Saying trump demanded to leave what he listed as several accomplishments. Here is new video we got in our newsroom. You are looking at Jeff Sessions leaving the department of justice for the last time to a round of applause. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Heres the context. Jeff sessions now joins a long list of the top Law Enforcement officials ousted in just the first two years of the trump administration. That includes those top fired fbi officials. Look at that in contrast to Donald Trumps own top aides the president has watched guilty pleas and flipping by his longtime lawyer, Campaign Chair and deputy chair and National Security adviser among others. Tonight i can reveal a president so intent on taking control into the investigation into his own campaign in the house thwhite ht he is willing to risk the blowback and guilty inferences that come with this type of move after the election. And that raises a question, not a question we like to ask, its the question of whether donald trump has reason to believe the Mueller Probe was not going to stop at the age confessed on the screen that donald trump believes for some reason there may be evidence out there that would keep this froeb barreling towards his family or towards the president , himself. The idea that the president wants the attorney general to be his personal protector would make anybody sound bad. This is what happened in nixon. That negative view of trump comes from trump, himself. He publicly admitted the reason he didnt like sessions is Jeff Sessions followed the rules and recuse on the russia probe when trump wanted him to defend trump. I am disappointed in the attorney general. He should not have recuse himself almost immediately after he took office and if he was going to recuse himself, he should have told me prior to taking office. And i would have quite simply picked somebody else. Jeff sessions recuse himself, which he shouldnt have done or he should have told me. For him to take the job and for him immediately to have recuse himself is a disgrace. Just listen to those words. They are newly relevant with this firing tonight. Donald trump thought the disgrace was Jeff Sessions following the rules and not interfering in the probe. Ened there is Something Else disturbing, i will show you the new replacement. Matthew whitaker was chief of staff at the doj. He will now be acting attorney general until a new attorney general in senate has to confirm that person. Right now tonight are you looking at bob muellers new boss. This is what he said about trying to limit the Mueller Probe. Bob mueller and his small u. S. Attorneys office as ive heard it described today does go beyond the 2016 election and get into Trump Organization finances unrelated to the 2016 election and really unrelated to Russian Coordination if it even exists. I think that would be crossing a red line. Crossing a red line. Whitaker describing things we know bob mueller did and rosenstein even approved, like looking at manaforts now admitted crimes that werent related directly in 2016. You are looking at your new attorney general. He has discussed in public. Tonight democrats are saying he should recuse. Hes discussed a blue print of sorts to further oversee or interfere with, yes, the Mueller Investigation. I can see a scenario where Jeff Sessions is replaced with a recess appointment and that attorney general doesnt fire bob mueller, he just reduces the budget so low that his investigation grinds to absolutely almost a halt. Grinds to a halt. One of the men on your screen was on your screen a moment ago. Because John Flannery is a former federal prosecutor in some of those discussions now at the white hot center of this debate. Gene rossi a colleague at the doj who has joined us before and another ace reporter all over this story from the start betsy woodruff. Very important to have you all here. We will discuss the elections which have implications on the subpoena power. John, is this firing in your view inappropriate . Is there enough evidence to say it, itself, become as part of the obstruction probe . Absolutely. I have no doubt about it. We are on notice from everything trump said before about what he wanted to do with the attorney general. The principle objection he continually makes is that he didnt recuse himself so that he could handle the investigation. He expected his attorney general to conduct an obstruction of the investigation by getting there and staying in that position. How can we think hes going to do anything else with his chief of staff when, normally, the assistant attorney general or Deputy Attorney general becomes the attorney general acting in the interim. When you spend time with him and what we show a little bit on camera. Did you get the view he would be a nonpart zaen to the doj or did he have a political agenda in the Mueller Probe . Hes a nice guy with a partisan taint, shall we say . Is he too partisan to be bob muellers boss, in your view . Absolutely. Think about it. He was chosen after those statements by the Justice Department to be in a position hes in at a time when we had the president saying, sessions won doiwasnt doing what he nee to do. There was a meeting between the president and whitaker before this appointment was made after they got rid of session today. So the one of the first questions is, what did you say . He starts with a conflict. And as for the president doing this, what the president is doing, its not like hes appointing people and doesnt have an interest. He has an interest. His family has an interest. Sure. Im coming ba back to you, jean