IT’S 5:00 IN NEW YORK CITY
AND THIS IS THE FIVE.
♫
>> Kimberly: WE BEGIN WITH
THE BREAKING NEWS TODAY IN
THE SPECIAL COUNSEL’S RUSSIA
PROBE.
13 RUSSIANS AND THREE
RUSSIAN ENTITIES HAVE BEEN
CHARGED WITH AN ELABORATE
PLOT TO INTERFERE WITH OUR
2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL ROD
ROSENSTEIN MADE THE
ANNOUNCEMENT EARLIER AND
THERE IS A LOT TO BREAK
DOWN.
CHIEF INTELLIGENCE
CORRESPONDENT CATHERINE
HERRIDGE HAS ALL THE
DETAILS.
CATHERINE?
>> WELL, THANKS, KIMBERLY.
I WAS AT THAT NEWS
CONFERENCE AT MAIN JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS HERE
IN WASHINGTON WHEN THEY
RELEASED THIS 37-PAGE
INDICTMENT.
THE CHARGES WITH AGAINST 13
RUSSIAN NATIONALS.
THREE RUSSIAN ORGANIZATIONS
FOR ALLEGEDLY DEFRAUDING THE
UNITED STATES BUT
SPECIFICALLY THE ILLEGAL USE
OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO INTERFERE
IN THE ELECTION AND IN THIS
PARTICULAR CASE TO SUPPORT
THE CANDIDACY OF DONALD
TRUMP AND TO DISPARAGE
HILLARY CLINTON.
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS WE
LEARNED TODAY THAT THIS
OPERATION REALLY PREDATES
THE CONFIRMATION OF EITHER
OF THE LEADING CANDIDATES IN
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
IT BEGAN IN 2014 WHICH IS
WHEN IT WAS SEEDED IN
ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA BY AN
INDIVIDUAL WHO IS CLOSELY
ALIGNED WITH THE RUSSIAN
PRESIDENT.
BUT THEN IT REALLY KICKED
OFF AND PICKED UP STEAM IN
MID 2016 WHEN THEY TOOK
ABOUT 5 DOZEN PEOPLE AND
SPECIFICALLY TASKED THEM
WITH THE RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE IN OUR
ELECTION.
HERE’S THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY
GENERAL FROM EARLIER TODAY.
>> THERE IS NO ALLEGATION IN
THIS INDICTMENT THAT ANY
AMERICAN WAS A KNOWING
PARTICIPANT.
THERE IS NO ALLEGATION IN
THE INDICTMENT THAT THE
CHARGED CONDUCT ALTERED THE
OUTCOME OF THE 2016
ELECTION.
>> I HAVE READ THE
INDICTMENT TWICE NOW.
IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT
ANYONE WHO IS CONDUCTED TO
THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN IS
UNIDENTIFIED IN THE
INDICTMENT.
THEY ARE REFERRED TO SIMPLY
AS MEMBERS, VOLUNTEERS, OR
SUPPORTERS OF THE TRUMP
PAIN.
SINCE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT
TODAY, THE PRESIDENT HAS PUT
OUT A TWEET AND IT READS IN
PART: RUSSIA STARTED THEIR
ANTI--U.S. CAMPAIGN IN 2014,
LONG BEFORE I ANNOUNCED THAT
I WOULD RUN FOR PRESIDENT.
THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION
WERE NOT IMPACTED.
THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN DID
NOTHING WRONG.
NO COLLUSION.
THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
MADE CLEAR TODAY THAT AT
LEAST ON THIS DIGITAL PIECE
THEY FOUND THE RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE BUT THEY DID
NOT FIND ANY AMERICAN WAS
WILLINGLY COOPERATING WITH
THE RUSSIANS TO AMPLIFY THAT
EFFORT.
BUT THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY
GENERAL WAS SILENT ON OTHER
OUTSTANDING ISSUES THAT MAY
REMAIN IN THE RUSSIA CASE,
KIMBERLY.
>> Kimberly: ALL RIGHT,
CATHERINE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> YOU’RE WELCOME.
>> Kimberly: TREMENDOUS
DEVELOPMENTS TODAY AND IN A
WAY UNEXPECTED THAT THIS WAS
GOING TO COME OUT TODAY.
QUITE REVEALING AND A NUMBER
OF PEOPLE INDICTED.
WHAT IS YOUR TAKE AWAY?
>> Dana: COUPLE OF THINGS.
