Senators Move To Protect Mueller From Donald Trump With New Legislation | Rachel Maddow

>>> THERE ARE 16 OF THEM, YOU COULD PUT THEM ALL ON A FOOTBALL
FIELD AND STILL HAVE FIVE TO SPARE.
SPECIAL COUNSEL ROBERT MUELLER HAS HIRED 16 LAWYER TO HELP HIM
SLOG THROUGH THE TRUMP-RUSSIA INVESTIGATION.
HE HIRED LAWYER NUMBER 16 JUST THIS WEEK, A GUY NAMED GREG
ANDRAS. HE USED TO BE THE DEPUTY
ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL AT THE JUSTI JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S
CRIMINAL DIVISION. HE SPECIALIZED IN FRAUD AND
FOREIGN BRIBERY. AND NOW HE'S PUTTING THAT
EXPERTISE BACK TO USE FLEXING HIS FRAUD AND FOREIGN BRIBERY
MUSCLES FOR THE SPECIAL COUNSEL WORKING ON THE TRUMP-RUSSIA
INVESTIGATION. THE LINEUP OF ATTORNEYS WORKING
FOR MUELLER IS LIKE A FAINTLY LEAGUE OF SURT DRAFT OF ALL STAR
ATTORNEYS. EXPERTS IN WHITE COLLAR CRIME
WANT ORGANIZED CRIME, MONEY LAUNDERING, CYBERSECURITY KB
HE'S GOT A SKILLED WITNESS FLIPPER, A FLUENT RUSSIAN
SPEAKER, EVEN A FREAKING WATERGATE PROSECUTOR WORKING ON
THIS THING. THE DREAM TEAM OF CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATIONS. WE'VE LONG KNOWN THAT THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS
INVESTIGATION INTO HIS CAMPAIGN AND HIS ADMINISTRATION.
HE TOLD THE "THE NEW YORK TIMES" THAT IF ROBERT MUELLER STARTED
LOOKING INTO HIS PERSONAL FINANCES THAT THAT WOULD BE A
RED LINE, CALLING IT A VIOLATION OF WHAT THE SPECIAL KOUB SELL IS
ALLOWED TO POKE HIS NOSE INTO. WE KNOW THAT ROBERT MUELLER HAS
CRASHED THROUGH THAT RED LINE. HIS PROBE EXPANDED TO START
FOLLOWING THE COMPLICATED TRAIL OF TRUMP'S BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS
AND FINANCES. AND THEN THERE'S TODAY'S
BOMBSHELL NEWS FROM "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL" THAT THE
TRUMP-RUSSIA INVESTIGATION NOW HAS ITS VERY OTHER GRAND JURY.
A SIGN THAT THE INVESTIGATION IS NOT SLOWING DOWN ANYTIME SOON.
IF THE PRESIDENT WANT TODAY FIRE ROBERT MUELLER, THROW SOME COLD
WATER ON THE WITNESS FLIPPER AND THE WATER GAET PROSECUTOR AND
THE GRAND JURY AND ALL OF THE REST OF IT, HE DOES HAVE A FEW
OPTIONS TO PUSH MUELLER OUT OF THE WAY.
THIS WHICH IS WHY THERE'S A BIPARTISAN PUSH IN CONGRESS
RIGHT NOW TO TAKE THE OPTIONS OFF OF THE TABLE.
THERE'S A QUARTET OF SENATORS COOKING UP TWO BILLS THAT WOULD
BLOCK TRUMP FROM FIRING THE SPECIAL COUNSEL.
TO SAFEGUARD HIM FROM THE PRESIDENT SO HE CAN SEE THIS
THING THROUGH TO THE END. THE QUESTION IS WILL IT WORK.
JOINING US NOW, DEMOCRAT SENATOR CHRIS KOONTZ AND TOM TILLIS WHO
INTRODUCED THE BIPARTISAN SPECIAL COUNSEL INTEGRITY ACT.
ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS WHEN I READ ONE OF THE STORIES
ABOUT THIS TODAY IS TOM TILLIS APPROACHED YOU WITH THIS IDEA.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT?
>> THAT'S RIGHT. SENATOR TILLIS AND I SERVE ON
THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TOGETHER.
AND HE CAME UP TO ME ON THE FLOOR AND ASKED IF I WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN MOVING ON A BILL QUICKLY TO PROVIDE BACK END
PROTECTIONS FOR THE SPECIAL COUNSEL.
IF THE PRESIDENT TRIES TO FIRE SPECIAL COUNSEL ROBERT MULE ARE
OF THE SENATORS THAT GRAHAM AND BOOKER HAVE INTRODUCED WOULD
PROVIDE SOME SPEED BUMP, A THREE-JUDGE PANEL THAT WOULD
HAVE TO REVIEW THAT TO SEE IF IT'S APPROPRIATE.
THE BILL THAT I'VE INTRODUCED WITH SENATOR TOM TILLIS WOULD
ALLOW THE SPECIAL COUNSEL TO GO TO COURT AND SUE TO BE
REINSTATED AND A SIMILAR THREE-JUDGE PANEL WOULD REVIEW
WHETHER OR NOT HE HAD BEEN INAPPROPRIATELY REMOVED.
EACH APPROACH TAKES A DIFFERENT SIDE.
PRE-FIRING OR POST-FIRING SO SO THAT IF ANY ONE OF THE BILLS
MOVES FORWARD WE'VE GOT GREATER PROTECTIONS FOR BOB MUELLER AND
FOR THIS IMPORTANT SPECIAL COUNSEL INVESTIGATION.
>> HOWEVER GOOD THESE BILLS ARE AND HOW MANY PROTECTIONS THEY
PROVIDE, THEY STILL HAVE TO GET TO THE FLOOR AND SOO FAR MITCH
McCONNELL WHO'S RUN THE SENATE HAS DONE IT IN A PARTICULAR WAY.
ONLY WANTING TO DO THINGS FOR REPUBLICAN AND SHOWN NO INTEREST
OF WANTING TO DO ANYTHING ON A BIPARTISAN LINE AND HE'S A