e gene, same question. I agree with john to a certain extent. This would be an overt act for an obstruction of justice charge. However, i tried a couple of such cases. Ive had acquittals. What you need is a few more overt acts the comey firing and other things. I do want to say this, ari. Let me pause you on the comey firing. Were on the same lines. Americans are watching this. We just had an election the president fired the attorney general. It feels like a big moment. I will put up on the screen the incriminating language from the president at the time. I spesht e appreciate you informing me on three separate occasions i am not under investigation. Donald trump linked the firing of the top guy to his own investigation. Now hes fired the top guy at the doj a lot of people are saying on the hill its also because of his own investigation. If thats true, that wrong . Let me tell you something the best witness in the prosecution for donald trump is the words of donald trump. And his acts speak to themselves. I got to say this i think this is a huge game changer. Its a huge deal for two reasons. One, if whitaker smothers the Mueller Investigation, that is going to cause a second action. A flurry, a flurry of subpoenas from the House Committee to have him explain his actions. And, number two, also to say, what did the president of the United States say to you when he asked you to be acting attorney general . And that conversation could be a deathnel for the president of the United States. But the problem is back to john, betsy. One thing thats important to remember looking forward on this question, my colleague and i have colleague sources in the Justice Department for the last several hours from the moment this news broke. One thing we heard from multiple people is Matt Whitaker and Rod Rosenstein have a very tense relationship. These two men do not seem to get along. Were not clear yet when this tension began or what particular factors have fed into it. But this is not a happy relationship between these two men who are now the top two officials at the Justice Department. I dont anticipate whitaker now ascending to the highest level of the doj will be a force for stability. The other thing important here looking forward on the Mueller Investigation there has been numerous reports whitaker would be in line for a senateconfirmed position if trump were to move forward to reshuffle all of the doj leadership. If thats going to happen, whitaker, of course, into evidence to make sure any decisions he makes in the next few days or weeks as hes acting tomorrow, dont scuttle his chances at getting through senate confirmation. There is oversight there. Exactly. I dont anticipate whitaker will take dramatic steps related to the Mueller Investigation until or unless trump moves forward we are organizing the top doj and bringing in people with the power and clout and job security that comes with being senate confirmed. This goes to the heart of it, john, trump is moving away from the people that protect Rod Rosenstein and toward people he thinks will be tougher. As for that tension betsy articulated. Take a listen to whitaker on rosenstein. I think what ultimately the president is going to start doing is putting pressure on Rod Rosenstein, who is in charge of this investigation, do something a little more stage crafty than the blunt instrument of firing the attorney general and trying to replace him. John. You know, whitaker, it seems to me to be the new bourque. We have done to this Justice Department what happened when we had nixon and we had mitchell and klein destroy the reputation for law and justice in the department. This is such an attack on the Justice Department and what is it like . Its like a criminal running away. He realizes if he waits too long, the house may have democrats who can stop him. So this is going to be a midnight raid and i wouldnt be surprised if in the next day or so we see the rosenstein thing. I think if you look at the original order. That i have problems as a matter of law getting around that order. Mueller is no fool. You can be sure he isnt sitting on his hands right now. He is dealing with what he anticipates will be the misconduct of this organized crime system that passes for this administration. Tough words. Gene. Whoa. I want the viewers to understand who the new acting attorney general is. He is someone who against what most legal experts i think and certainly what most political operatives think. He said publicly, no problem, trying to get foreign help, which, of course, any lawyer knows is a violation a likely violation of Campaign Finance act. Take a look. To suggest that there is a conspiracy here. I mean you would always take that meeting. If you have somebody you trust that says you need to meet with this individual because they have information about your opponent, you would take that meeting. I have run for Public Office twice. You certainly want to have any advantage, any Legal Advantage you can. You hear that at the end . He did run for office as a republican in iowa. No problem in and of itself. Genes, do you agree with his claim that a lawyer a former prosecutor running for office would definitely take a meeting with foreign officials when you know if they give you anything of value, i mean a thousand bucks let alone anything else they were offering, that, itself, is illegal . Hes an idiot. Heres why. I ran for Public Office. I ran for lt. Gov. Of virginia. I got my tail kicked. And if anybody from russia offered to give me information to boot my two opponents, i would have said, im going to call the fbi. You are