WRONG PRETENSES AND THAT TRUMP WAS SOMEHOW A VICTIM OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT IN THIS COUNTRY.
>> GARRETT HAAKE, THE STORY THEY
REALLY, REALLY, REALLY DON’T
WANT US TO FOCUS ON TODAY, THE
HISTORY THAT DONALD TRUMP MADE
TODAY WHEN TWO ARTICLES OF
IMPEACHMENT WERE ANNOUNCED
AGAINST HIM MAKING HIM THE
FOURTH PRESIDENT EVER TO FACE
IMPEACHMENT, AND IF IMPEACHED,
AS HE’S EXPECTED TO BE IN THE
HOUSE, HE’LL BE THE THIRD
PRESIDENT IN OUR COUNTRY’S
HISTORY TO HAVE BEEN IMPEACHED.
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
AND TWO VERYS TIGHTLY FOCUSSED
ARTICLES PUTTING TO BED A DEBATE
THAT HAD BEEN GOING ON ON
CAPITOL HILL FOR A WHILE ABOUT
WHETHER OR NOT DEMOCRATS WOULD
TRY TO INCLUDE ANYTHING FROM THE
MUELLER REPORT ORNY ANY OF THE
OTHER INSTANCES WHERE THEY
BELIEVE THEWH PRESIDENT MIGHT HA
CONDUCTED HIMSELFT IN AN
IMPEACHABLE FASHION.
IMPEACHABLE FASHION. INSTEAD, WHAT WE SEE IS ONE
ARTICLE ON THE ABUSE OF POWER
FOCUSSED AGAIN TIGHTLY ON
UKRAINE.
UKRAINE. AND ANOTHER ON OBSTRUCTION OF
CONGRESS, NOT MORETI BROADLY
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.
SOME FOLKS SURMISED IT MIGHT
HAVE INCLUDED ELEMENTS OF THE
MUELLER REPORT.
MUELLER REPORT. PART OF THAT IS POLITICAL.
THESE ARE SIMPLE TO UNDERSTAND
CHARGES.
CHARGES. THEY FOLLOW AROUND ONE SPECIFIC
INCIDENT ORAR SET OF INCIDENTS.
AND IT’S SOMETHING THAT I THINK
THE DEMOCRATICHI LEADERS BELIEVE
THEY CAN GET THE VOTES FOR.
ALTHOUGH, I WILL SAY IT WAS
STRIKING.
STRIKING. BOTH PELOSI AND HOYER, SAID
THEY’RE NOT COUNTING VOTES ON
THIS.
THIS. THEY SEE THIS AS A VOTE OF
CONSCIENCE FOR ALL THOSE WHO
WILL BE TAKING IT.
THAT SAID, YOU DON’T GENERALLY
SEE PELOSI PUT SOMETHING ON THE
FLOOR UNLESS SHE KNOWS SHE HAS
THE VOTES FOR IT.
THAT WILL BE THE CASE NEXT WEEK,
PERHAPS EVEN EARLY NEXT WEEK
WHEN THIS -- THESE TWO ARTICLES
MOVE TO THE FLOOR.
THIS ENTIRE PROCESS MOVING VERY
QUICKLY.
QUICKLY. NO CHANGE IN THATMO TODAY.
WE COULD SEE THE MARKUP, THE
FORMALAR AMENDMENT PROCESS FOR T
ARTICLES BEGIN AS EARLY AS
TOMORROW EVENING.
TOMORROW EVENING. >> AND GARRETT, YOU AND I BOTH
WATCHING THE SCHEDULING CHANGES
BECAUSE IT AFFECTS OUR PLANNING
FOR THE HOLIDAYS, BUT THIS IS
NOT ABOUT US.
THE DIFFERENT.
THE DIFFERENT. LET MEHE SHOW YOU WHAT ADAM SCHI
SAID TODAY.
SAID TODAY. CROSS PRESSURE FROM THE MEDIA OR
WITHIN THE DEMOCRATICRE PARTY OR
EVENHE FROM REPUBLICANS ABOUT WH
THEY WON’T TURN TO THE COURTS TO
COMPEL MORE TESTIMONY FROM MORE
FIRSTHANDOM WITNESSES.
FIRSTHANDOM WITNESSES. LET’S WATCH ADAM SCHIFF AND TALK
ABOUT ITAD ON THE OTHER SIDE.
>> SOME WOULD ARGUE WHY DON’T
YOUAR JUST WAIT?
WHY DON’T YOU JUST WAIT UNTIL
YOU GET THESE WITNESSES THE
WHITE HOUSE REFUSES TO PRODUCE?
