Donald Trump Lawyers Up, Hiring Attorney For All Things Russia | The 11th Hour

GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN FROM OUR HEADQUARTERS HERE IN NEW YORK.
DAY 124 OF THE TRUMP ADS ADMINISTRATION, AND THE
PRESIDENT IS HIRING A LAWYER. IT COMES LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE APPOINTED A SPECIAL COUNSEL TO
OVERSEE THE FBI RUSSIA INVESTIGATION.
SOURCES FAMILIAR WITH THE DECISION TELL NBC NEWS PRESIDENT
TRUMP IS EXPECTED TO RETAIN MARK CASSE WITS AS PRIVATE ERNL
ATTORNEY ON MATTERS RELATED TO THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION.
CASSE WITS HAS REPRESENTED TRUMP IN THE PAST, INCLUDING ACCORDING
TO THE "WASHINGTON POST," SOME OF TRUMP'S DIVORCE SETTLEMENTS
AND ACCUSATIONS OF FRAUD AGAINST TRUMP UNIVERSITY.
WE ALSO HEARD TODAY FROM FORMER CIA DIRECTOR JOHN BRENNAN,
TESTIFYING BEFORE THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE.
EARLY ON IN THE PROCEEDINGS, THE QUESTION OF RUSSIAN COLLUSION
CAME UP. >> HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN MANY
COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE CASES IN THE PAST, I KNOW WHAT THE
RUSSIANS TRY TO DO. THEY TRY TO SUB ON INDIVIDUALS,
THEY TRY TO GET INDIVIDUALS INCLUDING U.S. PERSONS TO ACT ON
THEIR BEHAVE EITHER WITTINGLY OR UNWITH ITTINGLY.
AND I WAS WORRIED BY A NUMBER OF THE CONTACT HAS THE RUSSIANS HAD
WITH U.S. PERSONS AND SO THEREFORE, BY THE TIME I LEFT
OFFICE ON JANUARY 20th, I HAD UNRESOLVED QUESTIONS IN MY MIND
AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE RUSSIANS HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN
GETTING U.S. PERSONS INVOLVED IN THE CAMPAIGN OR NOT TO WORK ON
THEIR BEHALF AGAIN EITHER IN A WITTING OR UNWITTING FASHION.
I ENCOUNTERED AND AM AWARE OF INFORMATION AND INTELLIGENCE
THAT REVEALED CONTACTS AND INTERACTIONS BETWEEN RUSSIAN
OFFICIALS AND U.S. PERSONS INVOLVED IN THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN.
>> DID YOU SEE EVIDENCE OF COLLUSION, COORDINATION,
CONSPIRACY BETWEEN DONALD TRUMP AND RUSSIAN STATE ACTORS?
>> I SAW INFORMATION AND INTELLIGENCE THAT WAS WORTHY OF
INVESTIGATION BY THE BUREAU TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT SUCH
COOPERATION OR COLLUSION WAS TAKING PLACE.
>> WE ALSO RECEIVED WORD TODAY THAT AFTER MICHAEL FLYNN'S
ATTORNEY SAID HE WOULD INVOKE THE FIFTH AMENDMENT IN RESPONSE
TO THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE'S REQUEST FOR
DOCUMENTS ABOUT HIS COMMUNICATIONS WITH RUSSIANS,
THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE SAID THEY ARE NOW
ISSING SUBPOENAS FOR FLYNN'S BUSINESS RECORDS.
AND AS A SORT OF POSSIBLE REBUTTAL VICE CHAIRMAN WARNER
HAS SAID THE FIFTH AMENDMENT WON'TING A FACTOR THIS TIME.
>> WE ISSUED TWO S&PS TO THE TWO MICHAEL FLYNN BUSINESSES THAT WE
ARE AWARE, MICHAEL FLYNN INTEL, LLC, AND I THINK FLYNN INTEL,
INC.. WHILE WE DISAGREE WITH GENERAL
FLYNN'S LAWYER'S INTERPRETATIONS OF TAKING THE FIFTH.
IT IS EVEN MORE CLEAR THAT A BUSINESS DOES NOT HAVE A RIGHT
TO TAKE A FIFTH IF IT IS A CORPORATION.
THOSE SUBPOENAS, ONE HAS BEEN SERVED, ONE IS IN THE PROCESS OF
BEING SERVED. AND WE KEEP ALL OPTIONS ON THE
TABLE. WE THINK THE COMMITTEE HAS MOVED
FORWARD AGGRESSIVELY. >> FLYNN'S LAWYERS ARE SAYING
THEIR CLIENT IS THE SUBJECT OF OUTRAGEOUS ALLEGATIONS.
LET'S BRING IN OUR PANEL BEFORE WE DELAY TOO MUCH.
NBC'S MIKE VERY KARA WHO COVERED IT ALL TODAY ON CAPITOL HILL.
RICK STENGEL IS HERE WITH US AGAIN.
FORMER UNDERSECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND DEPOSIT APAIRS IN
THE STATE DEPUTY THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.
ALSO THE FORMER EDITINGOR OF "TIME" MAGAZINE.
