Muellers testimony. The proimpeachment democrat al green has basically forced action on the impeachment question in response to what he is calling president Donald Trumps racist comments. Now we are not sure yet what exactly the house is going to be voting on with regards to impeachment. There are a number of procedural possibilities here. They may still be being hashed out as we speak. But we are going to find out probably within minutes. The house as we say also going to vote on holding the attorney general william barr and the commerce secretary wilbur ross in criminal contempt of congress for this refusal to turn over documents related to the administrations ultimately unsuccessful efforts to add a Citizenship Question to the census. And of course all of this happening in the wake of yesterdays vote in the house condemning the president in a resolution citing, quote, racist comments. We are going to hear from the president in just a few hours at a Campaign Rally in North Carolina. And we just got word that trump is actually taking questions from the press right now as he departs the white house for North Carolina. Campaign officials are telling us that tonight hes going to keep slamming that group of congresswomen he originally said should go back to where they came from. The biggest question right now is whether these votes to condemn, to impeach, to hold in contempt, whether they will become a turning point for democrats and for their approach to this president or whether they will be merely a series of symbolic rollcall votes. Nbcs kasie hunt has been covering this. Kristen welker has new reporting on the white houses strategy. Kasie hunt, let me start with you. We set it up there, we put the contempt perhaps aside for a second and just this question of impeachment. Youve got a congressman who has the right to force the house to do something with this call for impeachment. What is your sense in terms of what exactly the house is going to be voting on here and when this votes going to happen. Well, steve, were actually in a moment of pretty significant expense here on the hill about what democrats are going to do. We know that they have been planning this 5515 vote series on a whole bunch of things including that contempt vote that you mentioned. But we also know that they have been planning to deal in some way with this impeachment issue that congressman green has put forward. As of right now, we just dont have an update on how exactly democratic leadership is planning on doing this. We are trying to figure out is there a chance that the vote might be delayed. And were also trying to figure out exactly what it is that leadership wants to do here. They have a couple options in the past when this came up under a republican speaker, the vote has then been to table the measure which means essentially shunting it aside, and thats whats happened in the case when you have republicans controlling the house of representatives. But this is a tricky dynamic for democrats because there are so many who do support opening impeachment proceedings. Now, most of those people have said that in the context of the Mueller Investigation. Today this is impeachment on the grounds of racism based on the president s tweet. So its a little bit different. But at the same time, you know, if they lose so Many Democrats who are favoring impeachment proceedings, is it really an incentive for republicans on the house floor to bail out democrats, or is it a potentially a potential problem here . So right now all of those questions seem to still be live. So that, you know, means theres a certain amount of risk. Now, of course, its possible we could see this easily and quickly resolved behind the scenes and we just havent gotten an update on that yet. But certainly going to be something to way for the next hour or so, steve. Okay. Well keep in touch with you certainly as this all plays out. Kristen welker, let me go to you. Meanwhile, the president expected at that rally in North Carolina tonight also leaving the white house, apparently taking questions now. This in the wake as we say of last night the house of representatives voting to condemn his remarks as racist. Reporter and, steve, hes trying to make this an ideological battle. Let me read you some of the rough notes that came in just moments ago from those questions that he answered from reporters. Again, i want to stress these are the rough notes that we just got moments ago answering reporters questions, making it very clear he is digging in, taking fresh aim at the squad, those four freshman congresswomen of color. He said this. I think theyre not espousing the views of their country. They said horrible things when you look at some of the things they said theyre unthinkable. What is he talking about . Hes talking about some of the controversial comments that have been made by one of those congresswomen business rational that were, by the way, condemned by her fellow democrats. So hes really trying to flip the script here, put the focus on that. He also said theres a lot of well, let me read you a different part telephone. Im not relishing the fight, im enjoying it because i have to get word out to American People and i enjoy what i do. Theyre wrong, theyre absolutely wrong. So, this is a little bit of a preview of what were going to hear here tonight in North Carolina, steve. This is a state that President Trump won back in 2016 by a very narrow margin. He wants to recapture it again. With this fight that he is waging with the socalled squad, hes essentially energizing his base. Hes also forcing democrats to defend those four freshman congresswomen who are selfproclaimed progressives. But the president is trying to paint them as socalled socialists. Now, of course that is not the case. They are not socialists, but he is trying to make that argument. Some Campaign Officials reiterated that based upon my conversation with them. So, steve, i think thats a little bit of a preview of what