>>> JOINING US NOW FROM WASHINGTON, DEMOCRATIC SENATOR
ELIZABETH WARREN OF MA M.
MASSACHUSETTS
MASSACHUSETTS MASSACHUSETTS.
MASSACHUSETTS. SHE IS DIGGING ON ISSUES THAT
HAVE LONG MUDDIED CAPITOL HILL.
IT’S GREAT TO SEE YOU.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> OKAY.
>> OKAY. SO, YOU’VE GOT THE
ANTI-CORRUPTION AND PUBLIC
INTEGRITY ACT, THE LEGISLATION
CONTAINS SIX BIG IDEAS.
WE’RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THEM
RAPID FIRE.
RAPID FIRE. >> OKAY.
>> OKAY. >> I PROMISE YOU BECAUSE THIS IS
IMPORTANT AND IT’S ALL RELATED.
BUT FIRST, I DO WANT TO ASK YOU,
WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON WHAT WENT
DOWN OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS?
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS FINALLY
HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON?
ARE THINGS CLOSING IN ON
PRESIDENT TRUMP OR UNRAVELING IN
ANY WAY, AND ARE YOU CONCERNED
THAT HE WILL TRY AND DEFLECT IN
A WAY THAT COULD HURT OUR
COUNTRY?
COUNTRY? >> SO, I THINK WHAT’S BEEN CLEAR
FROM THE PAST 24 HOURS IS THAT
DONALD TRUMP CARES ABOUT EXACTLY
ONE PERSON AND THAT ONE PERSON
IS NAMED DONALD TRUMP.
AND HE WILL DO ANYTHING HE HAS
TO DO TO PROTECT DONALD TRUMP.
AND WE WATCHED THIS -- THAT’S
WHY WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
CORRUPTION TODAY, RIGHT?
YOU MAKE SECRET PAYMENTS, YOU DO
WHATEVER HAS TO BE DONE.
REMEMBER THAT MICHAEL COHEN ALSO
HAD TAKEN HALF A MILLION DOLLARS
AT LEAST TO COME IN AND
INFLUENCE DONALD TRUMP ON BEHALF
OF SOME OF THE BIGGEST
CORPORATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY.
THIS IS ALL ABOUT CORRUPTION,
INFLUENCE PEDDLING.
INFLUENCE PEDDLING. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE A PROBLEM
WITH DONALD TRUMP, BUT AS YOU
SAID, WE HAVE A PROBLEM IN
WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON. IT’S TIME NOW TO MAKE SOME
SERIOUS CHANGES.
SERIOUS CHANGES. AND THAT’S WHAT THIS BILL IS ALL
ABOUT.
ABOUT. >> WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE
BILL, BUT ARE YOU CONCERNED, AS
I AM, THAT HE IS GOING TO DO
SOMETHING TO DEFLECT PROBABLY IN
THE NEXT FEW HOURS BECAUSE THIS
IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGE TO HIS PRESIDENCY SO
FAR.
FAR. AND WHEN WE SEE THIS MAN UNDER
SIEGE, HE DEFLECTS.
>> YES.
>> YES. HE SAYS, LOOK OVER THERE.
THERE’S SOMETHING ELSE EXCITING
GOING ON, THREATENING WHATEVER
IT IS.
IT IS. THIS HAS BEEN HIS ACTION FROM
THE VERY BEGINNING IS ALWAYS
LOOK SOME PLACE ELSE WHEN EVER
HE GOT INTO TROUBLE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS A
MOMENT WHEN IT IS IMPORTANT THAT
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE STAY ON THE
CORE ISSUES HERE.
AND THAT IS THIS IS A CORRUPT
ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION. THE MOST CORRUPT ADMINISTRATION
IN LIVING MEMORY.
AND THAT WE’RE GOING TO INSIST
ON SOME ACCOUNTABILITY, NOT GET
DISTRACTED AND PULLED OFF
SOMEWHERE ELSE, SOME
ACCOUNTABILITY.
