>>> WE ARE BACK NOW WITH NEWS TO BRING YOU INVOLVING THAT RUSSIAN
LAWYER WHO IS A PART OF THE NOW
INFAMOUS TRUMP TOWER MEETING
BACK IN THE SUMMER OF 2016.
TOM WINTER IS WITH US NOW ON THE
PHONE, AND TOM, SHE HAS NOW BEEN
CHARGED WITH OBSTRUCTION?
>> THAT’S CORRECT, HALLIE.
SHE’S BEEN CHARGED WITH
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.
WE SHOULD POINT OUT THIS CASE
AND THIS CHARGE IS NOT AT ALL NO
TO THE NOW INFAMOUS TRUMP TOWER
MEETING, BUT IS RELATED TO HER
REPRESENTATION OF HOLDINGS IN A
CIVIL FORFEITERURE CASE.
IT WAS A CASE THAT WAS BROUGHT
BY PROSECUTORS HERE IN NEW YORK
NOT IN A CRIMINAL SENSE, BUT A
CIVIL SENSE.
CIVIL SENSE. WHAT’S INTERESTING TODAY IS THAT
THE INDICTMENT KIND OF LAYS OUT
JUST HOW TIED INTO SENIOR
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SHE
IS.
IS. SHE’S REPRESENTED HERSELF AS
SOMEONE WHO DIDN’T HAVE THOSE
TYPE OF CONNECTIONS.
IN THE PAST OTHER FOLKS THAT
WERE INVOLVED WITH THAT MEETING
HAD ASSERTED SHE WASN’T REALLY
THAT DEEPLY CONNECTED TO THE
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT. NOW YOU HAVE FEDERAL PROSECUTORS
IN NEW YORK IN A CRIMINAL
PROCEEDING SAYING NOT SO FAST,
THAT SHE HAS DEEP TIES AND THAT
THE OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE
CHARGE, WHICH SHE NOW FACES AND
HAS BEEN INDICTED FOR IS
DIRECTLY TIED TO HER WORK IN
FABRICATING OR COMING UP WITH
EXCULPATORY DOCUMENTS, DOCUMENTS
THAT WOULD SHOW THAT THE
BUSINESS WASN’T INVOLVED IN THE
ILLEGAL CONTACT THEY WERE
ALLEGED TO HAVE DONE.
IT NOW APPEARS THAT SHE,
ACCORDING TO THIS INDICTMENT,
WAS INVOLVED WITH FABRICATING OR
MAKING UP THOSE DOCUMENTS AS
THEY PRESENTED THEM TO
AUTHORITIES HERE IN THE U.S.
>> I DON’T WANT TO GLIDE OVER
SOMETHING CRITICAL YOU SAID AT
THE BEGINNING OF THE
CONVERSATION, WHICH WAS AN
EMPHASIS THIS IS DIFFERENT, THIS
DOESN’T HAVE TO DO WITH HER
INVOLVEMENT IN THAT MEETING.
A MEETING THAT HAS BEEN CRITICAL
TO THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION OF
RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN THE
ELECTION.
ELECTION. BUT THIS IS SEPARATE, RIGHT?
I WANT YOU TO UNDERSCORE THAT
POINT.
POINT. >> YEAH, IT’S COMPLETELY
SEPARATE.
SEPARATE. IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR THE NAME
DONALD TRUMP JR. OR ANY OF THE
OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS MEETING OR
PAUL MANAFORT OR ANYTHING LIKE
THAT, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO SEE
IT.
IT. THIS IS AN ENTIRELY SEPARATE
CASE AND IT DOES NOT APPEAR ON
THE SURFACE -- ALTHOUGH I NEED
TO READ FURTHER INTO THE
INDICTMENT.
INDICTMENT. WE JUST GOT THE NOTICE FROM THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IN THE LAST
SEVERAL SECONDS.
SEVERAL SECONDS. I DON’T SEE ANY ON THE SURFACE
ANY DIRECT REFERENCES TOTS THAT
MEETING.
MEETING. I DO THINK HER TIES TO THE
SENIOR RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS, THE FACT IT’S
UNDERSCORED IN THIS, IT’S
SOMETHING THAT BEARS FURTHER
SCRUTINY.
SCRUTINY. LET’S PUT IT THAT WAY.
>> WE HAVE DANNY SUCEVALLOS
JOINING US HERE.
CAN YOU TALK THROUGH WHAT
HAPPENS FOR HER NEXT?
>> IT DEPENDS IF SHE’S CHARGED
BY INDICTMENT SHE’S LIKELY GOING
TO TURN HERSELF IN.
I’M NOT AWARE IF SHE’S PRESENTLY
IN THE UNITED STATES OR HOW
THAT’S BEEN WORKED OUT AGAIN.
WE’RE GETTING THAT INFORMATION
MOMENTS AGO.
MOMENTS AGO. I’M NOT SURE WHERE SHE’S LOCATED
LOCATED.
LOCATED. I BELIEVE IT’S AN INDICTMENT,
NOT AN INFORMATION WHICH WOULD
TELL US SHE’S COOPERATING.
