Donald Trump Considers Replacing AG Sessions With Ted Cruz, Rudy Giuliani | The Last Word

>>> AS THE SCOUT LAW SAYS, A SCOUT IS TRUSTWORTHY, LOYAL.
WE COULD USE SOME MORE LOYALTY, I WILL TELL YOU THAT.
>> AND GUESS WHO WASN'T A SCOUT? THAT'S RIGHT.
DONALD TRUMP. WE HAVE BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT.
"THE WASHINGTON POST" REPORTING THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS
ADVISERS ARE PRIVATELY DISCUSSING THE POSSIBILITY OF
REPLACING ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF SESSIONS.
THE POST IS ALSO REPORTING THAT THE PRESIDENT COULD INSTALL A
NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL AS A RECESS APPOINTMENT DURING THE AUGUST
RECESS. THAT PERSON WOULD HAVE THE FULL
POWERS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR.
JOINING US NOW BY PHONE, ROBERT COSTA, ONE OF THE REPORTERS ON
TONIGHT'S NEW BREAKING NEWS FROM "THE WASHINGTON POST."
ROBERT, THERE'S ALSO CONTAINED IN THE REPORT THE NOTION THAT
THIS IS ALL IN ORDER TO GET A NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL TO FIRE THE
SPECIAL PROSECUTOR AND SIMPLY END THAT INVESTIGATION.
DOES THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE PRESIDENT BELIEVE THAT THAT IS
POSSIBLE? >> THAT'S IMPORTANT CONTEXT,
LAWRENCE. AS I'M TOLD BY MY TOP SOURCES
AROUND THE PRESIDENT IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, THE PRESIDENT
CONTINUES TO FEEL VULNERABLE ON THE RUSSIAN PROBE BECAUSE OF THE
RECUSAL BY ATTORNEY GENERAL SESSIONS.
THAT FEELING HAS PROMPTED SOME OF HIS CLOSEST CONFIDANTS AND
ASSOCIATES TO START MULLING THE POSSIBILITY OF OF REPLACING THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL. THEY DO NOT HAVE A CLEAR-CUT
PLAN AT THIS MOMENT ABOUT WHO THAT WOULD BE OR WHAT THAT WOULD
LOOK LIKE, WHETHER THAT WOULD BE A RECESS APPOINTMENT OR NOT.
BUT THE PRESIDENT CONTINUES TO VENT BEHIND THE SCENES.
>> IS IT YOUR SENSE THIS IS A DELIBERATE RUNNING THIS IDEA UP
THE FLAGPOLE AS IT WERE THROUGH "THE WASHINGTON POST," SEE WHAT
WASHINGTON'S REACTION IS TOMORROW, SEE WHAT CONGRESSIONAL
REPUBLICANS' REACTION IS THIS WEEK?
>> YES, IT'S PART OF AN ONGOING PROCESS THAT'S EMANATING FROM
THE WHITE HOUSE. YOU HAVE IT IN TERMS OF THE
PRESIDENT'S TWEETS. HE'S TWEETING TODAY ABOUT
BELEAGUERED ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF SESSIONS.
HE MADE HIS COMMENTS LAST WEEK TO THE NEW YORK TIMES.
NOW PEOPLE IN THE PRESIDENT'S INNER CIRCLE ARE TELLING "THE
WASHINGTON POST" THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T HAVE AN OPTION
YET OF A REPLACEMENT, THERE IS ACTIVE TALK OF REPLACING THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL BECAUSE OF THE PRESIDENT'S FRUSTRATION.
SO WE SEE THIS SENTIMENT CONTINUING TO BUILD IN THE TRUMP
CIRCLE. >> ROBERT COSTA, THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US WITH THIS BREAKING NEWS REPORT.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU.
>> WE'RE JOINED NOW BY JOSH BARROW AND RICHARD PAINTER, A
PROFESSOR OF LAW AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, WHO WAS
CHIEF ETHICS LAWYER FOR PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH.
MR. PAINTER IS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY
AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON. AND, JOSH, SO FAR WE'RE NOT
HEARING A BIG RUSH OF REPUBLICANS COMING FORWARD,
SAYING THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. HE CAN'T DO THIS.
>> WELL, YOU'VE SEEN SOME. SUSAN COLLINS HAS SAID IT WOULD
BE UNACCEPTABLE FOR HIM TO FIRE THE SPECIAL PROSECUTORMENT ONE
THING IS REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE ARE VERY FOCUSED ON THE
HEALTH CARE BILL TODAY. AT THIS POINT THE NAMES THAT
HAVE BEEN FLOATED, WHO HE MIGHT REPLACE HIM WITH, RUDY GIULIANI
AND TED CRUZ, NEITHER OF THOSE MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
>> WILL THEY -- THEY BOTH HAVE SAID THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT?

