Senator Chris Murphy Wants To Know What James Comey & Donald Trump Discussed | Morning Joe

>>> LET'S BRING IN THE SENATOR FROM CONNECTICUT, CHRIS MURPHY
ON THE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE.
ALWAYS GOOD TO TALK TO YOU. WE WON'T ASK YOU ANY QUESTIONS
ABOUT YOUR RUN FOR GOVERNOR BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A BUSY
AGENDA. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO HEAR
TOMORROWMORROW? IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE QUESTION
ANSWERED, WHAT WOULD IT BE? >> GIVEN ALL THE REPORTING ABOUT
COMEY'S CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PRESIDENT, I THINK IT STANDS TO
REASON THAT HE WOULD CLEAR UP THE CONTENT OF THOSE
CONVERSATIONS. IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO HEAR
FROM COMEY THAT THE PRESIDENT DID TALK TO HIM ABOUT THE
CONSEQUENCES, THE PERSONAL CONSEQUENCES OF COMEY CONTINUING
THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THAT FROM
COMEY, BUT I HAVE LOW EXPECTATIONS.
IN PART BECAUSE WE SAT IN THIS PRIVATE BRIEFING WITH ROD
ROSENSTEIN, THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL, IN WHICH HE WOULD GIVE
US NOTHING ABOUT THE CONTENT OF HIS COMMUNICATIONS WITH TRUMP.
HE WOULDN'T EVEN TELL US IN THAT CLOSED DOOR MEETING ABOUT WHO HE
CONSULTED IN WRITING THE MEMO THAT RECOMMENDED COMEY'S FIRING.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS HE SAID, LISTEN, THIS IS ALL SUBJECT TO A
POTENTIAL CRIMINAL OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE CASE.
KNOWING COMEY, KNOWING HOW CAREFUL HE NORMALLY IS, HE'LL
MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF NEWS TOMORROW.
I HAVE A FEELING HE'S GOING TO BE JUST AS CAREFUL AS ROSENSTEIN
WAS GIVEN THE POTENTIAL SCOPE OF MUELLER'S INVESTIGATION.
>> LET ME ASK YOU WHAT DAN COATS, FORMER AMBASSADOR, FORMER
SENATOR, NOW DNI DAN COATS' NEWS THAT BROKE LAST NIGHT.
HOW DOES THAT IMPACT HOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS ENTIRE MESS,
POSSIBLE OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE CHARGE AGAINST THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES? >> COATS IS A GUY WITH AN
ETHICAL CENTER. HE'S ALSO A REALLY SMART AND
CAREFUL POLITICIAN, HAVING SERVED IN THE SENATE FOR A LONG
TIME. YOU SHOULD READ HIS STATEMENT
LAST NIGHT VERY CAREFULLY. HE SAYS HE NEVER HAS FELT
PRESSURED BY THE PRESIDENT. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE
PRESIDENT DIDN'T ASK HIM TO BACK OFF -- TO PUSH COMEY TO BACK OFF
THE INVESTIGATION. >> SENATOR, IT ALSO DOESN'T MEAN
THAT THE PRESIDENT WASN'T TRYING TO PRESSURE HIM.
SOMEBODY COULD ASK ME TO DO SOMETHING ILLEGAL.
I WOULDN'T FEEL ANY PRESSURE. I'D SMILE AND TELL THEM TO GO TO
HELL AND WALK OUT OF THE ROOM. YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
HIM SAYING I DIDN'T FEEL ANY PRESSURE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH
DONALD TRUMP'S STATE OF MIND OR HIS INTENT.
>> AND FRANKLY, I THINK KNOWING DAN COATS, I WOULD READ HIS
STATEMENT LAST NIGHT TO BE ALMOST A CONFIRMATION OF THE
FACT THAT TRUMP HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH HIM, AND HIS
FAILURE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION WHEN IT WAS POSED TO HIM LAST
TIME HE APPEARED BEFORE CONGRESS SEEMS ADDITIONAL CONFIRMATION.
