>>> TODAY HILLARY CLINTON REFLECTED ON THE EARLY DAYS OF
HER CAREER WHEN SHE FOUND
HERSELF ON A CONGRESSIONAL STAFF
WORKING ON THE IMPEACHMENT OF
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT RICHARD
NIXON IN 1974.
>> I WAS ONE OF THE YOUNG
LAWYERS WHO ACTUALLY DRAFTED THE
MEMO ABOUT WHAT IS A HIGH CRIME
AND MISDEMEANOR, AND IT WAS
TRULY MEANT BY OUR FOUNDERS TO
DESCRIBE ACTIONS THAT UNDERMINED
THE INTEGRITY OF OUR GOVERNMENT,
THAT PLACED THE PERSONAL OR
POLITICAL INTERESTS OF A
PRESIDENT OVER THE INTERESTS OF
THE NATION
THE NATION >> SHE WAS ONE OF THE YOUNG
LAWYERS WHO DRAFTED THAT MEMO.
THE OTHER YOUNG LAWYER WORKING
ON THAT MEMO ABOUT HIGH CRIMES
AND MISDEMEANORS WAS A
REPUBLICAN, WILLIAM WELD, WHO IS
NOW THE ONLY REPUBLICAN
CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT RUNNING
AGAINST DONALD TRUMP
THOSE TWO YOUNG LAWYERS BOTH HAD
BIG FUTURES IN POLITICS, IN
THEIR PARTIES.
THEIR PARTIES. BILL WELD BECAME THE TWO-TERM
REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR OF
MASSACHUSETTS AFTER SERVING AS
THE U.S. ATTORNEY IN BOSTON,
APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT RONALD
REAGAN, AND AFTER THAT BILL WELD
WAS PROMOTED BY PRESIDENT REAGAN
TO BECOME THE HEAD OF THE
CRIMINAL DIVISION OF THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT
DEPARTMENT BILL WELD GREW UP IN THE ERA OF
PRINCIPLED REPUBLICANS AND
PRINCIPLED DEMOCRATS ALONG WITH
CORRUPT REPUBLICANS AND CORRUPT
DEMOCRATS, AND WHAT THE
IMPEACHMENT INVESTIGATION OF
PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON SHOWED
IS THERE CAN COME A TIME IN
POLITICS WHEN YOU HAVE TO STAND
ON PRINCIPLE OVER PARTY.
WE SHOWED YOU THAT LAST NIGHT
WHEN THE ONLY REPUBLICAN MEMBER
OF THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
WHO VOTED FOR ALL THREE ARTICLES
OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST RICHARD
NIXON ANNOUNCED HIS VOTE ON
IMPEACHMENT.
IMPEACHMENT. >> NOW, I’M A REPUBLICAN
PARTY LOYALTY AND PERSONAL
AFFECTION AND PRECEDENCE OF THE
PAST MUST FALL, I THINK, BEFORE
ARBITER OF MEN’S ACTION, THE LAW
ITSELF
ITSELF NO MAN, NOT EVEN THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES, IS ABOVE
THE LAW.
THE LAW. >> IF YOU’RE A HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT IN AMERICA TONIGHT, YOU
HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYONE LIKE
LARRY HOGAN IN THE CONGRESS.
YOU’VE NEVER SEEN THAT
YOU’VE NEVER SEEN A PRINCIPLED
REPUBLICAN IN CONGRESS TAKE A
STAND AGAINST A REPUBLICAN
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. BUT THE PRINCIPLED REPUBLICAN
USED TO NOT BE SO RARE, AND
MASSACHUSETTS PRODUCED MORE THAN
ITS SHARE OF PRINCIPLED
REPUBLICANS.
REPUBLICANS. ELLIOT RICHARDSON WAS ELECTED
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF
MASSACHUSETTS IN THE 1960s AND
THEN ATTORNEY GENERAL OF
MASSACHUSETTS BEFORE HE JOINED
THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION,
SERVING IN TWO CABINET
POSITIONS, INCLUDING SECRETARY
OF DEFENSE, BEFORE BECOMING
ATTORNEY GENERAL DURING THE
INVESTIGATIONS OF PRESIDENT
NIXON.
