>>> FORMER SPECIAL COUNSEL BOB MUELLER WILL TESTIFY PUBLICLY
BEFORE CONGRESS NEXT WEEK.
TODAY ATTORNEY GENERAL BILL BARR
REEMERGED TO UNDERCUT THAT
LOOMING HEARING.
LOOMING HEARING. >> I DON’T KNOW IF I’LL BE
WATCHING IN REAL TIME, BUT I’M
SURE WHAT HE SAYS WILL GET TO ME
SOMEHOW.
SOMEHOW. I SAID ALL ALONG THAT I HAD -- I
WOULD NOT OBJECT TO BOB GOING UP
TO TESTIFY, BUT AFTER I SAID
THAT, HE INDICATED HE WAS NOT
INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING.
SO I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO SEE HIM
SUBPOENAED BECAUSE I DON’T THINK
THAT SERVES ANY PURPOSE,
DRAGGING BOB MUELLER UP IF HE,
IN FACT, IS GOING TO STICK TO
THE REPORT.
THE REPORT. IT SEEMS TO ME THE ONLY REASON
FOR DOING THAT IS TO CREATE SOME
KIND OF PUBLIC SPECTACLE.
AND IF BOB DECIDES THAT HE
DOESN’T WANT TO BE SUBJECT TO
THAT, THEN THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE WOULD CERTAINLY BACK
HIM.
HIM. >> THAT IS WHAT SHADE LOOKS LIKE
BETWEEN A SUPERVISOR AND HIS OLD
>>> MR. PRESIDENT, ON BEHALF OF EVERY ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES YOU
SEE HERE BEFORE YOU AND AROUND
THE WORLD, IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO
WELCOME YOU TO THE FBI.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>> WE ARE NOT ABOVE USING THIS
OCCASION FOR RECRUITING
PURPOSES.
PURPOSES. [ LAUGHTER ]
BUT YOU ARE A WEE BIT PAST OUR
AGE LIMIT.
AGE LIMIT. [ LAUGHTER ]
HOWEVER, IT IS NOT TOO EARLY FOR
SASHA AND MALIA --
[ LAUGHTER ]
-- TO START THINKING ABOUT
JOINING THE FBI.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO SEND YOU
HOME WITH TWO OFFICIAL BERRO
TEDDY BEARS FOR THEM AS WELL AS
T-SHIRTS.
T-SHIRTS. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>> TEDDY BEARS IN THE AIR.
THAT WAS FBI DIRECTOR BOB
MUELLER A DECADE AGO, OF COURSE,
SPEAKING THERE WITH THE FIRST
FAMILY AND BARACK OBAMA
WELCOMING THE NEW PRESIDENT ON
WHAT WAS HIS FIRST OFFICIAL
VISIT TO THE FBI, AND HANDING
THOSE TWO TEDDY BEARS OVER AS
GIFTS FOR THE PRESIDENT’S
DAUGHTERS.
DAUGHTERS. THAT’S ABOUT AS WARM AND
UNSCRIPTED AS MUELLER EVER GETS
IN PUBLIC.
IN PUBLIC. SMILING, LEANING INTO A
CEREMONIAL EVENT, HONORING THE
PRESIDENT AND THE BUREAU.
BUT YOU WON’T FIND MUCH FOOTAGE
OF MUELLER EVER SHOWING MORE
PERSONALITY THAN THAT TWO TEDDY
BEAR DAY.
BEAR DAY. YOU CAN SCOUR THE ARCHIVES.
WE DID.
WE DID. THAT’S ABOUT AS FAR AS IT GOES.
THE REST OF THE TIME, MOST OF
THE TIME, BOB MUELLER IS MORE
TIGHT LIPPED AND TACITURN.
NEXT WEEK HE TESTIFIES ABOUT
CONGRESS ABOUT A PROBE THAT IS
THE MOST ANTICIPATED HEARING OF
THE TRUMP ERA.
ONLY MUELLER KNOWS WHAT HE
INTENDS TO SAY, BUT RIGHT NOW WE
HAVE A SPECIAL REPORT FOR YOU ON
MUELLER UNDER OATH WITH SOME
CLUES ON HIS APPROACH, AND SOME
REPORTING ON HAI BOB MUELLER
TESTIFIES AT HEARINGS.
BECAUSE DESPITE HIS SECRETIVE
REPUTATION, MUELLER’S LONG
CAREER MEANS HE’S TESTIFIED MANY
TIMES.
