Transcripts For MSNBCW The Rachel Maddow Show 20170215 : vim

Declared publicly what his income was. He said his only income was his government salary. He was making about 72,000 a year. He reported his wife contributed to the Family Income. She made an additional about 5,000 a year or so thereby bringing their total Family Income to about 77,000 a year give or take before taxes. Youd be amazed how far will go. He and his family owned their home in russia, they also owned a second home in russia, they also owned a large apartment. They also owned another large apartment. They also on top of the that scrounged up spare cash enough to do a lot of what appears to be longterm real estate investing. He owned not one, not two, not three, not four but six large plots of land and a jetski and a snowmobile and a land cruiser and a Porsche Cayenne and a mercedes and another mercedes and also another mercedes which means he must have been miraculously efficient with that government salary. But then there was the really embarrassing part for him. The head of the Ethics Committee, as a prominent member of Vladimir Putins party in parliament, he was part of the really aggressive antiamerican stuff that putin has done in russian politics over the last few years. For example, you might remember hes got a lot of press here, it was one of the ways putin decided to retaliate against American Families and russian orphans as part of his response to u. S. Sanctions a few years back. Do you remember this story . Putin and his party in parliament decided to block American Families from being allowed to adopt russian kids. They interrupted individual kids adoptions to punish america. This guy was involved in that. He was one of the real antiamerican hardliners in putins party. And thats why the rest of his real estate portfolio was particularly hard for him to explain when it became Public Knowledge because in addition to all that property and all those vehicles that he was somehow able to afford on his 75,000 a year salary in russia negotiation the four homes, the six large parcels of land, the three mercedes and all the rest of it, he also owned a fabulous waterfront ocean view apartment in billionaire mark cubans building in miami beach. Wow and he owned a second miami beach waterfront condo as well. Lovely ocean views, nice fitness room. In addition to his two big miami waterfront condos, he also owned a really nice big house with a pool on a large piece of land up the florida coast in ormond beach. Did i mention that his reported income was 75,000 or so before taxes . And he haas kids. Somehow this friend of Vladimir Putin, the head of the Ethics Committee in the Russian Parliament, this prominent politician in putins Political Party somehow was able to put together a pretty nice real estate portfolio and nice lifestyle for himself and his family, either by being a miraculous saver and bargain hunter or by some other undisclosed means. Rather than face pressure to disclose what those means might be, that lawmaker, the head of the Ethics Committee in the Russian Parliament, he decided to resign a couple years ago when pictures of his properties and property records and documentation of his vast holdings got posted publicly on a russian blog and he had no explanation for how he was able to afford all that stuff. Over the last few years, that blog made quite a lot of news in russia, exposing the inexplicable fabulous wealth of Vladimir Putins cronies and apparently corrupt politicians in russia. And they were good at it. They posted their original source materials so it couldnt be debunked by the russian government. They used public records, particularly from other countries so the stuff couldnt be disappeared offline by the russian government. They made funny little peoples and pictures to go along with their scandals to make them stick more. This guy see, they have the Ethics Committee chairman, his head . They photoshopped it on to a guy in sandals on a beach chair enjoying the miami sun. So the Ethics Committee guy in the Russian Parliament resigned over that scandal once all of his International Real Estate Holdings were made public and he couldnt explain how he got the money to do that. Other putin cronies and politicians also got embarrassed and were forced to resign by the same tactic, the same exposure of their corruption and the guy who ran that blog, who had these good instincts and performative the skills for how to make stories likehistic h decided to do something very brave after exposing these russian politicianspoliticians. He decided he would not an anonymous source. He blogged under his own name. He stood by what he was doing. He became an activist. He became a really effective opposition figure in russian politics. Those protests that so freaked out Vladimir Putin starting in 2011, the ones secretary of state Hillary Clinton complained about internationally which so drove putin into a frothing rage against Hillary Clinton. This guy was a key figure in those antiputin protest that made such a big impact. Alexi navalny ran for mayor of moscow in 2013. He did surprisingly well, freaked out putin even more. This past year, Alexi Navalny announced he would run for president of russia against Vladimir Putin next year when putins term is up. You can see where this is going, right . The New York Times Moscow Bureau described him a couple of days ago as the only opposition candidate with a broad into yast i can popular following in russia. Last one left. And at one level that makes us all surprised to learn that hes still alive. That Vladimir Putin allowed him to exist for this long. But it means you will not be surprised to learn why the New York Times Moscow Bureau was writing about him for an american audience just last week is because last week putin figured out a way to disqualify Alexi Navalny from being an opposition figure. From running against putin for president. They found a remote Regional Court hundreds of miles from moscow and they got that court to convict Alexi Navalny in some obscure scheme involving timber future futures. This is the most recent in a series of things they have tried to convict him of or set him up for. They went after him for alleged elk coaching. Elk poaching . They reportedly tried to convict him of stealing street heart. There was a fraud allegation from the government involviing perfume. Theyve come up with weird stuff to arrest Alexi Navalny for but them bezelment conviction that they finagled in this court last week, thats the important one because arguably russian law says if you are convicted of a crime like that, if you are convicted and sentenced for embezzlement, which he just was, that legally disqualifies you from running for office. So, yeah, timber futures. Okay. Thats what well get him for. And now the most viable opposition politician in russia, this 40yearold handsome telegenic clever accomplished well known corruption exposing provocateur just wont be allowed to put his name on the ballot if he tries to run against putin next year. He says he will appeal, he insists he will figure out a way to still run for president but you know what . Under Vladimir Putin the state has its ways and because of what appears to be this totally ginned up embezzlement conviction they were able to pull off, that ive used that as an excus to shut down his means of raising money towards running