Worries from 2016 about the russian contacts with the campaign. While Michael Flynn is taking the fifth with the Senate Committee, now the Senate Committee has subpoenaed his company. And companies cant take the fifth. The 11th hour begins now. Good evening once again from our headquarters here in new york. Day 124 of the trump administration, and the president is hiring a lawyer. It comes less than a week after the department of justice appointed a special counsel to oversee the fbi russia investatn. Sources familiar with the decision tell nbc news President Trump is expected to retain Marc Kasowitz as private attorney on matters related to the russia investigation. Kasowitz has represented trump in the past, including according to the Washington Post, some of trumps divorce settlements and accusations of fraud against trump university. We also heard today from former cia director john brennan, testifying before the house intelligence committee. Early on in the proceedings, the question of russian collusion came up. Having been involved in many counterintelligence cases in the past, i know what the russians try to do. They try to suborn individuals. They try to get individuals including u. S. Persons to act on their behave either wittingly or unwittingly. And i was worried by a number of the contacts the russians had with u. S. Persons and so therefore, by the time i left office on january 20th, i had unresolved questions in my mind as to whether or not the russians had been successful in getting u. S. Persons involved in the campaign or not to work on their behalf again either in a witting or unwitting fashion. I encountered and am aware of information and intelligence that revealed contacts and interactions between russian officials and u. S. Persons involved in the Trump Campaign. Did you see evidence of collusion, coordination, conspiracy between donald trump and russian state actors . I saw information and intelligence that was worthy of investigation by the bureau to determine whether or not such cooperation or collusion was taking place. We also received word today that after Michael Flynns attorney said he would invoke the fifth amendment in response to the Senate Intelligence committees request for documents about his communications with russians, the chair and vice chair of that Committee Said they are now issuing subpoenas for flynns business records. And as a sort of possible prebuttal, vice chairman warn er has said the fifth amendment wont be a factor this time. We issued two s ps to the two Michael Flynn businesses that we are aware, Michael Flynn intel, llc, and i think flynn intel, inc. While we disagree with general flynns lawyers interpretations of taking the fifth. It is even more clear that a business does not have a right to take a fifth if it is a corporation. Those subpoenas, one has been served, one is in the process of being served. And we keep all options on the table. We think the committee has moved forward aggressively. Flynns lawyers are saying their client is the subject of outrageous allegations. Lets bring in our panel before we delay too much. Nbcs mike vikara, who covered it all today on capitol hill. Rick stengel is here with us again. Former undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and affairs in the state deputy, the obama administration. Also the former editor of time magazine. And the host of deadline network. Nicole im going to begin with you, im going quote you back to you from your broadcast today. You had a moment where you feared russia normalization. You quoted the cell phone commercial can you hear me now essentially to your fellow republics sang, let remember what this conversation is about. Right. Im troubled by trey dowty who has had Bright Moments and has had low points. I mean we covered his stewardship of the benghazi hearing. And he has had highs and lows and in full view. But that hes making this such a narrow question to brennan about do you have evidence of a conspiracy . Thats not the question. We know that russia set ott to meddle in our elections. We know they were successful in hacking the dnc and hacking Hillary Clintons campaign advisors. It is really beyond my ability to comprehend and excuse why republicans would become toadies for a white house that on the same day the front page of the Washington Post has a story that no one at the white house knocked down about how the president essentially wanted to enlist the chiefs of the two intelligence agencies in his pr Rapid Response effort to knock down and shut down comeys inquiry into russia ties. But that republicans still feel like its their job and their work to narrow the question to do you have evidence of a conspiracy . Well, no, not yet, but that wasnt my job as the head of the cia is what brennan was trying to say. I had evidence of contacts, so cked it overo Law Enforcement. And trump is the guy that fired the head othat agency. Mike vikara, on capitol hill, tell us about the moving parts that were not necessarily on tv today and just reset. We have house intel. We have senate intel. And notably, we just showed warner. As much as possible he tries to be side by side with burr, the republican chairman. Very important to those two to appear as a duo. What kind of cohesion did we see, or lack of it on the house side today. Certainly on the senate side you see richard burr and mark warner there. They are the grown ups in the room. There are four committees, senate judiciary, House Oversight and house intel where john brennan appeared today. Jim comey has chosen to give his testimony before Senate Intelligence, that of course coming sometime after the memorial day