SUMMARY. TODAY, DEMOCRATS, THEY CERTAINLY
LET BARR HAVE IT.
>> I FEEL THE ANSWER WAS
PURPOSELY MISLEADING.
PURPOSELY MISLEADING. AND I THINK OTHERS DO, TOO.
>> YOU LIED TO CONGRESS.
>> THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HAS SEEN
QUITE WELL THAT YOU ARE BIASED
IN THIS SITUATION AND YOU’RE NOT
OBJECTIVE.
OBJECTIVE. >> I THINK HISTORY WILL JUDGE
YOU HARANGLY.
YOU HARANGLY. >> TODAY BARR OVER AND OVER,
ALMOST LIKE A DEFENSE ATTORNEY
FOR THE PRESIDENT, DOING JUST
THAT.
THAT. DEFENDING DONALD TRUMP AND DO
KNOWING QUESTIONS BETWEEN BILL
BARR AND THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF.
>> HAS THE PRESIDENT OR ANYONE
AT THE WHITE HOUSE EVER ASKED OR
SUGGESTED THAT YOU OPEN AN
INVESTIGATION OF ANYONE?
YES OR NO, PLEASE, SIR.
>> THE PRESIDENT OR ANYBODY
ELSE.
ELSE. >> IT SEEMS WOULD YOU REMEMBER
SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND BE ABLE
TO TELL US.
>> I’M TRYING ON GRAPPLE WITH
THE WORD SUGGEST.
THERE HAVE BEEN SUGGESTIONS OF
MATTERS OUT THERE THAT THEY’VE
NOT ASKED ME TO OPEN AN
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. >> PERHAPS THEY’VE SUGGESTED?
>> I DON’T KNOW.
I WOULDN’T SAY SUGGEST.
>> HINTED?
>> HINTED? INFERRED?
INFERRED? YOU DON’T KNOW.
OKAY.
OKAY. >> BARR ALSO HITTING BOB
MUELLER.
MUELLER. BOB MUELLER FOR DECLINING TO
MAKE A DECISION ON OBSTRUCTION.
>> I THINK IF HE FELT HE SHOULD
NOT GO DOWN THE PATH OF MAKING A
TRADITIONAL PROSECUTIVE
TRADITIONAL PROSECUTIVE DECISION, HE SHOULDN’T HAVE
INVESTIGATED.
INVESTIGATED. THAT WAS THE TIME TO PULL UP.
>> BUT MUELLER WAS VERY CLEAR IN
HIS REPORT.
HIS REPORT. HE DID NOT MAKE A FINDING ON
OBSTRUCTION BECAUSE HE THOUGHT
IT SHOULD BE UP TO CONGRESS TO
DO JUST THAT.
BARR TODAY REPEATING OVER AND
OVER, HE DID NOT THINK THAT WAS
MUELLER’S DECISION TO MAKE.
>> BOB MUELLER IS THE EQUIVALENT
OF A U.S. ATTORNEY.
HE IS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE.
JUSTICE. HIS WORK CONCLUDED WHEN HE SENT
HIS REPORT TO THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL.
GENERAL. AT THAT POINT, IT WAS MY BABY.
AND IT WAS MY DECISION HOW AND
WHEN TO MAKE IT PUBLIC.
NOT BOB MUELLER.
>> JOINING US NOW, NEW JERSEY,
MY HOME STATE SENATOR COREY
BOOKER WHO QUESTIONED BILL BARR
TODAY.
TODAY. SENATOR, I WANT TO START BY
PLAYING PART OF YOUR QUESTIONS
EARLIER.
EARLIER. >> I FEAR THAT YOU ARE ADDING
NORMALCY TO A POINT WHERE WE
SHOULD BE SOUNDING ALARMS AS
OPPOSED TO SAYING THERE IS
NOTHING TO SEE HERE.
YOU SEEM TO BE EXCUSING A
CAMPAIGN THAT LITERALLY HAD
HUNDREDS OF CONTACTS WITH A
FOREIGN ADVERSARY.
