Several of us tried to get a job downtown. But theyre not hiring us. I dont know no one at all who has no type of job from downtown at trump towers. Woodruff all that and more on tonights pbs newshour. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by and by the alfred p. Sloan foundation. Supporting science, technology, and improved Economic Performance and Financial Literacy in the 21st century. Carnegie corporation of new york. Supporting innovations in education, democratic engagement, and the advancement of International Peace and security. At carnegie. Org. And with the ongoing support of these institutions and individuals. This program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Woodruff President Trump is now under scrutiny for possible obstruction of justice, and hes fighting back. Thats after reports that special counsel bob mueller has broadened his probe of russian meddling in the election. On twitter today, the president complained they made up a phony collusionwiththe russians story, found zero proof, so now they go for obstruction of justice. Nice. Later, mr. Trump charged that Hillary Clinton committed a list of infractions, and was cleared anyway. Theres also word that Vice President mike pence has hired outside Legal Counsel to deal with the russia investigations. His office tells the Washington Post that former u. S. Attorney Richard Cullen will handle inquiries from congressional committees and the special counsel. The president hired his own private lawyer last month. Well examine all of this, and talk to the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence committee, senator mark warner, right after the news summary. The u. S. Senate today overwhelmingly approved new sanctions against both iran and russia. The overall bill is aimed at irans missile program. An amendment expands sanctions on russia for meddling in last years election. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said today it sends a message to russian president Vladimir Putin, and President Trump. Not only did we pass a new round of tough sanctions for russias meddling in our election, we codified existing sanctions into law making them harder to lift. Any idea of the president s that he can lift sanctions on his own for whatever reason are dashed by this legislation. Woodruff putin fired back during a national callin show in moscow, and said the sanctions say more about the u. S. Than about russia. translated why have they started to talk about introducing these sanctions with no grounds . Of course it is evidence of continuing internal political struggle in the United States. If there werent other problems, they would have thought up Something Else to hold russia back as it has always been. A policy of Holding Russia back. Woodruff well take a closer look at the senates sanctions bill, later in the program. A top house republican, majority whip steve scalise, remains in Critical Condition tonight, after a gunman shot him during a congressional baseball practice. A lobbyist who was wounded is also in Critical Condition. President trump visited scalise in a Washington Hospital last night. Today, at the white house, he said scalises recovery will be more difficult than people thought. Hes in some trouble, hes a great fighter and hes gonna be okay we hope. And steve in his own way may have brought some unity to our long divided country. And i have a feeling that steve has, made a great sacrifice, but there could be some unity being brought to this country. Lets hope so. Woodruff the gunman, James Hodgkinson of illinois, was killed by police. Meanwhile, the annual congressional baseball game is being played tonight, raising money for charity. An american student released from north korea, and now in a coma, with a massive loss of brain tissue. Doctors at the university of Cincinnati Medical Center said today that Otto Warmbier suffered a severe neurological injury. They could not say if he was beaten. Warmbiers father condemned the north koreans, but said the family wants to move on. What i would say to the north korean regime i would say im so proud of otto my son who has been in a pariah regime for the last 18 months brutalized and terrorized and hes now home with his family. And im just tremendously proud of otto. His spirit is with us. Woodruff the state department now says a u. S. Diplomat who went to north korea to secure warmbiers release, also contacted three other americans being held. The department would not comment on their conditions. In london, rescue crews have pulled more bodies from a burnedout apartment tower. The death toll in wednesdays fire reached at least 17 today, amid rising outrage. Paul davies of independent Television News has this report. Reporter a second dawn brought no end to the agony. There are no flames now but this smoldering shell that was once home to so many still holds an unknown number of their bodies. Fire crews believe in flats not yet safe to enter there are a whole families who couldnt get out or obeyed the instruction to stay put. Many many remain missing. And it could take weeks to confirm their fate. Its the upper floors that will be more challenging and will need some additional shoring for us to be able to get in there. The size of this building it could take weeks. I want to be realistic. This is a very long process. Reporter these images show the destruction on the ground floor of grenfall tower. This is the area least affected by that all consuming fire. As this photograph shows it gets worse as you go up. Very few escaped the higher floors. If the initial response to