♪ >>> GOOD EVENING.
I’M STEVE CURNACKY IN FOR CHRIS
MATTHEWS AND WE’RE FOLLOWING A
COUPLE OF BREAKING STORIES.
THE HOUSE VOTED IN A MAJOR
REBUKE TO BLOCK THE EMERGENCY
DECLARATION.
DECLARATION. NOW THAT BILL MOVES ON TO THE
U.S. SENATE.
U.S. SENATE. AND AFTER NINE-PLUS HOURS OF
TESTIMONY, MICHAEL COHEN HAS
WRAPPED UP HIS TESTIMONY BEFORE
THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE.
THIS WAS THE FIRST LEG OF WHAT
WILL BE EA THREE-DAY MARATHON OF
HEARINGS FOR THE PRESIDENT’S
FORMER LAWYER.
FORMER LAWYER. ONE OF WHICH WILL BE BROADCAST
LIVE BEGINNING TOMORROW MORNING
AT 10:00 A.M. EASTERN TIME.
HERE WAS COHEN LEAVING TODAY’S
HEARINGS MOMENTS AGO.
>> AT THIS POINT IN TIME I
REALLY APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME
TO CLEAR THE RECORD AND TELL THE
TRUTH.
TRUTH. I LOOK FORWARD TOMORROW TO HAVE
MY VOICE TELL THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE MY STORY AND I’M GOING TO
THREAT AMERICAN PEOPLE DECIDE
EXACTLY WHO IS TELLING THE
TRUTH.
TRUTH. I WANT TO THANK YOU AGON FOR
STICKING AROUND.
STICKING AROUND. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
>> COHEN’S TEAM IS PROMISING
REVELATIONS IN HIS TESTIMONY.
THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL
SPLIT-SCREENED COVERAGE.
SPLIT-SCREENED COVERAGE. AT THE VERY MOMENT COHEN WAS
ARRIVING ON CAPITOL HILL, TRUMP
WAS TOUCHING DOWN IN VIETNAM FOR
HIS HIGH-STAKES SUMMIT WITH KIM
JONG-UN.
JONG-UN. POTENTIALLY HIGH REACHING
CONSEQUENCES FOR TRUMP’S
PRESIDENCY.
PRESIDENCY. ON THE EVE OF HIS CRUCIAL
MEETING QUOTE THE EXPECTATION IS
THAT TRUMP WILL STAY UP
OVERNIGHT IN HANOI AND WATCH
WEDNESDAY’S HEARING.
WEDNESDAY’S HEARING. ACCORDING TO A SENIOR WHITE
HOUSE OFFICIAL.
HOUSE OFFICIAL. MEANWHILE, NEW REPORTING
CONTINUES TO BUILD ANTICIPATION
FOR THAT PUBLIC TESTIMONY FROM
COHEN.
COHEN. A TELLING
A TELLING NBC NEWS COHEN WILL DETAIL THE
ALLEGATIONS OF LIES, RACISM AND
CHEATING AT PRIVATE BUSINESS
MEETING.
MEETING. MOST EXPLOSIVE IS HE WILL
PROVIDE HIS OWN ALLEGED CRIMINAL
CONDUCT AND PROVIDE GRANNIALER
DETAILS PAY OFFS TO STORMY
DANIELS.
DANIELS. COHEN HAS ALREADY IMPLICATED THE
PRESIDENT IN THAT SCHEME.
"DAILY BEAST" IS PREPORTING HE
IS PREPARED TO SIGN HIS STORMY
DANIELS COVER UP CHECKS.
JOINED BY DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN
OF WASHINGTON WHO SITS ON THE
HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE.
HE’LL BE HEARING BEHIND CLOSED
DOORS FROM COHEN THIS WEEK.
MICHAEL STEEL IS THE FORMER
CHAIRMAN OF THE NRC AND ANITA
CUE MAR AND ASSOCATIVE EDITOR AT
"POLITICO."
"POLITICO." CONGRESSMAN, LET ME START WITH
YOU.
YOU. THE PUBLIC PHASE.
THE PUBLIC LEG OF MICHAEL
COHEN’S TOUR OF WASHINGTON TAKES
PLACE TOMORROW.
PLACE TOMORROW. AS WE SAY IT STARTS AT 10:00
A.M.
A.M. HOW WILL WHAT YOU HEAR TOMORROW
FROM HIM AT THIS OPEN PUBLIC
HEARING EFFECT YOUR APPROACH TO
HIM BEHIND CLOSED DOORS?
>> I GUESS THAT DEPENDS TO SOME
DEGREE ON WHAT HE ACTUALLY SAYS.
WE’VE ACTUALLY GOT DIVIDED UP
JURISDICTION.
JURISDICTION. OBVIOUSLY IT’S GOING TO BE MORE
FOCUSSED ON MATTERS RELATED TO
THE RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE AND
COUNTERINTELLIGENCE MATTERS.
