How Ivanka And Don Jr. Trump Avoided Criminal Indictment | Morning Joe

>>> TO AN INVEST OF HOW IVANKA IVANKA AND DON TRUMP ALLEGEDLY
LIED AND HOW A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION WAS DROPPED AFTER
A TRUMP LAWYER STEPPED IN. WITH US NOW ANDREA BERNSTEIN.
ALSO WITH US JESSIE ISINGER. THEY'RE OUT WITH A NEW ARTICLE
WRITTEN TOGETHER WITH THE NEW YORKER THAT OPENLY QUESTIONS
WHETHER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TWO ELDEST CHILDREN USED POLITICAL
CONTRIBUTIONS TO AVOID A CRIMINAL INDICTMENT.
ANDREA, PERHAPS IN A CASE LIKE THIS IT'S HARD TO SAY WE FOUND
THE SMOKING GUN. THAT SAID, KASOWITZ GIVES A
$25,000 DONATION TO MANHATTAN'S D.A.
THE CASE IS DROPPED, AND THEN SUPPOSEDLY I GUESS THE MONEY IS
GIVEN BACK BUT THEN A BIGGER CHECK IS WRITTEN AFTER THE CASE
IS DROPPED. IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YES. THAT IS THE FACT.
I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS CASE IS
THAT IT WENT ON FOR TWO YEARS AND SENIOR PROSECUTERS FELT THE
E-MAIL EVIDENCE THEY UNCOVERED, E-MAIL EVIDENCE WE WEREN'T ABLE
TO SEE BUT THAT WAS DESCRIBED TO US IN WHICH THE TRUMP CHILDREN
ARE COORDINATING THE FALSE STORIES AND TELLING BUYERS
BECAUSE THEY'RE INFLATING THE VALUE OF THOSE CONDOS.
SO THESE E-MAILS IN WHICH THEY SAY THAT.
ANOTHER ONE IN WHICH THEY SAY DON'T WORRY, NO ONE WILL EVER
FIND OUT ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO KNOW ARE ON THE
E-MAIL, ARE WHAT IS KEYING THE PROSECUTERS IN THE OFFICE TO
BELIEVE THERE WAS A VERY CASE-WORTH PURSUING ON THE
TRUMPS. IT WENT VERY FAR UNTIL THE POINT
AT WHICH KASOWITZ CAME IN AND THE CASE WAS DROPPED.
THERE WERE PROBLEMS. THERE WAS A COMPLICATED CASES.
THE VICTIMS DECIDED NOT TO COOPERATE MIDWAY.
IT WAS A WHITE COLLAR CASE. IT WAS COMPELLING TO GO ENOUGH
TO GO ON FOR TWO YEARS. >> THE QUESTION THAT'S USUALLY
ASKED IN THESE SORT OF -- OTHER THAN FOLLOWING THE MONEY AND
SEEING WHERE THE CONTRIBUTIONS CAME, AND THE TIMING IN DROPPING
THE CASE, ONE OF THE MOST DAMNING THINGS IN THESE SORTS OF
CASES WOULD BE WHEN A D.A. AFTER MEETING WITH SOMEBODY
POLITICALLY CONNECTED DECIDED TO OVERRULE PROSECUTERS WHO WORKED
IN HIS OR HER OFFICE. DID THAT HAPPEN HERE?
>> YES. >> DID VANCE OVERRULE THE
PROSECUTER'S RECOMMENDATIONS? >> THAT'S THE MOST TROUBLING.
NOT JUST THE LINE PROSECUTER, AND LINE PROSECUTERS FALL IN
LOVE WITH THEIR CASES, BUT HIS SUPER VISOR, AND THEN HIS
SUPERVISOR, AND THEN HIS SUPERVISOR.
ALL THE WAY UP THE CHAIN THE D.A.'S OFFICE, THE PEOPLE ARE
BELIEVING IN THIS CASE. THEY WANT TO BRING THIS TO
INDICTMENT. THEY'RE ESCALATING IT AS ANDREA
SAID. THEY'RE WORKING TO IMPANEL A
SPECIAL GRAND JURY AND HAVE WITNESSES, AND THEN THE MEETING
WITH KASOWITZ HAPPENS, AND THERE'S AN ADMISSION THE MEETING
IS QUESTIONABLE BECAUSE HE GIVES THE MONEY BACK.
THEN THE MEETING HAPPENS, AND THE INVESTIGATION SEEMS TO TRAIL
OFF AND DIE AT THAT POINT, AND THEN THREE MONTHS LATER VANCE
MAKES THE RULING OVERRULING HIS PROSECUTERS.
>> OKAY. LET'S GET SOME REACTION.
WE'VE HAD SOME REACTION TO THIS REPORTING.
THE MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ISSUED A
STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE REPORT CONFIRMING THE INVESTIGATION AND
OFFERING AN EXPLANATION ABOUT WHY PROSECUTION WAS DECLINED.
