>> SEE YOU THEN CHUCK. >> TONIGHT WE REPORT LIVE ON A
MUELLER FRIDAY.
MUELLER FRIDAY. AND THIS IS A BIG ONE.
BOB MUELLER IS FILING HIS FINAL
MOVE AGAINST PAUL MANAFORT
TONIGHT, MAKING THE CASE FOR A
LONG JAIL SENTENCE AS NEWS
BREAKS THAT SEPARATELY NEW YORK
THE PROSECUTORS MAY DIET
MANAFORT WITHIN WEEKS ON CHARGES
THAT DONALD TRUMP CANNOT PARDON.
ALL THAT PLUS THE LATE NEWS
RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE MUELLER
REPORT ITSELF.
REPORT ITSELF. LET ME SHOW YOU THE SCENE HERE.
IT SEEMS QUIET AT THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT.
DEPARTMENT. BUT THE DOJ IS DOING SOMETHING
THAT IS NOT QUIET AT ALL,
SOMETHING IT ALMOST NEVER DOES.
TONIGHT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
IS NOW TALKING ABOUT WHEN BOB
MUELLER WILL FINISH HIS RUSSIA
PROBE.
PROBE. IN FACT, TODAY’S LATE AFTERNOON
ANNOUNCEMENT WAS A CLEAR
RESPONSE TO RECENT REPORTS THAT
SUGGESTED MAYBE MUELLER’S REPORT
WOULD BE IMMINENT.
WELL NOT SO FAST.
THE DOJ IS TELLING REPORTERS
THAT THOSE REPORTS ARE WRONG AND
THE DOJ UNDER BILL BARR WILL NOT
GET THE MUELLER REPORT BY THE
END OF NEXT WEEK.
IF YOU FOLLOW THE NEWS YOU KNOW
ALREADY JUST THAT ALONE IS A
CONTRAST TO THE DOJ SILENCE
ABOUT THE END GAME WHICH IS WHAT
WE MOSTLY SAW UNDER ROSENSTEIN
AND WHITT KERR.
IT COMES AT TOP EXACTS FROM SIX
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE DEMANDING THAT BILL BARR RELEASE
THE REPORT WHENEVER HE GETS IT.
BOB MUELLER MUST ALSO FILE THE
MANAFORT SENTENCING MEMO
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. IF THAEKS DURING THE PROGRAM I
PROMISE WE WILL COVER IT LIVE
AND EVERYTHING IN IT.
IT MUST DETAIL BY MANAFORT’S
CONFESSED CRIMES IN THE HAVE
YOUS OF THE SPECIAL COUNSEL SO
BAD HE SHOULD FACE TEN MORE
YEARS.
YEARS. AS MENTIONED HE FACES THE
PROSPECT OF EXTRA SEPARATE JAIL
TIME.
TIME. BECAUSE NOW NEW YORK PROSECUTORS
ARE REPORTEDLY PREPARING THE
SEPARATE CHARGES FOR TAX AND
BANKING CRIMES.
BANKING CRIMES. SOME REFERRED TO IT AS AN
INSURANCE POLICY IF DONALD TRUMP
PARDONS MANAFORT.
PARDONS MANAFORT. THOSE CHARGES COULD ACTUALLY
COME WITHIN WEEKS ACCORDING TO A
NEW STORY IN "THE NEW YORK
TIMES" TODAY.
TIMES" TODAY. ALSO TONIGHT, AS IF THAT WASN’T
ENOUGH, REPORTING MICHAEL COHEN
GAVE FEDERAL PROSECUTORS IN NEW
YORK NEW INCRIMINATING MATERIAL
ABOUT HOW DONALD TRUMP’S FAMILY
BUSINESS RUNS, THAT HE DID THAT
AS RECENTLY AS LAST MONTH.
AND THAT STORY JUST BREAKING
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. LET ME GIVE YOU THE BOTTOM LINE
STATE OF PLAY PROCESS.
WE HAVE A BIG SHOW.
THE STATE OF PLAY IN THE MUELLER
FRIDAY WE ARE LIVING THROUGH.
THE MANAFORT FILING, IMMINENT,
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. MICHAEL COHEN, STILL TALKING.
PROSECUTORS USING THE MATERIAL.
