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Interview With Rep. Adam Schiff

Aired October 30, 2003 - 14:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Now, Kyra, I'm joined here by Congressman Adam Schiff, who can perhaps offer some further details here. I'm going to use my own microphone because we only have one.
Congressman, do you have any more information on this?

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D), CALIFORNIA: Well, I was in the building when this started and walked out when the police were just arriving, although I wasn't sure why the police presence was necessary. But then received a call and a message from my staff, who are still hold up in our office, that there was someone with a gun loose in the Cannon Building.

We've been trying to get in -- we, the members -- have been trying to get back to our offices. None of us like to leave our staff alone at a time like this. But the security has, thus far, not permitted us to go back in the building.

KARL: So let me get this straight. Members of your staff are right now locked up in your office. You can't get to them and as of now, they can't get to you?

SCHIFF: Right. Now we're in constant communication, both on cell phone and BlackBerry. But, you know, we all have young staff members. We have interns that are still in college. This is a time when we want to be with them. And, unfortunately, very reminiscent of when we had the anthrax scare and had a similar impact on all of us.

KARL: Do you have a sense that the police have this situation under control, they've got an orderly search, that they're going to find these individuals?

SCHIFF: I do. I think they're doing exactly what they should be doing, which is locking down the premises, controlling the exits to the building, both in the tunnels and on the surface, giving good and frequent instructions to the people who still remain in the building. So it seems like they've taken every step that they should and have acted very promptly.

KARL: Now you know full well how easy it is to get from this building to the other buildings -- about the -- what seems to be miles of hallways and corridors connecting the two. How do we know that these individuals didn't get into another building?

SCHIFF: Well, we won't know that for some time. But given the fact that the police operated as promptly as they did, if they set up in time, then I'm very confident these people won't get out of the building. If they're still there, they'll be found. So the only question is, Did the police get there on time to seal the exits?

KARL: OK. And then finally, you've spoken to the people in your office. Are they panicked? Are they worried about this?

SCHIFF: You know, they're certainly nervous. But they've been given good instructions. They've got the door locked closed. They're all professionals and they're (UNINTELLIGIBLE) themselves very well.

KARL: All right. Congressman Schiff, thank you very much.

SCHIFF: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 30, 2003 - 14:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Now, Kyra, I'm joined here by Congressman Adam Schiff, who can perhaps offer some further details here. I'm going to use my own microphone because we only have one.
Congressman, do you have any more information on this?

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D), CALIFORNIA: Well, I was in the building when this started and walked out when the police were just arriving, although I wasn't sure why the police presence was necessary. But then received a call and a message from my staff, who are still hold up in our office, that there was someone with a gun loose in the Cannon Building.

We've been trying to get in -- we, the members -- have been trying to get back to our offices. None of us like to leave our staff alone at a time like this. But the security has, thus far, not permitted us to go back in the building.

KARL: So let me get this straight. Members of your staff are right now locked up in your office. You can't get to them and as of now, they can't get to you?

SCHIFF: Right. Now we're in constant communication, both on cell phone and BlackBerry. But, you know, we all have young staff members. We have interns that are still in college. This is a time when we want to be with them. And, unfortunately, very reminiscent of when we had the anthrax scare and had a similar impact on all of us.

KARL: Do you have a sense that the police have this situation under control, they've got an orderly search, that they're going to find these individuals?

SCHIFF: I do. I think they're doing exactly what they should be doing, which is locking down the premises, controlling the exits to the building, both in the tunnels and on the surface, giving good and frequent instructions to the people who still remain in the building. So it seems like they've taken every step that they should and have acted very promptly.

KARL: Now you know full well how easy it is to get from this building to the other buildings -- about the -- what seems to be miles of hallways and corridors connecting the two. How do we know that these individuals didn't get into another building?

SCHIFF: Well, we won't know that for some time. But given the fact that the police operated as promptly as they did, if they set up in time, then I'm very confident these people won't get out of the building. If they're still there, they'll be found. So the only question is, Did the police get there on time to seal the exits?

KARL: OK. And then finally, you've spoken to the people in your office. Are they panicked? Are they worried about this?

SCHIFF: You know, they're certainly nervous. But they've been given good instructions. They've got the door locked closed. They're all professionals and they're (UNINTELLIGIBLE) themselves very well.

KARL: All right. Congressman Schiff, thank you very much.

SCHIFF: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com