for president next year. Thats gone. Russia has a Justice System. Russia has a court system that doesnt necessarily mean that russia has the rule of law in the same way putin has taken over almost all sources of news in his country in the same weay hes taken over big business. Its not possible to run business in any significant scale without putin being cut in and involved. In the same way hes technically presided over a democracy for 17 straight years while opposition leaders consistently find themselves arrested or dead and opposition parties find themselves outlawed or otherwise structurally sidelined, so, too, the russian just system. On paper looks great, right . But in real life everybody up to and including punk bands and billionaires find themselves in inside literal cages in russian courtrooms at the pleasure of the president. And his political opponents get prosecuted and convicted when he wants them prosecuted and convicted and thats how the Justice System worked. The rule of law cannot just exist on paper, its only real, it only really works when it operates with independence, with independence from the political system, when the judicial system operates at its own discretion governed by law and not directed or constrained by any political agenda. Not directed or constrained by any political agenda. Not directed or constrained. In our system of government we count on both the judiciary and the legislative branch of government to be separate from the executive branch of government. We count on them to constrain the executive branch when the executive branch overreaches. We n only to expect them to resist being used as political tools be i the president , we expect them to independently investigate the executive branch when there are serious questions about the behavior of that branch of government. Thats ho thats how our rule of law works, right . Late last night in the middle of the night the National Security advisor to the president resigned, was fired . Resigned . Was fired . We dont know. Hes out. National security advisor Michael Flynn. Being National Security advisor is a hard job. There have been a bunch of scandals surrounding the National Security advisor position or the Person Holding that position over the decades. Its thought of one of those jobs thats hard to hold on to for a long time. A lot of turnover in that job. Previous record for the shortest term ever as National Security advisor, though, was Something Like two and a half years. That was the previous shortest term ever. Michael flynn lasted 24 days. And there are a number of things about the nicers sudden departure last night which make no sense. Weve got adam schiff, the top democrat on the Intelligence Committee to help us sort this out. We have time weiner, the foremost modern historian of the fbi and the cia. Time weiner will be here to help us sort this out. But there are just some baseline fundamental questions we dont have an answer for. Or that we have answers for that make no sense. First theres the direct simple question of mike flynn and how he got to be National Security advisor. How he lasted 24 days at that job. Its wudly reported general flynn was under investigation by counterIntelligence Community at the fbi and by counterintelligence investigators at the cia. Hes also reportedly under investigation by the u. S. Army for having taken allegedly undisclosed payments from the russian government during the president i campaign at the end of 2015. Those investigations didnt just start now. How did he get named National Security advisor . The president is cleared to receive all classified information, included information about the investigations under way. What the president must have known about the counterintelligence investigations of Michael Flynn why would you ask Michael Flynn to be your National Security advisor . We dont have an explanation of that one yet. Heres another one. The New York Times reports late this afternoon that that general flynn as part of these investigations was interviewed personally by the fbi soon after the new administration came into office. That was at a time general flynn insisted he hadnt had conversations wbt the russian government about the sanctions that the u. S. Imposed on russia. No, he didnt talk to them. We now know despite protests to the contrary that Michael Flynn absolutely did have those conversation conversations and the Justice Department knew he had those conversations because they taped him. They overheard him having conversations with the russian government because they were wiretapping russian government officials. So he did an interview with the fbi about their investigation into his contacts with the russian government. He did an interview with them soon after the administration started. Did the National Security advisor lie to the fbi about the content of those conversations when they questioned him about it . If so that would, of course, be a felony and he would be expecting to go to jail now. Has the fbi investigation of general flynn preded along those lines . That get me to my next point. Since Jeff Sessions became torney general of the United States, has he interfered with the fbi investigation of general flynn or the investigation of the Trump Campaign and its contacts with russia in any way . Has attorney general Jeff Sessions changed the focus of those investigations or changed their direction at all . Has attorney general Jeff Sessions been briefed on the fbi investigation of general flynn and his contacts with the russian government . Because thats getting us to the really, really important point here, right . We now know that the Justice Department, including the acting attorney general, sally yates, she went to the white house at the end of january. And they informed she and another senior career justice official informed the white House Counsel that Michael Flynn had had contacts with the russian government that were not only undermining u. S. Government sanctions against russia, these were contacts he lied about and they told the white house that hed done it. And they told him because hed been lying about it he could conceivably be blackmailed by russia which is a very bad thing, right . For somebody with that much access to the president and that much access to classified information. That russia might be very interested to have. General flynn is National Security advisor. Remember, he was rewriting the president s daily intelligence briefing so the president wouldnt get straight information from the Intelligence Community, hed just get what Michael Flynn told him. That was a weird arrangement. Why was that set up . No information to the president other than one what Michael Flynn tells him . General flynn was also not working with the fully staffed National Security council. He never bothered to staff the place up. He alone had incredible control of the information flow to the president and incredible access to the president. And if the russians were in a position to be able to say to him, hey, do what we want you to do, tell us what we want you to tell us or we will expose you, if the russians in a position to say to him, hey, we know you lied about this and we can prove it, you wouldnt want us to expose that about you, would you . You better do what we want. If they were in a position to blackmail him that way because they knew him he lied