WILL DON McGAHN EVER SPEAK? HAS THE PRESIDENT UNDERCUT
HIMSELF ON PRIVILEGE?
WE HAVE A SPECIAL REPORT ON THAT
LATER.
LATER. IF YOU CAN REMEMBER MONDAY, THIS
WEEK BEGAN WITH A HEARING ON THE
MUELLER REPORT WITH EXPERTS
DISCUSSING THE CRIMINAL EVIDENCE
AGAINST THE PRESIDENT AND HOW
PROSECUTORS CAREFULLY LOOKED AT
ISSUES OF COLLUSION WHICH DONALD
TRUMP HAS LONG DENIED.
THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE
BEING.
BEING. TONIGHT, FRIDAY, THE WEEKENDS
WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP GOING FROM
NO COLLUSION TO PRO COLLUSION.
SOMETHING SO CONTROVERSIAL OF
COURSE SO REBUKED AND SO OBVIOUS
OBVIOUSLY ILLEGAL THAT EVEN HE
HAS FOUND HIMSELF SPINNING TO
BACKTRACK.
BACKTRACK. CHECK OUT THE NEW INTERVIEW ON
FOX NEWS.
FOX NEWS. >> I DON’T THINK ANYBODY WOULD
PRESENT ME WITH THAT.
THEY KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. NOBODY WILL PRESENT ME WITH
ANYTHING BAD.
ANYTHING BAD. NUMBER TWO, IF I WAS, OF COURSE
YOU HAVE TO LOOK IT A.
IF YOU DON’T LOOK IT A, YOU
WON’T KNOW IF IT’S BAD.
OF COURSE YOU GIVE IT TO THE FBI
OR REPORT IT TO THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL OR SOMEBODY LIKE THAT.
>> HE LOVES AMERICA SO MUCH,
DON’T WORRY.
DON’T WORRY. DONALD TRUMP MAY WRAP HIMSELF UP
IN A FLAG, LITERALLY.
THE LARGER CONTEXT HAS TO DO
WITH HIS ACTIONS.
NOT JUST HIS BLUNDERING
INTERVIEWS.
INTERVIEWS. REMEMBER, DONALD TRUMP DID
DETERMINE THERE WERE MULTIPLE
LINKS.
LINKS. IN SOME INSTANCES, THE CAMPAIGN
WAS FOUND TO BE RECEPTIVE TO AT
LEAST POTENTIAL COLLUSION.
OFFERS OF HELP.
ATTEMPT AT COLLUSION.
NOW YOU HAVE DONALD TRUMP
SAYING, I’D DO IT AGAIN.
NOW THEY HAVE A MADE-UP POLICY.
THEY WILL REVIEW THESE OFFERS OF
DIRT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
THIS IS REALLY LIFE.
SO THEM CHECK IT OUT, CASE BY
CASE AND THEN GO FROM THERE.
DONALD TRUMP’S COMMENTS ON
COLLUSION DID GO FURTHER THAN
WHAT WE’VE SEEN THUS FAR.
HIS AIDES HAVE GIVEN OTHER TYPES
OF HINTS.
OF HINTS. >> IT’S HARD TO DO
HYPOTHETICALS.
HYPOTHETICALS. WE WERE NOT GIVEN ANYTHING THAT
WAS SALACIOUS.
WAS SALACIOUS. >> THERE IS NOTHING WRONG TAKING
ANYTHING FROM RUSSIANS.
>> ANY CANDIDATE IN THE WHOLE
WORLD WOULD TAKE INFORMATION --
>> FROM A FOREIGN SOURCE IN A
HOSTILE FOREIGN SOURCE?
>> WHO SAYS IT’S EVEN ILLEGAL?
>> THE LAW.
THE FBI.
THE FBI. THE MOOU REPORT.
INDEPENDENT LEGAL EXPERTS,
PROSECUTORS, ALL OTHER ELECTION
EXPERTS AND WHILE WE’RE
COUNTING, THE PERSON CURRENTLY
IN CHARGE OF ELECTIONS IN THE
UNITED STATES.
UNITED STATES. THE CHAIR OF THE FEDERAL
ELECTION COMMISSION.
ELECTION COMMISSION. >> THERE SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE
CONFUSION ON THIS POINT WHICH
CONFUSED ME.