QUOTE, THIS WAS A TWO-YEAR INVESTIGATION THAT NEVER
PRODUCED SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT A CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.
DURING THE INVESTIGATION THE LUXURY APARTMENT PURCHASES
REVERSED COURSE AND TOOK THE POSITION THAT THE SELLERS HAD
NOT COMMITTED ANY CRIME AGAINST THEM.
NO OUTSIDE ATTORNEY INFLUENCED ANY DECISION IN THIS MATTER.
AND ATTORNEY MARC KASOWITZ SAID HIS DO NATIONS TO VANCE WERE
UNRELATED TO THE CASE. HE SAID, QUOTE, I DONATED TO THE
CAMPAIGN BECAUSE I WAS AND REMAIN EXTREMELY IMPRESSED BY
HIM AS A PERSON OF IMPECCABLE INTEGRITY.
AS A BRILLIANT LAWYER AND AS PUBLIC SERVANT WITH CREATIVE
IDEAS AND TREMENDOUS ABILITY. KASOWITZ WROTE I HAVE NEVER MADE
A CONTRIBUTION TO ANYONE'S CAMPAIGNING INCLUDING CY VANCE'S
AS A QUID PRO QUO FOR ANYTHING. JOE, THERE'S A RESPONSE TO THE
REPORTING THAT THE BUYER SAYING THERE HAD BEEN NO CRIME
COMMITTED AGAINST HIM. THAT'S INTERESTING.
WHY DID THEY PUT THAT DOWN? >> IT WAS WITHOUT A DOUBT AN
IMPEDIMENT TO THE CASE. THE FACTS ARE THE SETTLEMENT
HAPPENED IN WHICH THE BUYER SAID WE'RE NOT GOING TO COOPERATE.
WE'RE REFUSING TO COOPERATE UNLESS WE'RE SUBPOENAED, AND BY
THE WAY, THE ATTORNEY SENT A LETTER WHICH WOULD HAVE TO BE
INTRODUCED AT TRIAL THAT SAID I DON'T THINK IT'S A CRIME.
THAT'S A PROBLEM. THE FACT IS EVEN AFTER THAT,
THERE WAS A BELIEF -- >> WE DON'T KNOW WHY THEY DID
THAT. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CONVERSATIONS WERE WITH THE
DEFENDANTS. >> THEY RECEIVED ALMOST
EVERYTHING THEY ASKED FOR. THEY GOT THEIR MONEY FROM THE
TRUMP TEAM. SO THEIR LAWYER WAS FINISHED.
HE MADE THE SETTLEMENT. THAT WAS PART OF WHAT THE TRUMPS
GOT OUT OF THAT SETTLEMENT. NINE MONTHS GO BY BEFORE THE
CASE IS DROPPED. DURING THAT WHOLE TIME THERE WAS
VERY SERIOUS DISCUSSION ABOUT SHOULD THEY CONTINUE.
NOW, AS FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TRUMPS
KNEW ABOUT KASOWITZ'S CONTRIBUTION.
WE KNOW WHAT DONALD TRUMP SAYS ABOUT HIS OWN CONTRIBUTIONS
WHICH HE SAID IN A DEBATE IN 2015, WHICH IS I GIVE SO THAT
WHEN I WANT SOMETHING, THEY WILL LISTEN TO ME.
THAT'S A PARAPHRASE, BUT THAT IS WHAT HE SAID.
THAT IS HIS PHILOSOPHY OF CONTRIBUTIONS.
AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN HIM AND
KASOWITZ. >> FIRST OF ALL, IN AN AGE WHEN
NEWSPAPERS ARE DYING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND INVESTIGATIVE
REPORTING IS DYING AS A RESULT OF VETERANS LEAVING WITH BUYOUTS
AND EVERYTHING, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE PARTNERSHIP.
IT'S A WAY FORWARD FOR A LOT OF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING IN A LOT
OF DIFFERENT AREAS. IN THIS SPECIFIC CASE, YOU HAVE
TWO TRUMP CHILDREN. YOU HAVE A LOT OF E-MAILS THAT
THEY'RE WRITING. IT ALMOST SOUNDS FAMILIAR TO
TODAY. YOU A LOT OF E-MAILS.
YOU HAVE A RUSSIAN INVOLVED AND YOU HAVE EVIDENCE OF DECEPTION
ON THE PART OF THE TWO CHILDREN. IS THIS THE ROUTE OF THE CHARGES
THAT WERE BROUGHT AGAINST THEM OR POTENTIALLY UNDER INDICTMENT
FOR, THAT THEY WERE TELLING PEOPLE IN THIS BUILDING DOWN BY
THE HUDSON -- >> HOLLAND TUNNEL.
>> HOLLAND TUNNEL, THAT THE BUILDING WAS 40%, 50% FILLED,
30% FILLED WHEN IT WAS LARGELY EMPTY?
IS THIS THE ROOT OF THE CHARGES, THE DECEPTION?
>> ABSOLUTELY. IN A WHITE COLLAR CASE YOU HAVE
TO PROVE INTENT. VERY HARD TO PROVE.
