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SNAPCHAT. NOW, NICOLLE WALLACE.
>> HI, EVERYONE.
IT’S 4:00 IN NEW YORK.
TOMORROW, ROBERT MUELLER, FORMER
FBI DIRECTOR AND MOST RECENTLY
SPECIAL COUNSEL WHO INVESTIGATED
RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN THE 2016
ELECTION AND DONALD TRUMP IN
THAT ELECTION WILL BE BEFORE
CONGRESS AND THE EYES OF THE
WORLD WILL BE WATCHING WOULD BE
AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
AN UNDERSTATEMENT. EASILY TRACKED ON A TWITTER FEED
AND RUDY GUILIANI’S MEDIA
APPEARANCES AND DEVASTATING
DETAILS UNEARTHED BY ROBERT
MUELLER’S 448 PAGE REPORT WILL
BE DISCERNED ONLY AFTER HIS
TESTIMONY.
TESTIMONY. DOES CONGRESS CALL ADDITIONAL
WITNESSES TO APPEAR?
DO THEY STRENGTHEN THE POWER OF
SUPER BOWL
SUPER BOWL SUBPOENA OR PRESS THE CASE OF
COUNCIL HIMSELF.
COUNCIL HIMSELF. IF HE THOUGHT DONALD TRUMP DID
NOT COMMIT CRIMES HE WOULD HAVE
SAID SO.
SAID SO. TODAY, WE CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS
ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE.
HOW DID THE FBI COME TO OPEN AN
INVESTIGATION INTO THE TRUMP
CAMPAIGN AND ITS SUSPICIOUS
CONTACTS WITH RUSSIANS.
HOW DID THE FBI VIEW THE FIRING
OF ITS DIRECTOR AFTER THAT
DIRECTOR FAILED TO ABIDE BY THE
PRESIDENT’S REQUEST, DID HE SEE
TO IT TO LET MIKE FLYNN, THE
PRESIDENT’S NATIONAL SECURITY
ADVISOR WHO ADMITTED TO LYING TO
THE FBI WITH THE RUSSIAN
AMBASSADOR GO?
AMBASSADOR GO? WHY DID SO MANY PEOPLE AROUND
DONALD TRUMP TELL SO MANY LIES
ABOUT THE VERY SAME THING?
THEIR CONTACTS AND
COMMUNICATIONS WITH RUSSIANS.
HOW CAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS BEST
UTILIZE THEIR TIME, WITH THE MAN
WHO KNOWS THE ANSWERS BEFORE ALL
THOSE QUESTIONS WHEN HE COMES
BEFORE THEM TOMORROW.
THERE IS NO ONE BETTER SUITED
FOR THAT MISSION FORMER FBI
DIRECTOR, FORMER ATTORNEY
GENERAL, AUTHOR OF THE BOOK,
"HIGHER LOYALTY," JIM COMEY.
WITH US AT THE TABLE, CHUCK
ROSENBERG, FORMER SENATOR,
CLAIRE McCASKILL AND NOW AN
INDEPENDENT, DAVID JOLLY AND THE
PROSECUTOR FOR THE SOUTHERN AND
EASTERN DISTRICTS OF NEW YORK,
AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES IN
TERMS OF EXPERTS.
MR. DIRECTOR, HOW DID WE GET
HERE?
HERE? >> WE GOT HERE IN TERMS OF THE
FBI’S INVESTIGATION BECAUSE WE
LEARNED IN LATE JULY OF ’16,
FROM AN ALLIED AMBASSADOR WHO
HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A TRUMP
FOREIGN POLICY ADVISOR ABOUT
THAT ADVISOR’S CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT THE FACT THE RUSSIANS HAD
DIRT AND LOOKING FOR WAYS TO
COORDINATE IT WITH THE CAMPAIGN
AND WHAT STARTED IT IN LATE
JULY.
JULY. >> IT’S SO CUT AND DRIED, SO
STRAIGHT AND FORWARD THE WAY YOU
JUST PUT IT.
WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS THE
SUBJECT OF THREE INVESTIGATIONS
WE KNOW OF, THE ORIGINS OF THAT
FBI INVESTIGATION ARE NOW BEING
INVESTIGATED, ATTORNEY GENERAL
BARR HAS ORDERED, I THINK, THE
THIRD INVESTIGATION BEING RUN
OUT OF THE U.S. ATTORNEYS OFFICE
IN CONNECTICUT, AND DETAILING IN
17 SECONDS, INVESTIGATING IT FOR
YEARS.
