What's Dangerous About A Compromised Person In Public Office | Rachel Maddow

>>> AS I JUST MENTIONED, WE'VE GOT SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN ON
DECK TONIGHT. WE ARE RIGHT NOW MANEUVERING HER
TO THE CAMERA. THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS
WHEN IT COMES TO TALKING TO SENATORS LIVE TONIGHT BECAUSE OF
THE REPUBLICAN VOTES TO REPEAL OBAMACARE WHAT ARE EXPECTED TO
BE DOOMED VOTES, AT LEAST IN THE FIRST INSTANCE.
THE VOTES ARE UNFOLDING LIVE TONIGHT WELL INTO THE EVENING
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF UNPREDICTABILITY IN THIS HOUR
AND WE DON'T WANT TO INTERFERE WITH ANY SENATORS' ABILITY TO
VOTE. WE SHOULD HAVE ELIZABETH WARREN
HERE LIVE SHORTLY. TONIGHT WE SHOULD ALSO BE SEEING
CONGRESSMAN ERIC SALWELL. WE HEARD FROM WHITE HOUSE SENIOR
ADVISER AND PRESIDENTIAL SON-IN-LAW JARED KUSHNER.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I WANTED TO TALK WITH CONGRESSMAN SALWELL
TODAY ABOUT THAT TESTIMONY, THAT INTERVIEW THAT THEY DID WITH
JARED KUSHNER IS BECAUSE OF THE GUY WHO I HAVE COME TO THINK OF
AS THE OTHER NIXON, THE OTHER NIXON THAT'S NOT PRESIDENT NIXON
BUT WHO STILL COMES UP WHENEVER YOU GOOGLE "IMPEACH NIXON."
LET ME EXPLAIN. HE HAD SEVEN CHILDREN AND
ALTHOUGH HE CAME FROM A PROMINENT LOCAL FAMILY AND HAD A
PRESTIGIOUS JOB, TONS OF JOB SECURITY, HIS SALARY AT HIS JOB
WAS NOT GOING UP EVEN THOUGH HIS KIDS KEPT GROWING UP AND HIS
KIDS KEPT GETTING ADMITTED TO COLLEGE.
HE HAD SEVEN KIDS. FIVE OF THEM IN COLLEGE.

EVEN WITH A GOOD JOB. SO HE STARTED ASKING AROUND.
HE LET IT BE KNOWN THAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAKE EXTRA
MONEY. IT TURNED OUT, A LOCAL
BUSINESSMAN, A WEALTHY GUY, HAD JUST THE THING FOR HIM.
THIS LOCAL WEALTHY BUSINESSMAN SAID, YES, I HAVE AN AMAZING
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO YOU AND ONLY YOU.
IT'S SO AMAZING, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT UP A SINGLE DOLLAR OF
YOUR OWN MONEY BUT YOU'LL GET TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN
ROYALTY PAYMENTS. SOUNDS GOOD?
THAT SOUNDS GREAT. WITHIN MONTHS, THE GUY WITH THE
GOOD JOB, FATHER OF SEVEN, HE WAS TAKING IN TENS AND THOUSANDS
OF DOLLARS FROM THIS BASICALLY MAGIC INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY HE
WAS OFFERED BY A GUY IN TOWN. TO MAKE THIS APPEAR EVEN THE
SLIGHTEST BIT LEGAL, THEY RETROACTIVELY DATED PROMISSORY
NOTES TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE OUR GUY HAD PUT UP SOME OF THE MONEY
IN THE FIRST PLACE BUT HE REALLY HAD.
HE ACTUALLY PAID OUT NOTHING AND HE MADE 30 AND 40 AND 50 AND 60
AND $70,000 AND HE FIGURED OUT BASICALLY THAT THERE WAS THIS
SPIGOT OF FREE MONEY THAT HE COULD TAP TO EASE THAT FINANCIAL
PAIN. AND AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, THIS
WHOLE DEAL WAS SPECTACULAR ILLEGAL, NOT LEAST BECAUSE THE
GUY WHO TOOK THE MONEY, OUR DAD OF SEVEN, WAS A FEDERAL JUDGE.
