>> Neil: THANK YOU, SHEPARD
EARNED THESE DEVELOPMENTS IN
VENEZUELA NOT HELPING OUR
MARKETS GROWING IN CIVILITY
THERE.
TWO MEN VYING FOR THE
PRESIDENT OF THAT COUNTRY.
NICHOLAS MADURO 24 HOURS AGO
WAS READY TO BOARD A PLANE
AND GET BACK OUT OF THE
COUNTRY AND THAT HE WAS
GOING TO ALLOW THE MAN WHO
EVERYONE SEEMS TO THINK IS
THE LEGITIMATELY ELECTED
CONSTITUTIONALLY RECOGNIZED
PRESIDENT OF THAT COUNTRY
JUAN GUAIDO ASSUME POWER.
THEN THE RUSSIANS
ESSENTIALLY SAID NO DO NOT
GET ON THAT PLANE STAY IN
THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE YOU
ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
THAT DISRUPTED WHAT SOME
THOUGHT WAS A PEACEFUL
TRANSITION OF POWER AT A
POINT WHEN THE COUNTRY
INFLATION AND LOOKING AT
HISTORIC POVERTY CANNOT GET
OUT OF ITS OWN WAY.
SO WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT
NOW IS THE CLASH AGAINST
PROTESTERS AS SECURITY AS
MUCH SECURITY AGAINST EACH
OTHER.
THERE ARE GENERALS IN THAT
COUNTRY WHO ARE VERY CLOSELY
ALIGNED AND NICHOLAS MADURO
THE PRESIDENT WHO IS KEEPING
THEM REAP, PROTECTING THEM,
PROVIDING FOOD AND MEDICINE
SOMETHING THE POPULATION OF
VENEZUELA HAVE VERY LITTLE
OF.
DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE
SAME BENEFITS THAT THEIR
COMMANDERS DO.
THEY ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE
SWORN THAT THEY WILL NOT
FIRE ON HIS OWN PEOPLE.
WHY DOES THIS MATTER TO YOU?
THE RUSSIANS ARE INVOLVED.
WE ARE TOLD CHINA IS
DIRECTLY INVOLVED AND THE
CUBANS ARE INVOLVED.
THE WHITE HOUSE WATCHING ALL
OF THIS QUITE CLOSELY
BECAUSE THERE ARE BUILDING
FEARS HERE THAT UNLESS WE
ORCHESTRATE LET'S SAY A
BLOCKADE OF CUBA OR TOUGHER
SANCTIONS ON CUBA TO PREVENT
THIS SORT OF THING, THIS
KIND OF THING WILL GET ONLY
WORSE.
ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT THE
FORCES THAT ARE SUPPORTING
THE GENERALS AND BY
EXTENSION NICHOLAS MADURO
ARE THE SAME FORCES THAT I
MENTIONED EARLIER THAT ARE
NOT INTENDING ON LEAVING
THAT COUNTRY.
AND STILL STIRRING UP A
CRISIS IN THAT COUNTRY.
YOU MIGHT REMEMBER YESTERDAY
WE TALKED TO FLORIDA SENATOR
RICK SCOTT THAT SAY MAYBE
AMERICAN TROOPS HAVE TO GET
INVOLVED.
OTHERS ARE NOT SO SURE OF
THAT SAYING IT WOULD BE
UNWISE MOVE WITHOUT HELP IN
THE REGION INCLUDING
COUNTRIES LIKE BRAZIL AND
NEIGHBORING COLUMBIA.
AGAIN, EASIER SAID THAN
DONE.
THIS HAS ALL ESCALATED
WITHIN THE LAST HOUR AMID
SIGNS WE ARE TOLD THAT
NICHOLAS MADURO ISN'T GOING
ANYWHERE AND HAS
COMMUNICATED TO HIS GENERALS
THAT HE EXPECTS LOYALTY TO
HIM.
MOST HAVE STAYED VERY LOYAL
TO HIM.
SEPARATE REPORTS COMING OUT
OF THE VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT.
WE ARE RELYING ON ENGLISH
INTERPRETATIONS OF THIS THAT
ASSURANCES THAT GENERALS
EVEN AT THIS LATE STAGE IF
THEY SWITCH SIDES THEY WILL
NOT BE PUNISHED.
BUT THE ISSUE NOW BECOMES
VERY ARE VERY SUSPICIOUS OF
ANY AGREEMENT THAT WOULD
HAVE THEM GOING TO GUAIDO.
SO HERE WE ARE STUCK IN THE
MIDDLE OF QUITE LITERALLY A
REVOLUTION AND WHAT TO DO
ABOUT IT.
HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS CHAIR
MARK MEADOWS JOINS US NOW.