THAT THIS IS NOT AN IDEA THAT HAS GOTTEN REALLY FAR OFF THE
LAUNCHING PAD YET IF THOSE ARE THE SORTS OF NAMES THAT THEY ARE
TALKING ABOUT.T. I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT MYSTIFIED
THAT HE'S SO PUBLICLY FOCUSING ON SESSIONS RIGHT NOW.
HE'S BEEN GRUMBLING ABOUT THIS FOR MONTHS.
REALLY IT'S ROD ROSENSTEIN, THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL, WHO
APPOINTED THIS SPECIAL PROSECUTOR.
IF TRUMP WANTED THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR FIRED, THE ORDINARY
WAY FOR HIM TO DO THAT WOULD BE TO INSTRUCT ROSENSTEIN, WHO
APPOINTED HIM AND WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THIS BECAUSE OF
SESSIONS' RECUSAL, INSTRUCT HIM TO FIRE HIM.
WHILE HE HAS COMPLAINED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ROSENSTEIN, HE SEEPS
TO BE FOCUSING MOST OF HIS IRE ON SESSIONS.
IT MAKES ME SUSPECT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED
BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND SESSIONS THAT IS NOT ALL THE
STUFF WE'VE SEEN PUBLICLY THAT WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT FOR MONTHS.
SOME OTHER THING THAT HE'S UPSET ABOUT.
MAYBE, FOR EXAMPLE, HE TOLD SESSIONS HE WANTS HIM TO
UN-RECUSE AND FIRE MUELLER. I WOULD IMAGINE THAT SESSIONS
WOULD HAVE SAID NO IF HE WAS ASKED TO DO THAT.
THAT'S ONE CONCEIVABLE REASON HE'D BE SO UPSET.
>> RICHARD PAINTER, ONE OF THE THINGS THE PRESIDENT IS FACING
IS THAT IN THE STATUTE ENABLING THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR, THERE IS
NO PROVISION FOR THE PRESIDENT TO ORDER THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY
GENERAL TO FIRE HIM. THAT'S NOT AN ORDER THAT THE
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS TO IN ANY WAY CARRY OUT.
BUT THE PRESIDENT COULD FIRE, THEN, THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY
GENERAL WHO DOESN'T DO IT AND KEEP HAVING THEM GO THROUGH SOME
CYCLE. THAT WOULD BE, AT THE MOMENT, A
KIND OF UNKNOWN. HOW MANY OF THEM WOULD YOU HAVE
TO FIRE TO GET TO THAT SPOT? BUT IF YOU JUST GET RID OF THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL AND DURING THE AUGUST RECESS, REPLACE THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL WITH A NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO HAS ALREADY
AGREED TO DO THIS FOR YOU, THAT SEEMS LIKE A WAY FOR THE
PRESIDENT TO GET IT DONE. >> WELL, NIXON TRIED THAT TOO.
HE HAD TO GO THROUGH THREE PEOPLE UNTIL ROBERT BORK WAS
WILLING TO FIRE ARCHIE COX. BUT THERE WAS ENORMOUS BACKLASH
AGAINST THAT, AND IT ENDED UP WITH ANOTHER SPECIAL PROSECUTOR
AND GOING ON AND DOING THE JOB THAT ARCHIE COX WAS DOING.
THIS IS NOT GOING TO WORK. THIS IS A MUCH MORE DANGEROUS
SITUATION THAN WATERGATE. WE HAVE A FOREIGN POWER THAT'S
CONDUCTED ESPIONAGE INSIDE THE UNITED STATES.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ALREADY FIRED THE FBI DIRECTOR IN
CONNECTION WITH THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION.
HE TOLD THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR THAT IN THE OVAL OFFICE, AND WE
HAVE KELLYANNE CONWAY AND OTHER WHITE HOUSE STAFF ATTACKING
ROBERT MUELLER, REALLY MAKING LOTS OF FALSE STATEMENTS ABOUT
ROBERT MUELLER AND HIS STAFF. IF THE PRESIDENT ORCHESTRATES
THE FIRING OF ROBERT MUELLER, HE HAS THE POWER TO DO IT, BUT HE
DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT.
