May 19, 2019
We finally have the facts. The two year long investigation, leadby Robert Mueller, into whether or not the 2016 Donald Trump forPresident campaign worked with members of the Russian government tosteal and release Democratic Party emails is now complete. In thisepisode, after reading every word of the 448 page report, Jenbreaks what the facts indicate Donald Trump did and did not do sothat we can all be "in the know" for the Congressional battles withthe President that are sure to come.
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Official Mueller Report
Jen Briney's highlighted version
Interactive Mueller Report from The New York Times
JusticeDepartment's pdf version
Additional Reading
- Article: Roger Stone/ Mueller Report: 448 pages with 900redactions by Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, May 1,2019.
- Document: Official MuellerReportU.S. Department of Justice, March 2019.
Document: Interactive NYT Mueller report New York Times,March 2019.
Article: Taibbi: As Mueller Probe Ends,New Russiagate MythBegins by Matt Taibbi,RollingStone, March 25, 2019.
- Article: Cohen Hired IT Firm to Rig Early CNBC, Drudge Polls to FavorTrump byMichaelRothfeld,RobBarryandJoe Palazzolo,Washington Post, January 17, 2019.
- Article: Trump Dodges Question on Fox News if He's a RussianAsset by Audrey McNamara, The Daily Beast, January 13,2019.
- Article: Trump is Compromised by Russia by Michele Goldberg, NYTimes, November 29, 2018.
Article: Text with Roger Stone’s name (Volume II, pg 128), byMarisa Schultz and Nikki Schwab, New York Post, November 28,2018.
- Article: Roger Stone Associate says He won't agree to Plea Dealby Sara Murray and Eli Watkins, CNN, November 26, 2018.
- Article: 14 States Forgo Paper Ballots, Despite Security Warningsby Gopal Ratnam, Government Technology, October 31, 2018.
- Article: Will Trump be Meeting his Russian Counterpart orHandler? by Jonathon Chait, NY Intelligencer, July2018.
Transcript: Remarks by President Trump in Press GaggleTheWhite House, June 15, 2018.
- Article: Rudy Giulani says Mueller Probe might Get Cleaned up withPresidential Pardons by Chris Somerfeldt, NY Daily News,June 15, 2018
- Article: Michael Cohen has said he would take a bullet for Trumpby Honorable Maggie Haberman, Sharon LaFriere and DannyHakim, NY Times, April 20, 2018.
- Article: Russians Turned Away at Seattle Consulate After Trump announcesClosure by Evan Bush, Christine Clarridge, DominicGatesand Hal Bernton, The Seattle Times, March, 26 2018.
- Article: It'sOfficial: Russiagate is this Generation's WMD byMatt Taibbi, Substack, March 23, 2018.
- Article: RussianTweets used as sources for Partisan Opinionstudyby Josephine Lukito and Chris Wells, ColumbiaJournalism Review, March 8, 2018.
- Article: Cable News Ad Revenue up 25 Percent by Joe Concha,The Hill, February 23, 2018.
- Document: Transcript of December 13, 2017 Rosenstein hearing byCommittee of the Judiciary House of Representative U.S. Congress,December 13, 2017.
- Article: In Retaliations, US Orders Russian to Close Consulate in SanFrancisco by MarkLandlerandGardinerHarris, NY Times, August, 31 2017.
- Article: Excerpts from Interview with Trump by StephenCrowley, NY Times, July 19, 2017.
- Document: Transcript of June 8, 2017 Comey hearing by SelectCommittee on Intelligence U.S. Senate, June 8, 2017.
- Article: Comey, Mueller and the Showdown at John Ashcroft's HospitalBed by Colleen Shalby, LA Times, May 17, 2017.
- Document: Statement from Press Secretary regarding James Comey'sTestimonyWhite House U.S. Press Secretary, May 9,2017.