COUNTERINTELLIGENCE MATTERS. IT WILL DEPEND ON PART ON WHAT
HE ACTUALLYICIZE.
HE ACTUALLYICIZE. I THINK THE WORLD IS GOING TO
LEARN NEW THINGS TOMORROW AND
I’M CONVINCED THE INTEL
COMMITTEE MEMBERS WILL LEARN
SOMETHING NEW.
SOMETHING NEW. >> WE SHARED SOME OF THE
REPORTING FROM FOLKS AROUND THE
SCENE THERE IN WASHINGTON THAT
MAY BE WHAT THIS WILL -- A BIG
PIECE OF THE FOCUS TOMORROW WILL
END UP BEING THE HUSH MONEY
PAYMENT, THE ALLEGATION OF A
CAMPAIGN FINANCE ALLEGATION OF
WHAT ROLE TRUMP HAD.
DO YOU THINK THAT’S GOING TO BE
A SIGNIFICANT PART OF TOMORROW?
>> I DO.
>> I DO. IB THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE
QUITE SURPRISED AT WHAT MICHAEL
ECOHEN BRINGS TO THE TABLE AND
TESTIFIES TO.
TESTIFIES TO. I’VE BEEN TELLING MY FRIENDS
BUCKLE UP.
BUCKLE UP. BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE
SIGNIFICANT.
SIGNIFICANT. >> THIS IS SOMEBODY, MICHAEL
COHEN, WE’VE ALREADY SET TO GO
TO JAIL.
TO JAIL. HIS LEGAL CASE HAS ALREADY
WORKED ITS WAY THROUGH THE
SYSTEM.
SYSTEM. IS THERE ANYTHING HE MIGHT
REVEAL TO THESE CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES THAT HE HASN’T TO THE
AUTHORITIES?
AUTHORITIES? >> IDON’T KNOW BUT THERE’S
CERTAINLY THE POTENTIAL TO
REVEAL THINGS HE THAT HAVEN’T
BEEN REVEALED TO THE PUBLIC.
THERE MAY BE THINGS WE LEARN AS
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
HE PROMISES GRANULAR DETAILS.
AND HE MAKES REFERENCE TO
INDIVIDUAL ONE, PRESIDENT TRUMP,
DIRECTING WITH HIM AND
COORDINATING HIM.
COORDINATING HIM. I THINK THERE’S PLENTY OF ROOM
FOR NEW REVELATIONS ABOUT THE
INVOLVEMENT OF PRESIDENT TRUMP
UNTHAT ACTIVITY.
UNTHAT ACTIVITY. I DON’T THINK IT’S GOING THE
SOUTHERN
SOUTHERN SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
KNOWS.
KNOWS. >> YOU KNOW THIS IS GOING TO.
>> UP TOMORROW, THE QUESTION OF
HIS CREDIBILITY.
HIS CREDIBILITY. THIS IS SOMEBODY COMING BACK
BEFORE CONGRESS WHO’S BEEN
CONVICTED OF LYING TO CONGRESS.
WHAT ABOUT HIS CREDIBILITY?
HOW DOES HE HANDLE THAT
TOMORROW?
TOMORROW? >> YOU’RE RIGHT.
HE’S ABOUT AT THE LOWEST EB OF
CREDIBILITY HAVING NOT ONLY LIED
AND ADMITTED BUT LYING TO
CONGRESS, THE VERY PLACE WHERE
HE WILL BE.
THE WAY PROSECUTORS DEAL WITH
KNOWN LIARS DON’T TAKE MY WORD
FOR IT.
FOR IT. I WILL NARRATE THESE DOCUMENTS
BUT I WILL SHOW OYOU IN
DOCUMENTS OR POINT TO THE
TESTIMONY OF OTHER PEOPLE SO YOU
CAN BELIEVE THE WORD OF OTHERS.
AS AN INSIDER, HE DOES HAVE
INSIGHTS THAT CAN CONNECT THE
DOTS.
DOTS. BUT HE NEEDS DEMONSTRATE DOTS IN
THE FORM OF DOCUMENTS TO BOLSTER
HIS CREDIBILITY.
HIS CREDIBILITY. >> SITING THAT ONGOING THREATS
AGAINST COHEN’S FAMILY FROM
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
PRESIDENT TRUMP. IT CAME AFTER THE PRESIDENT HAD
PUBLICLY SINGLED OUT COHEN’S
FATHER IN LAW IN AN OMINOUS POST
TO TWITTER.
TO TWITTER. AND WELL KNOWN AS A TRUMP ALLY
APUREES TO BE FOLLOWING THE
PRESIDENT’S LEAD, IN A TWEET
JUST HOURS AGO.
HE TWEETED THIS.
HEY, MICHAEL COHEN, DO YOUR WIFE
AND FATHER IN LAW KNOW ABOUT
YOUR GIRLFRIENDS?
