Refuse to share information about the Islamic State with the United States. And official telling the post that trump revealed more information to the Russian Ambassador than we have shared with our own allies. Nbc news has not confirmed the reports about the meeting. Roughly an hour ago National Security adviser h. R. Mcmaster emerged from the white house to offer this denial. Theres nothing that the president takes more seriously than the security of the American People. This story that came out tonight as reported is false. The president and the Foreign Minister reviewed a range of common threats to our two countries, including threats to civil aviation. At no time at no time were intelligence sources or methods discussed and the president did not disclose any Military Operations that were not already publicly known. Two other senior officials who are present, including the Secretary Of State remember the
meeting the same way and have said that. Their on the record accounts should out weigh those of anonymous sources. I was in the room, it didnt happen. Joining me now, White House Correspondent kristin walker, whats your reaction to that denial, the sort of official on the record denial from h. R. Mcmaster . Well, the National Security adviser h. R. Mcmaster, is effectively parsoned his words, chris. You heard him say that at no time did the president compromise or share Classified Information about sources or methods, thats not whats in the Washington Post report. The Washington Post report deals with Classified Information that was given by an ally. I can tell you that i was just talking to a top press official here and tried to press this person for clarity, the response i got was that the white house has no further reaction to this report. I can tell you, though, top officials are huddled here behind the scenes in their offices trying to determine what the next steps are. This is, obviously, a bomb shell
no further information this evening. I can tell you were going to continue to try to get clarification. Again, the National Security adviser did not directly dispute what is the Washington Post report, kristin. Joining me now is congressman, member of the house intelligence committee. Congressman, your reaction to the news. Good evening, chris. You know, the cost of the president s ties to russia cannot be our National Security. If this story is true, im afraid thats a price we may pay. You know, if true, the president divulged to a foreign adversary, russia not being our friend, potentially Classified Information that could put at risk american lives. I think the administration should come to congress this week, tell us exactly what was shared because only the Russian Press was allowed in, not our own national press. Also tell us, just what can we expect Going Forward staas far sharing information with russia. This defies all traditions of
how we treat foreign adversary ris. The argumentment ive seen, paul ryan, i believe, senator rich, john mccain, a few others, theres nothing illegal here because the president has invested in his executive authority, unilateral ability to say anything he wants, whats your response to that . Again, now, chris, if the cost, though, is that american troops or american lives are put at risk, you know, that bad judgment effects all of us, whether were talking about committing a crime or not. So also, chris, this is a moment now for congress to really exercise the check that we have on the presidency. So this week, well be calling for a vote to have an independent commission. And the Judiciary Committee where i serve, well be pressing forward to have Special Counsel appointed to investigate trumps ties to russia. My colleague, elliot ingle and i have introduced regulation, essentially a freeze on anything
that would help russia until the fbis investigation is complete. We shouldnt act as if we are. Theres been a lot of commentary on your leagcolleagu across the aisle, folks from the republican party, who dont seem moved by the revelations from the last week, from the yates testimony, to the comey firing, to the president under cutting the own accounts why he did it, admitting that it was tied to the russian investigation. Do youve got a sense, privately, from him, their conversation is more concerned about this than theyre letting on. Do they feel like hes the president and hes the republican and were going to ride with them. Eve had a number of conversations in the past week since the firing of james comey about the need to join forces with democrats to have an independent commission. Weve got one additional republican, ive showed it last week and came forward. I hope that others have the
urgency to move. Because, in our democracy, the integrity of free and Fair Elections and making sure we understand the ties to russia is counting on it. What is your reaction to the fact that were now looking at the possible mishandling of Classified Information, carelessness, when that particular critique was, essentially, the core substance of the case against Hillary Clinton as prosecuted by the current president of the United States. Thats right. And there seems to be a tweet from donald trump in the past that is contradicted by the current donald trump every time he opens his mouth or every time he acts, these days. You know, as you pointed out, chris, hes the declassifier, if he says something, its declassified, that doesnt mean thats not bad judgment, it doesnt mean that back in congress were powerless to hold him accountable. Now is the time for republicans
