>> I THINK PEOPLE HAVE TO FIND
OUT WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS
DOING DURING THAT PERIOD, IF
WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT FOREIGN
INFLUENCE, FOR THE VERY SAME
REASON WE SHOULD BE WORRIED
ABOUT WHETHER GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS ABUSED THEIR POWER AND
PUT THEIR THUMB ON THE SCALE,
AND SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT
HAPPENED, BUT I'M SAYING THAT WE
HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT.
NEIL: THE THING ABOUT WHETHER
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WAS TELLING
OUR BILL HAMMER THERE THAT WE'VE
BEEN SO FOCUSED ON THE RUSSIANS
INTERFERING IN THE ELECTION WHAT
IF THE REAL INTENT EARLY ON WAS
OUR OWN GOVERNMENT TRYING TO
INFLUENCE THAT ELECTION?
THAT'S THE IMPLICATION OF WHAT
HE IS SAYING THERE SO LET'S TALK
TO FORMER WHITEWATER INDEPENDENT
COUNSEL ROBERT RAY.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.
NICE TO BE WITH YOU THIS MORNING
NEIL: IT'S ALIGNING ALONG, IT'S
RIGHT WHERE THE DEMOCRATS ARE
SAYING REPUBLICANS CAN'T LET GO
OF THIS SCANDAL, CHARGE, AND
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS
DIVIDED AS TO WHETHER LOOKING AT
THE SOURCE OF THE INVESTIGATION
IS A LEGITIMATE ONE.
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
>> DIDN'T THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
LOOK MEASURED TO YOU?
IT'S NOT SUGGESTING ONE WAY OR
ANOTHER WHAT THE OUTCOME WOULD
BE.
HE'S GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT
THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE
INVESTIGATIONS TO DO.
I DON'T THINK IT WILL TAKE LONG.
I THINK THAT IT'S AN APPROPRIATE
THING TO ASK AND WHERE WE GOT
OFF THE TRACK HERE IS THERES NO
QUESTION THAT THE INVESTIGATION
COMMENCED WITH CONCERNS ABOUT
RUSSIA MEDDLING IN OUR ELECTION.
THE DIFFICULTY THOUGH, AND THE
ONE THAT HE'S LOOKING INTO,
WHICH I THINK DOES DESERVE FOCUS
IS ONCE THAT INVESTIGATION
COMMENCED, WHERE DID IT START TO
SHIFT AND TO THE POINT WHERE THE
INVESTIGATION TURNED TOWARD
INVESTIGATING THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN
AND THAT'S A SERIOUS ISSUE TO BE
LOOKING AT AND A DEMOCRACY WHERE
IT DOES HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF
IMPACTING THE OUTCOME OF AN
ELECTION.
JUST AS MUCH AS ONE WOULD BE
CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER THERE
WERE THINGS PENDING AGAINST THEN
-CANDIDATE HILLARY CLINTON
WITH REGARD TO ITS POTENTIAL
IMPACT ON HER ABILITY TO BE
ELECTED.
THOSE WERE THINGS THAT ONE OUGHT
TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT IN A
DEMOCRACY AND WE SHOULD EXPECT
THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
WHEN CONDUCTING A SENSITIVE
INVESTIGATION DOES SO THROUGH
APPROPRIATE PROCEDURE, IT DOES
IT CAREFULLY, IT DOES IT IN A
NON-PARTISAN WAY AND THERE ARE,
YOU KNOW, LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS
ASKED ABOUT WHY THE SAME GROUP
OF INVESTIGATORS, FOR EXAMPLE,
SHIFTED FROM INITIALLY WORKING
ON THE HILLARY CLINTON E-MAIL
INVESTIGATION AND THEN WENT OVER
TO THE OTHER SIDE AND STARTED
LOOKING AND INVESTIGATING THE
TRUMP CAMPAIGN.
NEIL: DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S
INTERESTING I WAS FLIPPING
AROUND LAST NIGHT TO A LOT OF
THE COVERAGE OF THE OTHER
NETWORKS AND THERE WERE EVEN A
FEW DEMOCRATS ARE SAYING WELL WE
KNOW THAT MAYBE A LOT OF THIS
WAS PRECIPITATED BY A DOSSIER
LATER PROVED LESS THAN CREDIBLE
BUT OTHER THINGS CAME UP IN THE
INTERIM.
