Patrick Leahy: If Donald Trump Has Tapes ‘Let’s Hear What He Said’ | MTP Daily

>> GET A DRINK OF WATER, TAKE CLARITIN.
DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. >> THANK YOU.
>> I'M JOINED BY PATRICK LEAHY. HIS COMMITTEE WILL OVERSEE THE
NEXT FBI DIRECTOR'S NOMINATION. THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME.
>> I SYMPATHIZE WITH MISS WELKER ON THE ALLERGIES.
>> YOU'RE GETTING IT DONE IN WASHINGTON.
IT HASN'T QUITE MOVED UP HERE TO NEW YORK QUITE YET.
THE PRESIDENT, AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW, SUGGESTED LAST WEEK THAT
HE MIGHT HAVE TAPES OF THE CONVERSATION THAT HE HAD WITH
THE FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY.
WHAT IS YOUR REACTION? >> IF HE HAS TAPES, LET'S HEAR
WHAT HE SAID. IF HIS CONVERSATION WAS WITH MR.
COMEY THAT I WANT YOU LOYAL TO ME, NOT TO THE RULE OF LAW, THEN
THAT'S A VERY SERIOUS QUESTION. >> DO YOU PLAN ON ASKING TO
SUBPOENA? ASKING FOR A SUBPOENA FOR THOSE
TAPES? >> IF THERE ARE TAPES, THEY
SHOULD BE TURNED OVER. IF NOT, WE HAVE WHAT THEY DID
DURING NIXON YEARS WEST SUBPOENA THEM.
>> HOW DO YOU GET CONFIRMATION ON IF THEY EXIST?
>> WELL, APPARENTLY YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT FROM THE
PRESIDENT'S SPOKESPERSON. HE SOUNDS MORE LIKE HE'S TRYING
OUT FOR "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
HAS THE FAR MORE SERIOUS THING THAN A COMEDY SHOW.
THIS IS EXTREMELY SERIOUS. I CANNOT IMAGINE ALL MY YEARS
HERE THE PRESIDENT ASKING THE CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, I
WANT TO YOU PLEDGE YOUR LOYALTY TO ME.
NO. HIS LOYALTY HAS TO BE TO THE
RULE OF LAW. HE HAS TO BE WILLING TO FLY RULE
OF LAW WHETHER IT HURTS REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS.
I CANNOT THINK OF A THING THAT HAS SHOCKED ME MORE COMING OUT
OF WHITE HOUSE FROM EITHER REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRATIC
ADMINISTRATIONS. >> SENATOR, THERE'S A LOT OF
TALK ABOUT A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR AND DEMOCRATS POTENTIALLY SAYING
NO TO ANY FBI DIRECTOR. TO ANY PICK FOR FBI DIRECTOR
UNTIL A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR IS APPOINTED.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WOULD SIGN ON TO?
>> WELL, I THINK IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR DOESN'T ANSWER TO THE PRESIDENT OR THE
CONGRESS. HE ANSWERS TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE. AND HE OR SHE CAN FIND OUT WHAT
HAPPENED. HOW INVOLVED WAS RUSSIA?
AND WHAT COLLUSION MIGHT THERE HAVE BEEN WITH OUR OWN
GOVERNMENT? >> I DON'T KNOW HOW AN FBI
DIRECTOR NOMINEE COULD COME BEFORE THE SENATE AND SAY, YES,
I'LL BE INDEPENDENT, KNOWING THAT THE LAST FBI DIRECTOR WHO
SAID THAT WAS TOLD, YOU'RE EITHER LOYAL THE ME OR YOU'RE
LOYAL TO THE RULE OF LAW. IF YOU'RE LOYAL TO THE RULE OF
LAW AND NOT TO ME, YOU'RE FIRED. SO I THINK WE DO, WHOEVER IS
NOMINATED, WE DO THEM A FAVOR BY HAVING A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR SAY,
I'LL BE WILLING TO COOPERATE WITH A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR.
THEY WILL MAKE A DECISION WHETHER THERE'S BEEN COLLUSION
WITH THE RUSSIANS OR WHETHER THE RUSSIANS ARE TRYING TO HAMPER
OUR DEMOCRACY. IF THERE IS EITHER COLLUSION OR
IF THE RUSSIANS ARE TRYING ON HAMPLER OUR DEMOCRACY, IT IS ONE
OF THE GREATEST THREATS THIS COUNTRY HAS FACE IN THE MY
LIFETIME. AND WE NEED NOT TO HAVE A
TWITTER FEED. WE NEED TO HAVE A REAL ANSWER AS
TO WHAT HAPPENED. >> SENATOR, DO YOU THINK THAT
DEMOCRATIC SENATORS CAN FIND THREE REPUBLICAN SENATORS TO
AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT? SAY YES, THERE NEEDS TO BE A
SPECIAL PROSECUTOR? OR WE WILL NOT CONFIRM AN FBI
DIRECTOR? >> I THINK REPUBLICAN SENATORS
AND DEMOCRATIC SENATORS SHOULD SAY WHAT'S BEST FOR THE COUNTRY?
WHAT'S BEST FOR THE COUNTRY IS TO MAKE SURE ANOTHER COUNTRY
LIKE RUSSIA IS NOT INTERFERING WITH US.
AND TO MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY WITHIN OUR GOVERNMENT IS
