'This Is Happening Today Because President Donald Trump Fired James Comey' | Morning Joe

TO DO WITH THE REPORTS OF A PENDING INDICTMENT.
>> MICHAEL SCHMIT, THE TWEETS CONTINUED THIS MORNING.
7:37. TWEETED ABOUT REPORT OUT THAT
THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN PAID $972,000 TO FUSION GPS.
THE FIRM ALSO GOT MONEY FROM DNC.
EVEN IN THE MIDST OF INDICTMENTS AGAINST HIS CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN
AND INDICTMENTS AGAINST THE DEPUTY CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN AND TWO
PEOPLE INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN HIS CAMPAIGN, DONALD TRUMP STILL
TRYING TO DISTRACT. >> LAST WEEK IT RAEFL KICKED
INTO HIGH GEAR. IT'S CERTAINLY COORDINATED SINCE
THE PRESIDENT TOOK OFFICE. YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER HERE IS WHY
MUELLER EXISTS. MUELLER EXISTS BECAUSE IT CAME
OUT THAT TRUMP HAD SAID TO COMEY.
CAN YOU MOVE PAST FLYNN AND THERE WASN'T ENOUGH TRUST THAT
THE PRESIDENT COULD ALLOW THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ON ITS OWN TO
DO THIS INVESTIGATION. MUELLER HAD TO BE CREATED TO
BASICALLY BUILD A MOTE AROUND HIM.
NOT NECESSARILY TO LOOK AT JUST RUSSIA, BUT TO LOOK AT PEOPLE
CONNECTED TO THE CAMPAIGN. AND THAT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH OF
A PERCEPTION OF INDEPENDENCE AT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT THAT
MUELLER HAD TO DO THIS. YOU MAY NOT SEE RUSSIA IN THE
DOCUMENTS IN THE SENSE OF QUESTIONS OF COLLUSION AND
QUESTIONS OF THE ELECTION. BECAUSE MUELLER HAS BEEN LOOKING
AT ALL OF THESE LARGER ISSUES RELATED TO THE PRESIDENT.
RELATED TO FOLKS AROUND HIM. AND THAT'S WHY HE WAS CREATED
AND THAT'S WHY HE'S MOVING FORD TODAY AND MAY NOT SEE ANYTHING
RELATED TO RUSSIA AND TO LARGER QUESTIONS.
>> HAROLD ALSO WHAT'S INTERESTING IS YOU GO BACK TO
THE DAY THAT JEFF SESSIONS RECUSED HIMSELF, RIGHT?
AND THEN YOU GO BACK TO EXTRAORDINARY PRESS CONFERENCE.
EXTRAORDINARY DAY, ROSENSTEIN APPOINTED BOB MUELLER.
THOSE TWO GUYS IN DOING SOMETHING THAT ENRAGED THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THEY ACTUALLY ACTUALLY SET IN
MOTION, ACTUALLY, ALL OF THIS THAT ALLOWS JUSTICE TO BE
SERVED. JUSTICE INCLUDES, WE SAID
BEFORE, ASSUMING THAT THESE TWO GENTLEMAN ARE INNOCENT UNTIL
PROVEN GUILTY. THIS IS WHAT DONALD TRUMP IS SO
ANGRY AT SESSIONS AND ROSENSTEIN AND WHY I THINK AMERICANS
DESPITE THE FACT THEY MAY NOT LIKE BOTH OF THOSE GENTLEMEN
HAVE TO LOOK AT THE DECISION, YOU KNOW, DEMOCRATS OR WHOEVER
DUNTS LIKE SESSIONS AND ROSENSTEIN, HAVE TO LOOK AT
THOSE MOMENTS AND SAY THEY TOOK A STAND.
WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS.
>> REMINDS YOU OF WHAT STEVE BANNON SAID.
MAYBE THIS WAS THE DUMBEST DECISION THE PRESIDENT MADE,
FIRING COMEY. >> WHEN HE FIRED -- THIS IS
HAPPENING TODAY BECAUSE HE FIRED COMEY.
