Donald Trump Assembles Odd Mix Of Defense Lawyers | Rachel Maddow

THIS IS A NIGHT WHEN THE NEWS IS GOING TO KEEP HAPPENING LATE
INTO THE NIGHT. THAT SAID, BECAUSE IT IS FRIDAY,
IF WE'RE BEING HONEST, BECAUSE IT IS A DAY THAT ENDS IN "Y" IN
THIS ERA, THERE'S A LOT OF NEWS COMING OUT OF WASHINGTON AS
WELL. IN TERMS OF THE WASHINGTON NEWS
TONIGHT, I NEED TO TELL YOU THE A STORY THAT STARTS WITH BILL
CLINTON WHO WENT TO COLLEGE AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. BILL CLINTON GOT THERE ADDS AN
UNDERGRADUATE IN 1964. HE GRADUATED IN 1968.
ONE OF THE STORIES ABOUT BILL CLINTON'S COLLEGE CAREER ENDS UP
BEING SORT OF RELEVANT. LEGEND HAS IT SOMETIME DURING
HIS EARLY COLLEGE YEARS AT GEORGETOWN WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG
MAN, MAYBE WHEN HE WAS 19, MAYBE WHEN HE WAS A FRESHMAN, YOUNG
BILL CLINTON WENT TO A PARTY IN MASSACHUSETTS THAT WAS A BEACH
PARTY. AND POLITICAL LEGENDS HAS IT
THAT AT THAT BEACH PARTY HE WAS SWIMMING IN THE OCEAN AND HE
BASICALLY GOT GRABBED BY A RIP TIED AND STARTED TO GET PULLED
OUT TO SEA. AND WHEN THAT HAPPENED ANOTHER
YOUNG MAN, ANOTHER 19-YEAR-OLD MAN, A HARVARD STAY TUNED CAME
TO HIS RESCUE. THE MAN WHO CAME TO HIS RESCUE
IN THAT NEAR DROWNING STORY WAS A MAN NAMED FIFE SIMMING TON.
HE WAS A HARVARD STUDENT AND WENT ON TO BE A FAMOUS
POLITICIAN IN HIS OWN RIGHT. HE ENDED UP BECOMING GOVERNOR OF
ARIZONA. BILL CLINTON BECAME GOVERNOR OF
ARKANSAS AND PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
I ALWAYS SUPPORTED THAT THE 1960s BEACH PARTY BILL CLINTON
RESCUE STORY MIGHT BE WHOLLY OR AT LEAST IN PART APOCK RA FALL.
BUT I HEARD IT A MILLION TIMES. IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS PEOPLE
TALKED ABOUT A LOT YEARS LATER IN 2001 WHEN HE ISSUED A
PRESIDENTIAL PARTNERED TO FIVE SIMMING TON, THE GUY WHO SAVED
HIM ALL THOSE DECADES EARLIER. IN 1997, FIFE SIMMING TON WAS
CONVICTED OF SEVEN FELONIES REMITTED TO HIS BUSINESS LIFE AS
A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER. HE WAS CHARGED WITH A RAFT OF
CORRUPTION CHARGES. HE WAS ULTIMATELY CONVICTED OF
FILING FALSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, BASICALLY HE WAS
CONVICTED OF BANK FRAUD. ULTIMATELY AN APPEALS COURT
WOULD OVERTURN HIS CONVICTIONS AND LATER HE WOULD GET A
PRESIDENTIAL PARDON FROM BAD SWIMMER, BILL CLINTON.
BUT WHEN THAT CASE WAS BROUGHT, WHEN THOSE CONVICTIONS HAPPENED
THAT WAS A BIG, TRAUMATIC LEGAL CASE IN THE COUNTRY BECAUSE
SPECIFICALLY FOR FIFE SIMMING TON.
HE WAS A POPULAR FIGURE IN REPUBLICAN POLITICS.
PEOPLE WERE LOOKING AT HIM AS POTENTIAL PRESIDENTIAL TIMBER.
IT ULTIMATELY ENDED HIS POLITICAL CAREER.
HIS LAWYER AS HE WENT THROUGH THAT TRAUMA AND THOSE
CONVICTIONS WAS A GUY NAMED JOHN DOWD.
JOHN DOWD ALSO REPRESENTED ARIZONA SENATOR JOHN McCAIN.
