On Wednesday, Democratic National Committee Tom Perez joined Boston Public Radio to share his thoughts on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s press conference earlier in the day, whether the House of Representatives should begin impeachment proceedings against the president, and how he feels about the large field of Democrats running for the party’s nomination in 2020.
Interview Highlights:
On Robert Mueller’s Press Conference:
“What he was cryptic about today, that he wasn’t cryptic about before, is that there was Russian interference in the 2016 election. It was designed to hurt Hillary Clinton and help Donald Trump. That has been made clear in prior indictments. I don’t know why today he was referring to a 'candidate.' He has [used Trump’s name] before.”
Read more: 'We Are At War With The Russians': DNC Chair Says He Does Not Trust Federal Government To Secure Elections
On the Large Field of Candidates:
“I think the grassroots fundraising threshold has catalyzed incredible activity. ... The number of people who are engaged for the first time as a result of this criteria is remarkable, and I think that’s exactly what we want to do. … I’ve had the privilege of working pretty closely with probably three quarters of them [and] I think it’s a first class challenge to have.”
Read more: DNC Chair Says Large Dem Field Shows The Party's Strength
On Whether the House Should Begin Impeachment Proceedings:
“I was trained with the ethic that you have to investigate and gather all the facts before you make judgments. ... There are a lot of unanswered questions here, and I absolutely support Speaker Pelosi’s efforts to make sure we are methodically gathering the facts, and it’s hard to gather the facts when you’re getting stonewalled.”