a crook. Let me tell you this right now. I am so disappointed in the u. S. Department of justice right now because the morale is being decimated. I felt sorry for Jeff Sessions right now when he walked out of that building. I who rkd in that building for five, six years on the 4th floor and when gonzalez was the attorney general, i can tell you, we had to get lysol to clean that place out after he left. Thats why my heart bleeds for the department of justice. Where i worked for almost 30 years. Mmhmm. Betsy, i am about to be joined by a democratic member of congress on this, what does your reporting tell you about where this fight goes with the hill . What are the Big Questions for these democrats who now are going to have power . I would say one of the top questions is whether republicans come together and decide to push back against any efforts on the part of the Justice Department to push out mueller and, of course the key question for House Democrats is, how prepared is a special chairman jerry nadler who heads the House Committee, who will on january 3rd, how prepared he is to send subpoenas. We know he will ask for doj and white house officials to voluntarily come in and testify before his committee. Is he sort of willing to bring the mus toll the fight when it comes to pushing for these official to testify . Part of that why its important, under republican control, white house officials took an expansive field privilege as related to the house intelligence in this russia investigation. They claimed executive privilege for conversations before trumps inauguration. They claimed executive privilege for conversations the president was involved in and nunez of the Republican Committee let them get away with it. The question for nadler and other democrats are they going to enforce the traditional and narrow understanding of are what kind of privilege comes with being the president or with working directly with the president . Betsy, you are laying out the key questions as you often do. Everyone stay as promised. I bring in a member who serves the intelligence committee. First of all, thanks for joining us on a busy night. Thanks for having me. Second of all, congressman, i know you and your folks have taken a victory lap with a pretty big gain in the house. When you look at the firing of Jeff Sessions tonight, do you see it as already linked to the Mueller Probe as inappropriate or is it too early in your view as a sitting member of congress to determine that . Well, it certainly looks that way because of how james comey was handled, mccabe, rosenstein so far by the president. But it really speaks to the need for a congress act in a bipartisan way and pass legislation that protects bob mueller and this investigation. I will cut in. You and i, we talked about this before. That makes a lot of sense. The republicans have moved further away from that. Lindsey graham was talking about, it would be bad to fire sessionles. Then as you know he was supporting it. If you dont have that, there are no signs, sir, unless have you news to break for us. There is no signs its going in that direction. What are you going to do . Jerry nadler says well be issuing subpoenas when warranted. Is this a subpoena thats warranted . Will you have to bring him before the house and ask was he asked for a loyalty oath . I think it would be fair for the House Judiciary Committee to bring the new acting attorney general in front of them regardless. Because every time you get a person in office, you bring them before the committee and grill them and ask them questions. So i would expect that will happen. Hopefully, it wont take a subpoena to get the answers the committee needs. If thats what it takes . Thats what it takes. When you look at this in the context of last night, do you think that the president was on his way to doing this regardless . Do you think this relates to his fears about what mueller may have in store or what you guys may have in store . And how would you ballpark last nights victory . A rip him, a wave . A big wave . Yeah a rip him,pleripple, . We won a lot of state legislative races and governors races. So i thought it was a strong night w. We saw other states, texas and florida get more competitive than they have been in a while. That was a promising thing. With respect to what happens with the Judiciary Committee and with this new acting attorney general, i think that most of all we have to protect that investigation. And mitt romney and lamar alexander, i believe, have made promising comments today. Now there is a difference between republicans saying something and then actually acting upon it. Right. But, hopefully, they will turn that into legislation. With the new blood coming into the senate and the house. Congressman castro, gene rossi, Sean Flannery on a big news night, thank you to all of you. Is this Donald Trumps version of a nixon style massacre but done more slowly neighborhood, plus, muellers response to this news. We have a very special guest, his former chief of staff on what past president shows us how mueller is dealing with this tonight and can trumps new pick legally oversee this probe . We also have a special guest with a breaking news. I got him booked. The man that wrote the rules, he says there may be limits tonight. He joins me on this special breaking edition on the beat. Im ari melber. Well be right back. Coaching means making tough choices. Jim youre in but when you have high Blood Pressure and need Cold Medicine that works fast, the choice is simple. Coricidin hbp is the 1 brand that gives powerful cold symptom relief without