FOREIGN ADVERSARY. YOUR CONDUCT SEALS TO BE TRYING
TO NORMALIZE THAT BEHAVIOR.
>> SENATOR, YOU CLEARLY SAY THAT
BILL BARR AT THIS POINT SHOULD
RESIGN.
RESIGN. GIVEN THAT YOU ARE IN THE
MINORITY, WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT
IT?
IT? >> WELL, COME ON.
AT THIS POINT, IT IS ABSURD.
HE SHOWED A LEVEL OF COWARDISE
TODAY LIKE AN UMPIRE CALLING
BALLS AND STRIKES.
HE WAS OVER THERE WITH TEAM
TRUMP AND REPRESENTING A
PRESIDENT AS OPPOSED TO DOING
HIS JOB AS AN INDEPENDENT
ATTORNEY GENERAL.
ATTORNEY GENERAL. IT IS INEXCUSABLE.
ANYBODY WHO READS THAT POINT
WANTS TO BE OBJECTIVE.
IT IS A REPORT THAT DESCRIBES
DECEIT, LIES, INSTRUCTING PEOPLE
TO FALSIFY DOCUMENTS.
THERE IS SO MUCH OUTRAGEOUS
BEHAVIOR THAT IS CREATING A
NORMALCY IN OUR COUNTRY OF
BEHAVIOR THAT IN ANY OTHER TIME
PERIOD BEFORE THIS, WOULD HAVE
HAD BOTH SIDES CRYING FOUL.
IN FACT, SHOWING THAT YOU’RE
ENDANGERING THE NATION.
GO AHEAD.
GO AHEAD. I’M SORRY.
I’M SORRY. >> WITHOUT A DOUBT.
THIS IS 2019.
BARR’S PERFORMANCE TODAY SURELY
PLEASED THE PRESIDENT AND YOU
SAW LINDSEY GRAHAM AND AN ENTIRE
SQUAD OF HUMAN SHIELDS.
SO YOU AND I MIGHT THINK IT’S
ABSURD.
ABSURD. WE’RE LIVING IN THE PRESENT.
WHAT IS THE REALITY IN TERMS OF
CONSEQUENCES?
CONSEQUENCES? BILL BARR WON’T EVEN SHOW UP
TOMORROW.
TOMORROW. >> AGAIN, THE CONSEQUENCES, I AM
STILL A BELIEVER THAT YOU SPEAK
TRUTH TO POWER.
I AM STILL A BELIEVER THAT YOU
CALL IT LIKE IT IS.
WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION.
I DON’T CARE IF YOU’RE A
DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN.
TO CALL THIS OUT FOR WHAT IT IS.
THE WAY THAT BARR DESCRIBED THIS
REPORT SO ANGERED EVEN MUELLER
MUELLER DID SOMETHING THAT WAS
UNUSUAL TO PUT IT IN WRITING HIS
CALLING INTO QUESTION.
THE ROLE THAT BARR WAS PLAYING
AND HOW HE WAS MISLEADING THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC TO BELIEVE THAT
THERE WEREN’T OBJECTIONABLE
THINGS IN THAT REPORT THAT ARE
TANTAMOUNT TO OBSTRUCTION.
SO THIS IS MORE MY CONCERN RIGHT
NOW.
NOW. THAT THIS MUELLER REPORT NOW IS
ALMOST LIKE MAY BOOK TELLING THE
CHINESE OR THE RUSSIANS AND
FUTURE CAMPAIGNS THAT WANT TO
PUT THEIR OWN AMBITION IN FRONT
OF THEIR OBJECTIONS.
I’VE HEARD THIS, TO REACH OUT TO
A CAMPAIGN, EVERYBODY DOWN HERE
IN WASHINGTON KNOWS WHAT THEY’RE
SUPPOSED TO DO WHICH IS CALL THE
FBI.
