>>> WE DO HAVE A BIG SHOW TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. AS CHRIS SAID, SENATOR ELIZABETH
WARREN IS GOING TO BE HERE LIVE
IN STUDIO IN JUST A MOMENT
WE HAD SENATOR KAMALA HARRIS
HERE LAST NIGHT.
WE’VE GOT SENATOR WARREN HERE
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. I HAVE LOTS TO ASK SENATOR
WARREN TONIGHT AFTER HER VERY,
VERY, VERY LARGE RALLY IN NEW
YORK CITY LAST NIGHT
THIS WAS QUITE POSSIBLY THE
BIGGEST RALLY OF THE DEMOCRATIC
CAMPAIGN SO FAR THIS YEAR.
SENATOR WARREN WILL BE JOINING
US HERE IN STUDIO MOMENTITO.
SHE’S JOINING US ON A DAY WHEN
SHE’S JOINING US ON A DAY WHEN
THE DEMOCRATIC-CONTROLLED
THE DEMOCRATIC-CONTROLLED CONGRESS HELD S FIRST HEARING
SETTING OFF THE PARAMETERS OF
ITS IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY INTO
PRESIDENT TRUMP WHICH MAKES
TODAY A PARTICULARLY GOOD DAY TO
HAVE A DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL
FRONT-RUNNER HERE ON THE SET
THIS WAS A DRAMATIC DAY.
THE WITNESS LIST FOR TODAY’S
HEARING, AGAIN, THE FIRST
HEARING IN THE IMPEACHMENT
INQUIRY INTO TRUMP CALLED FOR
THREE PEOPLE TO TESTIFY TODAY.
THE FIRST WAS COREY LEWANDOWSKI,
ONE OF THE PRESIDENT’S CAMPAIGN
MANAGERS, THE ONE WHO WAS FIRED
AND REPLACED BY PAUL MANAFORT,
WHO IS NOW IN PRISON
THE COMMITTEE ALSO ASKED FOR
FORMER WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY CHIEF
OF STAFF RICK DEARBORN TO BE
THERE AND FORMER WHITE HOUSE
STAFF SECRETARY ROB PORTER TO BE
THERE.
THERE. BOTH DEARBORN AND PORTER
FEATURED MULTIPLE TIMES IN
ROBERT MUELLER’S REPORT.
THEY WERE EITHER, ACCORDING TO
MUELLER, INVOLVED IN OR
WITNESSED WHAT MUELLER DESCRIBED
AS POTENTIALLY CRIMINALLY
OBSTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR BY
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
PRESIDENT TRUMP. NOW, JUST AS THE WHITE HOUSE HAS
INSTRUCTED MAJOR WITNESSES,
INCLUDING FORMER WHITE HOUSE
COUNSEL DON McGAHN, THAT THEY
SHOULD NOT COMPLY WITH
CONGRESSIONAL SUBPOENAS, THEY
SHOULD NOT SHOW UP AND TESTIFY,
LAST NIGHT IN THIS LETTER THE
TRUMP WHITE HOUSE NATURALLY
ORDERED BOTH RICK DEARBORN AND
ROB PORTER THAT THEY TOO SHOULD
NOT APPEAR TODAY TO TESTIFY
DESPITE THEIR SUBPOENAS FROM
CONGRESS
CONGRESS THAT LETTER SAYS THEY CAN IGNORE
THE SUBPOENA BECAUSE OF
SOMETHING THE TRUMP WHITE HOUSE
IS CALLING CONSTITUTIONAL
IMMUNITY, WHICH IS SOMETHING
THEY HAVE SORT OF INVENTED
I MEAN IN THIS CASE IT MEANS
NOBODY WHO EVER WORKED IN THE
TRUMP WHITE HOUSE CAN EVER BE
ALLOWED TO TESTIFY ON ANY
SUBJECT, NO MATTER WHAT.
THAT ARGUMENT WAS IMMEDIATELY
REJECTED FROM THE OUTSET BY THE
COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, JERRY
NADLER
NADLER >> WE SUBPOENAED THREE WITNESSES
TO THIS HEARING, RICK DEARBORN,
ROB PORTER AND COREY
LEWANDOWSKI.
