Patrick Leahy: ‘We Should Go After…War Criminal’ Assad | MTP Daily

SEEN WHAT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH AND HOW WE WERE ABLE TO AVOID
THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. >> JUST HEARING THAT MAKES ME
THINK WE CAN CONFIRM THAT AUDIO WITH HIM.
HE SAID HE WILL VOTE AGAINST GORSUCH AND SUPPORT THE
FILIBUSTER. SENATOR LEAHY, WELCOME BACK.
>> BEFORE WE GO INTO THIS, I COULDN'T HELP BUT HEAR WHAT WAS
BEING SAID ABOUT SYRIA AND ASSAD.
THE TYPICAL FASHION THAT HAPPENED THE LAST 24 HOURS.
THEY ARE BLAMING IT ON THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION MONTHS AGO.
ASSAD IS A WAR CRIMINAL. HE HAS BEEN AIDED AND A BETTED
BY MR. TRUMP'S FRIEND, VLADIMIR PUTIN.
HE IS A WAR CRIMINAL. THAT SHOULD BE THE POLICY OF
THIS COUNTRY TO TREAT HIM AS A WAR CRIMINAL AND TO GO AFTER HIM
AS A WAR CRIMINAL. >> OKAY.
THAT MEANS BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY?
>> THAT MEANS THAT THEY YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TREAT A WAR
CRIMINAL. >> PRESIDENT OBAMA'S POLICY WAS
REGIME CHANGE, BUT THE MAIN CRITICISM WAS IT WAS ALL TALK
AND NOT BACKED UP TO ANYTHING. HOW DO YOU BACK BACK IT UP?
THE THING IS, HE IS TRYING TO FIND WHO YOU BACK.
THE POINT IS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE POSITION OF BEING THE
UNITED STATES TO BE CONSIDERED HOWEVER THIS COMES OUT.
HE IS A WAR CRIMINAL AND HE WILL BE TREATED AS SUCH WHEN HIS
FORTUNES ARE BEING TRANSFERRED. >> I WILL FOLLOW-UP WITH ONE
MORE ON THIS. THAT GOES TO THE ISSUE IS IF YOU
RECALL, WE CUT A DEAL WITH THE RUSSIANS TO GET RID OF ASSAD'S
CHEMICAL WEAPONS. OBVIOUSLY THAT DEAL FELL
THROUGH. A LOT WERE REMOVED AND WE KNOW
THAT FOR A FACT. THAT WAS CERTIFIED BY THE
RUSSIANS. >> THERE ARE ARGUMENTS BEING
MADE THAT SAID YOU KNOW WHAT, THE FOLKS HAVE BEEN AROUND THE
SENATE AND ARE OVERLY PROTECTIVE OF THE RULES AND THIS IS A
DIFFERENT TIME. THERE IS A DIFFERENT SET OF
EXPECTATIONS BY THE PUBLIC AND HOW THE SENATE NEEDS TO WORK
THIS WAY BETTER. WE MIGHT BE HE BE HEADED TO THE
ELIMINATION OF THE FILIBUSTER OR NARROWING IT MORE.
DID YOU GUYS MAKE A MISTAKE AND REPUBLICANS ARE MAKING A MISTAKE
NOW? >> I THINK BLOCKING THINGS FOR
THE SAKE OF BLOCKING THINGS IS A MISTAKE.
THE SENATE WORKED BETTER WHEN YOU HAD LEADERS IN BOTH PARTIES
WHO WOULD SIT DOWN AND WORK TOGETHER.
NOT BE A WINNER TAKE ALL. SENATOR DANIEL PATRICK AND THEY
WORKED ON SOMETHING. TRENT LOTT AND TOM DASCHLE DID
IT. IF THEY ARE WILLING TO GO ALONG
WITH IT, IT DOES BREAK THAT CODE.
>> THIS ONE AND THE LAST ONE WERE OUT IN THE WHITE HOUSE TOO
MUCH? I WOULD HOPE THEY LOOK AT THE
SENATOR APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
THIS IS THE CHAIRMAN. WE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TO WORK
QUIETLY TO WORK THINGS OUT.
IT IS NOT AS EASY, BUT WHAT IT DOES FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IS
SIGNIFICANT. IN THIS CASE THEY HAVE A PROBLEM
BECAUSE THE WHITE HOUSE DID NOT FOLLOW THE USUAL PROCEDURE WHERE
THEY SAT DOWN WITH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS AND TALKED ABOUT
ADVICE. HERE THE PRESIDENT SAID I WILL
TAKE A LIST FROM AN EFFICACY GROUP AND THEY WILL TELL ME WHO
THEY WILL NOMINATE. THE PRESIDENT WOULD SAY WHO HE
WOULD NOMINATE. >> THERE IS NOTHING THAT SAID
THAT IS WRONG. >> I LIKE FOLLOWING THE
CONSTITUTION. THE PRESIDENT SHALL NOMINATE AND
ADVISE AND CONSENT. PRESIDENT OBAMA NOMINATED THE
CHIEF JUDGE AND IN THE SENATE WHERE EVERY ONE OF US TOOK AN
OATH TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION AND SAID SORRY, WE ARE GOING TO
IGNORE THE CONSTITUTION OR NOT ADVISE AND CONSENT.
WE WILL GIVE YOU A YEAR LONG FILIBUSTER.
BACK DURING THE CLARENCE THOMAS HEARINGS, THERE WAS A REASON THE
NOMINATION CUT A LARGER DEAL ON OTHER -- WHAT WAS DEMOCRATS
WANTED SOMETHING ON ANOTHER BILL AND REPUBLICANS SAID DON'T
FILIBUSTER HIM AND THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT THAT HAPPENED.
YOU MADE YOUR SHARE OF DEALS. IS THERE NEGOTIATIONS TO PREVENT
THIS FILIBUSTERING OF COURSE? >> I'M NOT INVOLVED IN ONE.
I WISH WE COULD HAVE. HOW DISTRESSED I AM TO REACH
THIS PLACE. A LOT OF FICTION THAT GOES ON
AND I'M NOT AWARE OF THE CLARENCE THOMAS ONE.
I THOUGHT HE DID NOT TELL THE TRUTH.
I THOUGHT THAT OTHERS DID. ROBERT BOURQUE LOST IN
COMMITTEE, BUT WE SAID HE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO HAVE A VOTE ON THE
SENATE FLOOR. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED
WITH THE REPUBLICANS THAT VOTED FOR HIM.
A LARGE NUMBER VOTED AGAINST HIM.
AT THE SAME TIME WHEN THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT WAS TRYING
TO GET HIM TO WITHDRAW HIS NAME. >> AN IMPORTANT ADDENDUM THERE.
THANKS FOR

Patrick Leahy: ‘We Should Go After…War Criminal’ Assad | MTP Daily | MSNBC

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