WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday to discuss House Democrats’ impeachment proceedings. Notably, Sen. Johnson announced that he received a request from Representatives Jim Jordan and Devin Nunes to share his firsthand knowledge about the U.S.-Ukraine relationship.

Excerpts from the interview are below, and video can be found here.

On impeachment proceedings

“One thing I want to point out is the damage that is being done to our country through this entire impeachment process. It's going to be very difficult for future presidents to have a candid conversation with a world leader, because now we've set the precedent of leaking transcripts. The weakening of executive privilege is not good.”

“I got a letter last night from Representatives Jordan and Nunes asking for basically my telling of events. I will be working on that today. I will lay out what I know in terms of this, and to a certain extent some of my perspective.”

On his conversation with President Trump about aid to Ukraine

“What has not been reported from that phone call [with President Trump] … at the very end, he said, ‘Ron, I have a hurricane I have to deal with. But I hear what you are saying. We are reviewing this, and I think you will like my decision.’ So he’s already leaning toward providing that funding on August 31. My guess is that this never would have been exposed, that funding would have been restored and our relationship with Ukraine would have been far better off than it is today.”

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