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From House Democrats. Its such a body blow to our democracy. Just how far reaching was this effort by the Justice Department . Hello, im dana bash in washington where the state of our union is trying to mend fences and build bridges. As President Biden is welcomed back to the club at the g7 summit in europe, he is also preparing for a closelywatched summit with russian president Vladimir Putin as tensions between the two countries continue to rise. The president will take questions from reporters this hour. We will bring that Press Conference to you live when it happens. In the meantime, the president s priorities here at home from infrastructure to Voting Rights have run smack into the reality of a 50 50 senate. And late this week, a stunning new revelation prompted an uproar on capitol hill and beyond. We learned the trump Justice Department seized Cell Phone Data from the former president s political enemies including members of congress. And joining me now exclusively is the House Speaker nancy pelosi. Thank you so much. Its nice to see you inperson as we come out of the pandemic. I want to start where i just left off, the news about the Justice Department during the trump administration, subpoenaed apple for data from democratic members of the house intelligence committee, their staff, some of their families. So, do you know how many members had their data subpoenaed, any subpoenaed for you or from you or your staff . Well, good morning. Congratulations to you on the show. Thank you. Before i answer that, i just want to say im wearing orange because this is the color of gun violence prevention. Last night while we were having a moment much silence for those 49 people who were victims of the pulse assault, other Mass Shootings were happening across the country. So, as we talk about all these issues, about infrastructure and about commission and about data mining and the rest, every day, every morning, every night we are not forgetting these victims. When i visit the pulse at the time of the shooting, the families came together and said, stop this from happening. When they visited washington following that horrible thing, they said, stop this from happening for other peoples families to go through what were going. That was from the families. And then some of the victims who survived that. So, again, for us, we are not going away until we can get legislation passed. We have in the house, hopefully in the senate. Its bipartisan in the nation that we would have background checks to prevent guns from getting in the hands of those who should not have them. Now, will that Cover Everything . No, but it goes a very long way, and it prevented millions of Gun Purchases not to happen up until now. Now we have to spexpand it to include Internet Sales and gun shows and the rest. Youve done your job on that in the house. The question is the senate this is like our prayer morning and night and our actions all day. So i cant go even to talk about anything else without saying that death in these families must stop. So, in terms of the data mining, what the republicans what the administration did, the Justice Department, the leadership of the former president goes even beyond richard nixon. Richard nixon had an enemys list. This is about undermining the rule of law. And for this Attorneys General Barr and sessions to say they didnt know anything about it is beyond belief. So, we will have to have them come under oath to testify about that. Now, how could it be that undermining the rule of law, undermining the separation of power of the Executive Branch and the legislative branch, and having these just data mining is something new in terms of where technology has taken us, but not new in terms of something that should never have happened. Do you think its limited just to the members we dont know. Of course, inspector generals report is very important, but it is not a substitute for what we must do in the congress. I know that the senate has called for some review. We will certainly have that in the house of representatives. So, you said that both the former Attorney General Barr and sessions, they have said they didnt know anything about this. So has rod rosenstein. Rod rosenstein as well. Who was the Deputy Attorney general. If you dont see them voluntarily on capitol hill, will you subpoena them . Well, lets hope they will want to honor the rule of law. This is the Justice Department has been rogue under president trump, understand that, in so many respects. This is just another manifestation of their rogue activity. The others were perpetrated by the Attorneys General, but this is one that they claim no knowledge of. How could it be that there could be an investigation of members of the other branch of government and the press and the rest, too, and the Attorneys General did not know. So who are these people . And are they still in the Justice Department . And, again, this is just out of the question no matter who is president , whatever party, this cannot be the way it goes. Lets turn to infrastructure. Yes. A group of five democrats, five republican senators, they have a deal that they say is 1. 2 trillion, about 600 billion in new spending. Thats more than republicans were offering, but thats, of course, less than President Biden wanted. I know a lot of the details are still being worked out, but theyre also saying no new taxes. So a combination of no new taxes to pay for it and 1. 