LEWANDOWSKI. UNFORTUNATELY, WE LEARNED LAST
NIGHT THAT THE WHITE HOUSE IS
BLOCKING THE FIRST TWO FROM EVEN
SHOWING UP AND TIGHTLY LIMITING
THE THIRD.
THE THIRD. THE WHITE HOUSE HAS NO
AUTHORITY, LEGAL OR OTHERWISE,
TO GIVE THESE ORDERS
THEY CLAIM PORTER AND DEARBORN
LIKE McGAHN ARE ABSOLUTELY
IMMUNE FROM TESTIFYING BEFORE
CONGRESS
CONGRESS THERE IS NO SUCH THING
THE ONLY COURT EVER TO CONSIDER
THIS PURPORTED ABSOLUTE IMMUNITY
DOCTRINE TOTALLY REJECTED IT.
>> THE ONLY COURT EVER TO
CONSIDER THIS ABSOLUTE IMMUNITY
DOCTRINE THAT THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING HERE
TOTALLY REJECTED THAT ARGUMENT
WELL, DESPITE THAT FROM THE
COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN AND THE
IMPLICIT THREAT OF COURT ACTION
TO BACK THAT UP, ROB PORTER AND
RICK DEARBORN, WHO BOTH WORKED
AT THE WHITE HOUSE, THEY DID NOT
SHOW UP THERE TODAY.
TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN MANAGER, COREY
LEWANDOWSKI, WAS THERE, FLANKED
BY TWO EMPTY CHAIRS WITH
DEARBORN’S AND PORTER’S NAMES IN
FRONT OF THEM.
EVEN THOUGH COREY LEWANDOWSKI
NEVER WORKED IN THE WHITE HOUSE
AT ALL, HE DID TODAY AFTER HE
SHOWED UP TRY TO CLAIM SOME SORT
OF LEGAL AUTHORITY, SOME SORT OF
LEGAL REFERENCE FOR HIMSELF,
REFUSING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
FROM THE COMMITTEE THAT HE
DIDN’T WANT TO ANSWER.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, I’LL SORT
OF GIVE YOU -- I’LL GIVE YOU THE
SPOILER HERE
SPOILER HERE HONESTLY, THE SECOND PART OF THE
DAY WITH COREY LEWANDOWSKI GOT
WAY BETTER AND WAY MORE DRAMATIC
AND THEY GOT TONS MORE OUT OF
HIM.
HIM. BUT BECAUSE OF HIM TRYING TO
SORT OF CITE A LEGAL AUTHORITY
OF SOME SORT FOR WHY HE DIDN’T
HAVE TO ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS,
THIS IS WHAT THE FIRST HALF OF
THE DAY GENERALLY LOOKED LIKE.
>> ARE YOU REFUSING TO ANSWER,
MR. LEWANDOWSKI?
MR. LEWANDOWSKI? >> NO, CONGRESSMAN
AS I’VE EXPLAINED IN A LETTER
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE DATED
SEPTEMBER 16, 2019, TO MY
ATTORNEY --
ATTORNEY -- >> THAT LETTER --
>> MR. LEWANDOWSKI’S
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PRESIDENT
AND SENIOR ADVISERS TO THE
PRESIDENT ARE PROTECTED FROM
DISCLOSURE
DISCLOSURE >> STOP THE CLOCK AGAIN FOR THIS
OBSTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR
OBSTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR >> THE WHITE HOUSE HAS DIRECTED
NOT TO DISCLOSE ANY DISCUSSION
WITH THE PRESIDENT AND CANNOT
COMMENT.
COMMENT. THE WHITE HOUSE HAS DIRECTED I
NOT DISCLOSE THE SUBSTANCE OF
ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. I CAN READ YOU THE EXACT
STATEMENT AGAIN IF YOU’D LIKE ME
TO
TO THE WHITE HOUSE HAS DIRECTED
THAT YOU --
>> WHEN YOU’RE IN THE OVERTIME
OFFICE --
OFFICE -- >> I CAN’T DISCUSS A PRIVATE
CONVERSATION WITH THE PRESIDENT
P.
