Now more than twice the size get this washington, d. C. It is scorching 115,000 acres and destroying at least 439 homes. Across the region more than 100,000 people forced to run for their lives. Thousands of firefighters and military personnel battling to save the homes and businesses there. Were going to have a live report for you in just a moment. Plus we have some breaking news on the russia investigation to tell you about. And it is a cnn exclusive. Sources telling cnn the british publicists who arranged that infamous tower meeting sent multiple follow up emails afterwards to a russian who was there and to a member of Donald Trumps inner circle. That news coming one day after donald trump, jr. Refused to tell congressional investigators what he discussed with his father after that news became public. I want to begin with our breaking news, those california fires. Live for us in Ventura County with that thomas fire. Paul, youre in the midst of this. The numbers are starging. 1153in1 acres scorched, 439 homes destroy. This is monster. What are you seeing on the ground . Reporter well orb its an absolute monster. What we see behind me is an extremely successful controlled burn. Its actually on the Ventura County line right now. That faint glow in the background, firefighters fought fire with fire here earlier tonight off this very important corridor. And they were extremely successful. They burned out this part so the fire cant advance. There have been some mandatory vacations in the small city of carpinteria, the Beachfront Community here and mainly to the south part of carpinteria. And as you described this is monster of the fire. More context. This fire is as big as the cities of orlando and seattle combined. As i said, twice the size of washington, d. C. Paul, theres another fire in southern california. This one is in san diego county, and it is a new front for firefighters there to contend with. Tell us about it. Reporter another fire breaking out here. Whats causing all this, the santa ana winds. This is called the lilac fire. All right, were having some technical issues with paul, as you can probably imagine a lot going in on in that area. As you look the wildfires there just raging out of control. Some folks under a manatory vacation orders. Half a dozen wildfires all over, more than 100,000 acres that have been scorch tld. Number of buildings destroyed, 500 in some areas, 439 in some areas. Firefighters from surrounding towns and cities coming to assist. There was an Emergency Alert that was sent out. So much going on in california. Were going to continue to follow that and bring you the breaking news as we get developments right here on cnn tonight. Now i want to turn to the breaking news on the russia investigation. Cnn justice correspondent Jessica Snyder joins me with the latest on that. Tell us what youre learning tonight about these new emails that followed the june 2016 meeting at trump tower . These were follow up emails. They were from rob goldstone, the british publicists who arranged the meeting. And multiple sources telling us he sent several emails. These emails have emerged despite the fact that donald trump, jr. Had stated there was no discussion with any participant after the initial june 2016 meeting. So now a lot of questions now that these emails have come out. What do the emails say, jessica . So we know about two emails. So one of them was to senior trump aide dan scavino, currently the president s social media director. In the email he encouraged then candidate trump to create a page on the social networking site called vk. In the email it said, don and paul were also on the email. A source tells cnn that goldstone had actually mentioned that idea of a social media post at the end of the trump tower meeting. As everyone was leaving, goldstone continued to push that proposal in the emails and weeks following. Cnn has search done a search of vk pages, but we cannot find any indication that a Campaign Page was ever setup. And five days after the trump tower meeting, in that email goldstone forwarded a cnn story on russias hacking of dnc emails. He forwarded that to his client, a russian pop star and also one of the russians who attended the meeting. And in the email he described the news of the dnc hacks as quote, eerily weird given what they had discussed at the trump tower meeting five days earlier. One of the sources familiar with the email downplayed the interaction saying that news of the dnc hack was only surprising because in the run up to the trump tower meeting, don, the russian participants had promised information to illicit funtding of the dnc but that information was never provided. So sort of downplaying this. Thank you, jessica. Appreciate it. Want to bring in now former congressman jack kingston, who was a senior advise door the Trump Campaign and max booth, the author of the road not taken. Jack, since youre here with me in the studio, thank you for joining us. Why the constant drip, drip, drip on this . If theres nothing to hide, why not just come out with it . I agree with you on the big picture. On the other hand, this is situation where everyones lawyered up and theyre being very carefully. Frankly, i think i would be a little bit more worried as a trump supporter if there were responses. And certainly goldstone would have those responses to the emails. So far were only looking at his side of the ledger, and it doesnt seem like the bait was taken. As you know in the campaign, lots of people circle around and they have ideas and they want the candidate to do that, meet with these people and so forth. And it looks like so far thats what were seeing in these emails. Do you agree with that . I think i have a pretty different view of the