JOHN McCAIN CALLED HIS OWN INVOLVEMENT IN THAT SCANDAL THE
WORST MISTAKE OF MY LIFE. JOHN McCAIN POLITICAL SURVIVED
THAT SCANDAL. HE ULTIMATELY DIDN'T GET
CRIMINALLY CHARGED OR THROWN OUT OF CONGRESS FOR HIS INVOLVEMENT
IN IT. BUT IT WAS BAD FOR JOHN McCAIN.
THE ETHICS COMMITTEE IN THE SENATE RIPPED HIM FOR HIS
INVOLVEMENT IN THAT SCANDAL AND RIPPED HIM FOR HIS POOR
JUDGMENT. THEY BASICALLY SAID THEY DIDN'T
GO OFF HIM WAS BECAUSE McCAIN WAS IN THE HOUSE.
JOHN McCAIN SURVIVED THE KEATING FIVE SCANDAL, BUT BY THE SKIN OF
HIS TEETH. AND HIS LAWYER IN THAT MATTER
WAS THE FIFE SIMMING TON GUY, JOHN DOWD.
JOHN DOWD IS ALSO FAMOUS FOR THIS CASE FROM 2011.
THIS IS A CASE THAT WENT VERY BADLY.
I WILL READ YOU THE LEAD SENTENCE FROM THE
"NEW YORK TIMES" REPORT. QUOTE, THE FALLEN HEDGE FUND
BILLIONAIRE, RAJ RAJRATNAN RECESSED RECEIVED THE LONGEST
PRISON SENTENCE EVER FOR INSIDER TRADING ON THURSDAY.
THAT FALLEN HEDGE FUND BILLIONNARY, HIS LAWYER WHEN HE
GOT THE LONGEST PRISON SENTENCE EVER FOR INSIDER TRADING, HIS
LAWYER WAS JOHN DOWD. JOHN McCAIN, JOHN DOWD, LONGEST
INSIDER TRADING PRISON SENTENCE EVER.
AND THAT SAME LAWYER, JOHN DOWD, IS NOW GOING TO BE DONALD
TRUMP'S NEW LAWYER. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAD REPORTEDLY
HAD A HARD TIME FINDING NAME-BRAND D.C. LAWYERS AND D.C.
LAW FIRMS TO REPRESENT HIM INTO THE INVESTIGATIONS AND THE
QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT HIS CAMPAIGN HELPED IN THE RUSSIAN
ATTACK OF THAT THOSE INVESTIGATIONS ALSO REPORTEDLY
EXPANDED TO INCLUDE POTENTIAL OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE BY THE
PRESIDENT HIMSELF. THAT RESISTANCES FROM D.C.
LAWYERS AND D.C. LAW FIRMS, HIM CALLING THEM LOOKING FOR
REPRESENTATION AND FIRM AFTER FIRM TELLING HIM NO, THAT HAS
MEANT THE PRESIDENT'S LEGAL TEAM FOR THESE SCANDALS HAS BEEN
ALKTSZ UNORTHODOX FOR SOMEONE FACING SCANDALS AS SERIOUS AS
THESE. THE FIRST LAWYER HE SIGNED UP
FAMOUSLY WAS MARC KASOWITZ. HE'S A LAWYER THAT HAS DONE
THINGS LIKE REAL ESTATE LAW AND DIVORCE LAW FOR THE PRESIDENT IN
THE PAST. BUT HE HAS NEVER DONE ANYTHING
LIKE ANY OF THE WASHINGTON LEGAL TROUBLE THAT THE PRESIDENT FINDS
HIMSELF IN NOW. IN ADDITION TO MARC KASOWITZ, WE
ALSO HAVE INDIRECT NOTICE THAT THE PRESIDENT SIGNED UP A
NOTABLE LITIGATOR FROM THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT A GUY WHO
STARTED OFF REPRESENTING TELL EVANGELISTS AND DISPLAYING THE
TEN COMMANDMENTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
HE'S KNOWN FOR A VERY SPECIFIC KIND OF LAW.
HE ALSO SIGNED JAY SEKULOW. WHEN HE STARTED APPEARING ON TV
SHOWS DEFENDING THE PRESIDENT AND SPEAKING FOR HIM AS HIS
PRIVATE LAWYERS, THAT'S THE WAY WE FOUND OUT HE GOT THAT JOB.
