Wolf Blitzer looks at politics, Breaking News and international stories. Wolf Blitzer looks at politics, Breaking News and international stories. 2016 election. It was also the follow up on any other Criminal Activity that might have been discovered in the course of that investigation. As these things unfold, and again this is the nature of an investigation where one witness leads to another, more information comes to light, and when and if prosecutors find reason to believe that other Criminal Activity has taken place, they not only have the right to follow up on that, they have a duty to pursue it. And certainly given Robert Muellers charge here, he has a duty to pursue it. I really do think this goes to a broader point. Ill make it very quickly. I think its really important at this juncture that the president changes approach. I think hes got to stop the combat with this investigation because this is going downhill for him. He needs to now, i think, adopt a posture of more cooperation,
really to be running a pr campaign and a counterimpeachment effort. In other words, everything that Rudy Giuliani does seems to be targeted towards a political audience and an audience on the hill. Thats very different from having behind the scenes lawyers who are giving advice about legal culpability and legal liability. And i add to that, one of the major problems there is that i think the lawyer in question, mr. Giuliani, he did not understand the law that was being looked at and has really given the president bad advice with the effect that the president has said things that implicate himself. The Campaign Finance laws. Specific lip tally the campa finance laws. The president has all but acknowledged wrongdoing. Its in large measure, i think, because mr. Giuliani has said, you know, the Campaign Finance laws are minor violations. They dont amount to anything. I mean, thats just dead wrong. You cant break the law in trying to become president. Willful, knowing violations of the Campaign Acts are felonies. Jack makes an important point. The white house points out correctly the president has not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing. He has not been indicted with any criminal wrongdoing. But in all the federal statements that were made when Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to those eight counts, especially to counts seven and eight, the federal prosecutors do say that the president of the United States was in effect an unindicted coconspirator. Even though he wasnt formally charged or indicted. The president is individual one in the Michael Cohen plea documents. Thats such a dramatic and unique experience to have. We have a federal criminal case, Michael Cohen pled guilty,Michael Cohen said in court and in the documents that the individual who he coordinated with and who directed him to commit this Campaign Violation was the president. So clearly its a significant fact that the president is described, even if not by personal name, in these documents and whether or not members of congress politically want to take that as a significant federal crime or whether theyre going to wait for the Mueller Investigation to conclude and see if theres an Obstruction Referral or whether there are other federal crimes that implicate in some way the president s behavior is a political question. The u. S. Attorney for the Southern District of new york says hes a coconspirator. Unindicted, not charged, but a coconspirator. Thats right. And one thing the president needs to be worried about and again, this is why i think its really port that he make a very significant turn in his approach to these investigations. He needs to be worried about the fact that a willful violation, a criminal violation of the Campaign Finance laws is an Impeachable Offense. I think theres little doubt that the impeachment clause would cover Criminal Activity in attaining the office, not just in carrying out the office of president of the United States. Thats for politicians to decide, if it ever does get to the House Of Representatives and if it passes the House Of Representatives, they only need a simple majority and then winds up in the senate where you need a twothirds majority. Let me just add the founders, george mason among them, specifically addressed what should happen if a president conducts himself in a criminal fashion in attaining the office of president. Specifically talked about how that should be a subject of an impeachment. Well see if it ever gets that far. The president is not taking the advice that jack is giving
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discontinue medical treatment for brain cancer. He was diagnosed last year with an aggressive glioblastoma and the prognosis was very serious. Both Senator Mccains wife and daughter put out statements a while ago on twitter. Quote, i love my husband with all my heart. God bless everyone who has cared for my husband all along this journey. Meghan mccain tweeted this. My family is deeply appreciative of all the love and generosity you have shown us during this past year. Thank you for all your continued support and prayers. We could not have made it this far without you. Youve given us strength to carry on. Joining us now, our senior political analyst mark preston and our chief medical correspondent dr. Sanjay gupta. The reaction has been pouring in. What are you hearing . You can really judge a mans character in his place in life by what his enemies say to him. What weve seen today is an
outpouring of support. Enemies, someone such as mitch mcconnell. He was a republican leader who john mccain clashed with all the time. He tweeted out today, we are so fortunate to call him our friend and colleague. John, sirn i d cindy, and the e mccain family are in our prayers. Mitt romney, who he ran against in 2008, said, no man this century better exemplifies honor, patriotism, service, sacrifice, and Country First than senator john mccain. Im blessed and humbled by our friendship. Wolf, we are really starting to see an outpouring of support for senator john mccain, someone who not only served in the United States senate and congress, but honorably. I emphasize that word, honorably during the vietnam wort. More than five years as a p. O. W. In vietnam. Ive known him for at least 30 years. I can testify exactly what youre saying. A very, very decent, wonderful
