>> WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THE NEXT EXPLOSIVE NEWS DAY WILL
BE FOR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, BUT IF RHYTHM MEANS ANYTHING,
IT'S NOT MORE THAN A DAY OR TWO AWAY.
THAT'S HOW FAST AND FURIOUSLY DEVASTATINGLY NEGATIVE NEWS
STORIES ARE BEING BROKEN BY "THE WASHINGTON POST" AND "THE NEW
YORK TIMES" ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
THERE IS A MASSIVE NEWS DAY THAT HAS NOW BEEN SCHEDULE PROBABLY
FOR NEXT MONTH, SOME TIME AFTER MEMORIAL DAY.
THAT IS WHEN THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE WILL HEAR
PUBLIC TESTIMONY FROM THE DONALD TRUMP FIRED FBI DIRECTOR JAMES
COMEY. JAMES COMEY WAS INVITED TO
TESTIFY TO THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE ALSO, BUT HE DECLINED.
THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE ISSUED A BIPARTISAN STATEMENT FROM
REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN CHUCK GRASSLEY AND THE DEMOCRATIC
SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN, SENIOR DEMOCRAT ON THE COMMITTEE SAYING
WE'RE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN JAMES COMEY'S DECISION NOT TO
TESTIFY VOLUNTARILY BEFORE THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.
THERE IS NO REASON HE CAN'T TESTIFY BEFORE BOTH THE
INTELLIGENCE AND JUDICIARY COMMITTEES.
AND THAT'S TRUE. JAMES COMEY COULD TESTIFY TO
BOTH COMMITTEES. SO WHY ISN'T HE?
WHY IS HE PICKING THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE OVER THE
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE? WHICH ACTUALLY HAS JURISDICTION
OVER THE FBI AND THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.
THE REASON IS THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE IS
FREQUENTLY A PARTISAN CIRCUS COMPARED TO THE SENATE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE. THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
HAS 20 MEMBERS. THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE HAS
ONLY 15. THAT MEANS THERE ARE 11
REPUBLICANS ON THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE AND ONLY
EIGHT REPUBLICANS ON THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE.
THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HAS A LARGE GROUP OF REPUBLICAN
SENATORS WHO DON'T WANT TO FOCUS ON THE REAL ISSUES THAT JAMES
COMEY IS THERE TO TESTIFY ABOUT. JAMES COMEY KNOWS THAT TED CRUZ
ON THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE AND JOHN CORNYN AND
ORRIN HATCH ON THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE AND CHUCK GRASSLEY ON
THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE AND SENATOR KENNEDY OF LOUISIANA ON
THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE WOULD ONCE AGAIN RELIABLY PUSH
WHATEVER TRUMP TALKING POINTS THEY THINK WILL WORK THAT DAY.
TED CRUZ IS NOT ON THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE.
CHUCK GRASSLEY IS NOT ON THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE.
JOHN CORNYN IS. THE ONLY REPUBLICAN WHO IS ALSO
ON THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE. SO JAMES COMEY HAS LOOKED AT THE
MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEES, JUDICIARY COMMITTEE AND THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE. AND HE HAS DECIDED TO GO WITH
WHAT LOOKS TO HIM LIKE THE COMMITTEE WITH MORE
INTELLIGENCE. AND JAMES COMEY KNOWS THAT IN
HIS CASE, TESTIFYING ONCE ABOUT THESE MATTERS IS THE MOST
EFFECTIVE AND THE MOST PROFESSIONAL WAY FOR HIM TO TELL
HIS STORY. JAMES COMEY KNOWS THAT HE HAS A
RESPONSIBILITY TO THE INVESTIGATION THAT'S GOING ON, A
RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC, AND A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE
SENATE. AND THOUGH IT MIGHT BE FUN FOR
US TO LISTEN TO HIM TELL HIS STORY OVER AND OVER AGAIN, JAMES
COMEY KNOWS THAT THE
INVESTIGATION WILL BE BEST SERVED IF HE TELLS HIS STORY
ONCE IN A CLEAR AND EFFICIENT WAY AND THEN STEPS OFF THE STAGE
AND LETS THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUE.
WHEN HE TESTIFIES, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WE WILL GET ACCESS
TO HIS NOTES, THE NOTES THAT JAMES COMEY MADE OF HIS
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PRESIDENT, NOTES THAT WE KNOW
CONTAIN STUNNINGLY INCRIMINATING QUOTES BY THE PRESIDENT.