raising your Blood Pressure. Coricidin hbp. But prevagen helps your brain with an ingredient originally discovered. In jellyfish. In clinical trials, prevagen has been shown to improve shortterm memory. Prevagen. Healthier brain. Better life. For just fifteen ninetynine at red lobster. You get all the shrimp you want, any way you want them. And now savory parmesan shrimp scampi is back new sesameginger shrimp is here, too. But hurry in, endless shrimp ends november eighteenth. I am a techie dad. N. I believe the best technology should feel effortless. Like magic. At comcast, its my job to develop, apps and tools that simplify your experience. My name is mike, im in Product Development at comcast. Were working to make things simple, easy and awesome. Welcome back. We are about to speak with historian Michael Beschloss as mentioned. I want to clear up something from our earlier segment. We showed a graphic with james baker. It had the wrong james baker. A former Bush Administration official. It was the wrong photograph. We regret the error. Now we return to breaking news, donald trump firing Jeff Sessions. An assault on the law and order of our government, particularly those who are doing investigations of trump, himself. In fact, earlier this year i was reporting on how donald trump could pursue a massacre in the making slowly ousting key Law Enforcement officials. A reference, of course to Richard Nixons iconic and very controversial firings of the people investigating watergate. The country tonight is in the midst of what may be the most serious constitutional crisis in its history. An investigator appointed to investigate scandals was fired because he insisted on investigating scandals. I am joined by nbc president ial historian Michael Beschloss. Thanks for being here tonight. My pleasure. Midterm election. Firing of Jeff Sessions. Replaced by what looks like a loyalist who is on the record for narrowing in this probe. Where does this rate in comparison to 96 season. Ari, if this is going the way this looks, this is ten times worse than nixon because, lets look, if this leads to lets say the firing of Robert Mueller or the substantial limiting of this investigation ten times worse than nixon because lets look at what donald trump has done here. Lets first look at the Supreme Court. He now has a five justice majority on the Supreme Court the fifth justice is the one person of all those people on that federal society list that has the most extreme views of permitting a president not to be investigated, not to be indicted, not to be subpoenaed, used pardons to help himself. There is no doubt in my mind why Brett Kavanaugh is on the court tonight because donald trump wanted him to be reliable if a trump case could come to the court. Remember, that was a vacancy that donald trump created by encouraging Anthony Kennedy maybe to resign from the Court Earlier than expected so that it would be Brett Kavanaugh in this position tonight and not Anthony Kennedy who might have been a little more in a position to pr as if hes directly not only firing the attorney general and putting in someone to replace him, who is by most accounts, by most accounts, not terribly qualified. By some accounts a political hack. By almost all accounts someone who can be relied upon to be completely obedient to President Trump. Then the other this inc. That makes it worse than nixon is that this is not just about a, you know, misdeeds within our system. Nixon obstructed justice, told the fbi, told the cia to tell the fbi not to investigate watergate the case were dealing with is a possible covert relationship between an american president and a hostile foreign power. Thats way beyond watergate. You just said could be ten times worse than nixon. When you look at the reasoning, james comey removed the president on the record in the letter firing him. Right. This was, hey, you cleared me of wrongdoing. Then they had to clear up the Rod Rosenstein and now Jeff Sessions has been removed, had a cover story that was removed. Don mcgahn that left the white house says he was asked to fire mueller. Jeff sessions now out for that reason. All the evidence come income says that the new person is in also for an elicit reason as you just said to be a loyalist. And also someone who is already prejudiced and should recuse himself. That article that whitaker wrote on cnn. Com saying the Mueller Investigation was illegitimate, hes got a view in advance. Thats not someone you think he should be out . He should recuse himself from the mueller case. Its fascinating, given your knowledge of how this has worked in the past. Michael beschloss, thank you for being here tonight. What is mueller doing right now . Will america tolerate this . Two special guests. We are back in just 30 seconds. Im aiming it. Ohhhhhhh i ordered it for everyone. [laughing] dad vo we got the biggest subaru to help bring our family together. Im just resting my eyes. dad vo even though were generations apart. What a day. I just love those kids. avo presenting the allnew threerow subaru ascent. Wave to grandma, everybody. avo love is now bigger than ever. Special counsel bob mueller has a new boss, acting attorney general as of tonight matthew wh whitaker of trying to stay mueller should be limited. Now i can tell you muellers office is not commenting tonight. Thats typical. Mueller lets his work speak for itself. Hes filed 32 charges and secured guilty pleas and convictionles from several americans who have been caught up in this probe. They have all now pled. I am joined by someone who has unique insights who what bob mueller has