Resignation Watch: Donald Trump Lashes Sessions, Justice Officials | Rachel Maddow

SENATOR'S FAMILY OR HIS DOCTORS. WHILE WE ABSORB THAT NEWS, AND
MONITOR THAT NEWS, THOUGH, I THINK WE ALSO HAVE TO SAY THAT
TONIGHT WE ARE PROBABLY ON RESIGNATION WATCH WHEN IT COMES
TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES.
JEFF SESSIONS, JEFFERSON BOW REGARD JEFFERSON III, HE BECAME
THE FIRST AND FOR A LONG TIME THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE U.S.
SENATE TO ENDORSE DONALD TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT VERY EARLY ON IN
THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN. JEFF SESSIONS WAS NOT KNOWN FOR
PASSING LEGISLATION IN THE SENATE.
HE WAS NOT KNOWN FOR BEING PARTICULARLY CLOSE WITH ANY
OTHER GROUP OF SENATORS, OR ANY TYPE OF SENATOR IN PARTICULAR
OTHER THAN BEING SUPER CONSERVATIVE.
IF HE WAS KNOWN FOR ANYTHING, IT WAS FOR HIS BEYOND HARDLINE
POSITION AGAINST IMMIGRATION. JEFF SESSIONS WASAS THE REPUBLIN
IN THE SENATE WHO DIDN'T JUST AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, HE'S
AGAINST LEGAL IMMIGRANTS, TOO. HIS STANCE BECAME A CENTRAL PART
OF DONALD TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN AFTER SESSIONS AND TRUMP MADE THEIR
ALLIANCE. AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE END, IT
SEEMED LIKE SORT OF A SMALL DETAIL AT THE TIME, IT'S TURNED
OUT TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT OVER TIME THAT TRUMP NOT ONLY TOOK ON
SESSIONS AS AN ENDORSEE AND SURROGATE, TRUMP ALSO TOOK ON
SESSIONS' STAFF FROM HIS SENATE OFFICE.
AND IN TAKING ON SESSIONS' STAFF, HE ENDED UP TAKING ON A
LOT OF JEFF SESSIONS' POLICY POSITIONS.
WHEN DONALD TRUMP HAD POLICY POSITIONS AS A CANDIDATE, THEY
TENDED TO COME WHOLE CLOTH OUT OF THIS POLICY SHOP THAT JEFF
SESSIONS SET UP FOR TRUMP. THEIR RELATIONSHIP, IT WAS MORE
THAN AN ENDORSER/ENDORSEE RELATIONSHIP.
IT WAS A MORE SUBSTANTIVE KIND OF THING.
DONALD TRUMP, WHAT I THINK OF IT IS THAT HE BASICALLY ABSORBED
JEFF SESSIONS. TO THE EXTENT THAT HE BECAME A
POLITICIAN DURING THE CAMPAIGN. IT WAS BECAUSE JEFF SESSIONS AND
HIS WHOLE OPERATION WAS JUST ABSORBED INTO TRUMP INC.
AND THEN AFTER DONALD TRUMP WON THE ELECTION, JEFF SESSIONS WAS
THE FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT HE MADE FOR HIS CABINET.
IT WAS ANNOUNCED JEFF SESSIONS WOULD BE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. TONIGHT IT FEELS LIKE THAT MIGHT
NOT LAST. "THE NEW YORK TIMES" JUST
PUBLISHED AN INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP IN WHICH HE
THREATENS TO FIRE ROBERT MUELLER, THE SPECIAL COUNSEL
INVESTIGATING HIM ON THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION.
HE CRITICIZES ROBERT MUELLER AND SAYS MUELLER HAS CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST IN THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION, CONFLICTS THAT
THE PRESIDENT SAYS HE KNOWS ABOUT AND HASN'T YET REVEALED
THEM, BUT HE WILL. HE ALSO RIPS THE ACTING DIRECTOR
OF THE FBI ANDREW McCABE, WHICH MIGHT SOUND RANDOM, BUT IT'S
BECOMING A TALKING POINT ON THE FOX NEWS CHANNEL AND SOCIAL
MEDIA IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. AND ALSO CASTS DISPERSIONS ON
THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES.
WHO IS SOMEONE HE APPOINTED TO THAT JOB.
ROD ROSENSTEIN, WHO IS NOW OVERSEEING THE TRUMP-RUSSIA
INVESTIGATIONS AT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE ATTORNEY
GENERAL JEFF SESSIONS IS SUPPOSEDLY RECUSED FROM THEM.