CONFUSED ME. IT IS ACTUALLY A MATTER OF BLACK
LETTER LAW.
LETTER LAW. IT IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
ANYONE IN THE UNITED STATES IS
NOT ALLOWED TO ACCEPT ANYTHING
OF VALUE FROM A FOREIGN
NATIONAL, PARTICULARLY A FOREIGN
GOVERNMENT IN CONNECTION WITH AN
ELECTION.
ELECTION. >> I AM JOINED BY THE EDITOR OF
FOREIGN POLICY AND AN AIDE IN
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION AND
AUTHOR OF TRAITOR, THE CASE
AGAINST DONALD TRUMP.
AND JOYCE VANCE WHO RECENTLY
TESTIFY TO THE CONGRESS ON THE
RELATED ISSUES AND OBSTRUCTION,
VOLUME II.
VOLUME II. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WEEK THAT
BEGAN WITH DONALD TRUMP, IF
NOTHING ELSE CARRYING THAT
MESSAGE AND TRYING TO GET AWAY
AND OUT FROM THE HEARING YOU
PARTICIPATED IN.
PARTICIPATED IN. WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT HE
BROUGHT UP VOLUME I AND WOULD
APPEAR TO OFFER UP THE TYPE OF
INTENT THAT HE SPENT TWO YEARS
DISCLAIMING?
DISCLAIMING? >> THE PRESIDENT COULD HAVE MADE
MY MONDAY A LOT EASIER IF HE
WOULD HAVE JUST MADE THESE
STATEMENTS OVER THE WEEKEND.
ON MONDAY, REPUBLICAN
CONGRESSMEN WANTED TO ASK US, ME
AND THE OTHER WITNESSES, WELL,
WHAT DO YOU SAY NOW?
YOU USED TO SAY THERE WAS
COLLUSION.
COLLUSION. NOW YOU’RE SAYING, NOW BOB
MUELLER HAS SAID THERE ISN’T.
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
AND OF COURSE WE HAD TO COMPLAIN
THAT WHAT MUELLER FOUND WAS THAT
THERE WAS NOT A FORMAL
CONSPIRACY.
CONSPIRACY. THE PRESIDENT DIDN’T ENTER INTO
AN AGREEMENT WITH THE RUSSIANS
WHERE THEY SET OUT TO ACHIEVE A
PURPOSE TOGETHER.
PURPOSE TOGETHER. BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF EVIDENCE
IN THE MUELLER REPORT THAT THERE
WAS COLLUSION THAT EXISTED.
MUELLER’S PROBLEM WAS OFTEN
PROVING INTENT.
PROVING INTENT. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS WEEK THE
PRESIDENT COMPLETED THAT LOOP
PRETTY CLEARLY, AT LEAST SAYING
LOOKING FORWARD, THAT HE WOULD
BE WILLING TO TAKE SOMETHING OF
VALUE, A DONATION FROM A FOREIGN
GOVERNMENT.
GOVERNMENT. >> I THINK THE WHITE HOUSE AND
PRESIDENT ARE TREATING IT LIKE
IT’S A GAFFE BUT IT’S NOT A
GAFFE.
GAFFE. IT IS PART OF A THREE-YEAR
APPROACH TO DEALING WITH THESE
THINGS.
THINGS. RIGHT NOW, NOT ONLY HAS THE
PRESIDENT SAID THIS BUT THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED
STATES IS UNDERTAKING AN
INVESTIGATION OF THE
INVESTIGATORS.
INVESTIGATORS. MANNING SOMEBODY WENT TO THE FBI
NOW AND HANDED OVER A PIECE OF
INFORMATION.
INFORMATION. AND THOSE PEOPLE IN THE FBI KNOW
THAT THE LAST TIME THAT
HAPPENED, THOSE PEOPLE ENDED UP
UNDER INVESTIGATION.