IT HAS TAKEN US EIGHT MONTHS TO
GET A LOWER COURT RULING THAT
DAWN McGAHN HAS NO ABSOLUTE
RIGHT TO DEFY CONGRESS.
EIGHT MONTHS.
EIGHT MONTHS. FOR ONE COURT DECISION.
IF IT TAKES US ANOTHER EIGHT
MONTHS TO GET A SECOND COURT OR
MAYBE A SUPREME COURT DECISION,
PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT
IS NOT THE END OF THE PROCESS.
IT COMES BACK TO US AND WE ASK
QUESTIONS BECAUSE HE NO LONGER
HAS SALUTE IMMUNITY, AND THEN HE
CLAIMS SOMETHING ELSE THAT
ANSWERS OUR PRIVILEGED AND WE
HAVE TO GOR BACK TO COURT FOR
ANOTHER 8 OR 16 MONTHS.
THE ARGUMENT WHY DON’T YOU JUST
WAIT AMOUNTS TO THIS.
WHY DON’T YOU JUST LET HIM CHEAT
IN ONE MORE ELECTION?
WHY NOT LET HIM CHEAT JUST ONE
MORE TIME?
MORE TIME? WHY NOT LET HIM HAVE FOREIGN
HELP JUST ONE MORE TIME?
THAT IS WHAT THAT ARGUMENT
AMOUNTS TO.
AMOUNTS TO. >> GARRETT, IF CARS WOULD SHIFT,
NEEDED AN EXHIBIT TO UNDERSCORE
HIS POINT AT THE END, LAVROV IS
IN THE OVAL OFFICE TODAY.
THERE ARE NO KNOWN NOTES.
WHILE THEY’VE BEEN BANNED FROM
ALL SPORTING EVENTS, NOT BANNED
FROM THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT’S
HOME.
HOME. >> FRYEAH.
>> FRYEAH. NICE FOR THE DEMOCRATS TO GET A
VISUAL AID IN THE FORM OF THIS
MEETING WITH LAVROV AT THE WHITE
HOUSE.
HOUSE. SCHIFF HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST
CONSISTENT MESSENGERS FOR
DEMOCRATS ON THE IMPEACHMENT
INQUIRY.
INQUIRY. I THINK WHAT HE GETS AT THERE IS
REALLY IMPORTANT.
REALLY IMPORTANT. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE GOOD QUALITY
POLLING ON THIS QUESTION.
DEMOCRATS HAVEON TRIED VERY HARD
TO FOCUS THE IMPEACHMENT
INQUIRY, MAKE IT FORWARD
LOOKING, MAKE IT ABOUT AN URGENT
THREAT RIGHT NOW AND A THREAT TO
THE 2020 R ELECTION.
WHEN REPUBLICANS TALK ABOUT THE
INQUIRY, YOU HEAR THEM TALK
ABOUT THE IDEA THAT IMPEACHMENT
WOULD OVERRULE VOTER WHO IS MADE
THEIR DECISION IN 2016.
IT’S BACK WARD LOOKING.
THE IDEA IS THIS WAS SETTLED IN
2016.
2016. LET THE NEXT ELECTION SETTLE IT.
DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN TRYING HARD
TO MAKE AN ARGUMENT HERE THAT
THE NEXT ELECTION IS PUT IN
JEOPARDY BY THE PRESIDENT’S
CONDUCT, ANDE IT’S REALLY THAT
QUESTION, DO YOU THINK THIS IS
ABOUT OVERTURNING THE WILL OF
VOTERS O IN 2016 OR PROTECTING T
WILL OF VOTERS IN 2020 THAT IS
SO CENTRAL TO WHATEVER ONGOING
DEBATE MIGHT KPI IN THE MINDS OF
UNDECIDED VOTERS AND AMERICANS
OR PERHAPS EVEN UNDECIDED
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT HOW THEY MIGHT VOTE
COME NEXT WEEK.
MICHAEL STEELE, IT’S AN
IMPORTANT POLITICAL POINT.
I THINK THE IDEA THAT THIS IS
NOT ABOUT PUNISHING DONALD
TRUMP, IT’SSH ABOUT PROTECTING
AMERICA, IF YOU SEE A FEW WEEKS
DOWN THE ROAD SOME CRACKS IN THE
GOP FIRE WALL, NOT ENOUGH TO
CONVICT HIM, BUT ENOUGH TO MAKE
IT SYMBOLICALLY BIPARTISAN VOTE
ON S CONVICTION, I THINK IT WILL
BE THE MESSAGE OF PROTECTING
FUTURE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
FROM RUSSIA MEDDLING.
