Chairman Aguilar on Squawk Box: This isn't an either or discussion. This is about delivering lower costs to people and bringing true accountability.

Chairman Aguilar on Squawk Box: This isn't an either or discussion. This is about delivering lower costs to people and bringing true accountability.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar joined CNBC's Squawk Box with hosts Andrew Ross Sorkin and Joe Kernen to discuss how Democrats will work to deliver lower costs and affordable healthcare in the majority while holding the Trump administration accountable for the corruption that's costing American taxpayers. You can watch the full interview here and read the transcript of the Chairman's interview below.

ANDREW ROSS SORKIN: Welcome back to Squawk Box. Congressman Jim Jordan elected to be the next House GOP leader. Democrats are gearing up for their own leadership election next week. Joining us right now is House Democratic Caucus Chair, Congressman Pete Aguilar. He's running for House majority whip. Good morning to you. We've all been trying to understand sort of how the Democrat playbook is going to play out and what it means in terms of what the and how it's going to relate to Republicans. Where do you see some common ground? Is there any common ground you see coming up here?

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Look, if our Republican colleagues want to work with us on delivering lower costs and affordable healthcare and bringing real accountability to this administration, then we're happy to engage and talk with them. But that was the mandate that came out of this election, we're going to spend our time and our focus putting the American people first and focusing on lowering the costs that people face. And there are bipartisan proposals out there that have done this, and I hope our Republican colleagues are willing to work with us to lower the costs that people face across this country. The burden is real. Farmers and ranchers to people putting gasoline in their cars. Everybody is paying more, and we want to bring relief to folks.

ANDREW ROSS SORKIN: Do you think you can work with Jim Jordan? What does that signal to you?

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Jim Jordan has been one of the most extreme members of the Republican Conference, but he is who they elected as their leader. I respect that decision that they made. Speaker Jeffries will have conversations with them, you know, Leader Jordan, and where we have commonality and to keep the House moving, but we're looking for ways to deliver real results for people. That is what people voted for last week. But if Jim Jordan wants to give speeches and push back against Democrats, and he's comfortable doing that, he's got a proven track record in doing that, but we think the American people want better.

ANDREW ROSS SORKIN: When you talk about results, on one end there are economic results, policy results, on the other end there's this phrase accountability, and that accountability is a result, and that there's a lot of Democrats that may be asking for accountability at the same time that there are concerns that potentially the Democrats could spend too much time on that issue and not enough on the results when it comes to policy, the economy and other things. How do you see that balance?

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Look, this isn't an either or discussion. This is about delivering lower costs to people and bringing true accountability. But that accountability means lower costs for the American public. And let's talk about that because the rising gas prices that people are getting pinched with is as a result of the Iran war, and we need to bring real accountability and ask tough questions to this administration and hold them accountable because our Republican colleagues haven't been willing to do that. And so that is where, when the American public is paying over $800 more because of rising gas prices, that number is probably even higher in inland Southern California where I live, those are real examples where people are paying more because of the inept work that this administration is doing.

ANDREW ROSS SORKIN: Is that about holding Pete Hegseth accountable in trying to impeach him, or is that about withholding money so that there can't be a quote, unquote, 'forever war'? What does that look like to you?

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Again, this isn't an either or situation. This is about real results and that means we have to be willing to use the tools that we have within the appropriations process to push back against reckless spending for this war. But that also means we should be pushing back and asking questions about no-bid contracts that are coming out of the Department of Defense that are lining the pockets of the president's friends and family. And so we will ask those questions, but this isn't about being punitive or petty. This is about working for the American public and ensuring that their tax dollars are going to the highest and best use possible. Why are healthcare costs rising when the president keeps spending money on no-bid contracts? That's a direct through line to affordability, and that's where we can hold them accountable and deliver real results for the American public.

ANDREW ROSS SORKIN: How much does the possibility of congressional hearings and the accountability piece act as a chess piece for the Democrats, in terms of some of the policy objectives you have?

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Our policy objectives are lowering the costs and making healthcare more affordable. The accountability piece is just something that we have to do. It is in the Constitution. It is our role and responsibility. Just because the American public haven't seen it while Republicans have been in charge, doesn't mean that that isn't our job. We have to do it all. And that's what we plan to do under Speaker Jeffries, with a potentially 260 member House Democratic Caucus. We have the mandate, but more importantly, we have the responsibility to do both-lowering costs and asking the administration tough and fair questions. And I know they want to be sensitive about this, and the Department of Justice thinks that they are the president's personal attorneys. And now, today, the White House counsel is acting like the president's personal attorney. These are people who don't feel that they work for the United States government. They feel like they work for the wholly-owned subsidiary of Donald J. Trump. That's wrong, and we should be asking them tough questions about that, and they shouldn't…

ANDREW ROSS SORKIN: Can I ask you a question about that, Congressman?

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Because that is exactly what Republicans have done.

ANDREW ROSS SORKIN: Congressman, you've raised this issue before about the Department of Justice representing personnel inside the administration, and the administration has come back and said, look, for a very long time, the DOJ has represented the individuals inside the administration for Democrats and Republicans. Is that not the case?

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: The Department of Justice is meant to represent the United States of America and to defend and uphold the Constitution. Now, when the Department of Justice is sending letters directly on behalf of this president, that is where they've crossed the line. They're not defending policies of this administration. They are personally defending one person. That's where, you know, Todd Blanche is acting like the president's personal attorney, oh, by the way, which he was, rather than the United States Attorney General, the chief law enforcement officer of this country. That's the line, and this administration crosses it time and time again.

JOE KERNEN: Congressman, if we lived in a perfect world, I'd be nodding. But do I need to mention Merrick Garland? Do I need to mention Eric Holder, Janet Reno, who was on the plane with Bill Clinton, Loretta Lynch and Warren Bill? I mean, come on. I mean, I love you. I love you, Congressman, but I mean, you know, but you've delivered that, you delivered that with a straight face, which is what I liked.

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: And if you want to talk about 12-year-old conspiracy theories about planes, that's fine, Joe, the American people are getting crushed with costs.

JOE KERNEN: I think Eric Holder was Obama's wingman, was President Obama's wingman who said that. I mean, that's what an Attorney General does.

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: The Attorney General is nominated by the president to represent the United States.

JOE KERNEN: I understand that.

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Todd Blanche was Donald Trump's personal attorney, was he not? Is he not acting like that now?Joe, the American people see through this, and that's exactly why they voted the way that they did last week. That's exactly why Democrats have 260 seats is because…

JOE KERNEN: I'm with you, Andrew. It's always been like that. Thank you. I'm with Andrew.

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Sure.

ANDREW ROSS SORKIN: Congressman, I want to thank you for the conversation as always, and look forward to talking to you a lot more very soon. Thank you.

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