Replacement in sight. Repeal and replace is going great. And racial bias, Excessive Force and reckless shootings. Todays doj report on the Chicago Police department when all in starts right now. Good evening from new york, im chris hayes. There is just one week to go until donald trump becomes the president of the United States. He has not even taken office yet and already trump is historically unpopular. His transition, arguably clouded by more serious scandals and controversy than all eight years of the Obama Administration combined. As questions mount about the circumstances of trumps election and his alleged ties to a foreign adversary. Democrats appear to be reaching a breaking point. In an interview with chuck todd, georgia congressman, Civil Rights Icon john lewis became the first to declare openly what i believe many lawmakers have until now only suggested. I dont see thisPresident Elect as a legitimate president. You do not consider him a legitimate president . Why is that . I think the russians participated in helping this man get elected and they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton. I dont plan to attend the inauguration. It will be the first one that i missince ive be miss since ive been in the congress. You cannot be at home with something that you feel that is wrong. Thats going to send a big message to a lot of people in this country that you dont believe hes a legitimate president. I think there was a conspiracy on the part of the russians and others to help him get elected. Thats not right. Thats not fair. Thats not an open democratic
process. Those are remarkable words given the moral authority and democratic witness that john lewis bore throughout his life. Late today, the Senate Intelligence committee, of course, chaired by a republican, announced a bipartisan inquiry into the Intelligence Communitys unanimous conclusion about russians interference in the election including the criminal political hacking and the Committee Plans to interview senior officials of both the outgoing and incoming administrations, including the issuance of subpoenas if necessary to compel testimony. Thats one of the shadows hanging over trumps transition to the presidency. Until this week he rejected the findings of americas intelligence professionals choosing to pick an ugly fight with people hell have to rely on as president. As early as this morning, the President Elect was still attacking the Intelligence Community while seeming to take russia at its word. He tweeted totally made up facts by sleaze bag political operatives, both democrats and republicans, fake news. Russia says nothing exists, probably released by the intelligence, even knowing there is no proof and never will be. My people will have a full report on hacking within 90 days. Trump was referring to the unverified dossier summarized in classified briefings to both the president and the President Elect. The dossier includes allegations the russian government possesses compromising material about trump and that trump team and the russian Government Exchange information during the president ial campaign. There is no evidence the dossier was leaked by the Intelligence Community. It was floating around a number of places prior to being published. Trump categorically denies the allegations contained in the dossier but director of National IntelligenceJames Clapper says the Intelligence Community hasnt made any judgment that the information in that document is reliable. Then theres the controversy surrounding fbi director james comey and his decision to publicly disclose information about the bureaus probe of Hillary Clintons email server including the now infamous letter to congress 11 days before the election. There is mounting evidence the
letter did significant damage to clintons chances and the fbis conduct is the subject of an investigation by the u. S. Inspector general that comes amid multiple reports that at the same time the fbi was investigating clinton it was also investigating the Trump Campaign for ties to russia. Those reports havent been independently confirmed by nbc news. At a Senate Hearing this week, comey was asked if the fbi was examining potential ties between trumps team and the russian government. Has the fbi investigated these reported relationships and, if so what are the agencys findings . Thank you, senator. I would never comment on investigations, whether we have one or not, in an open forum like this. Did you answer senator widens question that there is an investigation under way as to connections between either of the political campaigns and the russians . I didnt say one way or another. Especially in a public forum. We never confirm or deny a pending investigation. Democrats frustration with fbi director comey finally boiled over this morning after a classified House Briefing on russias alleged hacking. Congressman tim wolz said i was nonjudgmental until the last 15 minutes. Some of these things that are revealed, my confidence has been shook. Congressman markcatanho, im very angry. Congressman ted lew tweeted for Members Of Congress who attended a classified intel briefing today, i reiterate my call that you demand donald trump tell the truth. Reporters asked congresswoman Maxine Waters about what happened . Reporter congresswoman, can you tell us anything about the discussion . No, its classified and we cant tell you anything. All i can tell you is the fbi director has no credibility. Well, then. Joining me now congressman tim walz, democrat from minnesota. Do you share your colleagues