>> I THINK THERE’S A LOT OF
VALUE TO THAT POINT, AND THE WAY
CONGRESSMAN SCHIFF PUT THAT
NARRATIVE, FOCUSSED THE
NARRATIVE I THINK IS IMPORTANT
NOT JUST FOR DEMOCRATS AND THE
POLITICS OF DOING IMPEACHMENT
BUT FOR THE COUNTRY TO COME INTO
THE CONVERSATION.
THE CONVERSATION. WHETHER OR NOT THEY SPENT THE
LAST EIGHT MONTHS PAYING
ATTENTION TOSP THIS, THEY WILL
WHEN IT GOES TO THE SENATE.
EVERYONE LOVES A GOOD TRIAL.
THIS IS OJ ON STEROIDS.
IT INVOLVES THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES, AND I IT INVOLVES
SOMETHING THAT IS MASSIVELY BIG.
AND IT HAS ALL KINDS OF
NARRATIVES RELATED TO WHAT THE
PRESIDENT DID R OR DIDN’T DO IN
HISTORY AND ALLD OF THAT.
SO PEOPLE WILL TUNE IN.
SO IT’S GOING TO BE INCUMBENT
THAT SCHIFF BEGIN TO SET THAT
TONE NOW, AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT
TELLS REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE,
I GET YOU.
I KNOW WHEREE, YOU ARE.
I KNOW YOU GOT HIM BREATHING ON
ONE SIDE OF YOUR NECK.
YOU GOT THE HOUSE REPUBLICANS
BREATHING ON THE OTHER, BUT
HERE’S A ROAD THAT YOU CAN GET
ON.
ON. ALL OF YOU WON’T, BUT YOU CAN
GET ON IT.
AND TO YOUR POINT, NICOLLE IT’S
A LITTLE BIT OF A SAFE HARBOR.
IT’S ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE
FUTURE. T
FUTURE. T WE’RE NOT RELITIGATEING 2016.
THIS IS NOT UNDOING THE
ELECTION.
ELECTION. THIS IS ABOUT LOOKING AT 2020
AND BEYOND, AND THE PROPER ROLE,
THE PROPER BALANCE BETWEEN
EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY, EXECUTIVE
BEHAVIOR, VEOVERSIGHT BY THE
CONGRESS, ET CETERA.
>> LETNG ME ASK YOU ABOUT THE
OTHER BIG K HEADLINE WE STARTED
WITH TODAY.
WITH TODAY. IF BARR IS SO CONFIDENT IN HIS
SUPREME POWER, WHY DO ALL THIS
STUFF?
STUFF? I MEAN, YOU AND I WORKED WITH
REPUBLICANS, AND THE ONES WHO
REALLY DON’T CARE ABOUT THE
PRESS DON’T DO NATIONAL
INTERVIEWS AND COMPLAIN ABOUT
THE PRESS.
THE PRESS. THEAI ONES WHO REALLY BELIEVE TH
DURHAM INVESTIGATION IS GOING
THEIR AMWAY, DON’T FORCE A
STATEMENT OUT OF DURHAM, THE
PERSONT RUNNING THE
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. THE ONES R WHO REALLY THINK THE
PRESIDENT DOESN’T HAVE ANY
WORRIES ABOUT GOP SUPPORT IN THE
SENATE DON’T DO WHAT THEY DID IN
THE LAST 24 HOURS WHICH IS TWO
WRITTEN STATEMENTS FROM THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, ONE IN MY
PERSONAL OPINION SEEMINGLY
COERCED WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM
MR. DURHAM.
MR. DURHAM. AND A QUICK PIVOT TO A MEDIA
CAMPAIGN THAT IS EVEN MORE BARR,
SOMEWHAT UNPRECEDENTED.
SOMEWHAT UNPRECEDENTED. >> MY ESTIMATION ON THAT IS ALL
OF THIS ACTIVITY IS A TELL.
AND THE TELL IS THE CONSTITUTION
GOTCHA.
GOTCHA. THIS DOESN’T PASS CONSTITUTIONAL
MUSTER.
MUSTER. THIS DOESN’T GET YOU ON THAT
SWEET SIDE, ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF
HISTORY.
HISTORY. SOOF WHAT YOU TRY TO DO IS YOU
GAME THE SYSTEM.
IT’S LIKE A GOOD PROSECUTOR
KNOWS, ANDRO WE’VE HEARD IT SAID
BEFORE, IF YOU ARGUE H THE FACTS
THAT’S ONE THING.
IF YOU ARGUE MOTION, THAT’S
ANOTHER.
ANOTHER. IF YOU AIN’T GOT NO ARGUMENT,
YOU MAKE A LOT OF HAND SMOKES
AND MOVE ABOUT.