EVERY SINGLE DAY, IT FEELS AS IF THE WALLS ARE CLOSING IN HERE.
THERE'S NOT A SENGAL DAY IN WHICH YOU FEEL LIKE YOU GOT
FURTHER AWAY FROM A VERY DAMAGING TRUTH FOR THE
PRESIDENT. OUR CHALLENGE HERE IS TO NOT BE
SO OBSESSIVE ON THIS RUSSIA CASE TO LOOK TRACK OF THE FACT THAT
THERE ARE SOME REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS HAPPENING HERE IN
CONGRESS IN A SUBTERRANEAN WAY, THE HEALTH CARE BILL NOW LOOKS
LIKE IT MAY BE ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE BY THE END OF THIS
MONTH. I WANT TO FOLLOW THIS PATH
WHEREVER IT GOES, BUT I DON'T WANT IT TO BLOCK OUT EVERYTHING
ELSE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON HERE THAT MATTERS, FRANKLY, MORE TO
MY CONSTITUENTS THAN THIS RUSSIA STORY.
>> WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE WEAPONS SALE TO SAUDI ARABIA AS WELL,
SIR. I WANT TO ASK YOU, YOU WENT TO
LAW SCHOOL, A LAWYER. WHAT WOULD CONSTITUTED TO YOU IN
THIS CASE OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE?
WE HAVE MEDIA REPORTING THAT SHOWS JAMES COMEY WAS ASKED BY
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO BACK OFF THE RUSSIA
INVESTIGATION. NOW THIS MORNING "THE WASHINGTON
POST" SAYS THAT DAN COATS WAS PRESSURED TO BACK OFF THE RUSSIA
INVESTIGATION .
AS YOU LOOK AT THIS CASE, WHAT WOULD CONSTITUTE OBSTRUCTION OF
JUSTICE? >> ALL OF THAT FEELS LIKE
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE. OF COURSE, AT THIS POINT WE HAVE
REPORTING. AT SOME POINT THESE PRINCIPALS
WILL HAVE TO TESTIFY AND GIVE EVIDENCE THAT THOSE
CONVERSATIONS HAPPENED, BUT ALL THAT FEELS LIKE OBSTRUCTION OF
JUSTICE. OF COURSE, IF YOU MOVE THAT INTO
THE CONTEXT OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY,
THE QUESTION OF IMPEACHMENT, IF WE EVER GOT THERE, IS A
POLITICAL QUESTION, NOT A LEGAL QUESTION.
SO EVEN IF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES DOES MEET THE
STANDARD OF OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE, YOU'VE GOT A SEPARATE
QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THAT RISES TO HIGH CRIMES AND
MISDEMEANORS. THAT'S A PRETTY SERIOUS
CONVERSATION, BUT A DIFFERENT ONE.
WE HAVE TO ADMIT THAT. >> KASIE HUNT.
>> SENATOR, GOOD MORNING. I WANT TO ASK YOU AS A MEMBER OF
THE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE ABOUT EVENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST,
BROADLY AND SPECIFICALLY, OBVIOUSLY THE PRESIDENT TWEETING
ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN QATAR. INTERESTED IN YOUR TAKE ON THE
IMPACT THAT HAS. ALSO, YOU'VE BEEN PRETTY VOCAL
ABOUT THIS DEAL TO SELL ARMS TO SAUDI.
SENATOR RAND PAUL, A BIT OF AN UNUSUAL ALLIANCE.
>> I THINK WE'LL HAVE A VERY CLOSE VOTE LATER THIS WEEK ON
THIS RESOLUTION. WE'RE OBJECTING TO A VERY
SPECIFIC SOLUTION OF THE $110 BILLION ARM SALES TO THE SAUDIS.