WHILE THERE ARE LOTS OF
LEAKS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE
GOVERNMENT, THE BOB MUELLER
INVESTIGATION, IT PRETTY IS
AIR TIGHT.
LIKE NOBODY KNEW IT WAS
COMING.
IN FACT, WHEN THE PRESS
CONFERENCE WAS ANNOUNCED, IT
WAS HAPPENING AT 1:15.
PRETTY MUCH NOBODY KNEW WHAT
IT WAS ABOUT.
SOME PEOPLE SPECULATED THAT
ROD ROSENSTEIN WAS GOING TO
RESIGN, OBVIOUSLY THAT
DIDN’T HAPPEN AND ACTUALLY
TODAY’S DEVELOPMENT PROBABLY
ENSURES THAT ROD ROSENSTEIN
IS NOT IN ANY DANGER OF
BEING FIRED ANY TIME SOON.
I THINK IT ALSO PROVES THAT
MITT ROMNEY WAS RIGHT.
REMEMBER IN THE CAMPAIGN
WHEN HE SAID TO PRESIDENT
OBAMA THAT THE RUSSIANS WERE
GEOPOLITICAL ENEMY AND OBAMA
DISMISSED IT TURNS OUT THAT
IN 2014, THIS IS WHEN ALL OF
THIS STARTED.
WE DO KNOW THAT EVERYBODY
HAS BEEN SAYING THAT THE
RUSSIANS TRY TO DO THIS ALL
THE TIME.
>> Kimberly: SURE.
>> Dana: IT’S POSSIBLE THAT
MAYBE THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION WAS
MONITORING IT IN 2014 AND
DIDN’T THINK IT WAS THAT BIG
OF DEAL.
IT CERTAINLY RAMPS UP.
AS JUAN HAS SAID BEFORE,
THERE IS FRUSTRATION ON
BEHALF OF THE DEMOCRATS THAT
THE PRESIDENT SEEMED TO NOT
HAVE DONE MORE AT THE TIME.
I THINK IT’S A SOLID
INDICTMENT.
I ALSO THINK THAT IT PROVES
THAT RUSSIAN MEDDLING WAS
NOT A HOAX.
AND SO BECAUSE THE GLOBAL
THREAT HEARING THAT HAPPENED
THIS WEEK -- THERE WAS A
FOCUS ON THIS ABOUT WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN 2018, HOPEFULLY
NOW AND THE PRESIDENT SAYS
IN HIS STATEMENT TODAY OR
THE PRESS SECRETARY’S
STATEMENT THAT THIS IS A
TIME FOR EVERYBODY TO WORK
TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT A WAY
TO PUSH BACK AGAINST THE
RUSSIANS.
ALSO, FOR THOSE OF YOU
TWITTER BOX IN
ST. PETERSBURG TWEETING MY
DURING THE ELECTION, I COULD
SAY IT BUT I WON’T.
I WON’T.
BUT IT REALLY -- IT WAS A
HORRIBLE THING TO GO
THROUGH.
ALL OF -- ANYBODY WHO WAS.
>> Kimberly: TARGETED.
>> Dana: PART OF THE
CAMPAIGN OR REPORTING ON THE
CAMPAIGN CONSIDERED
INFLUENTIAL WAS ABSOLUTELY
BOMBARDED BY THESE JERKS.
>> Kimberly: NOW THEY HAVE
GOTTEN TO THE BOTTOM OF IT.
THERE HAS BEEN EXPEDITIOUS
JUSTIFIABLE WITH THESE
INDICTMENTS.
GREG, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU
A SECOND WITH THE PRESIDENT
COMING OUT RIGHT AWAY WITH
HIS OWN COMMUNICATION
STRATEGY IN TERMS OF
TWEETING ABOUT IT AND
PUTTING THE POSTMARK BACK TO
2014 SAYING, LOOK, THIS DOES
NOT INVALIDATE THE
AUTHENTICITY, LEGITIMACY OF
MY CAMPAIGN, MY ELECTION AS
UNITED STATES PRESIDENT.
AND THIS PREDATED ANYTHING
AS IT RELATES TO MY
CAMPAIGN.
>> Gregg: INTERESTING TO SEE
HOW THE GOAL POST ARE BEING
MOVED.
THE PEOPLE CELEBRATING, THIS
PRETENDING THAT MEDDLING IS
COLLUSION IS BEING
DISHONEST.
ANYBODY WHO SAYS THIS IS
PROOF OF ANYTHING BEYOND
MEDDLING IS LYING.
LOOK, RUSSIANS MEDDLING IS
THEIR BASEBALL.