FBI. HERE IS A CAMPAIGN THAT
DELIGHTED IN THEM BEING REACHED
OUT TO.
OUT TO. THEY CALLED UPON FOREIGN
ADVERSARIES AND DID THINGS ON
CLUED
CLUED COLLUDE WITH THEM TO WIN AN
ELECTION.
ELECTION. THEN YOU HAVE A PRESIDENT SPI
LITERALLY ENGAGE IN THE DEEP
LEVELS OF DECEIT AND DEEP LEVELS
OF TRYING TO OBSTRUCT AN
INVESTIGATION, FROM THREATENING
ON FIRE PEOPLE, TRYING TO CHANGE
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS, AND
ULTIMATELY, THAT’S NOT MY
DESCRIPTION.
DESCRIPTION. THAT’S THE FACTS THAT WERE
PRESENTED IN THIS MUELLER
REPORT.
REPORT. FOR US NOT TO SAY TIME OUT FOR A
SECOND.
SECOND. LET’S CALL THIS LIKE IT IS.
TO ME IS UNFORGIVABLE.
THAT’S WHY I’VE CALLED UPON BARR
TO RESIGN.
TO RESIGN. REMEMBER, THERE’S ONGOING
INVESTIGATIONS THAT HE NOW GETS
TO OVERSEE.
TO OVERSEE. ANY INVESTIGATIONS THAT MUELLER
FOUND IN THE COURSE OF THIS
INVESTIGATION THAT DIDN’T
DIRECTLY RELATE TO HIM BUT ANY
CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT NOW BARR
IS SUPPOSED TO BE AN OBJECTIVE,
I THINK NOT.
HE HAS BURNED THROUGH ANY
CREDIBILITY HE HAD.
>> SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR
ANCILLARY INVESTIGATIONS?
ANCILLARY INVESTIGATIONS? SEEING THAT BARR IS THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL, ARE THEY ALL TAINTED
NOW?
NOW? >> WELL, IT CAST AS SERIOUS
SHADOW.
SHADOW. I HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN THE
LEADERSHIP IN PLACES LIKE THE
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK.
I HAVE A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE
THAT CONTINUE THOSE
INVESTIGATIONS.
INVESTIGATIONS. AND I THINK NOW BARR, SHOULD HE
STAY IN THAT JOB, AND I THINK HE
SHOULD RESIGN, IF HE STAYS IN
THAT JOB HE WILL HAVE THE FIERCE
EYE OF HISTORY ON HIM AND HE
WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR
ANYTHING HE DOES FOR A BEHAVIOR
THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED BY
MUELLER AS AT LEAST STRONG
EVIDENCE, TEN DIFFERENT COUNTS
OF POTENTIAL OBSTRUCTION OF
JUSTICE.
JUSTICE. AND THINGS THAT DID HE IN THE
CAMPAIGN THAT EVEN IN THE
AMERICAN CONTEXT WOULD BE VIEWED
AS LEAVE.
AS LEAVE. REMEMBER, SHARING, POLLING
INFORMATION WITHIN AN AMERICAN
SUPER PACK IS AGAINST THE LAW.
AND THEY SHARED INFORMATION WITH
A FOREIGN ADVERSARY TO ADVANCE
THEIR CAMPAIGN.
THEIR CAMPAIGN. >> THINK ABOUT THE IRONY.
WE LOOK AT THE REPORT AND WHAT’S
THE TAKEAWAY?
THE TAKEAWAY? THAT WE DIDN’T PUT AMERICA
FIRST.
FIRST. ONE OF THE PRESIDENT’S FAVORITE
SLOGANS.
SLOGANS. TELL ME ABOUT REPUBLICANS.
YOUR COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE AISLE.
AND I DON’T MEAN THOSE WHO WE
NECESSARILY HEARD FROM TODAY WHO
YOU’VE WORKED WITH TIME AND
AGAINFUL ARE THEY SAYING
SOMETHING ELSE BEHIND THE
SCENES?
