ABOUT AFTER TODAYS SHOW.
>>> OKAY.
LETS GET TO THE NEWS.
THE INVESTIGATION INTO FORMER
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMPS
BUSINESS EMPIRE IS EXPANDING.
THE NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERALS
OFFICE PUT OUT A STATEMENT LAST
NIGHT SAYING THE INVESTIGATION
INTO THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION IS
NOW CONSIDERED A CRIMINAL
MATTER.
IN ADDITION TO THE ON GOING
CIVIL PROBE.
THE STATEMENT READS IN PART, WE
HAVE INFORMED THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION THAT OUR
INVESTIGATION INTO THE
ORGANIZATION IS NO LONGER PURELY
CIVIL IN NATURE.
WE ARE NOW ACTIVELY
INVESTIGATING THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION IN A CRIMINAL
CAPACITY ALONG WITH THE
MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL
LATITIA JAMES HAS BEEN AT THE
FOREFRONT OF LEGAL ACTION
AGAINST TRUMPS FAMILY BUSINESS.
HER OFFICE OFFERED NO
EXPLANATION FOR WHAT PROMPTED
THE CHANGE IN ITS INVESTIGATION.
"THE WASHINGTON POST" POINTS OUT
THAT THE DANGER PREVIOUSLY POSED
BY JAMES INVESTIGATION SEEMED
TO BE MERELY FINANCIAL.
THE KIND OF LAWSUIT TRUMP HAD
FACED FROM NEW YORK ATTORNEYS
GENERAL BEFORE OVER TRUMP
UNIVERSITY AND HIS CHARITY.
NOW, HOWEVER, JAMES COULD ALSO
SEEK CRIMINAL PENALTIES.
AN ATTORNEY FOR THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION DECLINED TO COMMENT
ON THE MATTER.
TRUMP AND HIS REPRESENTATIVES
HAVE REPEATEDLY DENIED ANY WRONG
DOING.
JOE?
>> YEAH.
JONATHAN LEMIRE, IVE BEEN
GROWING IMPATIENT OVER THE PAST
MONTHS OVER LEAKS FROM THE FBI
AND OTHER PROSECUTORS SAYING,
OH, BEHIND THE SCENES WE HEAR
THIS OR THAT OR WHATEVER.
IVE NOW READ 437 ARTICLES ABOUT
HOW WHAT HAPPENED TODAY MAKES
MATT GAETZS SITUATION WORSE.
I KEEP READING ABOUT RUDY
GIULIANI.
WE GOT USED DURING THE TRUMP
ERA, A LEAK HERE, A LEAK THERE.
IT HAPPENED BACK DURING THE BUSH
ERA.
KARL ROVE, EVERY FRIDAY THEY
WOULD SAY, HEY, MAKE SURE YOURE
AROUND TO GO TO THE TV STUDIO.
KARL ROVE, THIS IS THE DAY WE
JUST HEARD FROM THE FBI A LEAK
THAT KARL ROVE IS GOING TO GO TO
JAIL.
BLAH BLAH.
THIS WASNT A LEAK.
THIS ACTUALLY WAS FROM THE
OFFICE.
I DONT KNOW IF THAT MEANS
ANYTHING.
IM NOT SURE ABOUT WHY YOU
ANNOUNCE WE ARE NOW
INVESTIGATING HIM FOR
CRIMINAL -- DO YOUR
INVESTIGATION.
BRING THE CHARGES OR DONT BRING
THE CHARGES.
BUT, AGAIN, THIS REALLY WASNT A
LEAK.
THIS IS THE OFFICE BASICALLY
SAYING WERE LOOKING INTO
CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST DONALD
TRUMP.
>> YEAH, JOE, YOU MADE YOUR
FEELINGS ABOUT LEAKS WELL KNOWN
IN RECENT WEEKS.
THIS IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL IF IT
COMES FROM A SPOKESPERSON FROM
THE ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE
CONFIRMING THAT THEY ARE NOW
LOOKING INTO A CRIMINAL MATTER
NOT JUST A CIVIL ONE.
THATS NOT SOMETHING WE HEAR
VERY OFTEN FROM OFFICES LIKE
THIS.
BUT CERTAINLY IT RAMPS UP THE
PRESSURE ON THE FORMER PRESIDENT
AND HIS BUSINESS, THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION.
WE KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN
INVESTIGATION THATS LONG IN THE
WORKS.