AND IN CASE IT WASN'T CLEAR TO HIM FROM THE OUTSET, IT SOON
BECAME CLEAR THAT THERE WAS A A REAL COST ASSOCIATED WITH THIS
FREE FOR NOTHING AMAZING MONEY SERVICE THAT HE HAD STARTED
TAPPING. IN AUGUST 1980, A SMALL PLANE
LANDED AT THE HATTIESBURG AIRPORT IN HATTIESBURG,
MISSISSIPPI. THAT PLANE LANDED LATE ONE NIGHT
AFTER THE AIRPORT HAD CLOSED. IT WAS A SMALL PLANE.
TWIN ENGINE CESSNA AT HATTIESBURG AIRPORT AFTER IT WAS
CLOSED AND ALL OF THE LIGHTS WERE OFF.
THE FEDS THOUGHT IT WAS WEIRD. THEY TAILED THE PLANE AND AFTER
THAT LITTLE PLANE LANDED AT THE CLOSED AIRPORT, THE FEDS LANDED
RIGHT BEHIND THEM AND IT TURNED OUT THAT LITTLE PROP PLANE THAT
LANDED AT THAT DARKENED MUNICIPAL AIRPORT WAS CARRYING
ALMOST A TON OF MARIJUANA. AND IT TURNS OUT THE CO-MANAGER
OF THE AIRPORT, WHO WAS IN ON THE WHOLE DRUG SMUGGLING WITH
AIRPLANES AFTER HOURS AT THE HATTIESBURG AIRPORT THING, THE
CO-MANAGER OF THE AIRPORT WHO WAS IN ON IT, THAT WAS THE SON
OF THE WEALTHY BUSINESSMAN, THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN LOOKING UP THAT
JUDGE WITH THAT AWESOME ILLEGAL OIL AND GAS ROYALTY DEAL.
YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. HIS SON GETS ARRESTED IN THIS
DRUG SMUGGLING THING SO THE BUSINESSMAN CALLS UP THIS JUDGE
WHO HE'S BEEN GREASING FOR MONTHS NOW.
HE CALLS HIM UP AND SAYS, HEY, I NEED YOU TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT
THIS DRUG SMUGGLING CASE THAT MY SON IS ALL MESSED UP IN.
IMAGINE YOU ARE THIS JUDGE. YOU'VE GOT SEVEN KIDS, FIVE IN
COLLEGE, YOU'VE GOT THIS STREAM OF MONEY COMING IN NOW, WHICH
YOU ARE REALLY GETTING USED TO. YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE THAT.
AND THE NOT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AWESOME INVESTMENT
OPPORTUNITY THAT THIS GUY HOOKED YOU UP WITH THAT'S GIVEN YOU ALL
OF THIS MONEY, THAT WAS CLEARLY ILLEGAL SO NATURALLY YOU WOULD
NOT WANT THAT GETTING OUT. YOU'RE A FEDERAL JUDGE.
YOU ADD YOU WILL OF THOSE THINGS UP AND THIS JUDGE WHO WAS REALLY
IN NO POSITION TO SAY "NO" TO THE REQUEST, RIGHT, THE SON'S
CASE CONCERNING THE CESSNA FULL OF MARIJUANA AT THIS AIRPORT,
THAT CASE WAS ACTUALLY NOT IN FRONT OF THIS PARTICULAR JUDGE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, A FEDERAL JUDGE, THE CHIEF JUDGE FOR THE
DISTRICT, THAT'S THE PERSON WITH REAL INFLUENCE IN LEGAL CIRCLES,
PARTICULARLY OVER PROSECUTORS AND OTHER LAWYERS WHO MAY END UP
ARGUING CASES BEFORE HIM. OUR FRIEND, HE PUTS IN A WORD,
AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT HIS CASE AND EVEN THOUGH THE KID HAD
ALREADY PLED GUILTY IN THE DRUG SMUGGLING CASE, THE JUDGE
PUTTING IN THE WORD FOR THE GUY GOT THE CASE SHELVED.
