>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS TO YOU AT HOME FOR
JOINING US THIS HOUR. RACHEL HAS THE NIGHT OFF.
"THE WALL STREET JOURNAL" REPORTING THAT SPECIAL COUNSEL
ROBERT MUELLER HAS IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS CONVENED A GRAND JURY
IN WASHINGTON, D.C. TO NERVOUS GAIT RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN THE
2016 ELECTION AND WHETHER THERE WAS COORDINATION BETWEEN THE
TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIA. THE JOURNAL'S REPORTING HAS BEEN
FOLLOWED UP BY THE WASHINGTON POST.
TONIGHT'S NEWS DOES NOT MEAN THAT INDICTMENTS ARE EMINENT OR
THAT THEY WOULD NECESSARILY HAPPEN.
BUT IT DOES MARK THE NEXT FORMAL STEP IN SPECIAL COUNSEL
MUELLER'S INVESTIGATION. A GRAND JURY WITH ALSO SUBPOENA
DOCUMENTS AND FORCE WITNESSES TO TESTIFY.
IN THE AND FEDERAL PROSECUTOR NEEDS A GRAND JURY TO SIGN OFF
ON ANY INDICTMENT IF CRIMINAL CHARGES ARE GOING TO BE BROUGHT.
IN THAT SENSE TODAY'S NEWS IS THE LATEST STEP IN A LONG
PROCESS THAT STARTED OVER A YEAR AGO WHEN THE FBI LAUNCHED AN
INVESTIGATION INTO THE TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN'S CONTACTS WITH RUSSIA.
WHIELT WAS WIDELY SUSPECTED THAT THE FBI WAS INVESTIGATING THOSE
TIES, THE EXISTENCE OF THE INVESTIGATION ONLY BECAME
OFFICIAL IN MARCH WHEN FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY SENT SHOCK
WAVES ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY CONFIRMING DURING A LIVE HEARING
ON CAPITOL HILL WHAT EVERYONE UNTIL THEN HAD ONLY SUPPORTED.
THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN WAS A SUBJECT OF AN OPEN ACTIVE COUNTER
INTELLIGENCE INVESTIGATION BY THE FBI AND HAD BEEN SINCE THE
SUMMER BEFORE THE ELECTION. >> I HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO CONFIRM THAT THE FBI, AS PART F OUR
COUNTER INTELLIGENCE MISSION, IS INVESTIGATING THE RUSSIAN
GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO INTERFERE IN THE 2016
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. AND THAT INCLUDES INVESTIGATING
THE NATURE OF ANY LINKS BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT AND WHETHER THERE WAS
ANY COORDINATION BETWEEN THE CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIA'S EFFORTS.
AS WITH ANY COUNTER INTELLIGENCE INVESTIGATION, THIS WILL ALSO
INCLUDE AN ASSESSMENT OF WHETHER ANY CRIMES WERE COMMITTED.
>> THAT WAS JAMES COMEY TESTIFYING IN MARCH REVEALING
THAT THE INFORMATION HAD BEGUN MONTHS BEFORE, IN JULY OF 2016.
COMEY WAS DUE TO TESTIFY AGAIN ON MAY 11th IN OPEN SESSION BUT
TWO DAYS BEFORE THAT HEARING THE BOMBSHELL NEWS LANDED LATE ON
THE NIGHT OF MAY 9th THAT DONALD TRUMP HAD FIRED JAMES COMEY FROM
HIS JOB AS FBI DIRECTOR. TWO DAYS LATER IN HIS FIRST
PUBLIC COMMENTS THE PRESIDENT SAPT DOWN WITH LEATHER HOLT THAT
TURNED OUT TO BE CONSEQUENTIAL SINCE DURING THAT INTERVIEW HE
SPOKE CANDIDLY ABOUT WHY HE FIRED COMEY, BECAUSE HE WAS
THINKING ABOUT RUSSIA. >> THERE WAS NO GOOD TIME TO DO
IT. AND IN FACT WHEN I DECIDED TO
JUST DO IT, I SAID TO MYSELF, I SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS RUSSIAN
THING WITH TRUMP AND RUSSIA IS A MADEUP STORY.
>> THAT WAS THE REASON THAT DONALD TRUMP GAVE VOLUNTARILY ON
TV. LATER THAT NIGHT AND IN THE
FOLLOW DAYS, AT FIRST A PRIVATE DINNER AT THE WHITE HOUSE BACK
IN JANUARY AT A PRIVATE DINNER AT THE WHITE HOUSE BACK IN
JANUARY THE PRESIDENT HAD ASKED COMEY TO PLEDGE HIS LOYALTY TO
HIM. AND THEN DURING A MEETING IN THE
OVAL OFFICE, AFTER DISMISSING EVERYONE ELSE FROM THE ROOM,
INCLUDING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, TRUMP PRESSURED COMEY TO DROP
THE INVESTIGATION INTO FIRE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
MICHAEL FLYNN, REPORTEDLY SAYING I HOPE YOU CAN LET THIS GO.
