BILLIONAIRE AGREES WITH HER, AT LEAST ON SOME OF HER RESEARCH.
THAT IS AT THE END OF THIS HOUR
AND YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THAT.
>>> BUT WE BEGIN TONIGHT, OF
COURSE, WITH IMPEACHMENT.
THE UKRANIANS KNEW.
THE UKRANIANS KNEW THAT DONALD
TRUMP WAS WITHHOLDING MILITARY
AID AUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS.
AND THE UKRAINENIANS KNEW LONG
BEFORE THE FIRST PUBLIC REPORT
IN "POLITICO" IN LATE AUGUST
THAT THAT AID WAS BEING
WITHHELD.
WITHHELD. THAT WAS THE SINGLE MOST
IMPORTANT POINT IN THE
TRANSCRIPT RELEASED TODAY OF
LAURA COOPER’S DEPOSITION
TESTIMONY TO THE IMPEACHMENT
INVESTIGATION OF DONALD J.
TRUMP.
TRUMP. BECAUSE THAT DESTROYS THE
REPUBLICAN DEFENSE THAT DONALD
TRUMP COULDN’T POSSIBLY HAVE
COMMITTED EXTORTION IF UKRAINE
DID NOT KNOW THAT DONALD TRUMP
WAS WITHHOLDING THE AID TO
UKRAINE.
UKRAINE. THAT IS ONE OF THE REPUBLICAN
TALKING POINTS THAT THEY’RE
PLANNING TO USE IN THE PUBLIC
HEARINGS, TALKING POINTS THAT
WERE OBTAINED BY "AXIOS."
WE’LL HAVE MORE ON THAT LATER.
THAT PARTICULAR DEFENSE IS NOW
GONE BECAUSE UKRAINE KNEW.
LAURA KATHERINE COOPER IS THE
DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE TO UKRAINE.
MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE WAS THE
MOST URGENT ISSUE TO HER, NOT
THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT.
SHE KNEW THE PRESIDENT WAS
WITHHOLDING MILITARY AID AND
BEGAN ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT IT
WELL BEFORE "POLITICO" FIRST
REPORTED IT IN LATE AUGUST.
ACCORDING TO WHAT SHE HAD BEEN
TOLD BY KURT VOLKER, THE TRUMP
SPECIAL ENVOY TO UKRAINE, AND
THE ACTING AMBASSADOR TO
UKRAINE, WILLIAM TAYLOR.
QUOTE, I KNEW FROM MY KURT
VOLKER CONVERSATION AND ALSO
FROM SORT OF THE ALARM BELLS
THAT WERE COMING FROM AMBASSADOR
TAYLOR AND HIS TEAM THAT THERE
WERE UKRANIANS WHO KNEW ABOUT
THIS.
THIS. ON JULY 26th, LAURA COOPER FOUND
OUT THAT BOTH MILITARY AND
HUMANITARIAN AID WERE BEING
WITHHELD FROM UKRAINE, AND AT
HER LEVEL, ALL OF THE GOVERNING
PROFESSIONALS LIKE HERSELF WERE
WORRIED THAT IT WAS ILLEGAL.
QUOTE, IMMEDIATELY DEPUTIES
BEGAN TO RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT
HOW THIS COULD BE DONE IN A
LEGAL FASHION, COOPER SAID.
THE COMMENTS IN THE ROOM AT THE
DEPUTY’S LEVEL REFLECTED A SENSE
THAT THERE WAS NOT AN
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS COULD
LEGALLY PLAY OUT.
LAURA COOPER TESTIFIED THAT
UKRAINE HAD MET ALL OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. AID BEFORE
PRESIDENT TRUMP PUT A HOLD ON
THAT AID IN ADDITION TO HER
WORRIES ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF
THE HOLD, LAURA COOPER WAS
WORRIED ABOUT WHAT IT MEANT FOR
UKRAINE’S VERY SURVIVAL.
QUOTE, IF THEY ARE SEEN AS WEAK
AND IF THEY ARE SEEN AS LACKING
THE BACKING OF THE UNITED STATES
FOR THEIR ARMED FORCES, IT MAKES
IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM
TO NEGOTIATE A PEACE ON TERMS
THAT ARE GOOD FOR UKRAINE.