2 trillion, is that something in the ballpark you would agree with . Im very pleased they came to their agreement, of course. President of the United States is a major factor in this, and he has said he would not support any taxes on people making under 400,000 a year, and that includes increasing the gas tax, which i think may be part of their arrangement. Well, we havent seen it, but that was what was thought to be in the plan for a source of funds. We certainly know that theres money to be had by at least making people pay their taxes. Im not even talking about those who abuse the system. Im just talking about those who illegally do not pay their taxes specifically. Lets see. I havent seen it. Youre announcing this. I do think that it is predicated on an infrastructure that is of the last century. We have to be thinking in a more forward way. We must build back better. So, if this is something that can be agreed upon, i dont know how we can possibly sell it excuse me to our caucus unless we know there is more to come. Yeah. And the more to come and Building Back better means having more people participate in the prosperity of our country. While you take a drink, ill ask you this question. What i hear you saying, this would be something you could agree to as long as you get some kind of promise for a second bite at the apple. Well, as Congress Works its will, well just see what the possibilities are. This is one step. I have heard the president say im proud of him, a unifier, and so proud of him overseas now saying were back. But ive heard him say with republicans in the room, lets figure out what we can agree on on infrastructure. Lets see if we can come to a reasonable amount of money to get that work done. But i have no intention of abandoning the rest of my vision about the better Building Back better. What is being talked about in this is something that could have been talked about 50 years ago. Were talking about the future. So, do you have faith in republicans . Oh that they are negotiating in good faith . I assume that the democrats who are negotiating with them have faith in them. I think we always have to believe i think we have a responsibility let me say it a different way to find Common Ground if we can. But if we cant, we have to stand our ground, but we have to understand that if we can come to terms in a bipartisan way, that would be i think the public wants to see that. Not only do the republican not want to come together, they want to push back further, hr 1 and other issues we may talk about. Infrastructure has always been bipartisan. I mean, its always been lets see how we can Work Together for our communities. Lets find agreement in the communities as to what is important. Some republicans, a lot of republicans say when it comes to bricks and mortar, roads and bridges thats fine. But when you talk about new Government Programs for child care, for elderly care, thats where they say no. Well, you know, i think, on the other hand, in different settings they talk about Child Care Being important, and it is, and it is. And we have a very strong commitment. And our womens caucus especially wants us to go as big as we can on child care. And home health care. And family and medical leave. All of these things that enable, not just women, but people dads and moms and care givers to be able to participate in a work force. And to honor the work that is done by care givers, to respect what they do, to adequately train for it, and to pay for it. So, lets talk about you mentioned hr 1. Yes. That is what we call hr 1, it is rewriting a major rewrite of the election law. Its now in the senate. West virginia democrat joe manchin says, point blank, he doesnt support it. I want to read part of an oped he wrote last week. He wrote, i believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy, and for that reason i will vote against the for the people act, which is hr 1. So when democrats literally dont have one vote to spare and you read that from joe manchin, how are you going to get it passed . I dont give up on joe manchin. When he was governor and Secretary Of State in West Virginia, he initiated many of the ideas that are in the hr 1, s1 for the people act. For the people. Its not necessarily a rewriting. Its stopping. The first 300 pages of s1, the for the people act, hr 1, were written by john lewis, to stop the Voter Suppression. It is an initiative that is there to stop partisan gerrymandering and redistricting. Its really essential for the health of our country. Democrats shouldnt be gerrymandering and republicans shouldnt. The Commission Piece in there is very important, and that would be new. The stopping the big dark special interest money from suffocating the airwaves, why do you think we cannot have climate language that is easy to why do you think we do not have Gun Violence Protection . Its because of that big dark money, and the public knows, it knows that that money stands in the way of good policy. And, again, to give voice to small donors and the grassroots. So a lot of that is the part that senator manschin says he doesnt support doing now. I read the oped, and you read part of it. I think he left the door open. I think its ajar. Im not giving up. Archipelago i wanted to ask you about that because youre not just reading an oped. You have a relationship with him. Umhmm. Is there something you know that we dont know . Or a lot of people in your caucus that are upset dont know about joe manchin and the possibility of getting this election reform through the senate . I dont know anything specific about this, but i do know he has certain concerns about the legislation that we may be able to come to terms on. So its bridgeable . I think as i said to him, i read the oped. You left the door open. Oh, you talked to him about it . Of course, yeah. But we were actually our conversation was more about the commission and in the course of that conversation. But in any case, lets just put this in its proper place. Our democracy is at stake. What the republicans are doing across the country, even since we wrote weve had this in the election of 2018. 