and had him dead to rights and they could expose him on that, thats a serious security problem at the highest levels of the u. S. Government. And we now know that the white house knew about that for weeks and took no action. Why did they that i can no action . Why did they continue to let Michael Flynn have the access to the president and the access to classified information he enjoyed up until the night he was fired . The New York Times and the Washington Post have both reported citing multiple sources that his contacts with the russian government didnt start once he was National Security advisor. They didnt start once trump was elected, when they were in the transition period. Both papers report mike flynn was in contact with the russian government during the campaign. Before the election. While russia was interfering in the u. S. Election in multiple ways to tip the balance of the election to donald trump. Did mike flynn help them with that . Did mike flynn or anybody else from the Family Income<\/a>. She made an additional about 5,000 a year or so thereby bringing their total Family Income<\/a> to about 77,000 a year give or take before taxes. Youd be amazed how far will go. He and his family owned their home in russia, they also owned a second home in russia, they also owned a large apartment. They also owned another large apartment. They also on top of the that scrounged up spare cash enough to do a lot of what appears to be longterm real estate investing. He owned not one, not two, not three, not four but six large plots of land and a jetski and a snowmobile and a land cruiser and a Porsche Cayenne<\/a> and a mercedes and another mercedes and also another mercedes which means he must have been miraculously efficient with that government salary. But then there was the really embarrassing part for him. The head of the Ethics Committee<\/a>, as a prominent member of Vladimir Putins<\/a> party in parliament, he was part of the really aggressive antiamerican stuff that putin has done in russian politics over the last few years. For example, you might remember hes got a lot of press here, it was one of the ways putin decided to retaliate against American Families<\/a> and russian orphans as part of his response to u. S. Sanctions a few years back. Do you remember this story . Putin and his party in parliament decided to block American Families<\/a> from being allowed to adopt russian kids. They interrupted individual kids adoptions to punish america. This guy was involved in that. He was one of the real antiamerican hardliners in putins party. And thats why the rest of his real estate portfolio was particularly hard for him to explain when it became Public Knowledge<\/a> because in addition to all that property and all those vehicles that he was somehow able to afford on his 75,000 a year salary in russia negotiation the four homes, the six large parcels of land, the three mercedes and all the rest of it, he also owned a fabulous waterfront ocean view apartment in billionaire mark cubans building in miami beach. Wow and he owned a second miami beach waterfront condo as well. Lovely ocean views, nice fitness room. In addition to his two big miami waterfront condos, he also owned a really nice big house with a pool on a large piece of land up the florida coast in ormond beach. Did i mention that his reported income was 75,000 or so before taxes . And he haas kids. Somehow this friend of Vladimir Putin<\/a>, the head of the Ethics Committee<\/a> in the Russian Parliament<\/a>, this prominent politician in putins Political Party<\/a> somehow was able to put together a pretty nice real estate portfolio and nice lifestyle for himself and his family, either by being a miraculous saver and bargain hunter or by some other undisclosed means. Rather than face pressure to disclose what those means might be, that lawmaker, the head of the Ethics Committee<\/a> in the Russian Parliament<\/a>, he decided to resign a couple years ago when pictures of his properties and property records and documentation of his vast holdings got posted publicly on a russian blog and he had no explanation for how he was able to afford all that stuff. Over the last few years, that blog made quite a lot of news in russia, exposing the inexplicable fabulous wealth of Vladimir Putins<\/a> cronies and apparently corrupt politicians in russia. And they were good at it. They posted their original source materials so it couldnt be debunked by the russian government. They used public records, particularly from other countries so the stuff couldnt be disappeared offline by the russian government. They made funny little peoples and pictures to go along with their scandals to make them stick more. This guy see, they have the Ethics Committee<\/a> chairman, his head . They photoshopped it on to a guy in sandals on a beach chair enjoying the miami sun. So the Ethics Committee<\/a> guy in the Russian Parliament<\/a> resigned over that scandal once all of his International Real<\/a> Estate Holdings<\/a> were made public and he couldnt explain how he got the money to do that. Other putin cronies and politicians also got embarrassed and were forced to resign by the same tactic, the same exposure of their corruption and the guy who ran that blog, who had these good instincts and performative the skills for how to make stories likehistic h decided to do something very brave after exposing these russian politicianspoliticians. He decided he would not an anonymous source. He blogged under his own name. He stood by what he was doing. He became an activist. He became a really effective opposition figure in russian politics. Those protests that so freaked out Vladimir Putin<\/a> starting in 2011, the ones secretary of state Hillary Clinton<\/a> complained about internationally which so drove putin into a frothing rage against Hillary Clinton<\/a>. This guy was a key figure in those antiputin protest that made such a big impact. Alexi navalny ran for mayor of moscow in 2013. He did surprisingly well, freaked out putin even more. This past year, Alexi Navalny<\/a> announced he would run for president of russia against Vladimir Putin<\/a> next year when putins term is up. You can see where this is going, right . The New York Times<\/a> Moscow Bureau<\/a> described him a couple of days ago as the only opposition candidate with a broad into yast i can popular following in russia. Last one left. And at one level that makes us all surprised to learn that hes still alive. That Vladimir Putin<\/a> allowed him to exist for this long. But it means you will not be surprised to learn why the New York Times<\/a> Moscow Bureau<\/a> was writing about him for an american audience just last week is because last week putin figured out a way to disqualify Alexi Navalny<\/a> from being an opposition figure. From running against putin for president. They found a remote Regional Court<\/a> hundreds of miles from moscow and they got that court to convict Alexi Navalny<\/a> in some obscure scheme involving timber future futures. This is the most recent in a series of things they have tried to convict him of or set him up for. They went after him for alleged elk coaching. Elk poaching . They reportedly tried to convict him of stealing street heart. There was a fraud allegation from the government involviing perfume. Theyve come up with weird stuff to arrest Alexi Navalny<\/a> for but them