MICK MULVANEY WAS DRAWN DEEPER
INTO THE TRUMP APPEASEMENT OF
RUSSIA IN ANOTHER DEPOSITION
TRANSCRIPT RELEASED TODAY OF THE
TESTIMONY OF KATHERINE KROFT, A
SPECIAL ADVISER TO UKRAINE.
SHE WAS ADVISED THAT A PIECE OF
A HOLD WAS PLACED ON UKRAINE.
KATHERINE KROFT WAS TOLD IN A
SPECIAL BUDGET BY MICK MULVANEY
WAS PUT ON HOLD TO UKRAINE
BECAUSE MICK MULVANEY EXPRESSED
CONCERNS THAT, QUOTE, RUSSIA
WOULD REACT NEGATIVELY.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHY THOSE
MISSILES WERE AUTHORIZED TO BE
TRANSFERRED TO UKRAINE, SO THAT
THE MISSILES WOULD HAVE A
NEGATIVE IMPACT ON RUSSIA’S
POLICY IN THE REGION.
CATHERINE CROFT TESTIFIED THAT
THE OFFICE OF THE BUDGET WAS TO
TRANSFER AID TO UKRAINE AND THAT
ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING
THE SECURITY COUNCIL, SUPPORTED
THE TRANSFER.
THE TRANSFER. MICK MULVANEY SURRENDERED TO ALL
THAT PRESSURE AND UKRAINE
FINALLY RECEIVED THE MISSILES.
CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON’S
CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON’S DEPOSITION WAS RELEASED TODAY.
CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON, A SERVICE
OFFICER WHO HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN
UKRAINE, SAID JOHN BOLTON MADE A
JOKE ABOUT EVERY TIME UKRAINE IS
MENTIONED, GIULIANI POPS UP AND
THAT THE PRESIDENT IS LISTENING
TO GIULIANI ABOUT UKRAINE.
TURNS OUT THAT WASN’T A JOKE.
WILLIAM TAYLOR, QUOTE,
REPEATEDLY EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN
THAT GIULIANI WOULD MAKE HIS JOB
DIFFICULT.
DIFFICULT. CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON TESTIFIED
THAT HE AGREED, QUOTE, THAT IF
GIULIANI’S NARRATIVE TOOK HOLD
THAT THE UKRANIAN GOVERNMENT WAS
AN ENEMY OF THE PRESIDENT, THEN
IT WOULD BE VERY HARD TO HAVE
HIGH-LEVEL ENGAGEMENT, IT WOULD
BE HARDER FOR US TO PRESSURE
RUSSIA TO COME BACK TO THE
NEGOTIATING TABLE IN THAT CASE.
AS USUAL, THE DEMOCRATS ISSUED
HIGHLIGHTS TODAY OF THE HUNDREDS
OF PAGES OF TRANSCRIPTS THAT
THEY RELEASED.
THEY RELEASED. THOSE HIGHLIGHTS IDENTIFIED BY
THE DEMOCRATS ARE ALL HARMFUL TO
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
PRESIDENT TRUMP. THE REPUBLICANS DID NOT RELEASE
A SINGLE PAGE OF HIGHLIGHTS IN
ANY OF TODAY’S DEPOSITIONS OR
ANY OF THE PREVIOUS DEPOSITIONS
BECAUSE THERE ARE NO HIGHLIGHTS
IN THESE DEPOSITIONS THAT ARE
HELPFUL TO DONALD TRUMP’S
DEFENSE.
DEFENSE. REPUBLICANS WERE IN EVERY ONE OF
THESE DEPOSITIONS.
THESE DEPOSITIONS. REPUBLICANS IN JORDAN WERE IN
EACH OF THE DEPOSITIONS HE
RELEASED TODAY AND HE DID NOT
MAKE ONE HELPFUL POINT FOR
DONALD TRUMP IN THESE
DEPOSITIONS.
DEPOSITIONS. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE IN THESE
DEPOSITIONS OF WHY REPUBLICANS
DECIDED TO REMOVE ONE OF THEIR
MEMBERS FROM THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE SO THEY COULD GIVE
THAT SEAT TO JIM JORDAN SO HE
WOULD BE THE STAR INKWISQUISITOR
THE REPUBLICANS THIS WEEK.