P. IT IS IN THE REPORT, SIR
THE WHITE HOUSE HAS DIRECTED ME
THAT I NOT DISCLOSE THE
SUBSTANCE OF ANY CONVERSATIONS
WITH THE PRESIDENT
>> YOU ARE NOT --
>> AGAIN THE WHITE HOUSE HAS
DIRECTED I NOT DISCLOSE THE
SUBSTANCE OF ANY DISCUSSIONS
WITH THE PRESIDENT
AGAIN, AT THE ADVICE OF WHITE
HOUSE COUNSEL I CANNOT ANSWER
QUESTIONS THAT WOULD BE
PRIVILEGED AND I RESPECT THAT
PRIVILEGE.
PRIVILEGE. >> THAT’S HOW MUCH OF THE FIRST
HALF OF THE HEARING PLAYED OUT
THAT SAID, DESPITE THAT ATTITUDE
AND THAT SORT OF ANGLE ON THE
QUESTIONING, MR. LEWANDOWSKI DID
FIND HIMSELF TODAY IN THE FIRST
HALF OF THE HEARING BASICALLY
CONFIRMING THE DETAILS OF ONE OF
THE CENTRAL EPISODES OF
POTENTIALLY CRIMINAL OBSTRUCTION
THAT WAS LAID OUT AGAINST THE
PRESIDENT IN ROBERT MUELLER’S
REPORT
REPORT AN INCIDENT THAT REPORTEDLY
HAPPENED IN JUNE 2017 WHEN
LEWANDOWSKI WAS ASKED DIRECTLY
BY THE PRESIDENT TO DELIVER A
MESSAGE TO ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF
SESSIONS
SESSIONS THE MESSAGE WAS THAT SESSIONS
SHOULD TELL SPECIAL COUNSEL
ROBERT MUELLER THAT MUELLER
COULD NO LONGER INVESTIGATE THE
TRUMP CAMPAIGN OR THE 2016
ELECTION
ELECTION HE INSTEAD HAD TO LIMIT HIS
INVESTIGATION TO ELECTIONS IN
THE FUTURE, TO CRIMES, IN OTHER
WORDS, THAT HAD NOT YET
OCCURRED
OCCURRED THE PRESIDENT ALSO TOLD COREY
LEWANDOWSKI THAT IF JEFF
SESSIONS REFUSED TO MEET WITH
HIM TO RECEIVE THIS VERY
IMPORTANT MESSAGE, THEN COREY
LEWANDOWSKI, WHO WAS NOT A WHITE
HOUSE EMPLOYEE, SHOULD
NEVERTHELESS TAKE IT UPON
HIMSELF TO FIRE THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL.
GENERAL. IF JUST RANDO CIVILIANS HAD THE
POWER TO FIRE THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL, WHO AMONG US WOULD NOT
HAVE FIRED ONE OR TWO OVER THE
COURSE OF AN AVERAGE LIFETIME?
RIGHT?
RIGHT? I HEREBY RETROACTIVELY FIRE
EDWARD MEESE
EDWARD MEESE ED MEESE, BE GONE.
YOU WERE TERRIBLE.
GOOD-BYE, JOHN MITCHELL.
I FIRE YOU TOO
I’M A CITIZEN.
WHAT IF WE COULD DO THAT
IT’S RIDICULOUS.
IT’S RIDICULOUS. IT’S VERY SATISFYING IN SOME
INSTANCES TO IMAGINE THIS.
REGARDLESS, THIS IS WHAT THE
PRESIDENT REPORTEDLY TOLD COREY
LEWANDOWSKI HE WAS EMPOWERING
HIM TO DO.
