NOW. ♪
♪ >>> HI, EVERYONE.
IT’S 4:00 IN NEW YORK.
BREAKING THIS AFTERNOON ON THE
IMPEACHMENT FRONT, THE GROWING
BODY OF EVIDENCE AGAINST THE
PRESIDENT AS MORE WITNESSES FROM
INSIDE HIS ADMINISTRATION SPEAK
OUT AND TELL AN ERRILY SIMILAR
STORY ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S
OBJECTIVES HIJACKING THE
DIPLOMATIC AND NATIONAL SECURITY
POLICY PROCESS.
POLICY PROCESS. THE "NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTS
THAT FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY
ADVISER JOHN BOLTON’S TOP RUSSIA
DEPUTY, FIONA HILL, WHO
TESTIFIED FOR MORE THAN TEN
HOURS THIS WEEK, WAS SO
CONCERNED ABOUT TRUMP-APPOINTED
E.U. AMBASSADOR GORDON SONDLAND
THAT SHE SOUNDED ALARMS WITHIN
THE INTEL COMMUNITY CALLING HIM
A NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT.
FROM THAT STUNNING "NEW YORK
TIMES" ACCOUNT, QUOTE, IN HER
TESTIMONY MS. HILL DESCRIBED HER
FEARS THAT MR. SONDLAND
REPRESENTED A
REPRESENTED A COUNTERINTELLIGENCE RISK BECAUSE
HIS ACTIONS MADE HIM VULNERABLE
TO FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS WHO COULD
EXPLOIT HIS INEXPERIENCE.
THAT REPORT RAISING THE STAKES
FOR SONDLAND’S PLANNED
DEPOSITION TOMORROW BEFORE HOUSE
INVESTIGATORS.
INVESTIGATORS. AND IT’S NOT THE ONLY DAMNING
HEADLINE SONDLAND FACES.
HE’S ALSO NAMED AS ONE OF THE
UNEXPECTED AND UNCONVENTIONAL
OFFICIALS PUT IN CHARGE OF
DONALD TRUMP’S UKRAINE POLICY BY
WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF MICK
MULVANEY.
MULVANEY. MULVANEY FACING INCREASED
SCRUTINY OF HIS OWN TODAY.
"WASHINGTON POST" REPORTS,
QUOTE, IN LATE MAY, MULVANEY
ORGANIZED A MEETING THAT STRICT
CONTROL OF THE COUNTRY’S
RELATIONSHIP WITH UKRAINE FROM
THOSE WHO HAD THE MOST EXPERTISE
AT THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
INSTEAD, MULVANEY PUT AN
UNLIKELY TRIO IN CHARGE, AMID
WORRISOME SIGNS OF A NEW
PRIORITY PRESSURING THE
GOVERNMENT IN KIEV TO DELIVER
MATERIAL THAT WOULD BE
POLITICALLY VALUABLE TO
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
PRESIDENT TRUMP. THAT’S ACCORDING TO MORE
EXPLOSIVE TESTIMONY YESTERDAY
FROM A CURRENT STATE DEPARTMENT
OFFICIAL NAMED GEORGE KENT WHO
ALSO TESTIFIED THAT THOSE THREE
UNLIKELY OFFICIALS NAMED
THEMSELVES, WAIT FOR IT, THE
THREE AMIGOS.
THREE AMIGOS. THAT SONDLAND WHO’S EMERGED AS A
FIGURE AT THE CENTER OF THE
WHOLE CAMPAIGN AGAINST UKRAINE,
KURT VOLKER WHO TURNED OVER
THOSE DAMAGING TEXT MESSAGES
THAT CLEARLY SHOW CONCERN AMONG
U.S. DIPLOMATS OVER TYING
MILITARY AID TO A POLITICAL
CAMPAIGN DESIGNED TO BENEFIT
TRUMP AND RICK PERRY WHO HAS
BEEN SUBPOENAED IN THE
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY.
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY. TODAY THE TESTIMONY FROM STATE
DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS IS ONGOING
AND SUPPORTS THE NARRATIVE THAT
QUALIFIED OFFICIALS WERE
SIDELINED TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE
AMIGOS.