this tragedy was horror, as the hours have passed there have been mounting questions and mounting anger. There is a system in place. That is the product. That is it. Theres nothing at all. Yeah, but theyre lying. Reporter labours leader visiting the area heard the concerns for residents who say fears theyd expressed about the towers safety were ignored. Someone has to be held accountable. Someone has to be held responsible. We dont want it kicked to the long grass. We dont want the government to sort of hide with some hollow platitude about lessons being learned. Reporter the Prime Minister paid her own private visit to grenfall tower this morning and was criticized for meeting only the emergency teams and not the local community. People are very angry. People are crying. People are lost, missing. Shes the Prime Minister, where is she . Reporter londons mayor visiting the scene said anger was understandable. We can see the anger in the community justifiably so. Because many members of the community have been saying not just the community, its everyone outside as well. Fed up with these politicians. No handshakes. We want action not handshakes. Reporter sadiq khan said the inquiry should be immediate and that no one should have to wait two years to find out why this happened. Woodruff both the National Government and local police have now opened investigations into the fire. Islamist fighters in somalia attacked a popular restaurant overnight and killed at least 31 people. It happened in the countrys capital, mogadishu, and involved five gunmen. The alshabab militants detonated a car bomb, then stormed inside, taking hostages. Witnesses said they shot victims at pointblank range. Somali Security Forces finally killed the gunmen early this morning. Back in this country, jurors in the bill cosby Sexual Assault trial deliberated into the night again, after reporting theyre deadlocked. The judge in norristown, pennsylvania told them to keep at it. Cosby is now 79. Hes accused of drugging and molesting a woman in 2004. And on wall street, the Dow Jones Industrial average lost 14 points to close below 21,360. The nasdaq fell 29 points, and the s p 500 slipped five. Still to come on the newshour the vicechair of the Senate Intelligence committee on revelations that President Trump is under scrutiny for potentially obstructing the russia investigation. Arrest warrants issued after a violent clash outside the turkish embassy. A government visa Program Receives renewed criticism, and much more. Woodruff for more on the special counsels investigation into the president for possible obstruction of justice, we are now joined by Carrie Johnson. Shes the justice correspondent for npr. Carrie, welcome back to the program. Happy to be here. Woodruff first of all, define fur us what is obstruction of justice . Theres a bunch of obstruction of justice statutes on the books, judy, but if plain language, it means trying to interfere with or impede an official proceeding, something lick a grand jury investigation, a conditional investigation, and prosecutors would have to prove some kind of bad intent by the person involved. Woodruff and so tell us what you have been able to learn about how the special counsel is looking into this. And by the way, its been reported that theyre also looking into potential financial misdeeds. Yeah, the special counsel investigation appears to be running on three tracks now, one probing any russian interference in the election, two, probing any financial misdealings and connections with that interference by associates of the Trump Campaign and russians, and urge three, probing obstruction of justice by the president himself in the firing of james comey, the f. B. I. Director he ousted last month because he later said to take the pressure off the russia thing. Woodruff so this is clearly, carrie, an expansion of what it was originally said the special counsels mission was. I think its another layer. We knew at the time that the Deputy Attorney general, rod rosenstein, appointed bob mueller special counsel that his mandate included crimes that arose or may have arisen in connection with the investigation. Of course, obstruction of justice may have arisen in connection with this investigation. The president and his leaning on comey to go light on michael flynn, the National Security adviser. Woodruff weve also been learning in the last few days, carrie, about some of the professionals special Counsel Robert Mueller has brought on board for his team. Tell us about them. Its a breathtaking array of prosecutorial talent from man who had experience prosecuting a watergate scandal, a former f. B. I. Agent, andrew weissman, who led the justice departments fraud and money lawntdering section, and a top lawer in the obama administrations d. O. J. , finally the deputy solicitor general, the man who many lawyers think is the most respected guy in the whole department. Woodruff so what does that tell you about what mr. Mueller and they will be looking for . Well, it signals that special counsel mueller knows there are a number of thorny legal issues involved here, everything from financial dealings and tracking the money to complicated questions of executive privilege with respect to the president , his aides, and conversations he might have had with people outside the government, as well, and michael dreban, the deputy solicitor general, is wellknown for making criminal convictions stick in appeals court, so theyre settling in for the listening haul here. Woodruff is it your understanding from what youve been able to learn that mr. Mueller