TIMES. IN FACT, YOU SEE RIGHT HERE SOME
OF THEM.
OF THEM. WE SCOURED DECADES OF HIS
HEARINGS, OVER 60 APPEARANCES
BEFORE CONGRESS FROM HIS SERVICE
AT THE FBI AND D.O.J..
AND WE STUDIED HOW HE DEALS WITH
ASSERTIVE QUESTIONING, HOW HE
AVOIDS CERTAIN THINGS WITHIN HIS
OBLIGATION ANDS HOW HE LIVES UP
TO A LONG-STANDING REP AS THE
ULTIMATE RULE FOLLOWER.
NOW, WE FOUND MANY SIMILAR
RESPONSES FROM MUELLER GOING
BACK TO HIS FIRST FBI DIRECTOR
CONFIRMATION HEARING.
CONFIRMATION HEARING. THIS WAS 2001, AND HE SPARD WITH
WITH A U.S. SENATOR ABOUT A
CONTROVERSIAL MEMO THAT WAS
RELATED TO A PREVIOUS
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. >> THE SHORT ANSWER, SENATOR, IS
YES.
YES. AND I THINK -- I’M NOT CERTAIN
WHAT I WOULD DO IN THAT
CIRCUMSTANCE, BUT I CANNOT TELL
YOU TODAY THAT I ABSOLUTELY
WOULD.
WOULD. >> ARE YOU NOW SAYING,
MR. MUELLER, THAT YOU WOULD, IN
FACT, HAVE TURNED OVER THIS MEMO
OF DECEMBER 9th, 1996, ON YOUR
OWN TO THE SENATE OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE?
COMMITTEE? >> I CAN’T SAY WITH
DEFINITIVENESS NOW AT THIS TIME
I WOULD.
I WOULD. I CANNOT PUT MYSELF, WITHOUT ALL
THE FACTS, BACK INTO THE
POSITION OF THE DECISION MAKER.
>> IF THIS COMMITTEE -- IF THOSE
TWO MEN, THE CHAIRMAN AND THE
RANKING MEMBER, CAN’T HAVE
ACCESS TO THIS MEMORANDUM, I
DON’T THINK SENATE OVERSIGHT IS
WORTH A TINKERS DAM.
>> I AM MAKING A DISTINCTION,
SENATOR, IF I MIGHT.
I’M SAYING IN A CASE WHERE THERE
HAS BEEN A REQUEST FOR THIS
MEMORANDUM, I WOULD EXPECT THAT
THE REQUEST OF THE COMMITTEE TO
GET THIS MEMORANDUM WOULD BE
ACCOMMODATED.
ACCOMMODATED. >> WELL, MR. MUELLER, THAT
DOESN’T ANSWER THE QUESTION AT
ALL.
ALL. >> THAT DOESN’T ANSWER THE
QUESTION AT ALL, WHICH MAY HAVE
BEEN MUELLER’S GOAL.
OBSERVE THE RULES, TELL THE
TRUTH, BUT JUST DON’T ANSWER
CERTAIN QUESTIONS.
CERTAIN QUESTIONS. HE HASN’T CHANGED, NOT EVEN HIS
OUTFITS.
OUTFITS. THE DARK JACKET, THE WHITE
SHIRT, THE RED CHECKERED TIE.
THAT BRINGS ME TO A CLASSIC BOB
MUELLER RIDDLE TO KEEP IN MIND
FOR NEXT WEEK.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
BOB MUELLER AND A BOTTLE OF
WINE?
WINE? WINE CHANGES, MUELLER DOESN’T.
WE CHECKED THESE TAPES AND
HERE’S HOW HE SWATS AWAY
HYPOTHETICALS AND QUESTIONS
EVERY TIME HE DOESN’T WANT TO
ANSWER.
ANSWER. >> I HESITATE TO SPECULATE
BECAUSE I HAVE JUST A PIECE OF
THE PUZZLE ALSO.
I WOULD HAVE TO CHECK TO MAKE
ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN.
ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN. IN EVERY INVESTIGATION
PARTICULARLY A FAST-MOVING
INVESTIGATION, THERE ARE STEPS
TAKEN THAT MAY NOT WORKOUT.
IT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO
GENERALIZE OR TO REACH SOME SORT
OF UNDERSTANDING OR MAKE
PROGRESS WITH THAT
GENERALIZATION.