Article: Sessions Met with Russian Ambassador During Trumps PresidentialCampaign by Adam Entous, Ellen Naskashima and GregMiller, The Washington Post, March 1, 2017
- Article: National Security Advisor Flynn Discussed Sanctions with RussianAmbassador Despite Denials by Greg Miller, Adam Entousand Ellen Nakashima Washington Post, February 9, 2017.
- Document: Steele DossierConfidential, by Mark Schoofs,BuzzFeed, October 19, 2016.
- Article: Wiki Leaks to Publish More Hilary Emailsby MarkTran, The Guardian, June 12, 2016.
- Article: Panel Told of a Sickbed Face-Off by Richard Schmitt, LATimes, May 16, 2007.
Resources
Press Gaggle Transcript: Remarks by President Trump in Press Gaggle, June 15,2018
Hearing Transcript: Oversight Hearing with Deputy Attorney General RodRosenstein, December 13, 2017
Hearing Transcript: Open Hearing with Former FBI Director James Comey, June8, 2017
Report: Steele Dossier, Company Intelligence Report 2016/080
Statement Transcript: Statement from the Press Secretary, May 9, 2017
Visual Resources
Sound Clip Sources
Hearing: Michael Cohen Testimony Before House Oversight Committee,C-SPAN, February 27, 2019.
Sound Clips:
33:31 Michael Cohen: You need to knowthat Mr. Trump’s personal lawyers reviewed and edited my statementto Congress about the timing of the Moscow Tower negotiationsbefore I gave it.
33:44 Michael Cohen: To be clear, Mr.Trump knew of and directed the Trump Moscow negotiations throughoutthe campaign and lied about it. He lied about it because he neverexpected to win. He also lied about it because he stood to makehundreds of millions of dollars on the Moscow real estateproject.
39:21 Michael Cohen: Donald Trump is aman who ran for office to make his brand great, not to make ourcountry great. He had no desire or intention to lead this nation,only to market himself and to build his wealth and power. Mr. Trumpwould often say this campaign was going to be greatest infomercialin political history. He never expected to win the primary. Henever expected to win the general election. The campaign, for him,was always a marketing opportunity.
43:50 Michael Cohen: Mr. Trumpdirected me to find a straw man to purchase a portrait of him thatwas being auctioned off at an art Hampton’s event. The objectivewas to ensure that this portrait, which was going to be auctionedlast, would go for the highest price of any portrait thatafternoon. The portrait was purchased by the fake bidder for$60,000. Mr. Trump directed the Trump Foundation, which is supposedto be a charitable organization, to repay the fake bidder, despitekeeping the art for himself.
48:50 Michael Cohen: When I say conman, I'm talking about a man who declares himself brilliant, butdirected me to threaten his high school, his colleges, and theCollege Board to never release his grades or SAT scores.
53:09 Michael Cohen: Mr. Trump hadfrequently told me and others that his son Don Jr had the worstjudgment of anyone in the world.
55:31 Michael Cohen: And by comingtoday, I have caused my family to be the target of personalscurrilous attacks by the president and his lawyer trying tointimidate me from appearing before this panel.
56:30 Michael Cohen: And I hope thiscommittee and all members of Congress on both sides of the aislemake it clear that as a nation, we should not tolerate attempts tointimidate witnesses before Congress and attacks on family are outof bounds and not acceptable.
2:10:30 Michael Cohen: And when Mr.Trump turned around early in the campaign and said, I can shootsomebody on Fifth Avenue and get away with it, I want to be veryclear. He's not joking. He's telling you the truth. You don't knowhim. I do. I sat next to this man for 10 years and I watched hisback.
2:11:13 Michael Cohen: And when hegoes on Twitter and he starts bringing in my in-laws, my parents,my wife, what does he think is going to happen? He's causing...He's sending out the same message that he can do whatever he wants.This is his country. He's becoming an autocrat and hopefullysomething bad will happen to me or my children and my wife so thatI will not be here and testify. That's what his hope was. Tointimidate me.
2:11:46 Rep. Jim Cooper (TN): Have youever seen Mr. Trump personally threaten people with physical harm?Michael Cohen: No. He would use others.