>> THE QUESTION I HAVE IS THIS. I LISTENED TO YOU CLOSELY YOUR
LAST TWO SEGMENTS ON YOUR OWN. YOU TALKED ABOUT THE RULES IN A
COURTHOUSE VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE RULES IN THE PUBLIC STEERING
SPACE. SPEAK TO US IF YOU CAN ABOUT
30,000 FEET UP. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE
WHITE HOUSE, PRESIDENT AND INTERACTIONS THAT CAN TAKE PLACE
NOW THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN INDICTMENT.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT NAMES OR TIME FRAMES ARE MENTIONED.
WE HEARD HALEY SAY IT SHOULD BE QUIET.
LESS IS MORE. GIVE US A LEGAL SENSE OF WHAT
THAT MEANINGS. >> CALL YOUR LAWYER AND TALK TO
YOUR LAWYER BEFORE YOU TALK OR TYPE ABOUT ANYTHING REGARDING
THIS. THIS PRESIDENT HAS BEEN IN
OFFICE ONLY NINE MONTHS. BIG PICTURE, WE HAVE NEVER SEEN
A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION RESULT IN INDICTMENTS OF SENIOR
OFFICIALS TIED TO A PRESIDENT THIS FAST IN THE FIRST YEAR IN
OFFICE. EVER FULL STOP.
THAT IS VERY BAD NEWS. ALSO SUGGESTS FOR A VARIETY OF
REASONS BOTH THE PUBLIC EVIDENCE AND TRAIL OF UNDERLYING MATERIAL
THAT SUGGESTS ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO CHARGE A CRIME IN OUR COURT
SYSTEM AND THERE ARE RULES OF EVIDENCE REQUIRING THAT,
COMBINED WITH A PRESIDENT WHO HAS DONE THINGS ON THEIR FACE
AMOUNT TO POTENTIAL TAMPERING OR DESTRUCTION.
INCLUDING PUBLIC BEHAVIOR AND TELLING LESTER HOLT HE FIRED THE
FBI DIRECTOR WITH RUSSIA ON HIS MIND.
WITH THIS INVESTIGATION AND THIS INDICTMENT TODAY.
>> HE ALSO TOLD THE RUSSIANS. >> AND HE ALLEGEDLY ACCORDING TO
JAMES COMEY'S MEMO WHICH HE DISCUSSED UNDER OATH TOLD THE
RUSSIANS ABOUT THAT. >> JUST ONE MORE QUESTION.
>> YES. WITH US NOW.
BRING IN NBC NEWS JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT PETE WILLIAMS.
PETE, OBVIOUSLY. ALWAYS WORTH POINTING OUT.
WE'VE SEEN WHITE HOUSES HAVE TO FACE INDICTMENTS OR SOURCES
THROUGH THE YEARS. NOT SO EARLY IN A PRESIDENT'S
TERMS. NINE, 10 MONTHS IN.
ALREADY HAVE TWO INDICTMENTS OF TWO OF THE KEY MEMBERS OF THE
PRESIDENT'S CAMPAIGN LAST YEAR. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US THIS
MORNING. >> WE KNOW THAT PAUL MANAFORT
HAS VEND SURRENDERED HIMSELF TO THE FBI GOING TO THE FIELD
OFFICE HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON.
NOT FAR FROM THE U.S. COURTHOUSE WHERE HE WILL THEN GO LATER
TODAY FOR AN INITIAL APPEARANCE BEFORE A FEDERAL MAGISTRATE.
VERY SHORT HEARINGS. BE TOLD OF THE CHARGES, ADVISED
OF HIS RIGHTS. PRESUMABLY RICK GATES WILL DO
THE SAME. AND WE DON'T KNOW YET WHAT THE
CHARGES ARE. THE BIG QUESTION IS HOW
PERIPHERAL ARE THESE CHARGES. TRY TO USE TESTIMONY TO GET MORE
AT THE HIGHER UPS IN THE CAMPAIGN OR PEOPLE MORE SIMPLY
INVOLVED. WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT ROBERT
MUELLER'S WAS BROUGHT IN TO LOOK AT WHETHER AMERICANS WERE
HELPING THE RUSSIANS METAL IN THE ELECTION.
