BE NOT SURPRISINGLY ON FORMER
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
>> Neil: NOT SURPRISING AT ALL.
BOB CUSACK, THANKS.
TO TOM DUPREE, THE FORMER A SIX
AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS AND AT
STAKE FOR THE DEMOCRATS WHO
WANTS TO MAKE THEIR CASE BECAUSE
IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THEY MAKE
THEIR CLOSING ARGUMENT ON THIS
CASE.
DOES THIS HAVE THE POTENTIAL
THEN WHERE THEY GO TO THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND BEGIN TO
MAKE CRIMINAL CHARGES OR DOES
THIS GO AWAY WHEN REPUBLICANS
TAKE OVER, IF THEY TAKE OVER THE
HOUSE?
>> YEAH, NEIL, YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT.
THE DEMOCRATS HAVE A TIGHT
TIMELINE HERE.
THEY HAVE A TIGHT TIMELINE FOR
THIS HEARING AND A TIGHT
TIMELINE BEFORE NOVEMBER.
I THINK THEY’LL BE FOCUSED ON
DEVELOPING FACTS AND EVIDENCE,
MARSHALLING WHAT THEY COLLECTED
ALREADY AND EITHER GETTING IT IN
TO THE HANDS OF PROSECUTORS OR
ALERTING PROSECUTORS TO WHAT
THEY HAVE.
I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT A BIG
COMPONENT OF TONIGHT’S AUDIENCE
ARE PEOPLE IN THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT, MAYBE THE OFFICES OF
STATE ATTORNEYS GENERALS AND
TRIAL LAWYERS THAT ARE
LITIGATING THINGS ARISING FROM
JANUARY 6 WANTING TO SEE WHAT
THE COMMITTEE HAS.
THEY SAY SHOW US YOUR HAND, LET
US KNOW THE FACTS AND EVIDENCE
THAT YOU COLLECTED.
>> Neil: A LOT WE UNDERSTAND IS
ANY COMMUNICATIONS OF FORMER
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAD WITH
A NUMBER OF THE KEY PLAYERS IN
THIS INCLUDING KEVIN McCARTHY
AND A HOST OF OTHERS.
IT WAS A DISTRAUGHT DAY.
WE’RE TOLD THAT McCARTHY WAS
CONCERNED THAT THIS IS GETTING
OUT OF HAND.
ALL BUT BEGGED THE PRESIDENT AT
THE TIME TO SORT OF, YOU KNOW,
STAND DOWN THE TROOPS.
I’M JUST WONDERING THOSE TYPE OF
TIK TOKS ON THE EVENT, HOW
PERSUASIVE ARE THEY DEPENDS WHAT
IS NEW OR WHAT WE HAVEN’T HEARD
BEFORE.
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
THE DEMOCRATS WILL DO TWO
THINGS, NEIL.
THEY’RE GOING TO TRY TO BUILD
THAT TIMELINE.
THEY’RE GOING TO TRY TO PLACE
WHEN THESE CALLS WERE MADE, WHO
THE PRESIDENT TALKED TO, WHO
TEXTED HIM, WHAT PEOPLE WERE
SAYING.
THE SECOND PIECE THEY’RE GOING
TO FOCUS ON IS INTENT AND MOTIVE
THAT IS A KEY ISSUE IN ANY SORT
OF LITIGATION.
DID PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY WERE
DOING WAS ILLEGAL, DID THEY KNOW
WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS WRONG.
I THINK THE DEMOCRATS WILL TRY
TO FILL IN THE GAPS ON THE
TIMELINE AND TRY TO USE THAT
FACTS AND EVIDENCE TO TRY TO
MAKE AN ARGUMENT AS FAR AS
INTENT OF THE KEY PLAYERS HERE.
>> Neil: REPUBLICANS THINK THIS
IS A WASTE OF TIME.
THERE’S TWO THAT SIT ON THAT
COMMITTEE, LIZ CHENEY AND ADAM
KINZINGER.
HOW DO THEY PLAY THIS TONIGHT?
LEGALLY HOW DO THEY PLAY IT?
>> YEAH, LOOK.
THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE SOME
REPUBLICANS ON THE COMMITTEE HAS
BEEN ENABLING THE DEMOCRATS TO
SAY THIS IS A BIPARTISAN
COMMITTEE.
I SUSPECT THAT THE REPUBLICANS
ON THE COMMITTEE ARE GOING TO DO
THEIR BEST TO TRY TO IF POSSIBLE
DIFFUSE THE SITUATION.
ONE OF THE HUGE RISKS IS THIS IS
SEEN BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AS
PARTISAN WITCH HUNT, A PARTISAN
ENDEAVOR.
SO I THINK THE REPUBLICANS IN
THE COMMITTEE WILL DO EVERYTHING
THAT THEY CAN TO TAMP DOWN
PARTISAN LINES OF ATTACK AND SAY
WE’RE A NEUTRAL, INDEPENDENT
COMMITTEE LIKE THE SEPTEMBER
11th COMMITTEE, LIKE THE
WATERGATE COMMITTEE THAT IS
TRYING TO GET TO THE TRUTH OF
WHAT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 6.
>> Neil: WE WILL HAVE A FORMER
SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN
CONGRESSMAN WHO IS URGING THAT
REPUBLICANS GET ENGAGED IN THIS
AND LOOK AT LEAST CONCERNED
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY AND
TO SHOW THAT THERE WILL BE NO
THREAT OF THAT HAPPENING WITH
FUTURE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRATIC
ADMINISTRATIONS, THAT IT WAS A
CLOSE CALL.
IF THEY DON’T MAKE THAT CASE AND
THIS IS SEEN 0 TO BE POLITICIZED
AND FEW MINDS WILL BE CHANGED,
IS ALL OF THIS A WASTE OF TIME?
>> THAT’S A THING, NEIL.
WE KNOW MOST AMERICANS ARE
FAMILY WITH WHAT HAPPENED
JANUARY 6.
MY GUEST IS MOST AMERICANS MADE
UP THEIR MINDS ONE WAY OR
ANOTHER.
THAT’S WHY THIS COMMITTEE HAS AN
UPHILL BATTLE CAPTURING THE
ATTENTION OF AMERICA SAYING THAT
WE HAVE NEW EVIDENCE OR
PRESENTING THE EVIDENCE THAT WE
HAVE IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT TO SAY
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE
FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY, FOR THE
FUTURE HOFF OUR DEMOCRACY.
HERE’S WHY YOU SHOULD CARE.