WE ALSO NOW KNOW THAT THE INVESTIGATION WILL SOON BE
COLLECTING SOME STUNNINGLY INCRIMINATING NOTES TAKEN IN THE
OVAL OFFICE BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION QUOTING WHAT THE
PRESIDENT SAID TO RUSSIAN OFFICIALS IN THE OVAL OFFICE
ABOUT THE FIRING OF FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY.
"THE NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTS TODAY THAT THE PRESIDENT TOLD
THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR AND THE RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER THAT,
QUOTE, FIRING THE FBI DIRECTOR JAMES B. COMEY HAD RELIEVED
GREAT PRESSURE ON HIM, ACCORDING TO A DEPUTY SUMMARIZED IN THE
MEETING. "I JUST FIRED THE HEAD OF THE
FBI. HE WAS CRAZY, A REAL NUT JOB,"
MR. TRUMP SAID, ACCORDING TO THE DOCUMENT WHICH WAS READ TO "THE
NEW YORK TIMES" BY AN AMERICAN OFFICIAL.
"I FACED GREAT PRESSURE BECAUSE OF RUSSIA.
THAT'S TAKEN OFF,." MR. TRUMP ADDED "I'M NOT UNDER
INVESTIGATION." ONCE AGAIN NOT TO BE OUTDONE BY
"THE NEW YORK TIMES," THE "WASHINGTON POST" REPORTED LATE
TODAY, QUOTE, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATION INTO
POSSIBLE COORDINATION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN
HAS IDENTIFIED A CURRENT WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL AS A SIGNIFICANT
PERSON OF INTEREST SHOWING THAT THE PROBE IS REACHING INTO THE
HIGHEST LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, ACCORDING TO FAMILIAR WITH THE
MATTER. THE SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISER
UNDER SCRUTINY BY INVESTIGATORS IS SOMEONE CLOSE TO THE
PRESIDENT, ACCORDING TO THESE PEOPLE, WHO WOULD NOT FURTHER
IDENTIFY THE OFFICIAL. "THE WASHINGTON POST" ALSO
REPORTS TODAY THAT, QUOTE, THE REVELATION COMES AS THE
INVESTIGATION APPEARS TO BE ENTERING A MORE OVERTLY ACTIVE
PHASE WITH INVESTIGATORS SHIFTING FROM WORK THAT HAS
REMAINED LARGELY HIDDEN FROM THE PUBLIC TO CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS
AND USING A GRAND JURY TO ISSUE SUBPOENAS.
THE INTENSITY OF THE PROBE IS EXPECTED TO ACCELERATE IN THE
COMING WEEKS, PEOPLE SAID. SO THIS STORY THAT HAS BEEN
MOVING AS FAST AS WE THOUGHT IT COULD IS GOING TO ACCELERATE,
ACCORDING TO THAT REPORT. AND NOW POLITICO REPORTS THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS TOLD SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HE REGRETS FIRING
HIS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER MICHAEL FLYNN.
I WAS KIND OF STUNNED, ONE PERSON SAID.
I ASKED HIM, "YOU FIRED HIM ALREADY.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?" JOINING US NOW, NICHOLAS
KRISTOF, PULITZER PRIZE WINNING COLUMNIST FOR THE NEW YORK TIME.
MICHAEL ISIKOFF, CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER FOR YAHOO
NEWS, AND JILL WINE-BANKS FORMER WATERGATE SPECIAL COUNSEL AND
FORMER PROSECUTOR OF THE ARMY. I'M REALLY STRUCK BY THAT LAIS
LAST QUOTE IN POLITICO.
IT'S A PERSON SAYING HERE IS EXACTLY WHAT I PERSONALLY SAID
TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND SO THE PRESIDENT, IF THAT IS TRUE, IF THE PERSON SAID THAT TO
HIM, THE PRESIDENT KNOWS WHO GAVE THAT QUOTE TO POLITICO.
>> WHICH UNDERSCORES THE DEGREE TO WHICH PEOPLE ARE FLEEING.