bezelment conviction that they finagled in this court last week, thats the important one because arguably russian law says if you are convicted of a crime like that, if you are convicted and sentenced for embezzlement, which he just was, that legally disqualifies you from running for office. So, yeah, timber futures. Okay. Thats what well get him for. And now the most viable opposition politician in russia, this 40yearold handsome telegenic clever accomplished well known corruption exposing provocateur just wont be allowed to put his name on the ballot if he tries to run against putin next year. He says he will appeal, he insists he will figure out a way to still run for president but you know what . Under Vladimir Putin<\/a> the state has its ways and because of what appears to be this totally ginned up embezzlement conviction they were able to pull off, that ive used that as an excus to shut down his means of raising money towards running for president next year. Thats gone. Russia has a Justice System<\/a>. Russia has a court system that doesnt necessarily mean that russia has the rule of law in the same way putin has taken over almost all sources of news in his country in the same weay hes taken over big business. Its not possible to run business in any significant scale without putin being cut in and involved. In the same way hes technically presided over a democracy for 17 straight years while opposition leaders consistently find themselves arrested or dead and opposition parties find themselves outlawed or otherwise structurally sidelined, so, too, the russian just system. On paper looks great, right . But in real life everybody up to and including punk bands and billionaires find themselves in inside literal cages in russian courtrooms at the pleasure of the president. And his political opponents get prosecuted and convicted when he wants them prosecuted and convicted and thats how the Justice System<\/a> worked. The rule of law cannot just exist on paper, its only real, it only really works when it operates with independence, with independence from the political system, when the judicial system operates at its own discretion governed by law and not directed or constrained by any political agenda. Not directed or constrained by any political agenda. Not directed or constrained. In our system of government we count on both the judiciary and the legislative branch of government to be separate from the executive branch of government. We count on them to constrain the executive branch when the executive branch overreaches. We n only to expect them to resist being used as political tools be i the president , we expect them to independently investigate the executive branch when there are serious questions about the behavior of that branch of government. Thats ho thats how our rule of law works, right . Late last night in the middle of the night the National Security<\/a> advisor to the president resigned, was fired . Resigned . Was fired . We dont know. Hes out. National security advisor Michael Flynn<\/a>. Being National Security<\/a> advisor is a hard job. There have been a bunch of scandals surrounding the National Security<\/a> advisor position or the Person Holding<\/a> that position over the decades. Its thought of one of those jobs thats hard to hold on to for a long time. A lot of turnover in that job. Previous record for the shortest term ever as National Security<\/a> advisor, though, was Something Like<\/a> two and a half years. That was the previous shortest term ever. Michael flynn lasted 24 days. And there are a number of things about the nicers sudden departure last night which make no sense. Weve got adam schiff, the top democrat on the Intelligence Committee<\/a> to help us sort this out. We have time weiner, the foremost modern historian of the fbi and the cia. Time weiner will be here to help us sort this out. But there are just some baseline fundamental questions we dont have an answer for. Or that we have answers for that make no sense. First theres the direct simple question of mike flynn and how he got to be National Security<\/a> advisor. How he lasted 24 days at that job. Its wudly reported general flynn was under investigation by counterIntelligence Community<\/a> at the fbi and by counterintelligence investigators at the cia. Hes also reportedly under investigation by the u. S. Army for having taken allegedly undisclosed payments from the russian government during the president i campaign at the end of 2015. Those investigations didnt just start now. How did he get named National Security<\/a> advisor . The president is cleared to receive all classified information, included information about the investigations under way. What the president must have known about the counterintelligence investigations of Michael Flynn<\/a> why would you ask Michael Flynn<\/a> to be your National Security<\/a> advisor . We dont have an explanation of that one yet. Heres another one. The New York Times<\/a> reports late this afternoon that that general flynn as part of these investigations was interviewed personally by the fbi soon after the new administration came into office. That was at a time general flynn insisted he hadnt had conversations wbt the russian government about the sanctions that the u. S. Imposed on russia. No, he didnt talk to them. We now know despite protests to the contrary that Michael Flynn<\/a> absolutely did have those conversation conversations and the Justice Department<\/a> knew he had those conversations because they taped him. They overheard him having conversations with the russian government because they were wiretapping russian government officials. So he did an interview with the fbi about their investigation into his contacts with the russian government. He did an interview with them soon after the administration started. Did the National Security<\/a> advisor lie to the fbi about the content of those conversations when they questioned him about it . If so that would, of course, be a felony and he would be expecting to go to jail now. Has the fbi investigation of general flynn preded along those lines . That get me to my next point. Since Jeff Sessions<\/a> became torney general of the United States<\/a>, has he interfered with the fbi investigation of general flynn or the investigation of the Trump Campaign<\/a> and its contacts with russia in any way . Has attorney general Jeff Sessions<\/a> changed the focus of those investigations or changed their direction at all . Has attorney general Jeff Sessions<\/a> been briefed on the fbi investigation of general flynn and his contacts with the russian government . Because thats getting us to the really, really important point here, right . We now know that the Justice Department<\/a>, including the acting attorney general, sally yates, she went to the white house at the end of january. And they informed she and another senior career justice official informed the white House Counsel<\/a> that Michael Flynn<\/a> had had contacts with the russian government that were not only undermining u. S. Government sanctions against russia, these were contacts he lied about and they told the white house that hed done it. And they told him because hed been lying about it he could conceivably be blackmailed by russia which is a very bad thing, right . For somebody with that much access to the president and that much access to classified