AND NOW THE DOJ UNDER BILL BARR
DEPARTING FROM RECENT TRADITION
TO DISCUSS AT LEAST THE TIMING
OF THE END OF THIS MUELLER
PROBE.
PROBE. IN JUST A MOMENT I HAVE A
ONE-ON-ONE WITH NEIL KOCHIA, THE
DOJ OFFICIAL WHO WROTE THE RULES
THAT GOVERN MUELLER.
THAT WILL BE WORTHWHILE.
BECAUSE OF THE UNUSUAL NIGHT WE
HAVE I GO FIRST TO NBC’S JULIA
AINSLEY LIVE ON THIS FRIDAY
EVENING IN FRONT OF THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT.
DEPARTMENT. I WANT TO ASK YOU,S WHAT DOES IT
MEAN THAT WE HEARD THE DOJ TALK
ABOUT THE TIMING FOR THE END OF
THE MUELLER PROBE, SOMETHING
THEY DON’T USUALLY DO?
>> ARI YOU ARE SMART TO PUT IT
IN CONTEXT.
IN CONTEXT. JUST BECAUSE WITH WE ARE
FINISHING OUT WE ARE NOT GETTING
NEWS DOESN’T MEAN THERE IS NOT
NEWS.
NEWS. WE KNOW THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
HAS BEEN SILENT WHEN IT COMES TO
ANYTHING ABOUT ROBERT MUELLER.
AND THIS IS OF COURSE WHERE
ROBERT MUELLER HAS TO REPORT.
HE HAS TO REPORT TO THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL, NOT CONGRESS ON THE
FINDINGS.
FINDINGS. THAT’S WHY IT’S SO IMPORTANT
WHAT THEY DO HERE.
THEY WILL DETERMINE WHAT THE
PUBLIC AND CONGRESS ULTIMATELY
SEE.
SEE. SO TODAY WE HAD REPORTERS HERE.
WE HAVE TRUCKS OUTSIDE.
DIFFERENT NETWORKS.
DIFFERENT NETWORKS. READY TO GO.
JUST IN CASE THIS NEWS BROKE.
BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW SEVERAL
REPORTED THAT IT CAN COME AS
SOON AS TODAY OR DEFINITELY
SOMETIME IN THE NEXT WEEK.
AND I WAS TOLD TODAY BY A SENIOR
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL
WHICH WAS SOMEWHAT OUT OF THE
NORM.
NORM. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> THAT THAT’S DEFINITELY NOT
COMING NEXT WE CAN.
WHICH MEANS THEY KNOW OR THEY AT
LEAST HAVE AN IDEA OF WHEN IT
MIGHT COME.
MIGHT COME. >> THAT’S.
>> THAT’S. >> THAT’S MY LAST QUESTION TO
YOU.
YOU. WHEN YOU GET A SENIOR OFFICIAL
THERE WHO NOW WORKS FOR BILL
BARR SAYING IT’S NOT THE END OF
NEXT WEEK THAT ALSO MEANS IT’S
NOT THE END OF NEXT YEAR.
THEY KNOW SOMETHING.
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
THEY HAD TO WORK WITH THE
SPECIAL COUNSEL’S OFFICE TO
COORDINATE THIS HANDOFF.
THEY KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.
WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
AND HIS CAMPAIGN AND WHETHER OR
NOT THEY COLLUDED WITH THE
FOREIGN POWER.
FOREIGN POWER. THEY UNDERSTAND THE STAKES HERE.
AND SO AT THIS POINT THEY WANT
TO BE -- I THINK A LITTLE MORE
TRANSPARENT THAN IN THE PAST.
I EVEN PUSHED THAT OFFICIAL,
ARI.
ARI. ARE YOU SAYING YOUIOUS DENT
EXPECT IT NEXT WEEK MAYBE YOU
HAVEN’T GOTTEN A CALL YET.
>> THEY SAID WE CAN SAY WITH
CERTAINTY IT’S NOT GOING TO COME
NEXT WOKE.
NEXT WOKE. WHICH TO ME SAYS THAT THEY KNOW
AT LEAST IF NOT A DATE THEY AT
LEAST KNOW THINGS NEEDING TO
HAPPEN BEFORE THEY GET IT.
