THAT STORY IS DEVELOPING, ALMOST BY THE HOUR AT THIS POINT.
>> BUT IN THE WAKE OF LAST
NIGHT’S SENTENCING STATEMENT
FROM SPECIAL COUNCIL ROBERT
MUELLER ABOUT TRUMP NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISER, MIKE FLYNN.
THE SENTENCING STATEMENT THAT
FEATURES THE SPECIAL COUNCIL
PRAISING FLYNN’S COOPERATION,
AND RECOMMENDING THAT FLYNN
SERVE NO JAIL TIME.
TODAY, IN THE WAKE OF THAT
REMARKABLE DOCUMENT THAT CAME
OUT JUST BEFORE WE WERE ON THE
AIR LAST NIGHT.
TODAY, WE HAVE HAD ANOTHER
COUPLE OF STORIES THAT SEEMS TO
INDICATE THAT THERE’S ANOTHER
FEW SHOES THAT ARE GOING TO DROP
SOON.
SOON. ONE CONCERNS THIS PERSON.
WHO APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THE
FIRST EVER PERSON TO GET DONALD
TRUMP THE PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE, TO TALK ON THE RECORD
ABOUT U.S. SANCTIONS AGAINST
RUSSIA, AND THE FACT THAT HE
WANTED THEM DROPPED.
>> OKAY.
>> OKAY. LET’S GO.
LET’S GO. >> SORRY.
>> SORRY. >> YES, MA’AM.
>> I’M FROM RUSSIA A.
>> AH!
>> AH! >> SO, MY QUESTION WILL BE ABOUT
FOREIGN POLITICS.
FOREIGN POLITICS. IF YOU ARE ELECTED ASK
PRESIDENT, WHAT ARE YOUR FOREIGN
POLITICS SPECIALLY WITH THE
RELATIONSHIPS WITH MY COUNTRY
AND DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE THE
POLITICS OF SANCTIONS THAT ARE
DAMAGING OF THE ECONOMY, OR YOU
HAVE ANY OTHER IDEAS?
>> I BELIEVE I WOULD GET ALONG
VERY NICELY WITH PUTIN, OKAY.
AND I MEAN, WHERE WE HAVE THE
STRENGTH.
STRENGTH. I DON’T THINK YOU NEED THE
SANCTIONS.
SANCTIONS. I THINK THAT WE WOULD GET ALONG
VERY, VERY WELL.
I REALLY BELIEVE THAT.
>> FIRST TIME HE EVER TALKED
ABOUT SANCTIONS OF.
AND WE NOW KNOW OF COURSE THAT
AT THE TIME, DONALD TRUMP,
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WAS
ADVOCATING PUBLICLY THAT THE
U.S. SHOULD DROP SANCTIONS ON
RUSSIA AND WE KNOW AT THE TIME,
HE WAS SECRETLY NEGOTIATING WITH
RUSSIA FOR A VERY LARGE REAL
ESTATE DEAL IN MOSCOW THAT WOULD
BE FINANCED BY A SANCTIONED
STATE RUN RUSSIAN BANK.
AS A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE,
WITH HE KNOW THAT DONALD TRUMP
WAS COMPROMISED BY RUSSIA.
HE WAS SECRETLY NEGOTIATING WITH
RUSSIA AND SECRETLY NEGOTIATING
WITH KREMLIN OFFICIALS, AND HE
WAS CONCEALING IT FROM THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND FOR GOOD
REASON, RIGHT?
REASON, RIGHT? THAT WOULD HAVE PUT A SPIN ON
THE FACT THAT HE WAS ARGUING
AGAINST RUSSIAN SANCTIONS.
IF PEOPLE HAD KNOWN THAT HE
NEEDED TO GET RID OF THE
SANCTIONS SO HE COULD GET HIS
TRUMP TOWER IN MOSCOW, WITH
FINANCING FROM A SANCTION FUNDED
RUSSIAN BANK.
RUSSIAN BANK. THE REASON IT WAS A SECRET WAS
MORE, THE REASON IT WAS A
COUNTER INTELLIGENCE EMERGENCY
AROUND TRUMP THE CANDIDATE IS
BECAUSE THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT
KNEW THAT TRUMP WAS LYING ABOUT
THIS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AND ONCE THEY KNEW THAT HE WAS
TRYING TO COVER THIS THING UP,
THAT THEY KNEW SOMETHING ABOUT
HIM.