THE KID IS GOING TO BE FINE. AND THERE ARE TWO THINGS YOU
NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT NOW ALL THESE YEARS LATER.
FIRST, THE JUDGE'S NAME WAS WALT TER NIXON.
HE'S THE OTHER NIXON AND THAT CAN BE VERY CONFUSING.
HE'S NOT AT ALL RELATED TO RICHARD NIXON BUT BECAUSE HE'S
NIXON, HE'S UNGOOGLEABLE ALL OF THESE YEARS LATER BECAUSE GUESS
WHAT COMES UP, RICHARD NIXON IMPEACHMENT.
WHAT COMES UP IS NOT WALT. SO THE SECOND THING TO KNOW
ABOUT THIS, THIS NIXON, THE JUDGE, WALT, THE ONE WHO STARTED
THIS WHOLE SAGA BY LOOKING FOR A LITTLE EXTRA CASH ON THE SIDE OF
HIS SALARY, HE DID GET IMPEACHED AND HE HAD TO BE.
INITIALLY HE WAS PUT ON TRIAL AND CONVICTED AND GOT SENTENCED
TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON BUT EVEN AFTER THAT THEY DIDN'T LET IT
GO. EVEN AFTER HE GOT OUT OF SERVING
HIS PRISON SENTENCE, THEY STILL IMPEACHED HIM IN THE U.S. HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES TO BE SURE HE'D NEVER AGAIN SERVE AS A
JUDGE. THE VOTE WAS 417-0 IN THE HOUSE.
AND THEN THEY VOTED IN THE SENATE TO REMOVE HIM FROM THE
BENCH. >> AFTER CAREFULLY INVESTIGATING
THE FACTS AND HEARING ALL THE EVIDENCE, THE HOUSE VOTED 417-0
IN FAVOR OF THE THREE ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT.
ACCORDINGLY, YOU MUST NOW GRAPPLE WITH THE SAME QUESTION
FACED BY THE HOUSE. A MAN WHO REPEATEDLY LIED AS HE
FIT TO HOLD A HIGH OFFICE OF A FEDERAL JUDGE.
I HOPE YOU'LL AGREE THAT THE ANSWER IS OBVIOUS, TO PRESERVE
THE INTEGRITY OF THE JUDICIARY, TO MAINTAIN PUBLIC RESPECT FOR
LAW AND ORDER, JUDGE NIXON MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE BENCH.
>> AND THE SENATE VOTED TO REMOVE HIM.
WHEN JUDGE WALTER NIXON HAD TAKEN ALL OF THAT MONEY, WHEN HE
GOT THAT CALL ASKING HIM TO HELP THE GUY OUT, HELP OUT THAT GUY'S
SON WITH THAT DRUG SMUGGLING CASE, JUDGE NIXON MIGHT HAVE
REALLY WANTED TO HELP. HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN
CONSTITUTIONALLY INCLINED TO DO ANYTHING HE COULD FOR THAT GUY
WHO IN EFFECT HAD GIVEN HIM ALL OF THAT MONEY AND FOR HIS FAMILY
AND FOR ANYTHING ELSE HE WANTED HIM TO DO.
HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN INNINED TO DO IT AND DONE IT HAPPILY.
IF HE WASN'T INCLINED TO HELP, IF IT STRUCK HIM AS WRONG AS A
FEDERAL JUDGE TO WEIGH IN ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S CASE AND USE HIS
INFLUENCE TO GET THE PROSECUTION OF THIS UNRELATED CASE QUASHED
BECAUSE HE KNEW THE GUY, IF HE REALLY -- IF THAT MADE HIM FEEL
OOGIE AND KNEW IT WAS WRONG, WAS HE REALLY IN A POS POSITION TO
NO? ONCE HE HAD TAKEN THE MONEY?