WE HAVE THESE TWO STORIES, THE PRESIDENT FIRING COMEY AND THE
FORMER NIB DIRECTOR SAYING THAT THE PRESIDENT PUSHED HIM TO BACK
OFF THE INVESTIGATION INTO MICHAEL FLYNN.
THOSE COMPETING STORIES PROMPTED A CRUCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THIS
STORY. THE DAY AFTER THE REPORT ABOUT
THE OVAL OFFICE MEETING, THINGS BEGAN MOVING AT THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT. ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF SESSIONS
HAD RECUSED HIMSELF FROM THE INVESTIGATION MONTHS BEFORE
BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN PART OF THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN.
THAT LEFT DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL ROD ROSENSTEIN IN
CHARGE. AFTER THE PRESIDENT SAID HE WAS
THINKING OF RUSSIA WHEN HE FIRED COMEY, DEPUTY AG ROSENSTEIN MADE
THE DECISION TO APPOINT A SPECIAL COUNSEL, NOT JUST ANY
SPECIAL COUNSEL BUT COMEY'S PREDECESSOR AT THE FBI.
ROBERT MUELLER WAS TAKING OVER THE INVESTIGATION.
SINCE THEN SPECIAL COUNSEL MUELLER HAS BEEN METHODICALLY
GOING ABOUT BUSINESS, HIRING A TEAM OF EXPERIENCED LAWYERS, 16
AND COUNTING WITH EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF CORRUPTION AND
CRIMINAL FRAUD CASES. OCCASIONALLY DETAILS HAVE
SPILLED OUT INTO THE OPEN. IN JUNE WE LEARNED THAT THE
SPECIAL COUNSEL HAS ESSENTIALLY SWALLOWED UP ONGOING FEDERAL
INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE ACTIVITIES OF TRUMP CAMPAIGN
CHAIR PAUL MANAFORT AND OF MICHAEL FLYNN.
NBC NEWS AND OTHER OUTLETS REPORTED THAT SUBPOENAS WERE
ISSUED TO BUSINESS ASSOCIATES OF BOTH MANAFORT AND FLYNN BY A
FEDERAL GRAND JURY IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA.
WHICH MADE SENSE. THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
SITS RIGHT OUTSIDE WASHINGTON, D.C.
IT HANDLES LOTS OF NATIONAL SECURITY CASES AND PROSECUTIONS
WITH AN INTELLIGENCE COPONENT TO THEM.
BHIEL THE GRAND JURY DETAILS HAVE BEEN SCARCE, IT SEEMS THAT
THE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION WAS BEING RUN OUT OF THE EASTERN
DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA THAT IS UNTIL TODAY, WHEN IT WAS
REPORTED THAT THE SPECIAL COUNSEL HAS BEEN USING A
SEPARATE GRAND JURY IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
HERE'S AN INTERESTING IDEA. THE WASHINGTON POST REPORTING
QUOTE EXPERTS SAY THAT WASHINGTON WOULD BE THE
APPROPRIATE PLACE TO CONVENE A GRAND JURY TO EXAMINE ACTIONS
TAKEN BY TRUMP SINCE HE BECAME PRESIDENT AND TOOK UP RESIDENCE
AT THE WHITE HOUSE. MANY OF THE POTENTIAL CRIMES
MUELLER'S TEAMS ARE INVESTIGATING WOULD HAVE
OCCURRED IN THE DISTRICT, SUCH AS ALLEGATIONS THAT TRUMP AIDES
OR ADVISERS MADE FALSE STATEMENTS IN DISCLOSURE RECORDS
OR LIED TO FEDERAL AGENTS. TONIGHT LAWYERS IF ARE THE
PRESIDENT HAVE BEEN UNITED IN THEIR RESPONSE.
THREE MEMBERS HAVE RESPONDED TO THE NEWS WITH VERSIONS OF THE
SAME STATEMENT SAYING QUOTE, WE HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
JOINING US NOW IS ONE OF THE REPORTERS THAT BROKE THIS STORY,
DELL WEBER AND HE COVERS THE WHITE HOUSE FOR "THE WALL STREET
JOURNAL." CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SCOOP
AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE. LET'S GO THROUGH A FEW OF THE
THINGS THAT YOU BROUGHT OUT IN THIS PIECE.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE IDEA THAT THE FACT OF THIS SEPARATE GRAND
JURY IN D.C. MEANS THAT MUELLER'S TEAM HAS DUG IN FOR
THE LONG HAUL, IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN.