and democrats to really assert our first, you know, our article i, i think, jurisdiction and make sure this president doesnt put any american lives at risk. Joining me now, nbc contributor, former assistant director, former Deputy AssistantSecretary Of State. This is pretty remarkable, if this story bears out and someone who worked in counter intelligence, whats your reaction . Im trying to be objective about this, i simply cant. I mean, there are two rules that i followed and theres trust i had in my case officers, that was my identity and they would do everything to protect me. If you were that Terrorist Organization and you put two and two together youre going to roll up the people that access and put a bullet in the back of their head. In short, i dont know what we gained by giving this
questions about this. Put these points together. This is all happening, the remarkable span of 24 hours, president Fires James Comey he has a meeting in which hes not in the read out and does not allow american photographers in with the russian official who is sort of also Russian Media is in, which is how he learned of them and theyre talking, apparently, divulging Classified Information, all this in 24 hours. Chris, i mean, from that read out and from everything thats been reported, i dont know what the russians gave us. I dont know if anything was obtained. I dont know of any objective, whether it be with syria, but what we do know now is that potentially Classified Information that could have compromised. When we say sources and methods, lets be clear about this. These are human collectors, these are people designed to infiltrate and spy on that. So weve compromised for what, exactly. I have not heard of anything
that came out of that meeting that was substantive other than grip. The russians walked away with something pretty big here. Thank you both for your time. Thank you. Coming up, more on tonights Breaking News and lingering question surrounding president s firing of fbi director james comey, he joins me after this twominute break. For these pareg around was the only way to get their baby to sleep. So when their windshield got cracked. Customer we cant drive this car. Tech . They wanted it fixed right. So they scheduled with safelite. Our exclusive trueseal Technology Means a strong, reliable bond, every time. At safelite, we stand behind our work. Bye, bye. Because the ones you love, sit behind it. parents whisper jingle safelite repair, safelite replace. You totanobodys hurt, new car. But there will still be pain. It comes when your Insurance Company says theyll only pay threequarters of what it takes to replace it. What are you supposed to do . Drive threequarters of a car . Whether he will turn them over to congress if they exist. Clear last week that the president has nothing further on that. Does that mean that the president will deny. Ive said, im very clear, the president will have nothing further on that. I understand. Alexis, i made it clear what the president s issue is on that issue. Why wont you explain whether or not there are reportings. The president has made it clear what the position is. I understand that. Thats what the president s position is. Given that you refusing to confirm or deny any of this. The president has made it clear what his position is. American people are not happy with the president s decision to fire the man investigating his Campaign Ties to russia. 29 of americans approve, 38 disapprove of the firing. They dont trust congress to investigate the possible trump russia connection. Asked if they would have a,
congress, or b independent Commission Special prosecutor, just 15 say congress, while 78 support independent commission or special prosecutor, something the white house insist is not necessary. President has repeatedly pointed to testimony National IntelligenceJames Clapper argue theres no evidence collusion, he said in his testimony shows no such thing. And added a scathing indictment of the man in the oval office. I think in many ways our institutions are under assault, both externally and thats the big news here, russian interference in our election system. And i think, as well, our institutions are under assault internally. Internally from the president . Exactly. Joining me now congressman from texas what was called for the impeachment of the president. Congressman, what is your case for impeachment . Chris if i may, thank you for allowing me on. I would like to make my point quickly, i heard your story, for someone to make the argument that it wasnt illegal causes me a good deal of concern. It was wrong and at some point we have to focus on the fact that a lot of wrong things are taking place. Yes, the president is above the law as it relates to super secret information being revealed, but it was just wrong. Now, my case from impeachment is this, First American people have to understand what impeachment is. Impeachment does not mean that the president will be removed from office. It is merely the charging of the president in the House Of Representatives. Its similar to an indictment, not the same but similar to. Once these charges are filed against the president , if the president is, in fact, impeached, then it goes to the senate and the senate will have a trial and then the president may be convicted and may be removed from office. But impeachment is all about having the president charged in