been doing, his new book is dawn of the code war. How does a prosecutor like bob mueller in your view deal with this situation given both the obviously practical pressures, which your view verse now heard, without overreacting or assuming anything about under the rules his boss . You know, i think thats right. Look, bob mueller from when he was a marine to align, prosecutor a top justice official as director of the fbi has always done one thing. His job. I dont think hes going to worry about the distraction above him. He will continue to follow the facts where they may and layout things like the massive multimillion dollar russian conspiracy to attack democratic campaigns to try to use social media to influence voters. He will follow fraud like the jury trial where they convicted manafort from the millions they took from russian interests. He will continue to do so unless he is overtly blocked by someone in the Justice Department. Lets go to overtly. If whitaker walks into muellers office tomorrow. He can likely do. Says to mueller in private, what he said on cnn now, we should just defund this thing and that makes it go away . Then based on your knowledge of bob mueller, how does he deal with that . Look, i think we need to see the statements that mr. Whitaker has made in the past and then the Justice Department usually follows a process where there are career ethics official that would require your recusal from a particular matter. Now after yesterdays elections, there will be oversight. Those are the types of questions that can be asked and examined if someone does not follow the advice of career ethics officials. Bob muellers recourse. If he is pushed in some way, even as all those other things in the background, anyone watching this says, that sound nice, donald trump has moved a lot of people in and out and changed a lot of the way people deal with the rules what is his recourse . Can he go to a judge . Can he go to another actor in a lawful manner, we know he doesnt leak and say he thinks his new boss is doing something wrong. He does not leak. There are important questions to ask about under the regulation whether or not you need to report to congress if you were to cut the budget of the special counsels office . You also definitely through the oversight power can ask budgetary questions. So congress can find out whether or not that budget is cut. In terms of muellers reaction again hes going to work with the resources he has to follow the facts wherever they might lead unless he is unable to to do so. If hes unable to to do so, he will as he has at least one time before, he will not perform the job if he thinks its unethical to do so. We seen that with him. John, stay with me. Again, your insight is invaluable on a night like today. I want to invite in professor from george town university, we have discussed the three branches of government the congress, which was won by democrats the white house with the president and the courts in the independent rule of law plays in our republic i want to turn now, professor dyeson, having layout the legal side. What object the public . All three of those branches are ultimately answerable to the American Public who spoke last night to the elections. What do you think is the roam of public outrage or concern if this continues to go as so many are warning tonight as a slow motion massacre to end a probe that was supposed to resolve very major National Security and election questions . Its an outrage and the public must continue to raise its voice. The American People have spoken last night in a split decision the senate went to the republicans. The house to the democrats. But more than 100 women were elected in the immediate after math of the kavanaugh fiasco and debacle and also with the president who is grossly insensitive to the needs, claims and arguments of its citizenry. So, yes, i think what we should do is express our outrage continually. Look as the great Legal Defense fund said i car no brief for Jeff Sessions. If shot and freud were an art this would be a picasso. At the same time the attorney general has basically been handed his hat to walk out the door while the president is capable of exercising his will through a person who is, if you will, his second there in the department of justice who will do the president s bidding. This is a subversion of everything american and everything american ought to be outraged. What do you think people are to make of this, though, when the democrats say were almost there. This looks like it . I heard from a congressman that said this could to be that thing. But no one seems to be hitting the red button yet. I think donald trump, who is a master a master at communication and deception i think its fair to say, even he admits that, has found a way to keep moving it slowly and slowly, our republic like a proverbial boiling frog. I dont usually get that poetic. When you are here, i get going. Right. How is the public supposed to decide when the line is crossed . Donald trump is kaiser solcy. All along its been him, as a puppet behind the scenes manipulating the strings as marionette. So the reality is this. Unless we have the courage to say enough is enough. We have all been police it in this. Look at the outcome last night. White women voting in extraordinary numbers to support people who undermine them. Black men joining in, in texas and in florida in ways that are disturbing. All of us have been hoodwinked. What we need to do is stand outrate, citizens of outrage, enough is enough. Pull the plug. Stop going along with it. Nancy pelosi stand up and speak in