JIM JORDAN WAS ABLE TO BE IN THE
DEPOSITIONS BECAUSE THOSE
DEPOSITIONS ALLOWED THREE
COMMITTEES TO BE PRESENT,
INCLUDING THE OVERSIGHT AND
REFORM COMMITTEE, AND JIM JORDAN
IS ALREADY A MEMBER OF THAT
COMMITTEE.
COMMITTEE. BUT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS WILL BE
FOR THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE ONLY AND THE
REPUBLICANS’ BIG MOVE, THEIR BIG
MOVE FOR THE DEFENSE OF THE
PRESIDENT IN THE PUBLIC
HEARINGS, WAS TO BRING IN JIM
JORDAN ON THE SAME WEEK THAT JIM
JORDAN WAS ONCE AGAIN CREDIBLY
ACCUSED OF BEING AWARE OF A TEAM
DOCTOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING
MEMBERS OF THE OHIO STATE
WRESTLING TEAM WHEN JIM JORDAN
WAS A COACH ON THAT TEAM.
NBC REPORTED LAST WEEK THAT I AA
LAWSUIT FILED ON THURSDAY SAID
JIM JORDAN SAW THE COACH
MASTURBATE IN FRONT OF HIM AT A
WRESTLING MATCH, HE REPORTED
THAT TO JIM JORDAN, WHO WAS THE
WRESTLING COACH.
WRESTLING COACH. YEAH, THAT’S STRAUSS, JORDAN AND
THEN
THEN THEN-HEAD COACH RUSS HELLICKSON
REPLIED, ACCORDING TO THE
AFFIDAVIT.
AFFIDAVIT. LEADING OFF OUR DISCUSSION
TONIGHT, JOHN SARBANES OF
MARYLAND WHO HAS ATTENDED MANY
OF THESE IMPEACHMENT
DEPOSITIONS.
DEPOSITIONS. AND ELLEN FARKAS, A FORMER STAFF
MEMBER OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE.
COMMITTEE. SHE IS AN NBC NATIONAL SECURITY
ANALYST.
ANALYST. JOHN SARBANES, I WANTED TO GET
YOUR REACTION TO THE DEPOSITIONS
TODAY, ESPECIALLY TO THE POINT
THAT THE UKRANIANS KNEW THIS AID
WAS BEING WITHHELD AND THEY KNEW
IT LONG BEFORE IT BECAME PUBLIC.
>> WELL, LAWRENCE, THANKS FOR
HAVING ME ON TODAY.
I THINK WE WERE PRETTY CONFIDENT
JUST BASED ON THE OVERALL
TESTIMONY THAT WAS COMING
FORWARD OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS
THAT IT WOULD BECOME CLEAR THAT
THE UKRANIANS WERE AWARE OF THIS
HOLD HAVING BEEN PLACED.
NOW YOU HAVE A DIRECT
CORROBORATING TESTIMONY TO THAT,
AND IT PUTS A LIE TO THE
REPUBLICAN DEFENSE THAT SOMEHOW
THE QUID PRO QUO WASN’T THERE
BECAUSE THERE WASN’T UKRANIAN
KNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WAS A QUID
PRO QUO.
PRO QUO. THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS BEING
DONE TO THEM.
IT WAS A BREATHTAKING ABUSE OF
POWER ON THE PART OF THE
ADMINISTRATION TO TIE THIS
SECURITY ASSISTANCE TO A PROMISE
THAT THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE, THE
UKRANIANS WOULD INVESTIGATE A
POLITICAL RIVAL OF THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. THAT’S ALL BECOMING CLEAR.
IT WILL BE MUCH MORE CLEAR THIS
WEEK, I THINK, TO THE BROAD
PUBLIC WHEN WE GET THE TESTIMONY
FROM THESE THREE DIPLOMATS.
THESE ARE VERY PROFESSIONAL
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. THE TESTIMONY THEY DELIVERED IN
CLOSED SESSION WAS VERY
COMPELLING, AND I THINK YOU’LL
SEE THAT WILL HAVE A REAL IMPACT
IN TERMS OF THE PUBLIC TO GET AN
OPPORTUNITY NOW TO HEAR DIRECTLY
FROM THESE WITNESSES.
>> JOHN HEILEMANN, WE’RE GOING
TO DISCUSS LATER THIS HOUR WHAT
THE REPUBLICANS HAVE PLANNED FOR
THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
>> IT’S COMPELLING.