IN THE SAME INTERVIEW, IMPORTANTLY, THE PRESIDENT ALSO
RIPS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HIMSELF, JEFF SESSIONS, WHO HE
HAS BEEN SEEN AS SO CLOSE TO, AND WHO REALLY DID A HUGE AMOUNT
TOWARD MAKING TRUMP A REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE INSTEAD OF JUST AN
ICONIC CONSERVATIVE FREE-FLOATING NONPARTY
AFFILIATED CANDIDATE IN THE PRIMARY.
IN THIS NEW INTERVIEW TONIGHT, THE PRESIDENT CRITICIZES JEFF
SESSIONS IN SUCH A WAY THAT IN NORMAL TIMES, WE WOULD EXPECT AN
OFFICIAL CRITICIZE THIS WAY BY THE PRESIDENT TO RESIGN BEFORE
THE EVENING IS OVER. THAT SAID, THESE ARE NOT NORMAL
TIMES. SO WHO KNOWS.
WE DON'T HAVE A TRANSCRIPT OF THIS INTERVIEW YET FROM "THE NEW
YORK TIMES" TONIGHT. WE JUST HAVE THEIR WRITEUP OF,
WHICH IS BASICALLY THEIR CHARACTERIZATION AND A FEW
COATS, A FEW DIRECT QUOTES FROM THE PRESIDENT.
THEY DID, THOUGH, RELEASE THIS ONE PIECE OF AUDIO AUDIO.
>> SESSIONS GETS THE JOB. RIGHT AFTER HE GETS THE JOB HE
RECUSES HIMSELF. IS THAT A MISTAKE?
WELL, SESSIONS SHOULD NEVER HAVE RECUSED HIMSELF.
AND IF HE WAS GOING TO RECUSE HIMSELF, HE SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME
BEFORE HE TOOK THE JOB AND I WOULD HAVE PICKED SOMEBODY ELSE.
>> HE GAVE YOU NO EVIDENCE AT ALL?
>> ZERO. SO JEFF SESSIONS TAKES THE JOB,
GETS INTO THE JOB, RECUSES
HIMSELF, WHICH, FRANKLY, I THINK IS VERY UNFAIR TO THE PRESIDENT.
HOW DO YOU TAKE A JOB AND THEN RECUSE YOURSELF.
IF HE WOULD HAVE RECUSED HIMSELF BEFORE THE JOB, I WOULD HAVE
SAID, THANKS, JEFF, BUT I CAN'T -- YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING
TO TAKE YOU. IT'S EXTREMELY UNFAIR.
THAT'S A MILD WORD, TO THE PRESIDENT.
SO HE RECUSES HIMSELF. I THEN END UP WITH A SECOND MAN
WHO'S A DEPUTY. >> SO THAT'S THE ONLY AUDIO THAT
WE'VE GOT. WE DON'T HAVE A TRANSCRIPT FROM
THE "TIMES." JUST FROM THAT AUDIO, FIRST OF
ALL, WE KNOW THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SPEAKS ABOUT HIMSELF AS
THE PRESIDENT IN THE THIRD. THERE'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION
THAT HE'S POINTING AT, THAT DOESN'T AT ALL SEEM OBVIOUS TO
ME. MAYBE I'M JUST BEING DENSE HERE.
BUT WHEN HE SAYS IT'S UNFAIR TO THE PRESIDENT, MEANING HIMSELF,
THAT HIS ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS RECUSED HIMSELF FROM THE
TRUMP-RUSSIA INVESTIGATION, WHY IS THAT UNFAIR?
WHY IS THAT UNFAIR UNLESS YOU WOULD WANT YOUR ATTORNEY GENERAL
OVERSEEING THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION IN A WAY THAT WAS
FAVORABLE TO YOU. RIGHT?
THE REASON JEFF SESSIONS RECUSED HIMSELF FROM THE RUSSIA
INVESTIGATION IS BECAUSE THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION IS ABOUT
THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN, AND JEFF SESSIONS WAS A BIG PART OF THE
TRUMP CAMPAIGN. HE ACTUALLY RECUSED HIMSELF FROM
ALL INVESTIGATIVE MATTERS THAT MIGHT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH
THE CAMPAIGN. WITH THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN OR THE
TRUMP CAMPAIGN, WITH ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN THE CAMPAIGN
FOR THE PRESIDENCY IN 2016. WHY WOULD THAT BE UNFAIR TO THE
PRESIDENT? FOR HIM TO TAKE HIMSELF OUT OF
AN AN OVERSIGHT ROLE OF INVESTIGATIONS INTO THAT?