try dent and serious terms against what is an american massacre in the office. John, im going to bring you the hardest question. You approach these matters as law and order, rule of law nonport sand. We are talking about counterveiling partisan pressures, widely identify fareed donald trump from his own words, what do you want out of this probe . And part of the energy against that is itself partisan and the resistance. Yet the goal the true goal the good constructive goal shouldnt be partisan against trump one way or the other but merely to uphold the doj . Can you think of a time other than watergate where we have been in this situation and what is the key for america getting out through this without it becoming the doj caught in the partisan crosshairs . Yeah. I hope that people of good spirit on both sides of the aisle, democrats and republicans can understand the importance of the institution of our Justice Department. Why is it the envy of the world. One of those reasons is, we do not use the Justice Department to pursue people for political gains. There is a long tradition of independence. There are thousands and thousands of amazing career prosecutors and agents who swore an oath to the constitution and every day seek to uphold it in the facts that they do. There are a lot of threats that face us. Real threats to life. Like we saw in the massacre that just occurred in pittsburgh. As we have seen in the charges the that have been laid out by a former director mueller that talk about russians are trying to do to the United States and when people are slaughtered for their beliefs in a synagogue or russians are attacking or trying to undermine our election system, theyre not doing it to attack democrats or republicans. Theyre attacking us as americans. And what we stand for. So i think its time will tell whether someone tries to interfere in the Justice Department to end this investigation. You will be able to tell because theres oversight by congress and also because if they suddenly end the investigation, there are Ongoing Court cases in front of our judiciary. Also, many of these cases have been moved over to career parts of the Justice Department from the prosecution. Right. Of President Trumps lawyer. Right. To the follow up on the russians. That goes to one of the reporting out. As we will continue. Hopefully with your help later this week all the other cases. John carlin, professor, thank you both. The top official says Jeff Sessions may lack the authority over mueller. He wrote the rules on special counsel live on that important issue next. [woman 1] this. [woman 2]. This. [man 1]. This is my body of proof. [man 2] proof of less joint pain. [woman 3]. And clearer skin. [man 3] proof that i can fight psoriatic arthritis. [woman 4]. With humira. [woman 5] humira targets and blocks a specific source of inflammation that contributes to both joint and skin symptoms. Its proven to help relieve pain, stop further irreversible joint damage, and clear skin in many adults. Humira is the number one prescribed biologic for psoriatic arthritis. [avo] humira can lower your ability to fight infections. Serious and sometimes fatal infections, including tuberculosis, and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened, as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. Tell your doctor if youve been to areas where certain fungal infections are common and if youve had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flulike symptoms or sores. Dont start humira if you have an infection. [woman 6] ask your rheumatologist about humira. [woman 7] go to mypsaproof. Com to see proof in action. music throughout now we turn to a major legal heavyweight and insider at the doj who says there actually may be legally required limits on Jeff Sessions replacement which could prevent him in theory from overseeing the russia probe, acting solicitor general under president obama, i mean he was arguing before the Supreme Court, an important position. He served in the clinton administration. Get this before, he wrote the rules that govern the very post mueller has. That was back in 1999. First of all, neil, thank you for coming on our special coverage tonight. Thank you. Its great to be here with you. You state there may be a way oz of this moment in terms of the nulz we have been reporting, whitaker is acting attorney general of the United States. But you say there is a way he may be limited. What is that . Yeah. So the constitution really does put some limits on this. You know, just as clarence thomas, whos President Trumps kind of favorite justice on the court. Just a few years ago wrote an opinion that said, you know the senate has to confirm principle officers like the attorney general. It cant just be the president can install whoever he wants in that. Justice thomass idea there. He says the word bankruptcy. What if the president is corrupt. You wouldnt want to have a circumstance where anyone can go and exercise the say full powers of the attorney general a cabinet officer or Something Like that. There is a point to senate confirmation. This is i think a tough thing for President Trump who says he wants to strictly construe the constitution and be guided by the founders intent. Justice thomas says that intent is really pretty clear. The guy who is the acting attorney general is not the attorney General Senate confirmed, Rod Rosenstein or Neil Francisco senate confirmed. Its like a staffer. Thats unusual. We have not seen that before. This is the attorney general of the United States with all of the massive powers incumbent and its being you know