situation, which is that i think we are seeing growing evidence that President Trump was probably complicit in collusion between this campaign and the russian government. And we certainly see growing evidence that President Trump was guilty of obstruction of justice. I think those cases become clearer every day. And its this drip, drip, drip of information which cannot be explained in any kind of innocent manner. I mean why would at least 12 Trump Associates have at least 52 contacts during the course of the campaign with representatives of the russian government . I mean there was no innocent topic they could have possibly been discussing. In fact everything we know suggests they were not discussing their favorite brand of vodka or specifically to this jack is saying there appears to be no follow up to goldstone. Remember, don, that we only know a small portion of what actually happened. Whats been publicly reported. And i think its significant that every time that Robert Mueller, the independent counsel, has acted he has caught people by surprise. Because, for example, nobody expected this plea deal from George Papadopoulos or the very generous plea deal that mike flynn got or the charge against Paul Manafort. Clearly hes got information that the rest of us do not possess. But i think even the information we have is extremely damnening. And its not any one data point that can be explained away. But theres no way to explain away this vast number of at least 52 contacts with the Trump Campaign and the kremlin. There was an expectation that trump would lift sanctions on russia. In fact, there was a the Washington Post story on monday which said flynn on Inauguration Day was telling Business Associates that the sanctions were going to be ripped up. Gold stone also forwarded a cnn story a stoory about russias hacking of dnc emails to his russian pop star client Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort describing the news and this is their quote, eerily weird, given what they have discussed at trump tower five days earlier. Do you find that strange . I think thats an interesting comment. My daughter worked for a Foreign Policy magazine. I know hes a regular contributor. But at the same time, max, we would both agree its been a year and a half and there hasnt been anything that mueller or the senate or the house has produced to show collusion. For manafort it had nothing to do with the campaign. For flynn it was lying to the fbi, for papadopoulos it was lying to the fbi. If collusion was so apparent why hasnt there been somebody whos been indicted. Jack, dont just throw away, lying to the fbi. But it had nothing to do with the campaign its their own character. He was not instructed to lie to the fbi. Go ahead. Thats just not a very compelling argument. Well, if youre partisan im not a partisan, jack. I used to be a right wing republican until donald trump was elected. Im an independent, and the reason why thats can i just finish the point . The reason thats not a convincing spin is thats like saying to the Watergate Special prosecutor in early 1974, well, youve been on the job for six months now, why havent you delivered a compelling case against Richard Nixon . The fact is it takes a long time to unravel a very complex case like this. Any kind of large conspiracy requires a lot of time. But in fact Robert Mueller whos been on the case about half a year now, i think has made stunning progress with the guilty pleas of two trump aides including former National Security advisor to lying to the fbi. And a very compelling Money Laundering case against Paul Manafort, Trumps Campaign manager and had a lot to do with russia. He was laundering money from russia. There are a lot of people who cannot accept the results of the election, and theyre doing everything they can to discount the trump presidency, now youve got hold on. Thats an absurd spin. That is ridiculous spin. Theyre also investigating how russia floounlsinfluenced t election. Its not just collusion theyre investigating. If information about russia or someone committed an illegal act as theyre investigating this i dont understand your point here. Well, my point is what max was saying theres all kind of evidence about collusion. Thats what weve been hearing now for a year and half, were not seeing anything. Im confused why did the dnc correspondent with the fbi when they said your computers have been hacked, lets take a look at them and they would not let them do that what does that have to do with the dnc not cooperating . Well, its part of in that email you just read to me, that its eerily that the dnc computer was hacked. Im thinking it might have something to do with it. It might be interesting to know who paid for the dossier and why wont the fbi tell us who paid for the dossier . This is one red herring after another. What does that have to do that has nothing to do with anything. Jack, youre throwing out shiny objects that have nothing to do with anything. There is an investigation going on im just saying going to Paul Manaforts records before he was involved with donald trump you dont know what theyre investigating. Youre not there investigating. Who paid it and why wont the fbi why does it matter who paid for it . If the information is correct, it doesnt matter who paid for it. No, no, dont say you guys. Im not on anybodys side here. Im just on the side of the truth. And im just looking at the truth and there is no there there. Your next thing is going to be Hillary Clinton and her emails. But you know what let me say Hillary Clinton is not president. But i am saying putting information on the table the information is already on the table. This investigation has nothing to do with dnc emails or dnc hacking. This has to do