A weeknight look at the news, featuring interviews, analysis and Panel Discussions hosted by Bret Baier. Problem it would be legal. If cohen himself made the contribution that would be unlawful because he has a limit of 5200. The complicated issue is what if trump told him to do it . Then cohen would be acting for trump in the Campaign Contribution would be unlawful as long as the president ultimately paid in advance on what he was going to pay. That would be completely lawful. The prosecutor is in a little bit of a catch22. If he believes cohen that the president directed him to do it then thats not a crime at all. If he doesnt believe, one, then, one has committed a crime and not the president and the legal pundits have been saying if colin admits to a crime, that makes trump an unindicted coconspirator just wrong as a matter of basic criminal law. You dont become an unindicted coconspirator if your action is
here is the Deputy Assistant attorney general on this very point. Its the exact opposite and it really gives rise to the sort of watergate comparisons. What cohen says in court, its not in the information. He made a point of saying it not only was it a direction of trump but it was for the purpose of influencing the election. That gets down the middle in the bullseye of high crime and misdemeanor especially given how excruciatingly close the election was. Its quite like what the watergate burglars did except nixon was up 25 points against mcgovern. That is a serious corruption of governmental function and the election. Its not even a close question, that is so overthetop. Is not a crime to contribute to her own campaign. If he had written a letter to these two women saying youre going to hurt me in my campaign, im going to pay you 150,000 to
help me get elected president and you have to keep it quiet, its hush money. No crime. I challenge any of those who say its a crime to find me anything in criminal law that would make it a crime for a president personally to pay in order to save his own election. Its just not against the law. It may be a political sin, even if it determines the outcome of the election but the rule of law requires that when you Say Something is a crime, show me the statute. Show me the statute. There is no statute that would make that a crime. It might be a misdemeanor for the campaign to fail to report that payment but it would be on the campaign, not on the candidate. Thats not even a close questio question. Thats not the kind of thing the framers had in mind. Bret they would have to have much more than what cohen has brought to the table right now to think about moving down
supreme Court NomineeBrett Kavanaugh until the air is cleared from all of this from the and manafort situation, your thoughts on that. The republicans deserve everything they get on this. They illegally improperly withheld a vote on the nomination of Gore Merrick Garo that neil gorsuch could be nominated. I dont think two wrongs make a right. I think this nomination should go forward on its merits, we have to hear a lot more from Brett Kavanaugh to see if he warrants a confirmation. I think the framers of the constitution intended the senate to vote yes or no. They didnt intend the senate to be able to delay it until the end of the president s term. Bret new fox news poll indicating republicans trail
democrats 5039 in favorability with a similar spread and unfavorable as you can see by the numbers. Despite all of the negative press the president has been dealing with the last day plus. Around the country by campaigning hard for his handpicked favorites. Corresponded peter doocy looks at what the president is facing. President trump is clearing his calendar to help republicans keep control of congress, carving out at least 40 days between august and election day to campaign. Thats at least five more days than president obama spent on the trail in the 2010 midterms and a person familiar with his thinking said we expect for him to be probably the most aggressive campaigner in recent president ial history. Air force one stops will include north dakota, south dakota, missouri, montana, nevada, kentucky, and tennessee. We are fighting history, history tells us this is going to be a challenging year. A fresh batch of fox news pulls back set up because 53 of voters disapprove of President Trumps job performance, eight points more than voters who approve. 76 of clinton voters say they are certain to vote in november, 9 more than trump voters. Democratic voters are inspired but what about Democratic Candidates . They have nothing to run on other than attacking the president. Attacking the president is the foundation of their pitch. Via check and balance to donald trump wherever appropriate, preserve Peoples Health care. Health care is an issue President Trump things will hurt vulnerable democrats. President trump joe manchin always voted for obama and he voted to keep the disaster known as obamacare. Something else he brought to the trail which he showed a