CONGRESSMAN, TO CALL IT A
MESS IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
WHAT DO WE DO?
>> WELL, IT IS A MESS.
AND OBVIOUSLY SECRETARY
POMPEO AND THE PRESIDENT
HAVE NOT ONLY BEEN WEIGHING
IN PRIVATELY BUT PUBLICLY AS
YOU HAVE MENTIONED.
I THINK THE OTHER KEY POINT
HERE ISED THAT THE MESSAGE
TO THE PEOPLE OF VENEZUELA
NEEDS TO BE CLEAR.
SOCIALISM IS A PLATFORM
RESULT IN THIS.
AND THEY HAVE A CHOICE TODAY
WHETHER THEY TAKE THE PATH
OF COLOMBIA, WHICH IS
ALIGNED THEMSELVES VERY
CLOSELY WITH THE UNITED
STATES ON THE PATH OF
PROSPERITY OR THEY ALIGN
THEMSELVES WITH CUBA AND
RUSSIA.
AND THE MESSAGE NEEDS TO BE
CLEAR TO OUR RUSSIAN
ADVERSARIES AT THIS
PARTICULAR SITUATION THAT WE
WILL NOT TOLERATE THEM
INTERVENING IN THIS
HEMISPHERE AND FOR THEM TO
GET IN AT THE LAST MINUTE TO
POTENTIALLY FOCUS ON BLOOD
SHED IS JUST NOT SOMETHING
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL
SUPPORT.
CERTAINLY NOT SOMETHING THAT
THIS ADMINISTRATION WILL
SUPPORT.
AND, YET, WE ARE HOPEFUL FOR
A PEACEFUL RESOLVE.
THOSE GENERALS THAT YOU WERE
MENTIONING JUST EARLIER
MR. CAVUTO IS THIS.
IS THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND
UNDER A NEW REGIME AND UNDER
THIS NEW PRESIDENT THAT THEY
WILL BE SAVE AND OBVIOUSLY A
DICTATOR LIKE MADURO IS USED
TO HOLDING AN IRON GRIP ON
THOSE AROUND HIM.
I THINK THE VOICE OF THOSE
PEOPLE THERE, THE CITIZENS
OF VENEZUELA WILL SPEAK
LOUDLY.
>> I HOPE YOU ARE RIGHT IT
DOESN'T LOOK THAT WAY.
>> IT DOES NOT.
>> Neil: RUSSIANS ARE NOT
ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN.
CUBANS OR IRANIANS.
FRANKLY I DON'T KNOW WHAT
THE REAL SCHEMING IS, SIR.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S
POPPED UP HERE IS THAT MANY
IN VENEZUELA WERE URGED NOT
TO GATHER IN CARACAS.
THEY OBVIOUSLY IGNORED THAT
AND DID THAT THERE WERE
ASSURANCES BY NATIONAL
SECURITY SOURCES DO NOT FIRE
ON THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE AND
LOWER RANKING SOLDIERS SAID
EVEN IF COMMANDED WE WOULD
NOT DO SO.
ISN'T THIS REALLY GOING TO
BE A TEST OF WITHIN THE
MILITARY COMMUNITY WHO
STAYED WITH WHOM.
WE ARE TOLD THE LOWER
RANKING SOLDIERS ARE PRETTY
MUCH WITH THE PEOPLE ON THIS
AND BY EXTENSION WITH GUAIDO
ON THIS AND THAT THOSE AT
THE TOP, THE GENERALS WHO
BENEFITED AS NICHOLAS MADURO
FROM THINGS THAT THE
POPULATION DOESN'T HAVE LIKE
FOOD AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES,
THAT WILL NOT CHANGE.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE REAL
SCHISM IS BETWEEN BRANCHES
OF THE MILITARY AND HERE WE
ARE WONDERING HOW TO
INTERVENE AND ON WHOSE
BEHALF.
RIGHT?
>> LISTEN, I CAN TELL YOU
RIGHT NOW THAT WHEN YOU LOOK
AT JUST THE PRIVILEGED FEW,
WHICH COULD BE MADURO, THE
GENERALS THAT HAVE PLENTY OF
FOOD, PLENTY OF CONDIMENTS
TO GO WITH THAT AND YET THE
VAST MAJORITY OF THE
VENEZUELAN PEOPLE ARE
SUFFERING NOT ONLY WITH
INFLATION BUT JUST A REAL
DESPERATE TIME OF POTENTIAL
STARVATION.
AND SO IT IS KEY THAT WE
HAVE HUMANITARIAN RELIEF
THERE.
