THE SHOW. >>> BUT WE BEGIN WITH BREAKING
NEWS IN THE MUELLER PROBE.
FORMER TRUMP LAWYER MICHAEL
COHEN IS NOW TALKING TO BOB
MUELLER.
MUELLER. HE SPENT HOURS DOING IT AND HE
TALKED ABOUT COLLUSION, ABOUT
RUSSIA AND ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS
AND EVEN ABOUT B PARDONS.
THAT MAY SOUND LIKE DONALD
TRUMP’S WORST NIGHTMARE AND IF
HIS NOMINEE WERE NOT IN PERIL,
IT WOULD BE THE LARGEST LEGAL
WORRY.
WORRY. ALTHOUGH IT’S FAIR TO SAY THE
WHITE HOUSE LEGAL TEAM IS
BASICALLY BEING ROCKED IN BOTH
OF THESE DIRECTIONS.
PRESSURE ON THE MAN THAT TRUMP
MAY HOPE WOULD PROTECT HIM
AGAINST ANY RUSSIA PROBE ISSUES
AND THEN PRESSURE FROM THE MAN
WHO USED TO BE PAID TO PROTECT
HIM AGAINST ALL LEGAL TROUBLES.
LONG TIME PERSONAL LAWYER
MICHAEL COHEN LET’S GET TO IT.
HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW NOW.
THIS IS A REPORT FROM ABC NEWS.
FOR THE FIRST TIME STATEING THAT
MUELLER’S TEAM SAT COHEN DOWN
FOR MULTIPLE INTERVIEWS, WHICH
MAKES HIM A COOPERATING CONVICT
AS HE AWAITS THAT SENTENCEING IN
NEW YORK.
NEW YORK. THE REPORTING IS THAT THEY FOCUS
ON TRUMP AND RUSSIA INCLUDING
POTENTIAL BUSINESS THERE AND
POTENTIAL COLT CONCLUSION
BETWEEN VLADIMIR PUTIN’S RUSSIA
AND THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN.
AND THAT LINE OF QUESTIONING.
THEY ALSO REPORTEDLY DISCUSSED
WHETHER TRUMP OR ASSOCIATES
TALKED ABOUT A PARDON FOR
MICHAEL COHEN.
MICHAEL COHEN. THIS NEWS COMES LESS THAN A
MONTH AFTER THEY PLED GUILTY FOR
MULTIPLE CRIMES AND ILL POLICE
INDICATED THE CRIME IN ONE OF
THEM.
THEM. BACK THEN, NO ONE KNEW FOR SURE
IF COHEN WOULD COOPERATE WITH
INVESTIGATORS AT ALL.
IF YOU FOLLOW THE NEWS, YOU MAY
RECALL THEY WERE OBSERVERS AND
TRUMP DEFIEDERS WHO EMPHASIZED
WHILE THERE WASN’T A PUBLIC
COMMITMENT TO COOPERATE.
TONIGHT WE KNOW THERE IS
COOPERATION WITH MICHAEL COHEN
AND THAT MEANS IF YOU’RE KEEPING
SCORE THAT EVERY GUILTY TRUMP
AID IS NOW WORKING SKTIVELY FOR
ROBERT MUELLER.
ROBERT MUELLER. THE INTERVIEWS HAVE TAKE B PLACE
IN WASHINGTON AND NEW YORK.
THEY HAVE BEEN VOLUNTARY.
ALTHOUGH IT CERTAINLY DOESN’T
HURT TO COOPERATE.
THESE TALKS REPORTEDLY BEGINNING
WHILE MANAFORT’S DEAL WAS TAKING
SHAPE.
SHAPE. NOW WHY IS THIS SO BIG?
AS WE KNOW, MICHAEL COHEN MORE
THAN MOST PEOPLE IS POSITIONED
TO SPEAK NOT ONLY ABOUT TRUMP’S
PAYOFFS TO WOMEN BY HIS BUSINESS
DEALINGS, LEGAL ISSUES THAT MAY
NOT HAVE LEGALAKED OUT BECAUSE T
MAY HAVE TAMPED THEM DOWN AS
THEY DID DURING 2016 ON THOSE
PAYMENTS, AND ALL OF THIS COMES
AS DONALD TRUMP HAS TRIED TO
DOWN PLAY THE ENTIRE
RELATIONSHIP EVER SINCE COHEN
BEGAN TO WAIVER.