AND THE HOST OF DEADLINE NETWORK.
NICOLE I'M GOING TO BEGIN WITH YOU, I'M GOING QUOTE YOU BACK TO
YOU FROM YOUR BROADCAST TODAY. YOU HAD A MOMENT WHERE YOU
FEARED RUSSIA NORMAL A's IGS. YOU QUOTED THE CELL PHONE
COMMERCIAL "CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW".
ESSENTIALLY TO YOUR FELLOW REPUBLICANS SAYING, LET'S
REMEMBER WHAT THIS CONVERSATION IS ABOUT.
>> RIGHT. I'M TROUBLED BY TRAY DOUBTY WHO
HAS HAD BRIGHT MOMENTS AND HAS HAD LOW POINTS.
I MEAN WE COVERED HIS STEWARDSHIP OF THE BENGHAZI
HEARING. AND HE HAS HAD HIGHS AND LOWS
AND IN FULL VIEW. BUT THAT HE'S MAKING THIS SUCH A
NARROW QUESTION TO BRENNAN ABOUT DO YOU HAVE EVIDENCE OF A
CONSPIRACY? THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION.
WE KNOW THAT RUSSIA SET OTT TO MEDDLE IN OUR ELECTIONS.
WE KNOW THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL IN HACKING THE DNC AND HACKING
HILLARY CLINTON'S CAMPAIGN ADVISORS.
IT IS REALLY BEYOND MY ABILITY TO COME PREHENCE AND EXCUSE WHY
REPUBLICANS WOULD BECOME TOWEDIES FOR A WHITE HOUSE THAT
ON THE SAME DAY THE FRONT PAGE OF THE "WASHINGTON POST" HAS A
STORY THAT NO ONE AT THE WHITE HOUSE KNOCKED DOWN ABOUT HOW THE
PRESIDENT ESSENTIALLY WANTED TO ENLIST THE CHIEFS OF THE TWO
INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES IN HIS PR RAPID RESPONSE EFFORT TO KNOCK
DOWN AND SHUT DOWN COMEY'S INQUIRY INTO RUSSIA TIES.
BUT THAT REPUBLICANS STILL FEEL LIKE IT'S THEIR JOB AND THEIR
WORK TO NARROW THE QUESTION TO DO YOU HAVE EVIDENCE OF A
CONSPIRACY? WELL, NO, NOT YET, BUT THAT
WASN'T MY JOB AS THE HEAD OF THE CIA IS WHAT BRENNAN WAS TRYING
TO SAY. I HAD EVIDENCE OF CONTACTS, SO I
KICKED IT OVER TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND TRUMP IS THE GUY THAT FIRED THE HEAD OF THAT AGENCY.
>> MIKE VERY KARA ON CAPITOL HILL TELL US ABOUT THE MOVING
PARTS THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY ON TV TODAY AND JUST RESET.
WE HAVE HOUSE INTEL. WE HAVE SENATE INTEL.
AND NOTABLY, WE JUST SHOWED WARNER.
AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE HE TRIES TO BE SIDE BY SIDE WITH BURR, THE
REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN. VERY IMPORTANT TO THOSE TWO TO
APPEAR AS A DUO. WHAT KIND OF COHESION DID WE
SEE, OR LACK OF IT ON THE HOUSE SIDE TODAY.
>> CERTAINLY ON THE SENATE SIDE YOU SEE RICHARD BURR AND MARK
WARNER THERE. THEY ARE THE GROWN UPS IN THE
ROOM. THERE ARE FOUR COMMITTEES,
SENATE JUDICIARY, OUTOVERSIGHT AND HOUSE INTEL WHERE JOHN
BRENNAN APPEARED TODAY. JIM COMEY HAS CHOSEN TO GIVE HIS
TESTIMONY BEFORE SENATE INTELLIGENCE, THAT OF COURSE
COMING SOMETIME AFTER THE MEMORIAL DAY RECESS.
THE MOST DETAILED AND EXTRAORDINARY ACCOUNTING FROM A
TOP INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL. KEEP IN MIND THAT JOHN BRENNAN
WAS IN THE CIA MORE THAN 25 YEARS.
HE SERVED IN THE OBAMA WHITE HOUSE ON THE TOP ADVISER ON
COUNTER TERROR. HE INTENDED THE OBAMA TERM AS
THE CIA DIRECTOR. HERE HE IS SITTING BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE, THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, AND I
AGREE WITH NICOLE. REPUBLICANS HAVE A TALKING
POINT, WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE OF COLLUSION, THEY HAVE ASKED TIME
AND TIME AGAIN. THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE GOING FOR,
BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT BRENNAN IS HAMSTRUNG IN HOW MUCH HE CAN
SAY. YET I THINK THEY GOT MORE THAN
THEY BARGAINED FOR TODAY. BRENNAN DIDN'T NAME WHO THEY
WERE, BUT U.S. PERSONS INVOLVED IN THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN HAD
CONTACTS AND INTERACTION WITH RUSSIAN OFFICIALS.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T GET ANY INNUENDO OR HENCE ANY STRONGER
THAN THAT THAT WHERE THERE IS SMOKE THERE IS PERHAPS FIRE.