person. Certainly a source of parade to pride to so many people. Sanjay, youve done a lot of reporting over the years on Senator Mccains health. Back in 2008 when he was running for president , he let you have extensive information about his health. You broke the story a year or so ago about his brain cancer. Tell us a little bit more about that. Yeah, it was july of last year, wolf. At that time, you know, Senator Mccain, his office had reached out basically telling us hes been diagnosed. You may remember he had this question of a Blood Collection above his left eye at that point. He was going to have an operation for that. It was during that Operation Doctors discovered, look, this isnt just a Blood Collection. Theres something more here. And that is how this glioblastoma, or gbm, a type of aggressive brain cancer, was found. Its been just over 13 months since that diagnosis. After the operation, he underwent what we call conventional therapy, you know, chemotherapy and radiation. We know that its been tough on him. These are tough therapies. Theyre designed to kill the cancer cells. Oftentimes they can have an impact on other normal cells in the body. Thats what makes this type of therapy so tough. Hes a tough guy, but its a hes older and its harder on someone whos obviously of more advanced age. You know, its at some point a risk benefit discussion thats constantly going on. With the doctors, with Senator Mccain, his family r t, are the benefits greater than the risks . At this point, theyve decided thats no longer the case. In a statement, it says with his usual strength of will, he has now chosen to discontinue medical treatment. But he will be getting treatment for pain and other related side effects, right . Yeah, you know, my understanding, hes always
talked about the fact that he wants to stay home. He wants to be at home. Theres different types of options to make sure that someone is comfortable. I dont know, you know, what kind of state hes in right now. I will say that because someone has made the decision to no longer have therapy doesnt necessarily mean it correlates with a precipitous decline. It just means that it doesnt appear the treatments are working or the benefits are outweighing the risks. At some point, it will be likely hes going to need some sort of care, whether its hospice or comfort or whatever sort of care that will likely be done in the home. I think i speak for all of us here at cnn, all of our viewers here in the United States and around the world, we wish Senator Mccain only the best in these days, these critically important days for him and his family. We send our love to that family. Sanjay, thank you. Mark preston, thank you as well. Up next, we continue to follow the Breaking News. The chief Financial Officer of the Trump Organization granted
immunity in the investigation of Hush Money Payments. What the white house is saying about it. Also, the president and his orbit facing an onslaught of serious legal cases. Were breaking it all down. Its the sears labor day event . Where you can shop with confidence and convenience plus get these 4 benefits from kenmore at sears. Up to fifty percent off appliances with your sears card. Like this washer and dryer for 539. 99 each. And this refrigerator for 899. 99. Hurry in to sears today. Thats style and service for every budget. Yours alone. For your oneofakind home. Call Budget Blinds for your free consultation right at home does your Business Internet provider promise a lot . Lets see who delivers more. Comcast business gives you gigspeed in more places. The others dont. We offer up to 6 hours of 4g Wireless Network backup. Everyone else, no way. We let calls from any of your devices come from your business number. Them, not so much. We let you keep an eye on your business from anywhere. The others . Nope for a limited time, when you get fast, reliable internet, you can add voice for just 24. 95 more per month. Call or go online today. Call or go on line today. More now on the Breaking News this hour. The chief Financial Officer for the Trump Organization in new
york granted immunity in the investigation of Hush Money Payments. The source says Allen Weisselberg testified as part of the Michael Cohen case. It was cohen, the president s longtime former attorney, who implicated the president in payments to two women, at least two women, to cover up alleged affairs. Our chief White House Correspondent jim acosta is joining us now. Jim, when Allen Weisselberg was subpoenaed last month, a former Trump Organization employee told cnn that was the ultimate Nightmare Scenario for trump. What are you hearing right now over at the white house . Reporter well, wolf, it is potentially a Nightmare Scenario for the president because the public really just doesnt have that much insight into what was going on inside the Trump Organization and to president trumps finances when he was a private citizen because he did not release his tax returns and so on. So yes, this is potentially a very Big Development in that case. I will tell you at this point,
the white house isnt saying anything at this point. I will tell you in the last several minutes, i did hear from a Trump Legal Team source who was sort of down playing this development, Allen Weisselberg being granted immunity in the Michael L Cohen case and essentially saying this is from a while back, this is not new and really saying nothing more than that. So well have to wait to see whether or not the president wants to comment on all of this, wolf. Hes leaving for columbus, ohio, later on this afternoon, in about 30 minutes to an hour from now. Typically when he makes these departures on the south lawn of the white house, and its a pictureperfect day today here in washington, they cant blame the weather and motorcading him out to joint base andrews. Hell come out of the residence of the white house and pass right in front of reporters. Well see if he wants to take any questions. Theres not only just this knew about Allen Weisselberg but all of the news weve been talking about all week long, these inconsistent statements weve been hearing from the white house and from the president on
the Stormy Daniels payments and so on. Then of course later on this afternoon, the president will be in columbus, ohio. He will make some remarks at the republican state dinner there. So there will be multiple opportunities for the president to weigh in on all of this, not to mention this war of words thats been going on with the Attorney GeneralJeff Sessions. That could also flare up, as youve noted. Over the last 24 hours, hes been taking some jabs at his Attorney General. As weve seen, Jeff Sessions has been punching back. Wolf . Certainly has been. Thats another huge, huge story as well. Jim acosta at the white house, well stay in close touch with you and see if the president does agree to answer some reporters questions as hes emerging from the white house over there on the south lawn. Thank you very, very much. Allen weisselberg is certainly one of many close allies to turn against the president in one week. Were walking through them also. Also this, as president
trump continues his blistering attacks against the Attorney General, it appears Jeff Sessions may be losing the support of a major ally, at least some republicans in the u. S. Senate. His former colleagues in th