with russias hang on russias influence in our election and also the contacts between the Trump Campaign and people tied to the kremlin. Thats what this investigation has to do with. And on that point i agree with you. However, if we are talking about the blanket statement of russias involvement in the election, and russia was involve would the dossier, isnt it relevant to know who paid for it . No. Its not relevant to know who paid for it. Can i just get in a word edgewise here . What jack is suggesting is that the attempt by the Clinton Campaign to pay this respected former mi 6 officer, that the attempt to uncover those contacts, its as bad as the contact themselves. That is nonsensical. It doesnt stand up to minute of scrutiny. This is just an attempt to create a smoke screen to disguise the very real expectation connections between the Trump Campaign and the russians. The real scandal here, and this is what we need to keep our eye on, the fact is the russians subverted our democracy. And we know that. The u. S. Intelligence committee unanimously concluded there was interference to help elect donald trump. Those are facts, jack. You cannot explain those facts away. If this was Hillary Clinton guilty of these contacts and if putin had intervened in the u. S. Campaign to help elect Hillary Clinton, you would be screaming bloody murder and demanding a special counsel investigation. Let me just say this Hillary Clinton is chilling on the couch somewhere or walking in the woods. She is not the president of the United States. I wish people would stop bringing her up as a scary person because you need a foil. Thats im just saying whats good for the goose is good for the gander fch and if the question was interference in the election. It doesnt make you look great when you do. Maybe not to trump critics. I appreciate it. Well continue this conversation. When we come back, conservative media waging war on Robert Mueller and the fbi. The president charging the bureau is in tatters. Is it all part of the plan to derail the russia investigation . [vo] quickbooks introduces jeanette and her new mobile wedding business. At first, getting paid was tough. Until she got quickbooks. Now she sends invoices, sees when theyve been viewed andtadahpaid twice as fast for free. Visit quickbooksdotcom. Your body was made for Better Things than rheumatiod arthritis. Before you and your rheumatologist move to another treatment, ask if xeljanz xr is right for you. Xeljanz xr is a oncedaily pill for adults with moderate to severe ra for whom methotrexate did not work well. It can reduce pain, swelling and further joint damage, even without methotrexate. Xeljanz xr can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. Serious, sometimes fatal infections, lymphoma and other cancers have happened. Dont start xeljanz xr if you have an infection. Tears in the stomach or intestines, low blood cell counts and higher liver tests and cholesterol levels have happened. Your doctor should perform blood tests before you start and while taking xeljanz xr, and monitor certain liver tests. Tell your doctor if you were in a region where fungal infections are common and if you have had tb, hepatitis b or c, or are prone to infections. Xeljanz xr can reduce the symptoms of ra, even without methotrexate. Ask your rheumatologist about xeljanz xr. Conservative media waging war on the fbi and Robert Mueller as the president charges the bureau is in quote, tatters. Lets discuss now cnn senior media correspondent Brian Stelter is here. Legal and National Security analyst asha ran gaupa, a former special fbi agent joins me via skype. And jason miller, a former trump Senior Communications advisor. Asha, im going to start with you. Today fbi director ray defended accusations by republicans including the president that its agents were allowing political bias to seep into their investigations. Whats your reaction to what seems to be a concerted effort, looks like a concerted effort to undermine the fbi and the special counsels investigation . I would say that it doesnt recognize what agents go through to get into the fbi. So theres a pneumonic that we use to do background checks in the fbi. Its called which stands for character, associates, reputation, loyalty, ability, finances, bias, alcohol and drugs. So every agent has to be measured against all of those criteria. And bias is one of them. And its important because any kind of bias whether its political, religious, racial will disqualify an agent from getting in because the whole idea is that agents need to be able to put aside all of their personal feelings in order to approach casings objectively. And its a very intensive process. So i would say, you know, this is extreme vetting for fbi agents. And to impugn an entire agency which is 35,000 people, 14,000 agents for what appears to be political reasons i think really does a disservice to the men and women who are out there fighting the good fight and really trying to up hold the constitution every day. Brian, theres been a huge rise in antimueller and antifbi rhetoric. Its shocking to watch. Its got to be coordinated because theyre all saying the exact same thing. Some of the same people who praised some of the members of the fbi and the fbi not that long ago. Watch this. Mueller is frankly a disgrace to the american Justice System and has put the country now on the brink of becoming a banana republic. The Mueller Investigation is illegitimate and corrupt. And mueller has been using the fbi as a political weapon. And the fbi has become americas secret police. Secret surveillance, wiretapping, intimidation, harassment and threats. Its like the old kgb that comes for you in the dark of the night banging on your night. It seems theyre doin