♪ >>> GOOD EVENING.
I’M CHRIS MATTHEWS IN
WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON. WE BEGIN WITH BOMB SHELL NEWS
THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S LONG-TIME
LAWYER AND FIXER HAS AGREED TO
TESTIFY IN PUBLIC NEXT MONTH
BEFORE THE CONGRESSIONAL
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND APPEARS
READY TO REALLY SET THE RECORD
STRAIGHT.
STRAIGHT. AS CO CANNEN SAID IN A STATEMENT
TODAY I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING A
PRIVILEGE TO GIVER A FULL AND
CREDIBLE ACCOUNT OF THE EVENTS
WHICH HAVE TRANSPIRED.
IT COMES JUST ONE MONTH BEFORE
CONE HIMSELF SETS TO ONE YEAR IN
PRISON.
PRISON. AND HE’S BEING COMPARED TO DEAN
WHO BROKE RANKS WITH PRESIDENT
NIXON.
NIXON. NIXON WAS, OF COURSE, FORCED OUT
OF OFFICE THE NEXT YEAR.
AND AND IN FACT, COHEN HAS
ALREADY IMPLICATED THE PRESIDENT
IN AT LEAST ONE FELONY.
LAST MONTH COHEN ADMITTED TO
BREAKING CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS
ALLEGING AFFAIRS WITH DONALD
TRUMP AND SAID HE DID SO AT THE
DIRECTION OF THIS PRESIDENT.
>> HE DIRECTED ME TO MAKE THE
PAYMENTS.
PAYMENTS. HE DIRECTED ME TO BECOME
INVOLVED IN THESE MATTERS.
I GAVE LOYALTY TO SOMEONE WHO
TRUTHFULLY DOES NOT DESERVE
LOYALTY.
LOYALTY. >> HE WAS TRYING TO HIDE WHAT
YOU WERE DOING, CORRECT?
>> CORRECT.
>> CORRECT. >> AND HE KNEW IT WAS WRONG?
>> OF COURSE.
>> DESPITE THE POLITICAL AND
LEGAL DAMAGE HE COULD INFLICT ON
HIS FORMER BOSS, PRESIDENT TRUMP
TRIED TO DOWN PLAY THE THREAT HE
POSES TO HIS PRESIDENCY.
>>
>> >>S THERE BIG NEWS ABOUT MICHAEL
COHEN.
COHEN. HE’S AGREED TO TESTIFY BEFORE
THE HOUSE TMS NEXT MONTH.
ARE YOU WORRIED?
>> I’M NOT WORRIED ABOUT IT AT
ALL, NO.
ALL, NO. >> HOWEVER, CO CANNEN APPEARS
ARE READY TO TELL ALL.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO HIS
INVOLVEMENT WITH RUSSIA, WE KNOW
HE’S GOT A LOT TO SAY.
COHEN HAS QUOTE PROVIDED
INFORMATION AS WELL AS USEFUL
INFORMATION INCLUDING RUSSIA
RELATED MATTER.
RELATED MATTER. AND EVEN MORE DAMMING IS COHEN
SAID TRUMP IS NOT TELLING THE
TRUTH.
TRUTH. >> THE SPECIAL COUNSEL DID SAY
YOU WERE DOING YOUR BEST TO TELL
TRUTH ABOUT EVERYTHING RELATED
TO THEIR INVESTIGATION,
EVERYTHING RELOTTED TO RUSSIA.
DO YOU THINK PRESIDENT TRUMP IS
TELL ITTING THE TRUTH ABOUT
THAT?
THAT? >> NO.
>> NO. >> I’M JOINED BY DEMOCRATIC
CONGRESSMAN WHO SITS ON THE
HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, A
STAFF WRITER FOR THE ATLANTIC.
REVEREND AL AND-- YOU HAVE A UNI
CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH
YOU THINK COHEN WANTS TO TELL
ALL.
ALL. >> I THINK HE WANTS TO TELL ALL
BECAUSE COHEN WHEN I MET WITH
HIM THE COUPLE OF BREAKFAST
MEETINGS WE HAD, COHEN, ASIDE
FROM THE FACT HE HAS NOTHING TO
LOSE, KNOWS THIS IS HISTORY AND
HE DOESN’T WANT HIS KIDS TO SEE
HIM IN HISTORY IN THE WAY HE’S
BEEN PROJECTED BY THIS
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. I THINK HE’S GOING TO DO THE
RIGHT THING FOR HIS FAM ITALLY.
HE’S GOING TO TELL ALL AND
UNLIKE JOHN DEAN HE HAS TAPES
AND OTHER THINGS I THINK IS
GOING TO BE THE BEGINNING OF THE
END FOR THIS PRESIDENCY.
>> WHAT’S HIS HUMAN ATTITUDE
TOWARDS THIS PRESIDENT?
>> I THINK HE’S VERY HURT AND
BITTER.