UNLESS TRUMP BELIEVES THE ONLY WAY TO BE FAIR, AND TO FAIRLY
TREAT THE PRESIDENT IN THAT REGARD IS TO OVERSEE THOSE
INVESTIGATIONS IN A WAY THAT IS FAVORABLE TO HIM.
SO THERE'S THAT. LIKE I SAID, THAT'S THE ONLY
TAPE THAT WE'VE GOT. WE DON'T YET HAVE A TRANSCRIPT.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT THE LAST THING HE SAID THERE IN THE TAPE
IS, SO HE RECUSES HIMSELF. MEANING JEFF SESSIONS.
I THEN END UP WITH A SECOND MAN WHO IS A DEPUTY.
FROM "TIMES'" WRITEUP ABOUT THIS, THE NEXT THING THAT THE
PRESIDENT MIGHT HAVE SAID THERE ABOUT DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
ROD ROSENSTEIN IS THIS. THIS IS QUOTING FROM THE TEXT OF
THE PIECE. QUOTE, THE PRESIDENT EXPRESSED
DISCONTENT WITH DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL ROD ROSENSTEIN, A FORMER
FEDERAL PROSECUTOR FROM BALTIMORE.
WHEN JEFF SESSIONS RECUSED HIMSELF FROM THE RUSSIA
INVESTIGATION, THE PRESIDENT SAID HE WAS, GET THIS, IRRITATED
TO LEARN WHERE HIS DEPUTY WAS FROM.
QUOTE, THERE ARE VERY FEW REPUBLICANS IN BALTIMORE, IF
ANY. SO MAYBE ROD ROSENSTEIN WILL
RESIGN TONIGHT, TOO. OR MAYBE ROD ROSENSTEIN SHOULD
BE ON RESIGNATION WATCH AS WELL. THE PRESIDENT IS PUBLICLY
CALLING INTO QUESTION HIS ABILITY TO DO HIS JOB BECAUSE OF
HIS PARTISAN LEANINGS OR LACK THEREOF.
WHICH IS A PUBLIC EXPRESSION OF LACK OF CONFIDENCE BY THE
PRESIDENT IN THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO IN THE CASE OF THE
RUSSIAN INVESTIGATION IS THE ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL.
AGAIN, THAT IS THE SORT OF THING THAT WOULD TYPICALLY CAUSE A
PUBLIC OFFICIAL TO RESIGN IMMEDIATELY.
BUT AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT TONIGHT.
AS I ALSO MENTIONED IN THIS INTERVIEW TONIGHT, THE PRESIDENT
CASTS SOME ASPERSIONS ON THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE FBI,
ANDREW McCABE. WE DON'T YET HAVE A QUOTE FROM
THE "TIMES" ABOUT THAT, WE JUST HAVE THEIR CHARACTERIZATION OF
THE PRESIDENT CRITICIZING HIM. SO I THINK WE'LL WAIT UNTIL WE
GET THE TRANSCRIPT, OR ADDITIONAL AUDIO FROM THE
"TIMES" BEFORE WE GET INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL THERE, RATHER THAN
GOING WITH A PARAPHRASED SET OF CRITICISM.
WHEN IT COMES TO ROBERT MUELLER, THOUGH, THEY ARE FAIRLY EXPLICIT
AS TO WHAT HE SAYS ABOUT SPECIAL COUNSEL ROBERT MUELLER.
QUOTE, MR. TRUMP SAID MR. MUELLER WAS RUNNING AN OFFICE
RIPE WITH CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. THE PRESIDENT WARNED
INVESTIGATORS AGAINST DELVING INTO MATTERS TOO FAR AFIELD FROM
RUSSIA. MR. TRUMP NEVER SAID HE WOULD
ORDER THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO FIRE MR. MUELLER.
NOR WOULD HE OUTLINE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH HE
MIGHT DO SO. BUT HE LEFT OPEN THE POSSIBILITY
AS HE EXPRESSED DEEP GRIEVANCE OVER AN INVESTIGATION THAT HAS
TAKEN A POLITICAL TOLL IN THE SIX MONTHS SINCE HE TOOK OFFICE.