AND REPUBLICANS CERTAINLY HAVE A CAUSE TO BE CONCERNED TOP.
>> RICK STENGEL, SO THE PRESIDENT NOW HAS A PERSONAL
LAWYER BECAUSE THE WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL REALLY REPRESENTS THE
INSTITUTION OF THE WHITE HOUSE. AND YOU IF I HAVE HAD THIS
DISCUSSION BEFORE, THE KIND OF GOVERNMENT WORKER ETHOS, THE
CAREER PUBLIC OFFICIAL ETHOS THAT IF ALL THESE REPORTS ARE
TRUE THE PRESIDENT HAS BUMPED UP AGAINST MISCALCULATING THE KINDS
OF PEOPLE PERHAPS THAT HE WAS GOING TO RUN INTO.
>> IN HIS DEALINGS WITH COMEY, IN HIS DEALINGS WITH THE OTHER
PEOPLE THAT HE HAS PERHAPS TRIED TO SUBON TO OBSTRUCT JUSTICE
THESE ARE CAREER OFFICIALS WHO ARE JUST DEEPLY OFFENDED BY
BEING ASKED ABOUT THAT. I MEAN WE HAVE SEEN THOSE
STORIES IN THE PAPER N THE "WASHINGTON POST" STORY TODAY.
I THINK HE DOESN'T COME PREHELPED THIS IDEA THAT PEOPLE
IN GOVERNMENT ARE LOYAL TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
THEY ARE LOYAL TO THE CONSTITUTION.
THEIR LOYAL TO THEIR JOBS. IN THE CASE OF DIRECTOR BRENNAN,
HE SERVED GEORGE BUSH. HE SERVED PRESIDENT OBAMA.
HE IS NOT A CHOIR BOY BUT HE BELIEVES DEEPLY IN THOSE VALUES
THAT HE HAS UPHELD DURING THAT 25-YEAR CAREER.
THE ONE THING I WOULD MENTION ABOUT WHAT WE ARE BOTH SAYING,
THAT EVERYONE WAS SAYING TODAY, THIS IDEA OF THE REPUBLICAN
TRYING TO ESTABLISH COLLUSION IS A BIT OF A DOGLEG IN THE SENSE
THAT YOU CAN OBSTRUCT JUSTICE TRYING TO QUASH AN INVESTIGATION
OF A CRIME THAT WAS NEVER COMMITTED.
THAT MAY BE WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DOING OR HAS DONE RATHER THAN
ALL OF THIS -- ALL OF THE -- >> THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS
THAT'S A CHESS MOVE. AND HE PLAYS WHACK A MOLE.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT HE IS DOING.
THAT'S LIKE 3D STRA TEEJRY. I THINK HE WAS DEPUTILY OFFENDED
THAT ONE WAS LOOKING INTO A QUESTION THAT MAY HAVE
UNDERMINED THE SIZE -- HE LOVES SIZE, AND HE LOVES VICTORY.
AND HE WAS IRKED THAT THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE
LEGITIMACY OF HIS WIN. AND I THINK THE WHITE HOUSE IS
IN A REAL JAM. THEY ARE DEFENSE SNOOSHS THE WIN
COULD BE LEGITIMATE, HE IS OFFENDED BY ANYBODY SUGGESTING
THAT IT'S NOT, HE TRIES TO BACK THAT DOWN AND HE CAN OBSTRUCT
JUSTICE IN DOING THAT. THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.
>> NO DOUBT, LISTEN, FROM BEING INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE, WHEN
PEOPLE CALLED US EVIL GENIUSES, I MEAN, IT WAS USUALLY AN
ACCIDENT WHEN WE DID SOMETHING THAT LOOKED SO SMART AND
STRATEGIC. BUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY ARE MAD
ABOUT, AND WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOWATE AS A WHITE HOUSE IS THAT
THEIR DEFENSE NOW -- IN THE LAST TEN DAYS THEIR DEFENSE ON THE
OUTING OF ISRAEL AND THEIR DEFENSE ON A LOT OF THESE
QUESTIONS IS OH, HE JUST DOESN'T UNDERSTAND.
HE EITHER DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FBI IS AND DOES, WHAT
THE TOP PEOPLE IN HIS OWN INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES DO AND
DON'T DO. THEY ARE NOT TOOLS OF YOUR PRESS
OFFICE. THEY DON'T RAPIDLY RESPOND TO A
STORY YOU DON'T LIKE ABOUT WHAT JIM COMEY IS INVESTIGATING.
>> EVEN CONGRESS DIDN'T UNDERSTAND BRENNAN TODAY WHEN
PEOPLE WERE SAYING, WELL WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE.
THE CIA DOESN'T COLLECT EVIDENCE.
THE FBI COLLECTS EVIDENCE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO INDICT
SOMEONE. >> RIGHT.
>> THE CIA COLLECTS INTELLIGENCE.
>> RIGHT. >> AND THEN THEY PRESENT IT

Donald Trump Lawyers Up, Hiring Attorney For All Things Russia | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

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