BITTER. AND BECAUSE OF THAT HE’S TLR
MOST DANGEROUS WITNESS TO HAVE
AGAINST YOU.
AGAINST YOU. HE FELT HE WAS CONED INTO
FEELING LIKE HE WAS A SON.
THE PRESIDENT’S CALLING HIM
NAMES AND THIS IS A GUY THAT WAS
DOING VERY QUESTIONABLE,
UNETHICAL THINGS FOR THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. SFLRS A LOT OF THIS COMES DOWN
TO PERSONAL OPINIONS AND
INTERPRETATION.
INTERPRETATION. THE PRESIDENT TOLD HIM I WANT TO
PAY OFF THESE WOMEN THAT HE HAD
AFFAIRS WITH AND I WANT IT DONE
TO HELP ME WIN THIS CAMPAIGN.
IT WAS AN EXPLICIT CAMPAIGN
CONTRIBUTION ACCORDING TO COHEN.
>> WHEN THE PRESIDENT WAS SEEN
GETTING ON TO AIR FORCE 1, WHAT
DID HE TELL REPORTERS?
I DON’T KNOW.
YOU GOT TO ASK MY LAWYER,
MICHAEL COHEN.
MICHAEL COHEN. FIRST ALL OF COHEN HAS OBVIOUSLY
STUCK WITH HIS DECISION NOT TO
BECOME A FORMER COOPERATOR,
EITHER WITH THE SOUTHERN
DISTRICT OF NEW YORK OR WITH THE
MUELLER TEAM.
MUELLER TEAM. HE’S CHOSEN TO BECOME AMERICA’S
COOPERATOR BECAUSE NOW HE’S
GOING TO TALK DIRECTLY TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AMERICAN PEOPLE. AND YOU’RE GO HAVING TO
VIEWERSHIP THAT COULD RIVAL THE
SUPER BOWL.
SUPER BOWL. >> HE KNOW AS LOT.
HE KNOWS MOB SFRUF EXAMPLE.
HE MAY NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT
THAT BECAUSE OF FEAR FOR HIS
LIFE.
LIFE. HE MAY KNOW RUSSIAN STUFF UNFEAR
FOR HIS LIFE.
SO HE’S NOT AS THEY SAY A FULLY
COOPERATING WITNESS.
COOPERATING WITNESS. >> HE STILL HAS A PRIVILEGE
AGAINST SELF INCRIMINATION.
THE SULGTERN DISTRICT OF
PROSECUTORS WERE AMIFF BECAUSE
HE WOULDN’T TELL THEM
EVERYTHING.
EVERYTHING. IF HE STARTS TO BACK UP, INVOKE
AS FIFTH AMENDMENT AGAINST
SELF-INCRIMINATION, PEOPLE MIGHT
GET FRUSTRATED BUT IT SEEMS
WLIEK HE IS NOW IN A PLACE WHERE
HE WANTS TO TELL IT ALL, PERHAPS
PRIVILEGE BE DAMMED.
>> IF HE SPILLS HIS GUTS, WHAT’S
HE GOT?
HE GOT? >> WELL, ONE OF THE MOST
INTERESTING THINGS THAT WE HAVE
DISCOVERED FROM GOING OUT AND
DISCUSSING ALL THIS IN PUBLIC,
HIS LAWYER, IS THAT THE TURNING
POINT FOR MICHAEL CAME WHEN
PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS STANDING ON
THE STAGE WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN IN
HELSINKI AND SIDED WITHTER THEM
OVER HIS OWN INTELLIGENCE
OFFICIALS.
OFFICIALS. THAT’S WHEN HE DECIDED HE NEEDED
TO START SPEAKING OUT AGAINST
THIS PRESIDENT.
THIS PRESIDENT. THAT MAKES ME THINK A LOT OF
WHAT HE KNOWS ABOUT THE
PRESIDENT IS ABOUT HIS
INTERACTIONS WITH THE RUSSIANS
IN 2016.
IN 2016. >> DID HE GO TOPRAUG?
>> HE’S DENIED IT.
AND SO I THINK THAT HE HAS A LOT
TO SAY ABOUT THE GENERAL
INNERWORKINGS ABOUT THE TRUMP
ORGERNIZATION AND I THINK SOME
OF THIS IS GOING TO BE LIMITED.
>> HE’S GOING TO TALK ALL ABOUT
THE TWO WOMEN?
>> I IMAGINE SO.
>> HERE’S WHERE LENNY DAVIS, ONE
OF MICHAEL COHEN’S LAWYERS ONCE
SAID.
SAID. HE SAID THIS ABOUT COHEN.
WHAT HE MAY SAY NEXT MONTH.
>> HE’LL ANSWER THE QUESTIONS
TRUTHFULLY.
TRUTHFULLY. WHAT IT WAS LIKE WORKING FOR
DONALD TRUMP.
