>> A REPRESENTATIVE THAT SAID I’M FROM THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT
SPECIFICALLY.
SPECIFICALLY. >> THIS IS A SERIOUS TIME.
THE CHAIRWOMAN OF THE FEDERAL
ELECTION COMMISSION PUT OUT A
TWEET LAST NIGHT, QUOTE I WOULD
NOT HAVE THOUGHT THAT I NEEDED
TO SAY THIS.
FOLLOWED BY A STATEMENT SAYING
LET ME MAKE SOMETHING 100% CLEAR
TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC AND
ANYONE RUNNING FOR PUBLIC
OFFICE.
OFFICE. IT IS ILLEGAL FOR ANY PERSON TO
SOLICIT, ACCEPT OR RECEIVE
ANYTHING OF VALUE FROM A FOREIGN
NATIONAL IN CONNECTION WITH A
U.S. ELECTION.
U.S. ELECTION. THIS IS NOT A NOVEL CONCEPT.
OUR FOUNDING FATHERS SOUNDING
THE ALARM ABOUT FOREIGN
INTERFERENCE, INTRIGUE AND
INFLUENCE.
INFLUENCE. IT IS ALWAYS TO ADVANCE THEIR
OWN INTERESTS AND NOT AMERICAS.
AND FEC CHAIRWOMAN JOINS US NOW.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING
ON THE SHOW THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU FOR RELEASING THAT
STATEMENT AND PUTTING OUT THAT
TWEET.
TWEET. CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT
COMPELLED YOU TO FEEL LIKE YOU
NEEDED TO DO THAT?
>> WELL IT’S PART OF MY JOB TO
MAKE SURE THAT ALL CANDIDATES
AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC ARE WELL
INFORMED ON THE LAWS THAT GOVERN
OUR CAMPAIGN FINANCE SYSTEM AND
TELLS PEOPLE WHO IS TRYING TO
INFLUENCE THE FOLKS RUNNING FOR
OFFICE THERE SEEMS TO BE
CONFUSION ON THIS POINT WHICH
CONFUSED ME BECAUSE IT’S A
MATTER OF LAW.
IT’S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
ANYONE IN THE UNITED STATES IS
NOT ALLOWED TO ACCEPT ANYTHING
OF VALUE FROM A FOREIGN
NATIONAL.
NATIONAL. PARTICULARLY A FOREIGN
GOVERNMENT IN CONNECTION WITH AN
ELECTION.
ELECTION. >> SO THE PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT
COULD HAVE BEEN TO FOREIGN
GOVERNMENTS.
GOVERNMENTS. DID THAT CONCERN YOU AT ALL?
>> I DON’T WANT TO M COMEANT
ABOUT ANY INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES
COMMENTS OR THEIR CONDUCT.
I’M JUST INTERESTED IN MAKING
SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS
THE LAW.
THE LAW. I HAVE BEEN GRAVELY CONCERNED
ABOUT THE EFFORTS OF FOREIGN
GOVERNMENTS TO TRY TO INTERVENE
IN OUR ELECTION.
AND I THINK EVERYONE IN
GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE SPEAKING ON
THIS.
THIS. THIS IS NOT A PART SEASON ISSUE.
THIS IS NOT A QUESTION OF
FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS TAKING SIDES
ON BEHALF OF THE POLICY
PLATFORMS OF ONE PARTY OR
ANOTHER OR ONE CANDIDATE OR
ANOTHER.
ANOTHER. THE FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS THAT WE
HAVE SEEN VERY BAD ACTIONS FROM
IN THE PAST ARE NOT LIKELY TO
CEASE THEIR EFFORTS GOING
FORWARD UNLESS THE ENTIRE
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT SPEAKS WITH
ONE VOICE AND SAYS THIS IS
UNACCEPTABLE AND WE’RE NOT GOING
TO PUT UP WITH IT.
>> IT’S WILLIE GEIST AND WE
APPRECIATE YOU COMING ON AND
EXPLAINING YOUR MEMO FROM
YESTERDAY.
YESTERDAY. I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE IDEA
OF ANYTHING OF VALUE FROM A
FOREIGN NATIONAL.
FOREIGN NATIONAL. BECAUSE SOME HAVE VIEWED THAT AS
A BUSINESS DEAL.
WHAT ABOUT INFORMATION?
IF SOMEONE REACHED OUT AND SAID
I HAVE DIRT ON ONE OF YOUR
OPPONENTS.
OPPONENTS. WOULD THAT BE CONSIDERED
SOMETHING OF VALUE?