ASKED IF MR. MUELLER'S INVESTIGATION WOULD CROSS A RED
LINE, IF IT EXPANDED TO LOOK AT HIS FAMILY'S FINANCES BEYOND ANY
RELATIONSHIP TO RUSSIA, MR. TRUMP SAID, QUOTE, I WOULD SAY
YES. I THINK THAT'S A VIOLATION.
WELL, AS NOTED LAST HOUR, WITH JOY REED, WHEN SHE SPOKE WITH
REPORTER DAVID K. JOHNSTON, WHO IS THE REPORTER WHO OBTAINED THE
ONLY TWO PAGES OF DONALD TRUMP'S FEDERAL TAX RETURNS THAT HAVE
EVER BEEN MADE PUBLIC, THIS REFERENCE, WOULD IT BE A RED
LINE IF MUELLER STARTED LOOKING INTO FINANCES, INTO THE TRUMP
FAMILY FINANCES, AND THE PRESIDENT SAYING, YES, I THINK
THAT WOULD BE A RED LINE, I THINK THAT'S A VIOLATION.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS WHAT THE "TIMES" REPORTER IS REFERRING TO
WHEN THEY ASKED HIM THAT QUESTION.
BUT AS SOON AS THIS INTERVIEW POSTED TONIGHT AT "THE NEW YORK
TIMES," "THE NEW YORK TIMES" ALSO POSTED IN THEIR BUSINESS
SECTION A BIG NEWS STORY ABOUT DEUTSCHE BANK, WHICH IS THE
PRESIDENT'S BIGGEST LENDER. DEUTSCHE BANK HAS AN UNUSUAL
FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP TO DONALD TRUMP.
AS DAVID K. JOHNSTON AND OTHER FINANCIAL REPORTERS HAVE
DOCUMENTED, WHEN OTHER BANKS, WHEN ALMOST EVERY OTHER MAJOR
BANK WOULD NO LONGER DO BUSINESS WITH DONALD TRUMP AND THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION, DEUTSCHE BANK CONTINUED TO, AND HE -- THEY
REMAIN HIS LARGEST LENDER. DEUTSCHE BANK IS ALSO ON THE
HOOK TO TUNE OF HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FINES FOR
THEIR ROLE IN RUSSIAN MONEY LAUNDERING SCHEMES IN RECENT
YEARS. BUT ACCORDING TO THE "TIMES"
TONIGHT, BANKING REGULATORS ARE REVIEWING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS IN LOANS MADE TO MR. TRUMP'S BUSINESSES THROUGH
DEUTSCHE BANK'S PRIVATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT UNIT.
WHICH CATERS TO AN ULTRA-RICH CLIENTELE.
THE "TIMES" IS CITING THREE PEOPLE ON THE REVIEW NOT
AUTHORIZED TO SPEAK PUBLICLY. THE REGULATORS WANT TO KNOW IF
THE LOAN MIGHT HAVE EXPOSED THE RANK TO HEIGHTENED RISKS.
SECONDLY, DEUTSCHE BANK HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH FEDERAL
INVESTIGATORS ABOUT THE TRUMP ACCOUNTS.
THEY'RE CITING TWO PEOPLE BRIEFED ON THE MATTER.
AND THE BANK IS EXPECTED T TO EVENTUALLY HAVE TO PROVIDE
INFORMATION TO ROBERT MUELLER. THE SPECIAL COUNSEL OVERSEEING
THE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN'S TIES TO
RUSSIA. SO IN TWO SEPARATE STORIES
TONIGHT, "THE NEW YORK TIMES" IS REPORTING THAT DEUTSCHE BANK IS
EXPECTING TO HAVE TO HAND OVER TRUMP RELATED FINANCIAL AND
BANKING RECORDS TO ROBERT MUELLER AS SPECIAL COUNSEL.
AND, THE PRESIDENT IS TELLING "NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTERS
TONIGHT THAT IF ROBERT MUELLER DELVES TOO FAR INTO HIS
FINANCES, HE WOULD CONSIDER THAT A RED LINE.
HE WOULD CONSIDER THAT A VIOLATION, NEVER SAYING
EXPLICITLY HE WOULD FIRE MR. MUELLER, BUT CLEARLY MAKING THAT
THREAT. IF THE PRESIDENT FIRED THE
SPECIAL COUNSEL INVESTIGATING RUSSIA AFTER HE FIRED THE FBI
DIRECTOR WHO'S INVESTIGATING RUSSIA, PRESUMABLY ALL H-E
DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS WOULD BREAK LOOSE IN WASHINGTON, PRESUMABLY.