information. That russia might be very interested to have. General flynn is National Security<\/a> advisor. Remember, he was rewriting the president s daily intelligence briefing so the president wouldnt get straight information from the Intelligence Community<\/a>, hed just get what Michael Flynn<\/a> told him. That was a weird arrangement. Why was that set up . No information to the president other than one what Michael Flynn<\/a> tells him . General flynn was also not working with the fully staffed National Security<\/a> council. He never bothered to staff the place up. He alone had incredible control of the information flow to the president and incredible access to the president. And if the russians were in a position to be able to say to him, hey, do what we want you to do, tell us what we want you to tell us or we will expose you, if the russians in a position to say to him, hey, we know you lied about this and we can prove it, you wouldnt want us to expose that about you, would you . You better do what we want. If they were in a position to blackmail him that way because they knew him he lied and had him dead to rights and they could expose him on that, thats a serious security problem at the highest levels of the u. S. Government. And we now know that the white house knew about that for weeks and took no action. Why did they that i can no action . Why did they continue to let Michael Flynn<\/a> have the access to the president and the access to classified information he enjoyed up until the night he was fired . The New York Times<\/a> and the Washington Post<\/a> have both reported citing multiple sources that his contacts with the russian government didnt start once he was National Security<\/a> advisor. They didnt start once trump was elected, when they were in the transition period. Both papers report mike flynn was in contact with the russian government during the campaign. Before the election. While russia was interfering in the u. S. Election in multiple ways to tip the balance of the election to donald trump. Did mike flynn help them with that . Did mike flynn or anybody else from the Trump Campaign<\/a> collude with the russian government and their efforts to undermine the u. S. Election . Its a very, very, very serious charge. Right now its an absolutely unanswered one at this point. Will that charge be investigated . If it turns out to be true, will it be prosecuted . For head of the House Oversight<\/a> committee today was asked whether he might open an investigation into Michael Flynn<\/a> and his contacts with russia. Jason chaffetz answered i think the situation has taken care of itself. So no then. The Top Republican<\/a> in the house and the Top Republican<\/a> in the senate have both insist there hads no reason for any sort of independent or special investigation into these allegati allegations because the Intelligence Committee<\/a>s can handle it. Well, okay, this contact with the russian government that mike flynn lied about, that has led to him being fired from this administration, that contact with the russian government, that happened during the president ial transition. The head of the house Intelligence Committee<\/a> was a member of the trump president ial transition. Congressman nunes was asked yesterday about his reaction to the flynn allegations, he described them as a lot of nothing. Well, yeah, if he was going to be investigating them, hed been investigating the trump transition, which he was part of. Well, if its the fbi investigation youre hanging your hat on here, can we talk about director james comey and his role in this years politics . We can talk about that at length some other time. Ill buy you a beer, you buy snacks, well talk about it, its a long conversation. Even putting that aside, putting him aside, the new attorney general, the head of the Justice Department<\/a> of which the fbi is a part, attorney general Jeff Sessions<\/a> was just sworn into office after explicitly refusing in his confirmation process to recuse himself from investigations involving the Trump Campaign<\/a> and its ties to russia. The attorney general the new attorney general who has now sworn in insisted during the confirmation process that he will not recuse himself. He will stay involved in any investigations of russia and the Trump Campaign<\/a>. The attorney general was part of the Trump Campaign<\/a>. He was the chairman of Donald Trumps<\/a> National Security<\/a> advisory committee. So hes going to oversee this National Security<\/a> information into the Trump Campaign<\/a> . And contact with russia during the campaign . Asking him to fairly and impartially oversee those investigations would have him in effect investigating himself. So rule of law. Weve just gone through something thats a very big deal. The National Security<\/a> advisor is out. No National Security<\/a> advisor has ever been forced out in 24 days. No National Security<\/a> advisor has ever been forced out in circumstances this scandalous and im including the ones who were convicted or pled guilty to felonies. The white houses behavior and the president s behavior around this ouster is bizarre and unexplained and in some cases its inexplicable. The allegations here about National Security<\/a> risks and the undermining of the u. S. Government by a foreign power. These are as serious as anything that has ever been alleged against any president not just in modern times but ever and the question tonight is, wheres the rule of law . Whats the remedy for that . Where are we thinking the investigation is going to come from here . Where are we thinking the prosecution is going to come from here if the investigation warrants it . We have the rule of law in this country. I believe it, ive read all about it. Buthos going to make it a reality with these kinds of allegatis against this administration . Thats next. To feel this special. You need to eat this special. Kelloggs special k. Made with whole grains and fiber to help a body thrive. Folic acid and vitamin d. To make a body feel this good. Start your day with 150 nourishing calories. In a bowl of special k. Eat special, feel special. Introducing special k nourish bites. A new way to snack special. The search for relief often leads here. S, today theres drugfree aleve direct therapy. A high intensity tens device that uses technology once only in doctors offices. For deep penetrating relief at the source. Aleve direct therapy. When i was too busy with the kids to get a repair estimate. Liberty did what . Yeah, with Liberty Mutual<\/a> all i needed to do to get an estimate was snap a photo of the damage and voila voila sigh i wish my Insurance Company<\/a> hathat. Wait hold it. Hold it boys. Theres supposed to be three of you. Wheres your brother . Wheres your brother . Hey, wheres charlie . Charlie . you can leave worry behind when liberty stands with you. Liberty stands with you\u2122 Liberty Mutual<\/a> insurance hi, so weve got the top democrat on the house Intelligence Committee<\/a> adam schiff, hell be joining us live in just a moment. I have pushed that back for a second just because i want to bring u some breaking news that the New York Times<\/a> just sted. This has just gone up since weve gone on the air, ive been marking it up with my trusty highlighter. We havent prepared graphics but let me tell you what theyve just reported directly relevant to what we need to