IT’S AN INDICTMENT BY THE GRAND
JURY.
JURY. THAT TELLS US THAT A GRAND JURY
FOUND THAT SHE CONTRIBUTED TO
FALSE STATEMENTS BEING GIVEN.
IT DOESN’T NECESSARILY HAVE TO
DO WITH ANY CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. IT CAN APPLY TO A CIVIL
PROCEEDING TO THE SCOPE OF THE
FALSE STATEMENTS AND OBSTRUCTION
OF JUSTICE STATUTES.
IT’S VERY, VERY BROAD, ALTHOUGH
THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT
STATUTES, ABOUT SEVEN, THAT
COVER THE CONDUCT.
THEY ARE VERY BROAD AND FAR
REACHING.
REACHING. >> DO I STILL HAVE YOU ON THE
PHONE, TOM?
PHONE, TOM? >> YES, YOU DO.
>> GREAT.
>> GREAT. AS WE TALK ABOUT THIS, LISTEN,
YOU’VE EXPLAINED AND DANNY HAS
LAID OUT WHAT THIS MEANS FOR
THIS PARTICULAR WOMAN.
CAN YOU BRING US UP TO SPEED ON
THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION?
WHERE THE SPECIAL COUNSEL
INVESTIGATION STANDS NOW.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REPORTING
FROM NBC NEWS THAT PERHAPS AS
EARLY AS NEXT MONTH WE MAY SEE
MOVEMENT HERE.
MOVEMENT HERE. WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING ON
THE LATEST ON THAT FRONT?
>> WELL, I THINK REPORTING FROM
MY COLLEAGUES, THEY’RE REPORTING
THE MUELLER REPORT COULD COME AS
SOON AS THE MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY.
I COULD TELL YOU MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THEY’VE BEEN
WORKING ON THIS FINAL REPORT FOR
AT LEAST SEVERAL MONTHS NOW.
I THINK SIX MONTHS IS A SAFE
BET.
BET. SO I THINK THAT, YES, I THINK
THERE’S A LOT OF -- WHILE WE MAY
FIND OUT CERTAIN THINGS AND WE
MAY START TO GO, YOU KNOW, DOWN
INTO THESE KIND OF RABBIT HOLES
OF THE INVESTIGATION AS
REPORTERS, AS PEOPLE TALKING
ABOUT THE CASE, IT’S SAFE TO
ASSUME THEY’RE MUCH FURTHER
ALONG THAN WE KNOW AND THAT THEY
HAVE PRESUMABLY RUN DOWN LEADS
THAT WE’RE JUST HEARING ABOUT.
SO I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING OF
IT IS THAT WE’RE DEFINITELY
CLOSER TO THE END THAN THE
BEGINNING, THAT’S FOR SURE.
AS IT RELATES TO THIS, YOU KNOW,
NBC NEWS WAS THE FIRST TO
REPORT, MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUE,
THAT THE PRESIDENT’S RESPONSE TO
THIS TRUMP TOWER MEETING OF
WHICH THIS PERSON WAS INVOLVED
WITH, HIS RESPONSE TO THAT AND
HOW THAT KIND OF CAME TOGETHER
ON AN AIR FORCE ONE FLIGHT BACK
FROM SAUDI ARABIA AND KIND OF A
SUCCESSION OF STATEMENTS YOU
REPORTED ON AS FAR AS KIND OF
EXPLAINING THIS MEETING, THAT’S
THAT’S SOMETHING THAT WAS LOOKED
AT BY THE SPECIAL COUNSEL.
WHETHER OR NOT THAT TURNS OUT TO
BE SOMETHING THAT’S INCLUDED IN
ANY FINAL REPORT OR FUTURE LEGAL
PROCEEDING, TIME WILL SURELY
TELL.
TELL. I DO THINK IT’S INTERESTING THAT
THIS ISSUE, WHICH HAD BEEN
LARGELY RESOLVED ON THE CIVIL
SIDE OF THINGS KEPT GOING ON THE
CRIMINAL SIDE OF THINGS.
IT INDICATES THAT PROSECUTORS IN
NEW YORK WANTED TO CONTINUE
THEIR INVESTIGATIVE EFFORTS EVEN
AFTER THEY WERE ABLE TO GET A
SETTLEMENT IN THIS CASE AND ABLE
TO GET MONEY RETURNED.
IT’S INTERESTING TO ME THAT THEY
CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP ON IT.
WE’LL HAVE TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT
ANY OF THIS CAME OUT OF THE
MUELLER INVESTIGATION.
MUELLER INVESTIGATION. OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW OF SEVERAL
CASES BROUGHT IN NEW YORK THAT
ARE TIED TO THAT.
YOU LOOK AT THE MICHAEL COHEN
CASE, A CASE THAT WAS SPUN OFF
FROM THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION.
IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE
IF THERE’S A BIGGER PICTURE TO
THIS OR IT’S CLEANING UP THE
REST OF THE INVESTIGATION FROM
WHAT HAPPENED --
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. DANNY ELET ME GO TO YOU ON THIS
NEWS WE’VE BEEN GETTING.