HIM. THEY KNEW THE TRUTH ABOUT
SOMETHING.
SOMETHING. THEY COULD PROVE THE TRUTH ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT HE WAS TRYING TO
KEEP SECRET.
KEEP SECRET. WELL, THEN THEY CAN USE IT AS
LEVERAGE OVER HIM.
TO PRESSURE HIM IN TO DOING
THINGS THAT SS THAT HE WANTED.
THAT IS COMPROMISE.
HE WAS COMPROMISED BY THE
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT DURING THE
CAMPAIGN.
CAMPAIGN. WE NOW KNOW.
>>>THINGS, THAT
>>>THINGS, THAT THIS RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT WANTS
THEN AND NOW, IS FOR THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT TO DROP SANCTIONS ON
THEIR COUNTRY AND LOOKING BACK
AT THE FIRST COMMENT THAT TRUMP
MADE ABOUT RUSSIAN SANCTIONS,
IT’S NOW JUST REMARKABLY
STRIKING THAT THE PERSON WHO
FIRST SET HIM UP AS A
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND FIRST
ASKED HIM ABOUT THE QUESTION,
WHO FIRST PROMPTED HIM TO SAY
THAT HE WANTED THE SANCTIONS
DROPPED, THAT PERSON IS A PERSON
WHO IS NOW IN FEDERAL CUSTODY IN
VIRGINIA AWAITING TRIAL ON
CHARGES THAT SHE WAS SECRETLY
ACTING IN THIS COUNTRY AS AN
AGENT OF THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.
THAT’S THE PERSONER WHO ASKED
TRUMP THAT QUESTION AT THAT LAS
VEGAS EVENT IN THE SUMMER OF
2015.
2015. HER NAME IS MARIA BUTINA AND ONE
OF THE OTHER SHOES THAT WE HAVE
BEEN WAIT GING TO DROP ANY DAY I
IN HER CRIMINAL CASE OF.
A POTENTIAL PLEA DEAL, MAYBE?
OR SOME OTHER RESOLUTION OF THE
CRIMINAL CASE THAT IS PENDING
AGAINST HER OF.
SHE IS IN JAIL AWAITING TRIAL ON
FEDERAL JUDGES OF BEING A SECRET
RUSSIAN AGENT OPERATING IN THE
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. NOW, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO,
PROSECUTORS FILED THIS DOCUMENT
WITH THE FEDERAL COURT THAT IS
HEARING THE CASE AGAINST HER.
EXPLAINING THAT, THEY WERE IN
NEGOTIATIONS WITH BUTINA’S
LAWYERS REGARDING "A POTENTIAL
RESOLUTION OF THE MATTER."
>>> NOW, WE HAD OTHERWISE
EXPECTED BUTINA TO BE IN COURT
TOMORROW IN WASHINGTON FOR AN
IMPORTANT STATUS UPDATE ON THE
CASE.
CASE. IT HAS BEEN DELAYED BECAUSE OF
THE SUPPOSED ONGOING
NEGOTIATIONS OF THE PROSECUTION
AND THE DEFENSE LAWYERS OF
SOMEHOW RESOLVING HER CASE.
WE DON’T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE
ULTIMATE RESOLUTION MIGHT BE, IF
IN FACT THEY DO RESOLVE IT.
OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE ARRESTED AND
INDICTED HERE AND PUT HER IN
JAIL AND PLAN TO PUT HER ON
TRIAL.
TRIAL. IT’S POSSIBLE THAT THE
RESOLUTION OF THE CASE WILL BE A
PLEA DEAL, WHERE SHE PLEADS
GUILTY TO SOMETHING IN EXCHANGE
FOR LIENIANCE IN OTHER WAYS.
IT’S A VERY HARD THING TO
IMAGINE, GIVEN SHE IS CHARGED AS
A SECRET AGENT OF THE RUSSIAN
GOVERNMENT.
GOVERNMENT. BUT, YOU NEVER KNOW.
>>> SOME OBSERVERS HAVE
SPECULATED THAT MARIA BUTINA
MIGHT, POSSIBLY, HAVE HERRER
CASE RESOLVED AS PART OF A SPY
SWAP OF SOME KIND WITH THE
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT. AND THE KREMLIN HAS TAKEN A KEEN
INTEREST IN THE CASE.
THEY HAVE DONE A LOT OF
PUBLICITY AROUND IT AND ADVOCACY
AROUND IT.