assessment that the fbi director has no credibility . Well, i have deep concerns, chris. I went in there listening and trying to find out. This is a serious attack on our democracy. Thats at the heart of the story. We have a foreign power who attempted to undermine our most Sacred Institution of an election and i wanted to find out what happewas Happening Dur that time. I have a lot of questions that needed to be answered and the handling first and foremost of what the russians did, how it influenced our election, we can find that out. Thats critical. It doesnt matter if youre a donald trump supporter or not, you want to know that, what have they done . The bigger question is were they handled are they handling these investigations equally. Are they doing according to their operating proceed your on when they talk about it and dont . My frustration came nothing classified about it when it became apparent they were not handled the same way and thats incredibly frustrating because not just because of the election
and the election results, it undermines the American Peoples faith in the nonpartisan nature of our critical intelligence and thats what came out in there. I want to be clear on this and obviously im respectful of the fact youre dealing with a classified briefing and would not want to talk about things but the source of the frustration is what you believe is a double standard or a poorly applied standard with respect to different campaigns and how possible investigations are discussed . Yes. And i think thats a possibility until today that wasnt apparent to me. Now its gng to so you learned that today. Yofelt like that was confirmed to you today that your fears about a double standard or a poorly applied one were confirmed . If they werent confirmed i have serious doubts, my confidence was shook. Ive been asking for a more indepth investigation into this as my ranking members and Elijah Cummings has. We need to know that. But, yesterday, coming out of
there i dont think what should have been simple answers were not answered in a simple manner. The danger of this, chris, is again of undermining the publics credibility in this. I know those who say well, youre just upset with the election. In my district, chris, Hillary Clinton got 38 . She was not going to win that in there whether the russians hacked it or not, but thats not the point. The point is that they are no doubt they were involved. Theres no doubt we have more to learn on that. But how we as Members Of Congress and how the American Public found out about that versus the email situation does not seem to me to be consistent and i think thats real trouble and thats not in a defense of Hillary Clintons use of email which is i said all along needed to be looked at. So let me ask you this. Given everything youve told me i wonder how you whether you share the assessment of your colleague john lewis who said today on the record chuck todd is that he did not feel this president is legitimate. Do you agree . Do you think this president is
not legitimate . No, i dont agree at this time and john lewis is an icon, i respect him greatly. He is shook on this, too. I would say i need to see more. I respect that next friday when we have an inauguration we will have President Trump will be my president and as i said yesterday when he makes a good decision like his v. A. Appointment of dr. Shulkin ill praise him on that. When hes not ill work on trying to find Common Ground but at stake here is theres more to be learned and we cant be stonewalled on this and my fear is that the person who tells me with that information and i make my judgments on, i have a deep concern about now and thats why that was so damaging to me. Since ive been up here over the last decade, this was the most troubling to me in terms of what i had been led and the expectations and how that turned out and thats why we need more information. Congressman tim walz, thank you. Thanks, chris. Im joined by congresswoman barbara lee, democrat from
california. My understanding is like john lewis you are not going to the inauguration. I wonder, do you agree with Congressman Lewis . Do you view this president as not legitimate . Chris, let me first of all say i believe in the peaceful transfer of power and the office of the presidency. But when you look at the flawed process and russian interference in our election and when you look at what has taken place in terms of our democratic ideals, our processes, i have to applaud congressman john lewis because once john lewis says they are flawed or illegitimate, the elections were illegitimate or this is an illegitimate president , people have to pause and think about this because Congress Lewis is a moral leader, a civil and Human Rights Icon and he did not make that decision lightly. I think the facts need to be laid out. We have a Bipartisan Commission, Legislation Led to really set up a commission to investigate this so when you look at what has