GENERALIZATION. >> THOSE ALL SOUND LIKE
BASICALLY TRUE STATEMENTS, BUT
THEY STOP SHORT OF WHAT THE
CONGRESSIONAL QUESTIONERS WANTED
TO KNOW.
TO KNOW. THE POINT HERE ISN’T THAT
MUELLER’S PAST HEARING SUGGESTS
HE’S TRYING TO ONLY BE EVASIVE
OR PROTECT ANYONE, BUT RATHER
THAT EVEN WHEN HE’S SITTING ON
BLOCK BUSTER EVIDENCE OR
DRAMATIC STORIES WHICH YOU ARE
ABOUT TO SEE, HIS STYLE IS
ALMOST ALWAYS JUST THE FACTS.
AND THAT BRINGS ME, AS I
MENTIONED, TO A KEY PART OF THIS
REPORT TONIGHT ON MUELLER UNDER
OATH.
OATH. A HUGE LEGAL SCANDAL WHERE YOU
ACTUALLY CAN GET AN APPLES TO
APPLES COMPARISON OF HOW BOB
MUELLER TESTIFIES ABOUT A
COMPARED TO A PEER.
CONSIDER A SECRET SCANDAL THAT
ROCKED THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION
AND IT BOILED DOWN TO WHAT
MUELLER AND ONE OTHER OFFICIAL
KNEW ABOUT PRESSURE THAT WAS
APPLIED, POTENTIALLY ILLICITLY,
TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WHILE HE
WAS LYING IN HIS HOSPITAL BED
AND HOW THESE TWO OFFICIALS,
WHO, SPOILER, HAVE BOTH SERVED
AS FBI DIRECTORS, HOW THEY
ULTIMATELY ADDRESSED THIS
SCANDAL WHEN LATER QUESTIONED BY
CONGRESS UNDER OATH.
SO, THIS IS LIKE PERFECT MUELLER
OLOGY.
OLOGY. IT AURLLL STARTED WITH A SEEN TH
COULD HAVE BEEN OUT OF "BORNE
IDENTITY."
IDENTITY." LYING IN BED THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL JOHN ASH CROFT.
THEY WANTED HIM TO APPROVE AN
EXTENSION OF THE SECRET NSA
WARRANTLESS EAVESDROPPING
WARRANTLESS EAVESDROPPING PROGRAM OVER STRONG OBJECTIONS
EVEN THOUGH ASH CROFT WAS
SERIOUSLY ILL.
SERIOUSLY ILL. EVEN THOUGH THIS ALL HAPPENED A
FEW YEARS AGO, THE DETAILS JUST
REVEALED TODAY COULD SPELL NEW
TROUBLE FOR THE CURRENT ATTORNEY
GENERAL ALBERTO GONZALEZ.
>> THE SCANDAL WAS GONZALEZ
TRYING TO STRONG ARM THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL TO APPROVE A
PROGRAM THAT COMEY AND MUELLER
THOUGHT MIGHT BE ILLEGAL.
WHEN THE STORY FINALLY CAME OUT,
JAMES COMEY GAVE A DRAMATIC
RENDERING OF IT TO A RAPT
CONGRESSIONAL HEARING.
CONGRESSIONAL HEARING. >> I RACED TO THE HOSPITAL ROOM,
ENTERED, AND MRS. ASHCROFT WAS
STANDING BY THE HOSPITAL BED.
MR. ASH CROFT WAS LYING DOWN IN
THE BED.
THE BED. THE ROOM WAS DARKENED.
THE IF IN FIB INSTRUCTED AGENTS
PRESENT NOT TO ALLOW ME TO BE
REMOVED FROM THE ROOM UNDER ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES.
CIRCUMSTANCES. AND I WENT BACK IN THE ROOM.
ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHCOST THEN
STUNNED ME.
STUNNED ME. >> STUNNED ME.
COMEY GOES BEYOND WHAT HAPPENED.
HE FAXED THE CONFRONTATION.
HE WAS STUNNED BY WHAT HAPPENED
NEXT.
NEXT. AND COMEY WANTS HIS LISTENERS TO
BE STUNNED, TOO, BECAUSE, WELL,
WE KNOW THIS BY NOW.
HE’S A VIVID STORY TELLER.
AT THAT HEARING THEN COMEY
ACCOUNTS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S
NEXT MOVE.