THAT’S THEIR PAST TIME.
AS SOMEBODY.
>> APPLE PIE AND MEDDLING.
>> Gregg: AS SOMEBODY
MARRIED TO A RUSSIAN I KNOW
THAT’S THE CASE.
SHE HAPPENS TO BE IN MOSCOW
RIGHT NOW.
I DON’T KNOW IF THAT’S THE
COINCIDENCE.
>> Kimberly: SHE IS GETTING
A QUICKIE DIVORCE.
>> Gregg: HERE IS THE DEAL.
THEY COORDINATED RALLIES TO
SUPPORT TRUMP.
THEY COORDINATED RALLIES TO
PROTEST TRUMP.
SO THERE IS LIKE THAT WEIRD
CHARACTER IN A SOAP OPERA
THAT’S TRYING TO LIKE BREAK
UP A MARRIED COUPLE AND SEW
DISCORD AMONG THEM AND MAKE
THEIR LIVES RUINED.
WE KNOW THIS IS WHAT THEY
DO.
THEY ARE THE GLOBE’S TROLLS.
WE HAVE TO BE VERY STOKE
VERY STOICABOUT THIS STUFF.
SCREAMING AT EACH OTHER
ABOUT WHETHER THE RUSSIANS
DID THIS AND WERE WE
INVOLVED OR WERE WE
COLLUDING?
THEY WERE WINNING.
THIS WHAT IS THE POLL POINT.
THAT’S WHY THEY SUPPORTED
TRUMP AND THAT’S WHY THEY
SUPPORTED THE PROTESTERS.
THAT’S WHY THEY GO AFTER
YOU.
AND THAT’S WHY THEY START
PUTTING OUT EMAILS THIS WAY.
>> Kimberly: THAT’S WHAT
THEY DO.
THEY HAVE BEEN DOING IT
FOREVER.
>> Gregg: REMEMBER ROCKY AND
BULL WINKLE WHO WERE THE
VILLAINS NATASHA AND BORIS.
WE KNEW THIS WHEN THEY WERE
KIDS.
WHEN WE ALLOW THEM TO
SEPARATE US, THAT WAS A
PROBLEM.
IT’S A PROBLEM WE CAN’T DO
TO THEM BECAUSE THEY ONLY
HAVE A SINGLE IDEOLOGY WHICH
IS BEING RUSSIAN.
>> Dana: THEY DON’T REALLY
HAVE ELECTIONS.
>> Jesse: 99.9% OF THE VOTE
WAS RIGGED.
>> Gregg: WE ARE PLAGUED BY
TEAM SPORT POLITICS THAT
DIVIDES ON EVERY ISSUE AND
THEY KNOW THAT.
THEY KNOW HOW TO PICK THE
TEAMS AND HAVE THEM GO AT
EACH OTHER JUST LIKE A SOAP
OPERA VILLAIN.
I ALMOST ADMIRE IT.
>> Kimberly: YOU ALMOST DO.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE
REFERENCE NATASHA AND BORIS.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE FROM THE
COMMUNICATIONS PIECE FROM
THE PRESIDENT AND PRESS
SECRETARY?
>> Jesse: HE SAID THERE IS
NO COLLUSION.
IS ANY WHITING COLLUSION AND
THAT WAS VERY SPECIFIC.
FOR PEOPLE SAYING THERE MAY
HAVE BEEN COLLUSION IN THE
INDICTMENT, I READ THE
INDICTMENT, IT WAS A LITTLE
BORING.
NOT VERY SEXY.
AT THE END IT SAID.
>> Kimberly: THAT’S WHAT THE
DOSSIER IS FOR.
[LAUGHTER]
>> Dana: YOU LIKE THAT ONE?
>> Jesse: RUSSIANS EMAILED A
TRUMP CAMPAIGN OFFICIAL
THREE TIMES OFFERING
LOCATIONS IN FLORIDA TO HAVE
A RALLY.
IT DOES NOT EVEN MENTION IF
THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN OFFICIAL
EMAILED BACK.
SO, THAT’S ALL YOU HAVE.
THEY COMMUNICATED
UNWITTINGLY.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN ONEWAY
COMMUNICATION.
I’M NOT GOING TO SAY THERE
WAS NO COLLUSION YET.
THERE IS STILL NO EVIDENCE
OF COLLUSION ACCORDING TO
THIS INDICTMENT.
WHAT THEY DID WAS BASICALLY
INFORMATION WARFARE.
THEY SET UP A BUNCH OF BOTS.
ONLY IN THE TENS OF MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS.