stop, nicknames were democrats democrats. Wacky jackie. At every stop the president warns about who will take over if the house or senate flips. President trump a vote for jon tester is a vote for chuck schumer, nancy pelosi, and the new leader of the Democratic Party maxine waters. The vulnerable senator doesnt think the president will sway voters in big sky country. In the end, montana is going to have who they want to represent in the senate. There is one thing President Trump can do for republican candidates that is going to be tough for democrats to compete with and that is pack an arena with nosy supporters. Its not clear who democrats could call on as the partys leader draw a big crowd. Bret peter, thank you. Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell has just filed cloture to end debate on 17
administrative and judicial nominees. Our senior producer reports it would take the senate weeks to get through all of these nominees if they do it by the book but they are moving quickly on all of that. As we have told you before, there is a huge concern up on capitol hill and throughout the country about Cyber Security for the election. Tonight, the government is sharing some of what it is doing to try to prevent a rerun of 2016. Doug mckelway shows us. Its nickname to the scare the heck out of you board and its front and center inside this Cyber Command center in the department of homeland security. Each red pin represents some vital control connected to the internet potentially vulnerable to hacking. Their concern is on the Midterm Elections. Theres no evidence of the scope and scale of 2016 but that could change over the next day and the next day. Just hours before she spoke,
the committee foiled an act of hacking. It was a reminder that Election Security is mostly in the hands of individual companies and jurisdictions. The federal government plays a mostly deterrent role against what nielsen says is the big four state hackers. Russia, north korea, china, and iran. Our message is simple, we will identify you and you will pay a high price. So dont bother. Two bills that would impose such a price remained stalled in the senate. The director of National Intelligence to determine within 30 days of an election whether a foreign state interfered and impose automatic sanctions. The secure elections act would require vendors of Election Machines to report any problems to dhs and to date members of the Senate Intelligence committee wrote one of the nations largest Election Vendors warning they want to submit to independent testing. That after an 11yearold penetrated a model of Floridas Election Systems and changed voting totals. After it was discovered that a Russian Oligarch recently became the biggest investor in the company that handles marylands voting registered database. Bret stocks were mixed today as the current bull run on wall street became the longest in history at 3453 days. The dow lost 89 today, the nasdaq gained 30 both the s p and the nasdaq finished at the third highest close in the history of those indices. Up next, the illegal immigrant who confessed to murdering an Iowa College Student makes his First Court Appearance. Heres what some of our Fox Affiliates are covering around the country. Fox 46 in charlotte has a North Carolina state Committee Recommends three confederate monuments remain on the state
capitol grounds. The panel says it should reinterpret the monuments and more information should be installed next to them to discuss slavery and provide historical context. This comes days after protesters toppled a statue of a confederate soldier. Fox four in kansas city as the coast guard refers a sinking of a tourist boat to federal prosecutors. The accident killed 16 passengers and one crew member. This is a live look at the command center in honolulu from k ho m. Hawaii residents stocking up on bottled water and other supplies as they face a threat of heavy rain, high surf from hurricane lane. What was a category five storm has weakened to a category four, still very strong. The Weather Service says
tropical Storm Force Winds could begin as early as this afternoon or this evening on the big island. That is tonights live look. Well be right back. Before you can achieve a higher standard of craftsmanship,
mom okay we need to get all your School Supplies today. School. Grade. Done. Done. Hit the Snooze Button and get low prices on School Supplies all summer long. Like these for only 2 or less at office depot officemax. Bret the illegal immigrant who admits to kidnapping and killing in Iowa College Student made his First Court Appearance today. The shocking crime is fueling even more outrage over an Immigration System the president is now calling a disgrace. Correspondent matt finn is in Montezuma Iowa tonight. Wearing striped prison garb and a shackles, 24yearold Christian Rivera was led into the county court in iowa this afternoon and charged with firstdegree murder in the death of 20yearold molly tibbets. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents say hes from mexico and has been in the United States illegally for 4 t. Police say he confessed that he followed her on her nightly job. He told investigators she pleaded with him to stop trailing her and said she was going to call police. He claims he blacked out. When he came to, tibbets was in his trunk. Rivera led them to a cornfield to what they believe is her bod body. A Farm Spokesperson said rivera worked there for four years, but they didnt use the federal everify system to screen him and hes not who they thought he was. The judge was asked to block the media but was denied. The government has weighed in at the highest levels of predisposition that this young man is guilty. At a rally in west virginia, the president did weigh in on her murder. President trump you heard about today with the illegal alien coming in, very sadly from mexico and you saw what happened to that incredible beautiful young woman. Should have never happened. Illegally in our country. Weve had a huge impact but the laws are so bad. The Immigration Laws are such a disgrace. A Federal Immigration Spokesman told fox news that he never made a daca request. Hes being held in a 5 million bond. Bret up next another of then candidate trumps early supporters looking at serious legal trouble tonight well have that story. First beyond our borders, russian president Vladimir Putin says economic sanctions against his country and are counterproductive and senseless. He described last months helsinki summit as positive but blamed the administration for continuing to hit russia with sanctions. Officials and local groups held religious ceremonies today in
honor of 47 Chinese Tourists who died last month when their boat sank in rough weather off a Resort Island in thailand. Officials say both boats went to see despite official warnings about rough weather and they are pursuing legal action against those involved. The family of former United Nations secretary general kofi annans inhaling of what it calls the outpouring of love and support since his death over the weekend. He was remembered today at a Wreath Laying Ceremony at the United Nations, he died ceremony at the age of 80. Just as some of the other stories beyond our borders tonight, well be right back. Yeah, i think i can handle it. No pressure. Thats just my favorite boat. Boom. laughs make summer go right with ford, americas bestselling brand. And get our best deal of the summer zero percent financing
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political process yet anything that the Department Of Justice does with any member of congress will become political with an election in november. The San Diego Union tribunes calling on hunter to resign leaving a 29yearold democrat and what would essentially be a oneman race. Now was the time to put country over party. The House Speaker stripped him of committee assignments, and the Congressman Plans to fight the charges. Bret the earth is moving in venezuela, a strong aftershock jolted the northeastern coast this morning following the most powerful earthquake to hit that country in more than a century yesterday. Since both came at a considerable depths, there have been no reports of major damage or deaths. The economy in venezuela is more than shaky. Its in crisis. That countrys embattled socialist president is going to extremes to try to fix it. Correspondent rich edson takes a
look from the state department. 60000 inflation, venezuelans need a stack of money to buy a bag of rice if one is available. A government solution, just dropped five zeros from the currency. That is a trick, this is a terrible deception. Removing five zeros does not improve the economy at all. The International Monetary fund to says inflation could hit one million percent. President Nicolas Maduro announced a 3000 Minimum Wage Increase and raise corporate taxes and gasoline prices. Analysts say that will likely accelerate hyperinflation. If this is poorly executed or unfeasible, it is a tremendous economic contraction. Layoffs, much more limited supply of goods. The focus on zeros also creates confusion as venezuelans are left abiding by 100,000 to try to figure out what they have
and what items cost. Millions have fled the country, most across the country into columbia. Many will receive medicine and return home, others move across Latin America. The United States has sanctioned the regime as it consolidates power there although the u. S. Navy has sent a Hospital Ship off the coast of columbia to treat a venezuelan restaurant jeez. Venezuelans who escaped to columbia tell us that the regime has been further suppressing individual freedoms there especially after an alleged assassination attempt earlier this month. Bret thank you, we will continue to cover the situation in venezuela. One of the worlds least wired countries giving a little more connected now. Cubans with cell phones are getting mobile access to the internet and a tentative but significant opening communications. Mobile internet available at no cost for what it describes a daylong test of the network in cuba. President trump insists he did nothing wrong as a two of his former associates are looking at jail time, well get a reaction when we come back. Do you need the most trusted battery
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because of their first accident. Switch and you could save 782 on home and auto insurance. Call for a free quote today. Liberty mutual insurance. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. [reporter questioning] did you know about the payment . President trump later on i knew. You have to understand, what he did and they werent taken out of campaign finance. The donations given to keep quiet which mr. Trump wasnt willing to sign those checks himself, he directed mr. Cho one to make those Hush Money Payments is a federal crime. Just because Michael Cohen made a plea deal doesnt mean it implicates the president on anything. Bret the fallout from Michael Cohen the president s former attorney, personal attorney pleaded guilty and obviously his former Campaign Manager with a jury finding him guilty on different tax and fraud charges, this as legal experts differ on his entire Campaign Violation and what it means. If he had written a letter saying youre going to hurt me in my campaign, to help me get elected president and you have to keep it quiet, its hush money. I challenge any of those saying its a crime to find me anything in criminal law that would make it a crime for a candidate personally to pay to save his own election. Bret alan dershowitz