NEXT MOVE. >> HE LIFTED HIS HEAD OFF THE
PILLOW, AND IN VERY STRONG
TERMS, EXPRESSED HIS VIEW OF THE
MATTER, RICH IN BOTH SUBSTANCE
AND FACT, WHICH STUNNED ME,
DRAWN FROM THE HOUR-LONG MEETING
WE’D HAD A WEEK EARLIER, AND IN
STRONG TERMS EXPRESSED HIMSELF,
AND THEN LAID HIS HEAD BACK DOWN
ON THE PILLOW.
SEEMED SPENT, AND SAID TO THEM,
BUT THAT DOESN’T MATTER BECAUSE
I’M NOT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
>> THE LAST LINE SHOWED ASH
CROFT’S COMMITMENT TO THE RULES.
THE ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL IS
IN CHARGE.
IN CHARGE. THAT THE MAERS FOR WHO IS GOING
TO APPROVE THAT PROGRAM OR WHO
APPOINTS A SPECIAL COUNSEL.
IT MATTERS A LOT.
COMEY’S TESTIMONY WAS ACCURATE
AND GRIPPING, BUT IF YOU HAD TO
RELY ON MUELLER’S TESTIMONY TO
LEARN ABOUT THAT SAME EVENT,
MUELLER BEING THE OTHER OFFICIAL
WHO KNEW WHAT WENT DOWN, YOU’D
GET A PRETTY DIFFERENT PICTURE.
HERE WAS MUELLER’S TESTIMONY
ABOUT THAT INTERACTION IN THAT
HOSPITAL ROOM, AND THIS Q & A IS
LIKE PULLING TEETH WITH MUELLER
INTENT ON SAYING AS LITTLE AS
POSSIBLE.
POSSIBLE. >> WERE YOU SURPRISED WHEN YOU
RECEIVED THE PHONE CALL FROM
MR. COMEY INDICATING THAT THERE
WAS GOING TO BE THIS VISIT TO
MR. ASHCROFT BY GONZALEZ AND
CARD?
CARD? >> IT WAS OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
>> YOU’RE THE FBI DIRECTOR, A
SENIOR OFFICIAL CALLS YOU AND
SAYS, MAKE SURE THAT I’M NOT
EVICTED FROM THE ROOM -- AND I’M
SURE THAT MUST HAVE STRUCK YOU
AS BEING AN UNUSUAL REQUEST,
DIDN’T IT?
DIDN’T IT? >> YES.
>> YES. >> DID YOU TAKE NOTES AND
MEMORIALIZE YOUR CONVERSATION
WITH MR. COMEY AT THAT POINT?
>> I DON’T KNOW.
AT THAT POINT I DID NOT.
>> AT SOME POINT DID YOU
MEMORIALIZE YOUR CONVERSATIONS
REGARDING THIS VISIT WITH
MR. COMEY?
MR. COMEY? >> I MAY HAVE, YES.
>> DO YOU STILL HAVE THOSE
NOTES?
NOTES? >> YES.
>> YES. >> AND ARE THEY AVAILABLE TO THE
COMMITTEE IF THE COMMITTEE WERE
TO ASK FOR THEM?
>> I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO
YOU ON THAT.
>> TELL ME WHY YOU DECIDED TO
MAKE NOTES OF YOUR CONVERSATION
WITH MR. ASH CROFT.
>> IT WAS OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
>> WHAT WAS OUT OF THE ORDINARY,
MR. MUELLER?
MR. MUELLER? >> BEING ASKED TO GO TO THE
HOSPITAL AND, AND BE PRESENT AT
THAT TIME.
THAT TIME. >> THIS IS INCREDIBLE.
I MEAN, LET’S HAVE REAL TALK.
WHEN A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS
GOES DOWN IN A HOSPITAL ROOM AND
PEOPLE WITH GUNS HAVE TO PROTECT
THE ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL FROM
THE PRESIDENT’S COUNSEL, YEAH,
IT’S OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
IT’S A PRETTY UNDERSTATED WAY TO
PUT IT.
PUT IT. YOU CAN SEE THIS CONTRAST AND
HOW COMEY DESCRIBES THE FALLOUT
FROM THAT INCIDENT, AND THESE
OTHER OFFICIALS WHO WERE
BASICALLY PREPPING A SATURDAY
NIGHT STYLE MASSACRE OF SORTS
FOR BUSH.
FOR BUSH. >> I PREPARED A LETTER OF
RESIGNATION INTENDING TO RESIGN
THE NEXT DAY, FRIDAY, MARCH THE
12th.
