>>> ONE OF THE NATIONS LEADING INTEL EXPERTS IS WARNING
CONGRESS THAT IT MUST DRAW A RED LINE TO PROTECT BOB MUELLER
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. FORMER SENATOR BOB GRAHAM SAID I
RAN CONGRESS' 9/11 INVESTIGATION, THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEES TODAY CAN'T HANDLE RUSSIA.
NOTICE SOMETHING IN, THAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF THE CONVENTIONAL
WISDOM RIGHT NOW WHICH IS THAT CONGRESS CAN JUST TAKE A BACK
SEAT WHILE MUELLER RUNS THE SHOW.
AND LEGALLY THERE'S NO DOUBT, MUELLER HAS FAR MORE POWER TO
INTERVIEW WITNESSES AND GET THE
GOODS. WITH A PRESIDENT LIKE DONALD
TRUMP, HE ARGUED, YOU CAN'T ASSUME THERE WON'T BE
INAPPROPRIATE OR POTENTIAL INTERFERENCE ON BOB MUELLER'S
JOB. SO GRAHAM IS TRYING TO IMPMENT
PROTOCOL. GRAHAM, THE FORMER CHAIR OF THE
SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTEL, AND AS MENTIONED THE FORMER CO-CHAIR
OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL INQUIRY INTO THE 9/11 ATTACKS.
HE CALLED FOR THAT INVESTIGATION TO BE REOPENED TO EXPLORE SAUDI
ARABIA'S LOCAL AND TO GET KEY PARTS OF THAT 9/11 REPORT
DECLASSIFIED. THERE'S AN ANCIENT SAYING, THOSE
WHO DON'T TALK KNOW AND THOSE WHO TALK DON'T KNOW.
AND SENATOR BOB GRAHAM RIGHT NOW HAS DECIDED TO TALK.
JOINING ME NOW THE AN EXCLUSIVE IS FORMER SENATOR BOB GRAHAM,
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. >> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH AND BEFORE WE START ON YOUR SUBJECT, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY
ADMIRATION FOR THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA THE WAY THEY HAVE COME
TO THE AID OF THE HOUSTON RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN SO
TERRIBLY DEALT WITH BY HURRICANE HARVEY.
AND I WOULD HURRICANE IRMA IS THREATENING TO INFLICT MAYBE THE
SAME TYPE OF DAMAGE ON OUR OWN HOMELAND.
AND I ASK THAT YOU WATCH CLOSELY AND BE AS UNDERSTANDING AS YOU
HAVE BEEN WITH THE PEOPLE AFFECTED.
>> APPRECIATE THAT. WE'RE REPORTING ON THAT.
I MEAN WE'RE HERE TALKING ABOUT RULES IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND WE
HAVE SEEN A LOT OF PUBLIC SERVICE IN THE WAY PEOPLE HAVE
RESPONDED TO THESE TRAGEDIES. I APPRECIATE THAT.
THE SUBJECT OF YOUR PIECE AND THE REASON YOU'RE ON HERE IS
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PROTOCOLS, THINGS THAT SHOULD BE SET IN
MOTION NOW IN CASE MUELLER IS FIRED.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN? >> MY CONCERN IS THAT BOB
MUELLER'S POSITION IS TENUOUS, WE HAVE SEEN THE NUMBER OF
ATTACKS AGAINST HIM PERSONALLY, AGAINST THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,
AGAINST THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT
HE, BOB MUELLER MIGHT BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE, IS NOT FANTASY.
MY FEELING IS THAT THE CONGRESS SHOULD THAT OCCUR IS GOING TO
CARRY A VERY HEAVY BURDEN TO GATHER THE INFORMATION THAT WILL
TELL THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHAT HAPPENED AND LEAD THE EFFORT TO
MAKE THOSE REFORMS THAT WILL BE NECESSARY.