were going to hear from President Trump. What we know, we know it is something that energizes his core supporters. We know that its something that could help drive turnout. But the question is does it help him expand the map . And is that even what hes trying to do . He made a surprise call into the daily mail earlier today. He said im not unhappy with this fight that he is waging. And of course hes no stranger to entering into these race and culture wars. We saw him effectively use that same strategy in 2016. Looks like hes trying to do something very similar in 2020. But, again, will it help him win some of those states that theyre trying to pick up in some of my conversations with Campaign Officials they want to not only win by a bigger margin here in North Carolina. They want to pick up a state like new hampshire. Is that going to be possible with this type of rhetoric . Thats what remains unseen. Steve, a little bit of just background. Remember, this is the day that special Counsel Robert Mueller was supposed to testify on capitol hill. This was going to be a little bit of counterprogramming. Mueller wouldve been his foil. Now the president has a new foil in these four fresh ran congresswomen. And again the president speaking right before boarding marine 1. And we will hopefully get that audio out to you as soon as possible. Kasie hunt, we will be returning to you im sure throughout the hour. At least ahead for you, thank you both for joining us. As kristen mentioned, the president caulkitalking to the at the white house. We will show you what he has to say. And, again, in the house, the other end of washington, d. C. There, the other end of pennsylvania avenue. Lets get a look from democratic leadership joining me now. Assistant House Speaker congressman ben ray luhann of new mexico. Let me start with you and see if you can clear up what is going to be happening properliy there tonight. Is there going to be action . Is there going to be some kind of action, some kind of vote in relation to this privileged impeachment resolution that was offered by al green . Will there be an action . Will there be a vote, and what kind of vote will that be . Well, steve, first, good to be with you this afternoon. We are still trying to see exactly what will be happening this afternoon. So there is action that will be required based on the privileged resolution that was offered by my friend from texas, mr. Green. And action must be taken by tomorrow. So while there is still conversations and debate taking place, there may be action this afternoon. Or there will be action required by tomorrow. Congressman, im actually being told, and you cant see this, but we can in the lower righthand corner of our screen, you can see from the cspan camera there that, there it is, this is the roll call vote being taken in the house right now. So im glad we have you here because id like you to explain this to people here. It says motion to table. So lets explain to folks whats going on here. Al green, democratic congressman from texas, as a member a privileged resolution force you to take action . The action you and democratic leadership apparently have decided is a motion to table, a motion to put it aside, not to proceed with it. Is that so there are a few tools that were available today. One of them being a motion to table. The other motion of referral, which would have sent it back to committee. But a motion to table essentially puts this on the speakers table. Its a way for members to come together to still take action on a provision. It doesnt always necessarily kill something, but ill tell you as Speaker Pelosi has put together the important strategy associated with these investigations of making sure that were getting to the bottom of answering questions for the American People and presenting the facts to the country, thats something that will continue to take place in addition to the work of the Judiciary Committee where the special counsel will be testifying. Congressman, im sorry to interrupt you, but i hope youll stick around. Lots of news, we have the president right now. This just moments ago as the house votes on tabling an impeachment resolution. Heres what the president said moments ago. About what . [ inaudible question ] no. If people want to leave our country, they can. If they dont want to love our country, if they dont want to fight for our country, they can. Ill never change on that, no. [ inaudible question ] what . Do you think youre winning this political fight . I do think im winning the political fight . Why . I think im winning it by a lot. Why . I think that they are not espousing the view of our country. The four congresswomen. I think that theyve said horrible things that the press doesnt cover. I think you should try covering it. When you look at some of the things they said, theyre unthinkable. If somebody else or me or anybody else said things like that, eh, it would be historic. So you ought to look at some of the horrible statements because theres never bee statements like that. About the antiisrael trend of the Democratic Party. How do you think that all began, and is there any one in particular you blame on that . Well, the Democratic Party is really going in a direction that nobody thought possible. They are going so far left theyre going to fall off a cliff. So i think they are making a big mistake. But, who knows, thats up to them. American principle to be able to criticize your government . [ inaudible question ] well, theres a lot of talk about the fact that she was married to her brother. I know nothing about it. I hear she was married to her brother. Youre asking me a question about it. I dont know, but im sure that somebody would be looking at that. Well, i think the story last night was that 187 republicans voted in favor of trump. And four voted against. I think that was the big story. That seems to be the story. Theres great unity in the Republican Party. Its very unfair whats happened with respect