“…It was not successful because the whistleblower blew the whistle, and it was not until after that whistle was blown that the money was released. So, the [Republican] rationalization that somehow this is okay… It simply doesn't hold water.”

On Funding the Government

“…The House of Representatives passed 96 percent of the funding of government by June 26. That's over three months ago. And, unfortunately, the Senate… has not agreed upon the amount of money that will be spent by each committee. So, that the House has done its job a long time ago, [we’re] ready to go to conference, but the Senate didn't act until after the fiscal year on any of its bills. So, we are way behind. This is a terrible thing to do to the government, to the American people. It is a bad way to operate the Congress. I don't blame the American people for being frustrated and angry at us. I’m frustrated and I’m angry that we haven't gotten this done. That's why we did our work on time in the House of Representatives, but, unfortunately, the Senate – and, in my opinion, McConnell was waiting on an ‘okay’ from the White House to proceed. Mulvaney did not want to proceed. The fact that he's sidelined now, perhaps will give us some room for progress.”

On GOP Attacks on the Whistleblower

“I think it was a despicable action by the President which has been pursued, unfortunately, by so many of the Republican Members… It is tantamount to trying to intimidate not only this whistleblower, but every other future whistleblower who may know wrong doing. Why we have that statute is to encourage them to come forward, so our government can be honest.”