12th. >> YOU BELIEVED THAT OTHERS WERE
ALSO PREPARED TO RESIGN, NOT
JUST YOU?
JUST YOU? IS THAT CORRECT?
>> YES.
>> YES. >> OKAY.
>> OKAY. WAS ONE OF THOSE DIRECTOR
MUELLER?
MUELLER? >> I BELIEVE SO.
YOU’D HAVE TO ASK HIM, BUT I
BELIEVE SO.
BELIEVE SO. >> COMEY’S TOUTING HIS READINESS
TO RESIGN.
TO RESIGN. COMEY CHANGED UNDER THAT
PRESSURE.
PRESSURE. MUELLER FOUND A WAY TO EVEN
AVOID CONFIRMING THIS DIRECTLY.
HE QUOTED COMEY AND WAIVED OFF
REQUEST TO INTERPRET THIS
EPISODE.
EPISODE. >> I DON’T DISPUTE WHAT
MR. COMEY SAYS.
>> OKAY.
>> OKAY. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT WHOLE
EPISODE --
EPISODE -- >> UNFORTUNATELY, CONGRESSMAN, I
DON’T THINK IT APPROPRIATE TO
SPECULATE.
SPECULATE. I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS AS TO
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE EXTENT THAT
I’M ABLE TO, BUT BEYOND THAT I’D
BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY FURTHER
QUESTIONS --
QUESTIONS -- >> CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT YOU AND
SOME OF YOUR AGENTS WERE
PREPARED TO RESIGN BECAUSE OF
LEADING UP TO THIS CONTROVERSY?
>> AGAIN, I’M UNCOMFORTABLE
GETTING INTO CONVERSATIONS I HAD
WITH INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE I DO
BELIEVE THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE
ENTITLED TO MY UNFETTERED
THOUGHTS.
THOUGHTS. >> THEN THE TRICKY LEARNING
KICKS IN.
KICKS IN. THE CONGRESSMAN PRESSES MUELLER
ON WHETHER HE DID PREPARE TO
RESIGN OVER THIS, AND MUELLER
EVADES IT BY EMPHASIZING, WELL,
COMEY’S TESTIMONY SAID YOU’D
HAVE TO ASK MUELLER.
>> WAS HE CORRECT?
BETTER YET, WERE YOU THAT
PERSON?
PERSON? >> WELL, I WAS THAT PERSON TO
WHOM HE REFERS, YES.
>> DID YOU CONSIDER RESIGNING?
THIS IS YOUR OWN MIND.
>> I UNDERSTAND -- I UNDERSTAND
WHY I CANNOT SAY THAT I DO NOT
DISPUTE WHAT MR. COMEY SAYS
BECAUSE MR. COMEY SAYS ASK
MR. MUELLER.
MR. MUELLER. I WILL TELL YOU THAT I DON’T
BELIEVE IT’S APPROPRIATE FOR ME
TOE GET INTO CONVERSATIONS I’VE
HAD WITH PRINCIPALS ON THAT
ISSUE.
ISSUE. >> THERE WAS A CENTRAL QUESTION.
MUELLER SLICES IT INTO PIECES,
DANCES AROUND IT AND SAYS, HEY,
I’M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU.
I DON’T THINK IT’S APPROPRIATE.
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR
NEXT WEEK, AND THE CRIMINAL
EVIDENCE AGAINST THE PRESIDENT.
CONGRESS NEVER GOT A FULLER
ANSWER ON THAT ISSUE THERE, SO
YOU CAN CONTRAFRT NOW THESE TWO
TOP OFFICIALS DISCUSSING THE
SAME INCIDENT AS A PREVIEW FOR
NEXT WEEK.
NEXT WEEK. >> I RACED TO THE HOSPITAL ROOM,
MR. ASH CROFT WAS LYING DOWN IN
THE BED, THE ROOM WAS DARKENED.
>> IT WAS OUT OF THE ORDINARY?
>> I PREPARED A LETTER OF
RESIGNATION TO RESIGN.
>> I DON’T BELIEVE IT’S
APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO GET INTO
CONVERSATIONS I’VE HAD WITH
PRINCIPALS ON THAT ISSUE.
>> MUELLER WILL HAVE EVEN MORE
RATIONALES NEXT WEEK FOR WHY
SOME ANSWER IS UNAPPROPRIATE.