>> AND YOU'RE SORT OF PUTTING OUT A ROAD MAP AND I WANT TO PUT
UP ON THE SCREEN, PART OF WHAT WE KNOW MUELLER HAS BEEN
COORDINATING AND THINKING ABOUT, UNDER THE U.S. FEDERAL RULES OF
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, AS YOU KNOW, GRAND JURY MATERIALS, THOUGH
TYPICALLY SECRET CAN BE REQUESTED BY LOCAL PROSECUTORS
IF THE EVIDENCE SHOWS A VIOLATE OF LAW.
AND YOU SAID THAT THE SAME GRAND JURY MATERIALS SHOULD BE A ROAD
MAP FOR CONGRESS. DO YOU THINK THIS IS SOMETHING
ON THE MIND OF THE SPECIAL COUNSEL, THAT HE'S ACTING FAST
NOW SO THAT CONGRESS CAN TAKE OVER ALL THI THIS STUFF EVEN IF
INVESTIGATION IS SOMEHOW KNEECAPED?
>> I'M CONCERNED THAT IT'S ON THE MIND OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T
WANT THIS INVESTIGATION TO COME TO A FULL CONCLUSION.
THEY MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR WAYS IN WHICH THEY CAN DENY TO
CONGRESS THE INFORMATION THAT MR. COMEY AND MR. MUELLER HAD
DEVELOPED. SO I'M SUGGESTING THAT BEFORE
THAT HAPPENS, THAT THERE BE AN UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL OF THE
INFORMATION THAT IS THUS FAR BEEN GATHERED WILL BE MADE
AVAILABLE TO THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE, SO THEY CAN TAKE ON
THIS MUCH HEAVIER BURDEN FROM HIGH POINT OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE
EVIDENCE. >> LET ME PLAY FOR YOU SOME OF
WHAT THE ALLIES OF THE PRESIDENT HAVE SAID WHEN PRESSED ON THIS
KEY POINT OF WHETHER THERE COULD BE FURTHERTAMPERING OR
OBSTRUCTION. >> DO YOU THINK THE PRESIDENT
WOULD BE AD LIB BERITY TO FIRE ROBERT MUELLER?
>> THE PRESIDENT AS WE ALL KNOW IS A UNITARIAN EXECUTIVE.
I WON'T SPECULATE ON WHAT HE WILL AND WILL NOT DO.
>> I THINK HE'S CONSIDERING PERHAPS TERMINATING THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL. I THINK HE'S WEIGHING THAT
OPTION. >> DOES THAT MEANING THAT FIRING
THE SPECIAL COUNSEL IS SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE TABLE FOR THIS
PRESIDENT? >> I HAVE ANSWERED THIS QUESTION
SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE, ALTHOUGH THE PRESIDENT HAS THE AUTHORITY
TO DO SO, HE DOESN'T INTEND TO DO SO.
>> NUMBER ONE, THE PRESIDENT UNDER THE RULES DOESN'T HAVE THE
AUTHORITY TO UNILATERALLY FIRE THE SPECIAL COUNSEL WITHOUT
CAUSE, SO A MISSTATEMENT THERE AT MINIMUM.
NUMBER TWO, HOW DOES THIS KIND OF REACTION AND PRESSURE COMPARE
WITH WHAT YOU FACED ON THE 9/11 INQUIRY?
IS THIS ABOUT THE SAME OR WORSE? >> IT'S MUCH WORSE, WE NEVER HAD
ANY THREAT THAT OUR INVESTIGATION WAS GOING TO BE
CUT SHORT. I WILL SAY THERE WERE A NUMBER
OF INSTANCES WHERE WE STRUGGLED TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT WE
THOUGHT THAT WE NEEDED, MOST OF THOSE WE EVENTUALLY PREVAILED.
BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS BEYOND THE PALE OF ANYTHING
THAT'S OCCURRED IN CONGRESS, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AND TO MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS ON A MAJOR NATIONAL CRISIS.
WHICH I CONSIDER