NOT THAT EXPENSIVE.
THEY BUY A BUNCH OF ADS ON
FACEBOOK.
AND WHEN YOU THINK OF HOW
SOPHISTICATED IT WAS, IT
WASN’T THAT SOPHISTICATED.
IT WAS RUDIMENTARY.
THEY WOULD HIRE A PERSON TO
DRESS UP LIKE HILLARY, PUT A
LITTLE BLONDE WIG ON AND
WEAR A PRISON JUMPSUIT AND
STAND AT A TRUMP RALLY.
SO WHEN I WAS -- ID ASK ONE
OF THESE PEOPLE DO YOU WANT
TO DO AN ENTER SHE SAID YES.
AND NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY.
>> Gregg: THAT REALLY
HAPPENED?
>> Jesse: SHE WAS PAID.
TO YOUR POINT, TOO.
>> Kimberly: YOU’RE GOING TO
BE CALLED TO TESTIFY.
WAY TO GO.
>> Jesse: THIS WAS PRO-TRUMP
FOR A WHILE AND PRO-BERNIE
SANDERS FOR A WHILE AND
ANTI-HILLARY AND THEN IT
BECAME ANTI-TRUMP AFTER THE
ELECTION.
SO THE POINT WAS TO SOW
DISCORD AND THAT WAS
EFFECTIVE.
I WOULD SAY THE DEMOCRATS
ARE HELPING THE RUSSIANS SOW
DISCORD BECAUSE OF THE
DOSSIER.
BECAUSE OF THE CONSTANT
ACCUSATIONS OF TREASON.
AND IF YOU BOIL IT ALL UP, I
WOULD SAY DOSSIER AND THESE
CRAZY ALLEGATIONS AND THE
BILLION DOLLARS HILLARY
SPENT ON ADVERTISING AND THE
BIASED MAINSTREAM MEDIA
PROPAGANDA WAS MUCH MORE
INFLUENTIAL THAN A FEW
HUNDRED TWITTER BOTS AND FEW
SILLY RALLIES HELD IN NEW
YORK CITY AFTER THE
ELECTION.
>> Kimberly: ALL RIGHT,
JUAN, LET ME GUESS, YOU SEE
IT DIFFERENTLY.
>> Juan: I DO.
I THINK WE HAVE A SITUATION
WHERE WE DON’T KNOW THE END
JEST JESS I AGREE.
>> Juan: STILL MIDSTREAM IN
TERMS OF WHAT MUELLER IS
DOING.
>> Jesse: I AGREE.
>> Juan: I WOULD SAY AS WE
HEARD FROM ROD ROSENSTEIN
THERE IS NO DIRECT EVIDENCE
OF ANY COMPLICITY BY ANY
PERSON IN THE TRUMP
CAMPAIGN.
WE DON’T KNOW THEY SAID AT
TIMES, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU HAD
PEOPLE IN THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN
WHO WOULD RETWEET A LOT OF
THE EFFORTS THAT WERE BEING
MADE BY THE RUSSIANS.
BUT, AGAIN, UNKNOWINGLY.
HAD PEOPLE SUGGESTING TO
THEM TARGET THESE SWING
STATES GO.
AFTER VIRGINIA.
LOOK AT COLORADO, ET CETERA.
AGAIN, MAYBE NOT KNOWING
THAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH
RUSSIANS WHO ARE
INTERFERING.
THE BIG POINT THAT I WOULD
REGISTER HERE AS THE TAKE
AWAY IS THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP
HAS SAID REPEATEDLY THAT
THIS IS FAKE NEWS.
THIS IS A FRAUD.
THERE WAS NO RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE IN THIS
ELECTION.
WELL NOW WE KNOW.
THEY ARE DEFINITELY THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY HAS
SAID IT.
ROBERT MUELLER HAS SAID IT
WE HAVE GOT AN INDICTMENT.
THERE WAS RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE IN THE 2016
ELECTION.
>> HE IS REFERRING TO
COLLUSION.
>> Juan: NO.
>> CAN HAVE YOUR MEDDLING,
THAT’S WHAT HE IS SAYING.
YOU KNOW WHAT HE MEANT.
HE SAID I WASN’T INVOLVED.
I WASN’T INVOLVED.
I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH
THIS.
I WON FAIR AND SQUARE.
THAT’S WHAT HE IS SAYING.
THE FACT THAT RUSSIANS
HELPED US WIN IS A HOAX IS
WHAT HE IS SAYING.
>> Juan: THAT’S NOT TRUE.
