DEBBIE MENGLE NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> NICE TO SEE YOU. >>> LET'S GET RIGHT TO THIS.
THE PARDON OF SHERIFF ARPAIO. MOST CONSTITUTIONAL EXPERTS ARE
AGAINST IT. IT WAS A PURELY POLITICAL MOVE.
NORTHWESTERN LAW PROFESSOR SAYS IF THE PRESIDENT CAN IMMUNIZE
HIS AGENTS IN THIS MATTER THE COURTS WILL LOSE ANY MEANINGFUL
AUTHORITY TO PROTECT CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS BY THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH. IS THERE ANYTHING CONGRESS COULD
K DO ABOUT HOW THE PARDON IS USED.
>> HIS ACTION IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT WHILE WE'RE EXPERIENCING A
POTENTIAL NATIONAL TRAGEDY AS THE HURRICANE HITS IS JUST SO
INEXCUSABLE AND THE SYMBOL OF WHAT HE DID WHEN HE DID IT
COMING ON TOP OF CHARLOTTESVILLE JUST IN INEXCUSABLE.
WHEN WE RETURN WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A TOTAL LOOK AT
IT. WHAT HE DID ON FRIDAY NIGHT IS
AN ATTACK ON THE CONSTITUTION, IT'S AN ATTACK ON THE RULE OF
LAW AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THERE'S ANY LEGITIMACY TO IT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST BESIDES THE FACT THAT A FEDERAL COURT HAD
ALREADY FOUND THIS MAN IN VIOLATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS BUT
THE FACT THAT THE MAN -- THE SYMBOL HE DIDN'T PROSECUTE MORE
THAN 400 CRIMES, RAPE OF WOMEN. IT'S JUST SO WRONG IN EVERY
ASPECT. THERE'S A SEPARATION.
WE HAVE THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT.
EACH OF US HAS A SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES.
HE'S CROSSING IT AND WHEN WE GET BACK, I'M NOT NORMALLY THE
PERSON THAT'S OUT THERE SAYING WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING NOW,
WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING NOW. >> HE IS NOT THE FIRST PRESIDENT
TO ISSUE A PARDON THAT'S CONTROVERSIAL.
YOU HAVE GERALD R. FORD, PRESIDENT NIXON PARDONED HIM.
BILL CLINTON PARDONENING MARK GRICH.
SO WHERE DOES THIS LIE IN COMPARISON TO THOSE?
>> EACH OF THOSE HAS THEIR OWN UNIQUE SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
HISTORY IS PROBABLY KINDER TO GERALD FORD ON THE PARDONING OF
NIXON BECAUSE HE DID NEED TO HEAL AS A NATION.
I COULD MAKE MY OWN COMMENTS ON BILL CLINTON.
THIS IS JOE BIDEN SAID WE'RE
FIGHTING FOR THE SOUL OF THIS COUNTRY.
HE IS RIGHT. THIS IS ABOUT THE SOUL.
IT IS ABOUT THE MAN THAT HE PARDONED AND WHAT HE STANDS FOR
AND WHAT HE HAS DONE AND WHO HE IS TARGETING IN HIS RECORD
BRAGGING THAT HIS PRISONS ARE LIKE CONCENTRATION CAMPS.
THIS IS -- THIS IS NOT A GOOD MAN.
>> AND YOU SAY WHEN YOU GET BACK AND CONGRESS GETS BACK YOU HAVE
TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I'M CURIOUS IF YOU THINK IT'LL
HAVE A BIPARTISAN SUPPORT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
JOHN McCAIN HAS CONDEMNED IT, PAUL RYAN HAS CONDEMNED IT.
HOW DO YOU SEE THIS PLAYING OUT IN CONGRESS?
>> I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE VERY
INTERESTING WHEN WE RETURN IN SEPTEMBER TO SEE HOW ALL MEMBERS
RESPOND AFTER HAVING A VERY ROUGH FIVE WEEKS AT HOME.
I'M SURE THAT EVERY MEMBER'S HAVING DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES
LIKE I DO. I DO THINK THAT BIPARTISANLY
PEOPLE ARE DISTURBED ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE DIVISION
THAT WE'RE SEEING OF FEAR AND HATRED.
JUST IN MY OWN DISTRICT OF ANARBOR WHICH IS NOT A
CONSERVATIVE CITY IN THE LAST WEEK THERE HAVE BEEN SWASTIKAS
PUT ON A SKATING RING. THE OUT BAR WAS VANDALIZED
FRIDAY NIGHT, ONE OF OUR COLLEGE CAMPUSES HAD GRAFFITI WITH THE N
WORD AND JUST THE LAST WEEK. THIS KIND OF HATRED ISN'T OKAY,
AND WE'VE GOT TO COME TOGETHER. WE CANNOT LET FEAR AND HATRED
DIVIDE THIS COUNTRY. I HOPE ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES ARE
GOING TO COME TOGETHER AND STAND UP FOR WHAT WE REALLY DO STAND
FOR IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED
WE FALL. >> ADAM SCHIFF THE RANKING
DEMOCRATIC AS ARPAIO ACTION WAS APAUG AND POLITICAL.
IT ALSO SENDS MESSAGE TO WITNESSES IN RUSSIA
INVESTIGATION TO KEEP QUIET, STAY LOYAL AND GET PARDON.
IS THAT A STRETCH? >> WELL, ADAM SCHIFF IS ONE OF
THE MOST STEADY, SMART PEOPLE THAT I KNOW.
I THINK HE'S BASING THAT -- IF HE'S MAKING THAT STATEMENT, HE
DOESN'T TAKE THESE WILD STATEMENTS.
SO I AM CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS.
WHAT HE DID WITH SHERIFF ARPAIO AFTER THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAD
EVEN TOLD HIM NOT TO DO IT, LET THE SYSTEM WORK, HE DIDN'T
FOLLOW ANY OF THE NOR NORMAL PROCESSES.
I THINK IT MAY NOT BE THE STRETCH THAT PEOPLE WANT TO SAY
THAT IT IS OUT THERE. HE IS CLEARLY WORRIED ABOUT THIS
RUSSIA INVESTIGATION. WE'VE GOT TO LET -- OUR WHOLE --
THE RULE OF LAW IS UNDER ATTACK RIGHT NOW.
THE VERY FUNDAMENTAL