THAT SOME OF THE PRESIDENTS
CLOSEST ALLIES HAVE BEEN
INTERVIEWED IN RECENT MONTHS
INCLUDING HIS ADULT CHILDREN,
ERIC TRUMP AND DONALD TRUMP JR.
WHO HAVE BEEN RUNNING THE
BUSINESS WHILE DONALD TRUMP WAS
IN OFFICE.
AS WELL AS SOME OF THE TOP
OFFICIALS AT THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION, LIKE MICHAEL COHEN
AND ALLEN WEISSELBERG.
SO THAT EVIDENCE, THOSE
TESTIMONY, HAS BEEN COLLECTED
OVER THE RECENT MONTHS.
NOW, WHAT EXACTLY THEYRE
LOOKING AT HERE REMAINS, OF
COURSE, SOMEWHAT OF A MYSTERY.
ITS THE TRUMP ORGANIZATIONS
BUSINESSES.
ITS TAX PROCEDURES.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE THINGS
THAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT.
BUT TO GO A CRIMINAL MATTER
INHERENTLY A FAR BIGGER DEAL
THAN CIVIL.
NOW, WHETHER THIS LEADS TO
CHARGES OR NOT, UNCLEAR.
THAT DOESNT SAY THAT.
WHAT KIND OF TIMELINE, UNCLEAR.
WE KNOW THERE ARE INVESTIGATIONS
FROM VANCE, LATITIA JAMES,
LONG-TIME ADVERSARY OF DONALD
TRUMP AND THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION.
WELL SEE WHERE THIS LEADS.
CERTAINLY ADMIN MUM WE KNOW THE
FORMER PRESIDENT FACES SOME
LEGAL JEOPARDY COMING OUT OF
OFFICE AND ITS RAMPING UP IN
NEW YORK.
>> LETS BRING IN A COUPLE MORE
LEGAL VOICES TO HELP US WITH THIS.
KIMBERLY ATKINS AND ALSO WITH US
DANNISY VOL LOES.
GOOD MORNING TO YOU BOTH.
DANNY, WHY IS THIS A SIGNIFICANT
ANNOUNCEMENT, IF YOU BELIEVE IT
IS?
>> SIMPLY PUT ITS MORE
INVESTIGATIVE POWER GOING INTO
THE CRIMINAL SIDE OF THE
INVESTIGATION.
NOW, THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY
GENERAL LIKE OTHER ATTORNEYS
GENERAL HAS A BROADER ROLE THAN
SAY A DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE
BECAUSE THEY INVESTIGATE CIVIL
MATTERS, SUCH AS CHARITIES THAT
ARE NOT LIVING UP TO THEIR
CHARITABLE STATUS.
THEY INVESTIGATE ALL KINDS OF
DIFFERENT CONSUMER PROTECTION
ISSUES.
THEY ALSO ARE A LAW ENFORCEMENT
BRANCH.
SO IN THAT SENSE, THEY HAVE A
MUCH MORE DIVERSE SET OF
INTERESTS.
SO, FOR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO
ADD TOITS INVESTIGATION A
PREVIOUSLY CIVIL INVESTIGATION
THAT THIS IS A CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION, OF COURSE,
THEYRE STILL INVESTIGATING
VIOLATIONS OF NEW YORK STATE
LAW, JUST LIKE THE MANHATTAN
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE WOULD
BE, BUT THAT TELLS YOU THERES A
LOT MORE MAN AND WOMAN POWER
GOING INTO THIS INVESTIGATION
NOW, THIS CRIMINAL SIDE THAN
PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.
>> KIMBERLY, LOOKING AT LATITIA
JAMES.
SHES BEEN FOLLOWING PROBLEMS
THAT SHES BEEN SEEING HAPPENING
IN THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION AND
TOWARD THE PRESIDENCY FOR HIS
ENTIRE PRESIDENCY, COULD THIS
BRANCH OUT TO FAMILY MEMBERS?
ARE THERE ANY INDICATION AS TO
HOW WIDESPREAD THIS IS?
>> YEAH.
SO THE ANSWER IS IT COULD.
WE DONT KNOW YET.
WE ONLY HAVE THIS ONE BRIEF
STATEMENT THAT CAME OUT OF THE
STATE ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE.
BUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A
CIVIL MATTER AND WHAT WE SAW,
FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE TRUMP
CHARITY WHERE THE CHARITY WAS
SHUT DOWN, PEOPLE INVOLVED IN IT
WERE NO LONGER ABLE TO RUN
CHARITIES.