THEN, FINE.
THEN WHAT'S WRONG WITH LOOKING
AT EVERYTHING ELSE THAT CAME UP,
AND WHETHER THIS WAS BUILT ON A
FALSE PREMISE.
IF WE'RE LOOKING AT INTERVENTION
, OF ANY SORT,
SHOULDN'T THAT BE A BIPARTISAN
WISH?
>> WELL YOU WOULD HOPE SO AND
THAT'S WHY I STARTED WITH
DOESN'T THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
LOOK MEASURED WHEN HE IS SAYING
THAT I'M NOT PRE-JUDGING THE
OUTCOME AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER
OR NOT ANYBODY DID ANYTHING
INAPPROPRIATE HERE, BUT IT IS
WELL TO ASK, AND YOU WOULD
EXPECT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
TO DO SO.
NEIL: BUT YOU SAID IT WOULDN'T
TAKE LONG.
>> WELL I DON'T THINK WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT A 22-MONTH
INVESTIGATION TO GET TO THE
BOTTOM OF THE QUESTION.
NEIL: MONTHS?
>> WELL MAYBE SEVERAL WEEKS,
MAYBE A FEW MONTHS BUT I THINK
WE OUGHT TO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF
THAT WELL IN TIME BEFORE THE
ELECTION.
NEIL: AND HOW WOULD THAT DIFFER,
ROBERT, FROM THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL REPORT, WHICH COULD COME
OUT ANY DAY.
>> WELL UNDERSTAND THAT THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL'S REPORT OF
COURSE IS A REVIEW INTERNALLY OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
EMPLOYEES, AND REALLY ONLY HAS
THE AUTHORITY TO REFER FOR
DISCIPLINARY ACTION OR TO REFER
TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
LEADERSHIP, THE QUESTION OF
PROSECUTION, SO THE IG THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL, MICHAEL
HOROWITZ IS A FACT GATHERER BUT
HE DOESN'T HAVE PROSECUTION
AUTHORITY.
OBVIOUSLY WHAT ATTORNEY GENERAL
BARR IS TALKING ABOUT AMONG
OTHER THINGS IS DETERMINING
WHETHER OR NOT ANYONE SHOULD BE
SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINE, WHETHER
ANYBODY MORE SIGNIFICANTLY
SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO PROSECUTION
FOR CRIMES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN
COMMITTED.
NEIL: HE CAN RECOMMEND THAT?
>> WELL THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
CAN REFER AND RECOMMEND FOR
PROSECUTION BUT ONLY THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL CAN DECIDE
WHETHER OR NOT TO BRING A
PROSECUTION UNDER THOSE
CIRCUMSTANCES.
NEIL: BUT WOULD THE LAWYER HE
PICKED TO HANDLE THAT --
>> HE WOULD HAVE PROSECUTION
AUTHORITY ALL OF THE AUTHORITY
OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
NEIL: HE COULD FALL UNDER THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL?
>> AND DECIDE THAT THE HIGHER
THRESHOLD OF PROOF BEYOND A
REASONABLE DOUBT AND THE
BRINGING OF A FEDERAL
PROSECUTION UNDER THOSE
CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD BE WARRANTED
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT
STEP AND I THINK THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL APPROPRIATELY WAS
CAUTIOUS TO SAY LOOK WE'RE NOT
TALKING ABOUT THAT YET.
WE DON'T KNOW YET THAT'S WHY
WE'RE HAVING AN INVESTIGATION.
I EXPECT THAT WE'LL HAVE THE
RESULTS OF THAT INVESTIGATION,
YOU KNOW, IN PLENTY OF TIME FOR
THE ELECTORATE TO ABSORB ALL OF
THAT PRIOR TO THE ELECTION.
NEIL: I'M WONDERING WHETHER
PEOPLE ARE FATIGUED BY THIS BUT
ONE THING THAT SHOULD STICK WITH
PEOPLE WHETHER THEY LIKE DONALD
TRUMP OR NOT, THE FBI IS BEING
PRETTY ZEALOUS HERE, REALLY
SPYING AND I WONDER HOW WOULD
YOU FEEL IF THAT WERE YOU?