the house. It is my belief, and i believe it sincerely, that the president has obstructed justice. The president fired the person who was investigating him and after he fired the person who was investigating him, he revealed that he was considering the reason that he was being investigated when he fired the person. Then he goes on to tweet, what might be intimidating words or threatening language, such that all of this combined causes me to conclude that the president should be impeached, constitution allows it. We ought to engage in the process. There are a lot of questions about the question of tapes, which become quite germane, particularly in the context of everything thats been happening. Whether its the discussion with comey at dinner, whether it was purportedly said in this meeting. Theres a certain attentiveness
to this. They want to see tapes. Do you think congress will be able to get its hands on those tapes if they exist . Well, if hes impeached, we will. And impeachment really is going to depend upon the American People. This is a participate ory democracy. This is a time for American People to weigh in. If the American People will simply say to the representatives and congress that they want impeachment, it can happen. Its not impossible and, yes, the tapes should be brought forth. I believe that there are other means by which we can acquire them, a proper pardon me, committee that is investigating can subpoena those tapes, thats the kind of evidence that can be subpoenaed. I think the president might try to exert executive privilege. But i believe there are constitutional scholars on both sides of this and i come down with those who say that sort of evidence should be made
available if a proper investigation is taking place. If there is impeachment taking place, i am absolutely confident that well get those tapes. And we need those tapes. We need to know what was said so that we can understand better the level of intimidation that may have been taken place. We dont know if the tapes exist as of yet. We do know the white house denies it. I think we should assume they exist because the president has given us reason to believe so and until he denies the existence, we should assume that they do. Thats a fair characterization. Thank you for your time. Speaking of constitutional scholars, joining me now is Opinion Piece in the Washington Post thats titled trump must be impeached here is why. Professor, there are two things that have happened now in the past week, the firing of james comey and the Washington Post story tonight about the president sharing highly sensitive Classified Information. Defense of the president in both cases are that what he did was
within his powers, within his article power, two powers the president , he can declassify anything he wants and he can fire the fbi director for cause or no cause. What say you to those this is within his authority. You may not like it. But hes acting lawfully. The main thing i say with great power comes great responsibility. I think that was aligned from super man or batman. We have a president who exercises his power, not with responsibility, but to cover himself and to make himself more wealthy. Take the example of the firing of comey, of course he has the fire to power, i have the power to give 100 to detective investigating me for the police department. But if i say ill give you that 100 if you stop investigating me or if i even hint that, then
im committing some kind of bribery, basically, thats what the president did. Even by his own account of what happened at that dinner. Whether there are tapes or not, lets face it. The reality is that from the first day that donald trump was president , he was already violating the constitution because he was violating the provisions that say that you cannot have sources of wealth and influence coming from foreign governments. The basic reason they put that in there is because we, as a nation, dont know what the motive of the president is when he does something nice for foreign government. Is he doing it just as your prior speaker said to get something good for the American People in return or is he doing it to, basically, on a cya basis, to protect himself and to
make himself more wealthy, the more we learn about the russian connection, the more we need to look into that. Now, i agree with congressman green, we need to start investigating, and that is what it means to open an Impeachment Inquiry in the house. It strikes me the sort of deep question here, is whether and how the law applies to the president. It seems to be one of the things that im sort of slowly learning. Is that impeachment is the remedy. The president cant it is the remedy. The president cant be tried by the u. S. Attorney for the Southern District for violating some part of the federal Criminal Code in the famous law experiment of shooting a gun on fifth avenue. I mean, impeachment is the remedy and political remedy more than a judicial one and that seems to be the kind of Bedrock Issue here, right . Exactly. The whole point is if the president is as casual about the law as he appears to be, if hes as reckless about our national
secrets, if he is so reckless about, basically, offering to keep a guy on the job if only hell layoff and not look at the truth, then we cant indict the president criminally for bribery oar for witness intimidation, those remedies are unavailable. The only remedy is the political one and the way you get that political one started is for the House Of Representatives to begin Issuing Subpoenas and conducting impeachment investigation. And when a lot of my emails said