recess. The most detailed and extraordinary accounting from a top intelligence official. Keep in mind that john brennan was in the cia more than 25 years. He served in the Obama White House as the top adviser on counterterrorism. He ended the obama term as the cia director. Here he is sitting before the committee, the house intelligence committee, and i agree with nicole. Republicans have a talking point, where is the evidence of collusion, they have asked time and time again. Thats what they are going for, because they know that brennan is hamstrung in how much he can say. Yet i think they got more than they bargained for today. Brennan didnt name who they were, but u. S. Persons involved in the Trump Campaign had contacts and interaction with russian officials. I mean, you cant get any innuendo or hence any stronger than that that where there is smoke there is perhaps fire. And republicans certainly have a cause to be concerned top. Rick stengel, so the president now has a personal lawyer because the white House Counsel really represents the institution of the white house. And you and i have had this discussion before, the kind of government worker ethos, the career public official ethos, that if all these reports are true the president has bumped up against miscalculating the kinds of people perhaps that he was going to run into. In his dealings with comey, in his dealings with the other people that he has perhaps tried to suborn to obstruct justice these are career officials who are just deeply offended by being asked about that. I mean we have seen those stories in the paper n the Washington Post story today. I think he doesnt comprehend this idea that people in government are loyal to the american people. They are loyal to the constitution. Theyre loyal to their jobs. In the case of director brennan, he served george bush. He served president obama. He is not a choir boy but he believes deeply in those values that he has upheld during that 25year career. The one thing i would mention about what we are both saying, that everyone was saying today, this idea of the republican trying to establish collusion is a bit of a dogleg in the sense that you can obstruct stice trying to quash an investigation of a crime that was never committed. That may be what President Trump is doing or has done rather than all of this all of the the problem with that is thats a chess move. And he plays whack a mole. I dont think thats what he is doing. Thats like 3d strategery. I think he was deeply offended that someone was looking into a question that may have undermined the he loves size and he loves victory. And he was irked that there was an investigation into the legitimacy of his win. And i think the white house is in a real jam. They are defense the win could be legitimate, he is offended by anybody suggesting that its not, he tries to back that down and he can obstruct justice in doing that. Thats all im saying. No doubt, listen, from being inside the white house, when people called us evil geniuses, i mean, it was usually an accident when we did something that looked so smart and strategic. But, you know, what they are mad about, and where they are right now as a white house is that their defense now in the last ten days, one of their defense on the outing of israel and their defense on a lot of these questions is oh, he just doesnt understand. He either doesnt understand what the fbi is and does, what the top people in his own intelligence agencies do and dont do. They are not tools of your press office. They dont rapidly respond to a story you dont like about what jim comey is investigating. Even congress didnt understand brennan today when people were saying, well where is the evidence. The cia doesnt collect evidence. The fbi collects evidence because they want to indict someone. Right. The cia collects intelligence. Right. And then they present it to leaders and say have a look at this see if its useful. In this case, brennan called over to the fbi. Right. Mike vikara, correctly, a lot of people are watching for migration among republicans. Im curious to see if you can name any names, what signs you are seeing. Nicole and others have talked about the kind of slow walk away from trump that started this past weekend. You know, i think that a pattern has emerged. I think it dates back to the access hollywood tapes, frankly. You see republicans increasingly trying to find that balance, that alchemy between expressing concern and making sort of ominous sounds about about their concern for what President Trump has done. The latest thing, whether its selling Sergey Lavrov classified secrets in the oval office or talking to the director of National Intelligence, trying to get him to publicly knock down the idea that there was collusion between the Trump Campaign. And incidentally dan coats, between the Trump Campaign and russia. Incidentally dan coats who testified, the director of National Intelligence pretty much didnt try to knock down that story. He didnt deny, didnt confirm it. Most people took that as a confirmation. You see this republican dance now. They have been warned burned one too many times i think by going too far over. They have underestimated the appeal that donald trump has to his base, frankly. And i think they are very wary to cut ties completely. Look after the gop closed door meeting last week on capitol hill we were staking outside the rnc. I talked to half a dozen conservative members. They said look support for President Trump is is as strong as it could ever be in my district. Thats the majority of the House Republican conference. They are not ready to cut and run yet. There is a great