CONNELL: SO BUSINESS GROUPS ARE
BRACING FOR IDEA THAT DEMOCRATS
ARE TAKING OVER IN THE
HOUSEREPRESENTATIVES, MAYBE THEY
WILL ENACT POLICIES NOT FRIENDLY
FOR SMALL BUSINESS, HIKE BEING
TAXES THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT THE QUESTION DO THE
DEMOCRATS HAVE THE ABILITY OR
POWER TO RAISE TAXES WITHOUT
REPUBLICANS?
THE ANSWER COMES FROM CHARLIE
GASPARINO, THE ANSWER IS NOT
REALLY, RIGHT?
>> I LIKE TO SAY SCREW THEM
OVER, DO THEY HAVE THE ABILITY
TO SCREW OVER BUSINESS, STOP THE
ECONOMIC EXPANSION.
CONNELL: THAT KIND OF THING.
>> PUT PEOPLE OUT OF WORK.
CONNELL: MINOR DETAIL.
>> UNFORTUNATELY FOR
NANCY PELOSI SHE CANNOT DO THAT.
CONNELL: RIGHT.
>> HERE IS WHAT THEY CAN DO.
I THINK THIS IS WHERE MARKETS
COULD GET JITTERY OFF OF THIS.
THEY WILL CLEARLY HOLD A LOT OF
HEARINGS.
THEY WILL RELEASE THE
PRESIDENT'S TAX RETURNS.
THEY WILL INVESTIGATE IVANKA'S
PRIVATE EMAIL ACCOUNT.
THEY WILL LOOK AT VOTER
SUPPRESSION IN GEORGIA FOR THE
GOVERNOR'S RACE, THERE IS NO
DOUBT ABOUT THAT.
CONNELL: RIGHT.
>> THEY WILL LOOK AT STUFF
MUELLER IS BEING LOOK AT, IN
TERMS OF RUSSIAN MEDDLING IN THE
ELECTION AND DEALING ON THE SIDE
WITH THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION.
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY
WILL GO AFTER?
WHAT WILL THAT DO?
IT WILL WEAKEN --
CONNELL: MAYBE WEAKEN THE
PRESIDENT.
>> MAYBE SHINE LIGHT ON HIS
BUSINESS DEALINGS AND YOU KNOW,
CHASM HAD IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT.
CONNELL: OF COURSE THE OPPOSITE
IS ALSO POSSIBLE.
IT COULD STRENGTHEN HIM AMONG
HIS BASE?
>> WHO KNOWS.
CONNELL: A POLITICAL STORY.
>> MAYBE THEY DON'T FIND OUT
ENOUGH.
MAYBE THEY MAKE A BIG THING OUT
OF NOTHING.
WE SHALL SEE.
THAT WILL BE A POLITICAL STORY.
THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING
LEGISLATIVELY.
THEY DON'T RUN THE PRESIDENT.
THINK OF IT THIS WAY, THE
REPUBLICANS GAIN AD COUPLE SEATS
IN THE SENATE, RIGHT?
CONNELL: RIGHT.
>> THEY COULD PUSH THROUGH
JUDICIAL NOMINEES THEORETICALLY
BETTER FOR THE ECONOMY.
WHAT WON'T HAPPEN IS TAX REFORM
2.
CONNELL: RIGHT.
>> SOME CAD THINGS COULD HAPPEN,
LIKE PRESIDENT TRUMP AND
DEMOCRATS AGREEING TO SOME CRAZY
COCKAMAMIE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN.
CONNELL: IT PROBABLY WON'T GET
THROUGH THE SENATE.
>> IT WON'T GET THROUGH THE
SENATE.
CONNELL: I GO BACK TO BLAKE WHAT
HE WAS ASKING THE PRESIDENT OUT
OF THAT CRAZY NEWS CONFERENCE.
BLAKE BURMAN GOT UP AND ASKED
THE PRESIDENT ABOUT CUTTING A
DEAL WITH THE DEMS.
THE PRESIDENT WAS OPEN TO IT.
HE DIDN'T SHUT THE DOOR, MAYBE
HIGHER CORPORATE TAXES OR HIGHER
TAXES QUOTE-UNQUOTE RICH PEOPLE
IN EXCHANGE FOR SOMETHING ELSE,
INFRASTRUCTURE, WHATEVER IT
MIGHT BE BUT THAT DIES IN THE
HOUSE, RIGHT?