AS MUELLER PUTS IT IN HIS
REPORT, LEWANDOWSKI MET
ONE-ON-ONE WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP
IN THE OVAL OFFICE IN JUNE 2017
WHEREUPON THE PRESIDENT, QUOTE,
DICTATED A MESSAGE TO BE
DELIVERED TO ATTORNEY GENERAL
SESSIONS THAT WOULD HAVE HAD THE
EFFECT OF LIMITING THE RUSSIA
INVESTIGATION TO FUTURE ELECTION
INTERFERENCE ONLY.
INTERFERENCE ONLY. THAT’S WHAT LEWANDOWSKI TOLD THE
FBI AND THAT IS WHAT ENDED UP IN
THE MUELLER REPORT
HERE’S COREY LEWANDOWSKI TODAY
UNDER OATH NOT QUITE KNOWING
WHAT TO SAY ABOUT THAT NOW
>> DIDN’T YOU THINK IT WAS A
LITTLE STRANGE THAT THE
PRESIDENT WOULD SIT DOWN WITH
YOU ONE ON ONE AND ASK YOU TO DO
SOMETHING THAT YOU KNEW WAS
AGAINST THE LAW?
DID THAT STRIKE YOU AS STRANGE
YOU DIDN’T THINK IT WOULD BE
ILLEGAL FOR YOU TO ASK MR.
SESSIONS TO DROP THE
INVESTIGATION AND TO JUST GO ON
TO FUTURE PRESIDENTS AND OMIT
EVERYTHING WITH THIS PRESIDENT
>> I DIDN’T THINK THE PRESIDENT
WOULD ASK ME TO DO ANYTHING
ILLEGAL.
ILLEGAL. >> HE GAVE YOU DICTATION
HE DICTATED A MESSAGE TO GIVE
SESSIONS
SESSIONS HAD YOU EVER BEEN A SECRETARY
FOR THE PRESIDENT BEFORE AND
TAKEN DICTATION OR SHORTHAND
>> MANY TIMES.
>> MANY TIMES.
OOH, NAILED IT, YEAH
I TOOK NOTES FOR THE PRESIDENT
MANY TIMES
MANY TIMES PROBLEM WITH THAT ANSWER,
BECAUSE WHAT COREY LEWANDOWSKI
TOLD THE FBI ABOUT THAT WAS THE
EXACT OPPOSITE
EXACT OPPOSITE QUOTE, "THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME
THE PRESIDENT HAD ASKED COREY
LEWANDOWSKI TO TAKE DICTATION
AND LEWANDOWSKI WROTE AS FAST AS
POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE HE
CAPTURED THE CONTENT CORRECTLY."
THE SOURCE OF THAT SENTENCE FROM
THE ROBERT MUELLER REPORT IS
COREY LEWANDOWSKI’S OWN 302, HIS
OWN INTERVIEW WITH THE FBI
>> OKAY.
>> OKAY. NOW, YOU STATED EARLIER TODAY
THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP ASKED YOU
TO TAKE DOWN DICTATION, QUOTE,
MANY TIMES, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> IT IS
>> IT IS >> BUT ON PAGE 91, VOLUME 2 OF
THE MUELLER REPORT IT STATES,
"THE PRESIDENT THEN ASKED
LEWANDOWSKI TO DELIVER A MESSAGE
TO SESSIONS AND SAID, QUOTE,
WRITE THIS DOWN, CLOSE QUOTE
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE
PRESIDENT HAD ASKED LEWANDOWSKI
TO TAKE DIRECT DICTATION."
THE FIRST TIME
>> THOSE ARE NOT MY WORDS, THOSE
ARE THE INVESTIGATOR’S WORDS.
>> RIGHT
>> RIGHT DID YOU LIE TO BOB MUELLER OR
ARE YOU LYING TO US?
>> I DIDN’T LIE.
>> OKAY.
>> OKAY. YOU’RE NOT REALLY HERE TO TELL
THE TRUTH.
THE TRUTH. YOU ARE HERE TO PARTICIPATE IN A
CONTINUING COVER-UP.