BUT IT'S ALSO KEY THAT THEY
GET A CLEAR MESSAGE FROM THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
THAT IS THOSE FREEDOM LOVING
INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE OUR
SUPPORT AND HAVE IT
UNCONDITIONALLY.
>> Neil: WHEN YOU SAY OUR
SUPPORT DOES THAT MEAN OUR
TROOP SUPPORT?
WE NEED TO SEND TROOPS
THERE?
I UNDERSTAND HIS PASSION AND
HIS CONCERN BUT YOU TALK
ABOUT A SLIPPERY SLOPE.
>> I THINK THIS WILL
HOPEFULLY REACH A DIPLOMATIC
SOLUTION.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS A
REAL APPETITE FOR US TO SEND
TROOPS FROM THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA THERE.
THAT BEING SAID, THERE IS A
REAL INTERNATIONAL COALITION
THAT SEES WHAT'S GOING ON
HERE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A
FEW COUNTRIES THAT YOU
MENTIONED.
BUT IF YOU ARE GOING TO SIDE
ON THE SIDE OF IRAN AND
RUSSIA, AND CUBA, AND NOT
WITH OTHER FREEDOM-LOVING
COUNTRIES, WE KNOW THAT
WHEREVER THERE IS THE
GREATEST FREEDOM THERE IS
THE GREATEST PROSPERITY.
YET, WE HAVE VENEZUELA WITH
SOME OF THE GREATEST NATURAL
RESOURCES AND THEIR PEOPLE
ARE STARVING.
IT IS TIME THAT WE ACTUALLY
SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE AND
THAT IS WITH ALL THE
SUPPORT, HOPEFULLY
DIPLOMATICALLY AND
HUMANITARIANLY THAN WE CAN
MUSTER UP.
>> Neil: ALL RIGHT.
WE WILL CONTINUAL TO FOLLOW
THIS DEVELOPMENT.
PANIC JUST BROKE THINGS
REALLY RIPPED LOOSE IN THE
LAST FEW MINUTES.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT I DID
WANT TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON
THE BILL BARR HEARINGS.
HE HAD SORT OF A RAUCOUS
BACK AND FORTH THAT WENT
ALONG PREDICTABLE PARTY
LINES WITH DEMOCRATS
CHASTISING AND REPUBLICANS
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
WAS BEHIND WHAT HE WAS
SAYING.
BUT THE GIST WAS THAT HE
MIGHT HAVE MISREPRESENTED A
LETTER THAT CAME FROM BOB
MUELLER THAT HE WAS
MISREPRESENTING THOSE BULLET
POINTS ON THE REPORT ITSELF.
DID YOU BUY THAT THAT HE
MISREPRESENTED THAT?
>> COME ON, NEIL, HOW CAN
NIBBY THAT?
HE WAS GIVEN A CHANCE,
ACTUALLY RIGHT AND FOUR PAGE
SUM REFRESH HIS RECOLLECTION
HE DECLINED TO DO IT.
HE WANTS TO CRITICIZE
BECAUSE THE NARRATIVE IS NOT
TO HIS LIKING?
LAST TIME I CHECKED BOB
MUELLER SHOULDN'T BE
CONCERNED ABOUT A NARRATIVE
THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE
DEMOCRATS LOOKING FOR A
POLITICAL CONSOLATION PRIZE
BECAUSE MUELLER DIDN'T GIVE
THEM WHAT THEY WANTED.
HERE WE ARE LOOKING AT A
PARTICULAR LETTER NEIL IT'S
LIKE GOING TO A MOVIE SEEING
THE MOVIE AND LATER
COMPLAINING ABOUT THE MOVIE
TRAILER THAT GOT TO YOU GO
THERE.
>> Neil: I SEE WHAT YOU ARE
SAYING, CHAIRMAN, I
UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT IT WAS ORIGINALLY VIEWED
AS MUELLER UPSET WITH THE
WAY THE PRESS WAS
REPRESENTING.
>> SURE.
>> Neil: THE FINDINGS OF HIS
REPORT BUT THE LETTER SEEMS
TO SPEAK OTHERWISE QUOTING
FROM IT WHILE WE UNDERSTAND
THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS
REVIEWING THE FULL REPORT TO
DETERMINE WHAT IS
APPROPRIATE FOR PUBLIC
RELEASE, A PROCESS THAT OUR
OFFICE IS WORKING WITH YOU
TO COMPLETE PROCESS NEED NOT
DELAY SUPPORTIVE MATERIALS.
RELEASE AT THIS TIME WOULD
ALEA UNITED STATES THE
MISUNDERSTANDINGS THAT HAVE
WRITTEN AND ANSWER
CONGRESSIONAL AND PUBLIC
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NATURE
AND OUTCOME OF OUR
INVESTIGATION.