2:12:00 Michael Cohen: Everybody’s jobat the Trump organization is to protect Mr. Trump
2:12:07 Michael Cohen: Every day. Mostof us knew we were coming in and we were going to lie for him onsomething, and that became the norm, and that's exactly what'shappening right now in, in this country. That's exactly what'shappening here in government.
4:10:30 Rep. Brenda Lawrence (MI): MrCohen, why do you feel or believe that the president is repeatedlyattacking you? You are stating that you feel intimidated asking usto protect you following your cooperation with law enforcement.Michael Cohen: When you have access to 60 plusmillion people that follow you on social media and you have theability within which to spark some action by individuals thatfollow and follow him and from his own words that he can walk downFifth Avenue, shoot someone and get away with it. It's nevercomfortable when the President of the United States… Rep.Brenda Lawrence (MI): What do you think he can do to you?Michael Cohen: A lot. And it's not just him, it'sthose people that follow him in his rhetoric. Rep. BrendaLawrence (MI): What is a lot? MichaelCohen: I don't know. I don't walk with my wife. If we goto a restaurant or we go somewhere, I don't walk with my children.I make them go before me because I have fear and it's the same fearthat I had before when he initially decided to drop that tweet inmy cell phone. I receive some, and I'm sure you, you'll understand.I received some tweets. I received some Facebook messenger, allsorts of social media attacks upon me, whether it's the privatedirect message that I've had to turn over to secret service becausethey are the most vile, disgusting statements that anyone can everreceive. And when it starts to affect your children, that's when itreally affects you.
Interview: Trumpjoins Judge Jeanine for a phone interview to give an update onwhere Washington is at with the border crisis, Fox News,January 12, 2019.
Sound Clip:
- 15:00 President Donald Trump: Look, Iwas a client of his, and you know, you're supposed to havelawyer-client privilege, but it doesn't matter because I'm a veryhonest person, frankly, but he's in trouble on some loans and fraudand taxi cabs and stuff that I know nothing about and in order toget a sentence reduced, he says, "I have an idea, I'll give yousome information on the president." Well, there is no information,but he should give information, maybe on his father in law becausethat's the one that people want to look at because where does thatmoney? That's the money in the family. And I guess he didn't wantto talk about his father in law. He's trying to get his sentencereduced.
Press Conference: President Trump Accuses Personal Lawyer Michael Cohen of Lying,C-SPAN, November 29, 2018.
Sound Clip:
- 1:00 President Donald Trump: He wasconvicted of various things unrelated to us. He was given a fairlylong jail sentence and he’s a weak person. And by being weak,unlike other people that you watch - he is a weak person. And whathe’s trying to do is get a reduced sentence. So he’s lying about aproject that everybody knew about.
Interview: Interview withAinsley Earhardt on Fox & Friends, YouTube, August 23,2018.
Sound Clips:
Ainsley Earhardt:What grade do you giveyourself so far? President Donald Trump: So, Igive myself an A+. Ainsley Earhardt: Will you fireSessions? President Donald Trump: I'll tell youwhat, as I've said, I wanted to stay uninvolved, but when everybodysees what's going on in the Justice Department - I put "Justice"now in quotes - It's a very, very sad day. Jeff Sessions recusedhimself, which he shouldn't have done, or he should have told me.Even my enemies say that Jeff sessions should have told you that hewas going to recuse himself and then you wouldn't have put him in.He took the job and then he said, "I'm going to recuse myself." Isaid, "What kind of a man is this?" And by the way, he was on thecampaign and you know, the only reason I gave him the job, becauseI felt loyalty. He was an original supporter.
President Donald Trump: He makes a better dealwhen he uses me, like everybody else, and one of the reasons Irespect Paul Manafort so much is he went through that trial... Youknow, they make up stories. People make up stories. This wholething about flipping, they call it, I know all about flipping. For30, 40 years, I've been watching flippers. Everything's wonderful,and then they get 10 years in jail and they flip on whoever thenext highest one is, or as high as you can go. It almost ought tobe outlawed. It's not fair.