CONTINUING COVER-UP. >> NOW, IF HE DID TELL THE FBI
THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE
PRESIDENT HAD EVER TOLD HIM TO
WRITE SOMETHING DOWN AND THEN HE
SAID TODAY UNDER OATH, OH, I HAD
BEEN TOLD TO WRITE THINGS DOWN
TAKING DICTATION FOR THE
PRESIDENT MANY TIMES, THIS IS A
TOTALLY NORMAL -- I MEAN BEING
UNDER OATH TO CONGRESS AND BEING
UNDER OATH TO THE FBI, YOU CAN’T
TELL DIFFERENT STORIES WITHOUT
CRIMINALLY LYING IN ONE OF THOSE
CIRCUMSTANCES.
CIRCUMSTANCES. NOW, I MENTIONED THAT TODAY’S
HEARING WAS THE FIRST CONDUCTED
UNDER NEW RULES ADOPTED BY THE
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE LAST WEEK TO
ESSENTIALLY SET THE PARAMETERS
FOR THEIR IMPEACHMENT
INVESTIGATION OF THE PRESIDENT
THIS WAS THE FIRST HEARING UNDER
THOSE PARAMETERS
THOSE PARAMETERS ONE OF THOSE NEW RULES ADOPTED
BY THE COMMITTEE LAST WEEK GAVE
THE COMMITTEE THE ABILITY TO
HAVE COMMITTEE STAFF LAWYERS ASK
QUESTIONS OF WITNESSES IN
ADDITION TO QUESTIONS BEING
ASKED BY MEMBERS THEMSELVES.
SO, YEAH, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
ALL WANT THEIR FIVE MINUTES.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT UNDER
THESE NEW RULES, STAFF LAWYERS
GET TO ASK TOO
AND THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND WE KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO BE
REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN THEY
AGREED TO THAT
WE GOT TO SEE IT IN ACTION TODAY
BECAUSE WHEN THE STAFF LAWYERS
STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS OF
LEWANDOWSKI, THAT’S WHERE IT
REALLY GOT GOOD.
I MEAN HELLO, CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES
COMMITTEES UNSOLICITED ADVICE HERE, BUT
PROFESSIONAL STAFF ARE BETTER
ASKING QUESTIONS IN 30-MINUTE
UNINTERRUPTED BLOCKS THAN YOU
ARE IN FIVE-MINUTE INCREMENTS
WHERE YOU PING PONG BACK AND
FORTH ALL THE DIFFERENT MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE
THEREFORE, YOU SHOULD DO THE
STAFF QUESTIONING PART FIRST, OR
AT LEAST AT A VERY CONVENIENT
TIME TO BE COVERED ON TV
IF YOU DID THAT FIRST, THEN ALL
OF YOU INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS COULD FOLLOW UP
YOURSELVES WITH YOUR FIVE-MINUTE
QUESTIONS THEREAFTER
QUESTIONS THEREAFTER IT’S A LOT MORE COGENT AND EASY
TO FOLLOW WHEN IT’S STAFF
LAWYERS DOING THE QUESTIONING IN
AWN INTERRUPTED WAY.
START WITH THAT.
HOW ABOUT THAT
JUST A THOUGHT
FREE ADVICE.
FREE ADVICE. I’LL TAKE THE CHANGE
ANYWAY, SO THE BACK HALF OF THE
COREY LEWANDOWSKI HEARING, THE
FIRST HALF IS HIM ANSWERING
QUESTIONS FROM ALL THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS.
MEMBERS. THE BACK HALF OF THE HEARING IS
HIM ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM A
LAWYER WHO IS WORKING FOR THE
COMMITTEE.
COMMITTEE. AND FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF
WHAT THE COMMITTEE WAS GETTING
AT, THAT PART WENT COMPARATIVELY
WELL
WELL FOR EXAMPLE, IN NO TIME AT ALL
THE COMMITTEE STAFF LAWYER GOT
COREY LEWANDOWSKI TO ADMIT THAT
HE HAD LIED IN AN INTERVIEW
EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN HE SAID
HE COULDN’T RECALL ANY
CONVERSATION THAT HE HAD WITH
THE PRESIDENT ABOUT JEFF
SESSIONS
SESSIONS THE STAFF LAWYER ACTUALLY PLAYED
LEWANDOWSKI THIS CLIP OF THAT TV
INTERVIEW IN THE HEARING ROOM
TODAY.