YEARS. THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS
EXPECTED TO COME OUT WITH HIS
FINDINGS.
FINDINGS. WHY IS IT UNDER SO MUCH SCRUTINY
BY SO MANY PEOPLE.
I DON’T KNOW.
I DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT ALL OF
THOSE PEOPLE ARE LOCKING AT.
THE REASON WE STARTED IT IS
PLAIN AND TRANSPARENT, LAID OUT
IN THE SPECIAL COUNSEL’S REPORT
AND FRANKLY, WE ALL SHOULD HAVE
BEEN FIRED IF WE DIDN’T
INVESTIGATE THAT KIND OF LEAD TO
FIGURE OUT, IS THERE AN AMERICAN
CONNECTION TO THIS MASSIVE
RUSSIAN EFFORT.
RUSSIAN EFFORT. I DON’T KNOW WHAT PEOPLE ARE
LOOKING AT BEYOND THAT.
I SUPPOSE WE WILL FIND OUT AT
SOME POINT.
SOME POINT. >> I WANT TO PUT A BUTTON ON
THIS PART OF THE CONVERSATION
BECAUSE I EXPECT IT’S WHAT WE
WILL HEAR FROM REPUBLICANS
TOMORROW AND IN THEIR
QUESTIONING OF ROBERT MUELLER.
GO AHEAD AND INVESTIGATE THE
INVESTIGATORS, IF YOU MUST.
WHEN THOSE INVESTIGATIONS ARE
OVER YOU WILL FIND THE WORK WAS
DONE APPROPRIATELY FOCUSED ONLY
ON DISCERNING THE TRUTH.
VERY SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS.
THERE WAS NO CORRUPTION OR TREES
SON OR ATTEMPTED COUP.
THOSE ARE LIES AND DUMB LIES AT
THAT.
THAT. THOSE WERE GOOD PEOPLE
INVESTIGATING UNDER DIFFICULT
CIRCUMSTANCES.
CIRCUMSTANCES. >> DOES ROBERT MUELLER HAVE AN
OBLIGATION TO REPRESENT THE FBI
TOMORROW?
TOMORROW? >> I DON’T THINK HE DOES.
HE HAS AN OBLIGATION TO
REPRESENT HIS WORK AND BY HIS
QUALITY AND STEP WILL REPRESENT
THE FBI IN A PRETTY GOOD WAY.
>> I HEARD FROM A SOURCE THAT
ATTORNEY GENERAL BARR IS NERVOUS
ABOUT BEING ATTACKED TOMORROW.
WHAT SORT OF EXPOSURE DOES
ATTORNEY GENERAL BARR HAVE.
>> I DON’T THINK HE WILL BE
ATTACKED BY THE WITNESS OR
WITNESSES.
WITNESSES. HE MAY BE ATTACKED BY DEMOCRATS,
FAIRLY, IN MY VIEW FOR
MISREPRESENTING WHAT WAS IN
MUELLER’S REPORT AND HOW HE HAS
HANDLE THE ENTIRE THING AND
SLIMED THE FBI SINCE.
FRANKLY, I HOPE THERE IS NOT A
LOT OF THAT.
THIS IS A CHANCE FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT WHAT THE SPECIAL COUNSEL
FOUND AND THE FEWER ATTACKS AND
BETTER QUESTIONED THE BETTER
SERVED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL
BE.
BE. >> DO YOU THINK THERE’S A TRAIL
OF EVIDENCE, AT LEAST IN THE
LETTER BECOMES PUBLIC FROM
ROBERT MUELLER TO ATTORNEY
GENERAL BARR THAT JUSTICE A
COUPLE ROUNDS OF QUESTIONING
WHAT ROBERT MUELLER WAS SO
CONCERNED ABOUT THAT CHOSE HIM
TO WRITE HIS LONG-TIME FRIEND
WILLIAM BARR TWO LETTERS?
>> I’M SURE THERE IS GOOD REASON
FOR PEOPLE TO ASK.
IF I’M ADVISING THEM, I WOULD
ASK THEM NOT TO WASTE THEIR TIME
ON THAT.
ON THAT. BOB MUELLER IS A PERSON OF HIS
WORD AND I’D BE SHOCKED IF HE
ANSWERS PROCESS QUESTIONS, AS
TROUBLING AS THEY MIGHT HAVE
BEEN, IF HE WILL ANSWER THEM
INSTEAD OF STICKING TO HIS
REPORT.
