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00:00We're here with Senator Susan Collins. I want to get right into it. Paul Manafort Rick Gage George Papadopoulos does this or does this not put the issue of collusion to rest. It does not . If you look at the specific charges ise particularly against Manafort and Gates said they precede the connections with the Trump campaign in many cases not all cases not all cases exactly but there's a lot more work to be done. What this does show is that the independent counsel it's making real progress in the investigation to have the series of indictments plus a guilty plea already is judge shows great progress Senator to folks outside of Washington I mean I've covered the hearings that the committees you remember I mean DNI FBI national security officials have all said that Russia tried to penetrate U.S. democratic systems the bedrock of our democracy. Senator do you think the president is effectively communicating that message message to prevent this from happening again. I think the president needs to do much more. After all if you look at what the leaders in France and Germany and Montenegro did they put out there the fact that the Russians were trying to undermine a basic premise of Western democracies and that it's fair and free elections. And in my judgment that helped to insulate those countries because the population was on guard for a propaganda effort. So why isn't the president communicating that message in Europe. Well I'd like to see him do more on that. I also believe that the administration needs to work more closely with state governments to help them harden their election system . Are you satisfied Senator with how the administration communicated with the state governments that had that folks tried to hack into that Russians tried to hack into. I'm not . I thought they were fried too slow. Let me ask you about whether or not this issue of collusion will be completed by the end of the year. Do you think it will be. I can't speak for the independent counsel's investigation but in my judgment the Intelligence Committee in the Senate would not have answered that question by the end of the year. I think by the end of the year we would be able to put out some sort of interim report on our findings and recommendations with regard to Russian efforts to interfere with our elections and to try to undermine the basic tenants of our democracy. And that's important because we've got an election year next year. Well Senator you said you want a tax code that's fair simple and pro-growth. Meanwhile while all of this is going on there so the issue of tax relief tax some type of tax package by the end of the year is this going to distract from that. I don't believe so we're on a good track to come up with a tax bill. And there's been a lot of work done already in both the House and the Senate and I think you'll see a tax bill pass and I hope it'll be a bipartisan one by the end of the year. One of the issues also the administration out today saying there's no plans to fire Mr. Mueller should the president change his mind on that. What would your response be. First of all I don't think there's any chance that the president is going to change his mind on that . There would be such an uproar not only by Congress but the public at large. If Mr. Mueller were fired he is the ideal person for this very difficult job. He has the experience the qualifications and the integrity. And the president appears to now understand that he needs to allow that work to be done. And Politico reported earlier today that Tony Podesta has stepped up stepped down from his lobbying group. Obviously the allegations and the indictment against Paul Manafort but also Silicon Valley facing intense scrutiny. You're going to be on a committee later this week with regard to disclosures for four social media companies. Does tech get it. I mean what did why weren't they disclosing that a foreign government was paying for ads for propaganda on U.S. business sites. Well that's exactly the question we're going to raise at the hearing this week. There were actually ads but with rubles the Russian currency that should have been a huge red flag that a foreign government or foreign national was inappropriately and illegally. Under current law it's a legal ad trying to give something of value to an American candidate or to in some way undermine our election . So why wasn't it either laws on the books now that prevent that that should have that social media company should have been following. Yes absolutely. And that's a question that I'm going to ask. So I guess is it acceptable in your opinion senator that people like Mark Zuckerberg are sending General Counsel or not they themselves testifying. Well all I want are the people who can answer the questions. And if that's the general counsel that's fine with me. But the questions aren't going to be any easier. Other tough questions and the men and the half that we have left last week or the other week . Senators Jeff Flake Bob Corker raising very intense concerns suggesting that President Trump is a quote unquote danger to democracy. Do you agree with that. And what do you say to folks regardless of whether or not you agree with it but as a centrist yourself what do you say to folks who are are very concerned about what they're observing right now about the state of our political institutions. Well I'm very concerned about the divisions that we see in our country the excessive partisanship here in Washington D.C. and as a senator who has decided to forego a run for governor of Maine and stay here . I'm going to continue to work with Democrats and Republicans House members Senate members and the administration. I think that's my job and I'm going to try to work out compromises and bring people together on the issues. I believe that's what the American people want .

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Sen. Susan Collins on Manafort, Russia Probe, Tax Reform

Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, discusses the Russian probe announcement, the indictment of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and tax reform. She speaks on "Bloomberg Markets." (Source: Bloomberg)

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