BUT JUST AT THE FUNDAMENTAL LEVEL, THAT'S AN ASTONISHING
THING TO SAY. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MICHAEL
FLYNN WAS NOT ONLY WOEFULLY UNPREPARED FOR THE JOB, BUT HE
LIED TO THE VICE PRESIDENT. WE NOW HAVE REPORTS TODAY THAT
THE U.S. HAD PICKED UP CONVERSATIONS AMONG RUSSIAN
OFFICIALS THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT MIKE FLYNN COULD BE USED TO SWAY
THE PRESIDENT. I MEAN, THERE IS JUST ONE THING
AFTER ANOTHER. AND TO REGRET FIRING HIM?
IT REALLY DOES STRAY INTO THE DELUSIONAL AREA.
YOU JUST WONDER WHAT ON EARTH HE WAS THINKING.
>> I WISH THAT UNNAMED QUOTE WAS "WHY DO YOU REGRET" AND THAT
PERSON ACTUALLY GOT AN ANSWER. JILL, I WANT TO GO TO THE NOTES
THAT ARE NOW BEING REVEALED OF THAT MEETING.
AND THESE ARE WHITE HOUSE NOTES. THERE ARE NOTE TAKERS IN THESE
KINDS OF MEETINGS. AND SOMEONE HAS BASICALLY
RELEASED THESE NOTES TO THE MEDIA SHOWING THAT THE PRESIDENT
IS NOT ONLY TALKING TO THE RUSSIANS ABOUT FIRING JAMES
COMEY IN WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A BIT OF A BRAG, BUT ALSO HE MAKES A
VERY SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO JAMES COMEY'S INVESTIGATION OF THE
RUSSIAN CONNECTION TO TRUMP WORLD WHEN HE IS TALKING ABOUT
FIRING HIM. DOES THIS TAKE US CLOSER TO OR
DOES THIS SOMEHOW INFORM AN OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE
POSSIBILITY WITH THE PRESIDENT ON THE FIRING OF JAMES COMEY?
>> I THINK THE CUMULATIVE EVIDENCE OF THERE BEING A LEGAL
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE IS OVERWHELMING, AND THIS CERTAINLY
TOPS OFF THE CAKE SO TO SPEAK. IT IS CLEAR THAT HE WAS
INTERFERING WITH THE INVESTIGATION IN MANY WAYS.
AND THE CHANGING STORIES ARE VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE WHEN
THAT HAPPENS, IT'S USUALLY EVIDENCE OF GUILT.
IT IS INDICATIVE OF HIS GUILT THAT HE STARTED OUT WITH ONE
EXCUSE OF WHY HE FIRED HIM AND THEN WENT ON TELEVISION AND GAVE
A SECOND, AND NOW HE IS IN THE WHITE HOUSE SAYING SOMETHING TO
THE RUSSIANS. IT IS CLEARLY INCULPATORY OF
HIM. >> SENATOR PATRICK LEAHY, A
FORMER PROSECUTOR HIMSELF TWEETED THIS TODAY.
HE SAID THIS IS WHAT OBSTRUCTION LOOKS LIKE, QUOTING TRUMP, "I
FACED GREAT PRESSURE BECAUSE OF RUSSIA.
THAT'S TAKEN OFF." >> YEAH.
AND ACTUALLY, ONE OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS CAME
DURING ROD ROSENSTEIN'S CLOSED DOOR TESTIMONY BECAUSE THAT,
BEFORE ALL HOUSE MEMBERS TODAY IN WHICH HE WAS ASKED A LOT OF
QUESTIONS ABOUTABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THAT MEMO HE
WROTE THAT JUSTIFIED THE FIRING OF JAMES COMEY.
AND ROSENSTEIN SAID I BELIEVE WHAT I WROTE.
I STOOD BY IT. BUT A NUMBER OF MEMBERS PRESSED
HIM ON HOW HE CAME TO WRITE THE MEMO, WAS HE ASKED TO WRITE THE
MEMO, WHAT REASON WAS HE GIVEN FOR WRITING THE MEMO.
AND HE DECLINED REPEATEDLY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND THE RESPONSE HE GAVE IS BECAUSE THEY MAY -- THAT MAY BE
SOMETHING OF INTEREST TO THE SPECIAL COUNSEL.