>> DICE IN THE SENATE.
CONNELL: GETS TO THE HOUSE AND
THEN IT IS DEAD THERE ON
ARRIVAL.
>> WILL BE UNDER A LOT OF
PRESSURE TO, NOT TO RAISE TAXES.
CONNELL: RIGHT.
>> IT IS HARD TO RUN AS
REPUBLICAN ON, I HAVE RAISED
TAXES SO I CAN CUT A DEAL WITH
NANCY PELOSI.
SO I THINK LEGISLATIVELY, THERE
IS NOT MUCH THEY CAN DO.
AGAIN, THEY CAN OBSTRUCT.
THEY'RE NOT GOING -- WON'T BE
TAX REFORM PART 2 BUT THEY CAN'T
DO MUCH.
THE REAL THING -- I TELL YOU
MARKETS WILL TRADE OFF ON THIS
STUFF, REAL THING WHAT THEY
UNCOVER ABOUT THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION AS DEALINGS WITH
RUSSIA, STUFF LIKE THAT.
IF THERE IS ANY FUNNY BUSINESS
THERE, REMEMBER, THEY HAVE HAD,
DEVON NUNEZ IS DIFFERENT THAN
ADAM SCHIFF.
CONNELL: A LITTLE BIT.
>> JUST A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT?
THAT IS WHERE THIS THING COULD
GET CRAZY.
CONNELL: WHAT IS A MARKET EVENT,
SOMETHING ENDANGERS THE
PRESIDENCY?
>> IF THE DEMOCRATS COME UP WITH
SOMETHING, YOU HAVE THIS
INDEPENDENT COUNSEL STILL GOING,
DEMOCRATS CONTROL THE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEES AND MAXINE WATERS,
FINANCIAL SERVICES AND WHAT NOT,
THEY COULD ADD FUEL TO -- THEY
CAN ESSENTIALLY TAKE ANYTHING,
ALMOST REINVESTIGATE IT.
CONNELL: TRUE.
THEY HAVE POLITICAL RISK
THEMSELVES, UNLESS THEY HAVE
SOMETHING HUGE, THEY COULD PUSH
TOO FAR, THERE IS BACKLASH ON
THEIR END.
>> IT'S A TIGHTROPE.
DEMOCRATS PICKED UP CLOSE TO 40
SEATS, 38 SEATS.
CONNELL: YEAH.
>> THEY LOST KEY, A KEY
REPUBLICANS LOST A KEY
CONSTITUENCY IN SUBURBAN WOMEN.
SO THERE IS, DEMOCRATS HAVE SOME
WIND AT THEIR BACK.
NOW DO THEY OVERPLAY THEIR HAND?
PROBABLY.
THE OTHER THING IS, THE OTHER
THING I THINK THE PRESIDENT HAS
GOING FOR HIM IN THE SENSE
POLITICALLY THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
IS SO FAR TO THE LEFT RIGHT NOW
THAT YOU COULD JUST SHOW THEM,
YOU CAN ACTUALLY SAY DO YOU WANT
THE PROGRESSIVE LEFT, THAT IS
CREATED HAVOC WHEREVER THEY GO,
COLLEGE CAMPUSES YOU NAME IT,
YOU REALLY WANT THAT RUNNING --
CONNELL: THIS PRESIDENT IS
BETTER POLITICALLY, DOES BETTER,
WHEN HE HAS SOMEBODY TO RUN
AGAINST.
HE HASPEL APPROXIMATELY.
>> WE'LL SEE.
CONNELL: WHOEVER EMERGES AS HIS
OPPONENT.
IF THEY ARE FAR LEFT.
>> EXISTENTIAL THREAT IS
MUELLER.
CONNELL: WE'LL SEE WHAT HE HAS.
YOU BROUGHT UP IVANKA EMAILS.
THERE WAS CRITICISM FROM
REPUBLICAN AS WELL.
IS THIS A STORY HAS LEGS OR
WHAT'S YOUR TAKE?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
LISTEN, WAS IVANKA DEALING IN
HIGHLY SENSITIVE CLASSIFIED
INFORMATION IS THE REAL
QUESTION?