COOPERATING WITH RUSSIA AND THE INTERFERENCE OF US.
THAT GOES WAY BEYOND PARTISAN POLITICS.
WE HAVE TO STEP BACK AND SAY WE TOOK AN OATH TO UPHELD TO
CONSTITUTION. IF WE DO THAT, THEY WILL JOIN
TOGETHER AND SAY THE LET'S HAVE A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR?
ONCE WE HAVE THAT, WE CAN GO FORWARD.
>> IN YOUR CONFIRMATION HEARINGS FOR A NEW FBI DIRECTOR, ARE YOU
GOING TO AND THE FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY TO COME IN
AND TESTIFY IN FRONT OF THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE?
>> I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF HE DID.
THAT DECISION WILL BE MADE BY SENATOR GRASSLEY AND SENATOR
FEINSTEIN. >>> WHY WOULD IT BE HELPFUL?
>> JUST TO FIND EXACTLY WHAT WAS SAID.
I THINK IF HE, I KNOW THAT DIRECTOR COMEY WILL TELL THE
TRUTH IF HE IS ASKED. >> FINALLY, THE LAST QUESTION
HAVE FOR YOU, THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT, GROWING TALK AT
LEAST ABOUT IMPEACHMENT WITHIN YOUR PARTY.
YOU HAVE CONGRESSWOMAN MAXINE WATERS, CONGRESSMAN AL GREENE,
ARE GABBERT, ALL TALKING ABOUT IMPEACHMENT.
YOU'RE HE TOLD THOR STATESMEN OF YOUR PARTY, ONE OF THEM.
WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THAT IN. >> WELL, IMPEACHMENT HAS TO
START IN THE HOUSE AND THE HOUSE HAD HAS BEEN ALMOST SLAVISH
GOING WE KNOW WHAT WHAT MR. TRUMP HAS WANTED.
WHETHER HE IS CUTTING BACK HEALTH CARE FOR WOMEN, CUTTING
BACK ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS OR ANYTHING ELSE.
THEY'VE GONE LOCK STEP AND SAID YES.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO MOVE FOR IMPEACHMENT.
WHAT I WANT IS TO GET THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, TELL US
ACCURATELY, NOT THROUGH A PARTISAN LOOK.
TELL US EXACTLY WHAT DID RUSSIA DO?
WHEN DID THEY DO IT? AND THEN WHO KNEW WHAT THEY WERE
DOING? AND ANYBODY IN OUR GOVERNMENT
KOOMTD WITH THEM AND ARE THEY COOPERATING TODAY?
LET'S GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN A NONPOLITICAL,
NONPARTISAN WAY. AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE WHERE TO
GO NEXT. >>> HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT
MEMBERS OF YOUR PARTY TALKING ABOUT IMPEACHMENT?
>> EVERY MEMBER OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRAT,
HAVE A RIGHT TO SAY WHAT HAVE THEY WANT.
I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF. I SPEAK AS THE DECENT OF THE
SENATE. HAVING SEEN SO MANY OF THESE
ISSUES COME THROUGH. I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING THAT
WORRIED ME AS MUCH AS HAVING RUSSIA INVOLVED, OR AS GENERAL
CLAPPER, THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SAID THIS
WEEKEND HAVING OUR OWN GOVERNMENT COOPERATE.
IF YOU HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO SAYS WE CAN'T TRUST OUR COURTS,
CONGRESS IS GOING TO START DOING EXACTLY WHAT I SAY, WE SHOULD
START IMPOSING LIMITS ON THE PRESS, AND OH, BY THE WAY, LET'S
HAVE A RELIGIOUS BAN. IF THAT BECOMES THE NORM.
IF THAT IS SECOND, GOD SAVE AMERICA.
WE WON'T BE THE COUNTRY THAT WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST AND THAT
WE SHOULD BE IN THE FUTURE. AS A SENATOR, AS A PARENT, A
GRAND PARENT, THAT WORRIES ME MORE THAN ANYTHING EVER HAS.
>> I KNOW IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS START IN THE HOUSE.
BUT HAVE YOU CONSIDERED IT? >> I AM FOCUSED ENTIRELY ON
GETTING WHAT THE FACTS ARE. I WAS A PROSECUTOR FOR EIGHT
YEARS. PEOPLE SAY, ARE YOU GOING TO
CHARGE THE OR THAT PERSON? GET ME THE FACTS.
LET ME LOOK AT THE FACTS. >> I AND THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT
TELLING YOUR FELLOW DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES TO STEP OFF THE GAS
THERE. >> I HAVE LEARNED, YOU CAN'T
REALLY TELL OTHER PEOPLE WHAT TO DO.
BUT WHAT I WANT, GIVE ME THE FACTS.
WHEN WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE FACTS ARE, I

Patrick Leahy: If Donald Trump Has Tapes ‘Let’s Hear What He Said’ | MTP Daily | MSNBC

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