Press Briefing: President Trump Remarks on John Brennan and Mueller Probe,C-SPAN, August 17, 2018.
Sound Clip:
- President Donald Trump: I think the wholeManafort trial is very sad when you look at what’s going on there.I think it’s a very sad day for our country. He worked for me for avery short period of time. But you know what, he happens to be avery good person. And I think it’s very sad what they’ve done toPaul Manafort.
News Report: State of the Unionwith Jake Tapper, CNN, YouTube, June 17, 2018.
- 9:30 Jake Tapper: How do you respondto critics who say you discussing it on TV, you discussing it withthe New York Daily News, President Trump tweeting, that you'resending a signal to defendants in a criminal prosecution that apardon is out there. It might be on its way. Some people think thatthis is the president and you suggesting that - signaling really, -don't cooperate with prosecutors because the pardon is there ifyou'll just hold on. Rudy Giuliani: Jake, I don'tthink that's the interpretation. It's certainly not intended thatway. What it should be... I'll tell you what I clearly mean. What Imean is you're not going to get a pardon just because you'reinvolved in this investigation. You probably have a higher burdenif you're involved in this investigation as compared to the otherswho get pardons but you're certainly not excluded from it if, infact, the president and his advisors, not me, come to theconclusion that you've been treated unfairly.
Press Conference: President Trump gives off-the-cuff news conference on White Houselawn, CNBC, June 15, 2018.
Sound Clips:
6:30 Reporter: So there’s somehigh-profile court cases going on. You’ve got a former campaignmanager, your former lawyer. They’re all dealing with legaltroubles. Are you paying close attention — President DonaldTrump: Well, I feel badly about a lot of them, because Ithink a lot of it is very unfair. I mean, I look at some of themwhere they go back 12 years. Like Manafort has nothing to do withour campaign. But I feel so — I tell you, I feel a little badlyabout it. They went back 12 years to get things that he did 12years ago?
8:50 Reporter: Is he still yourlawyer? President Donald Trump: No, he’s not mylawyer anymore. But I always liked Michael, and he’s a good person.And I think he’s been — Reporter: Are you worriedhe will cooperate? President Donald Trump: Excuseme, do you mind if I talk? Reporter: I just wantto know if you’re worried — President DonaldTrump: You’re asking me a question; I’m trying to ask it.Reporter: I just want to know if you’re worried ifhe’s going to cooperate with federal investigators.President Donald Trump: No, I’m not worriedbecause I did nothing wrong.
White House Briefing: President Trumpreceives a briefing from Military Leadership, YouTube, April 9,2018.
Sound Clips:
President Donald Trump: So I just heard thatthey broke into the office of one of my personal attorneys — a goodman. And it’s a disgraceful situation. It’s a total witch hunt.I’ve been saying it for a long time. I’ve wanted to keep it down.We’ve given, I believe, over a million pages’ worth of documents tothe Special Counsel. They continue to just go forward. And here weare talking about Syria and we’re talking about a lot of seriousthings. We’re the greatest fighting force ever. And I have thiswitch hunt constantly going on for over 12 months now.
President Donald Trump: The Attorney Generalmade a terrible mistake when he did this, and when he recusedhimself. Or he should have certainly let us know if he was going torecuse himself, and we would have used a — put a different AttorneyGeneral in. So he made what I consider to be a very terriblemistake for the country. But you’ll figure that out.
Hearing: Facebook, Google, and Twitter Executives on Russia ElectionInterference, Senate Intelligence Committee, C-SPAN, November1, 2017.