to the way i would say republicans are being treated, frankly, but certainly the way this president has been treated. In the history of our country, theres never been anything like this. This should never be allowed to happen to another president again. Should never be allowed to happen. Despite that, weve created the greatest economy in the history of our country. We are doing things like nobodys ever done. We have the best job numbers in the history of our country. Africanamerican, asianamerican, women, hispanic american, best job numbers weve ever had. And i have to go because i see its starting to pour. [ multiple questions ] [ inaudible question ] im not relishing the fight. I am enjoying it because i have to get the word out to the American People. And you have to enjoy what you do. I enjoy what i do. The key is its not a question of relishing. Theyre wrong. Theyre absolutely wrong. Thats not where our country wants to be. We are not going to go and were not going to be a socialist country. Its not going to happen. Mr. President , should people be allowed to criticize the government, sir . Senator rand paul to iran, sir. Okay. That was the president there as we said leaving the whouchlts that was just a few minutes ago. It took a little bit to turn the ticker on. Meanwhile, the drama that began in the house just before we showed you that, you can see it in the lower righthand corner of your screen. That is the floor of the house of representatives. The vote is underway right now. This is a motion to table an impeachment resolution. The impeachment resolution offered by a democrat, al green of texas. Al green calling for impeachment on grounds related to the president s comments on twitter about those four democratic congresswomen, and other provocative comments around race that the president s made throughout his tenure. You can see the vote. This is a motion to table. This is a motion to set it aside. So right now early on in the vote there, you see a yae vote means put it aside, dont consider it, dont consider this impeachment resolution. You see all 17 republicans who have voted have voted, yeah, lets put it aside. Six democrats saying put it aside, nine saying no, presumably lets move forward with debate over resolution. Do we still have ben ray luhann with us . Im here with you. Congressman, thank you very much for sticking by. And i appreciate your understanding as we showed the president there in his comments before heading to North Carolina. Let me ask you, we just explained what the votes mean in this. How are you voting on this . So i will be voting with Speaker Pelosi today to table this motion as well. And i think thats what youll see from quite a few of our colleagues. Understanding that about 90 have come out in support of an inquiry of impeachment as of today. But what we want is the strong yes case that we can put forward for the American People. And so thats where youll see this vote break along those lines as well, steve, while we continue to have this important conversation with the American People and while the important work continues to take place within the committees of jurisdiction and with our distinguished chairs of those particular committees. Let me ask you to respond directly to what al green said today. Ill play this, but he was talking to kasie hunt earlier today about why he felt the urgency to introduce this right now. This is what he had to say. We cannot wait. As we wait, we risk having the blood of somebody on our hands. And it could be a member of congress. Congressman, im not sure if you could hear he said the case for doing this is he said if we dont, we risk having the blood somebody on our hands and it could be a member of congress. Whats your reaction to that . Look, as i said earlier, mr. Green is a friend of mine. Im a friend of his, someone that i respect immensely. But on this particular resolution, i disagree with the timing. I think that we have to continue working with the important work that is taking place from an oversight perspective carrying out our constitutional oversight responsibilities, getting answers to these questions, subpoenas that are still out there, many more that were recently released and making sure that were presenting the strongest case to the American People. But, again, i certainly agree with mr. Greens assessment that the president s actions including those taken on sunday morning while i was actually on another talk show are absolutely appalling. And thats why we took the action we did last night calling out this president for the racist tweets that hes continued to engage on, rather than spending time solving problems for the american team. So youre talking about it proceeding on another track there in terms of these Committee Hearings that are already taking place. Do you want those Committee Hearings, those Committee Investigations to result in pursuing impeachment . Look, i think everything is on the table. Ive said that from the beginning, and i continue to believe that. But, again, we have to continue to work with the diligence associated with the oversight hearings, understanding that next weeks testimony by the special counsel and going over his report is only one of the areas that we are currently looking into. There have been many pieces of this information that have been made available or have been sought after including the allegations associated with tax evasion or money laundering, which is why we need to get our hands on the financial documents, whether its with Deutsche Bank or even understanding whats in the president s tax returns. So youre noncommittal on that question. You are voting to table this impeachment resolution right now that were, again, watching that vote right now. Critics of you and of democratic leadership who support impeachment, who support moving to impeachment against the president right now might say that you and democratic leadership are trying to run the clock out here, that congress is going