THE CONGRESS IS GOING TO HAVE TO RESPOND VIGOROUSLY WITH ITS OWN
INVESTIGATION, DEMANDING THE REAPPOINTMENT OF ANOTHER SPECIAL
COUNSEL, SPECIAL PROSECUTOR, AND IF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY DOES NOT
GET ITS ACT TOGETHER ON THIS -- AND I'VE BEEN A REPUBLICAN FOR
30 YEARS, BUT I WILL SAY THIS WILL BE THE END OF THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY. WE CANNOT GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS
THE PARTY THAT BETRAYED OUR COUNTRY INTO THE HANDS OF RUSSIA
SIMPLY IN ORDER TO WIN AN ELECTION AND THEN COVER UP THE
INVESTIGATION THROUGH MULTIPLE FIRINGS OF THE FBI CHIEF AND NOW
THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR. I VERY MUCH HOPE PRESIDENT TRUMP
DOES NOT GO DOWN THIS ROAD. IT COULD BE CATASTROPHIC FOR OUR
COUNTRY AND, I HOPE THAT CONGRESS WILL HOLD HIM
ACCOUNTABLE. >> WELL, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT RUSH
LIMBAUGH'S AUDIENCE MIGHT. TRUMP SUPPORTER TELLING RUSH
LIMBAUGH TODAY THAT THIS COULD BE A VERY BAD MOVE, GETTING RID
OF JEFF SESSIONS. LET'S LISTEN TO THIS.
>> YOU'RE SAYING THAT TRUMP WOULD LOSE SOME LUSTER IN YOUR
EYES IF HE GETS RID OF SESSIONS. REGARDLESS OF WHO HE REPLACES
HIM WITH. YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE A BAD
MOVE. >> YES.
THAT WOULD LOSE SOME LUSTER. BUT IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK MORE
AND MORE LIKE HIKE HE'S -- YOU SAYING IT REAL WELL EARLIER.
WHEN IN CHARGE, BE IN CHARGE. I'M SEEING IN TRUMP -- I THOUGHT
I SAW A TOUGH GUY SUPPOSEDLY. I'M SEEING A WIMP BEGINNING TO
SHOW UP, AND HE'S BEGINNING TO BRING IN --
>> WHOA, WHOA, WHOA. LET'S JUST NOT SKATE RIGHT BY
THAT. YOU'RE BEGINNING TO SEE A WIMP
SHOW UP? WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
>> WELL, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IT EARLIER.
IF YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF SOMETHING, BE IN CHARGE OF IT.
>> OH, YOU MEAN THE BYSTANDER COMMENTS THAT I MADE?
>> GO INTO THAT SWAMP AND START DOING SOME THINGS, NOT SITTING
AROUND SENDING OUT TWEETS ABOUT IT.
>> JOSH, MAYBE DONALD TRUMP SHOULD LISTEN TO RUSH LIMBAUGH
INSTEAD OF WATCHING FOX NEWS. >> YOU WOULD THINK THAT TRUMP
SUPPORTERS WHO CARED ABOUT HAVING AN ANTI-IMMIGRATION
POLICY OR SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT JEFF SESSIONS STANDS
FOR WOULD BE UPSET ABOUT HIS FIRING AND IT WOULD BE A SIGNAL
THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WAS BECOMING ALL ABOUT
PROTECTING DONALD TRUMP. AND THE POLICY INITIATIVES THAT
JEFF SESSIONS HAS, WHATEVER YOU THINK ABOUT THEM, HE WAS REALLY
OUT THERE ON IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION.
HE'S TRYING TO ROLL BACK SOME OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS
THAT OTHER REPUBLICANS HAVE WANTED TO DO, MORE AGGRESSIVE IN
THE DRUG WAR, MORE AGGRESSIVE IN CIVIL FORFEITURES, THE POLICE
SEIZING ASSETS FROM SUSPECTED CRIMINALS.
YOU KNOW, ALL THAT STUFF, THOSE ARE JEFF SESSIONS' SIGNATURE
THINGS. IF YOU GET RID OF HIM AND
REPLACE HIM WITH SOMEONE WHOSE SIGNATURE IS PROTECTING THE
PRESIDENT FROM PROSECUTION, THAT'S USEFUL IF YOU'RE DONALD
TRUMP OR ONE OF HIS RELATIVES, BUT IT'S NOT USEFUL TO YOU IF
YOU'RE ONE OF HIS NATIONALIST SUPPORTERS WHO CARE ABOUT
POLICY. >> JEFF SESSIONS HAS BEEN A
RIGHT-WING CONSERVATIVE FOR MUCH LONGER THAN DONALD TRUMP HAS
BEEN, AND RUSH

Donald Trump Considers Replacing AG Sessions With Ted Cruz, Rudy Giuliani | The Last Word | MSNBC

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