THEY'RE BEING USED IN THE YEMEN BOMBING CAMPAIGN, CREATING A
FAMINE INSIDE YEMEN. 8 MILLION PEOPLE DON'T HAVE FOOD
TO EAT. IT'S GIVEN ROOM FOR AL QAEDA TO
GROW. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A
VERY CLOSE VOTE IN THE SENATE, A BIPARTISAN VOTE LATER THIS WEEK
THAT MAY RESULT IN THE SENATE OBJECTING TO THAT ARMS SALE.
THE DISPUTE BETWEEN THE GCC AND THE QATARIS, I THINK IT'S AN
IMPORTANT ONE TO UNDERSTAND THE SUBTLETIES HERE.
THE U.S. IS MAKING A MISTAKE ON GOING ALL IN ON THE SUNNI SIDE,
THE SAUDI SIDE OF THIS PROXY WAR BETWEEN IRAN AND SAUDI ARABIA.
THE QATARIS, THEY ARE NOT PERFECT ACTORS.
THEY DO SUPPORT SOME PRETTY BAD PEOPLE IN THE REGION.
THEY ALSO TRY TO BE AN INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN THE SAUDIS
AND THE IRANIANS. THE UNITED STATES SHOULD BE
SUPPORTING RECONCILIATION BETWEEN THOSE TWO SIDES, NOT
GOING ALL IN WITH ONE SIDE OF THAT REGIONAL CONFLICT.
I THINK THIS IS A BIG MISTAKE FOR TRUMP AND HIS ADMINISTRATION
TO WEIGH VERY HEAVILY ON THE SAUDI SIDE OF THIS INTERNAL
CONFLICT. IT'S INTERESTING, HIS STATE
DEPARTMENT WHICH SEEMS TO BE GOING ROGUE MORE OFTEN THAN EVER
BEFORE, IS HUGHING A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE QATARI SIDE.
>> SENATOR, THIS IS EDDIE GLAUDE.
CAN YOU SAY MORE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HEALTH CARE AND
PARTICULARLY WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DOING WITH REGARDS TO
WHAT YOU SAID, IF I'M USING YOUR LANGUAGE CORRECTLY, SABOTAGING
OBAMACARE. CAN YOU SAY MORE ABOUT THAT?
>> WE'VE SEEN PREMIUM INCREASES, WEAVE SEEN INSURERS START TO
PULL OUT OF MARKETPLACES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THIS YEAR.
THEY'RE PRETTY CLEAR AS TO WHY THEY'RE DOING THAT.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS ACTIVELY SABOTAGING THE AMERICAN HEALTH
CARE SYSTEM IN A NUMBER OF WAYS. HE'S TOLD THE IRS TO STOP
ENFORCING THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE WHICH IS WHAT HOLDS TOGETHER A
LOT OF THESE EXCHANGES. HE WON'T PAY THE INSURANCE
COMPANIES MORE THAN ONE MONTH AT A TIME.
IF YOU'RE AN INSURANCE COMPANY, WHY WOULD YOU STAY IN THESE
MARKETPLACES. INSURERS ARE PUSHING UP RATES
AND RETHINKING EXCHANGES BECAUSE OF THIS SABOTAGE.
WHAT TRUMP IS TRYING TO DO IS CREATE A CRISIS THAT WILL FORCE
CONGRESS TO REWRITE THE ENTIRE RULES OF THE GAME.
I DON'T THINK HE'S GOING TO GET AWAY WITH IT.
I THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THE SENATE IS POTENTIALLY MOVING TO A VOTE IN A FEW WEEKS ON A
BILL THAT MAYBE DOESN'T TAKE COVERAGE AWAY FROM 23 MILLION
PEOPLE LIKE THE HOUSE DID, BUT MIGHT TAKE COVERAGE AWAY FROM 15
MILLION. WE'VE GOT TO BE SURE THAT OUR
FOCUS AND THE MEDIA'S FOCUS IS ON THAT AS MUCH AS IT IS ON

Senator Chris Murphy Wants To Know What James Comey & Donald Trump Discussed | Morning Joe | MSNBC

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