>> HE WAS A LAWYER FOR ME FOR
ONE OF MANY.
THEY WERE THE LAWYER AND THAENEN
THEY LIKE TO ADD THE FIXER.
>> SO I JUST HEARD THAT THEY
BROKE INTO THE OFFICE OF ONE OF
MY PERSONAL ATTORNEYS.
GOOD MAN.
GOOD MAN. >> IT TURNED OUT HE WASN’T A
GOOD LAWYER, FRANKLY.
>> LET’S GET TO IT.
I’M JOINED BY JOHN FLAN RI.
JOHN, WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE
WE ALL RISK SOUNDING REPETITIVE.
BUT THIS IS BIG.
IF THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU WOULD
HAVE EXPECTED A YEAR AGO LET
ALONE FIVE.
ALONE FIVE. ON YOUR VIEW OF THE LEGAL SCALE,
HOW IMPORTANT IS THE NEWS THAT
MICHAEL COHEN IS NOT ONLY
CONVICTED AND COOPERATING, SOME
OF WHICH HAD BEEN INDICATED, BUT
ACTUALLY IS TALKING RUSSIA TO
MUELLER?
MUELLER? >> I THINK IT’S BIGGER THAN WHAT
HAPPENED TO HAWAII.
AND IT’S CLEAR THAT HELL HATH NO
FURRY THAN A CONSPIRATOR SPEERSP
CERTAINLY IF HE HAS SOMETHING
THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE ONGOING
INVESTIGATIONS.
INVESTIGATIONS. BUT HE CAN TAKE THIS BACK TO
2013 WHEN HE WAS IN RUSSIA
TALKING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT
THERE COULD BE A TRUMP TOWER IN
MOSCOW.
MOSCOW. AND SO HE COULD TAKE US FROM
2013 FORWARD THROUGH THE VARIOUS
IT RATIONS OF WHAT MOSCOW WAS
DOING HERE AND TELL US WHETHER
OR NOT THERE WAS ANYTHING GOING
ON AND MAYBE GIVE CORROBORATION
FOR THE STEEL DOSSIER.
HE GROWS TIGHTER AND TIGHTER.
YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THE
DESPERATION COMES OUT OF THE
WEST WING THESE DAYS.
>> AND I DON’T HAVE A STRONG
VIEW ON THE WORD WHICH AND ITS
ASSOCIATIONS, BUT IF THE
PRESIDENT DOES SEE THIS AS A
HUNT FOR WITCHES, THERE ARE FIVE
GUILTY WITCHES WHO HAVE BEEN
PROVEN TO BE ENGAGED IN
WITCHCRAFT
WITCHCRAFT WITCHCRAFT BECAUSE THEY ADMITTED
IT AND NOW TALKING TO MUELLER,
COHEN BEING THE BIGGEST.
>> WHAT’S HAPPENING IS THAT THE
PRESIDENT IS BEATING THE SAME
EXACT DRUM HE HAS BEEN ALL
ALONG.
ALONG. THE PROBLEM IS IT’S LOOKING LESS
AND LESS BASED IN REALITY.
AND SO WHILE YOU HAVE THE LEGAL
PROCESS PLAYING OUT, YOU
ACTUALLY ALSO HAVE HAVE THE
PUBLIC OPINION PROCESS PLAYING
OUT.
OUT. AND THE REALITY IS YOU HAVE FIVE
TRUMP AIDS WHO HAVE EITHER BY
CONVICTED OF OR PLEADED GUILTY
TO WHAT IS INCREASINGLY LOOKING
TO BE RELATED TO THE RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE IN OUR ELECTIONS.
AND TRUMP HAS ALL ALONG
ESPECIALLY WITH RUDY GIULIANI
TRYIED TO PLAY NOT JUST IN THE
COURTROOM, PUT IN THE COURT OF
PUBLIC OPINION.