ACCOUNTABILITY. WE WANT A GOVERNMENT FROM THE
TOP DOWN THAT WORKS FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AMERICAN PEOPLE. >> SO YOU’RE LOOKING AT THE BIG
PICTURE.
PICTURE. YOU’VE GOT THE ANTI-CORRUPTION
AND PUBLIC INTEGRITY ACT.
GIVE ME A LINE ON EACH ONE.
I’LL START WITH THE FIRST,
PADLOCK, THE RESOLVING DOOR AND
INCREASE PUBLIC INTEGRITY HOW?
>> STOP THIS BUSINESS OF
SOMEBODY WORKS ON WALL STREET,
DRAWS A BIG SALARY, GETS A BIG
PRESENT GOING OUT THE DOOR TO GO
REGULATE THE VERY INDUSTRY THAT
THEY JUST WORKED FOR AND ARE
LIKELY TO WORK FOR IN THE
FUTURE.
FUTURE. AS LONG AS THEY’RE DOING THAT,
THEY’RE NOT WORKING FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, THEY’RE FORKING
FOR THE INDUSTRY THAT LINES
THEIR POCKETS.
THEIR POCKETS. >> END LOBBYING AS WE KNOW IT.
>> SO ON THIS ONE, WHEN YOU
LEAVE PUBLIC OFFICE, WHETHER
IT’S AS A SENATOR OR MEMBER OF
THE HOUSE OR A CABINET OFFICIAL
OR PRESIDENT OR A VICE
PRESIDENT, A LIFE TIME BAN ON
LOBBYING.
LOBBYING. NO MORE OF THIS BUSINESS IF YOU
TRADE YOUR CONTACTS IN
WASHINGTON, SELL THEM TO THE
HIGHEST BIDDER, HUH-UH.
>> CASHING IN.
CORPORATE CAPTURE OF PUBLIC
INTEREST RULES.
INTEREST RULES. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> SO WHAT THIS MEANS IS WHEN
THE REGULATORY AGENCIES ARE TRY
TO MAKE RULES ON BEHALF OF THE
PUBLIC AND THEY GET OVERWHELMED
BY THE GIANT CORPORATIONS THAT
COME IN AND SPEND ZILLION OF
BUCKS.
BUCKS. THE REGULATORY AGENCY WILL HAVE
THE RESOURCES TO FIGHT BACK ON
BEHALF OF THE PUBLIC.
>> YOU WANT TO IMPROVE JUDICIAL
INTEGRITY AND DEFEND ACCESS TO
JUSTICE FOR ALL AMERICANS.
>> YOU KNOW, ON THIS ONE, I
THINK THAT THE JUDGES BOTH --
THIS INCLUDES THE SUPREME COURT
JUSTICES, SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO
TAKE FANCY SPEAKING FEES, TRIPS
TO HUNTING LODGES AND GOLF
COURSES AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE
PERMITTED TO OWN AND TRADE IN
INDIVIDUAL STOCKS.
INDIVIDUAL STOCKS. BY THE WAY, FEDERAL JUDGES
SHOULDN’T BE ABLE TO DO IT,
SENATORS SHOULDN’T BE ABLE TO DO
IT, CONGRESSMEN SHOULDN’T BE
ABLE TO DO IT, THE PRESIDENT AND
VICE PRESIDENT SHOULDN’T BE ABLE
TO DO IT, HEADS OF AGENCIES
SHOULDN’T BE ABLE TO DO IT,
CABINET OFFICIALS SHOULDN’T BE
ABLE TO DO IT.
IF PEOPLE WANT TO KEEP THEIR
INVESTMENTS, PUT THEM IN BIG
INDEX FUNDS.
INDEX FUNDS. BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY
MAKING POLICY AND DECIDING
THINGS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST
SHOULD HAVE NO CONFLICTS, NO
TRADING IN INDIVIDUAL STOCKS AND
LET’S JUST REMEMBER, NO OWNING
BUSINESSES ON THE SIDE.
>> I GET IT.
HERE IS MY BIG QUESTION, THOUGH,
BECAUSE YOU ALSO WANT TO
STRENGTHEN ENFORCEMENT OF
ANTI-CORRUPTION ETHICS AND
PUBLIC INTEGRITY LAWS AND BOOST
TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT.