ONCE HE HAD TAKEN THAT SUPPOSED INVESTMENT DEAL THAT HE KNEW WAS
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE WHERE HE DIDN'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO PUT UP
ANY OF HIS OWN MONEY? WHAT WAS THE BIGGER RISK?
SOMEBODY EXPOSING HIM FOR THAT BRIBE OR SOMEBODY FINDING OUT
THAT HE MIGHT HAVE HELPED QUASH THAT CASE QUIETLY?
WHAT IS THE BIGGER RISK? TOUGH CALL, RIGHT?
PEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE TOUGH CALLS LIKE THAT ARE CALLED
COMPROMISED. PEOPLE WHO HOLD A PUBLIC
POSITION, A POSITION WHERE THEY'RE EXPECTED TO ACT IN THE
PUBLIC'S INTEREST BUT THEY'VE DOING THINGS THAT ARE EITHER
ILLEGAL OR THEY DON'T WANT TO EXPLAIN PUBLICLY OR BOTH.
AND AS LONG AS SOMEBODY ELSE KNOWS WHAT THEY DID, EITHER BY
OBSERVING THE SECRET BAD BEHAVIOR OR BY PARTICIPATING IN
IT WITH THEM, THAT PUBLIC OFFICIAL IS COMPROMISED.
THEY'RE COMPROMISED. YOU CANNOT TRUST THEM TO DO WHAT
IS RIGHT FOR THE PUBLIC BECAUSE OF THEIR ULTERIOR MOTIVE AND THE
COERCION THAT CAN FOLLOW AND SO THAT PERSON HAS TO GET OUT OF
OFFICE. PRISON IS NOT EVEN ENOUGH IN THE
CASE OF A FEDERAL JUDGE, RIGHT, IN THE OTHER NIXON CASE.
THE HOUSE AND THEN THE SENATE MOVED TO GET HIM OFF OF THE
BENCH AND TO REMOVE FROM THE BENCH IN A WAY THAT HE COULD
NEVER, EVER BE IN THAT POSITION OF PUBLIC TRUST AGAIN.
IT IS DANGEROUS FOR A COMPROMISED PERSON TO CONTINUE
TO BE IN PUBLIC OFFICE EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT
DOLING OUT THE INTERESTS THAT THEY KNOW OR WHOEVER KNOWS WHAT
THEY DID, THERE'S ALSO A NONZERO CHANCE THAT THAT PUBLIC OFFICIAL
COULD BE FORCED, COULD BE COERCED, COULD BE THREATENED OR
BLACKMAILED INTO GIVING SPECIAL TREATMENT INTO WHOEVER IT IS
THAT GAVE HIM THOSE SWEETHEART DEALS UNDER THE THREAT THAT THE
OFFICIAL'S PAST BEHAVIOR WILL BE EXPOSED IF THEY DON'T DO IT.
THE STORY OF THE OTHER NIXON, THE OTHER NIXON IMPEACHMENT, IS
A REMINDER OF THE URGENCY WE USED TO FEEL AS A COUNTRY, THAT
CONGRESS USED TO FEEL ABOUT THE PROSPECT THAT A PUBLIC OFFICIAL
MIGHT BE COMPROMISED. A PUBLIC OFFICIAL MIGHT BE
MAKING DECISIONS NOT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST BUT IN ORDER TO
FURTHER SOME SECRET ARRANGEMENT OR OUT OF FEAR THAT IT WOULD BE
REVEALED. WHEN A PUBLIC OFFICIAL HAS A
SECRET LIKE THAT, IT MAKES THEM GENUINELY VULNERABLE TO COERCION
OR BLACKMAIL AND THEN THEY ARE A DANGER TO THE UNITED STATES.
WHEN WALTER NIXON WAS IMPEACHED AND REMOVED, THE VOTE WAS 417-0
IN THE HOUSE AND THEN IT WAS 89-8 IN THE SENATE.
THIS USED TO BE THE KIND OF THING THAT WE HAVE BIPARTISAN
CONSENSUS ON. THE FIRST NATIONAL SECURITY
ADVISER IN THIS ADMINISTRATION WAS ALLOWED TO RESIGN ALMOST
THREE WEEKS AFTER THE ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL SALLY YATES
WENT TO THE WHITE HOUSE WITH A WARNING THAT HE WAS COMPROMISED.