Sound Clips:
- 1:49:24 Sen. Roy Blunt (MO): Mr.Stretch, how much money did the Russians spend on ads that we nowlook back as either disruptive or politically intended? It was at$100,000. Is that— Colin Stretch: It wasapproximately $100,000. Blunt: I meant from yourcompany. Stretch: Yes, approximately $100,000.Blunt: How much of that did they pay before theelection? Stretch: The— Blunt:I’ve seen the— Stretch: Yeah.Blunt: —number 44,000. Blunt: Isthat right? Stretch: So— Blunt:56 after, 44 before. Stretch: The ad impressionsran 46% before the election, the remainder after the election.Blunt: 46%. Well, if I had a consultant that wastrying to impact an election and spent only 46% of the money beforeElection Day, I’d be pretty upset about that, I think. So, theyspent $46,000. How much did the Clinton and Trump campaigns spendon Facebook? I assume before the election.Stretch: Yeah. Before the elec—Blunt: They were better organized than the othergroup. Stretch: Approximate—combined approximately$81 million. Blunt: 81 million, and before theelection. Stretch: Yes. Blunt:So, 81 million. I’m not a great mathematician, but 46,000, 81million, would that be, like, five one-thousandths of one percent?It’s something like that. Stretch: It’s a smallnumber by comparison, sir.
Hearing: Russian Interference in 2016 Election, Senate IntelligenceCommittee, C-SPAN, June 8, 2017.
Witness:
- James Comey - Former FBI Director
Sound Clips:
48:20 Senator James Risch (ID): Youput this in quotes. Words matter. You wrote down the words so wecan all have the words in front of us now. There’s 28 words therethat are in quotes, and it says, quote, ‘‘I hope’’—this is thePresident speaking—‘‘I hope you can see your way clear to lettingthis go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can letthis go.’’Now those are his exact words, is that correct?James Comey:: Correct. SenatorRISCH: And you wrote them here and you put them in quotes?Director COMEY: Correct. SenatorRISCH: Okay. Thank you for that. He did not direct you tolet it go? Director COMEY: Not in his words, no.Senator RISCH: He did not order you to let it go?Director COMEY: Again, those words are not anorder. Senator RISCH: No. He said, ‘‘I hope.’’Now, like me, you probably did hundreds of cases, maybe thousandsof cases, charging people with criminal offenses. And of course youhave knowledge of the thousands of cases out there where peoplehave been charged. Do you know of any case where a person has beencharged for obstruction of justice or, for that matter, any othercriminal offense, where they said or thought they hoped for anoutcome? Director COMEY: I don’t know well enoughto answer. And the reason I keep saying his words is I took it as adirection. Senator RISCH: Right. DirectorCOMEY: I mean, this is the President of the United Stateswith me alone, saying, ‘‘I hope’’ this. I took it as this is whathe wants me to do. I didn’t obey that, but that’s the way I tookit.
54:18 Sen. Diane Feinstein (CA): Youdescribed two phone calls that you re- ceived from President Trump,one on March 30 and one on April 11, where he, quote, ‘‘describedthe Russia investigation as a cloud that was impairing hisability,’’ end quote, as President and asked you, quote, ‘‘to liftthe cloud,’’ end quote. How did you interpret that? And what didyou believe he wanted you to do? Director COMEY: Iinterpreted that as he was frustrated that the Russia investigationwas taking up so much time and energy, I think he meant of theExecutive Branch, but in the public square in general, and it wasmaking it difficult for him to focus on other priorities of his.But what he asked me was actually narrower than that. So I thinkwhat he meant by the cloud, and again I could be wrong, but what Ithink he meant by the cloud was the entire investigation is takingup oxygen and making it hard for me to focus on the things I wantto focus on. The ask was to get it out that I, the President, amnot personally under investigation.
1:17:17 Sen. Susan Collins (ME): Andwas the President under investigation at the time of your dismissalon May 9th? James Comey: No.
1:30:15 James Comey: On March the30th, and I think again on—I think on April 11th as well, I toldhim we’re not investigating him personally. That was true.
1:39:10 Sen. Angus King (ME): And inhis press conference on May 18th, the President was asked whetherhe had urged you to shut down the investigation into Michael Flynn.The President responded, quote, ‘‘No, no. Next question.’’ Is thatan accurate statement? James Comey: I don’tbelieve it is.