handled by effectively a constitutional nobody. Right. The constitution has a lot to say. You call him a nobody. A lot of people watching the news says we never heard of whitaker. Now hes the guy. In trumps vision, he has wiped out Rod Rosenstein. Hes on the record saying all of these things. I want to read you, unearthed from july 2017. Its ominous. With regard to laws to protect muler that might reenforce his independence, he wrote, theyd be a mistake. Cannot have anyone unaccountable in executive branch. , already protected enough, neil. I think this is all deeply, deeply worrisome. Look, i understand when there is death or disease in a cabinet official, you want to put someone in to temporarily handle those responsibilities. I have been in the Justice Department twice. I love the department and what it stands for. You heard mr. Carlin saying a moment ago. You know there are a whole host of authorities, laws and so on, written for emergencies like death and disease. You have to be circumspect about using them f. You cry wolf and pick them up and use them for stuff theyre not intended for, it makes it harder for future president s down the road. Thats what this president has done. Hes taken an emergency situation and used it to force out his attorney general, to put someone else in place who is effectively his lackey and who can literally you know try and end the Mueller Investigation and so we are at the beginning stages of a deep constitutional crisis. Well see what happens. You say were heading towards a constitutional crisis. Michael beschloss said tonight in this hour, im responding to the breaking news, its ten times greater than nixon. How will it work . Be a limit executed on this issue, if you are correct . So whitaker the acting attorney general could terminate mueller tomorrow or refuse to do certain things that mueller asks like subpoena the president or Something Like that. Those special counsel reg lalgss, which erode in 1999 put the acting attorney general in the drivers seat when it comes to supervisors of the special counsel and approval of all requests. Now, there is one safety check against. That we put in the regulations. We said if the acting attorney general says no to the special counsel, no to mueller, its got to be reported to congress and so. Which it can become a democratic congress. You stitching that together. Im supposed to fit in a break. Its so important id love to have you back on the beat again on this and other stories. Thank you. Of course, thanks. Coming up, heres a quote, angers me to the core. What a congressman said about trump spewing filth. That congressman joins me next on this big night. Nothing worth losing sleep over, because we covered it. Talk to farmers. We know a thing or two because weve seen a thing or two. We are farmers. Bumpadum, bumbumbumbum. Thats why ive got the power of 123 medicines with trelegy. The only fdaapproved 3in1 copd treatment. Trelegy. The power of 123 trelegy 123 trelegy with trelegy and the power of 123, im breathing better. Trelegy works 3 ways to. Open airways,. Keep them open. And reduce inflammation. For 24 hours of better breathing. Trelegy wont replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems. Trelegy is not for asthma. Tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high Blood Pressure before taking it. Do not take trelegy more than prescribed. Trelegy may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. Call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain, mouth or tongue swelling,. Problems urinating, vision changes, or eye pain occur. Think your copd medicine is doing enough . Maybe you should think again. Ask your doctor about oncedaily trelegy and the power of 123. Trelegy 123 save at trelegy. Com. Today donald trump absolutely hammered some members of his own party. On the other hand, you had some that decided to lets stay away. Lets stay away. They did very poorly. Im not sure that i should be happy or sad. Carlos kur bella. Mike coffman. Too bad, mike. Mia love gave me no love and she lost. Too bad. Sorry about that, mia. And bosch ra comstock was another one. I think she could have won that race. But she didnt want to have any embrace. Peter peter roskam didnt want the embrace. Many saw that as false and misleading and petty. Republican congressman Ryan Costello joins me in a moment. To deal with harassment and filth spewed at gop members in tough seats every day for two years because of potus, to bite your lip more times youd care to, to disagree and to lose what do you want to say back to the president today . Well, ari, i wash the show sometimes and i know you like those rap lyrics. And i feel if you were to go to ghetto boys, my mind is playing tricks on me, but the president here, his mind is playing tricks on him. We lost those seats because of the president. Those are good members of congress. I understand people didnt vote republican this time around. But they worked hard, they all had an independent streak, and every single day they were dealing from incoming a lot of hate and a lot of tough stuff said their way. And they did their best. And to have the president of the United States mock them on the way out after a tough campaign, i just think its deplorable and it really bothers me. Well, congressman, i wasnt expecting you to reach into the vault for ghetto boys. In that song you have an individual describe who thinks hes fighting another person and he ends up realizing his mind is playing tricks on him and hes fighting the cement, punching out the cement and hes hurting himself. I think that was Bushwick Bill. So here