talk to congressman schiff about and what we are discussing. Trump Campaign Aides<\/a> had repeated contacts with russian intelligence is the headline. The operative word there being campaign. This is during the campaign. This is during the election. Ill read you the lead. Phone records and intercepted calls show members of Donald Trumps<\/a> 2016 president ial campaign and other Trump Associates<\/a> had repeated contacts with senior russian intelligence officials in the year before the election. The times is citing four current and four american officials. Four officials, current and former. American Law Enforcement<\/a> and intelligence agencies intercepted the communications around the same time they were discovering evidence that russia was trying to disrupt the election by hacking into the Democratic National<\/a> committee. The agencies sought to learn whether the Trump Campaign<\/a> was colluding with the russians on the hacking or other efforts to influence the election. This is very carefully couched. Officials interview misdemeanor recent weeks said so far they had seen no evidence of such cooperation. But they are documenting repeated contacts at the same time the russian intelligence agencies were influencing the election. One of the advisers picked up on the calls was paul manafort, Trumps Campaign<\/a> chairman for several months the. Call logs and intercepted communications are part of a larger trove of communication the fbi is civeti insifting thrt investigates the link between trumps associates and the russian government and the dnc hack. But the headline here Trump Campaign<\/a> aides had repeated contacts with rusan intelligence supposedly at the time russia was trying to influence our election. We have the top democrat on the house Intelligence Committee<\/a> adam schiff joining us next and none too soon. Stay with us. When you find something worth waiting for, well help you invest to protect it for the future. Financial guidance while youre mastering life. From chase, so you can. General flynns resignation is not the end of the story, it is merely the beginning. There needs to be an independent and transparent investigation. The white House Counsel<\/a> cannot lead this investigation and the new attorney general cannot be Jeff Sessions<\/a> cannot be the person to lead that investigation. I expect Jeff Sessions<\/a> to refuse himself and i expect whats put in its place to be independent, transparent and impartial. Well wait and see what they propose. Chuck schumer today calling for an independent investigation of Michael Flynn<\/a> saying the white House Counsel<\/a> cant lead the investigation, the new attorney general cannot be the person, there needs to be an independent investigation. Since last year, the fbi and cia have both been reportedly investigating general flynns contacts with the russian government. The u. S. Army is reportedly also investigating whether he illegally received money in the form of speaking fees from the russian government during his trip to russia in december, 2015, thats the trip where general flynn went to a gala dinner and sat next to Vladimir Putin<\/a>. That was less than two months before the iowa caucuses. That was december, 2015, when the Washington Post<\/a> interviewed mike flynn about that trip last year and asked him what he talked to putin about general flynn told the post that their questioning on that topic was boring. That was his quote. Boring. Thats how seriously hes taking these worries. According to u. S. Intelligence agencies, the Russian Campaign<\/a> to influence the u. S. President ial election consisted of hacking, stealing data, selective leaks. Also it will direct propaganda side of it. These prolific efforts by the russian government to inject false news stories into the campaign to undercut damaging news that might hurt donald trump, to disrupt social media interaction among clinton supporters, to overwhelm authoritative news with nonsense and noise. Some of those tactics are one size fits all for the russians. The russians have experience using those tactics in other countries where theyve interfered like sweeten and swe estonia. But to the extent they could be further enhanced by tailoring them to the u. S. Environment, did they get any u. S. Help . Did they get any u. S. Advice on the best ways to weaponize their tactics against our election . Against our system of government . I mean, its worth asking now. Did Michael Flynn<\/a> help them . When he was in contact with the russian government during the campaign, before the election, during t am with paicampaign, dl flynn help them . Did anybody else in the Trump Campaign<\/a> help them . As u. S. Intelligence agencies in congress are investigating russian interference in the election designed to benefit donald trump there is this record of general flynn, leading trump supporter, hobnobbing with the russian president during the campaign. We know his communication with the russian also dmor december was only one in a series of contacts between flynn and that russian official. Contacts that began before the election. The reporting here is that russia actively meddled in our election and that general flynn was talking to the russian government while that operation was under way. What was going on in those conversations . Further to that point, the New York Times<\/a> just moments ago has reported, citing four current and former american officials, the New York Times<\/a> has just reported that multi wasnt just flynn, it was multiple Trump Campaign<\/a> aides and associates who had contacts with russian intelligence officials in the year before the election, during the campaign at a time when russian intelligence officials were interfering in our election to help donald trump. What was the substance of those comments . What was the substance of those communications . Did Michael Flynn<\/a> and these other Trump Campaign<\/a> staffers, did they know about russian efforts to interfere in our election which, according to the New York Times<\/a>, were happening con t contemporaneously . At the same time russian Campaign Aides<\/a> were talking to russian official, russians were trying to influence our election. Did the they know that . If they knew, did theyry to op them from doing it . Did they encouragethem . Did they help them . We dont know and i dont know if or how were ever going to find out . Is this just 100 a journalistic enterprise now or will our government get to the bottom of it . Will our government try to get to the bottom of it . Joining us now is congressman adam schiff of california, the top democrat on the house Intelligence Committee<\/a>. Congressman schiff thank you for being here. Nice to have you back. Thank you, good to be with you. Let me ask your response to this new reporting from the New York Times<\/a>. I dont know if you had a chance to review it. The headline is Trump Campaign<\/a> aides had repeated contacts with russian intelligence the New York Times<\/a> citing multiple american sources saying phone records and intercepted calls show members of trumps president ial campaign had repeated contacts with russian intelligence officials. I wanted to get your response to that. This is, i think, the heart of the investigation and that is was there some form of collusion between the Trump Campaign<\/a> and the kremlin . The kremlin was engaged in illegal activities