GRAND JURD I LAW, D.O.J. RULES,
THE CREDIBLE CONSIDERATION THAT
PEOPLE MUELLER INDICTED ARE
STILL AWAITING TRIAL FROM THE
RUSSIANS AT LARGE TO ROGER
STONE.
STONE. THOSE RATIONALES ARE LEGIT, BUT
WE ALSO KNOW MUELLER ERRS ON THE
SIDE OF LESS COMMON REGARDLESS.
PAST COUNSELS HAVE SPOKEN
FREELY.
FREELY. MUELLER’S TEAM NEVER DID.
>> IF YOU’RE THE SPOKESMAN FOR
THE SPECIAL COUNSEL’S OFFICE,
YOUR JOB IS TO NEVER SAY
ANYTHING.
ANYTHING. >> NO COMMENT FROM THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL’S OFFICE.
COUNSEL’S OFFICE. >> THE SPECIAL COUNSEL’S OFFICE
BASICALLY NEVER SAYS ANYTHING
EVER ABOUT ANY STORY EVER.
>> THE SPECIAL COUNSEL’S OFFICE
DECLINED TO COMMENT.
>> THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL’S OFFICE IS DECLINING TO
COMMENT.
COMMENT. >> THE SPECIAL COUNSEL’S OFFICE
DECLINED TO COMMENT.
>> THE SPECIAL COUNSEL’S OFFICE
ALMOST NEVER MAKES PUBLIC
COMMENTS.
COMMENTS. >> THAT’S JUST A CHOICE.
WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE OTHER
PROSECUTORS WOULD SPEAK OUT FAR
MORE STARKLY.
MORE STARKLY. HERE’S A PROSECUTOR WHO PROBED A
DEMOCRATIC WHITE HOUSE AND TOLD
AMERICA HIS OWN CONCLUSIONS.
>> THE PRESIDENT REPEATEDLY
TRIED TO THWART THE LEGAL
PROCESS.
PROCESS. THE PRESIDENT CHOSE DECEPTION.
>> HERE’S A PROSECUTOR WHO
PROBED A REPUBLICAN WHITE HOUSE
AND TOLD AMERICA HIS OWN
CONCLUSIONS.
CONCLUSIONS. >> THE IRAN CONTRA COVER UP HAS
CONTINUED FOR MORE THAN SIX
YEARS.
YEARS. A PART OF A DISTURBING PATTERN
OF DECEPTION AND OBSTRUCTION
THAT PERMEATED THE HIGHEST
LEVELS OF THE REAGAN AND BUSH
ADMINISTRATIONS.
ADMINISTRATIONS. >> IT CAN BE DONE.
YOU CAN HIT THE PRESIDENT WITH A
2 BY 4 AFTER YOU INVESTIGATE HIM
IF YOU WANT.
RHETORICALLY, BUT BOB MUELLER
DOESN’T DO THAT, AND THAT BRINGS
ME TO THE OTHER THING YOU NEED
TO KNOW IF YOU WANT TO
UNDERSTAND THE PREDICATE AND THE
FACTS FOR NEXT WEEK’S BLOCK
BUSTER HEARING.
BUSTER HEARING. I’M TALKING ABOUT BEEF.
HOW DO PEOPLE WHO WIELD THE
GREATEST POWER TO INVESTIGATE,
TO DETAIN, TO EXECUTE, HOW DO
THEY ACT WHEN THEY SURRENDER
THOSE POWERS WHEN THEY HAVE
RIVALRIES, BEEF WITH THE NEW
FOLKS WHO COME INTO OFFICE?
WELL, SOME USE THEIR POSITION TO
BLAST THEIR FOES IN THE NEW
ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION. WITH TRUMP SHATTERING NORMS,
WE’VE SEEN SOME VETERANS OF
PUBLIC SERVICE GO AFTER HIM AS
BASICALLY A LIAR WHO IS, QUOTE,
WORSE THAN WATERGATE AND EVEN
GUILTY OF, QUOTE, TREASONOUS
CONDUCT.
CONDUCT. >> WHEN I USE THE TERM THIS IS
NOTHING SHORT OF TREASONOUS, I’D
EQUATE IT TO THE BETRAYAL OF
ONE’S NATION.
ONE’S NATION. AIDING AND ABETTING GIVING
COMFORT TO AN ENEMY.
>> WATERGATE PALES, REALLY, IN
MY VIEW, COMPARED TO WHAT WE’RE
CONFRONTING NOW.
CONFRONTING NOW. >> THOSE WERE LIES, PLAIN AND
SIMPLE.