>> JULIA AINSLEY, WE’LL BE
CHECKING BACK WITH YOU
CONSTANTLY AS NEEDED IN THE
COMING DAYS AND WEEKS.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. >>> I TURN TO FORMER U.S.
SOLICITOR GENERAL WHO WROTE THE
RULES.
RULES. IT’S RARE I WOULD GO ANYWHERE
BEFORE YOU FOR THIS TOPIC.
BUT WE HAD TORG WHERE YOU WORKED
BECAUSE THIS CHANGED HOUR BY
HOUR.
HOUR. WHEN YOU SEE BILL BARR PUT OUT
THIS UNUSUAL GUIDANCE THAT
MUELLER IS NOT DONE AT THE END
OF THE NEXT WEEK, WHAT DOES IT
MEAN.
MEAN. >> WELL I THINK IT’S SO MUCH
SPECULATION ARI.
SPECULATION ARI. IT’S REALLY WHO KNOWS WHEN THIS
REPORT IS COMING OUT.
I MEAN IT’S KIND OF LIKE TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT WHAT’S IN DONALD
TRUMP’S HEAD IT’S ONE OF THOSE,
AS JUSTICE KENNEDY SAYS SWEET
MYSTERY OF LIFE.
WE DON’T KNOW -- ON THE THEORY,
THE ARGUMENTS FOR WHY THE REPORT
COMES OUT SOON IS BASICALLY AS
FOLLOWS.
FOLLOWS. RIGHT NOW THERE ARE MULTIPLE
DIFFERENT NODES OF
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. IT’S NOT JUST MUELLER.
IT’S THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT, U.S.
ATTORNEY’S OFFICE.
ATTORNEY’S OFFICE. IT’S CONGRESS, VARIOUS
COMMITTEES, ALSO STATE ATTORNEYS
GENERAL.
GENERAL. SO MUELLER DOESN’T NECESSARILY
NEED TO CARRY ALL OF THESE
PROSECUTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS
THROUGH THE WAY HE DID 19 MONTHS
AGO.
AGO. THAT’S THE ARGUMENT FOR WHY HE
COULD FILE A FINAL REPORT AND
STEP ASIDE AND TURN IT OVER.
ON THE OTHER HAND, WE KEEP
LEARNING THAT THERE ARE NEW
CRIMES THAT ARE ALLEGEDLY
COMMITTED BY TRUMP AND THE
COTERIE OF PEOPLE AROUND HIM.
AND EVEN WHEN THE CRIMES ARE
DISCOVERED LIKE WITH MANAFORT
AND THEY PLEAD GUILTY TO THEM
THEY THEN LIE DURING THE PLEA.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT’S STRETCHED
THINGS OUT AND ALSO EXPANDED THE
SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION AS
WELL.
WELL. >> IF THE POLICY RULES -- IF THE
RULES -- THE RULES THAT YOU
WROTE THAT BOB MUELLER IS
OPERATING UNDER, IF THEY DON’T
MANDATE A PUBLIC REPORT, HELP
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS LIKELY
IF MUELLER DOES HAND BILL BARR
SOME INFORMATION.
SOME INFORMATION. THEN WHAT?
THEN WHAT? >> RIGHT, SO I THINK IN EFFECT
THEY DO MANDATE A PUBLIC REPORT.
THERE ARE TWO REPORTS IN THE
SPECIAL COUNSEL REGULATIONS THAT
ARE REQUIRED.
ARE REQUIRED. ONE IS THE MORE COMPREHENSIVE
REPORT THAT MUELLER HAS TO GIVE
TO BARR AT THE CONCLUSION OF HIS
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. HE HAS TO WRITE A SUMMARY OF
EVERYTHING HE DID AND THE
CONCLUSIONS HE REACHED.
AND THEN SECOND THERE HAS TO BE
A REPORT FROM BARR, THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL TO THE CONGRESS.
THAT CAN BE BRIEFER, BUT NOTABLY
IT HAS TO CAN YOU ANY INSTANCE
WHERE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OR
HIS SPREAD HE IS SESSERS LIKE
THE FAKE ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL
WHITT KERR, IF THEY YOEFRLD
MUELLER ON ANYTHING.