1:48:15 James Comey: I think there’s abig difference in kicking superior officers out of the Oval Office,looking the FBI Director in the eye, and saying, ‘‘I hope you’lllet this go.’’ I think if our—if the agents, as good as they are,heard the President of the United States did that there’s a realrisk of a chilling effect on their work.
2:21:35 Sen. Jack Reed (RI): Youinterpret the discussion with the President about Flynn as adirection to stop the investigation. Is that correct? JamesComey: Yes.
2:24:25 James Comey: I know I wasfired because something about the way I was conducting the Russiainvestigation was in some way putting pressure on him, in some wayirritating him, and he decided to fire me because of that. I can’tgo farther than that.
2:26:00 James Comey: There’s no doubtthat it’s a fair judgment, it’s my judgment, that I was firedbecause of the Russia investigation. I was fired in some way tochange—or the endeavor was to change the way the Russiainvestigation was being conducted.
Interview: Lester Holt Exclusive Interview with President Trump, NBC News,May 11, 2017.
Sound Clips:
President Donald Trump: Look, he's a show boat.He's a grandstander. The FBI has been in turmoil. You know that. Iknow that. Everybody knows that. You take a look at the FBI a yearago, it was in virtual turmoil less than a year ago. It hasn'trecovered from that.
Lester Holt: Monday you met with the DeputyAttorney General Rod Rosensteinn. President DonaldTrump: Right. Lester Holt: Did you askfor recommendation? President Donald Trump: What Idid is I was going to fire Comey. My decision. It was not...Lester Holt: You had made the decision before theycame... President Donald Trump: I was going tofire Comey. There's no good time to do it, by the way.Lester Holt: Because in your letter, you said, Iaccepted their recommendation, so you had already made thedecision? President Donald Trump: Oh, I was goingto fire regardless of recommendation.
President Donald Trump: And in fact, when Idecided to just do it, I said to myself, I said, you know, thisRussia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story. It's anexcuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that theyshould have won.
Lester Holt: Let me ask you about yourtermination letter to Mr. Comey. You write, "I greatly appreciateyou informing me on three separate occasions that I am not underinvestigation." Why did you put that in there? PresidentDonald Trump: Because he told me that, I mean he toldme... Lester Holt: He told you you weren't underinvestigation with regard to the Russian investigation?President Donald Trump: I've heard that fromothers. I think... Lester Holt: Was it in a phonecall? Did you meet face to face? President DonaldTrump: I had a dinner with him. He wanted to have dinnerbecause he wanted to stay on. We had a very nice dinner at theWhite House. Lester Holt: He asked for the dinner?President Donald Trump: The dinner was arranged, Ithink he has for the dinner and he wanted to stay on as the FBIhead and I said, I'll consider, we'll see what happens. But we hada very nice dinner and at that time he told me, you are not underinvestigation. Which I knew anyway. Lester Holt:That was one meeting. What were the other two? PresidentDonald Trump: First of all, when you're underinvestigation, you're giving all sorts of documents and everything.I knew I wasn't under and I heard it was stated at the committee,at some committee level, that I wasn't. Number one. Then during thephone call, he said it and then during another phone call. He saidit. So he said it once at dinner and then he said it twice doingphone calls. Lester Holt: Did you call him?President Donald Trump: In one case I called him.In one case he called me. Lester Holt: And did youask him I under investigation? President DonaldTrump: I actually asked him, yes. I said, if it's possiblewhen you let me know, am I under investigation? He said, "You arenot under investigation." Lester Holt: But he's,he's given sworn testimony that there was an ongoing investigationinto the Trump campaign and possible collusion with the Russiangovernment. You were the centerpiece of the Trump campaign, so washe being truthful when he said that you weren't underinvestigation? President Donald Trump: Well, Iknow one thing. I know that I'm not under investigation. Me.Personally. I'm not talking about campaigns. I'm not talking aboutanything else. I'm not under investigation.
President Donald Trump: He's not my man or notmy man. I didn't appoint him. He was appointed long before me.