>> THE BIG PUBLIC MOVE IS JIM
JORDAN MOVES UP TO THE CENTER
SPOT HERE IN THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE HEARINGS.
COMMITTEE HEARINGS. >> YES.
>> YES. AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK, IT SIGNALS
AS CLEARLY AS COULD BE THAT
REPUBLICANS WILL NOT FIGHT THIS
FIGHT ON THE FACTS.
THEY WILL NOT FIGHT THIS FIGHT
ANY OTHER WAY THAN RHETORICALLY
AND THROUGH DEMONIZATION OF
THESE WITNESSES AND TRYING TO
IMPUNE THEIR CHARACTERS AND
IMPUNE THEIR MOTIVES.
THEY THINK THIS IS A POLITICAL
FIREFIGHT AND THEY’RE BRINGING
IN ONE OF THEIR POLITICAL
FIREFIGHTERS WITH A BIG
RHETORICAL FLAMETHROWER TO FIGHT
THE FIGHT.
THE FIGHT. ALL WEAVER’VE SEEN, LAWRENCE, OV
THESE PAST WEEKS IS A CLEAR
PICTURE OF WHAT ACTUALLY
HAPPENED HERE.
HAPPENED HERE. AND I THINK REPUBLICANS, AS
PERNICIOUS AS THEY ARE IN MANY
CASES, AS PATHOLOGICAL IN THEIR
LIES AS THEY ARE, THEY’RE NOT
STUPID, AND I THINK THEY
RECOGNIZE AT THIS POINT THERE IS
NO ARGUMENT TO BE MADE ON THE
MERITS.
MERITS. THE ONLY ARGUMENT NOW TO BE MADE
IS GOING TO BE, YES, TLFRS AHERE
QUID PRO QUO, BUT IT WASN’T
MAYBE A TOTALLY BAD QUID PRO
QUO.
QUO. IT WAS A SMALL QUID PRO QUO, NOT
A BIG ONE, AND THESE GUYS ARE
ALL TERRIBLE PEOPLE WHO ARE
TESTIFYING AGAINST DONALD TRUMP,
AND WE HAVE AN ELECTION IN 2020,
SO THIS ISN’T ENOUGH OF A BIG
DEAL TO THROW HIM OUT OF OFFICE.
THAT’S GOING TO BE THE ARGUMENT
IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE, I
THINK, WHICH IS MUCH MORE
VOCIFEROUS AND PERNICIOUS ON THE
PART OF THE HOUSE.
>> ELLEN, THERE WERE MORE
DEPOSITIONS RELEASED TODAY, AND
THAGS
THAGS THAT IS THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WAS UP
TO.
TO. ANOTHER TRACK THAT’S VERY CLEAR
IN THESE DEPOSITIONS IS WHY THIS
IS IMPORTANT, WHY THIS IS NOT A
MINOR OFFENSE THAT PRESIDENT
TRUMP IS ACCUSED OF HERE, AND
THERE IS A LOT OF TALK BY THESE
WITNESSES ABOUT JUST HOW
IMPORTANT THIS AID WAS TO
UKRAINE, HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS ON
A DAILY BASIS.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. I MEAN, BECAUSE THIS AID WAS SO
CRITICAL TO DEFENDING UKRAINE’S
SOVEREIGNTY, THEY’RE ESSENTIALLY
HOLDING THE RUSSIANS BACK FROM
LAUNCHING A BIGGER OFFENSIVE.
YES, THERE IS ONGOING SIGHTING,
AS LAURA COOPER HERSELF POINTS
OUT IN THE TESTIMONY, BUT THERE
IS ALWAYS A FEW THAT THE
RUSSIANS ANDRUSSIAN -- A
VIEW THAT THE SEPARATISTS AND
RUSSIANS WILL DO MORE.
THEY’LL PUT PRESSURE ON THE NEW
UKRANIAN PRESIDENT IN
PARTICULAR.
PARTICULAR. I THINK IT’S REALLY UNSETTLING
BECAUSE IT SHOWS YOU, THEN, THAT
THE PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT TRUMP
PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE
UKRANIANS, TRYING TO GET A BRIBE
FROM THEM, BASICALLY, HE’S
TRYING TO GET THIS BRIBE, THIS
DIRT ON BIDEN, AND THIS DIRT
RELATING TO THE 2016 ELECTIONS
IN ORDER TO THEN RELEASE THE
AID.