IT'S NOT LIKE A MURDER WHERE THE CRIME HAS BEEN OBVIOUSLY
COMMITTED. THE E-MAILS DEMONSTRATED INTENT
IN THE BELIEF OF THE PROSECUTORS BECAUSE THEY WERE COORDINATING
THEIR LIES. THEY KNEW THEY WERE LIES.
NOT ONLY THAT, IT HAS TO BE MATERIAL.
IT HAS TO MATTER TO PEOPLE. WHAT WAS HAPPENING HERE IS THEY
WERE NOT ABLE TO SELL THIS WHITE ELEPHANT BECAUSE IT WASN'T JUST
VERY EXPENSIVE CONDOS. THEY WERE VERY EXPENSIVE CONDOS
THAT WERE ACTUALLY ALSO HOTEL ROOMS, YOU COULD ONLY BE IN
THERE 120 DAYS. IT WAS A DIFFICULT SALE.
THEY WERE HAVING MAJOR PROBLEMS AND WERE GOING TO HAVE TO RETURN
THE MONEY TO BUYERS AND THE WHOLE THING WAS GOING TO
COLLAPSE. >> THEY LIED.
>> THERE WAS MOTIVE -- THEY CERTAINLY LIED.
VANCE THOUGHT THEY LIED. >> HE TOLD US.
>> THERE WAS NOT A QUESTION THAT THEY LIED.
THE QUESTION WAS, WAS IT MATERIAL WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE
BEEN, AND DID THEY COORDINATE AND DID THEY HAVE INTENT TO LIE?
>> JUST TO COME BACK TO THIS QUESTION ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT,
HOW WOULD YOU PROSECUTE A CASE WHERE A MATERIAL PART OF THE
CASE WHICH IS THE INJUSTICE DONE TO THE BUYERS OF THE CONDOS ARE
NOW SAYING NOTHING BAD WAS DONE TO THEM, THEY'RE HAPPY, IT WAS
RESOLVE SATS FACTORY. I THINK THEY GOT ALL BUT 15% OF
THEIR MONEY BACK. >> ALL BUT 10%.
>> THE ISSUE IS, COULD YOU HAVE COMPELLED THEM TO?
COULD YOU HAVE BROUGHT IN THE PERSON WHO DEFENDED THAT AND
SAID WHAT DID YOU DEMAND HERE AND WHY?
WHY DID YOU OFFER THIS? COULD THERE HAVE BEEN A MORE
AGGRESSIVE SENSE. WHAT WHICH DO KNOW IS THAT
SENIOR LEVEL PROSECUTORS IN THE OFFICE STILL THOUGHT THE
EVIDENCE WAS STRONG. THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY
WE STUCK WITH THIS STORY, BECAUSE THE FACT THAT THESE
PEOPLE WHOSE JOB IT IS TO DECIDE THIS THOUGHT THAT EVEN WITH THAT
PROBLEM, WE WANT TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE WE THINK THIS
EVIDENCE IS SO COMPELLING. >> ALL RIGHT.
YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO READ THE FULL PIECE.
IT IS A FASCINATING READ. AGAIN, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS
THAT ARE DAMNING HERE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE FACT THAT THE
PROSECUTORS WHO WORKED UNDER THE D.A. WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
THE CASE, THE D.A. MET DONALD TRUMP'S PERSONAL LAWYER WHO HAD
GIVEN MONEY AND I GUARANTEE YOU THEY TALKED BACK AND FORTH.
WE MAY NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT WAS, BUT IT WASN'T A
MISTAKE THAT DONALD TRUMP SENT KASOWITZ OVER TO TALK TO THE
D.A. THE D.A. THEN DROPPED THE CASE,
THEN GAVE BACK THE MONEY TO KASOWITZ AND THEN LATER TOOK
KASOWITZ'S MONEY AGAIN AFTER I GUESS HE THOUGHT THE COAST WAS
CLEAR. IT'S PRETTY DARN DAMNING.
ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH ANDREA FOR BEING WITH US,
JUSTIN, THANK YOU AS WELL. GREAT REPORTING.
IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE THE STORY GOES FROM
HERE. COMING UP NEXT, PRESIDENT TRUMP
SAYS THE TIME TO DISCUSS GUN POLICY WILL COME LATER ON.
REMEMBER RIGHT AFTER 9/11, THAT'S WHAT WE SAID.
WE SAID WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT TERRORISM RIGHT NOW, WHY DON'T
WE WAIT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS. ACTUALLY THAT ISN'T THE WAY IT
WORKED THEN AND IT'S NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD WORK NOW.
DONALD TRUMP IS SAYING LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT IT NOW.
DOES IT MEAN THAT HE'S ALSO WILLING TO CONSIDER CHANGES TO
AMERICAN LAW DOWN THE ROAD? WE
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How Ivanka And Don Jr. Trump Avoided Criminal Indictment | Morning Joe | MSNBC

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