in the United States<\/a> designed to influence the outcome of the election. Obviously their intent was to help donald trump and hurt secretary clinton and were Trump Campaign<\/a> surrogates or aides or others affirmatively working with the russians towards that illegal object . Thats one of the central and most important allegations to be investigated and we have agreement on a bipartisan basis to do that investigation but there are a lot of Big Questions<\/a> about whether we can get that done amend one of them, frankly, is personified by one of the photos you just showed and this is direct or comey because well need his cooperation if we do this investigation. We need to know what the fbi has looked at, who they have talked to, what leads they have run down, what they havent run down, what yet must be investigated. Theres a big question about whether we will get that cooperation. So that i think is one of the most serious sets of allegations. The other set involves that conversation in december between flynn and the Russian Ambassador<\/a>. Was this done at the direction of the president . With the knowledge of the president . With the knowledge of others in the administration . It seems odd to imagine flynn was acting as a rogue agent and its, i think, entirely flawsabflaw plausible that rather what he was doing was conveying to the ambassador and perhaps to others, we ought to explore anyone he had contact with the idea dont react to the obama sanctions, weve got your back. That would be directly undermining the u. S. National security interests and that is also another very serious issue we have to investigate. Congressman, it was reported today that you told democrats in a closeddoor caucus meeting to expect more information to surface on this subject and specifically about general flynn in coming days, can you tell us what youre expecting and why you advised your fellow democrats of that . Im not sure where that came from. I talked to the talks but not about that. I dont have any understanding that another shoe is about to drop. Im sure we will get information on these issues be i dont have any foreknowledge that something is about to break. When you mentioned that director comey at the sfib a key factor in figuring out whether or not our government is going to investigate and if need be prosecute these matters, for me im trying to look at this from a big picture and i feel like what we know about this thus far is because people inside the government and the Intelligence Community<\/a> have been willing to leak stuff to reporters. Clearly it seems now clear from the facts in terms of the white house admission that when the Justice Department<\/a> went to the white house weeks ago and told them what they knew about jeb flynn that they were worried he was potentially susceptible blackmail and in a scary position in terms of National Security<\/a> operating in the white house, the level he was at, we know the white house had no real reaction to that for weeks until somebody leaked it to a reporter, it became public, they had a hard time answering questions and now flynn is gone. Similarly with this New York Times<\/a> reporting. Somebody has leaked to the New York Times<\/a> that phone records and intercepted calls shows members of the Trump Campaign<\/a> were talking to russian intelligence officials, thats the only way we know it. Im happy to have the information. I dont know if i should have confidence that any of the investigations inside the government the fbi, any legislative investigation, any other form of investigation here will be above board and impartial and will get further to the truth here. Well, i can tell you a couple things. Im going to be pushing my hardest to make sure we have a credible and thorough investigation and if i run into a roadblock in any direction, whether that comes from the house leadership or comes from the fbi, im going to be public about it, im not going to be part of an investigation unless it is real and credible but im going to push the get the work done. Its a fundamental responsibility of the congress to investigate and oversee this. The other point i want to underscore is the one you just mentioned which is the president learned weeks ago that his National Security<\/a> advisor, not some lowlevel federal employee, his National Security<\/a> advisor had lied and that lie was conveyed to the American People<\/a> and, you know what . They were okay with that. For weeks they were okay with that and likely flynn would still be there today if the walk hadnt broke than story. Now, what does that say about this administration that they were willing to allow the public to be misled even when they learned the truth . And the final point i want to make and you began your program with this tonight and im so glad you did focusing on putins attempt to discredit and eliminate his political rival or potential political rival, what the stakes are here because people ask and sean spicer wants to suggest whats the big deal about flynn talking to the Russian Ambassador<\/a> . Isnt that sort of ordinary course of events . The big deal is this. Were in a global struggle with russia right now. They are trying to propagate their authoritarian model around the world. Theyve rued democry, eliminated most democratic institutns in russia. Theyre trying to dismantle Democratic Institutions<\/a> in urine. Liberal democracy is under assault and we are still the last best hope or democracy around the world and in that struggle we cannot afford to be undermined at the highest levels of the white house and thats why this is so important. Congressman adam schiff, member of the house Intelligence Committee<\/a>, thank you for your time tonight, i know youre incredibly busy these days, sir, thank you. Thanks, rachel. Much more ahead. Includi including tim weiner, he has big insight into how big a deal this is that were going through as a country. Stay with us. 90 of the Worlds Largest<\/a> supercomputers run on intel . That means you can take a universe of data in your case literally and turn it into medical discoveries, diagnostic breakthroughs. Proof that black holes collapse into one singularity. I dont know what that is. But yes. Innovation runs on supercomputers. And supercomputers run on intel. You are super smart. And super busy. Ooh ufo false alarm, eyelash why pause a spontaneous moment . Cialis for daily use treats ed and the urinary symptoms of bph. Tell your doctor about your medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. 