AID. IT’S ACTUALLY A DIRTY GAME THAT
THE PRESIDENT IS PLAYING WITH
THEM, AND IT’S, AGAIN, PUTTING
LIVES AT RISK.
>> THERE IS A REALLY STARTLING
REVELATION IN CHRISTIAN
ANDERSON’S DEPOSITION RELEASED
TODAY SHOWING DONALD TRUMP’S
JUST CONSTANT POSTURE OF
APPEASEMENT -- I’M NOT SURE WHAT
ELSE TO CALL IT -- TOWARDS
RUSSIA.
RUSSIA. IT COMES THIS WAY IN
"POLITICO’S" HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS
ANTIDOTE.
ANTIDOTE. IT SAYS IN ONE HIGHLIGHT RELATED
BY ANDERSON, HE RELAYED A 2019
CONVERSATION IN WHICH THE
THEN-NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
JOHN BOLTON REVEALED TRUMP HAD
CALLED HIM AS HIS HOME TO
COMPLAIN ABOUT A CNN STORY THAT
MADE IT APPEAR THE NAVY WAS
PUSHING BACK AGAINST RUSSIAN
AGGRESSION IN THE BLACK SEA.
WE MET WITH AMBASSADOR BOLTON
AND DISCUSSED THIS, AND HE MADE
IT CLEAR THAT THE PRESIDENT HAD
CALLED HIM TO COMPLAIN ABOUT
THAT NEWS REPORT.
AND THAT MAY HAVE BEEN JUST BEEN
THAT HE WAS SURPRISED.
HOW DOES IT AFFECT YOU WHEN YOU
HEAR TESTIMONY LIKE THIS?
>> THIS IS ASTOUNDING IF YOU
THINK ABOUT IT.
THE PRESIDENT IS PROTECTING
RUSSIA, IT APPEARS TO BE THE
CASE, AT THE EXPENSE OF AN ALLY,
UKRAINE.
UKRAINE. AND HE’S PREPARED TO HOLD BACK
$400 MILLION OF SECURITY
ASSISTANCE THAT THAT COUNTRY
NEEDS TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST
RUSSIAN AGGRESSION BECAUSE HE’S
MORE INTERESTED IN DEFENDING
RUSSIA THAN DEFENDING AN ALLY
THAT THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS
DECIDED SHOULD RECEIVE FOREIGN
ASSISTANCE TO THE TUNE OF $400
MILLION.
MILLION. AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT IN
TERMS OF THESE DIPLOMATS THAT
ARE GOING TO BE TESTIFYING THIS
WEEK, IF YOU LOOK AT THE RECORD
OF WILLIAM TAYLOR, OF MARIE
YAVONOVITCH, OF GEORGE KENT,
THESE ARE DIPLOMATS WHO HAVE
SPENT THEIR WHOLE CAREERS
FIGHTING CORRUPTION, AND THEIR
OWN PRESIDENT IS TRYING TO PULL
THEM INTO A CORRUPT SCHEME.
AND TO THEIR CREDIT, I HAVE TO
SAY THEY’RE RAISING A RED FLAG,
THEY’RE PUSHING BACK, AND
THEY’RE SAYING, THIS IS NOT
RIGHT.
RIGHT. AND THEY’RE DOING EVERYTHING
THEY CAN -- YOU CAN SEE THAT
FROM THE TESTIMONY -- TO MAKE
SURE THAT THAT KIND OF A TRADE
WILL NOT HAPPEN ON THEIR WATCH.
BUT THEY’RE UNDER TREMENDOUS
PRESSURE.
PRESSURE. I THINK WHEN THE PUBLIC SEES AND
HEARS THE TESTIMONY FROM THESE
PROFESSIONALS, THEY WILL SEE
THAT THESE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE
PLAYING IT STRAIGHT, THAT WANTED
TO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF
THE UNITED STATES, NOT THE
INTERESTS OF RUSSIA OR ANYBODY
ELSE, THE INTERESTS OF THE
UNITED STATES, AND THAT’S WHY WE
CAN HAVE SUCH CONFIDENCE IN THE
TESTIMONY THEY’RE GOING TO BE
DELIVERING.