AMIGOS. THE DEPOSITION JUST WRAPPING UP
IN THE LAST HOUR FROM MICHAEL
McKINLEY, A FORMER ADVISER TO
SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO
WHO IS BELIEVED TO BE TESTIFYING
ABOUT HIS ALARM REGARDING THE
POLITIZATION OF THE STATE
DEPARTMENT.
DEPARTMENT. "THE WASHINGTON POST" REPORTING
THAT HE’S ADDING HIS VOICE THAT
MARIE YOVANOVITCH HAS STOOD IN
THE WAY.
THE WAY. THE UNWILLINGNESS OF THE STATE
DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP TO DEFEND
YOVANOVITCH OR INTERFERE WITH AN
OBVIOUSLY PARTISAN EFFORT TO
INTERFERE -- TO INTERVENE IN OUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH UKRAINE FOR
THE POLITICAL BENEFIT OF THE
PRESIDENT WAS TOO MUCH FOR HIM.
THAT’S ACCORDING TO ONE PERSON
FAMILIAR WITH HIS TESTIMONY.
SO IT SHOULD SURPRISE NO ONE
THAT DONALD TRUMP’S IMPEACHMENT
AND HIS REMOVAL FROM OFFICE NOW
HAS THE SUPPORT OF 52% OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AMERICAN PEOPLE. THAT’S IN A NEW GALLUP POLL.
IN TERMS OF WHERE THAT PUTS HIM
IN THE HISTORY OF IMPEACHED
AMERICAN PRESIDENTS, WELL, BILL
CLINTON’S IMPEACHMENT NEVER HAD
MORE THAN 35% SUPPORT IN THE
VERY SAME POLL.
THAT’S WHERE WE START TODAY WITH
SOME OF OUR FAVORITE REPORTERS
AND FRIENDS.
AND FRIENDS. WITH US AT THE STABLE JIM,
DEPUTY WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF
STAFF IN THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION, THE MOST
DISTINGUISHED FELLOW HEATHER
McGHEE AND TIM MILLER.
PLUS, FORMER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
FOR COUNTER INTELLIGENCE AT THE
FBI FRANK FIGLIUZZI, AND WITH US
FROM "THE WASHINGTON POST,"
NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT
GREG MILLER.
GREG MILLER. GREG, I AM GOING TO START WITH
YOU.
YOU. YOUR BYLINE IS ON SOME OF THE
JUICIEST SCOOPS IN YOUR
NEWSPAPER TODAY.
NEWSPAPER TODAY. TAKE US THROUGH WHAT YOU’RE
REPORTING AND WHAT YOU KNOW
SINCE THAT PAPER WENT TO PRINT.
SEEMS LIKE THE NEWS CYCLE’S ONLY
ACCELERATED.
ACCELERATED. >> THE HEADLINES ARE JUST COMING
IN WAVES FROM THIS TESTIMONY IN
THE PAST WEEK.
AND THE STORY WE HAVE UP TO DAY
IS LARGELY HOW MULVANEY IS NOW
MUCH MORE AT THE CENTER OF THIS
INQUIRY BECAUSE OF HOW CONNECTED
HE IS TO KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN
THIS UNFOLDING KIND OF UKRAINE
SCANDAL OR DRAMA.
AND AMONG THOSE IMPORTANT
REVELATIONS WAS, AS YOU JUST
POINTED TO A MOMENT AGO, HIS
ROLE IN BASICALLY TAKING
AUTHORITY FOR THE U.S.
RELATIONSHIP WITH UKRAINE AWAY
FROM THE EXPERTS AT THE WHITE
HOUSE AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT
AND HANDING THAT OVER
DESIGNATING THESE THREE
OFFICIALS WHO WE NOW KNOW FROM
TEXTS AND OTHER EVIDENCE WERE
MORE WILLING TO PURSUE THE
PRESIDENT’S CRITICAL OBJECTIVES.
>> YOU KNOW, GREG, I AM SORT OF
GLAD YOU TOOK DOWN THE BRIGHT
LIGHTS AND BROUGHT OUT A
FLASHLIGHT.