I DON'T THINK SO.
I THINK THE BIGGER PROBLEM WITH
IVANKA AND JARED IN THE
WHITE HOUSE IS THAT THEY
SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, OPTICALLY THAT
FAMILY MEMBERS -- THIS IS THE
PROBLEM WITH THAT PRESIDENT
TRUMP HAS.
HE NEVER REALLY DIVORCED HIMSELF
FROM HIS BUSINESS, RIGHT?
SO HE IS STILL DIALING WITH HIS
BUSINESS.
HIS KIDS ARE RUNNING THE
BUSINESS.
HE HASN'T DIVESTED.
HE HAS HIS SON-IN-LAW AND
DAUGHTER WHO HAVE BUSINESS
INTERESTS IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
THAT SETS, I'M NOT SAYING
THEY'RE DOING ANYTHING WRONG, WE
HAVEN'T RUN ANYTHING THAT THEY
HAVE DONE ANYTHING PARTICULARLY
ILLEGAL.
MAYBE FISHY BUT NOT ILLEGAL.
CONNELL: IN BUSINESS?
>> YEAH.
BUT THAT OPENS THE DOOR FOR
MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF
INVESTIGATIONS.
CONNELL: NOW THAT THE DEMS HAVE
THE HOUSE.
>> THINK ABOUT IT, PEOPLE WITH
BUSINESS INTERESTS IN THE
WHITE HOUSE.
THE PRESIDENT NEVER DIVORCED
HIMSELF FROM HIS BUSINESS
INTERESTS.
JUST ON THE SUPERFICIALLY THEY
HAVE, A MODE, A WAY INTO TO
INVESTIGATING HIM.
AGAIN I'M NOT SAYING HE DID
ANYTHING WRONG.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT.
BUT TELLING YOU THAT WAS, I MADE
A MISTAKE NOT DIVESTING HIMSELF
I THINK.
CONNELL: DOESN'T SEEM LIKE
EITHER ONE OF THEM ARE GOING
ANYWHERE, EITHER JARED OR
IVANKA.
>> ONE THING I KNOW ABOUT
DONALD TRUMP, WHEN HE RAN HIS
BUSINESS, HIS KIDS ALL HAD
OFFICES UP THERE FROM THE TRUMP
TOWER.
HE RAN THE SHOW BUT, YOU KNOW,
HE TRUSTS FAMILY MEMBERS VERY
MUCH.
HE BROUGHT THEM TO THE
WHITE HOUSE.
CONNELL: CHARLIE, GOOD TO SEE
YOU.
>> BY THE WAY THE PRESIDENT
ACTUALLY CALLED ME.
CONNELL: IS THAT RIGHT?
>> HE WAS WITH A FRIEND OF MINE.
CONNELL: TALK ABOUT BURYING THE
LEAD.
>> FOR ONCE I HAD MY FON DOWN.
THANKSGIVING NIGHT, THE
PRESIDENT WAS WITH A FRIEND OF
MINE AND CALLED ME FROM
MAR-A-LAGO.
CONNELL: COMPLIMENTERRED YOU?
>> WE KNOW EACH OTHER FOR A LONG
TIME.
I PERSONALLY LIKE HIM A LOT.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN I WILL, I WILL
ALWAYS CALL BALLS AND STRIKES.
YOU KNOW ME.
CONNELL: YOU'RE OUT.
THAT IS ALL YOU CAN TELL US.
>> WE NEVER SPOKE.
FOR ONCE I HAD MY PHONE DOWN.
WE --
CONNELL: YOU HAD, YOU NEVER PUT
YOUR PHONE DOWN.
>> THANKSGIVING NIGHT.
IT WAS LIKE 10:30, I JUST DROVE
BACK FROM LONG ISLAND, FROM
IN-LAWS.
I WAS SITTING THERE WATCHING
SOMETHING.
BEFORE I WENT BACK TO SLEEP,
BEFORE I WENT TO SLEEPY, LOOKED
AT MY PHONE.
WHAT IS THIS.
I GOT A TEXT FROM A FRIEND OF
MINE.
THAT IS THE PRESIDENT CALLING
YOU.
IT WAS --
CONNELL: ONE TIME YOU ARE PHONE