DELIVERING. >> AND EVER LYNN, EVELYN, THAT’S
BE ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IN THE
COMMITTEE’S REPUTATION TO GET
THE BALANCE OF THE SPECIFICS OF
WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS BEING
ACCUSED OF HERE AND THE REASON
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT, WHICH IS
WHAT CARSON SARBANES WAS TALKING
ABOUT AND WHAT THE WITNESS WAS
TALKING ABOUT, AND THAT MAY BE
MORE OF A CHALLENGE TO MAKE
CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC.
>> LAWRENCE, I THINK THE WAY TO
DO IT IS TO FOCUS ON RUSSIAN
POLICY.
POLICY. THE OPPOSITE OF PUSHING BACK ON
RUSSIA IN THE BLACK SEA IS
SURRENDERING TO RUSSIA IN THE
BLACK SEA, RIGHT?
THAT’S NOT IN U.S. NATIONAL
SECURITY INTERESTS, IT’S NOT IN
THE SECURITY INTERESTS OF OUR
NEIGHBORS -- SORRY, OF THE
NEIGHBORS THERE, SO TURKEY, FOR
EXAMPLE, A NATIVE ALLY.
A PROBLEMATIC ONE, BUT STILL.
IT’S NOT IN THE INTEREST OF
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION.
IF YOU SURRENDER TO RUSSIA IN
ANY OF THESE ITEMS, YOU WILL SEE
RUSSIA PUSHING FURTHER.
AND THAT’S NOT IN THE U.S.
NATIONAL SECURITY INTEREST,
BECAUSE RUSSIA HAS VIOLATED
INTERNATIONAL LAW.
INTERNATIONAL LAW. THEY HAVE BROKEN THE TABOO ON
CHANGING BORDERS USING MILITARY
FORCE.
FORCE. THERE ARE OTHER LEADERS IN OTHER
COUNTRIES WHO WOULD LIKE TO DO
THE SAME STARTING IN EUROPE.
AGAIN, IT IS IN THE NATIONAL
SECURITY INTERESTS OF THE UNITED
STATES TO STOP RUSSIA SO THAT WE
DON’T HAVE OTHER WARS BREAKING
OUT.
OUT. >> JOHN?
>> JOHN? >> I TELL YOU, WITH DUE RESPECT
TO CONGRESSMAN SARBANES AND TO
"POLITICO," "POLITICO" SAYS IT’S
A WILD ANTIDOTE.
IT’S ASTOUNDING AND IT’S NOT ODD
BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ANY TIME
IN DONALD TRUMP’S ADMINISTRATION
WHERE HE’S EVER NOT ACTED IN THE
INTERESTS OF RUSSIA.
HE’S
HE’S HE OFTEN DEFENDS RUSSIA.
THIS IS THE PATTERN.
OF COURSE HE WAS UPSET ABOUT
PUSHING RUSSIA AGAINST THE BLACK
SEA.
SEA. DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN ACTING IN
RUSSIA’S INTEREST IN EVERY
CRUCIAL RESPECT.
CRUCIAL RESPECT. MEHTA, MACRO, MICRO.
ACROSS THE THREE YEARS, IT’S THE
LEAST SURPRISING THING IN THE
WORLD.
WORLD. IT’S DISGUSTING BUT IT’S NOT
ASTOUNDING.
ASTOUNDING. >> QUICK WORD, CONGRESSMAN.
I THINK WE MAIFRY HAVE A SEMANTI
DISAGREEMENT ON THAT.
>> I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH JOHN
THAT IT’S DISGUSTING, BUT HE’S
NOT ALWAYS ACTING IN RUSSIA’S
INTERESTS, HE’S ALWAYS ACTING IN
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S INTEREST.
THAT’S WHY IT’S AN ABUSE OF
POWER, IT’S AN ABUSE OF HIS OATH
OF OFFICE.
OF OFFICE. HE GETS UP EVERY MORNING AND
HE’S NOT THINKING ABOUT THE 50
MILLION AMERICANS WHOSE
INTERESTS HE SHOULD REPRESENT,
HE’S THINKING ABOUT HIS OWN
PERSONAL POLITICAL GAIN.
THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF
THAT.
THAT. THE WITNESSES THIS WEEK ARE