is now finished, that the team is done, or that hes continuing to bring people on . They have not given us a formal update. Hes not yet submitted a formal budget to the justice department. And im hearing from sources that more people are clamoring to join this team. They view it as a Major Public Service and working with bob mueller, who had been the f. B. I. Director for 12 years, with his reputation for integrity, thats something a lot of people inside the government want to do still. Woodruff and what are you hearing about how long this could go on . How long is it going to take . There is no prediction at this point. Of course, all these investigators could dig and dig and dig and find nothing. At the end of that time, they may want to do a report that becomes public, or they may find something they want the charge with a grand jury, and its unpredictable right now who they might charge if anyone and whether that person might want to fight it out in court for months or years to come. Finally, judy, with respect to the president himself, no evidence yet he will face any charges whatsoever, but there is a complicated legal question of whether you can actually indict a sitting president of the United States or turn that evidence over to congress for a possible impeachment. Woodruff a complicated legal question. And we can assume some folks are looking into that. I think a lot of folks are looking into that. It arose during watergate, of course, and was never fully answered. We may yet get an answer in this investigation before its over. Woodruff Carrie Johnson of npr, we thank you. Thank you. Woodruff the Senate Select committee on intelligence met behind closed doors this week with three key figures in their expanding russia investigation. National Security Director mike rogers, director of National Intelligence dan coats, and special Counsel Robert Mueller. And with us now the committees top democrat, its vice chairman, virginia senator mark warner. Senator, first off, weve been hearing, weve been discussing with nprs Carrie Johnson the fact that the special counsel has expanded his investigation to include potential obstruction of justice. Is that something youre committee is doing, as well . Judy, im not going to comment on the expanse of special counselor muellers investigation. I do think its an indication of how serious it is that he is obviously recruiting some of the top talent from around the country to assist him in this effort. It shows how seriously hes taking this effort, and frankly how seriously the vast majority of elected officials, democrats and republicans, who realize that the russian intervention was massive in our election, weve got to get to the bottom of it. We have to make sure it doesnt happen again. It really appears that the only elected official may be in washington that doesnt accept the potential dangerousness of the russian intervention is actually the president of the United States. Woodruff well, thats what i wanted to ask you about. The president has been actively tweeting today. Among other things he said they made up a phony collusion with the russians story, they found zero proof, and now, he said, theyre going after obstruction of justice because they found nothing. Thats, you know, just factually not appropriate. You know, we are still early on into particularly some of the individuals that were affiliated with the Trump Campaign and their potential contacts and communication with russians. We thought we would be further along but for the fact that the president in an unprecedented way fired the f. B. I. Director, jim comey. Weve had obviously a pattern here where there are at least reports of other individuals that were at least contacted by the president. Im not going to comments on the specifics of the individuals we saw. We need to keep that confidential. But we do have former National Security adviser general flynn who was fired because he didnt come forward with his contacts with the russians. Weve had the attorney general recuse himself because he didnt fully disclose his contacteds with the russians. If the president s rendition is true, you know, that theres no there there, why wouldnt he collaborate with the investigation to get this cleared up as opposed to his constant tweetage saying that this is a witchhunt and fake news . I dont think theres any member of the senate that believes this is fake news that theussians interfered, just as they interfered in france, just as they will probably interfere in the german elections coming up later this year, and its National Security threat. Woodruff well, while were talking about the question of whether there is obstruction or not, i know your committee met this week as we have just reported with dan coats, the director of National Intelligence, and also with the National SecurityAgency Director mike rogers. In both cases, presumably asking questions that they would not. That they were not willing the answer in open session. Were they able to shed any more light on this question of whether they. Go ahead. Im not going to get into the contents of their testimony. I will say that its very important that sources and methods in terms of how we discovered russian interventions, that that is maintained and preserved and theres an appropriate classified portion. I do think there are questions that still need to be explored about if a president was calling on the subjects, how much of that is classified. Im not going to comment again on any specifics, but these are all. What i worry about is is there a pattern emerging, and thats something aga