FLASHLIGHT. WE SHOULD SHINE IT ON MULVANEY
FOR A WHILE.
IT’S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT FIONA
HILL TESTIFIED AS ALL THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS HAVE.
BUT SHE WAS A WEST WING
OFFICIAL.
OFFICIAL. SHE TESTIFIED TO THIS HIJACKING
OF THE POLICY PROCESS.
AND THIS IS WHAT MADE JOHN
BOLTON FURIOUS AND HE EXPRESSED
THAT ANGER AS HE’S SOMETIMES
KNOWN TO DO.
BUT THE SECOND PIECE OF WHAT I
UNDERSTAND TO BE EMERGING FROM
YOUR REPORTING IS THAT THERE ARE
NOW QUESTIONS AND SIGNS POINTING
TO MULVANEY’S ROLE IN HALTING
THAT AID WHILE THIS PRESSURE
CAMPAIGN WAS UNDERWAY TO GET
ZELENSKY TO COMMIT TO
INVESTIGATING BARISMA.
INVESTIGATING BARISMA. CAN YOU FLUSH THAT OUT FOR ME?
>> THAT’S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO
SAY A MINUTE AGO ABOUT HOW WHEN
YOU LOOK ACROSS THE TIMELINE
HERE AND THE CHRONOLOGY, HE’S
THERE AT REALLY IMPORTANT
MOMENTS AND IMPORTANT DECISIONS
PUTTING THE SO-CALLED THREE
AMIGOS IN CHARGE OF PURSUING THE
PRESIDENT’S AGENDA IN UKRAINE
WAS ONE.
WAS ONE. THAT HAPPENS VERY EARLY.
BUT THEN MONTHS LATER IT’S
MULVANEY WHO, REMEMBER, IS STILL
THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF
MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET EVEN AS
HE’S ACTING WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF
STAFF WHO HITS THE BRAKES ON THE
FUNDING AID THAT THE UNITED
STATES $400 MILLION WORTH OF AID
THAT WAS FLOWING TO UKRAINE.
HE STOPS THAT.
AND HIS OFFICE THAT STOPS THAT
JUST A WEEK OR SO BEFORE THAT
FATEFUL CALL BETWEEN TRUMP AND
THE LEADER OF UKRAINE.
>> FRANK FIGLIUZZI, THIS FEELS
LIKE A REALLY IMPORTANT
DEVELOPMENT THAT GREG AND HIS
COLLEAGUES HAVE UN-EARTHED AND
REPORTED ON JUST THIS WEEK.
AND THIS SEEMS LIKE -- THIS IS A
GUT, I DON’T HAVE ANY REPORTING
TO POINT THAT THIS IS AN
ORCHESTRATED EFFORT, BUT IT
FEELS LIKE THERE IS NOW A
RIPENING OF WHAT COULD BE AN
EFFORT TO THROW MULVANEY UNDER
THE BUS ON THE MILITARY AID.
TO SAY, OH, THE PRESIDENT HAD NO
IDEA THAT THE AID WAS HELP,
MULVANEY DID IT.
>> WELL, FIRST, IF WE’RE USING
THE ORGANIZED CRIME FAMILY
MODEL, IT’S NOW LOOKING LIKE
MULVANEY WOULD BE SOMEONE WE
CALL A CAPTAIN OR A CREW CHIEF.
HE IS RUNNING A CREW.
AND, NICOLE, I ALMOST HOPE THAT
THEY ARE GOING TO THROW MULVANEY
UNDER THE BUS.
HERE’S WHY.
HERE’S WHY. HE’S THE CLOSEST WE ARE GOING TO
GET TO THE PRESIDENT AS TO
ATTRIBUTION AND GUILT AND
CONSCIOUSNESS OF GUILT FOR THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. SO IF HE’S PRESSED HARD AND HE’S
FACING EXPOSURE, CRIMINAL
EXPOSURE, HE MAY WELL SAY I’M
NOT GOING DOWN FOR THIS
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. I WILL TELL YOU THAT I WAS
INSTRUCTED TO DO THIS, THIS, AND
THAT WITH THE SO-CALLED THREE
AMIGOS OR TO USE THE TRUMP TERM
BAD OMBRES IS WHAT THEY REALLY
ARE.