TO THAT UNLIKELY PRESIDENTIAL LEGAL TEAM, THE PRESIDENT TODAY
ADDED JOHN DOWD, WHO AT LEAST -- AT LEAST "O" AT LEAST HE'S BEEN
INVOLVED IN HIGH PROFILE POLITICAL SCANDALS IN THE PAST.
HE'S WELL REGARDED IN HIS FIELD, EVEN THOUGH HIS CLIENTS DIDN'T
COME OUT ALL THAT WELL AT ALL. THIS TEAM OF LAWYERS THAT THE
PRESIDENT IS PUTTING TOGETHER TO DEFEND HIM IN HIS VARIOUS
SCANDALS, THIS IS A TEAM THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL END UP PAYING
FOR HIMSELF, OR AT LEAST WE THE TAXPAYERS WON'T END UP PAYING
FOR THOSE LAWYERS. THESE ARE PRIVATE LAWYERS WHO
ARE TOTALLY SEPARATE AND APART FROM THE OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE
COUNSEL WHOSE SALARY WE DO PAY. I IMAGINE THAT THE MATTER OF
PAYING FOR HIS PRIVATE LAWYERS IS LIKE THE LEAST CONCERNING
ELEMENT OF ALL THESE FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP, IF ONLY BECAUSE
HE IS SO PERSONALLY WEALTHY. WE HAVE A REMINDER ABOUT THE
EXTENT OF HIS PERSONAL WEALTH TODAY WHEN THE WHITE HOUSE
RELEASED NEW FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE FORMS FOR THE
PRESIDENT HIMSELF. WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THOSE A
LITTLE BIT MORE LATER ON IN THIS HOUR.
BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU, AS AS WE GOT THAT NEWS OF THE PRESIDENT'S
WEALTH AND NEW NEWS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT ADDING TO HIS LEGAL
TEAM, WE ALSO IN THE PAST 24 HOURS GOT NEWS ANOTHER SENIOR
MEMBER OF THE ADMINISTRATION, SOMEONE WHO IS NOT WEALTHY AT
ALL, HAS ALSO JUST HIRED HIMSELF A TOP DOLLAR AND VERY
WELL-REGARDED LAWYER TO REPRESENT HIM IN THIS ONGOING
SCANDALS. AND RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK, VICE
PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE WHO JUST HIRED THAT NEW EXPENSIVE LAWYER,
HE'S BACK HOME IN INDIANA TONIGHT, AND HE'S AT THE
MARRIOTT HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN INDIANAPOLIS BECAUSE HE'S
HOLDING A FUNDRAISER THERE. HE'S NOT HOLDING IT FOR THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY OR ANY OF THE THE SUBSIDIARY OR HOUSE CAMPAIGN
FUND OR FOR THAT REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE IN NEXT WEEK
CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION IN GEORGIA.
IT'S INTERESTING. VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE IS
HOLDING THAT FUNDRAISER IN INDIANAPOLIS FOR HIS OWN
POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE, HIS OWN PAC.
NEVER BEFORE IN THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY HAS A VICE PRESIDENT
SET UP AND OPERATED HIS OWN POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE WHILE
STILL VICE PRESIDENT AND NOT RUNNING FOR ANYTHING.
THE PEOPLE ATTENDING THE IF YOU EVER FOR HIS PAC IN INDIANAPOLIS
PAID A LOT OF MONEY TO GO. ANYWHERE FROM $1,000 TO $5,000.
FIVE PEOPLE ARE PAYING $5,000 A POP TO GO ROUND TABLE WITH MIKE
PENCE TONIGHT IN INDIANA. NOW, IT'S UNUSUAL, FULL STOP,
THAT A VICE PRESIDENT HAS A POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE, BUT
ON TOP OF THAT THERE'S A ACQUIT AS TO HOW MIKE PENCE IS GOING TO
PAY FOR HIS VERY EXPENSIVE PRIVATE LAWYER WHO HE JUST
ANNOUNCED THE HIRING OF YESTERDAY.
THIS IS THE PERSON WHO'S GOING TO DEFEND SKMENS REPRESENT MIKE
PENCE IN ANYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH THE TRUMP RUSSIA SCANDAL OR
THE OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE INVESTIGATIONS.