NIXON. WHEN ON A SATURDAY NIGHT
PRESIDENT NIXON ORDERED ELLIOT
RICHARDSON TO FIRE SPECIAL
PROSECUTOR ARCHIBALD COX, ELLIOT
RICHARDSON REFUSED AND RESIGNED
IN PROTEST, AND IN THAT MOMENT
OF STANDING ON PRINCIPLE AGAINST
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, ELLIOT RICHARDSON BECAME
THE MODEL OF INTEGRITY FOR EVERY
ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO HAS
FOLLOWED HIM, SOME OF WHOM HAVE
CLEARLY NOT LIVED UP TO THE
RICHARDSON STANDARD.
RICHARDSON STANDARD. ONE OF THOSE WAS RONALD REAGAN’S
ATTORNEY GENERAL EDWIN MEESE,
WHO WAS ACCUSED OF USING HIS
PUBLIC OFFICE TO ENRICH HIS
FRIENDS.
FRIENDS. BILL WELD RESIGNED FROM THE
REAGAN JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IN
PROTEST OF THE REPUBLICAN
ATTORNEY GENERAL’S CONDUCT
>> INDICATIONS THIS MORNING THAT
THE LEGAL PROBLEM SURROUNDING
ATTORNEY GENERAL EDWIN MEESE MAY
FORCE MORE DEFECTIONS FROM THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT THE DEPARTMENT WAS WROUGHT
TUESDAY BY THE RESIGNATION OF
ARNOLD BURNS AND HE WAS FOLLOWED
OUT THE DOOR BY WILLIAM WELD,
HEAD OF THE CRIMINAL DIVISION.
BOTH CALLED IT QUITS AFTER THEY
WERE UNABLE TO PERSUADE THE
WHITE HOUSE TO DUMP MEESE ON
GROUNDS THAT HIS LEGAL TROUBLES
ARE HURTING THE DEPARTMENT
OFFICIALS SAY MEESE WAS STUNNED
AND WAS HARDLY ABLE TO SPEAK
WHEN TOLD OF THE RESIGNATIONS.
>> BILL WELD THEN TESTIFIED TO
THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
AGAINST THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
>> THE QUESTION IS WHETHER MR.
MEESE IS TAKING OFFICIAL ACTIONS
THAT HE KNOWS ARE GOING TO
REDOUND TO THE FINANCIAL BENEFIT
OF HIS FRIEND, AND I SUGGEST
THAT HE DID SO
>> SHORTLY AFTER BILL WELD’S
TESTIMONY, ATTORNEY GENERAL ED
MEESE RESIGNED
MEESE RESIGNED THOSE WERE THE DAYS WHEN CORRUPT
REPUBLICANS HAD TO DEAL WITH
PRINCIPLED REPUBLICANS
PRINCIPLED REPUBLICANS JOINING US NOW IS BILL WELD,
FORMER REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR OF
MASSACHUSETTS AND CANDIDATE FOR
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING
US.
US. >> THANK YOU, LAWRENCE
>> I WANT TO LEAN ON YOUR
EXPERIENCE AS A FEDERAL
PROSECUTOR, AS A JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TO GET YOUR
READING OF THE MUELLER REPORT.
>> I’VE BEEN THINKING A LOT
ABOUT 1974 RECENTLY ON THE TRAIN
COMING DOWN FROM BOSTON TO NEW
YORK YESTERDAY
YORK YESTERDAY I READ BILL BARR, A.G. BARR’S
19-PAGE REPORT ABOUT HOW,
REALLY, YOU CAN’T EVER ACCUSE A
SITTING PRESIDENT OF ANYTHING IN
THE CRIMINAL REALM, AND, YOU
KNOW, BILL BARR IS A VERY
DISTINGUISHED LAWYER AND A VERY
GOOD GUY
GOOD GUY I’VE KNOWN HIM FOR A LONG TIME
BUT I -- IT LAY IN MY MIND THAT
HE APPARENTLY NEVER READ UNITED
STATES VERSUS NIXON, THE JULY OF
1974 CASE UNANIMOUS.
INCLUDING THREE NIXON APPOINTEES
THAT SAID THE PRESIDENT IS NOT
ABOVE THE LAW.
AND THAT LED TO ARTICLE III OF
IMPEACHMENT AGAINST PRESIDENT
NIXON, CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS FOR
REFUSING TO COMPLY WITH LAWFUL
SUBPOENAS.
SUBPOENAS. YOU KNOW, WHICH WE HAVE GOING
DOWN TODAY
DOWN TODAY SO HISTORY IS REPEATING ITSELF,
AND I THINK THE SAME ERRORS ARE
BEING MADE AGAIN
I THINK THE MUELLER REPORT GIVES
US KIND OF A WINDOW INTO MR.