>> I THINK PEOPLE HAVE
QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS,
PARTICULARLY WHEN THE ISSUE,
ALONG WITH THE OBVIOUSLY
SIGNIFICANT POWERS THAT THE FBI
CARRIES WHETHER OR NOT ANYBODY
ACTED IN A BIASED AND
INAPPROPRIATE WAY, AS THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL SUGGESTED AS
SOMEBODY TRIED TO PUT THE THUMB
ON THE SCALE HERE IN CONNECTION
WITH AN OUTCOME.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT
YOU DO NOT WANT TO HAPPEN WITHIN
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
POLITICS AND PROSECUTION SHOULD
NOT MIX.
THAT ALSO INCLUDES INVESTIGATION
S GIVEN THE
SUBSTANTIAL POWERS THAT WE HAVE,
YOU KNOW, WE GIVE TO THE FBI AND
THEN I THINK FINALLY, TO SAY,
THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE ON
NOTICE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT WHO
HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE STEELE
DOSSIER.
WHY WEREN'T THOSE CONCERNS
ADDRESSED?
WERE THEY ADDRESSED?
WHY DID INFORMATION APPARENTLY
RELIED UPON COMING FROM THE
STEELE DOSSIER PLACED INTO THE
AFFIDAVIT BEFORE THE FISA COURT
AND WHY DIDN'T THE ISSUES ABOUT
THE CONCERNS THAT APPARENTLY
PEOPLE IN THE DEPARTMENT HAVE
ABOUT THE BIAS THAT WAS INHERENT
IN HOW THAT STEELE DOSSIER CAME
TO BE.
WHY WASN'T THAT FULLY DISCLOSED
TO THE FISA COURT?
THOUGH WERE ALL LEGITIMATE
QUESTIONS I DON'T KNOW THE
ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS AND
I'M NOT SUGGESTING NECESSARILY
THAT ANYBODY DID ANYTHING WRONG
OR CRIMINAL, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S
WHY WE HAVE AN INVESTIGATION TO
DETERMINE THAT.
I THINK AT THIS POINT GIVEN ALL
OF THE WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE
HERE IT SHOULD NOT TAKE LONG, I
DON'T THINK, FOR PROSECUTORS AND
INVESTIGATORS NOW WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT AND THE U.S. ATTORNEY
AND THE DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT
TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM.
NEIL: BUT YOU DO HAVE TO WONDER
TO YOUR POINT, THE PRESIDENT OR
THE DEMOCRATS FEEL ABOUT THEIR
OWN PARTY, THAT WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN WITH
RUSSIA.
DO WE WANT TO MAKE JUST AS SURE
THAT THE FBI DOESN'T GO FLYING
OFF ON A TANGENT OR AN ATTACK
LINE THAT MIGHT NOT BE BASED ON
ANYTHING MORE.
>> I THINK THAT'S JUST AS AN
IMPORTANT POINT.
I DO THINK SEPARATE AND APART
FROM WHETHER OR NOT ANYBODY IS
SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINE OR WHETHER
ANY CRIMES WERE COMMITTED AND I
THINK WE'LL AWAIT THE RESULTS OF
THE INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE
IT, BUT I THINK ALSO THIRD AND
FINALLY AND MAYBE MOST
IMPORTANTLY, I SUSPECT THAT
WHAT'S GOING TO RESULT FROM THIS
INVESTIGATION IS A TUNING UP OF
THE PROCEDURES IN PLAY, AT THE
FBI, AND AT HIGHER LEVELS OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, SO THAT
IN THE FUTURE IF THIS EVER DOES
HAPPEN AGAIN, IT IS SUBJECT TO
VERY CLOSE SUPERVISION, ALL THE
WAY UP TO AND INCLUDING THOSE
POLITICALLY ACCOUNTABLE WHICH
WOULD INCLUDE THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL, HIMSELF, OR HERSELF, SO
THAT IN THE FUTURE, IF WE HAVE
AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS SORT WE
DO FOLLOW PROCEDURE FURTHER
THOUGHT OF I THINK MORE
APPROPRIATE THOUGHT IS GIVEN TO
HOW WE GO ABOUT NOTIFYING A
CAMPAIGN IN THE MIDST OF A
CYCLE OR NOT.