SIMPLE. >>> I’M ABOUT TO TALK TO HIM
ABOUT ALLEGATIONS THAT HE WAS
INVOLVED WITH PROSTITUTES IN
MOSCOW AND THE RUSSIANS TAPED
IT.
IT. >> THAT’S ONE WAY TO DO IT.
OUR REPORTING, THOUGH, TONIGHT
IS AFTER REVIEWING MUELLER’S 60
DIFFERENT TIMES HE TESTIFIED
BEFORE CONGRESS, THAT’S NOT
MUELLER’S WAY, WHICH GIVES YOU
TWO IMPLICATIONS FOR NEXT WEEK.
THOSE WHO WANT A BARRAGE AGAINST
TRUMP THAT GOES BEYOND THE
EVIDENCE IN THE REPORT,
MUELLER’S TESTIMONY TYPICALLY
DOES NOT OPINE.
IT DOESN’T TRAFFIC IN THE
RHETORIC OF LIES OR TAMPA BAY
RAYS TREES ON OR UNVERIFIED
INFORMATION.
INFORMATION. HE’S NOT JUST THE ANTI-TRUMP IN
A WAY.
A WAY. MUELLER IS ALSO THE ANTI-COMEY
AND THE ANTI-BRENNAN, AND REALLY
WHILE WE’RE AT IT, THE
ANTI-MEDIA.
ANTI-MEDIA. TRUMP IS A REALITY TV PRESIDENT.
HE’S ADEPT AT THAT PART.
MUELLER IS A FACTS PROSECUTOR.
HE’S ADEPT AT THAT PART.
THE MUELLER REPORT IS ABOUT
FACTS.
FACTS. WHAT THEY FOUND, WHAT THE
EVIDENCE SHOWS, WHAT THE
PROVABLE FACTS ARE.
THAT IS WHY, REMEMBER, SO MANY
PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY BEEN CHARGED
AND CONVICTED FROM THE MUELLER
PROBE.
PROBE. IT’S WHY DONALD TRUMP BROKE THE
RECORD FOR MOST ADVISORS
CONVICTED THIS EARLY IN HIS
PRESIDENCY, WHAT YOU SEE ON YOUR
SCREEN.
SCREEN. NOT A RECORD MOST PRESIDENTS
WANT TO WIN.
>>> A USEFUL HEARING HERE COULD
FOCUS ON THE FACTS IN THE
MUELLER REPORT.
MUELLER REPORT. BE READY FOR CRITICS WHO THEN
SAY THIS HEARING IS JUST ANOTHER
ROUND OF THE SAME OLD THING.
PRESIDENT TRUMP RECENTLY TRIED
OUT A VERSION OF THAT TALKING
POINT.
POINT. IT’S OLD NEWS.
BUT THE POINT NEXT WEEK WILL NOT
BE ABOUT THE AGE OF THE EVIDENCE
AGAINST TRUMP.
AGAINST TRUMP. IT WILL BE ABOUT THE TRUTH.
I DON’T KNOW IF BOB MUELLER HAS
EVER LISTENED TO THE RABER LEC
RAE, BUT HE HAS SOME BARS THAT
APPLY EXACTLY.
APPLY EXACTLY. PEOPLE SAY I TALK ABOUT THE SAME
OLD THING.
OLD THING. THE REASON WHY I SOUND THE SAME
IS BECAUSE THE TRUTH DON’T
CHANGE.
CHANGE. THE TRUTH IS THE MUELLER REPORT
LISTS SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE THE
PRESIDENT OBSTRUCTED JUSTICE
SEVERAL TIMES IN OFFICE.
NEXT WEEK, AMERICANS WILL HEAR
BOB MUELLER PRESENT HIS FINDINGS
UNDER OATH FOR THE FIRST TIME.
THE TRUTH AS HIS INVESTIGATION
DETERMINED IT.
DETERMINED IT. PEOPLE CAN ASSESS WHAT THOSE
FINDINGS MEAN.
FINDINGS MEAN. SHOULD CONGRESS DO ANYTHING
ABOUT THEM?
ABOUT THEM? SHOULD THEY IMPACT WHETHER THIS
PRESIDENT IS REELECTED?
THOSE ARE OPEN QUESTIONS THAT,
ACCORDING TO OUR RESEARCH, BOB
MUELLER WILL NOT ANSWER.
IT WILL BE JUST THE FACTS.