100 candidates wrote and said, make for the people hr 1 the first order of business. And now we see under the administration further work, the former administration and the republicans across the country are undermining our democracy, suppressing the vote, ignoring the sanctity of the vote, which is the basis for our democracy. And so we cannot let that stand. We have to make this fight for our democracy. It isnt about democrats or republicans. Its not about partisanship. Forget that. Its about patriotism. We must pass this. Speaking of democracy, i always wanted to ask you this question. Youre the speaker of the house. I know you like to stay in your lane and not cross over to the senate, but, you know, a lot of people in your caucus say the entire democratic agenda is being held up because of the filibuster. Do you think the filibuster should go away . You know what, as you know, i dont talk about senate rules and i dont want them messing with our rules. Just wanted to give it a try. But i do think instead of talking about the filibuster, as i say to our members, lets talk about the issues. Gun violence prevention. Climate initiatives. Issues that relate to the equality act in this month of pride, ending discrimination against the lgbtq community. What are the issues that we care about . Thats really the discussion. Why do we not have them . Well, thats more of interest to people. There are Kitchen Table issues about the cost of prescription drugs. We want to give the secretary the power to negotiate for lower prices. If that needs 60 votes, it might not happen. So lets talk about january 6th and getting to the bottom of what happened there. As you well know, Senate Republicans blocked your proposal for a commission, Bipartisan Commission to investigate. You have vowed to get answers no matter what. Are you at the point where you are going to appoint a select committee to do so . A week ago i was asked to give it another week, so ill see by monday if the senate believes that they could those who are working the bipartisan way can get three more votes. It would have been 57 voting. Three more. I have yielded on every point except scope, except scope, number of people on the committee, subpoena power, timetable, you name it. Weve yielded because of the value of the bipartisan ship that would spring from that. They want to say, well, were going to investigate that, we shouldnt investigate and people turned out after george employed was shot. This is about an assault on our democracy, on our capitol of the United States. The American People deserve and must have answers. We will seek the truth. We will find the truth. But we hope that we can do it with passing the commission. Assuming the commission doesnt pass, are you saying by monday, which is tomorrow . Umhmm. Archipel youll announce a select committee . Well see what their response is. It sounds like youre getting closer to it. Its an option, and Everybody Knows the power of the speaker to do that. So i would hope that that would motivate them to say, lets go a different place. But the question arises, what the republicans in the senate are so afraid of the truth. Why are they so afraid of the truth . They themselves were under assault. This capitol, our democracy was under assault. The director of the fbi, even before in september, testified that White Supremacy and antisemitism, et cetera why do you think theyre afraid of the truth . Youd have to ask them. They know where the roads might lead in terms of some of them individually. And, of course, the former president of the United States who incited an insurrection. We had a peaceful ceremony, which made the case, a number of republicans agreed. Still, i think its cowardice and i think its cowardice just to oppose a former president. But its also concern about what it says about them. I want to ask you about congresswoman ilhan omar. Yes. You and other top House Democrats released a pretty rare statement rebuking her for appearing to, quote, draw false equivalencies between the United States and israel and terrorist organizations, hamas and taliban. She clarified, she said that she was in no way equating them, but since all of that happened, she and others dont seem to be letting this go. Rashida talib, one of her close friends, member of your caucus tweeted the following. Freedom of speech dont exist for muslim women in congress. It doesnt exist for muslim women in congress. House Democratic Leadership should be ashamed let me just say this. We did not rebuke her. We acknowledged that she made a clarification. So before we go too far down that path these arent my words. These are your Caucus Members its a member. A caucus member. I wanted to get your response. Im responding that we, the congresswoman omar is a valued member of our caucus. She asked her questions of the Secretary Of State. Nobody criticized those, how people will be held accountable if were not going to the International Court of justice. That was a very legitimate question. That was not of concern. Members did become concerned when the tweet that was put out equated the United States with the taliban. And hamas. Rashida talib and,