Rachel Maddow takes a look at the days top political news stories. Other reference in the whole Paul Manafort trial to his time on the Trump Campaign. This thing i previously mentioned about him maybe offering the job of running the u. S. Earl or the a Bank President who approved the loans for him. Thats the only other reference in the Trump Campaign thus far. Two days ago out of the blue, the manafort defense lawyer asks rick gates, did mueller ask but your time in the Trump Campaign . The prosecutor gets up and objects. The judge summons both sides to come to the bench. He flips on, i kid you not, the White Noise Machine which is a real thing. So the jury and the spectators hear crashing waves instead of the conversation. None can hear whats being said. They have this long private communication. We know it is long because we know it takes six pages to
transcribe. But we cant see the pages because they are sealed. Now, we do know after that bench conference, whatever happen there, the conversation picked back up again the same lawyer questioning rick gates and rick gates, after that bench conference, whatever happen, he no longer faced more questions the Trump Campaign or whatever he told Special Counsel with the Trump Campaign. So whatever happened with the judge there, Paul Manaforts lawyer felt the need to change course. Thats one of the most intriguing moments. It has been a real mystery as to what that was. Today, fascinating development. Prosecutors today filed this. It is a formal request to keep that Side Bar Discussion at the bench, where it is just the judge and the lawyers from both sides with the White Noise Machine on, they filed a request to keep that discussion secret. It is sealed already. In the course of the trial under
normal circumstances, that would eventually be unsealed. Prosecutors filed this motion saying that whole discussion has to be kept secret and sealed. Quote, on october 7, 200 during side bar conference, substantive evidence pertaining on an Ongoing Investigation was revealed. The following portion of the side bar Conference Transcript identifies that evidence or reveals details about that evidence. And then they lay it out specifically. Page 1399. Lines 1419. Page 1402. Lines 12. 1417. Page 1403. Lines 12 to 15. Thats where the evidence was discussed. The evidence was revealed pertaining to an Ongoing Investigation. So the prosecutors argued, identifying the identified
portions would reveal substantive evidence pertaining on an Ongoing Investigation. The governments interest in protecting the confidentiality of its Ongoing Investigations is compelling. Law enforcement agencies must be able to investigate crime without the details of the investigation being released to the public in a manner that compromises the investigation. The government has a paramount interest in releasing the release of government which may reveal the direction is that progress of Ongoing Investigations that is not otherwise known to the public. So something came up at that moment in court. It was prompted by these questions about gates. We dont know exactly what happened. But something about this concerns rick gates. It concerns Ongoing Investigations that must be kept secret according to prosecutors. Fascinating when they filed motion. Fascinating to see that it was sealed and now fascinating to say it has to stay sealed. Then tonight the judge issued the order and he agrees prosecutors. Yep, it will be kept secret. Whatever happened after rick gates was asked about what hes told Robert Mueller about his time on the Trump Campaign, that will continue to be kept secret by the court because of other Ongoing Investigations. What other Ongoing Investigations . This is the part where i want to say, tell me more. No. You are not getting anymore. Nobody else is either. We will find out when whatever that is turns up in some other case, i guess. What other case . We dont know. Fascinating. Well have a little more on that
ahead tonight as well. Thats been unspooling in the Late Afternoon into tonight. Now, last night at this time, we made public here this show an Audio Recording that we obtained from a closed door fundraiser that took place last week. This is an Audio Recording on which the chairman devin nunes and Kathy Mcmorris rodgers, they appeared to admit at this closed door event where they didnt know they were being recorded. They appear to admit that despite public statements to the contrary, there is a House Republican man to pursue the impeachment of Deputy Attorney general Rod Rosenstein who overseas the bob Mueller Investigation. We broke that story last night it is plowing through todays news in a couple of ways you should know about. A couple of weeks ago, you might
remember a small group of hard line pro trump Congressional Republicans introduced articles of impeachment for Rod Rosenstein. You might also remember that House Speaker paul ryan immediately distanced himself and the rest of House Republicans from that effort. Do i support impeachment of rosenstein . No, i do not. For a number of reasons. First, it takes i dont think we should be cavalier with this process or this term. Number one. Number two, i dont think. This rises to high crimes is that misdemeanors. Given what you just said, did you try to discourage your colleagues from taking this step and do you view it as legitimate effort or a stunt . So Congressional Republicans, at least the leadership, that
they think this idea of Impeaching Rosenstein is cuckoo for cocoa puffs. Behind this closed door, House Intelligence chairman devin nunes and Kathy Mcmorris rodgers, they appeared to indicate that republicans in congress do support impeaching Rod Rosenstein. They dont want to do it yet. Answering a question at this fundraiser for rodgers, answering a question from an Audience Member about who are not it had any support in congress, devin nunes explained that there is support for the impeachment of rosenstein. He said you wont get an argument about that from our colleagues but he said theyre not talking about it now before the election. They plan to pursue it, a, once the election is over, and b, crucially, after republicans have confirmed Brett Kavanaughto the United StatesSupreme Court. This is not a man theyve talked about publicly but apparently they are talking about it behind closed doors. Appears from outsiders well, so its a bit complicated. I say that because you have to we only have so many months left. So we vote to impeach, right . What that does, the senate only has so much time. You dont want to drop everything and not confirm the new Supreme Court justice. Forcing Rod Rosenstein out of office by meext, thats the one way republicans could end the Mueller Investigation. Removing Rod Rosenstein would allow him to be replaced with somebody who would shut mueller down. It is a matter of timing. Again, this is what theyre saying behind closed doors. Not in public. If this is the