WHAT HE ALSO SEEMS TO BE
SAYING IS.
TO YOUR POINT, GET THE
REPORT OUT BUT IF YOU HAVE
TO DELAY IT FOR THIS OTHER
SUPPORTIVE INFORMATION, I
WOULD RATHER, YOU KNOW THAT.
BUT, THEN CALLING IN TO
QUESTION WHETHER BARR MIGHT
HAVE BEEN ACTING MORE AS THE
PRESIDENT'S LAWYER THAN THE
NATION'S LAWYER.
IS THAT A FAIR CRITICISM?
>> IT'S NOT A FAIR
CRITICISM.
IT'S UNEXPECTED CRITICISM BY
SOME.
BUT IT'S EXPECTED BY ME.
WHETHER YOU HAVE ANDREW
WEISSMAN AND A NUMBER OF
PEOPLE THAT WERE ACTUALLY
WRITING THE REPORT, THEY
WANTED A CERTAIN NARRATIVE
TO COME OUT OF THAT.
TO SUGGEST THAT BOB MUELLER
AFTER TWO YEARS IS GOING TO
CRITICIZE BILL BARR FOR
GIVING INFORMATION TO
CONGRESS IN LESS THAN TWO
MONTHS, YOU KNOW, THE
HYPOCRISY THAT YOU SEE THERE
IS MIND BLOWING.
>> Neil: YOUR IMPRESSION
FROM THE LETTER THAT HE WAS
COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PRESS
OR COMPLAINING ABOUT BARR'S
IMPRESSION OF THAT REPORT?
>> I THINK HE WAS
COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PRESS
SAYING THERE WAS NO
OBSTRUCTION NO, COLLUSION,
AND I THINK HE HAD A NUMBER
OF HIS PEOPLE THAT WERE ON
THE INVESTIGATION.
NOW, THIS IS ME WITH THE
HYPOTHESIS.
ABULBASHER OF IN PEOPLE THAT
WAS ON HIS INVESTIGATION
SAY, YOU KNOW, BOB, YOU HAVE
GOT TO GET THE INFORMATION
OUT THERE BECAUSE THERE ARE
SOME THINGS IN THERE THAT
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, YOU
KNOW, WILL BE UPSET ABOUT.
AND INDEED WE KNOW THAT BILL
BARR DID THAT WITHIN TWO
WEEKS.
THAT BEING SAID THERE IS NO
DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT
REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO GO
TO ONE NARRATIVE.
DEMOCRATS TO ANOTHER.
THIS IS LITERALLY A DEMOCRAT
2020 EXERCISE AND A PRELUDE
TO IMPEACHMENT THAT THEY
HAVE LONG --
>> Neil: DO YOU THINK THIS
IS THE DIRECTION IT WILL GO.
WE WILL GO TO A REPORTER ON
THE SCENE ON THIS BUT I
APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE.
>> RIGHT.
>> Neil: DID YOU GET A SENSE
HEARING FROM YOUR DEMOCRATIC
COLLEAGUES AT LEAST IN THE
SENATE THAT IT WILL BE MUCH
THE SAME IF NOT MORE IN THE
HOUSE?
THE HOUSE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE AND IT'S STILL
TOUCH AND GO AS TO WHETHER
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL APPEARS
BEFORE THAT COMMITTEE
ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE FACT
THAT JERRY NADLER THE
CHAIRMAN WANTS LAWYERS TO BE
AMONG THOSE ASKING
QUESTIONS.
AND I'M NOT TALKING CONGRESS
MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE
LAWYERS.
I'M TALKING ABOUT SEPARATE
LEGAL COUNSEL TALKING.
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL STILL
SUBPOENAING SPEAK TO THAT
HOUSE COMMITTEE.
>> I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND
TOMORROW I WOULD RECOMMEND
AND FULLY EXPECT HE WILL BE
BEFORE THE HOUSE IT NEEDS TO
BE BEFORE THE SAME
CONDITIONS THAT EVERYBODY
ELSE COMES HERE TO SUGGEST
THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE
COUNSEL COME IN.
THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE IS
UNIQUELY POPULATED IN THAT
WE HAVE MORE ATTORNEYS,
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS THAT ARE
ATTORNEYS ON THAT COMMITTEE
YOU KNOW, THAN ANY OTHER
COMMITTEE THAT IS OUT THERE.
AND SO TO SUGGEST THAT THEY
ARE NOT CAPABLE IF DOESN'T
PASS THE SMELL TEST.
>> Neil: INSIST ON THAT YOU
WOULD SAY ATTORNEY GENERAL
DON'T DO IT?
>> I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT HE