ARE. HE’LL TELL US A STORY OF NOT
GOING OUTSIDE OF USUAL CAREER
PROFESSIONAL CHANNELS TO DO
SOMETHING BECAUSE WE CAN’T TRUST
THEM.
THEM. BUT NOT BECAUSE WE CAN’T TRUST
THEM TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT
BECAUSE WE CAN’T TRUST THE
CAREER PROFESSIONALS TO DO THE
WRONG THING.
WRONG THING. AND WE KNOW WE’RE DOING THE
WRONG THING.
WRONG THING. >> AND, FRANK, I MEAN, THE
EVIDENCE IS NOW HIDING IN PLAIN
SIGHT.
SIGHT. JUST TO PULL YOUR MOB ANALOGY TO
PERHAPS A TORTURED PLACE.
BUT HE’S BASICALLY SORT OF
SITTING AT THE RESTAURANT TAKING
CREDIT FOR SOME OF WHAT HAPPENED
BUT JUST GIVING US A COVER
STORY.
STORY. HERE’S FROM THE "NEW YORK
TIMES."
TIMES." MR. MULVANEY HAS TOLD ASSOCIATES
THAT THE ADMINISTRATION PAUSED
THE AID TO TRY TO PUSH UKRAINE
TO MORE ROBUSTLY FIGHT
CORRUPTION.
CORRUPTION. NOT TO UNCOVER DIRT ON
MR. TRUMP’S RIVALS.
A FORMER DOJ OFFICIAL PULLS ME
THERE WAS NO ANTI-CORRUPTION
AGENDA IN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION INTERNATIONALLY
ADMINISTRATION INTERNATIONALLY OR DOMESTICALLY.
OR DOMESTICALLY. THAT IS A CRUMMY COVER STORY AND
A CONFESSION TO THE CRIME OF
TYING THE AID TO A CONDITION.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. SO WHILE WE’RE ALL RINGING OUR
HANDS OVER THE DOJ POLICY OR
MEMO THAT YOU CAN’T INDICT A
SITTING PRESIDENT, HERE COMES
MULVANEY WIDE OPEN TO CRIMINAL
EXPOSURE HERE.
EXPOSURE HERE. IF HE’S THE GUY WHO ESSENTIALLY
ORCHESTRATED THE QUID PRO QUO,
IF HE IS THE GUY HOLDING BACK
THE MONEY IMPLYING A THREAT OR
THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WILL DO
SOMETHING IN RETURN FOR THIS,
HE’S WIDE OPEN FOR CRIMINAL
EXPOSURE.
EXPOSURE. AND I WOULD ASSERT SOMEONE’S
LOOKING AT HIM RIGHT NOW IN
TERMS OF THAT.
>> GREG, LET ME JUST BRING YOU
BACK IN, YOUR COLLEAGUE WRITES
OF THAT REVELATION.
THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE
EXONERATING MULVANEY’S CLAIM
ABOUT FIGHTING CORRUPTION.
BUT IT’S AN IMPORTANT
CONCESSION.
CONCESSION. IF IT’S TRUE, MULVANEY IS
PRIVATELY ACKNOWLEDGED A DIRECT
LINK BETWEEN THE FREEZE OF THE
MILITARY AID AND TRUMP’S
PRESSURE ON UKRAINE TO FIGHT,
QUOTE, CORRUPTION.
QUOTE, CORRUPTION. IS IT YOUR UNDERSTANDING THAT
FIONA HILL TESTIFIED TO THAT OR
ANY OF THE OTHER WITNESSES THAT
HAVE BEEN IN THIS WEEK?
>> WELL, OF COURSE IT’S
IMPORTANT THAT FIONA HILL --
WHEN SHE LEAVES ON JULY 19th THE
WHITE HOUSE, THAT IS DAYS BEFORE
THE CALL.
THE CALL. AND THAT IS IN FACT SHORTLY
BEFORE SHE BECOME AS WEAR OF THE
CESSATION OF THE FLOW OF AID.