PUBLIC OPINION. AND I THINK THAT THE NARRATIVE
IS BUILDING ON ROBERT MUELLER’S
SIDE AND I WOULD ARGUE ON THE
SIDE OF THE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
AND I THINK THAT THE TRUTH -- I
US THINK THERE’S AN OVERWHELMING
SENSE THAT’S BUILDING THAT THE
TRUTH, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, IS
GOING TO BE FOUND OUT BY THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AMERICAN PEOPLE. AND I THINK AS THAT HAPPENS AND
MOVES FORWARD, THE PRESIDENT IS
INCREASINGLY DESPERATE AND
ISOLATED.
ISOLATED. >> AND LOOKING AT KOCOHEN AS A
WITNESS THAT CERTAINLY HOW HE
DEPENDSFENDS SOME OF HIS
INTIMIDATION.
INTIMIDATION. I WONDER HOW YOU SEE HIM INTEL
FOR MUELLER AND A POTENTIAL
WITNESS IF THERE ARE LATER TRIES
AND LET’S KEEP IN MIND AND PLAY
THE RECORDING DOESN’T MAKE HIM
THAT GREAT A LAWYER TO DONALD
TRUMP’S POINT.
TRUMP’S POINT. MOST AREN’T SUPPOSED TO BE
RECORDING THEIR CLIENTS.
HOW DOES THIS FIT INTO HIS ROLE.
TAKE A LISTEN.
>> I NEED TO OPEN UP A COMPANY
FOR THE TRANSFER OF ALL OF THAT
INFORMATION REGARDING OUR FRIEND
DAVID.
DAVID. I HAVE SPOKEN TO ALAN ABOUT HOW
TO SET THE WHOLE THING UP WITH
FUNDING.
FUNDING. AND IT’S ALL THE STUFF BECAUSE
YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE THAT
COMPANY IS GOING TO BE.
SO I’M ALL OVER THAT.
>> HOW DOES MOOUL R R LOOK AT
THAT WHEN WE KNOW THAT THAT TAPE
WAS SOMETHING COHEN MADE TO HELP
HIMSELF BUT WAS EVIDENCE AGAINST
HIM WHEN HE ADMITTED GUILT IN
THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE VIOLATION?
>> FIRST OF ALL, IT’S GOOD
COOPERATION FOR MICHAEL COHEN.
AND SO RECORDINGS ARE GOLD MINES
FOR ANY WITNESS, COOPERATING
WITNESS WHO HAS TO TESTIFY.
IF THEY CAN HAVE RECORDINGS
BEFORE THEY COOPERATED, THAT’S
HELPFUL.
HELPFUL. THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS IN
THATIS REPORT THAT REPUBLICAN JU
OUT AT ME.
THE FIRST IS THAT THEY HAVE MET
MULTIPLE TIMES FOR MANY HOURS.
MICHAEL COHEN WENT ON A TOUR
ESSENTIALLY BEGGING ROBERT
MUELLER TO LET MICHAEL COHEN
COME AND COOPERATE WITH HILL.
AND I MIGHT HAVE GIVEN HIM AN
HOUR OR TWO, BUT.
THE FACT THAT IT’S SO MUCH TIME
INDICATES THAT THERE’S A LOT OF
MEAT THAT HE’S OFFERING.
THE SECOND THING THAT JUMPED OUT
IS THE MENTION OF THE BUSINESS
DEALINGS.
DEALINGS. THAT’S AN INDICATION THEY ARE
DIGGING INTO THE BUSINESS
DEALINGS AND HIS BUSINESS
ASSOCIATES IN RUSSIA.
THAT’S CERTAINLY WITHIN HIS
MANDATE BECAUSE IT LIKELY
EXPLAINS SOME OF THE ACTIVITY
THAT OCCURRED DURING THE CALL
PAIN, BUT IT GIVES US A SENSE OF
WHAT IS OUT THERE BETWEEN DONALD
TRUMP AND THE RUSSIANS AND IT’S
IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT
SEEN HIS TAX RETURNS, BUT ROBERT
MUELLER HAS.