>> YEP.
>> YEP. >> SO IF THIS ALL HAPPENS,
ELIZABETH, SENATOR, WHO WOULD BE
LEFT IN WASHINGTON BESIDES YOU,
CLAIRE McCASKILL AND BEN SASS?
SERIOUSLY.
SERIOUSLY. >> SERIOUSLY, THAT REALLY IS THE
QUESTION, MIKA?
QUESTION, MIKA? WHO ARE WE HERE FOR?
HAVE FOLKS COME TO WASHINGTON
JUST TO LINE THEIR OWN POCKETS,
JUST TO IMPROVE THEIR CAREERS
GOING FORWARD?
GOING FORWARD? OR ARE THEY HERE TO WORK IN THE
PUBLIC INTEREST?
PUBLIC INTEREST? WE’VE HAD CORRUPTION SCANDALS IN
AMERICAN HISTORY BEFORE.
AND EACH TIME THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE HAVE RESPONDED, WE HAVE
TIGHTENED UP THE LAWS.
IT’S GOTTEN BETTER AND THEN, YOU
KNOW, CORRUPTION HAS FOUND NEW
WAYS INTO THIS SYSTEM.
NOW IT IS TIME FOR US TO COME
TOGETHER AND TO SAY, ENOUGH OF
THIS.
THIS. NO MORE TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF,
IF YOU WANT TO WORK IN PUBLIC
INTEREST, YOU REALLY HAVE TO
WORK IN PUBLIC INTEREST.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. I’LL JUST SAY THIS OBVIOUSLY
OPINION BUT AS THE FISH ROTS
FROM THE HEAD, THE PEOPLE DO
NEED TO RISE UP.
CASEY HUNT, GO AHEAD.
>> SENATOR WARREN, GOOD TO SEE
YOU.
YOU. I WANT TO PULL IT BACK TO THE
NEWS THAT WE’VE SEEN UNFOLD OVER
THE PAST 24 HOURS RAPIDLY.
YOU AS RECENTLY AS A FEW WEEKS
AGO WITH OUR COLLEAGUE JOHN
HARWOOD WERE ASKED WHETHER YOU
THOUGHT CONVERSATIONS AROUND
IMPEACHMENT WERE PRODUCTIVE AT
THIS POINT.
THIS POINT. YOU SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE GOT
TO LET MUELLER FINISH HIS
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. THE HEADLINE ON THE FRONT OF THE
NEW YORK TIMES NOW SAYS
PRESIDENT IMPLICATED IN A
CAMPAIGN FINANCE A CAMPAIGN FINA
VIOLATION BY HIS OWN LAWYER.
I’M WONDERING IF THAT REVELATION
HAS CHANGED YOUR VIEW ON WHETHER
DEMOCRATS SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON
IMPEACHMENT, IS THAT A
CONVERSATION THAT YOU SHOULD BE
HAVING.
HAVING. >> WHAT IT MEANS TO ME IS THAT
WE HAVE TO BE EVEN MORE
INTENSELY PROTECTIVE OF THE
MUELLER INVESTIGATION.
MUELLER INVESTIGATION. AND LET IT COME TO ITS OWN
CONCLUSION.
CONCLUSION. I WANT THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR TO
BE ABLE TO FOLLOW HIS
INVESTIGATION WHEREVER IT GOES
WITHOUT INTERFERENCE.
WITHOUT INTERFERENCE. AND I WANT HIM TO BE ABLE TO
MAKE A FULL REPORT TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AMERICAN PEOPLE. TO ME, THAT IS WHAT IS CRITICAL.
AND RIGHT NOW, WHAT I THINK WE
SHOULD BE DOING IN CONGRESS, IS
WE SHOULD BE PASSING LAWS TO
MAKE SURE THAT DONALD TRUMP
CANNOT FIRE THE SPECIAL
PROSECUTOR.
PROSECUTOR. THAT IS WHERE THE REAL THREAT IS
TO TRUMP.
