LEADER JEFFRIES: "REPUBLICANS HAVE SPENT THIS CONGRESS ENGAGING IN RECKLESS POLITICAL ACTIVITY DESIGNED TO DISTRACT FROM THEIR FAILED AGENDA"
Washington, DC – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC'S Morning Joe where he emphasized that while extreme MAGA Republicans do nothing for working families and push partisan political stunts, House Democrats are committed to finding bipartisan solutions to deliver for everyday Americans.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Joining us now. House Minority Leader, Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Leader, are you a Yankees fan or a Mets fan?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Good morning. I'm a Yankees fan, so I'm really enjoying this conversation.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: I'm sorry about the conversation. We're now going to take it right to the border.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Okay. We're going to get right to the border of bad taste. How did the Yankees do in the off-season. You think they're going to– how do they look in the new year coming up? Pitchers, catchers report in two weeks.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well I think they're moving in the right direction. We're hopeful. I think as Willie mentioned, we haven't won a World Series in about 15 years, but maybe 2024 is the year.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Okay. All right. Now to the border. So, what's it going to take for your Republican counterparts to take the deal, see the deal they have, or is Donald Trump's influence going to kill the border deal?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I think it's heading in that direction that Donald Trump's influence is going to kill any possibility at making bipartisan progress on an issue that is clearly important to the American people. From the very beginning of this Congress, House Democrats, we've made clear that we are willing to find bipartisan common ground with our Republican colleagues on any issue in order to make progress for the American people. Joe Biden, as President, has led in a very bipartisan way. Clearly, we have a broken immigration system. We need to address the challenges at the border, do it in a manner consistent with our values, in a comprehensive manner and in a bipartisan way. But the Republicans, apparently, despite insisting for the last few months that this is an urgent challenge that must be met, because they've been ordered by Donald Trump to walk away, appear prepared to do just that.
WILLIE GEIST: Leader Jeffries, good morning. So the solution among some of your Republican House colleagues is to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas. They had that long 13-hour hearing yesterday, perhaps it did come out of that committee. We'll see if there's enough votes to get it done in the larger House. But what is your reaction to that process, to that attempt, when even the Wall Street Journal this morning saying this does not qualify as high crimes and misdemeanors, you should not impeach someone based on policy disputes. You have Republican senators saying this is a distraction, a waste of time. Let's take this border deal that's being put in front of us. What's your response to that vote out of that committee in the House yesterday to impeach Mayorkas?
LEADER JEFFRIES: House Republicans are engaged in another partisan political stunt. They apparently have been ordered to do so by Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene because these are the individuals who are basically running the House Republican Conference, which is why we've seen nothing from this do-nothing Republican Congress but chaos, dysfunction and extremism. We should be focused on issues related to the economy, inflation, national security, public safety, fixing the border. There are many challenges that we are ready, willing and able to confront with our Republican colleagues in a bipartisan way, but they've basically spent this Congress engaging in reckless political activity designed to distract from their failed agenda.
EDDIE GLAUDE: Leader Jeffries this is Eddie Glaude, it's great to see you this morning. I want to ask a question about the nature of the bill itself. Are you worried about the progressive wing of the Democratic Party? We're hearing President Biden talk about shutting down the border. We're hearing language that this is the toughest immigration bill that we've seen. Are you concerned about A, the progressive wing of the party and B, your base, some of the folks kind of reacting to this in a way that might have deleterious effects for the 2024 campaign?
LEADER JEFFRIES: On the House side, we're in the middle of having ongoing conversations with ourselves as well as with the administration. I think the point that we've made consistently is that anything that emerges from the Senate should be consistent with two core American principles. One, we are a nation of immigrants. and that will continue to be important to our future competitiveness. It's what makes us dynamic as a country as compared to others who are suffering from demographic challenges. But two, we are a country anchored in the rule of law, and so we'll evaluate the final proposal once it's put into the public domain and we have something to look at in terms of legislative text. But until that time, we'll just continue to dialogue with ourselves, as well as the administration, and make the point that we acknowledge that we have to fix our broken immigration system, but it should be done in a comprehensive, bipartisan, humane fashion.
JONATHAN LEMIRE: Leader Jeffries, we heard from President Biden yesterday saying that he has decided what sort of reprisal the U.S. would deliver to Iran and its proxy groups after the drone strike over the weekend that killed three U.S. service members. And we have reason to believe it could happen in the next 24 to 48 hours, the start of it anyway. Do you believe that the President has the authority to do that right now? Does he need to go to Congress? And secondly, what do you think an appropriate response would be?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I'm going to defer to the administration with respect to what the appropriate response should be. However, it should be strong and decisive and make clear that it's unacceptable for Iran or its proxies to attack U.S. forces in any way, shape or form. You know, our heart goes out to the three military men and women who were killed in the line of duty. They paid the ultimate sacrifice. And we will always honor and cherish them. But this is a dangerous world. Iran is a malignant actor. And it is important for the United States to respond and I'm confident that President Biden and the U.S. military will do so in a strong and decisive fashion.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: All right. House Minority Leader Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York, thank you very much for taking the time to come on the show today.
Full interview can be watched here.