used to formally sign the
Impeachment Articles to her seven impeachment managers. Pelosi had held up sending the impeachment articles to the Senate for weeks.
Here's a look at the different pens she used to sign the articles. And these have been referenced by Mitch McConnell this morning in somewhat
disparaging terms. It has to be said Pelosi said delaying the signing put pressure on Republicans to allow witnesses in the Senate trial. Republicans
say the delay was pointless and ineffective. Who is going to win out here?
JARRETT: Well we know for sure there's going to be a vote at some point about whether to have those witnesses.
[10:30:02]
It's something that's actually different than the last impeachment trial for President Bill Clinton in 1999. In this, the Senate resolution will
include a provision -- and we've heard from Susan Collins on this, a Senator from Maine -- that makes sure that they do, do that vote. Now
whether they actually have those witnesses remains to be seen.
There are some moderate Republicans including Collins, Senator Murkowski from Alaska to name others, who have voiced some support to have a limited
number of witnesses. But it remains to be seen who those might be. Obviously, Lev Parnas raising a lot of issues. But when Democrats want to
call him, that seems like a risky proposition.
There's also former ambassador, national security adviser John Bolton. He has a wealth of knowledge. He's about to publish a book that speaks to some
of these issues. Will they press to have him? Will they press to have Mick Mulvaney, the acting chief of staff? Who admitted from the White House
briefing room essentially that foreign policy involves quid pro quos all the time.
So those are just some of the witnesses Democrats are pushing for. The question is, will Republicans sign onto it?
ANDERSON: Big day in Washington. We are taking a very short break. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. It's half past 7:00 in Abu Dhabi. This is
CONNECT THE WORLD from our Middle East programming hub. Back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: It's half past 10:00 and change in Washington. I want to get you right on to Capitol Hill. Coming up in about an hour and a half, the Senate
will formally hear Articles of Impeachment against the U.S. President Donald Trump. Then all 100 Senators will take an oath to become impartial
jurors for his trial which is likely to kick off on Tuesday.
It's just the third time in American history a sitting President will face an impeachment trial to determine whether he should be removed from office.
Most analysts believe it's a virtual impossibility at this point. We'll have to get you more now on Anderson Cooper's interview with Giuliani
associate Lev Parnas. Of course, two men at the center of this impeachment inquiry. He says he wants to testify. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: President Trump has said he did not direct Rudy Giuliani when asked about this. He said he didn't direct Giuliani to do anything in
Ukraine. No, I didn't direct him but he's a warrior. He's a warrior.
PARNAS: Again, President Trump says a lot of things. It's the public's decision to see if that's true or not.
[10:35:00]
COOPER: This letter that you gave to the House, the first line in it which is a letter from Rudy Giuliani to President-elect Zelensky says, I am
private counsel to Donald J. Trump. Just to be precise, I represent him as a citizen, not as President of the United States. This is quite common
under American law. Duties and privileges of a president and private citizen are not the same.
So he is making a very clear point that he's not representing the interests of the United States writ large for American national security. He's
representing the interests of Donald J. Trump.
PARNAS: That was always the point.
COOPER: That was? That was always --
PARNAS: That always made it clear. He always made it clear that he doesn't represent wherever we went. He said, I don't represent the government. I
represent the President of the United States.
COOPER: So anything Rudy Giuliani wanted the government of Ukraine to do, that wasn't official U.S. policy. That was a personal benefit to the
President of the United States?
PARNAS: Well, you know, when I was doing it, I thought it was all in the same. But, obviously, now as I can see, what the situation, the way it is,
I mean, it was strictly for him. But again, I thought he was our leader. He's the chief. He's the President, and it was all about 2020 to make sure
he had another four years. And --
COOPER: But that's how you personally viewed it. And this is about 2020 to help him get the next four years.
PARNAS: That was the way everybody viewed it. I mean, that was the most important thing is for him to stay on for another four years and keep the
fight going. I mean, there was no other reason for doing it.
COOPER: The administration says, and Jim Jordan in Congress and all -- a lot of the President's defenders in Congress say the President was deeply
concerned about corruption in Ukraine.
PARNAS: Like I said, I'm not going to go into personal attacks on anybody here, but they all know. They go home at night. They all have a conscience.
I have been there when they liked him, when they didn't like him, when they talk behind his back. When they agree him or disagree with him. And to see
the things they're doing now and just blindly just -- I mean, it's a sham. It's a shame. And --
COOPER: They know the real story.
PARNAS: Absolutely. They all know. They were all a part -- they all knew.
COOPER: Did the President care about corruption in Ukraine?