tonight on the show. And Mollie Hemingway at the federalist. Lets do some behind the scenes in trump world the day after. I spoke to two sources who talk to Air Force One with trump, the news breaking is weak got a lot of play, those are people ive come to trust said that he was incredibly calm. He was not a hysterical situation, he was watching fox news. The staff were trying to get information and find out what was going on. They didnt hatch a strategy on the plane, there were phone calls that he left to his own devices he was talking to his
lawyers but i dont have verification on that. Towards the end of the trip it became clear that he was going to attack Michael Cohens credibility. B he was going to make the argument that he was my lawyer and he was going to minimize the violation itself which is what we have seen today. They think this is the avenue to go after trump. As it has been discussed is not an open and shut case at all. Has said these Nondisclosure Agreements that he arranged are actually illegal Campaign Contributions. There is a lot of reason to suspect that will be a much more difficult case to implicate trump. You can look at an analogous situation with john edwards where the government tried to say a donor giving money to his mistress was an illegal campaign
contribution. The government failed to make a case, the jury acquitted him on one count and hung on the rest and they declined to pursue it any further. That was about someone elses contribution, this is about his own contribution and it would be a difficult thing to convince people that this is a serious crime if a crime at all. The idea that people would run quickly to impeachment is somewhat interesting. Bret other legal experts look at it and its timing to the election, its implication possibly on the election just days before the election and how much impact that would have had. Not as much a Campaign Violation as a conspiracy to influence the election is how others have talked about it. What about the political fallout on the hill after yesterday which was clearly explosive for the president for the g. O. P. . I dont think anyone is worried about the violations and what he said to the judge, that
is going to rise to a high crime or misdemeanor and lead to impeachment. The new concerns that axios is reporting and the concerns among Congressional Republicans about Michael Cohen has nothing to do with these payments. It has to do with the fact he could be a big source of unwelcome surprises. Trying to set up a tower or hotel in moscow. The fact that the chief Financial Officer has had to speak to investigators in the state of new york overpayments to Michael Cohen. All kinds of exposure in terms of financial dealings come with this but also Michael Cohen could implicate others like john jr. The report is the president is concerned about don jr. Mumbled collusion is still collusion. He was trying to work with officials from the uae and saudi government as well as the trump tower meeting to welcome
the help of foreign actors and thats with the president is concerned about. Bret when you look at these two figures, the thought is that hes going to put the squeeze on them and end up with the golden egg. I dont think theres any question the democrats are going to move to impeach donald trump after the election, i dont think the facts matter. I think we already have enough to form the baseness of impeachment, i think every new fact would be something they add to it. We have between 50 and 60 House Democrats saying they want to impeach the president , its not going to take much after the Midterm Election for that number to get to 200. You still run into the senate where i cant imagine a scenario that mueller produces in his report unless its trumps hotline to and vladimir every morning that would convince
enough republicans to impeach. Its an academic conversation and it could end up rebounding to trumps advantage. There are people left out of this conversation. You have people who wanted to get rid of donald trump as president since the moment he won election and people who chose to vote for him because he said they would advance their agenda. That latter group is extremely happy, pleasantly surprised with how well things have gone. The first group it doesnt matter what the details are they just want to get rid of him by hook or by crook. The fact that people can see this that we live in a swamp where if you have the right connections you get away with crimes and if you dont, they will go after anybody, anyway, anyhow whatever it takes to get rid of the president is a Credibility Problem for these institutions that are supposed to practice rule of law. Bret last thing there was a democratic Talking Point in the morning that Brett Kavanaugh should not go forward in the nomination hearing for supreme court. Late in the afternoon it seemed to fall away. Mark warner said we should move