TRUMP’S MIND, IF NOT HIS SOUL,
AND I THINK THINGS ARE MOVING
FROM NARCISSISM TO MEGALOMANIA
YOU KNOW, ONLY I EXIST
THIS, OF COURSE, IS WHAT
NARCISSISTS, PARTICULARLY
NARCISSISTS, PARTICULARLY MALIGNANT NARCISSISTS WHO LIKE
TO SEE OTHER PEOPLE LOSE, THINK
IN THEIR HEART OF HEARTS
AND I FEAR THAT MR. TRUMP DOES
HAVE DESIGNS ON BECOMING WHAT
THE FOUNDERS -- THE WRITERS OF
THE CONSTITUTION MOST FEARED,
AND THAT’S A TYRANT IN OUR
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. >> IF YOU WERE -- IF THIS WAS
THE YOUNG BILL WELD ON THE STAFF
OF THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
RIGHT NOW, ON THE REPUBLICAN
STAFF, WOULD YOU BE TALKING
ABOUT IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS?
>> I’M NOT SO SURE ABOUT
IMPEACHMENT.
IMPEACHMENT. I SAY THAT NOT FOR LEGAL
REASONS, BUT FOR POLITICAL
REASONS.
REASONS. I ACTUALLY THINK, CONTRARY TO
WHAT OTHERS DO, THAT THOSE BOYS
OVER AT THE WHITE HOUSE ARE
DIEING TO HAVE IMPEACHMENT
PROCEEDINGS INITIATED SO THAT
MR. TRUMP CAN SCREAM LIKE A
STUCK PIG FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND
A HALF AND NOT REALLY HAVE TO
ENGAGE ON ANYTHING
HE’LL JUST SAY WITCH HUNT, YOU
KNOW, OVERREACHING
KNOW, OVERREACHING IT DOES SEEM UNLIKELY, ALTHOUGH
I PROBABLY KNOW HALF A DOZEN
REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE WHO
MIGHT, YOU KNOW, BE PERSUADED TO
DO THE RIGHT THING IF THE
EVIDENCE IS AS STRONG AS
MUELLER’S REPORT SUGGESTS, BUT,
YOU KNOW, IT’S PROBABLY NOT
GOING TO BE ENOUGH AND THEN
YOU’RE GOING INTO THE ELECTION
WITH THE SENATE HAVING REFUSED
TO CONVICT AND REMOVE THE
PRESIDENT AND IT’S GOING TO GIVE
HIM JUST A DELICIOUS TALKING
POINT FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS
BEFORE THE ELECTION.
I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
IS THAT EVERYBODY BEHAVE
THEMSELVES SO THAT WE DON’T HAVE
SIX MORE YEARS OF THE, YOU KNOW,
LET’S EVERYBODY LIE.
LET’S NOT JUST CIRCLE THE
WAGONS, BUT EVERYBODY HAS TO
LIE.
LIE. OH, YOU MEAN YOU CAN’T LIE
BECAUSE THAT’S NOT TRUE?
WHAT’S YOUR POINT?
THIS IS A MAN WHOSE FIRST
REACTION IS TO LIE ABOUT
EVERYTHING
EVERYTHING SAY WHAT YOU WANT ABOUT
PRESIDENT NIXON, HE HAD THE
SELF-AWARENESS TO RECOGNIZE THAT
HE HAD DONE WRONG AND HE
RESIGNED
RESIGNED AND, YOU KNOW, I’M NOT SURE THAT
MR. TRUMP HAS THAT
SELF-AWARENESS, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
MUCH. >> AND RICHARD NIXON WAS A
TRAINED LAWYER
TRAINED LAWYER IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WERE SEVERAL
POINTS IN THE INVESTIGATION
WHERE NIXON THE LAWYER
UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WAS NO
LEGAL ALTERNATIVE IN THE NEXT
MOVE
MOVE THAT HE MUST, IN FACT, SUBMIT TO
THE SUPREME COURT.
>> WELL, HE CERTAINLY UNDERSTOOD
IT AFTER THE 9-0 SUPREME COURT
CASE BECAUSE THOSE TAPES WERE
TURNED OVER INSTANTLY AND HE HAD
TO KNOW THEY WERE HIS UNDOING.
THEY HAD HIM LYING ON TELEVISION
TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, AND THAT
WAS ENOUGH TO REMOVE MR. NIXON
EVERYONE SAID, OH, THAT’S ONE
THING YOU CAN’T DO, IS LIE TO
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
IT HAPPENS IN THIS
ADMINISTRATION ALMOST EVERY DAY.