REPORT. >> YOU ARE KNOWN TO BE A VERY
EFFECTIVE STORYTELLER.
EFFECTIVE STORYTELLER. HOW WOULD YOU ELICIT ROBERT
MUELLER THE STORY OF HIS
INVESTIGATION?
INVESTIGATION? >> I WOULD EITHER ASK HIM DIRECT
LEADING QUESTIONS, TO HAVE HIM
AFFIRM KEY PARTS OF THE REPORT,
OR I WOULD ASK HIM TO READ LINES
FROM THE REPORT OR BOTH.
THIS IS A CHANCE FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE TO LEARN WHAT HE
FOUND.
FOUND. TOO BAD HAVING PUBLISHED A 450
PAGE REPORT THAT DIDN’T GET THE
JOB DONE BUT IT DIDN’T.
FOLKS DON’T KNOW WHAT HE FOUND.
YOU CAN ASK HIM IN A
STRAIGHTFORWARD WAY AND GET
THOSE DETAILS IN FRONT OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AMERICAN PEOPLE. >> WHAT ARE THOSE DETAILS IN THE
FIRST VOLUME ABOUT THE TRUMP
ORBIT AND CAMPAIGNS AND CONTACTS
WITH RUSSIANS, THE SAME SORTS OF
INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN SUSPICIOUS
RUSSIANS AND TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN
ADVISORS THAT MADE YOU FEEL LIKE
YOU HAD TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION
INTO THEM?
INTO THEM? >> THE FIRST VOLUME FOCUSES ON
RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE.
RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE. TO MY MIND, THE MOST IMPORTANT
FINDING OF THE SPECIAL COUNSEL
THERE WAS A LONG SERIES OF
CONTACTS BETWEEN PEOPLE
ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRUMP
CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIANS.
TWO OF THOSE CONTACTS ARE
PARTICULARLY TROUBLING.
PARTICULARLY TROUBLING. ONE, HIS FOREIGN POLICY ADVISOR
TALKING TO SOMEONE REPRESENTING
THE RUSSIANS ABOUT THE PROSPECT
OF THEM WEAPONIZING DIRT THEY
HAD ON HILLARY CLINTON IN THE
FORM OF E-MAILS.
SECOND, THAT THE SENIOR CAMPAIGN
TEAM TOOK A MEETING AT THE TRUMP
TOWER IN JUNE OF 2016 THEY WERE
TOLD IN WRITING WAS PART OF
RUSSIA AND ITS GOVERNMENT’S
EFFORTS TO HELP MR. TRUMP.
THOSE ARE TWO THINGS I THINK
WILL SURPRISE A LOT OF PEOPLE
WHO HAVE JUST LISTENED TO THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE
PRESIDENT AND WHO HAVEN’T READ
THE REPORT.
THE REPORT. >> I THINK A LOT OF THE PUBLIC,
IF YOU’RE A HARDENED TRUMP
SUPPORTER, YOU MAY BE COMFORTED
BY THE FACT THAT NO CRIMINAL
CONSPIRACY WAS CHARGED.
IF YOU’RE ON THE OTHER SIDE, YOU
MAY BE TROUBLED BY IT.
IF YOU’RE SOMEWHERE IN THE
MIDDLE, YOU MAY BE CONFUSED BY
IT.
IT. WHAT DID THE REPORT FIND WHEN IT
CAME TO THE QUESTION OF
COLLUSION, CONTACT, COORDINATION
WITH RUSSIA?
WITH RUSSIA? >> FIRST, THE SPECIAL COUNSEL
SAID THIS INVESTIGATION IS NOT
ABOUT COLLUSION.
ABOUT COLLUSION. THAT’S NOT A THING EXCEPT IN
POLITICAL RHETORIC.
POLITICAL RHETORIC. HE EXAMINED THE EVIDENCE TO SEE
IF THERE WAS SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
TO CHARGE ANY AMERICANS WITH
BEING PART OF THE RUSSIAN ATTACK
ON OUR ELECTION IN 2016.
TO MY MIND, IT’S GOOD NEWS.
HE CONCLUDED THERE WASN’T
SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO CHARGE
SOMEBODY WITH A CRIME.
THIS IS NOT A CRIMINAL
PROCEEDING TOMORROW, ABOUT
SHOWING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THE
FACTS FOUND.