>> WE’D HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT.
WE’D HAVE TO EVALUATE THE VALUE
OF THE INFORMATION BUT, YOU
KNOW, I’LL PUT THIS TO JOE, YOU
HAVE A FORMER CANDIDATE RIGHT
HERE ON THE SET WITH US.
WOULD HE HAVE CONSIDERED
INFORMATION TO BE OF VALUE TO
HIM IN HIS CAMPAIGN?
>> I DON’T BELIEVE HE’S HERE AT
THE MOMENT.
THE MOMENT. >> OH, WE MISSED HIM, SORRY.
>> BUT I THINK HE WOULD SAY THAT
AND ALSO SAY HE WOULD CALL THE
FBI RIGHT AWAY IF THAT HAD
HAPPENED.
HAPPENED. WE HEARD ON THE FLOOR OF THE
SENATE YESTERDAY FROM ONE
REPUBLICAN LISTING THROUGH AND
SAYING WHY SHE WOULDN’T SUPPORT
MARK WARNER’S BILL ON THIS.
CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEERS THAT WERE
FOREIGN NATIONALS.
FOREIGN NATIONALS. >> THERE’S AN EXCEPTION FOR
VOLUNTEER SERVICE AND FOREIGN
NATIONALS THAT VOLUNTEERS ON
CAMPAIGNS.
CAMPAIGNS. >> WHAT ABOUT CAMPAIGN RECEIVING
SOCIAL MEDIA RESPONSES OR
INTERACTIONS.
INTERACTIONS. WOULD THAT BE ILLEGAL?
>> ROOIDI’D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE
ON THAT ONE.
I’M NOT SURE WHAT THE PARAMETERS
WOULD BE.
WOULD BE. >> DO YOU BELIEVE THERE SHOULD
BE A LAW?
BE A LAW? SOMETHING THAT STRENGTHENS WHAT
YOU WROTE ABOUT IN YOUR MEMO
YESTERDAY?
YESTERDAY? THAT SAYS THERE HAS TO BE A LAW
AGAINST PARTICIPATING AND
WORKING WITH A FOREIGN
GOVERNMENT DURING A CAMPAIGN.
>> THAT’S ALREADY ILLEGAL BUT
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BILLS THAT
HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS
THAT WOULD STRENGTHEN OUR
DEFENSES AGAINST FOREIGN
INTERVENTION AND I SERIOUSLY
WISH ALL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
WOULD ADOPT THE PROVISIONS
BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO STRENGTHEN
OUR PROTECTIONS GOING INTO 2020.
>> THAT LAW IS ON THE BOOKS BUT
YOU BELIEVE IT NEEDS TO BE
STRENGTHENED.
STRENGTHENED. >> THERE’S OTHER LAWS THAT COULD
HELP TO SURE IT UP.
>> RELATED TO WHETHER A
CANDIDATE, HEARING THE VIEWS OF
A FOREIGN NATIONAL OR A FOREIGN
OFFICIAL WHETHER THAT WOULD BE
CONSIDERED SOMETHING OF VALUE.
A CANDIDATE PRESUMABLY COULD
HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH A
FOREIGN NATIONAL TO HEAR THEIR
VIEWS ABOUT A RANGE OF ISSUES.
THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED OKAY
BUT VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE KIND
OF THING THAT IS PROHIBITED?
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. I THINK THAT’S RIGHT.
>> OKAY.
>> OKAY. AND THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO
ASK, YOU MENTION THAT YOU HAD
GREAT CONCERN ABOUT FOREIGN
NATIONALS TRYING TO INFLUENCE
OUR ELECTIONS.
OUR ELECTIONS. OBVIOUSLY I THINK THAT PART OF
THE REASON, WELL, I’LL ASK YOU,
IS THE REASON WHY YOU WERE
CONCERNED ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF
THE FACT THAT THERE WAS AN
EFFORT TO INFLUENCE AN AMERICAN
ELECTION IN 2016 AND ARE YOU
LIKE THE FBI DIRECTOR
PARTICULARLY CONCERNED TO DO
WHAT THEY DID TRY TO DO IN 2016.
IF OTHER COUNTRIES SAW THEY SEEM
TO HAVE AN EFFECT OR NOT BUT IT
SEEMED TO GO ON WITHOUT ANY
SEVERE REPERCUSSIONS IN 2016.
THIS IS NOT AN ATTEMPT FOR
SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTRY
TO EXERCISE SOME RIGHT TO VOICE
THEIR OPINION, THEY’RE TRYING TO
UNDERMINE OUR DEMOCRACY.