UNDER INVESTIGATION. AT THE SAME TIME, THE SENATE
MAJORITY LEADER IS QUASHING
EFFORTS TO FUND PROTECTIONS
AGAINST THIS KIND OF
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. AND YESTERDAY IN THE UNITED
STATES SENATE, YOU HAD A
REPUBLICAN SENATOR, MARSHA
BLACKBURN STAND UP AND SAY, NO,
LET’S NOT MOVE AHEAD WITH A
RESOLUTION BUT SAID SIMPLY, IF
YOU’RE APPROACHED BY A FOREIGN
GOVERNMENT, YOU HAVE TO REPORT
IT TO THE FBI.
>> SO YOU’RE MAKING AN IMPORTANT
DISTINCTION, THIS IS NOT A GAFFE
ALTHOUGH TRUMP IS TRYING TO SAY
THAT.
THAT. THIS IS AN ADMISSION.
>> IT IS A POLICY OF THEIR
APPROACH THEM DID IT DURING THE
ELECTION.
ELECTION. HE REACHED OUT TO THE RUSSIANS.
HE TOOK THEIR INFORMATION.
THERE WERE SCORES OF MEETINGS.
HE DEFENDED THE RUSSIANS.
HE OBSTRUCTED AND THEN REWARDED
THE RUSSIANS WITH POLICY.
HE’S CONTINUED WITH THAT AND WE
ARE COMING UP ON 2020.
IT IS NOT JUST HIM.
NOT JUST THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
NOT JUST THE SENATE MAJORITY
LEADER.
LEADER. THE REPUBLICAN MA RT JO IN THE
SENATE AND ALL OF HIS AIDES.
>> VERY WELL PUT.
LISTEN TO.
LISTEN TO. THIS SOME SAY, WELL, NOTHING
MATTERS AND THEY GET AWAY WITH
EVERYTHING AND WE ALL MOVE ON.
A LOT OF THINGS MATTER.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T
BELONG IN GOVERNMENT ACCORDING
TO THE FACTS AND ETHICS WERE
REMOVED.
REMOVED. HERE HE IS ON FOX AND THIS IS
THE DAMAGE CONTROL.
>> WHAT IF A PERSON LEANED OVER
AND THAT, THIS CANDIDATE THAT
YOU’RE RUNNING AGAINST, DID HE
SOME DICEY THINGS THAT XYZ
COUNTRY AND I’VE GOT SOME PROOF
OF IT.
OF IT. WHAT DO YOU DO IN THAT SCENARIO?
DO YOU BACK OFF IN DO YOU SAY I
DON’T NEED IT?
DO YOU SAY SHOW IT TO ME IN.
>> I I HEAR THINGS GOOD BAD OR
INDIFFERENT THAT OTHER PEOPLE
DON’T HEAR.
DON’T HEAR. JUST IN NORMAL CONVERSATION.
NOBODY IS GOING TO SAY BAD
THINGS TO ME.
THEY KNOW I’M A VERY STRAIGHT
PLAYER.
PLAYER. >> WELL,.
>> WELL,. >> I READ HIS COMMENTS ON
MONDAY.
MONDAY. I SHOULD SAY I HEARD HIS
COMMENTS AS BEING JUST A
STATEMENT OF HIS POLICY.
MORE OR LESS AN INVITATION.
IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING FOR
2020, BRING IT IN.
I WON’T SCARE ANYBODY OFF.
I AGREE.
I AGREE. I THINK HE’S WORRIED ABOUT.
THIS YOU DON’T SPEND A HALF-HOUR
ON FOX AND FRIENDS CALLING IN
WHEN YOU’RE THE PRESIDENT
BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT
IT.
IT. FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY FEEL
IN THE WHITE HOUSE THAT THIS
STUFF IS SEEPING OUT, OUTSIDE OF
THEIR BUBBLE.
THEIR BUBBLE. >> AND IT IS GOING WELL OUTSIDE
OF WHERE HE CONTROLS A CERTAIN
CROWD THAT ARE VERY LOYAL.
IT IS GOING TO THE REST OF THE
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. IT GETS IN THE TERRITORY OF, WHY
DOES A SITTING PRESIDENT WANT TO
COLLUDE AND SAY COLLUSION IS
OKAY WITH FOREIGN POWERS THAT,
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE AN EXPERT
ON THIS.
ON THIS. ARE NOT WORKING FOR US.
THEY DON’T HAVE OUR INTERESTS IN
MIND.
MIND. I THINK IT CUTS VERY DEEP.