FACTS FOUND. THE FACT WHETHER OR NOT THERE
WERE CRIMINAL CHARGES WERE
DEEPLY TROUBLING.
DEEPLY TROUBLING. THERE WERE A LOT OF CONTACTS
BETWEEN THE RUSSIANS BENT ON
INTERFERING AND CAMPAIGN KEEN TO
BENEFIT FROM THAT INTERFERING.
THOSE FACTS ARE IMPORTANT FOR
PEOPLE TO KNOW.
>> YOU’RE IMPORTANT TO THIS
STORY, TOO.
STORY, TOO. I CAN TELL FROM YOUR LIVE SHOT
YOU ARE NOWHERE NEAR HERE
TOMORROW.
TOMORROW. YOU’RE IN ST. LOUIS.
CLAIRE McCASKILL IS HERE AND
GLAD TO SEE THAT.
>> GREAT STATE.
>> THANK YOU!
>> DID YOU THINK WHEN YOU OPENED
THAT INVESTIGATION, ONCE THAT
INVESTIGATION THAT STARTED, YOU
STARTED IT, ROBERT MUELLER ENDED
IT, DID YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE
WATCHING AS A FORMER FBI
DIRECTOR FROM ST. LOUIS OR
WHEREVER YOU WILL BE TOMORROW?
>> I DID NOT.
HOW I ENDED UP IN THIS PLACE IN
MY LIFE IS A MYSTERY TO ME A
LITTLE BIT.
LITTLE BIT. I NEVER WOULD HAVE EXPECTED IT.
I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT THE FACTS
ARE.
ARE. WE OPENED AN INVESTIGATION, AS
WE DO ALL INVESTIGATIONS TO SEE
WHAT THE FACTS WERE.
I DIDN’T KNOW WHETHER IT WOULD
SHOW THERE WAS A CHARGEABLE CASE
INVOLVING AMERICANS OR NOT.
I WANTED TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS
TRUE.
TRUE. THAT’S THE FBI’S JOB.
AS I SAID IN THE BEGINNING I
DON’T KNOW WHO IN THEIR RIGHT
MIND WOULD THINK THE FBI SHOULD
NOT HAVE OPENED THIS
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. I ASKED THE STAFF AT THE FBI, DO
IT WELL, DO IT DISCREETLY,
BECAUSE WE DON’T WANT TO SMEAR
INNOCENT PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE OF
AN ELECTION YEAR YET DON’T WANT
TO LET THE BAD GUYS ONTO IT.
THAT’S WORK WE HAD TO DO.
I DIDN’T KNOW IT WOULD END UP
WITH ME SITTING IN A CHAIR IN
AWE ASSUME ST. LOUIS TALKING TO
YOU.
YOU. I’M PROUD OF THE INVESTIGATION
AND PROUD OF THE WAY WE DID IT
AND PROUD OF THE WAY DIRECTOR
MUELLER AND HIS TEAM CONTINUED
IT.
IT. >> IN THE POLITICAL ANALYSIS AND
I APPRECIATE THE DISTINCTION
BETWEEN WHAT POLITICAL PUNDITS
DO AND CORRECTIONS AND PLEASE
CORRECT ME IF I GET ANYTHING OF
THAT IN VAIN.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK YOU PUT
SOME OF THAT IN MOTION BY COMING
AFTER HILLARY CLINTON WITH HER
USE OF A PERSONAL E-MAIL ACCOUNT
AND WHETHER OR NOT SHE
TRANSMITTED ANY CLASSIFIED
INFORMATION AND BEING SO PUBLIC
EXPLAINING HER CONDUCT.
DONALD TRUMP FELT AT THE TIME
THAT WAS A BOOST TO HIM.
YOU TESTIFIED YOU FEEL
PHYSICALLY ILL AT THE THOUGHT
YOU HAD ANY HAND IN THE
ELECTIONS.
ELECTIONS. DO YOU EVER OPEN UP THE
NEWSPAPER OR TURN ON THE
TELEVISION AND FEEL ANY SENSE OF
RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUTTING ANY
OF THIS IN MOTION?
>> I DON’T FEEL RESPONSIBILITY
IN THE SENSE THAT I THINK WE
SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING
DIFFERENTLY.
DIFFERENTLY. I’M PROUD OF THE WAY WE
CONDUCTED OURSELVES, BOTH WITH
RESPECT TO THE CLINTON
INVESTIGATION AND THIS RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE INVESTIGATION.