forward, and then we have a statement just before the show. I am not going to delay judge kavanaughs confirmation hearing, there is clear precedent for pointing the other way. President clinton was under investigation for much of his presidency and impeached for committing perjury by the senate didnt stop confirming his Lifetime Appointments to the bench. President trump is not even close to being in the same legal situation is president clinton. It seems like this train is moving and buying something big, hes getting through. Theres a lot of conflict within the Democratic Party on how to deal with cavanaugh, mr. Long hill to die on. They have an unchecked Corruption Argument to make trying to stop Brett Kavanaugh is probably a mistake. Bret the economic crisis in venezuela, and new evidence of political meddling by russia and iran, will be back. I know i know i know i know when did brian move back in . Brians back . He doesnt get my room. Hes only going to be here for like a week. Like a month, tops. Oh boy. Wifi fast enough for the whole family is simple, easy, awesome. In many cultures, young men would stay with their families until their 40s. This wifi is fast. I know i know i know i know when did brian move back in . Brians back . He doesnt get my room. Hes only going to be here for like a week. Like a month, tops. Oh boy. Wifi fast enough for the whole family is simple, easy, awesome. In many cultures, young men would stay with their families until their 40s. The United States continues to support venezuelas neighbors and provide Emergency Aid and shelter to venezuela and also
continues to stand with the people of venezuela and we are going to keep all options on the table. Bret Sarah Sanders talking about the venezuela, the situation is dire not just for this earthquake that wasnt as bad but the Economic Situation really in recession for the last four years. Inflation reaching one million percent by the end of the year. The president has been doubling every 26 days, the oil dropped to a 30year low and as of june an estimated 2. 3 million venezuelans have fled the country. Its a mess. As Milton Friedman has said, inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon, it only exists because of income government it government meddling. It has led to this horrific manmade humanitarian crisis in venezuela, it is a horrific
situation and it is one that didnt need to happen, this is one of the wealthiest countries in Latin America and so many people live under the poverty line. Twothirds of the country have lost an average of 25 pounds in the Previous Year and its something that we should be paying more attention to it for no other reason than its happening in our hemisphere. Bret President Trump so there might be some kind of Military Effort inside of venezuela, remember that . He was talked out of it. There is a concern about a country that is just spiraling in our hemisphere and what we do. We know its headed in a downward direction but we dont know where the end is but president maduro is calling the new currency and magic formula. Already reporting on the ground has people saying the government is trying to do price caps, this is not going to buy me food this is escalating, mollie is
right, they are literally starving. The government can provide water, its unbelievable. Its a very tough call for a country like ours what kind of intervention is appropriate. The risk here is that venezuela becomes syria of Latin America. Bret a failed state. A failed state with millions of refugees leaving, scurrying across the border, destabilizing the region. We have the luxury of not being anywhere near syria but this is a lot closer to home. Bret we bring it back to politics, democratic socialists gaining favor into the Democratic Party, there have been a lot of questions about venezuela to some of the candidates. Obviously a socialist regime that is not doing too well. I saw an interview with Bernie Sanders where the host said they would like to ask a bunch of questions about how to pay for some of his socialist policies but they ran out of time. Socialism is not something that causes no problems. When you centralize control of the means of production, you have this type of lack of response to price controls, venezuela has so much, so many natural resources. They should not be in this situation. It is the result of their socialist policies. Polls are showing people are becoming more attracted to socialism in this country, this is something we shouldnt have to learn again. There is a reason why markets help people flourish and help lead to longer, happier, healthier lives. The one i didnt have time because the panel was cut short but theres a lot of concern about this cyber attack but not just russia but iran. Facebook and twitter both pointing towards iran. The question is what took them so long. Watching the success of the russians in 2016 and there has not been an adequate robust response and that we are still very vulnerable, all talking all the time about the 2018 elections and beyond let alone the threats to our power grid,
would invite this kind of behavior from the iranians. Bret we will have more panels on this topic. When we come back, the ultimate honor for the ultimate sacrific sacrifice. Call one today. Are you in good hands . Withwhat sore back . Sk. What bum knee . Advil is relief thats fast strength that lasts youll ask. What pain . With advil