AROUND IT. THEY HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY
ACTIVE, BOTH PUBLICALLY
ADVOCATING AND ADVOCATING WITH
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT ON HER
BEHALF.
BEHALF. I DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE
OFFERING ON HER BEHALF, I DON’T
KNOW IF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS
IN THE MARKET FOR ANY SORT OF
SPY SWAP WITH THE RUSSIANS AT
THE MOMENT.
THE MOMENT. BUT IT NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO IMAGINE
THAT HER CASE MAY BE RESOLVED
WITH SOMETHING DRAMATIC LIKE
THAT.
THAT. >>> SO, WE HAVE BEEN WAITING TO
FIND OUT.
FIND OUT. BASICALLY ANY DAY NOW, WHAT IS
GOING TO HAPPEN TO THIS ACCUSED
RUSSIAN FOREIGN AGENT NOW THAT
FEDERAL PROSECUTORS SAY THEY ARE
HEADING TOWARD A RESOLUTION OF
THE CASE.
THE CASE. WHILE WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR
THAT TO HAPPEN, TODAY, THE DAILY
BEAST HAS REPORTED THAT ANOTHER
PERSON IN HER CASE, AN AMERICAN
WHO IS NAMED IN HER CASE, HAS
BEEN WARNED HIMSELF BY
PROSECUTORS THAT HE MIGHT GET
CHARGED IN THIS CASE TOO.
HE IS AN PERSONAL CITIZEN, PAUL
ERIKSSONC
ERIKSSONC ERICKSON, AND POSSIBLY THE
BOYFRIEND OF MARIA BUTINA,
ALTHOUGH IT’S COMPLICATED.
ACCORDING TO THE DAILY BEAST,
PAUL ERICKSON HAS RECEIVED A
TARGET LETTER IN WHICH THEY
NOTIFY HIM THAT THEY ARE
CONSIDERING BRINGING CHARGES
AGAINST HIM UNDER SECTION 951 OF
THE U.S. CODE, WHICH IS THE LAW
BARRING PEOPLE FROM SECRETLY
ACTING AS AGENTS ON OF OF
FOREIGN GOVPTERNMENTS AND IT MAY
BRING A CONSPIRACY CHARGE.
THIS TARGET LETTER WAS SENT TO
PAUL ERICKSON A COUPLE OF MONTHS
AGO.
AGO. THE LAWYER HAS NOW SHOWN IT TO
THE REPORTERS.
THE REPORTERS. WHILE A TARGET LETTER IS NOT THE
SAME AS AN INDICTMENT, BUT IT
INDICATES THAT THE PROSECUTORS
ARE CONSIDERING BRINGING CHARGES
AGAINST HIM OR MOVING IN A WAY
TOWARD CHARGES AGAINST HIM.
IN HIS CASE, FOR SERVING AS A
SECRET FOREIGN AGENT ON BEHALF
OF RUSSIA AGAINST THE UNITED
STATES, LIKE HIS GIRLFRIEND.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT TOTALLY A
SURPRISE.
SURPRISE. IN THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT’S
COURT FILINGS FOR ITS CHARGES
AGAINST MARIA BUTINA, PAUL
ERICKSON TURNS UP SEVERAL TIMES
WHEN THE GOVERNMENT IS
DESCRIBING HAD HER ALLEGED
CRIMES AND HOW SHE WENT ABOUT
THE SCHEME TO INFLUENCE THE
U.S., TO INFLUENCE THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT AND REPUBLICAN ARTERY
AND CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT IN THE
COUNTRY ON BEHALF OF RUSSIA.
HE IS DESCRIBED AS PERSON NUMBER
ONE IN THE COURT FILINGS AS BEST
WE CAN TELL.
"DURING THE COURSE OF HER WORK"
AS A COVERT RUSSIAN AGENT, SHE
REGULARLY MET AND COMMUNICATED
WITH AUN NAMED RUSSIAN OFFICIAL,
AND U.S. PERSON 1.
THIS GUY, PAUL ERICKSON TO PLAN
AND DEVELOP THE CONTOURS OF THE
INFLUENCE OF OPERATION.
THERE’S THIS, ON OCTOBER 4th,
2016, SO A MONTH BEFORE THE
ELECTION.
ELECTION. U.S. PERSON ONE SENT AN E-MAIL,
AND SAID IS, UP RE -- I HAVE BEE
INVOLVED IN SECURING A ALL CAPS
VERY PRIVATE LINE OF
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE
KREMLIN AND KEY REPUBLICAN PARTY
LEADERS THROUGH, OF ALL CONDUITS
THE NRA.