I DON’T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER, WE
PLAYED THIS ON THIS NETWORK I
THINK IT WAS LAST SUMMER.
SHE SAID SHE DIDN’T HAVE ANY
CONNECTIONS WITH THE KREMLIN.
IS WHAT WE’RE SEEING NOW IN THIS
NEW CHARGE, DOES THAT DIRECTLY
CONTRADICT WHAT SHE’S SAID?
>> IT TENDS TO CONTRADICT.
IT’S IMPORTANT IN LOOKING AT
THESE CHARGES THAT WE UNDERSTAND
THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS
ENGAGED IN A PROCESS OF WHAT’S
CALLED CIVIL FORFEITURE.
THE GOVERNMENT GOES AFTER A
DEFENDANT AND SAYS YOU COMMITTED
THESE MONEY LAUNDERING ACTIVE
ACTIVITIES AND WE’RE GOING TO
TAKE YOUR STUFF.
IN THE CASE OF A LARGE COMPANY,
IT COULD BE OTHER KINDS OF
PROPERTY.
PROPERTY. THAT’S WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS
DOING.
DOING. IT’S INTERESTING NORMALLY IN THE
CONTEXT OF THE MUELLER
INVESTIGATION, MOST OF THE
DEFENDANTS CHARGED WITH FALSE
STATEMENTS WERE FOLKS THAT THE
FBI VISITED AND SAT DOWN WITH
AND THAT PERSON TRIED TO TALK
THEIR WAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND
BANG, THEY GET HIT WITH FALSE
STATEMENTS OR OBSTRUCTION OF
JUSTICE CHARGES.
JUSTICE CHARGES. WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THE WIDE
SCOPE OF THE STATUTES, WHICH
ALLOW FOR THE SAME CHARGES, NOT
JUST IN A SIT DOWN VERBAL
INTERVIEW, BUT, IN FACT, A
WRITTEN SUBMISSION THAT SOMEONE
MIGHT MAKE OR EVEN CONTRIBUTED
TO.
TO. THAT’S HOW THEY HUNG THE
JURISDICTIONAL HOOK ON VEZHER.
>> DOES THIS LAY TO REST ANY
PRETENSE THAT SHE DOESN’T HAVE
CONNECTION TO THE RUSSIANS?
>> I’M SORRY.
HANG ON ONE QUICK SECOND.
THERE’S A LITTLE BIT OF AN
INDICATION THAT I HAVE THAT
ACTUALLY TODAY’S INDICTMENT MAY
RELATE TO A STORY THAT RICHARD
ENGEL, OUR OWN COLLEAGUE DID
LAST YEAR ABOUT E-MAILS SHOWING
HOW SHE WAS INVOLVED IN DRAFTING
RESPONSES TO THE INQUIRY.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR
COLLEAGUE, RICHARD ENGEL KEYED
IN ON.
IN ON. HE’S REPORTED EXTENSIVELY ABOUT
KIND OF THE RUSSIAN COMPONENT TO
THIS.
THIS. I’VE BEEN MORE FOCUSED ON THE
NEW YORK CITY INVESTIGATION AND
THE NEW YORK PROSECUTOR’S
ACTION.
ACTION. WE’RE STARTING TO GET A SENSE
THAT SOME OF THIS WAS KIND OF
FIRST REFERENCED IN RICHARD
ENGEL’S REPORTING JUST ACCORDING
TO SOME INFORMATION WE’RE
GETTING.
GETTING. I WANTED TO GO BACK TO YOUR
ORIGINAL QUESTION, AND IF YOU
CAN REPEAT IT, IT WAS A LITTLE
TOUGH TO HEAR.
I’D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER IT.
>> IT WAS ESSENTIALLY -- VERY
QUICKLY HERE, TOM.
BY THE WAY, WE’LL GET RICHARD
ENGEL IN FRONT OF A CAMERA ANY
SECOND.
SECOND. HE’S SCRAMBLING TO DO THAT.
VERY QUICKLY, SHE HAS NO LEG TO
STAND ON WHEN SHE SAYS I HAVE NO
CONNECTIONS WITH RUSSIANS BASED
ON WHAT WE’RE SEEING FROM THIS
CHARGE, IS THAT FAIR TO SAY?
>> I WOULD SAY SO, BASED ON OUR
PRELIMINARY READ OF THE
INDICTMENT DOCUMENTS TODAY AND
THE INFORMATION THAT’S BEING
PRESENTED BY THE U.S. ATTORNEYS
HERE TODAY.
HERE TODAY. SHE DEFINITELY APPEARS TO HAVE
THOSE TIES.
THOSE TIES. >> I APPRECIATE YOUR CAUTION AND
YOUR SMART REPORTING AND YOUR
LIVE ANALYSIS AS YOU’RE READING
THE DOCUMENTS HERE WITH US ON
THE AIR.
THE AIR. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK A.B. STODDARD,
WE ARE OUT OF TIME AFTER WHAT
HAS BEEN A JAM PACKED 60