BUT WHO KNOWS. THE PRESIDENT IS CLEARLY
THREATENING TO FIRE THE SPECIAL COUNSEL TONIGHT IF HE LOOKS INTO
THE PRESIDENT'S FINANCES. THE "TIMES" REPORTING THAT
MUELLER IS LOOKING INTO THE PRESIDENT'S FINANCES.
WITH ALL THAT SAID, THE IMMEDIATE QUESTION, AND THE
QUESTION THAT MAY SHAPE EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS NEXT ON
THIS SUBJECT, IS WHETHER OR NOT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WILL NOW
FEEL THAT HE IS FORCED TO QUIT, NOW THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS
EXPRESSED MORE THAN A LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN HIM.
NOW THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS EXPRESSED REGRET THAT HE'S IN
THAT JOB. AGAIN, THE PRESIDENT SAYING ON
TAPE TONIGHT THAT HE WISHES HE WOULD HAVE CHOSEN SOMEONE ELSE
TO BE ATTORNEY GENERAL. THAT ALONE WOULD USUALLY BE
ENOUGH TO CAUSE INSTANT RESIGNATION OF ANY CABINET
OFFICIAL SO DESCRIBED BY THE PRESIDENT AT WHOSE PLEASURE THEY
SERVE. I SHOULD TELL YOU, THOUGH, THAT
THAT'S NOT ALL. IN THE SAME INTERVIEW THE
PRESIDENT ALSO GOES FURTHER WHEN IT COMES TO JEFF SESSIONS AND
ALL BUT ACCUSES HIM OF LYING TO THE SENATE.
ABOUT JEFF SESSIONS' OWN CONTACTS WITH RUSSIAN OFFICIALS.
QUOTING FROM THE "TIMES," MR. TRUMP ALSO FAULTED MR. SESSIONS
FOR HIS TESTIMONY DURING SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARINGS.
WHEN SESSIONS SAID HE HAD NOT MET WITH ANY RUSSIANS, EVEN
THOUGH HE MET AT LEAST TWICE WITH AMBASSADOR SERGEY KISLYAK.
QUOTE, JEFF SESSIONS, GAVE SOME BAD ANSWERS, THE PRESIDENT SAID,
HE GAVE SOME ANSWERS THAT WERE SIMPLE QUESTIONS AND SHOULD HAVE
BEEN SIMPLE ANSWERS, BUT THEY WEREN'T.
NOW, JEFF SESSIONS SO FAR IS NOT COMMENTING IN RESPONSE TO THIS
DENIGRATION FROM THE PRESIDENT TONIGHT.
THE PRESIDENT SAYING HE WISHED HE HADN'T HIRED HIM.
AND THAT HE THINKS HE GAVE, QUOTE, BAD ANSWERS TO THE
SENATE. AGAIN, THIS IS THE KIND OF THING
YOU WOULD EXPECT TO OCCASION A FAIRLY QUICK RESIGNATION.
LIKE TONIGHT, IF YOU'RE GOING FROM PAST EXPERIENCE IN AMERICAN
HISTORY. BUT ANYBODY TRYING TO EXPLAIN
THIS PAST YEAR, BASED ON PAST EXPERIENCE IN AMERICAN HISTORY
HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE A CHURCH SO FAR.
WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS HERE. WE'RE TRYING TO JUG WILL ALL
THESE STORIES AS THEY CONTINUE TO BREAK OVER THE COURSE OF THE
EVENING.ING. CLEARLY, THIS IS A BIG DEAL IN
TERMS OF THE PRESSURE ON THE FBI, THE PRESSURE ON THE DEPUTY
ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE PRESSURE ON THE SPECIAL COUNSEL, AND MOST
POINTEDLY THE PRESSURE ON TRUMP LOYALTYISTS, EARLY SUPPORTER,
ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF SESSIONS. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK
BREAK. WE'LL BE BACK WITH THE FORMER
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SPOKESMAN UNDER ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC
HOLDER WHO ACTUALLY WROTE BEFORE TONIGHT THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS
MIGHT HAPPEN. WE'LL BE TALKING WITH HIM.
WE'VE GOT ADAM SCHIFF ON THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE
HERE TONIGHT. AND TONIGHT, WE'VE GOT THE
FORMER TOP ETHICS OFFICIAL FROM THE U.S. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HERE
TONIGHT. HIS LAST DAY ON THE JOB WAS
YESTERDAY.

Resignation Watch: Donald Trump Lashes Sessions, Justice Officials | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

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