INTERFERENCE INVESTIGATION. I WISH WE HADN’T BEEN INVOLVED
AT ALL, FRANKLY.
IF I HAD A MAGIC WAND I WOULD
REMOVE US FROM THE PICTURE.
GIVEN WHERE WE WERE, WE MADE
DECISIONS I THINK WERE
THOUGHTFUL RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS
EVEN IF PEOPLE DISAGREE ABOUT
THEM.
THEM. WE ALSO MADE A DECISION NOT TO
SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE
INVESTIGATION OF RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE AND WHETHER
AMERICANS WERE CONNECTED TO IT.
I STILL THINK THAT WAS THE RIGHT
DECISION.
DECISION. IT WAS SO EARLY, WE DIDN’T KNOW
IF THERE WAS ANY TRUTH TO IT.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IRRESPONSIBLE
TO TALK ABOUT IT.
ALL THAT SAID, YES, IT MAKES ME
SLIGHTLY SICK TO MY STOMACH TO
THINK THE FBI HAD ANY ROLE IN
THE ELECTION PROCESS IN 2016.
I HATE THAT IDEA.
WE DIDN’T WANT TO BE INVOLVED
AND WE WERE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE
AND HAD TO MAKE THE LEAST BAD
DECISION OF BAD OPTIONS.
>> AFTER THE MUELLER REPORT CAME
OUT AND PARALLEL AND CRITICISMS
FROM BARR CAME DOWN ON ALL
SIDES.
SIDES. YOU WERE FORCED TO MAKE A
DECISION, YOU DID THAT, YOU WERE
CRITICIZED.
CRITICIZED. MUELLER DIDN’T MAKE A DECISION
AND LEFT THAT TO BARR AND
CRITICIZED BY BARR FOR NOT
MAKING A DECISION.
DO YOU FEEL THE FBI IS IN THE
MIDDLE FOR SLICING THESE VERY
DIFFICULT QUESTIONS?
DIFFICULT QUESTIONS? >> DEFINITELY.
>> DEFINITELY. THE FBI FOUND ITSELF THE LAST
COUPLE OF YEARS LIKE A REF ON A
WORLD CUP SOCCER PITCH.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE CALLS AND
PEOPLE WILL HATE YOU FOR THE
CALLS YOU MAKE.
I’M PROUD OF THE DECISIONS I WAS
PART OF BEING MADE.
THERE’S NO WAY TO GET OUT OF IT
WITHOUT BEING CRITICIZED.
TRANSPARENCY UNDER THE LAW IS
ALWAYS THE BEST PATH.
I KNOW I CRITICIZED BILL BARR A
LOT.
LOT. I WAS VERY HAPPY HE OFFERED
TRANSPARENCY IN THE FORM OF A
REPORT TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
VERY FEW PEOPLE READ THE REPORT.
TOMORROW IS A CHANCE FOR
TRANSPARENCY, ALWAYS GOOD FOR
DEMOCRACY.
DEMOCRACY. >> I WANT TO DRILL DOWN A LITTLE
BIT ON THE INVESTIGATION AN
OBSTRUCTION INVESTIGATION.
OBSTRUCTION INVESTIGATION. PLEASE CLEAN THIS UP IF I MESS
THIS UP.
THIS UP. I HAVE CHUCK ROSENBERG AS MY
TUTOR.
TUTOR. >> HE’LL CLEAN UP ME.
>> WHAT MUELLER FOUND, WHAT HE
SAID IN HIS 9 MINUTE PRESS
STATEMENT MOST RECENTLY, IF HE
COULD HAVE ASSERTED THEY FOUND
THE PRESIDENT HADN’T COMMITTED
ANY CRIMES HE WOULD HAVE SAID
SO.
SO. HE DID NOT.
IN THE OBSTRUCTION, 10 INSTANT,
ONE WAS YOUR FIRING AND WHETHER
OR NOT THE PRESIDENT OBSTRUCTED
JUSTICE.
JUSTICE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHY THE PUBLIC
IS SO CONFUSED BY THIS STATEMENT
HE DIDN’T NOT COMMIT CRIMES AND
DIDN’T GET CHARGED WITH ANY
CRIMES?
CRIMES? >> I DO.
>> I DO. ABOVE NORMAL
ABOVE NORMAL BOB MUELLER WAS TRYING TO DO
SOMETHING PRINCIPLED AND FAIR
AND SOMETIMES CONFUSES PEOPLE A
LOT.