BUT TO GO BACK TO FRANK’S POINT,
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA
OF THIS FIGHTING SORT OF A
BROADER AGENDA TO FIGHT
CORRUPTION IS SOMETHING THAT THE
PRESIDENT HAS EMBRACED AS A SORT
OF TALKING POINT AND AN
EXPLANATION FOR ALL OF THIS
HERE.
HERE. BUT THOSE WHO ARE INSIDE THIS
EFFORT AND THOSE WHO WERE
RAISING ALARMS ABOUT THIS CAME
TO SEE THOSE WORDS AS KIND OF A
CODE THAT THE FIGHT AGAINST
CORRUPTION IN UKRAINE MEANT
ELEVATING PROSECUTORS AND
UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS WHO WERE
GOING TO FOLLOW THE PRESIDENT’S
AGENDA AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS
INCLUDING THE U.S. AMBASSADOR
WHO WAS SORT OF YANKED OUT OF
THE WAY OF THIS LARGELY FOR THAT
REASON.
REASON. >> IT IS SO TRUMPIAN.
THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION WAS
THE HIGHEST LEVELS AT THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH TO CORRUPT THE
U.S./UKRAINIAN RELATIONSHIP.
U.S./UKRAINIAN RELATIONSHIP. >> IT IS ABSOLUTELY HIS
PLAYBOOK.
PLAYBOOK. ACCUSE YOUR ENEMY OF DOING
EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE DOING.
AND SO THAT IF ANYTHING COMES
BACK TO YOU, YOU CAN ALWAYS GIVE
A FALSE EQUIVALENCELY.
MEAN, THIS IS SOMEONE WHO RAN
HIS CLOSING ARGUMENT WAS ABOUT
DRAINING THE SWAMP.
AND SO MANY OF US WERE CONCERNED
WHEN WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE
STATE DEPARTMENT WHEN IT WAS
JUST GUTTED, WHEN WE KNEW ABOUT
RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE.
RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE. IT’S LIKE WE NEED PEOPLE AND WE
KNEW THAT WE HAD A MAN IN THE
WHITE HOUSE WHO KNEW NOTHING
ABOUT THE REST OF THE WORLD
EXCEPT FOR HIS OWN BUSINESS
INTERESTS.
INTERESTS. AND TO SEE THAT STORY COMING TO
ROOST WITH THE TESTIMONY TODAY
SAYING BASICALLY IF THERE HAD
BEEN MORE CAREER HANDS AT THE
WHEEL WE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD
PEOPLE WHO WERE JUST THERE TO
BASICALLY SELL OUT THE COUNTRY
FOR DONALD TRUMP’S OWN PERSONAL
PRIVATE INTERESTS.
PRIVATE INTERESTS. >> TIM, I KNOW YOU KNOW GORDON
SONDLAND.
SONDLAND. I WILL GET TO SONDLAND IN A
MINUTE.
MINUTE. I AM STUNNED BY THE GALLUP
NUMBER, THE 52%.
I EXPECTED WHEN THE PRESIDENT
CONFESSED TO THE MISCONDUCT THAT
THE PUBLIC WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE
OF AN INVESTIGATION MORE
TRANSPARENT THAN THE MUELLER
PROBE.
PROBE. BUT I AM STUNNED THAT WE ARE AT
52% OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO
SUPPORT HIS REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
A YEAR BEFORE AN ELECTION.
>> IT IS A REALLY SHOCKING
NUMBER.
NUMBER. AND I THINK WHAT IT IS DOING IS
IT’S PUTTING THE REPUBLICANS AND
THE TRUMP DEFENDERS WHO WERE NOT
THE FULL MAGA, THE ANTI-
ANTI-TRUMP CROWD INTO A REALLY
TOUGH SPOT.
TOUGH SPOT. I’VE GOT AN ARTICLE.
>> NAME NAMES.
WHO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
>> EVERYBODY IN THE SENATE.
PORTMAN, EXACTLY.
PORTMAN, EXACTLY. LAMAR ALEXANDER.
LAMAR ALEXANDER. HE IS A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE.