>> YEAH, THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN, AS YOU SAID, USING A GRAND JURY
OUT OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA THAT WAS
INVESTIGATING -- AT LEAST WE'RE ABLE TOO DETERMINE IS MICHAEL
FLYNN. BY SWITCHING TO ONE IN D.C. WHAT
YOU'RE SAYING IS IF WE WERE GOING TO KEEP INVESTIGATING
FLYNN AND ONLY FLYNN ASPECTS IN THIS CASE, WE WOULD KEEP USING
THE GRAND JURY. WE WOULDN'T JUAN TO REINVENT THE
WHEEL. BY SWITCHING AND STARTING HIS
OWN GRAND JURY IN WASHINGTON, D.C., JUST A STONE'S THROW FROM
HIS OWN OFFICE, HE'S SAYING THIS IS GOING TO BE A BROADER PROBE,
THIS IS VERY SIRIUS AND I'M EXPECTED TO KEEP DOING THIS FOR
A WHILE. >> AND YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME
OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE BROUGHT IN AS EVIDENCE THAT THIS IS A
VERY SERIOUS PROBE THAT COULD BE LONG TERM.
ONE OF THEM IS A TOP PARTNER AT A BIG LAW FIRM.
EXPLAIN WHY HE'S IMPORTANT. >> IF YOU'RE A TOP PARTNER IN IN
A MAJOR NEW YORK LAW FIRM AND YOU'RE MAKING GOOD MONEY, YOU'RE
NOT GOING TO LEAVE YOUR GOOD SOLID JOB AT A MAJOR LAW FIRM TO
JOIN AN INVESTIGATION THAT'S NOT GOING TO LAST VERY LONG OR VERY
SERIOUS. YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE IT FOR
SOMETHING THAT WILL END SOMEWHERE OR COME PLACE THAT'S
GOING TO BE -- A BIG CHALLENGE THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME
AND A LOT OF TIME. YOU WOULDN'T LEAVE A BIG LAW
FIRM WILLY-NILLY AS ONE OF THE FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTORS I
INTERVIEWED SAID. >> THIS IS SENSITIVE
INFORMATION. DO YOU GET A SENSE OF WHY
INFORMATION LIKE THIS IS COMING OUT AT THIS TIME?
>> I THINK PEOPLE, IN GENERAL, IF YOU KEEP DIGGING YOU'RE
EVENTUALLY GOING TO GET INFORMATION.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF REPORTING ON SENSITIVE SUBJECTS LATELY
ABOUT STUFF IN WASHINGTON. GRAND JURIES ARE SECRET FOR THE
PROSECUTORS AND THE AGENTS WHO WORK THERE.
BUT THEY'RE NOT SECRET IF YOU'RE A WITNESS AND YOU GO BEFORE A
GRAND JURY, YOU CAN TELL THE WORLD WHAT YOU SAID IN THERE, OR
IF YOU G A SUBPOENA YOU CAN TELL THE WORLD WHAT YOU SAID IN
THERE. WHEN YOU KNOW THEY'RE MOVING TO
A GRAND JURY PROBE, IT'S NO LONGER A COUNTER INTELLIGENCE
INVESTIGATION WHICH IS HIGHLY CLASSIFIED, VERY SECRETIVE.
GRAND JURY STUFF IS SECRETIVE BUT IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF GRAND JURORS IN THERE BUT YOU VETTED THEM BUT
NOT SUPER EXTENSIVELY. AND YOU HAVE TO REPORT BACK TO
THEM ON WHAT YOU'VE FOUND IF YOU WANT TO SEEK CHARGES AT SOMEOME
TIME. THIS IS VERY EARLY IN THE
HE'S ONLY BEEN DOING THIS FOR TWO MONTHS.
>> WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE NOW SOME ATTEMPTS TO PROTECT
THIS INVESTIGATION FROM DONALD TRUMP WHO ARE NO PLEASED WITH
THE DEVELOPMENTS. >> THERE ARE SOME MEASURES PUT
FORTH IN CONGRESS TO ISOLATE ROBERT MUELLER SO HE CAN'T BE
FIRED. SOME MEMBERS OF EACH PARTY IS
CONCERNED THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WASN'T HAPPY WITH SESSIONS LAST
WEEK AND HE'S INDICATED THAT HE DOESN'T LIKE THE RUSSIAN
INVESTIGATION. THERE ARE TALKS THAT HE COULD
TAKE STEPS TO END IT. PEOPLE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN
THESE THINGS ARE BEING INVESTIGATED LIKE THIS, NO ONE
KNOWS HOW THEY'RE GOING TO TURN OUT AND PEOPLE WHO PROGNOSTICATE
A POTENTIAL ENDINGS TO THESE THINGS ARE OFTEN WRONG.
>> YEAH. >> AND A LOT OF STUFF NEVER
TURNS INTO INDICTMENTS AND CHARGES AND WE NEED TO BE
MEASURED AND THOUGHTFUL. IT'S A SIGNIFICANT MOVE.
IT SHOWS THAT HAVING YOUR OWN GRAND JURY IN WASHINGTON
HIGHLIGHTS THAT HEY, THIS IS BROADER THAN WHAT I THOUGHT IT
WAS BEFORE >> SURE.
>> AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE ISSUING UBPOENAS AND PERHAPS