WITH A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION,
IT BRINGS IN OTHER ELEMENTS AS
WELL.
IF THERE WAS CRIMINALITY
SUSPECTED BASE ON WHAT SHE HAS
FOUND, DEPENDING ON WHO IT IS,
YOU MIGHT GET SOMEBODY WHO MAY
BE FACING CHARGES, WHO MAY BE
PERHAPS COOPERATE IN ADVANCING
THAT INVESTIGATION.
WE KNOW AS WE ALREADY STATED
THEY HAVE ALREADY TALKED TO
FOLKS LIKE MICHAEL COHEN.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE A CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION LIKE THAT IT CAN
SPRAWL OUT AS THIS INVESTIGATION
MOVES FORWARD, SO PERHAPS THAT
WAS ONE REASON FOR ANNOUNCING
THIS JUST TO PUT PEOPLE ON
NOTICE ABOUT THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE SAID,
THERES A BROAD ABILITY HERE
TO -- WITH THIS EXPANSION OF THE
INVESTIGATION, ITS REPORTED
THAT IT IS NOT JUST WHAT
DISTRICT ATTORNEY VANCE IN
MANHATTAN IS INVESTIGATING,
THERE IS SOME OVERLAP BETWEEN
THESE TWO BUT THAT THEY ARE
SEPARATE.
THAT COULD ALSO MEAN THERE COULD
BE SHARING OF INFORMATION
BETWEEN THE MANHATTAN DISTRICT
ATTORNEYS OFFICE AND THE STATE
ATTORNEY.
ITS CERTAINLY A RAMP UP.
WE DONT KNOW EXACTLY WHERE ITS
GOING OR HOW BROAD IT IS YET,
BUT IT CERTAINLY ISNT GOOD NEWS
FOR THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION.
>> DANNY, LETS DELIBERATELY GET
AHEAD OF OURSELVES HERE.
THERES BEEN SOME TALK ABOUT THE
CONCEPT OF EXTRADITION ABOUT THE
FORMER PRESIDENT WHO OF COURSE
FACES LEGAL SCRUTINY IN A NUMBER
OF PLACES, NEW YORK WE
DISCUSSED, ALSO GEORGIA, THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BECAUSE OF
THE EVENTS OF JANUARY 6th.
AND THERES BEEN SOME THOUGHT
THAT IF HE IS, SAY, ONE OF HIS
HOMES WHETHER ITS FLORIDA, OR
NEW JERSEY, THAT PERHAPS THERE
WOULD BE AN EXTRADITION EFFORT
TO BRING HIM BACK TO NEW YORK IF
HE WERE TO EVENTUALLY FACE
CHARGES.
CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH WHAT
THIS ALL MEANS AND HOW IT WOULD
WORK IF SOMEONE CAN STOP
EXTRADITION, WHETHER IT CAN
HAPPEN OR SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE
CONSIDERING IN THE MONTHS AHEAD?
>> IT WOULD WORK VERY EASILY FOR
THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT IS
PROSECUTING SOMEONE IF HES IN
THE UNITED STATES.
FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULD
HAVE TO BE IN HIS HOUSE IN SAUDI
ARABIA OR BRAZIL FOR EXTRADITION
TO POSE ANY BARRIER TO THE NEW
YORK STATE ATTORNEY TO BRING HIM
BACK.
PROCEDURALLY ITS A SIMPLE
PROCESS.
SOMEONE IS IN FLORIDA, THEYRE
ARRESTED, YOU WANT TO BRING THEM
BACK TO NEW YORK.
THERES A HEARING IN FLORIDA,
RELATIVELY BRIEF HEARING.
THE DEFENDANT WILL NOT BE ABLE
TO OPPOSE EXTRADITION IN BETWEEN
STATES.
ALL THE UNITED STATES HAS
EXTRADITION TREATIES WITH EACH
OTHER AND THAT TREATY IS YOU CAN
HAVE WHOEVER YOU WANT BECAUSE
THERE REALLY ISNT ANY ABILITY
OF A STATE TO HOLD ON TO SOMEONE
AND KEEP ANOTHER STATE FROM
PROSECUTING THEM.
FINDING THEM, TRACKING THEM
DOWN, SERVING AN ARREST WARRANT
ON THEM IN ANOTHER STATE THAT
CAN CREATE PROCEDURAL
COMPLEXITIES NOTHING THAT A
LITTLE INTERSTATE COOPERATION
AMONG LAW ENFORCEMENT CANT