HE PUT OUT A PRESS RELEASE THAT
SAYS BAD BUT NOT REMOVABLE, NOT
IMPEACHABLE, LET’S LET THE
VOTERS DECIDE.
VOTERS DECIDE. BUT THIS ARGUMENT DOESN’T MAKE
ANY SENSE BECAUSE THE THING THAT
YOU’RE SAYING IS BAD IS THAT
TRUMP WAS TRYING TO INTERFERE IN
THE VERY ELECTION THAT YOU SAY
SHOULD RENDER A JUDGMENT ON
WHETHER HE CAN STAY IN THE
PRESIDENCY.
PRESIDENCY. THAT ARGUMENT DOESN’T HOLD
WATER.
WATER. SO, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY IT’S KIND
OF THE RUBIO ARGUMENT WHICH IS
THAT THIS IS ALL A FARSE AND
HE’S JUST JOKING WHICH IS
TOTALLY IMMORAL AND BANKRUPT.
BUT I THINK THE CORNER THAT
TRUMP’S FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE
BACKED INTO LOOKING AT THESE
NUMBERS IS TO JUST GO FULL
PARTISANSHIP FAKE NEWS THIS
ISN’T REAL.
ISN’T REAL. BECAUSE THEY HAVE GOTTEN
THEMSELVES IN SUCH A TOUGH
SITUATION THAT YOU REALLY CAN’T
SPIN YOURSELF OUT OF THIS
SITUATION.
SITUATION. >> AND THE PROBLEM WITH ANY SORT
OF CONSPIRACY THEORY STICKING TO
THIS IS THAT ALL THAT PARADE OF
WITNESSES, THOSE INCLUDE
POLITICAL APPOINTEES.
POLITICAL APPOINTEES. FIONA HILL WORKED FOR ONE OF THE
MOST CONSERVATIVE NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISERS, GORDON
SONDLAND, WE DON’T KNOW WHAT
HE’S GOING TO SAY TOMORROW, BUT
HE’S GOT A LOT OF EXPOSURE
HIMSELF.
HIMSELF. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF HOW THIS
STORY IS BEING RECEIVED BY THE
AMERICAN PROCESS?
AMERICAN PROCESS? >> WE ARE AT 52% TEN DAYS INTO
THIS INVESTIGATION.
THIS INVESTIGATION. >> THAT’S TRUE.
>> WE HAVEN’T HAD A BUNCH OF
THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO COME
OUT.
OUT. THESE INVESTIGATORS ARE GOING TO
DO THEIR JOB.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MORE FACTS
COME OUT.
COME OUT. AND WITH THE THREE IDIOTS OR THE
THREE AMIGOS STARTING THIS WHOLE
PROCESS, I MEAN, THEY’RE NOT
GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THEIR
STORIES STRAIGHT EITHER.
AND YOU HAVE SOME OF THESE
PEOPLE LIKE SONDLAND, THE MORE
HE GETS LOOKED AT, THIS IS GOING
TO BE A VERY, VERY BIG PROBLEM
FOR HIM.
FOR HIM. THE AMERICAN PUBLIC CAN BE
WATCHING THIS FOR THE NEXT MONTH
OR TWO.
OR TWO. AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS, THEY
ARE GOING TO BE SEEING THIS
EVERY DAY.
EVERY DAY. AND THIS FATIGUE THAT YOU’RE
SEEING SWING VOTERS HAVE RIGHT
NOW, JUST SAYING ENOUGH, ENOUGH,
ENOUGH, IS GOING TO GET WORSE
AND WORSE FOR TRUMP.
THIS 52% NUMBER IS A NUMBER TO
REALLY WATCH BECAUSE IF IT GETS
ABOVE 55, 57, 58 HE SUDDENLY
CAN’T GET RE-ELECTED.
SO THEN IF YOU’RE CORY GARDNER
OR THESE PEOPLE UP FOR ELECTION
IN TOUGH STATES, YOU START TO
SAY WHY AM I FIGHTING FOR THIS
GUY ANYMORE, WHAT ARE WE DOING.