SOMETIMES ON LITTLE THINGS
SOMETIMES ON VERY BIG THINGS
>> THE POINT YOU WERE MAKING,
THAT ONE OF THE ARTICLES OF
IMPEACHMENT WAS SPECIFICALLY
ABOUT WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS
DOING TODAY.
DOING TODAY. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> WHICH IS REFUSING TO COMPLY
WITH LEGAL AND LEGITIMATE
SUBPOENAS THAT ARE INVESTIGATING
CRIMINAL CONDUCT.
CRIMINAL CONDUCT. >> THAT’S RIGHT.
>> WHEN THEY WERE INVESTIGATING
THE MUELLER REPORT, THEY ARE
INVESTIGATING SUGGESTIONS AND
EVIDENCE OF CRIMINAL CONDUCT IN
THE MUELLER REPORT
>> NO, THAT’S EXACTLY RIGHT.
AND WHAT MRS. CLINTON SAID
YESTERDAY.
YESTERDAY. SHE WAS MS. RODHAM WHEN I KNEW
HER THEN
HER THEN WE DID WORK ON THAT MEMORANDUM
TOGETHER
TOGETHER WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT FOR THE
GROUNDS OF REMOVAL
I THINK IT WAS SHE WHO CAME UP
WITH THE THEORY -- THE PRESIDENT
TAKES AN OATH TO MAKE SURE THE
LAWS ARE FAITHFULLY EXECUTED
THIS PRESIDENT MOCKS THE RULE OF
LAW.
LAW. SO IT COULDN’T BE CLEARER.
VOLUME II OF THE MUELLER REPORT
COULD NOT BE CLEARER ABOUT
CRIMINALITY.
CRIMINALITY. >> COULD YOU STAY WITH US ACROSS
A BREAK?
>>> AS OF TONIGHT, BILL WELD IS THE ONLY REPUBLICAN RUNNING
AGAINST DONALD TRUMP IN THE
REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES
REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES WILL FORMER OHIO GOVERNOR JOHN
KASICH BE NEXT
>> YOU’VE GOT TO RECALL, I NEVER
SUPPORTED THE GUY, I NEVER
ENDORSED HIM, I DIDN’T VOTE FOR
HIM, I DIDN’T GO TO THE
CONVENTION, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE
WONDERED WHY
WONDERED WHY WELL, IT’S RIGHT IN FRONT OF
YOU.
YOU. YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON’T WANT TO
READ THE WHOLE REPORT, JUST READ
PARTS OF THE REPORT.
THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WERE
HAPPENING IN THERE, I’M -- I’M
NOT ONLY DISAPPOINTED AND ANGRY,
I’M SICKENED BY ALL THIS BECAUSE
THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF
PERFORMANCE OR THE KIND OF
BEHAVIOR THAT I SAW FROM SO MANY
OF THE PRESIDENTS I’VE EITHER
OBSERVED OR HAVE KNOWN
>> WE’RE BACK WITH FORMER
MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR BILL
WELD, WHO IS RUNNING FOR THE
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION AGAINST DONALD TRUMP.
HOW DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO BE THE
ONLY ONE AND HOW LONG DO YOU
THINK YOU’RE GOING TO BE THE
ONLY ONE IN THIS FIELD
>> YOU KNOW, I DON’T KNOW.
I SPOKE WITH BOTH JOHN KASICH
AND LARRY HOGAN BEFORE DECLARING
LAST WEEK AND INVITING THEM IN
THEY SAID WE APPLAUD WHAT YOU’RE
DOING.
DOING. WE’RE ALL ON THE SAME TEAM
LET’S SEE WHAT THE FALL BRINGS
I DON’T THINK THEY’RE GOING TO
GET IN LESS THINGS CHANGE.
I’M VERY HAPPY TO GET IN RIGHT
NOW AND MAKE THINGS CHANGE BY
ENLARGING THE ELECTORATE,
STRAIT, ET CETERA.
>> THAT’S WHAT EUGENE McCARTHY
DID WHEN HE GOT IN ON THE
DEMOCRATIC SIDE.
DEMOCRATIC SIDE. HE HAD NO EXPECTATION OF
WINNING.
WINNING. HE SAID HE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN
IN FOUR PRIMARIES, HE ENDED UP
RUNNING IN MORE.