SCENES? MOST RATIONAL PEOPLE THINK,
PEOPLE THINK THEY’RE NOT
REFLECT.
REFLECT. ARE REPUBLICANS?
ARE REPUBLICANS? >> I HAVE FRIENDS ACROSS THE
AISLE THAT HELPED ME GET A LOT
OF THE LEGISLATION PASSED.
I’VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THE
FAILURE TO CONDEMN NAZIS,
PUTTING CHILDREN IN CAGES,
REFUSING TO ACCEPT A BIPARTISAN
SENATE, A UNANIMOUS VOTE TO KEEP
THE GOVERNMENT OPEN AND INSTEAD
SHUT IT DOWN.
>> I MEAN IN TERMS OF THIS.
THIS IS WHERE THE RUBBER HITS
THE ROAD.
THE ROAD. I THINK THIS PRESIDENT HAS BEEN
ENGAGED IN THE UNDERMINING OF
OUR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND
OUR DEMOCRATIC NORMS IN A WAY
THAT SHOULD HAVE CALLED MORE AND
MORE PEOPLE TO SPEAK PUBLICLY
ABOUT WHAT THEY SAY IN PRIVATE.
AND THIS CLEARLY, CLEARLY IS A
CASE.
CASE. IF THIS DOESN’T ACCOUNT FOR
OBSTRUCTION, WHERE THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL WOULD BRING THESE
CHARGES, THEN JUST THINK ABOUT
WHAT’S GOING ON IN THIS MUELLER
REPORT THAT THE NEXT PRESIDENT
NOW BELIEVES THEY CAN DO.
ORDERING THEIR WHITE HOUSE
COUNSEL TO MANUFACTURE
DOCUMENTS, ORDERING THE FIRING
PEOPLE FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF
STOPPING AN INVESTIGATION.
THIS ATTORNEY GENERAL IS SAYING
THAT’S OKAY.
THAT’S OKAY. THAT’S THE NORM.
NOT TO MENTION A CAMPAIGN THAT
WAS LITERALLY CALLING FOR THE
VIOLATION OF AMERICAN LAWS BY A
FOREIGN ADVERSARY.
FOREIGN ADVERSARY. WE CANNOT NORMALIZE THIS.
ALL OF US HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO
SAY WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT IS
WRONG.
WRONG. FOR HIM TO CHARACTERIZE THIS
REPORT SAYING THE AMERICAN
PUBLIC SHOULD BE GRATEFUL WAS
THE WORDS HE USED.
THAT SOMEHOW WE SHOULD BE
GRATEFUL THAT THERE WAS NO
SO-CALLED COLLUSION, NOT A WILL
HE TERM, TO ME, THIS IS REALLY A
LOW.
LOW. UNFORTUNATELY, A ROAD MAP FOR
ANYONE WATCHING.
ANYONE WATCHING. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK BOB MUELLER
WILL DO?
WILL DO? IT IS TRULY OUT OF CHARACTER FOR
HIM TO WRITE A LETTER LIKE THAT.
AS HE TRUE CHAIN OF COMMAND TYPE
OF GUY.
OF GUY. WE HEARD FROM LINDSEY GRAHAM
TODAY WHO IN THE PAST HAS CALLED
THE PRESIDENT UNFIT, A DISASTER.
NOW LINDSEY GRAHAM DEFENDING
BILL BARR.
BILL BARR. HE SAID HE DOESN’T EVEN THINK
THEY NEED TO CALL BOB MUELLER TO
TESTIFY.
TESTIFY. DO YOU THINK BOB MUELLER WILL
INSIST UPON IT?
>> WELL, LINDSEY WHO I’VE
WORKED, WITH I THINK HE IS WRONG
IN THIS CASE.
CLEARLY ANYBODY WHO READS THIS
REPORT, FOR ALL THAT, THE
RESOURCES WE PUT INTO IT.