STAUNCH SUPPORTER OF DONALD TRUMP.
DO YOU EXPECT EITHER OF THESE TWO BILLS TO GET TO THE FLOOR?
>> WELL, JOY, WE JUST HAD AN INTERESTING MOMENT IN THE SENATE
WHERE DESPITE OPPOSITION FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, FROM THE
PRESIDENT, A STRONG BIPARTISAN VOTE ON A RUSSIA SANCTIONS BILL,
ON A BILL THAT CAME TO THE FLOOR UNDER MITCH McCONNELL'S
LEADERSHIP PRODUCED A BILL THAT THE PRESIDENT ULTIMATELY WAS
COMPELLED TO SIGN BY THE VETO PROOF MAJORITIES BY WHICH IT
PASSED THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE. WHILE THERE MAY NOT BE GREAT
ENTHUSIASM ABOUT THE BILL, MY HUNCH IS THAT AS CONVERSATIONS
HAPPEN OVER THE BREAK WITH REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC
SENATORS THAT SUPPORT FOR IT WILL QUICKLY BUILD AND WE MAY
SEE THIS BILL ON THE FLOOR IN THE FALL.
>> DO YOU THINK THIS BILL COULD PASS WITH A VETO PROF MAJORITY
IN ONE WOULD ASSUME THAT TRUMP WOULD VETO IT.
>> I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
WE'VE SEEN A NUMBER OF CALLS TODAY TO MY OFFICE AND SENATOR
TILLIS'S OFFICE FOR FOLKS INTERESTED IN COSPONSORSHIP AND
I HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION ON THE FOORD WITH NART BOOKER AND
SENATOR GRAHAM. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I CAN
REMEMBER SENATOR TILLIS IN PARTICULAR STEPPING FORWARD AND
TAKING ON A TOUGH STANCE AGAINST THE PRESIDENT AND I THINK THIS
IS JUST ONE MORE SIGN THAT WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASING NUMBER OF
REPUBLICANS EAGER TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN STRENGTHEN THE
SEPARATION OF POWERS AND STRENGTHEN THE SENATE'S HAND IN
THIS DIFFICULT SITUATION WHERE THERE'S A SPECIAL INVESTIGATION
THAT WE NEED TO PROTECT. >> LET'S SAY THAT NEITHER OF
THESE TWO BIPARTISAN BILLS WAS TO WIND UP BECOMING LAWYER FOR
ONE REASON OR ANOTHER. IF DONALD TRUMP FOUND A WAY,
LET'S SAY HE FIRED ROD ROSENSTEIN AND GOT DOWN TO
SOMEBODY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WHO WOULD MIRE BOB
MUELLER FOR HIM, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE RERN OF
THE INDEPENDENT COUNSEL? >> WE MIGHT.
WE COME BACK INTO SESSION EVERY THREE DAYS WHILE WE'RE OUT ON
SO-CALLED RECESS FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
AND WE MIGHT SEE BIPARTISAN ACTION TO REINTRODUCE AND REPASS
THE INDEPENDENT COUNSEL STATUTE. I FRANKLY THINK THE MOST LIKELY
ACTION IS THAT WE WOULD INSIST ON THE REINSTATEMENT OF BOB
MUELLER. HE ENJOYS BROAD SUPPORT IN THE
SENATE AMONG REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS BECAUSE OF HIS LONG
SERVICE AS THE FBI DIRECTOR, BECAUSE OF HIS RECORD OF
RESPECTABLE LEADERSHIP AS A SENIOR FEDERAL PROSECUTOR.
AND I DO THINK THE NEWS OF TODAY THAT HE'S IMPANELLED A GRAND
JURY IN WASHINGTON WILL MAKE THE PRESIDENT REALLY TAKE SOME PAUSE
HERE. AS YOU'VE REPORTED EARLIER, A
FEDERAL GRAND JURY IN THE HANDS OF A SKILLED SENIOR PROSECUTOR
LIKE ROBERT MUELLER IS A VERY DANGEROUS TOOL INDEED AGAINST
THE PRESIDENT. >> AND IF YOU COULD SEND THE
PRESIDENT A MESSAGE TONIGHT, BECAUSE I'M SURE HE'S NOT AMUSED
BY THE NEWS HE'S HEARING, WHAT WOULD BE THE MESSAGE THAT YOU
WOULD SEND HIM FROM THE UNITED STATES SENATE OR AT LEAST IN THE
DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE? >> IT'S IN THE PRESIDENT'S
INTEREST, IN THE COUNTRY'S INTEREST TO LET THIS
INVESTIGATION GO GUARD. THE PRESIDENT SHOULD HAVE
NOTHING TO WORRY FROM A THOROUGH FEDERAL INVESTIGATION IF HE'S
GOT NOTHING TO HIDE. IF HE TAKES AN ABRUPT ACTION NOW
AND EITHER FIRES THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OR DIRECTS THE FIRING OF
BOB MUELLER, THERE WILL BE A STRONG BIPARTISAN REACTION FROM
THE SENATE. AND I THINK THE CONSEQUENCES FOR
HIM WILL BE EVEN MORE GAVE IF HE DOES THAT.
>> SENATOR, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.
>>> WELL TODAY WE GOT TO SEE SOMETHING THAT THE WHITE HOUSE

Senators Move To Protect Mueller From Donald Trump With New Legislation | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

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