THIS IS A LAWYER WHO GETS PAID A LOT PER HOUR AND IS GOING TO BE
WORKING A LOT OF HOURS. IS IT POSSIBLE THIS FUNDRAISER
FOR MIKE PENCE'S PAC, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT'S GOING TO BE A
WAY FOR PEOPLE TO FUND MIKE PENCE'S LEGAL DEFENSE?
WE CALLED THE VICE PRESIDENT SPOKESMAN TONIGHT TO ASK WHETHER
THE MONEY HE'S RAISING TONIGHT FOR HIS PACKERS WHETHER THAT
MONEY MIGHT BE USED IN THE FUTURE FOR MIKE PENCE'S LEGAL
DEFENSE. THE VICE PRESIDENT'S SPOKESMAN
WOULD NOT REALLY SAY EXACTLY, BUT THIS IS EXACT RESPONSE WE
GOT FROM HIM. QUOTE.
HIS LEGAL FEES WILL BE PAID BY NON-TAX DOLLARS.
QUOTE, THAT'S ALL WE ARE SAYING. WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED IT EXCEPT
TO SAY THAT IT IS NOT TAX DOLLARS.
THAT WAS IN RESPONSE TO US ASKING IF THIS FUNDRAISER FOR
HIS PAC TONIGHT IS GOING TO RAISE MONEY FOR HIS LEGAL
DEFENSE. IT WON'T BE TAX DOLLARS.
THAT'S ALL WE'RE SAYING. SO WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT MEANS
TO DONATIONS TO MIKE PENCE'S PAC ARE GOING TO BE USED TO PAY HIS
LEGAL DEFENSE. DOING IF YOU EVER SEE TO PAY FOR
HIS LAWYERS. TO ONLY ASSURANCE WE HAVE IS HE
CAN'T HAVE A TAXPAYER FUNDED DEFENSE.
WE THEN TRIED TO CONTACT THE PAC ITSELF.
IT'S CALLED THE GREAT AMERICA COMMITTEE.
THERE IS A PERSON WHO'S LISTED ON THEIR AS THE CONTACT PERSON.
WE FOUND THAT PERSON TONIGHT AND SPOKE WITH HER TO FIND OUT IF
THE IF YOU NEED MIGHT BE USED TO FUND VICE PRESIDENT'S LEGAL
FEES. SHE SAID SHE HAS FORWARDED OUR
QUESTION TO THE APPROPRIATE CONTACTS.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD
ANYTHING FURTHER. WE'LL LET YOU KNOW.
THAT MAY BE A NEW PART OF HOW THE VICE PRESIDENT SPENDS HIS
VICE PRESIDENTSY. HE AND HIS FAMILY DON'T HAVE
PARTICULARLY DEEP POCKETS. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE
MONEY SOMEHOW FOR HIS LEGAL FEES.
WHETHER THAT'S ALREADY STARTED WITH THE CREATION OF THAT PAC,
WE DON'T KNOW. WE DO INTEND TO FIND OUT.
A LOT OF THE FOCUS ON THE SCANDAL SURROUNDING THE WHITE
HOUSE HAS SHIFTED THIS WEEK TO POTENTIAL OBSTRUCTION OF
JUSTICE. THIS WEEK WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR
THIS BLOCKBUSTER REPORTING THAT THE SPECIAL COUNSEL, ROBERT
MUELLER, HAS NOW MADE THE PRESIDENT THE SUBJECT OF AN
ONGOING FBI CRIMINAL INQUIRY INTO WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE BY THE PRESIDENT TO TRY TO SOMEHOW
TWLART THE FBI'S INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE RUSSIA ISSUE.
AND THAT'S A VERY, VERY BIG DEAL.
EVEN AS THE MEDIA FOCUS SHIFTED TO OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE, THE
ORIGINAL QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN
COLLUDED WITH RUSSIA, INCLUDED WITH THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT IN
THE RUSSIAN ATTACK ON THE ELECTION, THAT'S STILL THE
CENTRAL QUESTION. THAT'S STILL AT THE CENTER OF
THE BULL'S EYE IN TERMS OF WHAT INVESTIGATORS ARE LOOKING AT
BOTH IN CONGRESS AND AT THE FBI. AND THAT CAME BACK INTO VERY
SHARP FOCUS

Donald Trump Assembles Odd Mix Of Defense Lawyers | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

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