taken place i have to say john lewis is right on target in terms of how this President Elect was elected and the interference and what took place as a result of these elections. Even the fbi in terms of their bias and how they conducted these investigations, what was made public, what was not made public. People can decide for themselves but there are so many problems with what took place until once again congressman john lewis needs to be applauded. Were you in that briefing today, congresswoman . Yes, i was. Did you share the it was sort of a fascinating scene afterwards. Democrat after democrat coming out saying in very strong words how frustrated angered, how many questions they have. Was that your feeling coming out of that as well . Chris, i was angry. I wasnt frustrated because the facts leading up to today were very clear to me but when youd are in a classified briefing of course we cant
disclose what we learned but my reaction was one of anger, i was very i would say upset with the fact that the American People need to have the facts made public. We need some transparency and we need this investigation so the public will know exactly what took place. So you feel there are important there are important things for the public to know that they can not or do not know at this moment . I think its important for an investigation to be conducted that is public and, of course, there are going to be some issues that will be classified that cannot be disclosed but i think for the most part we need the Bipartisan Commission which the house is i think all democrats are on the legislation. We need that so the public will know exactly what took place and make their own decisions about the outcome of this election. All right, congresswoman barbara lee, thanks for joining me, appreciate it. Up next, The Trump Transition is now admitting to
nbc news that Michael Flynn spoke to russias ambassador on the day the Obama Administration sanctioned russia for interfering in our election. The latest that have twominute break. Its beautiful. Was it a hard place to get to . laughs it wasnt too bad. With the chase mobile app, jimmy chin can master depositing his hard earned checks in a snap. Easy to use Chase Technology for whatever youre trying to master. When you hit 300,000 miles. Or here, when you walked away without a scratch. Maybe it was the day your baby came home. Or maybe the day you realized your baby was not a baby anymore. Every subaru is built to earn your trust. Because we know what youre trusting us with. Subaru. Kelley blue books most trusted brand. And best overall brand. Love. Its what makes a subaru, a subaru. Amid mounting questions about potential leaks between donald trump, his inner circle and the russian government came this post from David Ignatius from the Washington Post which seemed to be a remarkable revelation. According to a senior u. S. Official, trumps pick for National Security advisor, Michael Flynn, phoned the Russian Ambassador several times december 29, that would be the same day the Obama Administration announced the expulsion of 35 russian officials as well as other measures in retaliation for the hacking during the election. That report was followed up today by another from the Associated Press again citing contact on that day, the 29th, again sourced to a single senior official who may or may not have been the same person, we dont know. On a routine call with reporters this morning, Transition Spokesperson sean spicer offered a simple explanation. Christmas day general flynn reached out to the ambassador and sent him a text and it said, you know, i want to wish you and Merry Christmas and a happy new year. The ambassador texted him back wishing him a Merry Christmas as well and then Spently Subseque The 28th Of December texted him and said id like to give you a call, may i . He took the call on the 29th and the call centered around the logistics of setting up a call with the president of russia and the elect after he was sworn in. This all seems completely innocent, above board. But there was something a bit peculiar i noticed about spicers account. You note he cited two dates when flynn supposedly had contact, december 25 Christmas Day and december 28 but the white house announced new sanctions in response to russias election sbe feer
interference, december 29. Thats the day that was alleged in the column. Did flynn talk that day or not . This morning team trump told the posts David Ignatius the only happened on the 25th and 28th the latter to off condolences for a plane crash. But then in afternoon nbc news producer Vaughan Hilliard caught up with spicer and he admitted there was a phone call on the 29th. Reporter on the 29th, the same day the u. S. Expelled russian democrats and then a day later Vladimir Putin said he Wouldnt Push Out American diplomats in russia. Did general flynn have any conversations to indicate to the Russian Ambassador that the u. S. Trump administration would either ease or roll back sanctions . The only conversation general flynn had was, one, to wish him Merry Christmas, two, to express his sympathies for the loss of life during the plane crash and to commit to establishing a call after the inauguration between
the two leaders. Obviously that Choir Plane Crash was tragic and we know the trump team loves to say Merry Christmas but how many times can you call and text the same Russian Ambassador . Joining me now m