President Donald Trump: There was no collusionbetween me and my campaign and the Russians. The other thing is theRussians did not affect the vote and everybody seems to thinkthat.
Lester Holt: But when you put out tweets, it'sa total hoax. It's a taxpayer's charade. And you're looking for anew FBI director. Are you not sending that person a message to layoff? President Donald Trump: No, I'm not doingthat. I think that we have to get back to work, but I want to findout, I want to get to the bottom. If Russia hacked, if Russia didanything having to do with our election, I want to know about.
White House Press Briefing: Sarah Sanders DailyPress Briefing, White House, May 10, 2017.
Oversight Hearing: FBI Oversight, Senate Judiciary Committee, C-SPAN, May 3,2017.
Witness:
- James Comey - FBI Director
Sound Clips:
57:19 Sen. Patrick Leahy (VT): InOctober, the FBI was investigating the Trump campaign's connectionto Russia. You sent a letter informing the Senate and House thatyou are reviewing additional emails. It could be relevant to this,but both of those cases are open, but you're still only commentedon one. FBI Director James Comey: I commented, asI explained earlier on October 28th in a letter that I sent to thechair and rankings of the oversight committees that we were takingadditional steps in the Clinton email investigation because I hadtestified under oath repeatedly that we were done, that we werefinished there. With respect to the Russia investigation, wetreated it like we did with the Clinton investigation. We didn'tsay a word about it until months into it. And then the only thingwe've confirmed so far about this is - same thing with the Clintoninvestigation - that we are investigating and I would expect we'renot going to say another peep about it until we're done.
1:47:32 Sen. Al Franken (MN): Anyinvestigation into whether the Trump campaign or Trump operationcolluded with Russian operatives would require a full appreciationof the president's financial dealings. Director Comey, wouldpresident Trump's tax returns be material to such an investigation?FBI Director James Comey: That's not something,Senator, I'm going to answer. Sen. Al Franken(MN): Does the investigation have access to PresidentTrump's tax returns? FBI Director James Comey: Ihave to give you the same answer. Again, I hope people don't overinterpret my answers, but I just don't want to start talking aboutanything...What we're looking at and how.
2:00:15 FBI Director James Comey: Thecurrent investigation with respect to Russia, we've confirmed it.The Department of Justice authorized me to confirm that exists.We're not going to say another word about it until we're done.
2:11:30 Sen. Mazie Hirono (HI): You doconfirm that there is still an ongoing investigation of the Trumpcampaign and their conduct with regard to Russian efforts toundermine our elections? FBI Director James Comey:We're conducting an investigation to understand whether there wasany coordination between the Russian efforts and anybody associatedwith the Trump campaign. Sen. Mazie Hirono (HI):So since you've already confirmed that such an investigation isongoing, can you tell us more about what constitutes thatinvestigation? FBI Director James Comey: No.2:25:40 Sen. Richard Blumenthal (CT): Youhave confirmed, I believe that the FBI is investigating potentialties between Trump associates and the Russian interference in the2016 campaign, correct? FBI Director JamesComey:Yes. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (CT):And you have not, to my knowledge, ruled out anyone in the Trumpcampaign as potentially a target of that criminal investigation.Correct? FBI Director James Comey: Well, I haven'tsaid anything publicly about who we've opened investigations on.I've briefed the chair and ranking on who those people are. And soI, I can't, I can't go beyond that in this setting. Sen.Richard Blumenthal (CT): Have you ruled out anyone in thecampaign that you can disclose? FBI Director JamesComey: I don't feel comfortable answering that senator,because I think it puts me on a slope to talking about who we'reinvestigating. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (CT): Haveyou ruled out the president United States? FBI DirectorJames Comey: I don't want people to over-interpret thisanswer. I'm not going to comment on anyone in particular becausethat puts me down a slope of... Cause if I say no to that, then Ihave to answer succeeding questions. So what we've done is briefthe chair and ranking on who the U.S. persons are that we've openedinvestigations on. And that's, that's as far as we're going to gowith this point. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (CT): Butas a former prosecutor, you know that when there's an investigationinto several potentially culpable individuals, the evidence fromthose individuals and the investigation can lead to others.Correct? FBI Director James Comey: Correct. We'realways open minded about, and we follow the evidence wherever ittakes us. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (CT): Sopotentially the President of the United States could be a target ofyour ongoing investigation into the Trump campaign's involvementwith Russian interference in our election. Correct? FBIDirector James Comey: I just worry... I don't want toanswer that because it seems to be unfair speculation. We willfollow the evidence. We'll try and find as much as we can and we'llfollow the evidence where it leads.