NEIL: OR NOT.
>> AND THAT THOSE CALLS ARE
MADE AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND
THOSE ACCOUNTABLE SHOULD BE, I
MEAN THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT HERE,
THIS SHOULDN'T BE ONE PERSON'S
DECISION OR ONE LEAD
INVESTIGATORS DECISION WITHIN
THE FBI.
THIS SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE
ATTENTION OF THE HIGHEST LEVELS
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND
APPROPRIATE CALL SHOULD BE MADE.
I IMAGINE IN THE FUTURITIES
GOING TO REQUIRE THE PERSONAL
INTERVENTION OF THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL AND A WRITTEN SIGN-OFF
BEFORE SOMETHING LIKE THIS
HAPPENS AND ALSO SOME
UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT, HOW
UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES IS THE
CAMPAIGN NOTIFIED ABOUT THE FACT
THAT THERE MAY BE POTENTIAL
INFILTRATION BY FOREIGN SOURCES
WITH REGARD TO THAT ONGOING
CAMPAIGN, IN THE MIDDLE OF AN
ELECTION CYCLE.
NEIL: THIS IS THE LARGEST AND
MOST FAR-REACHING INVESTIGATING
POWER ON THE PLANET, THE FBI.
>> RIGHT.
NEIL: AND --
>> AND THERE'S NOT TO SAY THAT
THAT'S INAPPROPRIATE.
THERE ARE OCCASIONS --
NEIL: BUT IF YOU ARE BASING THAT
EVEN PARTLY ON A FALSE PREMISE,
DON'T THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE A
RIGHT TO KNOW THAT?
>> I THINK THEY DO AND NO ONE
IS SUGGESTING THAT INVESTIGATION
S DON'T WORK OFF OF
LEADS.
SOME OF THOSE LEADS DON'T ALWAYS
PAN OUT OR TURN OUT TO BE TRUE.
WE DON'T EXPECT INVESTIGATORS TO
BE PERFECT.
NEIL: ABSOLUTELY.
>> BUT WE DO EXPECT THEM TO BE
RESPONSIBLE.
NEIL: AND TO CEASE AND ASSIST
WHEN YOU REALIZE IT.
>> AND WE ALSO MORE IMPORTANTLY
EXPECT THEM NOT TO BE POLITICAL
LY MOTIVATED WHEN
MAKING JUDGMENTS ABOUT PEOPLE'S
LIBERTY.
THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT.
NEIL: BUT NOW THE IRONY IS THE
POLITICAL VIEW OF THIS IS THAT
IT'S POLITICALLY BIAS IN REVERSE
>> WELL THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME
DAMAGE DONE ON PURPOSE TO THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S REPUTATION,
PRECISELY BECAUSE THEY ARE
AFRAID OF WHERE THIS MIGHT LEAD.
LOOK, THAT COMES WITH THE
TERRITORY, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
'S WELL-ABLE TO HANDLE
THAT, BUT THE INVESTIGATION
PROCEEDS NONETHELESS.
HE'S NOT GOING TO BE CARRIED BY
ANYBODY IS MY IMPRESSION OF THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL.
LOOK THE QUESTION FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE TO DECIDE IS DO
YOU THINK THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE
INVESTIGATION?
I SUGGEST THAT YOU SHOULD, AND
WE'VE EXPLAINED NOW, OR WE'VE
DISCUSSED WITH THE REASONS WHY
AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
ULTIMATELY DECIDE AND PUBLIC
SENTIMENT WILL DECIDE WHETHER
THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE VEST GARY
COHEN TORI AVENUE TO PURSUE.
I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT.
I THINK IT OBVIOUSLY DOES HAVE
THE POTENTIAL.
NEIL: AND JUST SAY WHAT
TRIGGERED THIS, WAS IT WARRANTED
WHAT TRIGGERED IT, AND LET THE
CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY.
THAT WAS THE ARGUMENT FOR THE
ENTIRE MUELLER REPORT ITSELF.
>> THAT MAYBE DIFFICULT FOR THE
CURRENT ENVIRONMENT AND I THINK
THAT'S WHAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
IS INTENDING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE.
NEIL: WE'LL WATCH VERY CLOSELY