HE SHOWED THERE WAS GREAT
VULNERABILITY FOR LYNDON
JOHNSON.
JOHNSON. BOBBY KENNEDY JUMPED IN.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU
ENVISION POSSIBLE HERE
>> NO, I INTEND TO RUN A
NATIONAL PRIMARY, EXCEPT FOR
PARTS OF THE DEEP SOUTH WHERE IT
REALLY WOULDN’T MAKE A LOT OF
SENSE FOR ME
I’LL START IN THE SIX NEW
ENGLAND STATES LED BY NEW
HAMPSHIRE AND GO TO THE
MID-ATLANTIC STATES WHERE I’M A
NATIVE AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME
THIS NEXT MONTH IN MAY, I’M
GOING TO GO OUT TO CALIFORNIA,
PROBABLY OREGON AND WASHINGTON
CALIFORNIA IS MR. TRUMP’S WORST
STATE.
STATE. THEY DON’T GET ALONG ON
ANYTHING
ANYTHING THAT’S A LOT OF ELECTORAL VOTES.
I’LL STRENUOUSLY CONTEND
PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY AND
NEW YORK
NEW YORK >> ANY CHALLENGER WHO STAYED IN
THE PRIMARIES AFTER NEW
HAMPSHIRE DID NOT WIN THE
NOMINATION BUT THAT PRESIDENT
DID NOT WIN RE-ELECTION AFTER
BEING DAMAGED IN THE PRIMARIES.
>> WELL, IN ALL FIVE CASES THE
PRESIDENT DID LOSE THE GENERAL
ELECTION
ELECTION >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> NONE OF THE CHALLENGERS WON.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> BUT IN ALL FIVE CASES, EXCEPT
MAYBE NIXON, WHO WAS CHALLENGED
BY PETE McCLOSKEY, AS YOU
POINTED OUT.
POINTED OUT. >> PRESIDENT NIXON, EVENTUALLY,
AS WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE LAST
SEGMENT, HIS AS A LAWYER AND HIS
UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAW AND HIS
UNDERSTANDING EVENTUALLY OF THE
INEVITABLE POWER OF IT
HE CHOSE TO RESIGN JUST WHEN THE
ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT WERE
VOTED ON
VOTED ON HE DIDN’T WAIT AROUND FOR THE
HOUNS TO
HOUNS TO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO
VOTE
VOTE HE DIDN’T WAIT AROUND FOR A
TRIAL IN THE SENATE.
WHAT ABOUT THIS PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES?
UNITED STATES? SHOULD HE, FOR THE GOOD OF THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY, IF HE COULD
EVER THINK THAT WAY, RESIGN THE
PRESIDENCY
PRESIDENCY >> FORGET THE GOOD OF THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY
REPUBLICAN PARTY FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY.
IF HE HAD THE SELF-AWARENESS
THAT RICHARD NIXON HAD, SENSE OF
SHAME IS TOO STRONG A WORD, BUT
SELF-AWARENESS IS PROBABLY TOO
SOFT A WORD, HE WOULD RESIGN
WE WOULD BE BETTER -- THE TRUTH
IS WE WOULD BE MUCH BETTER OFF
WITH PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE THAN A
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP.
>> AND WHAT ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY?
PARTY? WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY YOU WORKED WITH
DURING THE IMPEACHMENT OF
RICHARD NIXON AND WHERE THIS
CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICAN PARTY
IS NOW
IS NOW >> YEAH, WHEN I WORKED IN THE
HOUSE, WHEN I WORKED IN THE
SENATE, LIONS STILL STRODE THE
EARTH, PEOPLE LISTENED TO EACH
OTHER.
OTHER. IT WAS A DIFFERENT DAY
THE LAST 15 YEARS HAVE BEEN
TOTALLY DIFFERENT AND POISONOUS,
AND AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, THE
TWO-PARTY SYSTEM IN WASHINGTON
HAS GONE INTO A DEATH SPIRAL
EMBRACE.
EMBRACE. NO ONE’S REALLY INTERESTED IN
WORKING TOGETHER ON ANYTHING
I’LL TELL YOU, IF I GET IN
THERE, I’M GOING TO HAVE A
BIPARTISAN CABINET AND ON DAY
ONE, JUST AS I DID AS GOVERNOR,
REACH RIGHT ACROSS THAT AISLE.
>> YOU WOULDN’T BE THE FIRST ONE
TO HAVE A BIPARTISAN CABINET,