TO TRUMP. AND IT IS POWERFUL IMPORTANT
THAT WE PROTECT THAT SPECIAL
PROSECUTOR.
PROSECUTOR. >> THIS IS GENE ROBINSON.
ALSO YESTERDAY IN A LITTLE KNOWN
STORY, CONGRESSMAN DUNCAN HUNTER
AND HIS WIFE WERE INDICTED FOR
USING $250,000 IN CAMPAIGN MONEY
FOR PERSONAL EXPENSES.
THAT FOLLOWS THE INDICTMENT OF
CONGRESSMAN CHRIS COLLINS OF NEW
YORK FOR INSIDER TRADING.
AND THEY ARE BOTH REPUBLICANS.
MY QUESTION IS, ARE DEMOCRATS
GOING TO USE THIS ISSUE AND
ELABORATE ON IT AND DEVELOP IT
FOR THE MIDTERMS AND BEYOND OR
NOT?
NOT? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
REALISTICALLY WHAT DO YOU THINK.
>> TO ME THIS IS THE MOMENT WHEN
WE NEED TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST
CORRUPTION.
CORRUPTION. AS MEIKA STARTED OUT, I’VE
WRITTEN A BIG BILL AND IT IS
SWEEPING.
SWEEPING. AND NOTICE ITS NOT JUST ABOUT
CAMPAIGN FINANCE.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE. CAMPAIGN FINANCE IS SOMETHING
WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR
YEARS.
YEARS. THE INFLUENCE OF MONEY ON
CANDIDATES.
CANDIDATES. THIS IS ABOUT EVEN IF YOU FIX
THAT PROBLEM, WHICH IS A
TERRIBLE PROBLEM, WHICH I WORK
ON WITH OTHERS, THERE ARE STILL
SO MANY OTHER WAYS THAT
CORRUPTION HAS EATEN AWAY AT THE
SYSTEM HERE IN WASHINGTON.
THAT IS WHY WE NEED A
COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO FIGHT
THAT BACK.
THAT BACK. I WANT TO SEE -- LOOK, I’LL BE
BLUNT, I WANT TO SEE EVERYBODY
DO THIS, I WANT TO SEE DEMOCRATS
AND REPUBLICANS SAY YOU KNOW IT
IS TIME, WE’VE HAD IT, LET’S
MAKE THESE SIMPLE RULES THE LAW
NOW IN WASHINGTON.
AND BEAT BACK THE INFLUENCE OF
BIG MONEY.
BIG MONEY. THIS REALLY IS A WORLD NOW WHERE
TOO MANY AMERICANS BELIEVE THAT
WASHINGTON WORKS FOR THE WEALTHY
AND THE WELL CONNECTED.
BUT IT IS JUST NOT WORKING FOR
THEM.
THEM. AND YOU KNOW WHAT, THEY ARE
RIGHT.
RIGHT. AND IT IS TIME FOR US TO MAKE
CHANGE.
CHANGE. >> AND IF YOU READ ABOUT SENATOR
LIZ
LIZ BETH
BETH ELIZABETH WARREN, HER BOOK, YOU
WILL FIND THAT THIS MESSAGE IS
HER LIFE’S WORK.
AND SENATOR, YOU ARE ANNOUNCING
WHEN?
WHEN? >> I AM RUNNING FOR SENATE,
WE’VE GOT 76 MORE DAYS I THINK.
I JUST FINISHED MY 34th TOWN OB
HALL IN MASSACHUSETTS.
I TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED.
IT IS A GREAT HONEST OR TOATEAT
TO WASHINGTON TO REPRESENT THE
PEOPLE OF THE COMMONWEALTH
BEFORE.
BEFORE. >> SENATOR WARREN, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR BEING ON THIS
MORNING.
MORNING. AND COMING UP, DEMOCRATS HAVE AN
EMERGENCY PLAN IN CASE THE
PRESIDENT TRIES TO FIRE MUELLER.
WE’LL HAVE MORE ON THAT.
PLUS NEW REPORTING ON THE
PRESIDENT’S MOOD AFTER