IF YOU’RE MITCH McCONNELL YOU
START TO SAY THIS IS MORE WATER
THAN WE CAN HANDLE.
>> I WANT TO END WITH YOU, GREG
MILLER.
MILLER. YOUR PAPER I THINK OVER THE
WEEKEND REPORTED THAT SONDLAND
IS EXPECTED TO SAY THAT -- AND
OUR VIEWERS HAVE FOLLOWED EVERY
TWIST AND TURN.
BUT I WANT TO GO BACK TO THIS
TEXT EXCHANGE.
TEXT EXCHANGE. IT WAS ONE OF THE TEXT EXCHANGES
RELEASED BY ONE OF THE VERY
FIRST WITNESSES KURT VOLKER, AND
IT WAS AN EXCHANGE WHERE BILL
TAYLOR WROTE IT’S CRAZY TO TIE
MILITARY AID TO A POLITICAL
CAMPAIGN.
CAMPAIGN. SONDLAND WROTE BACK I DON’T
THINK THAT’S WHAT’S GOING ON
HERE.
HERE. WHAT YOU WROTE IN YOUR PAPER WAS
THAT SONDLAND PLANS TO TESTIFY
TOMORROW THAT HIS SOURCE A GUY
WHO’S TOLD 13,000 LIES SO FAR,
NO OTHER SOURCE, NO OTHER
VERIFICATION.
VERIFICATION. DONALD TRUMP TOLD HIM TO TELL
THE DIPLOMATS ON THE GROUND NO,
THAT’S CRAZY.
THAT’S CRAZY. IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. I MEAN, WHEN WE SAW THAT TEXT
AFTER IT WAS RELEASED AFTER
VOLKER’S APPEARANCE, IT JUMPED
OUT AT EVERYBODY BECAUSE IT WAS
SO SCRIPTED, RIGHT?
IT LOOKED LIKE A SCRIPTED DENIAL
LIKE SOMETHING YOU WOULD THROW
OUT THERE WHEN YOU KNOW YOU’RE
UNDER SURVEILLANCE.
UNDER SURVEILLANCE. THERE’S A TIME GAP THERE BETWEEN
WHEN TAYLOR SAYS THIS THAT THIS
IS CRAZY AND SONDLAND REPLIED.
IN THAT WINDOW HE CALLS AND
SPEAKS WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP.
AND PRESIDENT TRUMP THE SAME
PRESIDENT WHO COACHED HIS, YOU
KNOW, AND MANAGED THE RESPONSE
TO THE TRUMP TOWER MEETING IN
THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION WAS
SCRIPTING A RESPONSE FOR HIS
AMBASSADOR IN THIS CASE TO SPIT
OUT SOMETHING THAT LOOKS
EXONERATING AT FIRST BLUSH BUT
IS SOMETHING ELSE ONCE YOU
UNDERSTAND THE FULL-BACKED
STORY.
STORY. >> AND, GRELG, OTHER THAN THAT,
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING TOMORROW
FROM SONDLAND, WHAT WILL YOUR
QUESTIONS BE FROM THOSE PEOPLE
WHO LISTEN TO THAT DEPOSITION?
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. SO, HE IS INDICATED THAT HE’S
GOING TO TRY TO WALK THIS REALLY
NARROW TIGHTROPE IN WHICH HE’S
GOING TO SAY THAT HE THOUGHT
THIS WAS ALL ABOUT CORRUPTION
AND NEVER CONNECTED THE BURSA
COMPANY PROBE THAT TRUMP WANTED
TO BIDEN.
TO BIDEN. I THINK THAT’S GOING TO BE A
DIFFICULT SELL TO SAY THE LEAST,
RIGHT?
RIGHT? BECAUSE GIULIANI AND EVERYBODY
ARE MAKING THAT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
I GUESS I MEAN OBVIOUSLY WHAT
WILL BE IMPORTANT IS TO WHAT
EXTENT DO WE GET TO READ
TOMORROW ON WHICH SONDLAND IS
STARTING TO THINK OF PROTECTING
HIMSELF AND PROVIDING
INFORMATION THAT IS DAMAGING TO
OTHER PEOPLE IN THE