way theyre manning to sequence their actions, this raises the possibility that Congressional Republicans know that could it represent a constitutional confrontation if not a crisis if the plan is to make sure that Brett Kavanaugh is on the Supreme Court when that happens for just such an occasion. Well, that changes the meaning of the kavanaugh confirmation. Right . That raises the stakes even further. It sort of changes them as to when and Whether Cavanagh will be confirmed. We reached out to paul brine this news particularly because he has said that republicans in Congress Wont pursue anything like this. Since Kathy Mcmorris rodgers is on his Leadership Team and she is talking about this at a fundraiser in her home state. It raises the Question Wl Republicans have one plan. Then once the election is over, they are planning a surprise uturn. Weve had no comment from the Speakers Office in response to our questions but well let you know if we do hear from him. You smng there is a big new Storm Brewing when it comes to kavanaughs Supreme Court hearing and whether or not republicans are trying on block access to specific gromts kavanaughs past because democrats say those documents might prove that kavanaugh lied under oath to the senate the last time he had a confirmation
hearing. In 2006, he appeared before the committee. The same committee he will appear before for the nomination for the Supreme Court. He was white house Staff Secretary at the time of that nomination. Before that he worked for the white house during the Bush Administration. Senators had a lot of questions about his proximity to various Bush Administration scandals. Specifically to the policy on torture and detainees. Senators wanted to know what role Brett Kavanaugh might have played in forming those policies if any. Each time they asked him the response from Brett Kavanaugh was, no, not me, had nothing to do with me. I was not involved and am not
involved in the rules governing detention of combatants. What about the documents relating to the administrations practices and policies on torture . Did you say anything about that . Or did you first heard about it when you read about it in the paper . I think with respect to the legal justifications, the policies relating to detainees, i was not aware of the memos that came out in the summer sometime in 2004 when there started to be news reports on that. This was not part of my docket in the counsels office or as Staff Secretary. I was not aware of any issues on that. This was not part of my docket. That answer got its own National Headline at the time. Because kavanaughs nomination was so controversial. Kavanaugh denies floel detainee policies. It turns out that may not have been true. About a year after Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to a federal appeals court, the Washington Post and npr reported that Brett Kavanaugh had been personally involved in at least one. It was part of what he dealt with when he worked in the george w. Bush white house. Now, this has a whole bunch of consequences. Number one, had Brett Kavanaugh admitted in his Confirmation Hearings that he had taken part in white house Policy Discussions about Enemy Combatants and socalled detainee issues in 9 11, it is quite possible had he admit that, he would have had to remove himself from the issues. Thats the court that has exclusive jurisdiction for cases
under the Detainee Treatment Act and the military commissions act. In fact, once he was confirmed and he landed on that court, the very first case tried before Brett Kavanaugh as a d. C. Court judge was a case about detainees at guantanamo. The lawyers who represented them at guantanamo told npr that had he known kavanaugh had been part of white house discussion about detainees, he might well have demanded that kavanaugh recuse himself from that case. So kavanaugh denying under oath before the u. S. Senate that he had anything to do with any Policy Discussions about detainees, that had real world troubling legal consequences. Theres also the question of
whether or not Brett Kavanaugh lied under oath to the senate in order to get that last judgeship. After the news reports in 2007, despite his denials to the contrary in his confirmation hearing, dick durbin wrote to then newly minltd judge Brett Kavanaugh. We just checked in with dick durbins office now, they say theyre still waiting for a response from judge kavanaugh, now 11 years later. The mail is slow. Senator leahy referred for prosecution for lying under o h oath. They did not take up that issue but it is still hanging out there. It is kind of amazing that this is the guy now nominated for the u. S. Supreme court. With this particular loose end
just hanging out there still from the last time he was confirmed for something which caused such controversy. This was never settled. And the fact the senate, the senators get old in the senate. The guys who were there 11 years ago, some of them are still there. Thats how it works. So now the aforementioned Storm Brewing, democrats have requested to receive and review gromts kavanaughs times including the document thats might settle it once and for all. Democrats are now trying out an unprecedented series of actions to try to get these documents from kavanaughs past. Over republican objections. Well hear about more of that in a moment. But that was all before we
learned about these discussions by republicans, about them trying on sequence the Brett Kavanaugh confirmations so we hear that hes done and in place before any move to impeach Rod Rosenstein and end the Mueller Investigation. This was already going to be a red hot fight. It is now more like a raging inferno. More ahead. Dear foremothers, your society was led by a woman, who governed thousands. Commanded armies. Yielded to no one. When i found you in my dna, i learned where my strength comes from. My name is courtney mckinney, and this is my ancestrydna story. Now with 2 times more geographic detail than other dna tests. Order your kit at ancestrydna. Com heres a trip tip when you Search Hotels on tripadvisor. Enter your destination and the dates of your stay. Tripadvisor searches over 200 Booking Sites. To find the best deal on the right hotel for you. Tripadvisor. Im all about my bed. This mattress is dangerously comfortable. When i get in, i literally say ahh. Introducing the Leesa Mattress. A better place to sleep. This bed hugs my body. Im now a morning person. The Leesa Mattress is designed to provide strong support, relieve pressure and optimize air flow to keep you cool. Hello bed of my dreams. Order online well build it, box it and ship it to your door for you to enjoy. Sleep on it for up to one hundred nights and love it or youll get a full refund. Returns are free and easy. I love my leesa. Today is gonna be great. Read our reviews then try the Leesa Mattress in your own home. Order now and get 150
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