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Behold, here is your validation from a Pulitzer Prize<\/a> winning journalist who even before Michael Flynn<\/a>s resignation was calling the fbi and cia counterintelligence investigation of general flynn the most politically charged intelligence investigation since the cold war. Joining us now the time weiner, author of two definitive books on the history of the fbi and the cia, mr. Weiner, very nice to have you here, thank you. Hello, rachel. First let me get your reaction. How big a deal is the resignation of Michael Flynn<\/a> . How do you context wallize it against the history of intelligence scandals of this country . Id like to quote one of his pred is saysors Henry Kissinger<\/a> who said the illegal we do immediately the unconstitutional takes longer. We have now three and a half weeks into this administration. Under nixon and i remember this, i lived through this it took them three and a half years to break into the Democratic National<\/a> Committee Headquarters<\/a> at watergate. We are three and a half weeks into the administration, the russians broke into the dnc for them. Thats done. Mike flynn has fallen farther faster than any powerful official in any government in the 20th century in america. We are watching in realtime very quickly a powerful counterintelligence investigation run by the fbi with the assistance of the cia and the nsa that is targeting the top of this government. James comey, head of the fbi, was just mentioned by congressman schiff, the top democrat in intelligence, just mentioned as a factor here, a question mark that it seemed i think congressman schiff implying there or suggesting that we dont necessarily know whether director comey is likely to lead an impartial investigation here. As a historian of the fbi, somebody who watch what happened over the last two years what do you make of his role in this investigation . James comey is the guy who said no to president george w. Bush when bush was misusing the powers of the nsa to spy on americans. He has the power and the will to say no to president s. In the end it was the fbi who brought down richard nixon. And the fbi is sworn to the rule of law. If you had said to your audience a couple months ago that james comey and senator john mccain were standing between President Trump<\/a> and the survival of american democracy, your entire audience would have fallen off its collective couch. I think thats true. I think thats where we are now. Does how does that assessment of director comey, his role and what you think hes capable of, how does that square for you with the way he behaved around the clinton email investigation during the campaign . That was a serious mistake, i think he knows it. He called mrs. Clinton extremely careless. Carelessness is not a violation of federal law. Lying to the fbi is a violation of federal law and if Michael Flynn<\/a> was sticking to flynn facts as they used to say at the Defense Intelligence<\/a> agency when he talked to the fbi a couple weeks ago he is in a world of pain. Tim, in terms of the fallout here, one of the things im worried about, and part of the reason i wanted to talk to you tonight because i feel like youre good at seeing these agencies and power and how they change over time. If the administration survives what its going through right now and i think they will. I dont think the republican controlled house is going to impeach donald trump for anything any time soon. If they survive this, will wie e enure ei enured . Are you worried about redefining normal and scandal . I think were at a very perilous time. That was the roman empire. We are 240 years old in our experiment in american democracy. Were still trying to get it right. We still have a constitution. We still have three branches of government, okay. Donald trump is only one. The white house is only one. We have an independent judiciary that will stand up against unconstitutional orders, and we still have a couple of members of congress who are pretty ornery when it comes to abuse of president ial powers and one is the last cold war senator of senate, john mccain. Will he go after him . You bet he will. Im going to try to change my view of john mccain to go more with yours because it will allow me to sleep more. Well be right back. Stay with us. And once we do, we see wonder waiting. Every step you take, narrows the influence of narrow minds. Bridges continents and brings this world one step closer. So, the question you asked me. What is the key . Its you. Everything in one place, so you can travel the world better. Anyone ever have occasional y constipation,diarrhea, gas or bloating . She does. She does. Help defend against those digestive issues. 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Whether democrats have the ability and the wherewithal and even the inclination to take advantage of that is another story, a maddening story,and thats our close tonight. Stay with us. Thats next. Want powerful relief. Only new alkaseltzer plus free of artificial dyes and preservatives liquid gels delivers the powerful cold symptom relief you need without the unnecessary additives you dont. Loudspeaker clean up, aisle 4. Alkaseltzer plus liquid gels. Dude. Your crunchings scaring the fish. Dude. Theyre just jealous. New kelloggs raisin bran crunch with crunchy clusters and the taste of apples and strawberries. excited i got one jokingly guess were having cereal for dinner. New kelloggs raisin bran crunch apple strawberry if you have moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis<\/a> isnt it time to let the real you shine through . Introducing otezla, apremilast. Otezla is not an injection, or a cream. Its a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. 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The democrats have an opportunity tonight to get out of the past, to start fighting in the trump era. Tom price is leaving to become health secretary. Theres an open house seat in georgia hes vacating. A special election for a seat is coming up soon. That seat in georgias been republican for a long time. Tom price had no problem getting reelected ere. You know what happened in that distance in the president ial election . Trump barely one. He won that georgia district by less than two points. Maybe that means that democrats to take that seat in a special election. The way this works is in georgia they use a jungle primary system, which means all the candidates from all the parties run all in the same primary. After that primary, the top two candidates regardless of which party theyre in, theyll go head to head in a general election. It starts off as a free for all. The republicans to do appear to be maybe run in that rarce, theyre hugely torn whether they should be campaigning on their new party leader, donald trump. Theres division, and the partisan rating in that district in the election looks like an opportunity for democrats to do a 180 and turn things around, right, make a splash in one of the first congressional races under President Trump<\/a>. Despite that, the Democratic Party<\/a> has apparently decided, eh, cant be bothered. The Democratic Campaign<\/a> committee has sent staffers to a third of the districts and they havent sent anybody to tom prices district. Democrat havent even said whether they plan to spend any money there and they dont have any staffers there. Tom prices seats is one of four seats that will open up or are open because theyre nominated to work in the white house. Heres what is being said we all have to acknowledge that those seats are held by republicans and theyve been held by republicans for quite some time so, et, what are you going to do . Things are moving. Races are in motion. That district, tom prices district, trump won it by one and a half points. Democratic party isnt going to contest that . Really . Democrats, if youre not moving forward at this point, you are losing ground. Now its time for the last word. Joy reid sitting in tonight. Its almost like you had an Opposition Party<\/a> that knew how to do politics. I think the Democratic Party<\/a> is going to find their base is their own Opposition Party<\/a>. 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