deal of concern. I think thats obvious at the point. But there is still a Strong Foundation here. Certainly not ready to turn their backs on it. Nicole ill give you the last word. Forgive the use of english. If talking smack about the home team in the oval office to two visiting russians doesnt cost you support among Republican Office holders who will . I think the white house is more worried than they let on. There is a story they are thinking about bringing back corey lewandowski, thats all about shoring up his political capital. I dont think republicans want to part ways with his. I wish there were more voice like john mccains and i wish they remained as appalled as they are in the moment that these stories break when they sort of recede. I think it is a farce and its crawling in the sand toward a marage, and needing the sand to think they are going to sort of work through a republican conservative agenda. Donald trump isnt an idea logical person. He doesnt care about repealing obamacare. He is not working with paul ryan. He doesnt read his own bills. I think they are eating a whole lot of sand and i dont think its going to end well for the republicans in the mid terms. Tomorrow he will have a conference with the pope. Thanks to our lead off guests tonight. Thank you for coming out and joining us tonight. Coming up, two former spies, one russian, one on the home team, on John Brennans fear that russia could have colluded with Trump Associates with or without their knowledge. Are they really that good . When the 11th hour continues. Patterson did you know slow internet can actually hold your business back . Say goodbye to slow downloads, slow backups, slow everything. Comcast business offers blazing fast and reliable internet thats over 6 times faster than slow internet from the phone company. Say hello to internet speeds up to 250 mbps. And add phone and tv for only 34. 90 more a month. Call today. Comcast business. Built for business. Brennan as we showed you was the latest of several long serving and highranking intelligence and Law Enforcement officials to testify about our nations investigations into russians russian interference with our election. The first public hearing, lets not forget, came in january. The most recent was today. Alongside everything weve learned from reporters, so good to be with you, on msnbc World Headquarters in new york, and at this hour, President Trump is on his way to the vatican for an historic meeting with pope francis, as we take a live like there the entrance to the vatican, the president waiting to arrive, making a third stop on his ninecity 30day trip. While the president and pope francis have never met they have exchanged words on issues like trumps border wall proposal and Climate Change, and their meeting comes after a push for deep cuts that help the needy. But what exactly they will discuss is not known. Certainly their meeting comes in the wake of the suicide bombing in manchester, england, that killed 22 people including a number of children. The president condemned the attack, while british Prime Minister may says that another attack may be imminent. The president arrived after visiting israel, the west bank, and saudi arabia. Before that his visit to the vatican will complete his tour of two religious capitals. Over the next two hours well bring you the president s meeting with the pope, the backdrop and the problems the president faces in the United States. Of course well also look at questions here, the stark difference between the two, the president of the United States and pope francis, and where they will find commonalty in this meeting. And also who stands to gain more from this meeting and what is the outcome. We take a look at vatican city, 8 20 a. M. Local time, they are waiting for the president there with the private audience with pope francis. I want to bring you more from the vatican and Kristen Welker as we delve into this. Claudia, i want to begin with you, what can we expect to hear from the president and the pope, especially when it comes to the pope ahead of this meeting that he hopes to find some commonalty. Reporter well, i asked that question of the pope about the leader, that seems to be on the opposite on many issues like Climate Change, and immigration, and the merits of that. And he said i never judged anybody before. I listen to that person and this is his chance to listen to that person. To listen to what donald trump is going to say. He also said he wants to find Common Ground, find some kind of open door for which he can find some common ideas to discuss. They dont have much time, because they only have 20 minutes really because of what you mentioned, today is wednesday and on wednesday at 10 00 a. M. , in about two hours he holds a general meeting. So really in 20 minutes they will have time to talk about whether they want to talk about differences or the Common Ground. So is the pope going to want to talk about the differences or and maybe perhaps exercise some kind of moral persuasion. And soft power to influence trumps policies on Climate Change, for instance. Or are they going to talk about Common Threads and issues like for instance, the need to fight persecution in the middle east, and pro life issues and well, and which that is another issue they agree upon. He must have been placea please instance, by the appointment of neil gorsuch. And they are watching now, as they can see the president is shaking hands with the gentleman of his holiness. Now this is known as the most one of the most exclusive Gentlemens Club in the world. They are usually former ambassadors, members of the aristocracy here, and really what th