LOT. >> MAKES SOME PEOPLE MAD, NOT
CONFUSE US.
CONFUSE US. >> HERE’S WHAT I UNDERSTAND HE
TRIED TO DO.
HE REASONED AS A PROSECUTOR
WORKING AT THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE HE CAN’T BRING
CHARACTERIZATION AGAINST A
SITTING PRESIDENT.
SITTING PRESIDENT. IF HE CAN’T CHARGE A SITTING
PRESIDENT, IT WOULD BE UNFAIR IN
WRITING TO ACCUSE THE PRESIDENT
OF A CRIME BECAUSE THERE COUNT
BE ANY AJUDICATION AND
OPPORTUNITY FOR VINDICATION BY
THAT PRESIDENT.
THAT PRESIDENT. HE WOULD TRY TO BE FAIR TO THE
PRESIDENT IN PRINCIPLE AND LAY
OUT THE EVIDENCE HE HAD
GATHERED, SO A FUTURE PROSECUTOR
WHEN THE MAN IS NO LONGER A
SITTING PRESIDENT CAN TAKE A
LOOK AT IT.
THAT CONFUSED A LOT OF PEOPLE
AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID
THERE’S NO THERE THERE AND ENDED
THE CASE.
THE CASE. I THINK WHAT THE DIRECTOR HAS
DONE WILL BE SHOWN TOMORROW IS
LAID OUT A DAMNING SET OF FACTS
TO LAY OUT HOW THIS PRESIDENT
ACTEDED REGARDLESS WHETHER YOU
THINK THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MADE
THE RIGHT DECISION AND MADE
CHARGES OR NOT.
TOMORROW IS NOT A DECISION,
SHOWING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HERE
ARE THE FACTS.
>> YOU GAVE ME TWO THINGS TO
UNPACK ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
THIS IDEA THAT ROBERT MUELLER
KNEW AT THE BEGINNING HE
COULDN’T CHARGE THE PRESIDENT IS
THE SAME DEFENSE SOURCES CLOSE
TO BARR SAID HE SHOULD HAVE
ISSUED A DECLINATION LETTER?
>> I THINK HE DIDN’T ISSUE A
DECLINATION LETTER BECAUSE THE
EVIDENCE DIDN’T SUPPORT IT.
THE EVIDENCE TEED UP FACTS LAWNA
LAW AND HE SHOULDN’T ENGAGE IN
SORTING THAT OUT BECAUSE HE
MIGHT END UP WITH THE GUY’S
GUILTY AND THAT WOULDN’T BE
FAIR.
FAIR. HE LAID IT OUT, I THINK, FOR A
FUTURE PROSECUTOR AND FOR THE
CONGRESS AND PROSECUTOR TO
UNDERSTAND HERE’S HOW THIS
PRESIDENT HAS ACTED.
>> A FORMER COLLEAGUE OF MINE
FROM THE BUSH WHITE HOUSE SAYS
THEY’RE LUCKY ROBERT MUELLER
WASN’T REQUIRED TO RENDER A
DECISION.
DECISION. HE LOOKS LIKE HE WOULD HAVE SAID
GUILTY?
GUILTY? DO YOU AGREE WITH THE 800 PLUS
PROSECUTORS WHO WOULD HAVE SAID
IF DONALD TRUMP WERE ANYONE
OTHER THAN THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES, HE WOULD HAVE
ABSOLUTELY BEEN CHARGED WITH
OBSTRUCTION?
OBSTRUCTION? >> THE SECOND QUESTION FIRST,
YES, I AGREE.
IF THIS WERE A CASE FOR ANYONE
OTHER THAN THE PRESIDENT, THEY’D
HAVE ALREADY BEEN INDICTED ON
SEVERAL OF THESE, MAYBE ALL, I
DON’T KNOW.
DON’T KNOW. DIRECTOR MUELLER, I THINK, IF
PRESSED, WOULD REACH A DECISION
AT LEAST ON SOME OF THEM THERE
IS SUFFICIENT BASIS TO CHARGE
THE PRESIDENT.
THE PRESIDENT. AGAIN, HE’S A PRINCIPLED PERSON
TRYING TO BE FAIR AND SAID, I
SHOULDN’T BE DOING THAT GIVEN
THAT THE MAN CAN’T VINDICATE
HIMSELF.
HIMSELF. I’D BE SHOCKED IF HE IMAGINED