AT THE VERY LEAST, THE AUTHOR OF
THE REPORT WHO UNDERSTANDS ALL
THE UNDERLYING DOCUMENTATION
SHOULD COME FORWARD AND ANSWER
THE QUESTIONS OF THE BODY THAT
NOW HAS THE OBLIGATION TO HELD
TO PRESIDENT ACCOUNTABLE AND
PROVIDE OVERSIGHT.
PROVIDE OVERSIGHT. SO IT WOULD BE A SERIOUS
MISTAKE.
MISTAKE. HISTORY WILL NOT LOOK KINDLY ON
IT AND I KNOW THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE CALLING
MUELLER TO TESTIFY, AS I AM
CALLING FOR THE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE TO DO AS WELL.
>>> I WANT TO BRING IN NICK,
POLITICAL REPORTER FOR THE "NEW
YORK TIMES," AND FORMER U.S.
ATTORNEY JOYCE VANCE WHO HAS
BEEN WORKING OVERTIME TODAY.
JOYCE, WE HAVE SPENT, YOU HAVE
SPENT HOURS IN THIS CHAIR.
NOW THAT YOU HAVE WATCHED IT.
YOU’VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
YOU’VE OBSERVED, YOU’VE ABSORB.
WHAT IS YOUR TAKEAWAY?
>> I THINK IT WAS DISAPPOINTING
PERFORMANCE.
PERFORMANCE. IT WAS A BAD DAY FOR THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT.
DEPARTMENT. BECAUSE WE SAW AN ATTORNEY
GENERAL WHO PERHAPS DID NOT
COMMIT OUTRIGHT PERJURY BUT WHO
IS BIG TO SLICE THINGS VERY
NARROWLY.
NARROWLY. CUT HIS RESPONSES CLOSE TO THE
BONE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THIS
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. BY THE END OF THE DAY, YOU HAVE
THE FEELING YOU’VE BEEN
LISTENING TO THE PRESIDENT’S
DEFENSE TEAM.
DEFENSE TEAM. >> IF BARR REFUSES TO TESTIFY
TOMORROW, WHERE DO WE GO FROM
HERE?
HERE? THIS IS A MASSIVELY IMPORTANT
ISSUE FOR THOSE IN WASHINGTON.
A MASSIVELY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR
THOSE OF US COVERING IT.
WHEN YOU GO OUT ON THE TRAIL,
RIGHT?
RIGHT? SHE JUST SAID IT.
AT A RECENT TOWN HALL, SHE AND
BETO O’ROURKE, OF THE 75
QUESTIONS THEY WERE ASKED, ONLY
TWO WERE ABOUT THIS.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR RULE OF
LAW BUT IT DOESN’T SEEM TO BE A
PRIORITY YET FOR THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. SO WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW?
>> WE’RE NOW TALKING ABOUT THE
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. WHAT IS GOOD FOR TRUMP AND HIS
TEAM, FOR HIS CAMPAIGN.
YOU CAN SEE IN THE APPROACH, THE
OVERALL STRATEGY.
OVERALL STRATEGY. TO INTERPRET QUESTIONS AS
NARROWLY AS POSSIBLE.
TO ANSWER THEM WITH THE FEWEST
AMOUNT OF FACTS.
TO TALK ABOUT THE COST OF THE
INVESTIGATION BUT NOT THE
UNDERLYING INSTANCES OF
WRONGDOING AND BAD BEHAVIOR THAT
MUELLER HAD DOCUMENTED.
THAT WILL PUSH ALL OF THIS INTO
A PARTISAN DOG FIGHT.
VERY HARD TO KEEP THE PUBLIC
FOCUSED ON THE UNDERLYING THINGS
REVEALED.
REVEALED. AND YOU WERE TALKING WILL ABOUT
ACCOUNTABILITY.
ACCOUNTABILITY. I THINK A LOT OF THAT IS DEAD.
THIS IS A POWER STRUGGLE PURE
AND SIMPLE.