we are. Do you think donald trump is being Bushwick Bill and ultimately hurting himself. Certainly. We have a Democratic House now. I heard folks on your show talking about whittaker and what happens next. The realty is i dont think you can do much in the way of ending the Mueller Probe without certain things happenings in the house. Even if he were to somehow be fired congress will very immediately be able subpoena anything that any report that mueller has issued. And i think more broadly heres the real issue, the president chooses to fight everyone. And in this instance youre talking about members of congress who woke up every day and gave their all. And at a certain point in time you dont always have to agree with what everyone says or does, but theres a certain base level of respect that i think everyone serves. And what the president did in the white house today showed a total lack of respect for the members of congress, many of who are my friends, and its just entirely inappropriate. Do you think it goes to Donald Trumps moral character, and do republicans need to stand up to that in. Well, certainly its a character issue. But in terms of republicans standing up to him, i dont know what that means. I speak out regularly as do many others. I know you do. And i appreciate you coming on the beat. I guess what it means in the short term we have left, do the republicans need to say without even a hint of conflict without regard to law and order regardless of where this probe leads. Good tweet. You can find senator lamar alexander, a republican senator who said that no attorney general nominee will get confirmed if they are willing to shutdown the Mueller Probe. In other words, the Mueller Probe must continue unimpeded, in interrupted. I think youll see a lot of other republican senators say it. We have a bill in the house that would also protect it. Im a little concerned with what whittaker has said in the particular column that he wrote. But i dont think that mittker is going to have free reign to impede this investigation but do you think it is wrong for President Trump to install someone in there whos on the record saying we should basically defund this probe to end it . Listen, the president has a right to terminate an attorney general and nominate someone of his choice i know that and you know that, but this guys got a record. Theres a lot of lawyers out there. I understand. But this is a 210day appointment at its max. Im not hammering home on you on that, but this is not his nominee, nor do i think this individual will be the nominee first because of some of the things hes said and written. Youre drawing an important line there which is, yes, this is supposed to be temporary. Whos the person who can actually get through the senate and the house having more power. Congressman costello, i hope youll come back. I look forward to it. Thank you, sir. We have one more thing when we come back. Hi susan hs honey . I respect that. But that cough looks pretty bad. Try this new robitussin honey. The real honey you love. Plus the powerful cough relief you need. Mind if i root through your trash . New robitussin honey. Because its never just a cough. The roasted core wrap. Ways to lose stubborn belly fat. 2, 1. Not cool. Freezing away fat cells with coolsculpting . Now thats cool coolsculpting safely freezes and removes fat cells with little or no downtime. And no surgery. Results and Patient Experience may vary. Some common side effects include temporary numbness, discomfort, and swelling. Ask your doctor if coolsculpting is right for you. And visit coolsculpting. Com today for your chance to win a free treatment. When the guy inown front slams on his brakes out of nowhere. You do, too, but not in time. Hey, no big deal. Youve got a good record and Liberty Mutual wont hold a grudge by raising your rates over one mistake. You hear that, karen . Liberty mutual doesnt hold grudges. How mature of them for drivers with accident forgiveness, Liberty Mutual wont raise their rates because of their first accident. Liberty mutual insurance. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Is our baby. And like any baby, its loud, stressful and draining. And we love it. I refuse to let migraine keep me from saying. I am here. Aimovig, a preventive treatment for migraine in adults, reduces the number of monthly migraine days. For some, that number can be cut in half or more. The most common side effects are pain, redness or swelling at the injection site and constipation. Talk to your doctor about aimovig. And be there more. Talk to your doctor about aimovig. Shaquem get in here. Take your razor, yup. Alright, up and down, never side to side, shaquem. You got it . Come on, get back. Quem, you a second behind your brother, stay focused. Cant nobody beat you, cant nobody beat you. Hard work baby, it gonna pay off. You got this. With the one hundred and fortyfirst pick, the Seattle Seahawks select. Alright, you got it, shaquem. Alright, let me see. Some news before we go. Mat whittaker, the acting attorney general tonight as released a statement. Hes said hes committed to quote, the rule of law. A lot more on this story tomorrow. I want to mention also we have john podesta, a council to barack obama, and joins me an a very, very busy week. Dont go anywhere. Hardball with Chris Matthews starts now. Street fight. Lets play hardball. Good evening, im crith matcrithu Chris Matthews up in new york. Obviously suffering from that rebuke at the ballot box donald trump struck out at his enemies today with all of his fury. He dumped the attorney general hes never forgiven for