IT CUTS DEEP AND IT GOES TO WHAT
THE PRESIDENT IS SUBJECTED TO
WITH JOURNALISTIC INTERVIEWS.
WE’RE MOVING TOWARD 2020.
HE’S LAUNCHING HIS FORMAL
CAMPAIGN NEXT WEEK.
AND ABC WAS A PART OF THAT.
AND IT WAS COMPETITORS BUT
CREDIT TO THE ABC JOURNALIST MR.
STEPHANOPOULOS WHO CONDUCTED THE
JOURNALISTIC INTERVIEW.
JOURNALISTIC INTERVIEW. >> WHEN’S THE LAST TIME HE SAT
DOWN WITH A NONFOX, NONFRIENDLY
JOURNALIST?
JOURNALIST? >> SO MONTHS FOR THE TIMES.
THE TELEVISION IS DIFFERENT.
FOR ANY ENTER VIEWER TO SEE ON
CAMERA.
CAMERA. THAT HASN’T HAPPENED IN SIX
MONTHS.
MONTHS. AND THEN THERE IS THE HISTORICAL
PART.
PART. THIS TALKING POINT THAT APPEARS
TO BE DYING.
SOMETIMES YOU SEE A TALKING
POINT DIE DURING THE WEEK.
WHO KNOWS HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS?
WE HAD THE AL GORE AIDE WHO DID
WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.
>> HE EVENTUALLY TURNED IT OVER
TO THE FBI.
THEY CAME AND INTERVIEWED ME
THAT DAY.
THAT DAY. >> THEY CAME OUT AND SAW YOU HOW
SOON?
SOON? >> THAT AFTERNOON OF.
>> SO YOUR REACTION AS A
CAMPAIGN OPERATIVE WAS, THIS
MIGHT BE CRIMINAL BECAUSE IT
COULD BE STOLEN TO HELP THE
OTHER SIDE.
OTHER SIDE. AND YOU CALL AUTHORITIES AND
THEIR REACTION IS THEY COME OUT
THE SAME DAY.
SHOULD HAVE SO HE DIDN’T EVEN
KNOW IF IT WAS STOLEN.
THE FBI COMES IN THE SAME DAY
BECAUSE IT’S A REAL CRIME.
>> A LOT OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH
THEIR CONCERN, TALKING ABOUT
COLLUSION, GETTING COLLUSION
BACK IN THE NEWS AGAIN WILL PUT
PRESSURE ON DEMOCRATS TO START
TO SUPPORT IMPEACHMENT.
WE’RE SEEING WITH POLLING THAT
THE DESIRE FOR IMPEACHMENT IS
STARTING TO RISE.
THEY DON’T LIKE THE IDEA THAT
THEY’RE OKAY WITH COLLUSION.
BECAUSE THAT BUILDS A CERTAIN.
A POLITICAL PRESSURE TO
INVESTIGATE WHAT HAPPENED IN
2016.
2016. >> SO THAT RAISES AN INTERESTING
QUESTION.
QUESTION. WHY WOULD YOU GET HERE AS A
PRESIDENT THAT SAYS COLLUSION IS
OKAY AND I’LL DO IT IN 2020.
THE ONLY REASON YOU DO IT IS
WHEN YOU REALIZE, YOU CAN NO
LONGER DEFEND THE POSITION THAT
YOU DIDN’T ENGAGE IN COLLUSION.
THIS HAS BECOME WIDESPREAD.
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND INCREASINGLY
THAT IT IS IN THE MUELLER REPORT
ALTHOUGH MOST PEOPLE STILL
HAVEN’T READ IT.
>> I THINK THERE’S ANOTHER
REASON.
REASON. HE’S OPEN TO IT.
THIS IS JUST PART OF THE WAY HE
WANTS TO DO IT.
YOU MENTIONED GEORGE
STEPHANOPOULOS.
STEPHANOPOULOS. HE WAS NOT PLAYING A MIND GAME
THE PRESIDENT.
THE PRESIDENT. HE ASKED HIM A SIMPLE AND HE THE
PRESIDENT SAID YEAH, I’D
COLLUDE.
COLLUDE. AND HE WOULD.
WE’VE SEEN IT IN THE PAST.
WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT
WHEN THIS HAPPENED THREE YEARS
AGO, AND WE’RE COMING UP ON THE
ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRUMP TOWER
MEETING, THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY
OF THAT AND THE PRESIDENT’S
SPEECHES.
SPEECHES. THAT’S WHAT WE SAW.
WE SAW A SPEECH WHERE HE SAID,
COME ON, RUSSIANS.
IF YOU HAVE THE EMAILS, LET’S
HAVE THEM.
HAVE THEM. >> THIS IS A SERIOUS TOPIC BUT
HOW NERDY ARE WE THAT WE’RE
MARKING THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY?
>> PRETTY NERDY, SPEAKING FOR
MYSELF.
MYSELF. >> THE REALITY IS BEHIND THE
SCENES THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON.
THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF MEETINGS
BEHIND THE SCENES.
THIS IS HIS POLICY.
THIS IS WHAT HE’S SAYING NOW TO
THE CAMERA.
THE CAMERA. AND WHAT’S REQUESTING ON AROUND
THE WORLD?
THE WORLD? YOU HAVE GOVERNMENTS, FOREIGN
INTELLIGENCE SERVICE THAT’S ARE
CONSTANTLY TRYING TO MESS WITH
US, TO CREATE FAKE INFORMATION,
TO TRICK US.
NOW THEY’VE GOT A WHOLE NEW PIPE
LINE TO DO THAT.
>> SPEAKER PELOSI HAS MADE IT
CHEER, THIS IS NOT WHAT HE’S
LEANING INTO.
LEANING INTO. THE PRESSURE IS NOT JUST FROM
THE GRASSROOTS.
THE GRASSROOTS. THERE ISN’T MORE OF AN
ESTABLISHMENT WICK AS WELL
SAYING SO WHAT?
SO TRUMP GETS INVOLVED WITH
THIS.
THIS. LOOK AT BRIAN FALLON WHO WORKED
HILLARY CLINTON.
HILLARY CLINTON. HE SAID I USED TO THINK SOMEONE
COULD SHOOT A MAN ON FIFTH
AVENUE.
AVENUE. THE REPUBLICANS WOULD LET HIM
GET AWAY WITH IT.
NOW I THINK THE DEMOCRATS WOULD,
TOO.
TOO. >> THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME
THOUGHT IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
MOVING TOWARD IMPEACHMENT HAS A
NEGATIVE EFFECT.
NEGATIVE EFFECT. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT I’VE
SEEN TO SUPPORT THAT.
WHAT WE KNOW FROM THE NIXON ERA,
ONCE THE IMPEACHMENT INQUIRIES
STARTED, ACTUALLY SUPPORT FOR IT
BUILT.
BUILT. BECAUSE THE CASE IS BEING MADE
PUBLICLY AND ON TELEVISION.
THE DEMOCRATS NEED TO MOVE
FORWARD WITH IT.
NOT JUST BECAUSE POLITICALLY IT
IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO BUT
CONSTITUTIONALLY, IT IS THE ONLY
THING TO DO.
>> THE WEEK STARTED OFF WITH
THAT QUESTION ABOUT THE CENSUS.
TO A LARGE SENTENCE, HAVING BARR
REFUSE TO TEVI AND THE PRESIDENT
ATTEMPT TO ASSERT EXECUTIVE
PRIVILEGE WHEN HE WAS NOT
PRESIDENT, MIND YOU, THAT’S
ANOTHER ELEMENT.
ANOTHER ELEMENT. >> TO BE FAIR, IT MIGHT QUALIFY
UNDER NONEXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE.
EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE JOKE.
COUNT IT UP.
>> NOT NERDY AT ALL.
>> THE OTHER PART OF THAT LEDGER
IS NOT JUST WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
YOU IMPEACH.
YOU IMPEACH. WHAT’S THE COST IF YOU DON’T?
THE DEMOCRATS HAVE PASSED ABOUT
55 BILLS.
55 BILLS. THERE’S NOT A LOT FOR THEM TO
DO, FRANKLY.
DO, FRANKLY. SOMETHING HAD HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW
AND THE ELECTION.
IF THE DEMOCRATS ARE NOT TAKING
THAT SPACE, YOU CAN BE SURE THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WILL.