THEY’RE TRYING TO SOW CHAOS AND
MAKE AMERICANS FEEL DISENCHANTED
WITH OUR DEMOCRACY AND NOT
BOTHER TO GO TO THE POLLING
STATIONS IN SOME CASES.
THIS IS REALLY DANGEROUS STUFF.
>> YES IT IS.
I WON’T HAVE ELLEN COMMENT ON
THIS BUT BEFORE YOU TAKE IT TO
HER, YOU KNOW, SHE BRINGS UP
SUCH A GOOD POINT ABOUT THE
OTHER FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS BEING
TOLD WE’RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS AND
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CONTEXT.
WE KNOW DONALD TRUMP AND WHAT HE
SAID WAS A THREAT TO OUR
NATIONAL SECURITY BUT IT CAME AT
A TIME WHEN HIS POLL NUMBERS
WERE LOOKING BAD.
IT’S HARD NOT TO PUT TWO AND TWO
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. AND, I WANT TO JUST SAY THAT THE
QUESTION WE HAVE BEEN ASKING ALL
THIS MORNING IS WOULD MITCH
McCONNELL TAKE THIS SORT OF
HELP?
HELP? WOULD ANY MEMBER OF CONGRESS
TAKE THIS HELP?
I’M SO GLAD YOU’RE HERE THIS
MORNING BECAUSE WHAT I HAVE BEEN
SAYING IS, YOU KNOW, I SERVED --
ELECTED FOUR TIMES AND PROBABLY
SERVED WITH 600 AND 700 MEMBERS
OF CONGRESS OVER THAT TIME
PERIOD.
PERIOD. I NEVER HEARD THAT HAPPENING ONE
TIME.
TIME. I CAN TELL YOU, THE FIRST THING
I WOULD SAY IS WE HAVE TO CALL
THE FBI.
THE FBI. THE SECOND THING IS MY CHIEF OF
STAFF, ANY ONE OF MY CHIEF OF
STAFFS WOULD HAVE SAID HEY, IT’S
NOT ONLY POSSIBLY ILLEGAL BUT
IT’S AN IN KIND CONTRIBUTION.
DO YOU WANT TO PUT THAT ON YOUR
FEC REPORT.
FEC REPORT. >> I WOULD HOPE THAT EVERY
SINGLE MEMBER OF CONGRESS IF
THEY WERE TO GET AN APPROACH
FROM A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT THAT
THEY WOULD IMMEDIATELY REPORT
THAT TO THE FBI.
>> I JUST WANT TO FIND OUT
WHETHER I HAVE BEEN NAIVE.
DOES THIS HAPPEN ALL THE TIME?
DO YOU HEAR OF REPORTS?
DO YOU HAVE CASES THAT HAVE COME
ACROSS YOUR DESK THAT YOU HAVE
READ OF OR ANY PRECEDENCE WHERE
YOU HAVE FOREIGN NATIONALS
TRYING TO INFLUENCE CAMPAIGNS
THIS WAY?
THIS WAY? >> I CAN’T COMMENT ON ANYTHING
THAT COULD BE ON THE ENFORCEMENT
DOCKET BUT THE BIG PICTURE
ANSWER IS I DON’T THINK THIS IS
RAM PANT
RAM PANT RAMPANT AND THANK GOODNESS IT’S
NOT.
NOT. IS IT ALSO ILLEGAL FOR FEDERAL
OR STATE POLITICAL PARTIES TO
ACCEPT THIS KIND OF IN KIND
CONTRIBUTION IF YOU WILL?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> SO THAT SHOULD ALSO BE VERY
CLEAR IN CASE THE PRESIDENT OR
OTHERS ARE LISTENING.
YOU CAN’T HAVE YOUR SUPER PACT
USE IT EITHER.
>> NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
WE’RE IN A WHOLE NEW PLACE THAT
WE HAVE TO EXPLAIN THESE THINGS
AND WHY THEY MIGHT BE CONCERNING
TO OUR COUNTRY’S SAFETY.
THANK YOU FOR COMING ON THE SHOW
THIS MORNING.
THIS MORNING. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> COMING UP ON MORNING JOE, WE
NOW KNOW WHICH DEMOCRATS WILL BE
HITTING THE STAGE IN MIAMI THIS
MONTH FOR THE FIRST DEBATE OF
THE PRIMARY SEASON.
MORNING JOE WILL BE THERE LIVE
FOR SPECIAL COVERAGE JUNE 26th
AND 27th AND UP NEXT, THE