YOUR GIRLFRIENDS? MAYBE TONIGHT WOULD BE A GOOD
TIME FOR THAT CHAT I WONDER WHAT
SHE’LL LEARN WHILE YOU’RE IN
PRISON.
PRISON. I BET SHE’LL LEARN A LOT.
AND RESPONSE WE WILL NOT RESPAND
TO DESPICABLE LIES AND PERSONAL
SMEARS.
SMEARS. GATES WAS ASKED ABOUT THAT LATE
TODAY.
TODAY. >> CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO US WHAT
YOU MEANT IN THAT TWEET?
>> I THINK MY TWEET SPEAKS FOR
ITSELF.
ITSELF. YOU SHOULD GO READ IT.
>> DO YOU HAVE INSIGHT ON
MICHAEL COHEN’S RELATIONSHIPS?
>> I THINK YOU SHOULD TUNE IN
TOMORROW TO FIENGD OUT.
THIS ISN’T WITNESS TAMPERING,
IT’S WITNESS TESTING.
WHEN MICHAEL COHEN WHO’S ABOUT
TO GO TO PRISON FOR LYING,
THERE’S AN ENHANCED
RESPONSIBILITY ON THE MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS TO TESTS THAT VERASTY
AND THE TRUTHFULNESS OF THE
WITNESS.
WITNESS. WE ALREADY KNOW THAT MICHAEL
COHEN LIES TO CONGRESS.
WE KNOW HE LIES TO LAW
ENFORCESMENT.
ENFORCESMENT. NOW WE’RE GOING TO FIND OUT IF
HE LIES TO HIS OWN FAMILY.
>> THERE’S THE QUESTION OF THIS
IS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS PUTTING
THIS OUT THERE THE WAY HE PUT
THAT OUT IN PUBLIC VIEW.
ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT RAISES
ABOUT HIM AS A MEMBER OF
CONGRESS.
CONGRESS. LOOKING AT THAT OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE IS WHAT YOU’RE HEARING
FROM GATES, DO YOU THINK THAT IS
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TONE
STRUCK BY THE REPUBLICANS ON THE
COMMITTEE TOMORROW?
COMMITTEE TOMORROW? >> I HELP TO HEAVEN ISN’T.
THAT WAS A PATHETIC DISPLAY OF
GANGSTERISM.
GANGSTERISM. THE KIND OF BEHAVIOR A
CONGRESSMAN SHOULD NOT DISPLAY
THE EVENING BEFORE A VERY
IMPORTANT TESTIMONY.
IMPORTANT TESTIMONY. HE MAKES THE POINT COHEN HAS
LIED TO CONGRESS.
AND PUT DOWN THE EVIDENCE IN
THIS MOMENT SNAT
MOMENT THAT HE’S NOT LYING BUT
CORRECTING THE RECORD, IF YOU
WILL.
WILL. I HOPE WITH RESNEEKT REPUBLICAN
MEMBERS THAT THEY DON’T -- THEY
TAKE THE TRUMP HAT OFF LONG
ENOUGH TO LISTEN TO THE
TESTIMONY, PARTICULARLY LISZN TO
ANY CORROBORATING EVIDENCE TO
THAT TESTIMONY.
THAT TESTIMONY. AND DO THE DUE DILIGENCE AND THE
LEVEL AND GIVE THE WITNESS THE
LEVEL OF RESPECT, REGARDLESS OF
WHAT YOU MAY THINK OF HIM
PERSONALLY AND CERTAINLY THIS
GAETZ IS SPIKABLE AND UNBECOMING
OF A -- IF SOMEONE WERE TO SAY
THAT ABOUT YOUR FAMILY
SITUATION, REGARDLESS OF THE
CIRCUMSTANCES TO PUT SOMETHING
LIKE THAT IN A TWEET ABOUT A
PERSON’S FAMILY AND SPECIFICALLY
HIS WIFE IS INAPPROPRIATE.
SO I’M HOPING THE MEMBERS ON THE
COMMITTEE TAKE NOT THE
TRUMPIAN-GAETZ APPROACH, BUT
TAKE THE APPROACH THAT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE EXPECT OF THEM
TO DO A GOOD JOB LISTENING AND
WEIGHING THE EVIDENCE.
>> THE PRESIDENT, OF COURSE --
HE IS ACROSS THE GLOBE, 8,000
MILES AWAY GETTING READY FOR THE
SUMMIT.
SUMMIT. YOU GOT THE REPORTING THAT HE
MAY BE WATCHING.
SOME FOLKS IN THE WHITE HOUSE
MAY BE ON EDGE ABOUT THIS.
IN TERMS OF HOW THE WHITE HOUSE
IS PLANNING TO HANDLE THIS, WHAT
ARE YOU HEARING?
IS THERE A COORDINATION AT ALL
TAKING PLACE FOR HOW THEY’RE
GOING TO RESPOND TO THIS
TOMORROW?
TOMORROW? >> AS YOU SAID THE PRESIDENT IS
OVERSEAS AND MANY OF HIS TOP
AIDS.