MUELLER HAS. >> AND THEN JOHN, THE FLIP SIDE
THERE IS IF THIS WERE A LOT OF
CRIMES COMMITTED, SOME OF THEM
AS WE HAVE MENTIONED HAVE BEEN
CONFESSED, BUT THERE WAS NO
PUTIN-RELATED COLLUSION CRIME
THAN IT WOULD SEEM THAT MICHAEL
COHEN COULD STILL IN THAT WAY BE
HELPFUL TO THE PRESIDENT THAT HE
HAS NO REASON TO SPIN ANYMORE.
ET HE HAS EVERY REASON TO GIVE A
FULL VERSION OF THE TRUTH.
AND WHAT IF HE SAYS WE WERE OUT
IN RUSSIA AND IT WAS AN
INCOMPETENT FUNDRAISING
INCOMPETENT FUNDRAISING OPERATION, BUT WE DIDN’T GET ANY
HELP FROM PUTIN-BACKED PEOPLE?
>> I DON’T BUY THE HYPOTHETICAL,
BUT IT’S POSSIBLE.
IT’S ALSO POSSIBLE WE’LL
LEVITATE.
LEVITATE. I DON’T SEE THAT BEING THE TURN
GIVEN WHO WE KNOW THE PRESIDENT
TO BE.
TO BE. >> I BELIEVE -- I’M NOT AN
EXTERT, BUT WITCHES DO LEVITATE.
THAT’S THE REASON YOU CAN HOLD
THEM UNDER WATER.
>> THERE’S ONE IN THE WEST WING
AND I DON’T KNOW IF HE SHOULD BE
TALKING ABOUT WIZARDS, BUT WE DO
LIKE WE SAID.
THE PEOPLE COOPERATING ARE A
VARIETY OF WUCHS.
I ALSO THINK THE DEBRIEFINGS ARE
ANOTHER WAY US TO DEAL WITH THE
POSSIBILITY OF A PARDON.
THAT IS TO DEBRIEF THOROUGHLY SO
YOU’RE NOT CAUGHT US BY THESE
PEOPLE AND THAT YOU HAVE
WITNESSES PROBABLY FBI AGENTS.
I ADOPT KNOW IF THEY ARE
RECORDING ANY OF IT.
DAN AND I US PROBABLY PUT PEOPLE
IN THE GRAND JURY TO LOCK IN
THEIR TESTIMONY IN A GENERAL WAY
WITH LEADING QUESTIONS.
THAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED AS WELL.
HE’S A TRIPLE THREAT.
HE’S NOT ONLY HPING MUELLER,
HE’S HELPING THE STATE
PROSECUTION AS WELL.
SO THIS IS NOT A HAPPY TIME IN
THE WEST WING.
>> I’M ALMOST OUT OF TIME.
ON A JOURNALISTIC VIEW, YOUR
IDEAS ABOUT JAMES COMEY WHO HAS
NEVER ONE TO HOLD BACK.
HE’S A WITNESS IN THIS PROBE AND
PROBABLY SHOULD NOT SPECULATE.
BUT HE’S SAYING HE THINKS WE’RE
IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.
I WONDER BASED ON YOUR VIEW AS A
REPORTER IS THERE ANY WAY TO
TELL WHAT QUARTER WE’RE IN?
>> NO, I THINK THE RESPONSIBLE
THING TO DO RIGHT NOW AS A
JOURNALIST IS TO TELL THE STORY
WITH THE FACTS THAT WE HAVE SO
FAR.
FAR. AND THAT DOESN’T MEAN BEING A
STENOGRAPHER AND SAYING WE HAVE
NO IDEA IF THE PRESIDENT’S AIDS
HAD INVOLVEMENT IN THIS.
THAT MEANS BEING TRUE TO THE
FACTS, PUTTING THEM IN A
NARRATIVE AND MAKING THAT
NARRATIVE CLEAR, TELLING THAT
STORY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AS
ET WE KNOW IT SO FAR.