AND SIMPLE. IF BOB BARR THAT H A MISSION AND
IT WAS A MOVIE, IT WOULD BE
SAVING PRIVATE DONALD.
>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE
SHOULD PUT DECENCY AND THE RULE
OF LAW FIRST.
>> I WANT TO PUT BILL BARR
SPECIFICALLY BEING PRESSED ON
INCIDENTS OF POTENTIAL
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.
TAKE A LOOK.
>> THE REPORT FOUND THAT MICHAEL
COHEN’S TESTIMONY, THAT THE
PRESIDENT REPEATEDLY IMPLIED
THAT COHEN’S FAMILY MEMBERS HAD
COMMITTED CRIMES.
COMMITTED CRIMES. DO YOU CONSIDER THAT EVIDENCE TO
BE AN ATTEMPT TO CONVINCE A
WITNESS TO CHANGE TESTIMONY?
NO.
NO. >> THE REPORT FOUND AFTER
MANAFORT WAS CONVICTED, THE
PRESIDENT HIMSELF CALLED HIM A
BRAVE MAN FOR REFUSING TO BREAK.
>> YES.
>> YES. AND THAT IS NOT OBSTRUCTION.
>> JOYCE, WHAT IS YOUR REACTION?
ERIC HOLDER SAID ON TWITTER,
DONALD TRUMP WOULD ABSOLUTELY BE
CHARGED WITH OBSTRUCTION HAD IT
NOT BEEN FOR A FLAWED
RESTRICTION AGAINST INDICTING A
SITTING PRESIDENT.
SITTING PRESIDENT. >> SO I THINK EVERY PRURT HAS
CONCLUDED THAT.
CONCLUDED THAT. DONALD TRUMP WOULD NOW BE
DEFENDANT DONALD TRUMP.
BUT LEAVING THAT ASIDE, WHAT IS
DISTRESSING ABOUT BARR’S
TESTIMONY HERE, IT IS AS THOUGH
HE IS SAYING, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY
BARRIER, THE ONLY BAR THAT A
PRESIDENT HAS TO CLEAR IS
CRIMINALITY.
CRIMINALITY. AS LONG AS THE PRESIDENT’S
CONDUCT ISN’T IN OUTRIGHT
CRIMINAL VIOLATION, THEN NO
HARM, NO FOUL.
I THINK WE’RE ENTITLED TO EXPECT
MORE.
MORE. >> BUT DID ROBERT MUELLER SAY, I
GO ALL THE WAY TO THE LINE BUT I
HAND IT TO YOU, CONGRESS.
AS COREY BOOKER SAID, WE WOULD
LIKE TO GET SOMETHING DONE.
>> I THINK BOB MUELLER IS
OPERATING IN A WORLD IN WHICH
INSTITUTIONS HAVE POWER AND
GUARD THEIR OWN PREROGATIVES.
>> I’M NOT SURE IT IS TRUE
ANYMORE.
ANYMORE. HE CLEARLY WROTE A ROAD MAP TO
IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS IN HIS
REPORT.
REPORT. IT IS AN OPEN INVITATION TO LOOK
AT THE EVIDENCE AND SAY, IF YOU
THINK THIS IS OBSTRUCTION, IT IS
UP TO YOU.
IT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE ABOUT
THAT.
THAT. >> AND HE CAN’T HELP THAT THE
SYSTEM NOW WARPED.
>> THAT’S CORRECT.
I WAS FASCINATED WATCHING BILL
BARR TALK ABOUT IT BOTH WAYS.
IT WAS MY BABY.
IN THE SAME TURN, HE IS
ATTACKING BOB MUELLER.
WHAT HE WANTED WAS TO LET THE
PRESIDENT OFF THE HOOK SO HE
WOULDN’T HAVE TO.
>> I THINK THAT’S ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT.
RIGHT. HAS THE BINARY CHOICE.
THE CHOICE WAS, MUELLER WAS
SUPPOSED TO CLEAR THE PRESIDENT.