IE, BOB MUELLER. AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH A
CONFIRMATION THAT A COVER-UP OBSTRUCTION IS WITHIN THE ORBIT
OF THE THINGS THAT BOB MUELLER IS LOOKING AT, LIKE WAS THAT
MEMO WRITTEN FOR -- DID THE PRESIDENT INSTRUCT HIM TO WRITE
IT FOR PARTICULAR REASONS. AND YOU PUT IT TOGETHER FROM
WHAT WE KNOW COMEY HAS SAID AND THE MEMO HE WROTE ABOUT THE
REQUEST HE GOT FROM THE PRESIDENT TRUMP TO BACK OFF THE
INVESTIGATION, TO MAKE IT GO AWAY, AND YOU PUT IT TOGETHER
WITH THE NEW DISCLOSURES ABOUT WHAT HE SAID TO THE RUSSIAN
FOREIGN MINISTER LAVROV TO THE EFFECT OF HE FIRED COMEY TO
RELIEVE THE PRESSURE OF THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION.
AND YOU HAVE THE INGREDIENTS OF A POTENTIAL OBSTRUCTION CASE.
>> NICK, TO WHATEVER EXTENT VIEWERS OF THIS SEGMENT RIGHT
NOW ARE OUTRAGED BY THE PRESIDENT'S CONDUCT, OR
POLITICAL ENEMIES OF THE PRESIDENT ARE OUTRAGED BY HIS
CONDUCT, OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE WORKING WITHIN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION ARE OUTRAGED BY HIS CONDUCT.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE READING THE NOTES OF AN OVAL OFFICE MEETING
OVER THE PHONE TO REPORTERS. >> TWO THINGS ARE GOING ON.
ONE IS THAT THERE ARE AN AWFUL LOT OF OFFICIALS IN THE
GOVERNMENT WHO ARE AGHAST AT EVERYTHING THAT TRUMP STANDS
FOR. AND I THINK HAVE BEEN NERVOUS
THAT HE IS GOING TO GET AWAY WITH OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE.
SO THEY HAVE I WOULD SAY PATRIOTICALLY TRIED TO REACH OUT
WITH THAT INFORMATION. SO IT CANNOT BE SUPPRESSED.
AND THE OTHER ELEMENT IS THAT EVEN AMONG TRUMPMP AIDES, THOSE
WHO HE APPOINTED, THERE ARE FIERCE WARS.
AND SO THEY ARE LEAKING INFORMATION SELECTIVELY TO MAKE
THEMSELVES LOOK GOOD AND TO MAKE OTHERS LOOK BAD.
YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE LARGER QUESTIONS IS THAT WE ALL
I THINK HAVE A REASONABLE FAITH THAT BOB MUELLER IS GOING TO DO
A GOOD JOB INVESTIGATING THAT IS GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME.
AND THAT IS GOING TO BE A VERY SECRET PROCESS.
AND WE ALSO DO NEED A TRANSPARENT PROCESS TO LOOK AT
THE INTEGRITY OF OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM.
AND BOB MUELLER IS NOW GOING TO PROVIDE THAT.
I HOPE WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE SOME KIND OF A CONGRESSIONAL OR
INDEPENDENT COMMISSION THAT CAN PROVIDE THAT TRANSPARENCY WHICH
I THINK AS A COUNTRY WE NEED. >> JILL, IF THERE IS NO
INDEPENDENT COMMISSION OF THAT SORT, WHAT WOULD YOU EXPECT FROM
SPECIAL COUNSEL MUELLER IN TERMS OF PUBLIC REVELATIONS?
GO TO THE EXTREME CASE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE THERE ARE
ABSOLUTELY NO INDICTMENTS THERE IS NO CRIMINAL CHARGES.
SO HE DOESN'T HAVE A COURTROOM FORUM WITH WHICH TO REVEAL SOME
OF WHAT HE HAS DISCOVERED. BUT HE HAS CONDUCTED THIS
INVESTIGATION AND THE COUNTRY IS WONDERING, AS THEY WERE IN THE
CASE OF HILLARY CLINTON'S E-MAIL AND JAMES COMEY MADE THAT
DECISION TO TALK THAN, WOULD YOU EXPECT BOB MUELLER TO MAKE SOME
KIND OF A DECISION LIKE THAT AND DISCLOSE SOMETHING?
>> FROM EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT HIM, IT'S UNLIKELY THAT HE IS
GOING TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN RETURN INDICTMENTS IF THE
EVIDENCE WARRANTS IT. THERE IS A PROVISION IN THE LAW
THAT YOU CAN MAKE A REPORT. AND IT IS WHAT WE DID DURING
WATERGATE. ON THE DAY WE RETURNED
INDICTMENTS, WE ALSO ASKED THE JUDGE FOR PERMISSION TO GIVE TO
THE CONGRESS A REPORT WHICH LAID OUT A ROAD MAP TO IMPEACHMENT.