THAT MICHAEL FLYNN HAD BEEN CONCEALING EVIDENCE OF HIS
MULTIPLE CONTACTS WITH THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT, CONTACTS
THAT THE RUSSIANS CLEARLY KNEW ABOUT AND THEY, THEREFORE, HAD
HIM IN A COMPROMISED POSITION WHERE HE MIGHT FEEL OBLIGED OR
POTENTIALLY COERCED BY THEM IN HIS OFFICIAL CONDUCT AS NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISER. THAT IS DANGEROUS AS TO ALL GET
OUT. NEVERTHELESS, AFTER THAT
MORNING, THE PRESIDENT KEPT HIM ON BOARD AT THE WHITE HOUSE FOR
ANOTHER 18 DAYS FOLLOWING THAT WARNING BEFORE HE FINALLY
RESIGNED. ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF SESSIONS
IS BEING ALL BUT CHASED OUT OF OFFICE NOW BY THE PRESIDENT FOR
REASONS WE'LL DISCUSS LATER. BUT HIS TROUBLES AS ATTORNEY
GENERAL HAVE INCLUDED HIM APPARENTLY CONCEALING EVIDENCE
OF HIS OWN MULTIPLE CONTACTS WITH THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.
SENIOR WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL JARED KUSHNER INTERVIEWED WITH
THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE STAFF YESTERDAY AND
UNDER OATH WITH THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE TODAY.
FOR MONTHS, JARED KUSHNER LEFT HIS MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH
RUSSIAN OFFICIALS OFF HIS SECURITY CLEARANCE APPLICATION
AND STOOD BY SAYING NOTHING WHILE SENIOR SPOKES PEOPLE FOR
THE CAMPAIGN AND TRANSITION AND ADMINISTRATION AND SENIOR
OFFICIALS, INCLUDING THE VICE PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT HIMSELF
ASSERTED PUBLICLY MULTIPLE TIMES THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO MEETINGS
BETWEEN THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE RUSSIAN
GOVERNMENT DURING THE CAMPAIGN WHEN JARED KUSHNER KNEW IN FACT
THAT THOSE ASSERTIONS HAD BEEN INCORRECT BECAUSE HE WAS IN
THOSE MEETINGS. AS OF YESTERDAY, JARED KUSHNER
WAS STILL NEWLY DISCLOSING RUSSIAN MEETINGS HE HAD NEVER
PREVIOUSLY DISCLOSED. AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU CARE
ABOUT WHY THIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN IN THIS TRANSITION TOOK
SO MANY MORE MEETINGS WITH RUSSIANS THAN ANY OTHER AMERICAN
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN EVER HAS WHILE THE RUSSIANS WERE MOUNTING
A MASSIVE ATTACK ON OUR ELECTION TO BENEFIT THEIR CAME, WHETHER
OR NOT YOU CARE ABOUT THE SUBSTANCE OF THOSE MEETINGS AND
CONTACTS AND COMMUNICATIONS, PRESUMABLY THERE IS A REASON
THEY DID NOT DISCLOSE THOSE MEETINGS BEFORE.
AND IF RUSSIA AT ANY POINT SINCE THOSE MEETINGS AND CONTACTS AND
COMMUNICATIONS HAPPENED, IF RUSSIA AT ANY POINT DECIDED TO
HOLD THAT OVER THESE GUYS WHO WEREN'T PUBLICLY ADMITTING TO
IT, IF RUSSIA DECIDED AT ANY POINT TO HOLD THAT OVER THESE
GUYS TO INFLUENCE THEIR CONDUCT AS AMERICAN OFFICIALS, THEN
WHAT'S OUR RECOURSE AS A COUNTRY?
WE USED TO TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM THAT AS A
COUNTRY. HOW DO WE PROTECT

What's Dangerous About A Compromised Person In Public Office | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

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