DONALD TRUMP. HE HAS TOLD ME MANY TIMES THAT
NOTHING WENT ON INSIDE TRUMP
TOWER THAT DONALD TRUMP DIDN’T
KNOW.
KNOW. IT WAS KIND OF A ROTATING DOOR
IN AND OUT OF HIS OFFICE.
>> CONGRESSMAN QUICKGLEY RUN
THROUGH WHAT THIS IS GOING TO
MEAN TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.
NOW.
NOW. >> SURE, ABSOLUTELY.
BESIDES GREAT THEATER, THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE GET TO FIND OUT
MORE ABOUT THE CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN THE RUSSIANS AND THE
TRUMP ASSOCIATES.
TRUMP ASSOCIATES. IT’S HARD TO TELL EXACTLY WHAT
HE’LL BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE IN
THIS FIRST OPEN HEARING AND I
SUSPECT WHAT YOU’LL SEE IS A
NUMBER OF APPEARANCES INCLUDING
BEFORE MY OWN INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE.
COMMITTEE. I SUGGESTEST MUCH OF THIS MUST
BE CLASSIFIED.
BE CLASSIFIED. IF HE WASN’T IN PRAUG, WHY WAS
HIS TELEPHONE PINGING OFF THEIR
TOWERS?
TOWERS? WAS HE BEING CUTE?
WAS HE COMMUNICATING NEAR THERE?
IF NOT, WHO WAS COMMUNICATING
WITH THE RUSSIANS AND WHERE?
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HAVE A RIGHT
TO KNOW.
TO KNOW. >> LET ME ASK YOU KBOUT WHAT YOU
THINK WE’RE GOING TO HEAR?
DO YOU THINK IT’S POSSIBLE --
MR. COHEN IS THERE ANYTHING YOU
WANT TO TELL US YOU WANT TO ASK
ABOUT.
ABOUT. HE CHATTED AWAY.
IF YOU WORK FOR SOMEBODY IN A
PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP, THEY
CHAT ABOUT EVERYTHING.
HE HEARD TRUMP TALKING LIKE POP
EYE ABOUT THE RUSSIANS.
HE’S HEARD EVERYTHING HE’S SAID.
CAN YOU GET THAT OUT OF HIM?
>> I SUGGEST HE’LL BE AN
OUTSTANDING CHAIRMAN ON THIS
EVENT.
EVENT. AND I DON’T BELIEVE THAT IT WILL
GET PAST MR. COMINGS TO ANSWER
THAT IS RIGHT QUESTION.
WHAT DON’T WE KNOW?
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU TELL US?
INDEED HE IS THE ONLY PERSON TO
MY KNOWLEDGE THAT CAN CONXZ OF
THE POLITICAL TRUMP WORLD AND I
THINK THAT’S WHERE THE
PRESIDENT’S IN TROUBLE BECAUSE
EVERYTHING’S CONNECTED AND FOR
THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO START TIEING ALL
THOSE QUESTIONS TOGETHER.
>> WHAT’S THE PRESIDENT WORRIED
ABOUT RIGHT NOW?
HE’S TRYING TO FLIP IT OFF, IT
DIDN’T BOTHER ME WITH HIS HAT
ON.
ON. OF COURSE THIS BOTHERED HIM.
THIS NUMBER ONE FIXER ALL THESE
YEARS DOING ALL THE DIRTY WORK,
THE GUY KNOWS EVERYTHING.
>> AND I DON’T WANT TO GO
RIGHTING TO THE SALACIOUS.
BUT DO WE BELIEVE ALL THE
INFORMATION HE WAS BUYING FROM
DAVID PICKER INVOLVED ONLY KAREN
McDOUGAL?
McDOUGAL? ARE WE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT MORE,
BIM BOW ERUPTIONS?
THERE SO MUCH HE’S BEEN PRIVY TO
PERSONALLY, PROFESSIONALLY, THE
ORGANIZATION AND PERHAPS THE
FOUNDATION.
FOUNDATION. I THINK TRUMP’S GOT TO BE
WORRIED ABOUT EVERYTHING HE
KNOWS THAT COHEN KNOWS ABOUT
HIM.
HIM. >> I MEAN THIS IS A GUY HE KNOWS
TO WHEN HE’S IN TROUBLE.
>> EVERY TIME WE’VE HAD BATTLES
WITH TRUMP OVER THE YEARS, COHEN
WAS THE GUY WITH THE MEANING I
NEVER MET WITH TRUMP THAT COHEN
WASN’T IN THE ROOM.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT HE WAS THE
GUY WITH THE FIXER, WHEN YOU
LOOK AT THAT, HE’S PROVEN
REVEALING WITH THESE WOMEN.
WHY WOULD YOU THINK HE DOESN’T
KNOW EVERYTHING.
KNOW EVERYTHING. YOU DON’T BRING IN A SIDE LAW
DWROOR DO ALL OF THESE KINDS OF
THINGS.
THINGS. YOU HAVE TO TRUST HIM AND COHEN