TODAY. IT WAS AN INTERVIEW WITH ARI
MELBER HERE ON MSNBC
I’M ACTUALLY GOING TO PLAY IT TO
YOU THE WAY IT APPEARED ON TV,
BECAUSE WHEN HE PLAYED IT IN THE
HEARING ROOM TODAY IT WAS A
LITTLE HARD TO FOLLOW WHAT IT
WAS.
WAS. BUT THIS WAS THE ACTUAL
INTERVIEW THAT WAS PLAYED TODAY
IN THE HEARING ROOM.
>> I DON’T EVER REMEMBER THE
PRESIDENT EVER ASKING ME TO GET
INVOLVED WITH JEFF SESSIONS OR
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IN ANY
WAY, SHAPE OR FORM EVER.
>> "I DON’T REMEMBER THE
PRESIDENT EVER ASKING ME TO GET
INVOLVED WITH JEFF SESSIONS OR
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IN ANY
WAY, SHAPE OR FORM EVER.
SO THAT’S COREY LEWANDOWSKI
EARLIER THIS YEAR, FEBRUARY OF
THIS YEAR.
THIS YEAR. THAT’S TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE
SPECIAL COUNSEL’S REPORT COMES
OUT.
OUT. SO TODAY IN THE HEARING, THE
STAFF LAWYER PLAYED THAT CLIP TO
COREY LEWANDOWSKI, PLAYED IT SO
EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE HEARING
ROOM COULD HEAR IT, AND THEN THE
LAWYER RESUMED HIS QUESTIONING
>> THAT WASN’T TRUE, WAS IT,
SIR?
SIR? >> I HEARD THAT.
>> AND THAT WAS NOT TRUE, WAS
IT
IT >> I HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO BE
HONEST WITH THE MEDIA BECAUSE
THEY’RE JUST AS DISHONEST AS
ANYBODY ELSE.
ANYBODY ELSE. >> SO YOU’RE ADMITTING, SIR, YOU
WERE NOT BEING TRUTHFUL IN THAT
CLIP, CORRECT?
CLIP, CORRECT? >> MY INTERVIEW WITH ARI MELBER?
>> YES.
>> YES. >> CAN BE INTERPRETED ANY WAY
YOU’D LIKE
YOU’D LIKE >> IT IS TRUE IN MAY 2019 YOU
ABSOLUTELY REMEMBERED WHEN THE
PRESIDENT ASKED YOU TO DELIVER A
MESSAGE TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
OF A SPEECH FOR HIM TO GIVE
RELATED TO THE SPECIAL COUNSEL
INVESTIGATION, ISN’T THAT
CORRECT?
CORRECT? >> I’D HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT.
>> ARE YOU CLAIMING, SIR -- YOU
HAD BEEN INTERVIEWED BY THE
SPECIAL COUNSEL ABOUT THOSE VERY
EVENTS WHICH YOU DISCUSSED AND
SAID WAS ACCURATELY RECORDED IN
THE REPORT A YEAR EARLIER.
ARE YOU SAYING YOU HAD FORGOTTEN
IT BY THE TIME YOU WERE
INTERVIEWED JUST BEFORE THE
REPORT WAS PUBLICLY RELEASED
>> I’M SAYING MY MEMORY WAS MUCH
FRESHER WHEN I GAVE THE
INTERVIEW WITH THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL’S REPORT.
COUNSEL’S REPORT. >> SIR, IS IT YOUR TESTIMONY
BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE THAT WHEN
YOU SAID THAT YOU DID NOT
REMEMBER THE PRESIDENT EVER
ASKING YOU TO GET INVOLVED WITH
JEFF SESSIONS OR THE DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE, YOU WERE SAYING YOU
WERE BEING TRUTHFUL?
AND, SIR, I DON’T BELIEVE
THERE’S ANY REASON TO CONSULT
WITH YOUR COUNSEL.