THAT REPORT THERE IS A SPECIAL
PROVISION IN THE REGULATIONS TO
MAKE THAT REPORT PUBLIC.
AND SO I VERY MUCH EXPECT THAT
THE BARR REPORT TO CONGRESS WILL
BE MADE PUBLIC.
>> AND DO YOU THINK BILL BARR IS
BUYING TIME HERE BECAUSE OF HIS
KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT’S IN THE
REPORT WHAT WE CALL THE RECORD
REPORT, THE MATERIAL MUELLER
GIVES HIM?
GIVES HIM? OR IF IT’S MORE BROAD, EVEN IF
NOT BRIEFED ON EVERY DETAIL HE
SAW A LOT OF COVERAGE HERE, CNN,
“WASHINGTON POST” AND OTHERS
BASICALLY SAYING THIS IS COMING
ANY DAY.
ANY DAY. AND HE JUST DOESN’T WANT TO LIVE
UNDER THAT PRESSURE?
>> WELL, I THINK IT COULD BE ANY
OF THOSE EXPLANATIONS.
IT ALSO COULD BE THAT MUELLER
ISN’T READY TO TURN IN A REPORT.
I THINK WHENEVER THE REPORT
HAPPENS, WHEN MUELLER GIVES TO
BARR, I THINK BARR WILL NOTIFY
CONGRESS RIGHT AWAY UNDER THE
REGULATIONS.
REGULATIONS. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> THAT THERE’S BEEN A REPORT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME I DON’T
THINK NECESSARILY THAT BARR IS
GOING TO TURN OVER HIS OWN
REPORT TO CONGRESS IMMEDIATELY.
BECAUSE THERE MAY BE PRIVILEGE
CONCERNS, GRAND JURY MATERIAL,
SOURCES AND METHODS, YOU KNOW
THAT WILL REQUIRE A SHORT AMOUNT
OF TIME FOR BARR TO EVALUATE.
>> WE ARE VERY MUCH BENEFITTED
BY THE -- THE INSIGHT YOU GATHER
FOR US, NEAL, AS I SOMETIMES
REMIND VIEWERS, THE RULES ARE
GOING TO MANDATE A LOT OF WHAT
HAPPENS IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
THE GREAT RAPPER NOS ONCE SAID
IT WAS WRITTEN IN THE CASE OF
THE SPECIAL COUNSEL RULES IT WAS
WRITTEN BY YOU.
AND WE ARE COMING BACK TO YOU I
HOPE.
HOPE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> APPRECIATE IT.
>>> WE TURN TO ANOTHER GREAT
EXPERT ONE BY ONE BY ONE FORMER
FEDERAL PROSECUTOR BARBARA
McQUAID.
McQUAID. A UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW
SCHOOL PROFESSOR.
SCHOOL PROFESSOR. I HAPPENED TO GO THERE UNDERGRAD
AND I LOOK FONDLY AT THE
PICTURES YOU POST ON THE
INTERNET.
INTERNET. >> GO BLUE.
>> GO BLUE.
SO MUCH GOING ON WE WENT THREW
IT AS METICULOUSLY AS POSSIBLE
WE DON’T USUALLY BEGIN WITH A
REPORTER IN FRONT OF MAIN
JUSTICE BUT IT’S THAT KIND OF
NIGHT.
NIGHT. AND IF THE SENTENCING MEMO COMES
IN I’LL BE ASKING YOU ABOUT
THAT.
THAT. THE REPORTS THAT MICHAEL COHEN
DISHES ON NEW INFORMATION IN NEW
YORK, MANAFORT SENTENCING, STATE
CHARGES AGAINST MANAFORT, ROGER
STONE IN TROUBLE GIVEN A WARNING
IF HE MESSES UP AGAIN HE IS
MESSING UP IN JAIL.
AND THEN BILL BARR COMES OUT
TONIGHT AND CHOOSES TO SAY THAT
WHICH HE DOESN’T NEED TO, THAT
IT’S NOT DONE NEXT WEEK.
WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?
TELL US WHAT YOU’RE THINKING
BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE
SENSE OF IT.
>> IT’S VERY UNUSUAL TO ANNOUNCE
WITH WHAT -- ANYTHING THE
SPECIAL COUNSEL IS DOING OR NOT
UNLESS THEY FELT GREAT PRESSURE
TO CORRECT THE RECORD.