THE NRA. SO, AGAIN, U.S. REPUBLICAN
ACTIVIST PAUL ERICKSON IS
REPORTED TO HAVE RECEIVED A
TARGET LETTER FROM THE FEDERAL
PROSECUTORS.
PROSECUTORS. KNOWING THAT HETHEY ARE
CONSIDERING CHARGES AGAINST HIM
FOR OPERATING AS A SECRET AGENT
OF A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT THAT
APPEARS TO BE THE RUSSIAN
GOVERNMENT.
GOVERNMENT. IT’S NOT THE SAME AS AN
INDICTMENT.
INDICTMENT. BUT IF THE GOVERNMENT HAS
ALREADY CHARGED HIM AND WE DON’T
KNOW ABOUT IT PUBLICALLY, BUT IF
THEY ARE PLANNING TO BRING THE
CHARGES AGAINST HIM, THAT WILL
BE A INTERESTING NEW DEVELOPMENT
IN THE MARIA BUTINA CASE, WHICH
I’M, YOU KNOW, I’M INTERESTED IN
FOR A LOT OF REASONS BUT IN
PARTICULAR THE WAY IT LINKS BACK
TO THE PRESIDENT AND HIS FIRST
PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT RUSSIAN
SANCTIONS.
SANCTIONS. BUT IF ERICKSON IS OR HAS BEEN
CHARGED.
CHARGED. THIS THROWS LIGHT ON THE NRA
QUESTION.
QUESTION. IT HASSLINGERED SINCE THE
CAMPAIGN, AS TO WHETHER OR NOT
THE NRA, THE NATIONAL RIFLE
ASSOCIATION, MAY HAVE BEEN USED
AS A CONDUIT FOR RUSSIAN
GOVERNMENT INFLUENCE.
GOVERNMENT INFLUENCE. RUSSIAN SECRET COMMUNICATIONS.
OR EVEN POTENTIALLY RUSSIAN
MONEY.
MONEY. IN THE OPERATION BY THE RUSSIAN
GOVERNMENT TO TRY TO SWING THE
U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION FOR
TRUMP, AND AGAINST CLINTON.
>>> SO, THAT DROPPED TODAY WITH
THAT IMPORTANT REPORT IN THE
>>> I SWEAR THIS IS NOT A STUNT, I SWEAR I DID NOT KNOW IT WAS
DOING TO HAPPEN.
I DID NOT PLAN IT.
I SWEAR.
I SWEAR. BUT, JUST IN THE PAST FEW
MINUTES, JUST MOMENTS AGO,
LITERALLY WHILE I WAS TALKING ON
THE TV MACHINE ABOUT THE MARIA
BUTINA CASE AND HOW WE ARE
EXPECTING ANY DAY NOW TO FIND
OUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN HER
CASE, BECAUSE PROSECUTORS AND
LAWYERS WERE TELLING THE COURT
THAT THEY WERE WORKING TOWARD A
RESOLUTION OF THE CASE OF SOME
KIND.
KIND. LEADING TO SPECULATION, IS THERE
GOING TO BE A PLEA DEAL, IS
THERE GOING TO BE A SPY SWAP.
SHE IS AWAITING TRIAL RIGHT NOW,
ON CHARGES THAT SHE HAS BEEN
OPERATING AS A SECRET AGENT OF
THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT IN THIS
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. LITERALLY WHILE I WAS SAYING
THAT, JUST MOMENTS AGO, WE JUST
GOT A NEW COURT FILING IN THE
CASE, IN WHICH WE HADVE, THE
JUDGE IN THE CASE JUST THIS
SECOND HAS SCHEDULED A TELEPHONE
CONFERENCE FOR THE PROSECUTION
AND THE DEFENSE TO JOIN THE
JUDGE TOMORROW AT 11:00 A.M.
AGAIN, THIS COMES AS PROSECUTORS
AND THE DEFENSE LAWYERS SAY THEY
HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY NEGOTIATING
TO RESOLVE THE CASE.
MAYBE THEY ARE GOING TO DO IT ON
THE PHONE TOMORROW.
BUT, THAT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS
TALKING ABOUT IT.
MAYBE THE JUDGE WAS WATCHING.
SHE SAW ME START TO TALK ABOUT