THE QUESTION IS ARE YOU A TRUTH
TELLER IN THAT INTERVIEW?
>> I’M A TRUTH TELLER EVERY TIME
I STAND BEFORE CONGRESS OR A
COMMITTEE OF JURISDICTION AND
RAISE MY HAND AND SWEAR TO GOD
UNDER OATH
UNDER OATH >> MY QUESTION, SIR, IS WHEN YOU
SAID THE PRESIDENT NEVER ASKED
YOU TO GET INVOLVED WITH MR.
SESSIONS -
SESSIONS - >> I HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO HAVE
A CANDID CONVERSATION WITH THE
MEDIA WHATSOEVER JUST LIKE THEY
HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO COVER ME
HONESTLY AND THEY DO IT
INACCURATELY ALL THE TIME.
>> YOU’RE ADMITTING ON NATIONAL
TELEVISION YOU WERE LYING THERE?
>> WHAT I’M SAYING IS THEY HAVE
BEEN INACCURATE ON MANY
OCCASIONS AND PERHAPS I WAS
INACCURATE THAT TIME.
>> ALSO I’D LIKE YOU TO PLEASE
ELECT ME TO THE SENATE BECAUSE
I’M AWESOME.
I’M AWESOME. THAT SAME STAFF LAWYER FOR THE
COMMITTEE ALSO GOT COREY
LEWANDOWSKI TO EXPAND ON THE
OBSTRUCTION INCIDENT IN QUESTION
FROM THE MUELLER REPORT, WHICH
IS WHAT THIS DISCUSSION WAS
ABOUT, AND HOW RATHER THAN CARRY
OUT THE PRESIDENT’S ORDER COREY
LEWANDOWSKI INSTEAD DECIDED TO
DELEGATE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE,
SPECIFICALLY TO DEPUTY WHITE
HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF RICK
DEARBORN, WHO WAS ONE OF THE TWO
ABSENT WITNESSES AT TODAY’S
HEARING REPRESENTED BY AN EMPTY
CHAIR WITH HIS NAME PLACARD IN
FRONT OF IT.
>> WHY DIDN’T YOU DELIVER THE
MESSAGE THAT THE PRESIDENT ASKED
YOU TO DELIVER UNLESS YOU DIDN’T
DELIVER IT BECAUSE YOU KNEW IT
WAS IMPROPER TO DELIVER?
>> MR. BURKE, IT WASN’T A
PRIORITY.
PRIORITY. >> LET ME ASK YOU, SIR, IF IT
WASN’T A PRIORITY FOR YOU TO
DELIVER THE MESSAGE, WHY DID YOU
ENLIST MR. DEARBORN TO DELIVER
THE MESSAGE FOR THE PRESIDENT?
>> AGAIN, I CAN’T SPEAK TO
PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS I WOULD
HAVE HAD WITH MR. DEARBORN AT
THE ADVICE OF COUNSEL.
>> I’M NOT ASKING PRIVATE
CONVERSATIONS.
CONVERSATIONS. THE FACT YOU THAT DID IT IS
ALREADY DISCLOSED IN THE REPORT.
I’M ASKING WHY DID YOU DO IT
WHY?
WHY? WHAT’S GOING ON --
>> I KNEW MR. DEARBORN --
>> WHY DID YOU DO IT
>> CAN I ANSWER NOW?
>> PLEASE.
>> PLEASE. >> OKAY.
>> OKAY. I’VE KNOWN MR. DEARBORN SINCE
HIS TENURE AS CHIEF OF STAFF TO
SENATOR SESSIONS
SENATOR SESSIONS HE WAS MY PRIMARY POINT OF
CONTACT FOR JEFF SESSIONS DURING
THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN
AND I ALSO KNEW THAT MR.
DEARBORN HAD CONTINUED, LIKE I
DID, TO HAVE A LONGSTANDING
RELATIONSHIP WITH JEFF
AND IF I WASN’T GOING TO BE
SEEING JEFF I FIGURED RICK WOULD
BE ABLE TO DELIVER THAT MESSAGE.