Interview: Interview withPresident Trump, Fox Business Network, YouTube, April 12,2017.
Sound Clip:
- 5:30 Maria Bartiromo: Was it amistake not to ask Jim Comey to step down from the FBI at theoutside of your presidency, is it too late now to ask him to stepdown? President Donald Trump: No, it's not toolate. But I have confidence at him, we'll see what happens. It'sgoing to be interesting
Interview: Face the Nationinterviews Vice-President elect Mike Pence, YouTube, January15, 2017.
Sound Clip:
- 8:48 John Dickerson: It was reportedby David Ignatius that the incoming national security advisorMichael Flynn was in touch with the Russian ambassador on the daythe United States government announced sanctions for Russianinterference with the election. Did that contact help with thatRussian kind of moderate response to it? That there was nocounter-reaction from Russia. Did the Flynn conversation help pavethe way for that sort of more temperate Russian response?Vice President-elect Mike Pence: I talked toGeneral Flynn about that conversation and actually was initiated onChristmas Day he had sent a text to the Russian ambassador toexpress not only Christmas wishes but sympathy for the loss of lifein the airplane crash that took place. It was strictly coincidentalthat they had a conversation. They did not discuss anything havingto do with the United States’ decision to expel diplomats or imposecensure against Russia.
Hearing: Jeff Sessions for Attorney General Confirmation, SenateJudiciary Committee, C-SPAN, January 10, 2017.
Clip: Jeff Sessions Didn't Disclose 2016 Meetings with RussianAmbassador
Sound Clips:
- Sen. Al Franken (MN): If there is any evidencethat any one affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated withthe Russian government in the course of this campaign, what willyou do? Sen. Jeff Sessions (AL): Senator Franken,I'm not aware of any of those activities. I have been called asurrogate at a time or two in that campaign, and I didn't have nothave communications with the Russians and I'm unable to comment onit.
Campaign Speech clip: Trump: I could shootsomebody and not lose voters", Iowa Campaign Rally, CNN,January 23, 2016.
Sound Clips:
- Donald Trump: I have the most loyal people.Did you ever see that? Where I could stand in the middle of 5thAvenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters. Okay?It’s like, incredible.
Interview: Trump says Clinton policy on Syria would lead to World WarThree, Steve Holland, Reuters, October 25, 2016.
National Security Address: Hilary Clinton Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations,C-SPAN, November 19, 2015.
Sound Clip:
- Hillary Clinton: So we need to movesimultaneously toward a political solution to the civil war thatpaves the way for a new government with new leadership and toencourage more Syrians to take on ISIS as well. To support them, weshould immediately deploy the special operations force PresidentObama has already authorized and be prepared to deploy more as moreSyrians get into the fight, and we should retool and ramp up ourefforts to support and equip viable Syrian opposition units. Ourincreased support should go hand in hand with increased supportfrom our Arab and European partners, including Special Forces whocan contribute to the fight on the ground. We should also work withthe coalition and the neighbors to impose no-fly zones that willstop Assad from slaughtering civilians and the opposition from theair.
Video: Gonzalez: PressuredHospitalized Ashcroft to OK Spying, James Comey Testifyingbefore Senate Judiciary Committee, YouTube, May 15, 2007.
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Cover Art
Design by Only Child Imaginations
Music Presented in This Episode
Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found onMusic Alley by mevio)