OF THE FINDINGS. AS HE SAID IN A TWEET THE OTHER
DAY, HE DOES HAVE QUESTIONS.
IS
IS >> Reporter: IS THIS A CASE OF
QUESTION ASK, QUESTION ANSWER ON
THE ISSUE OF COLLUSION?
IS THIS OVER?
>> NOT OVER UNTIL WE SEE THE
TRANSPARENCY.
TRANSPARENCY. I MEAN, THE IMPORTANT QUESTION
HAS BEEN ANSWERED, RIGHT?
THE RUSSIA THING WAS NOT A HOAX.
WE WERE RIGHT.
THERE WAS A MASSIVE RUSSIAN
EFFORT TO ELECT HIM AND TO
DEFEAT HILLARY CLINTON.
IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE
ESTABLISHED THAT NO AMERICANS
WERE PART OF THAT EFFORT.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT SHOULD
BE GOOD NEWS, WHETHER YOU’RE A
DEMOCRAT OR A REPUBLICAN.
>> Reporter: PRESIDENT TRUMP
TAKING A VICTORY LAP, CLAIMING
COMPLETE VINDICATION ON THE
ISSUE OF HIS CAMPAIGN’S TIES TO
RUSSIA.
RUSSIA. HE’S MAKING IT BASED ON A PRETTY
BOLD CLAIM IN THAT FOUR-PAGE
LETTER WE GOT FROM ATTORNEY
GENERAL BARR, THAT THERE WAS NO
COORDINATION, NO COLLUSION.
THE LANGUAGE WAS CLEAR, THERE
WAS NOTHING BETWEEN THIS
CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIA.
ON THAT BASIS, SHOULD HE BE
BREATHING A SIGH OF RELIEF.
>> I DON’T KNOW I READ THE
LETTER FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
THAT WAY.
THAT WAY. I READ HIM AS SAYING THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL DIDN’T FIND THAT THE
EVIDENCE ESTABLISHED, THAT THERE
WAS ANY CONSPIRACY BETWEEN AN
AMERICAN AND THE RUSSIANS.
WHAT OTHER EVIDENCE THERE IS,
WHAT EVIDENCE THERE MIGHT BE
THAT FALLS SHORT OF THAT
STANDARD, I HAVE NO IDEA.
>> ESTABLISH IS THE WORD YOU’RE
HONING IN ON THERE?
>> CORRECT.
>> CORRECT. >> Reporter: THEN, THE ISSUE OF
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.
MR. MUELLER DECIDES NOT TO MAKE
A JUDGMENT ON THAT PARTICULAR
ISSUE.
ISSUE. DOES THAT ALONE SURPRISE YOU?
>> IT DOES.
THE PURPOSE OF A SPECIAL COUNSEL
IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
POLITICIANS, IN THIS CASE THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL, DOESN’T MAKE
THE ULTIMATE CALL ON WHETHER THE
SUBJECT OF THE INVESTIGATION,
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, SHOULD BE HELD
CRIMINALLY LIABLE FOR ACTIVITIES
THAT WERE UNDER INVESTIGATION.
SO THE IDEA THAT A SPECIAL
COUNSEL WOULDN’T REACH THE
QUESTION AND HAND IT TO THE
POLITICAL LEADERSHIP DOESN’T
MAKE SENSE.
MAKE SENSE. I DON’T -- I’M NOT PREJUDGING.
I’M JUST SAYING IT DOESN’T MAKE
SENSE ON ITS FACE.
>> Reporter: THERE WAS YOUR
FIRING.
FIRING. A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT, I SIT
DOWN WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP.
>> IN FACT, WHEN I DECIDED TO
JUST DO IT, I SAID TO MYSELF, I
SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS RUSSIA
THING WITH TRUMP AND RUSSIA IS A
MADE UP STORY.
>> Reporter: WHAT DID YOU THINK
WHEN YOU HEARD THAT?
>> I THOUGHT, THAT’S TOPOTENTIAL
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.
I HOPE SOMEBODY IS GOING TO LOOK
AT THAT.
AT THAT. AGAIN, THE PRESIDENT APPEARS TO
BE SAYING, I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S
IN HIS HEAD, WHICH IS WHY I
CAN’T REACH THE CONCLUSION, BUT
HE APPEARS TO BE SAYING, I GOT
RID OF THIS GUY TO SHUT DOWN AN
INVESTIGATION THAT THREATENED
ME.
ME. >> Reporter: DEMOCRATS ARE
PUSHING FOR THE RELEASE OF THE
FULL REPORT AND EXPLORING LEGAL
OPTIONS FOR SUBPOENAING ROBERT
MUELLER IF IT IS NOT MADE
PUBLIC.
PUBLIC. >> Reporter: YOU WANT THIS WHOLE
THING OUT?
THING OUT? >> OH, IT HAS TO.
THE BEDROCK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE, WHICH BILL BARR LOVES
AND MUELLER LOVES AND I LOVE, IS
THAT PEOPLE HAVE FAITH AND
CONFIDENCE THAT IT IS NOT PART
OF A POLITICAL TRIBE.
THE ONLY WAY TO ESTABLISH THAT
AND TO PROTECT THAT BEDROCK OF
THEIR CONFIDENCE IS TO SHOW THEM
YOUR WORK.
YOUR WORK. >> Reporter: PRESIDENT SAYS THIS
SHOULD NEVER, EVER AGAIN HAPPEN
TO AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
>> CLOSE YOUR EYES.
AGAIN, CHANGE THE NAMES.
LET ME MAKE ONE UP FOR YOU.
IRANIANS.
IRANIANS. THIS IS TOTALLY MADE UP.
IRANIANS INTERFERE IN THE
ELECTION TO HELP ELECT BARACK
OBAMA BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY’LL
GET A BETTER NUCLEAR DEAL FROM
HIM.
HIM. DURING THAT ELECTION, AN OBAMA
AIDE MEETS WITH THE IRANIANS AND
TALKS ABOUT THE DIRT THEY HAVE
THAT WILL HELP OBAMA GET
ELECTED.
ELECTED. THE FBI FINDS OUT ABOUT THAT.
WE SHOULD NOT INVESTIGATE THAT?
THEN PRESIDENT OBAMA’S NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISER LIES TO THE FBI
ABOUT HIS CONTACTS WITH THE
IRANIANS.
IRANIANS. THEN THE PRESIDENT, OBAMA, ASKS
ME TO DROP AN INVESTIGATION OF
THAT AND FIRES ME AND SAYS, I
WAS THINKING OF THE IRANIAN
THING.
THING. WHO ON EARTH DOESN’T THINK THE
FBI SHOULD INVESTIGATE THAT?
THE HYPOCRISY IS REVEALED BY
CHANGING THE NAMES.
>> Reporter: HAS THE DAMAGE TO
THE REPUTATION OF THE JUSTICE
SYSTEM, FBI IN PARTICULAR, BEEN
WORTH IT?
WORTH IT? >> I DON’T KNOW.
I DON’T THINK WE’VE SEEN, IN THE
HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY, A
PRESIDENT TRY TO BURN DOWN AN
INSTITUTION OF JUSTICE BECAUSE
HE SAW IT AS A THREAT.
BUT IN THE LONG RUN, THE
INSTITUTIONS WILL BE FINE
BECAUSE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE KNOW
THEM AND ALSO KNOW THIS
PRESIDENT, KNOW WHAT HE’S LIKE.
SO IT IS A HARDER QUESTION, BUT
I’D SAY ON BALANCE, YES.