THERE’S BEEN SO MUCH REPORTING
THAT THE REPORT IS COMING NEXT
WEEK, INJURY THEY FELT SOME
OBLIGATION TO SET THE RECORD
STRAIGHT.
STRAIGHT. BUT IN LIGHT OF ALL THE THINGS
HAPPENING WITH ROGER STONE, PAUL
MANAFORT, MICHAEL COHEN, AND
SOME OTHER LOOSE ENDS --
REMEMBER THE MATTER WHERE THERE
WAS A SUBPOENA TO A
FOREIGN-OWNED CORPORATION THAT
HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED -- IT
SEEMS LIKELY THEY KNOW THERE ARE
A FEW LOOSE ENDS TO TIE UP
BEFORE THEY’RE GOING TO ISSUE
THAT FOINL REPORT.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE USED TO ASK ME
ALL THE TIME WHEN DO YOU THINK
THE CASE WILL BE DONE?
THE CORRECT ANSWER WAS ALMOST
ALWAYS I DON’T KNOW, BECAUSE
UNTIL YOU EXHAUST EVERYTHING
THAT MICHAEL COHEN KNOWS OR
UNTIL YOU LOOK THROUGH ALL OF
THE MATERIAL THAT WAS TAKEN OUT
OF ROGER STONE’S HOMES DURING
THE SEARCH WARRANTS, AND UNTIL
YOU GET THE DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE
BEEN SUBPOENAED BY THAT FOREIGN
CORPORATION, IT’S DIFFICULT TO
KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING
FRUITFUL IN THERE THAT YOU NEED
TO USE IN THE CASE.
AND SO IT MAY VERY WELL BE THAT
THEY ARE CLOSE TO THE END.
BUT DON’T KNOW WHEN THE END WILL
COME IN MY EXHAUSTING ALL THE
INVESTIGATIVE LEADS.
INVESTIGATIVE LEADS. >> ALL FAIR POINTS.
LISTEN TO THE PRESIDENT
DISCUSSING ALL THIS.
HERE YOU GO.
>> WILL BILL BARR RELEASE THE
REPORT.
REPORT. >> NO, I HAVE NOT -- I HAVE NOT.
>> DO YOU EXPECT TO?
>>S AT SOME POINT I GUESS I’LL
TALK ABOUT IT.
THE NICE PART, THERE WAS NO
COLLUSION.
COLLUSION. THERE WAS NO OBSTRUCTION.
THERE WAS NO ANYTHING.
>> THE PRESIDENT RECENTLY HAS
STRUCK A MUCH CALMER TONE ABOUT
THIS.
THIS. HE PUTS A LOT OF FAITH IN BILL
BARR.
BARR. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT, BEFORE
I LET YOU GO?
>> I DON’T KNOW.
IT COULD BE THAT BILL BARR KNOWS
WHAT’S GOING ON AND
COMMUNICATING THAT WITH
PRESIDENT TRUMP AND KNOWS THAT
THE ULTIMATE CONCLUSION WILL BE
BENEFICIAL TO PRESIDENT TRUMP.
IT MAY BE HE JUST FEELS MORE
CONFIDENT HAVING BILL BARR
THERE.
THERE. HIS APPOINTEE HE THINKS WILL
PROTECT HIM AS HE HAS DEMANDED
FROM PRIOR ATTORNEYS GENERAL.
I DON’T KNOW.
IT’S DIFFICULT TO PREDICT HOW
THINGS ARE GOING TO COME OUT.
BUT I SUPPOSE AT THE VERY LEFT
HE KNOWS THAT IT IS LIKELY THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT UNDER BILL
BARR WILL COMPLY WITH THAT DOJ
GUYEDENS NOT TO CHARGE A SITTING
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. AND SO THAT ANY REMEDY AGAINST
THE PRESIDENT WILL BE POLITICAL
THREW IMPEACHMENT.
THREW IMPEACHMENT. MAYBE HE HAS MORE CONFIDENCE
THAT’S THE -- THAT LACK OF
CRIMINAL CHARGES IS THE LIKELY
OUTCOME UNDER BILL BAR.