>> RICK DEARBORN NEVER DELIVERED
THAT MESSAGE BECAUSE, AS HE TOLD
THE FBI FOR THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL’S REPORT, DOING SO MADE
HIM FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE
THAT’S UNDERSTANDABLE, BECAUSE
IT WAS ARGUABLY CRIMINAL
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE BY THE
PRESIDENT, THAT THE PRESIDENT
WAS ASKING COREY LEWANDOWSKI TO
CARRY OUT.
CARRY OUT. COREY LEWANDOWSKI, EEP, DIDN’T
WANT TO DO IT AND SO ASKED RICK
TO DO IT INSTEAD
AND, NO, RICK DIDN’T WANT TO DO
IT EITHER.
IT EITHER. SO ALTHOUGH THERE WERE BOTH
PROVERBIAL DOGS AND PONIES AT
THIS DOG AND PONY SHOW TODAY AND
COREY LEWANDOWSKI DID SPEND MUCH
OF THE FIRST HALF OF THI
HEARING INSULTING DEMOCRATIC
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND PRAISING
THE PRESIDENT’S BRILLIANCE AND
DECRYING THE FAKE RUSSIA
NARRATIVE AND REPEATING THE
STANDARD TRUMP LINE OF NO
CONSPIRACY, NO COLLUSION, IN THE
END COREY LEWANDOWSKI, THE
PRESIDENT’S CAMPAIGN MANAGER,
DID HAVE TO ADMIT UNDER OATH
UNDER DIRECT QUESTIONING THAT
YEAH, ACTUALLY EVERYTHING IN THE
MUELLER REPORT AS FAR AS HE’S
CONCERNED IS ACCURATE.
>> YOU SEE WHERE THIS SAYS YOU
WERE ASKED ABOUT IT, THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL CONCLUDED THAT TAKEN
TOGETHER, THE PRESIDENT’S
CAMPAIGN, THE PURPOSE OF THE
MESSAGE WAS TO HAVE YOU TELL THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL TO MOVE FORWARD
WITH INVESTIGATING ELECTION
MEDDLING FOR FUTURE ELECTIONS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY BASIS TO DISPUTE
THAT CONCLUSION BY THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL AND HIS REPORT, SIR,
ABOUT YOUR CONDUCT
>> AGAIN, I’VE ANSWERED THIS
QUESTION
QUESTION ASKED AND ANSWERED
>> I WOULD ASK YOU TO ANSWER IT,
SIR.
SIR. >> THE GENTLEMAN WILL ANSWER THE
QUESTION WHETHER HE’S ANSWERED
IT BEFORE OR NOT.
>> I HAVE STATED TO THE BEST OF
MY KNOWLEDGE, MOST OF THE
INFORMATION IN THE MUELLER
REPORT IS ACCURATE
>> OH.
>> OH. THE MUELLER REPORT IS ACCURATE,
SAYS THE PRESIDENT’S CAMPAIGN
MANAGER, WHO ADMITS TO PLAYING A
ROLE IN ATTEMPTED OBSTRUCTION OF
JUSTICE, ALSO IMPLICATING WHITE
HOUSE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF IN
THAT ATTEMPTED OBSTRUCTION OF
JUSTICE.
JUSTICE. THAT DEPUTY WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF
STAFF IS NOW DEFYING A SUBPOENA
AND REFUSING TO TESTIFY.
AND SO THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED IN
THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE,
WITH THE HELP OF SOME NEW RULES
ALLOWING ITS LAWYERS TO DO THE
QUESTIONING.
QUESTIONING. ALL FUTURE IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS,
ALL FUTURE HEARINGS UNDER THIS
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY WILL BE
CONDUCTED UNDER THOSE SAME
RULES.
RULES. I THINK WE CAN EXPECT THAT THE
RELEVANT COMMITTEES HERE, THE
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE IN THE HOUSE
IN PARTICULAR, WILL PROBABLY GET
THAT MAYBE THEY SHOULD PUT THEIR