WHAT YOU SEE HAPPEN RIGHT NOW
WITH BARR AND OTHERS IS THEY’RE
MAKING A LOT OF HAND MOTIONS
BECAUSE THE MORE CONFUSED THE
PUBLIC IS GOING INTO NEXT YEAR’S
TRIAL, THE BETTER IT IS FOR
THEM.
THEM. AND YOU WANT TO DIMINISH, YOU
WANT TO DUMB DOWN THIS
CONVERSATION TO THE POINT WHERE
PEOPLE LOOK AND GO, WELL, I
DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT’S
HAPPENING.
HAPPENING. >> WELL,I YOU KNOW, MARK IN THE
NEW YORK TIMESAR HAS A GREAT PIE
ABOUT TURNING THE TRUMP BASE’S
ATTENTION TOWARD THE DURHAM
INVESTIGATION, THE ADDITIONAL
BARR SANCTIONED INVESTIGATION,
IF YOU WILL.
BARR ACCOMPANIED, BARR ASSISTED.
I DON’T KNOW WHAT WE WANT TO
DESCRIBE IT.
DESCRIBE IT. HE HAS TRAVELED WITH MR. DURHAM
TO FOREIGN CAPITOLS TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. WRITES THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
AND SUPPORTERS IN CONGRESS
FOLLOWED A SCRIPT.
ENGAGED IN A COVER YO
PHOTOGRAPHED CAMPAIGN OF FOX
NEWS APPEARANCES AND TESTIMONY
TO CREATE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT
FINDING PROOF OF A DEEP STATE
CAMPAIGN AGAINST MR. TRUMP, AND
THEN WHEN THE PROOF DOES NOT
EMERGE, SKEW THE RESULTS AND
PREPARE FOR THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY
TO EXECUTE THE PLAY BOOK.
HERE’S THE PROBLEM.
THEY HAVE TO BET THAT THE TRUMP
BASE WILL ACCEPT THAT JIM COMEY,
A REGISTERED REPUBLICAN, I
THINK, ANDY McCABE, A REGISTERED
REPUBLICAN, BOB MUELLER A
REGISTERED REPUBLICAN, HOROWITZ,
ALL MET IN SOME TREE HOUSE AND
HATCHED SOME PLOT AND THEY ALL
CAME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION.
THE INVESTIGATION INTO RUSSIA
WAS NECESSARY AND C CALLED FOR
DONALD TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN AND ITS
150 PLUS CONTACTS WERE WORTHY OF
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. ALL THE TACTICS AS CHRISTOPHER
WRAY SAID WERE JUSTIFIED EVEN IF
THEY WEREN’T ALL USED PERFECTLY
AS THE REPORT SUGGESTS THERE
WERE PROBLEMS.
WERE PROBLEMS. PUTTING ALL
PUTTING ALL THEIR EGGS IN THIS ONE OTHER
GUY, MR. DURHAM WHO IS GOING TO
FIND SOMETHING NONE OF THE OTHER
FOUR FOUND.
FOUR FOUND. IT’S RECKLESS.
IT’S RECKLESS. >> THE THING ABOUT THE
PRESIDENT’SHI BASE IS THAT THEY’
PRIMED FOR THIS.
THIS IS HOW HE WON THE ELECTION
THIS.ON
THIS.ON THIS IS HOW HE’S CONTINUED TO
MAINTAIN THE SUPPORT THAT HE HAS
WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY NOT AS --
IT’S NOT ANYTHING CLOSE TO A
MAJORITY.
MAJORITY. AND IT’S JUST THAT HE’S THE
VICTIM.
VICTIM. HE’S ALWAYS THEAT VICTIM.
AND THEY ARE OUT TO GET US.
ANDGE WHOEVER THEY IS COULD BE
ANYBODY AT ANYTH GIVEN TIME.
ANY OF THE PEOPLE YOU MENTIONED.
AND YOU KNOW, NOW HE IS GOING TO
PIVOT TO THIS REPORT, AND CHERRY
PICK THINGS OUT OF IT WHETHER
IT’S EVERYONE WILL KIND OF COME
AWAY FROM IT WITH WHAT THEY
WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN IT.
AS HE DID WITH THE IG REPORT,
AND WE’LL SEE THAT HAPPEN HERE.
SO IT ALMOST IS A FOREGONE
CONCLUSION.
CONCLUSION. NOT THAT ITA DOESN’T MATTER
WHAT’S IN THE REPORT, BUT IT
DOESN’T IN THE SENSERE THAT THE
PRESIDENT’S GOING TO SAY WHAT HE
WANTS TO ABOUTTO IT AND HE’S GOI
TO FINDT THINGS IN THERE THAT
SUIT HIS NARRATIVE, AND HIS BASE
IS, AGAIN, PRIMED TO CONTINUE TO