IT PUT TOGETHER ALL OF THE TAPES AND EVIDENCE THAT WE HAD AND
WHAT WE THOUGHT WERE IMPEACHABLE OFFENSES BY THE PRESIDENT.
AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE THROUGH THE COURT
SYSTEM. BUT I THINK THAT WE HAD
UNDERLYING CRIMINAL INDICTMENTS IN WHICH THE PRESIDENT WAS AN
UNINDICTED CO-CONSPIRATOR. IF INDEED THERE IS A CONCLUSION
THAT THERE ARE NO VIOLATIONS OF LAW, I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT
WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE THING. I THINK RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE
LOOKING FOR IS WHAT IS THE SMOKING GUN OF THIS PARTICULAR
CASE? AND THERE ARE SO MANY
POSSIBILITIES AS TO WHAT IT MIGHT BE.
IS IT HIS STATEMENTS TO THE RUSSIANS THAT HE'S GOT THE
PRESSURE OFF BECAUSE HE HAS FIRED COMEY?
IS IT THE FACT THAT HE FIRED COMEY?
IS IT THE FACT THAT COMEY HAS ALL THESE MEMOS THAT SAY THAT I
WAS ASKED TO TURN OFF THE INVESTIGATION ON FLYNN THERE IS
A NUMBER OF POSSIBLE THINGS THAT COULD TURN THE PUBLIC AGAINST
THE PRESIDENT AND LEAD TO FURTHER ACTION.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR WHAT IS THAT PARTICULAR SMOKING
GUN. IN WATERGATE, OF COURSE, IT WAS
THE TAPE IN WHICH THE PRESIDENT IS SAYING WE CAN USE THE CIA TO
STOP THE FBI. WE DON'T WANT THEM TO FOLLOW THE
MONEY TRAIL. AND HERE THERE IS THE SAME
THING. I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW THE MONEY AND
SEE IF THERE IS A RUSSIAN CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION. THAT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT
MAY EXPLAIN THE AFFINITY THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS FOR RUSSIA AND
FOR FLYNN. WE NEED TO KNOW THOSE THINGS.
>> AND MICHAEL, QUICKLY, BEFORE WE GO, AS WE SAW IN THE
TRANSCRIPTSCRIPTS OF THE NIXON SOME OF THESE SENTENCES ARE NOT
VERY CLEAR, SIMPLE, DECLARATIVE SENTENCES THAT ACTUALLY GOT HIM
IMPEACHED. AND YOU SEE THAT IN WHAT WE'RE
HEARING ABOUT THE WAY DONALD TRUMP TALKS.
THERE IS SOME ROOM FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INTERPRETATION.
AND THE WHITE HOUSE IS STILL DESPERATELY TRYING TO SPIN THOSE
INTERPRETATIONS IN ITS FAVOR. >> YEAH.
AND LOOK, AT THIS POINT, WE'VE ONLY READ ABOUT EXCERPTS FROM
THE COMEY MEMO FROM THIS -- FROM THE MEETING WITH LAVROV.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE FULL DOCUMENTS.
WE HAVEN'T HEARD WITNESS TESTIMONY FROM ANY OF THOSE WHO
WERE PRESENT. SO WE'RE WAY PREMATURE.
AND JUST SORT OF PICKING UP ON THE POINT THAT YOU WERE
DISCUSSING WITH JILL, I MEAN, THERE IS A DOWNSIDE TO THE
MUELLER SPECIAL COUNSEL IN TERMS OF PUBLIC INFORMATION.
LOOK, ERIC HOLDER WHEN HE WAS ATTORNEY GENERAL APPOINTED JOHN
DURHAM TO INVESTIGATE THE TORTURE -- TORTURE BY CIA.
HE PRODUCED -- SPENT TWO YEARS IN INVESTIGATION, MORE THAN
THAT, NEVER PRODUCED A PUBLIC REPORT.
IT WAS ALL COVERED BY GRAND JURY.
IF BOB MUELLER USES A GRAND JURY, WE MAY NEVER SEE, JUST
LIKE WITH THE DURHAM TORTURE REPORT, WE MAY NEVER SEE
ANYTHING BEYOND WHATEVER CRIMINAL CASES HE BROUGHT.
>> WE'RE GOING TO FIT IN A
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