PARNAS: You have to ask him. But as far as I knew, the only thing we cared about and were the team was to get Zelensky or Poroshenko or somebody to
make a press release, an announcement into the Biden investigation.
COOPER: What's so fascinating about what you just said is, it's not to launch an investigation and to investigate even the Bidens and Burisma.
It's to make an announcement of an investigation. That's what mattered.
PARNAS: Well because nobody trusted them to do an investigation.
COOPER: In terms of who knew about what you were doing in Ukraine, did Vice President Pence know?
PARNAS: Of course.
COOPER: Because I, his office has said he was unaware of that he had met with Zelensky after not going to the inauguration, but he wasn't delivering
a message of a quid pro quo.
PARNAS: Look, again, like I said, I'm not here to debate. I'm here to get the truth out. I got my records.
COOPER: How do you know that the Vice President would have known what Giuliani was up to?
PARNAS: Because we would speak every day. I knew everything that was going on. I mean, after Rudy would speak with the President or come from the
White House, I was the first person he briefed. I mean, we had a relationship. We were that close. I mean, we were together from morning to
night. I mean, he took me -- I mean, the interview he would do, I'd be sitting over there while he was doing the interviews. I mean --
COOPER: So Giuliani knew everything you were doing?
PARNAS: Everything.
COOPER: You're saying Vice President Pence knew?
PARNAS: I don't know if the Vice President knew everything we were doing. I'm sure --
COOPER: But he knew about the quid pro quo?
PARNAS: Of course he knew. Everybody knew. Everybody that was close to Trump knew that this was a thorn in the side and this was a serious
situation.
COOPER: Bolton.
PARNAS: Bolton.
COOPER: Mulvaney
PARNAS: Mulvaney. Bolton, I don't think, agreed with it. I think there are certain people that agreed with it and didn't agree.
COOPER: He called it a drug deal, according to Fiona Hill.
PARNAS: I think Bolton is a very important witness. Because I think between me and Bolton, we could fill in all the dots. I think because I was
on the ground there, and he was over here.
COOPER: And you'd be willing to testify?
PARNAS: I would be very willing to testify.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And remember, you can watch that full interview with Lev Parnas tonight on "AC 360". That is 5:00 a.m. for you early risers out here in Abu
Dhabi. 1:00 a.m. in London if that's where you're watching today right here on CNN.
Well Republican Senator Susan Collins trying to throw cold water over the new Parnas evidence. She told CNN's Phil Mattingly -- and I quote here -- I
wonder why the House did not put that into the record and it's only now being revealed.
And whilst it was pointed out the documents were only just turned over to the House. She added, well, doesn't that suggest that the House did an
incomplete job then?
[10:40:00]
Within the next few minutes we will hear from Nancy Pelosi up on Capitol Hill. Known as America's most powerful woman. But first, let me get you
some other news.
Prince Harry makes his first appearance since a shock announcement. A look at what he was up to, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRINCE HARRY, DUKE OF SUSSEX: Rugby League isn't just a sport. It's a community and one that takes care of its own. For many years it has been at
the forefront of promoting and supporting good mental fitness, working hard to build a positive mindset for everyone involved in the sport.
So I'm proud to support the Rugby League World Cup 2021 Mental Fitness Charter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well it's Prince Harry pledging his support for new mental health program for rugby players, officials and volunteers. And he received
much-needed support from one of his own, from the Queen on Tuesday when she backed his big decision about his future.
And today a bit of business as usual for the Duke of Sussex making his first official appearance since announcing that he and his wife would be
stepping away from their duties as a senior royal. A short time ago, Prince Harry saw wife Meghan and was on hand to greet and shared some tips with
rugby-playing youngsters at Buckingham Palace. He is -- as you heard -- a patron of the Rugby Football League and was back at the royal coal face to
host the draw for the upcoming Rugby League World Cup. He likes a bit of rugby, doesn't he, Prince Harry -- Amanda.
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Indeed he does, Becky. That's one of the stories we've been covering on "WORLD SPORT" today. But our top story
today, that dangerous bushfire smoke that's been dominating talk around the Australian Open. The draw, though, has been made, and the good news for
organizers, rain has been falling in Melbourne. A little bit of welcome respite, but the players are still not happy. And that's what's leading the
way in "WORLD SPORT" in a couple of minutes.
ANDERSON: That's terrific. Back after the break, folks.
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[10:45:00]
(WORLD SPORT)
[10:57:18]
DAVIES: That's it for myself and the team for this edition of "WORLD SPORT." Time to hand you back to Becky -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Thank you, Amanda. We are waiting to hear from Washington's most powerful woman, Nancy Pelosi, set to speak moments from now as the Senate
gets set for only the third impeachment trial in American history.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