RUSSIANS DID HELP HIM WIN.
>> NO, NO.
THAT DID NOT EFFECT THE
OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION,
JUAN.
>> Gregg: THEY DIDN’T SAY
THAT.
>> Juan: RUSSIANS WERE
PROMOTING PROPAGANDA --
>> Gregg: IT DIDN’T EFFECT
THE ELECTION.
>> Juan: IT DID.
THE WAY WE TALK.
>> Gregg: BROADENING THE
WORD EFFECT.
>> Juan: THEY ARE BEHIND THE
HACKING OF HILLARY CLINTON’S
CAMPAIGN AND JOHN PODESTA
SPREADING OF RUMORS THAT
GETS PICKED UP BY MAINSTREAM
MEDIA THAT FOLLOWED THE
BUSINESS OF HER EMAIL AND
ALL THAT. THAT’S ALL
AMPLIFIED BY WHAT THE
RUSSIANS WERE DOING.
BUT ON A FUN LEVEL, I
DISAGREE WITH YOU, JESSE, I
THINK IT IS A FUN 37-PAGE
READ, BECAUSE THEY GOT --
YOU TALK ABOUT DRESSING UP
LIKE HILLARY, PUT HER IN A
CAGE, LOCK HER UP.
I THINK THAT’S PRETTY
HILARIOUS.
THEN THEY GOT THIS THING
ABOUT IF YOU ARE AWOKE BLACK
PERSONAL, CLINTON IS SATAN
AND WE CAN’T VOTE FOR THE
LESSER OF TWO DEVILS.
AND THEY HAVE ALSO BIG
SUPPORTERS OF JILL STEIN IS
WHO I THINK MIGHT BE IN SOME
TROUBLE HERSELF.
I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
WAY THAT THEY APPROACH OUR
ELECTION AND US AS AN
AMERICAN PEOPLE, THEY THINK
THAT WE ARE KIND OF DUMB
CUFFS.
GREG GREG THE REASON IS,
JUAN, THEY DON’T HAVE THE
VULNERABILITIES THAT WE
HAVE.
THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN DO
THIS.
NOW, WE CAN GO MESS WITH
UKRAINE AND DO THINGS LIKE
THAT AND BY THE WAY WE DO DO
THOSE THINGS.
SO THEY LOOK AT US AND THEY
GO -- I HAVE A FEELING THEY
LOOK AT WHAT THEY ARE DOING
AS DEFENSIVE MANEUVERS
FINDING OUT THINGS TO
PROTECT THEM WHICH IS WHAT A
LOT OF PEOPLE DO, NOT
CONDONING IT THE INTERESTING
THING TO ME IS I GREW UP IN
THE 70’S.
I REMEMBER HOW COLD WARRIORS
WERE SO MOCKED BY THE LEFT
THEACADEMIA.
IT IS SO REFRESHING TO SEE
ALL THESE DEMOCRATS COME OUT
SAYING HOW EVIL THIS EVIL
EMPIRE IS.
IT’S A LITTLE TOO LATE.
>> Jesse: I WOULD LIKE TO
ADD TO THAT BECAUSE UNDER
OBAMA’S WATCH YOU HAD RUSSIA
INVADE UKRAINE.
SET UP MILITARY BASES AND
PROP UP ASSAD WHEN THEY
GASSED THEIR OWN PEOPLE.
THEY SHIPPED WEAPONS AND
ANTI-AIRCRAFT MISSILES TO
IRAN.
OBAMA DIDN’T DO THAT MUCH.
HE WASN’T THAT TOUGH ON
RUSSIA.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN FROM
2014 UNTIL 2017, A FEW
HUNDRED RUSSIANS, WITH MAYBE
10 TO $20 MILLION, SHED A
LITTLE DISWARFARE RETWEETED
A BUNCH OF PROPAGANDA.
LATER AND EVERYONE IS CRYING
LIKE IT’S A NEW COLD WAR.
I JUST FEEL LIKE WHEN WE
REALLY NEEDED THE DEMOCRATS
TO HELP REPUBLICANS FIGHT
THE COLD WAR, THEY WERE
NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
BUT THE MINUTE YOU START.
>> Kimberly: THEY MOCKED
ROMNEY.
>> Jesse: WITH HILLARY.
THEN IT’S LIKE HAVE YOU GOT
TO FIGHT THESE GUYS.
>> Kimberly: NEVERTHELESS,
THERE WILL BE A GEOPOLITICAL
FALLOUT AND ALSO IN AREAS