THAT'S THE KEY QUESTION. THE INITIAL QUESTION HERE IS HOW
PERIPHERAL ARE THESE CHARGES. HOW CENTRAL ARE THEY TO
MUELLER'S BASIC ASSIGNMENT. >> ANDREA WITH AND HAS A
QUESTION FOR YOU PETE. >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS
BEEN ASKED. WE'VE SEEN THAT HE HAS ARRIVED
AT THE FBI FIELD OFFICE. CAN YOU TAKE US THROUGH, PETE,
THE PROCESS TODAY. IT'S A SHORT HEARING THAT WILL
TAKE PLACE DOWN AT THE COURTHOUSE.
IT USED TO BE IF YOU WERE CHARGED WITH A NONVIOLENT CRIME.
THERE WOULD BE WHAT'S ISSUED BY THE COURT SOMETHING CALLED A
SUMMONS. BASICALLY A COMMAND FOR YOU TO
SHOW UP AT THE COURTHOUSE. CERTAIN TIME FOR A HEARING.
THEN THERE WAS CRITICISM THAT WELL, YOU'RE TREATING WHITE
COLOR DEFENDANTS WITH KID GLOVES, BUT PEOPLE FACING DRUG
CHARGES OR SOMETHING ELSE GET ARRESTED.
THAT ISN'T FAIR SO PROSECUTORS IN RECENT YEARS HAVE BEEN
ARRESTING WHITE COLOR DEFENDANTS.
THIS IS DIFFERENT. I THINK IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE
REMEMBER EARLIER THIS SUMMER, MANAFORT HAD PRETTY HEAVY HANDED
TREATMENT WHEN THE INVESTIGATORS BASICALLY SORT OF BARGED INTO
HIS HOUSE EARLY IN THE MORNING FOR A SEARCH AND IF THEY WANTED
TO DO IT THE POLITE WAY, THEY COULD HAVE SAID, HERE'S WHAT
WE'RE LOOKING FOR, WHY DON'T YOU BRING IT TO US.
CLEARLY INDICATED THERE WAS A LACK OF TRUST FOR THE SEARCH.
NOW THEY'RE DOING IT A GENTLER WAY.
TELLING HIM WHAT TIME HE NEEDS TO SHOW UP AT THE FIELD OFFICE
WHERE HE MAY FACE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONING AND THEN
AT SOME POINT TODAY HE'LL BE BROUGHT TO THE COURTHOUSE FOR A
HEARING. SOMETHING OF AN EVOLUTION.
PERHAPS THE BEGINNING OF TRYING WHAT YOU MIGHT CALL A CHARM
OFFENSIVE FOR PAUL MANAFORT TO SEE IF HE CAN GIVE THEM MORE
TESTIMONY. >> ALL RIGHT.
PETE WILLIAMS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
GREATLY APPRECIATED. A LOT OF SALESPEOPLE SPECULATE
MUELLER WAS TRYING TO SEND A MESSAGE TO HIM.
PERHAPS THIS IS MESSAGE NUMBER TWO.
WORK WITH US. WE'VE GOT YOU AT THE CENTER.
OF COURSE, NEW YORK STATE IS NOW TALKING ABOUT INVESTIGATING PAUL
MANAFORT AND ALSO IT'S IMPORTANT AND I KNOW YOU CAN TELL US MORE
ABOUT THIS. IMPORTANT ALSO TO NOTE THAT
MUELLER HAS BEEN THINKING ABOUT DONALD TRUMP'S PART OF SOME OF
THE SUSPECT FOR SOMETIME. WE MAY NOT SEE RUSSIA IN THESE
INDICTMENTS. DOESN'T MEAN THE WHITE HOUSE
SHOULD BREATHE EASY TODAY. CAN YOU UNPACK THAT A LITTLE
MORE FOR US. >> THE BIGGEST QUESTION OUT OF
ALL THIS HAS BEEN WAS THERE COLLUSION WITH RUSSIA.
WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE WILL DO TODAY IS PICK UP CHARGING
DOCUMENTS. LOOK AT THEM AND SAY OKAY.
WHERE IS RUSSIA. THEY'LL GO THROUGH IT AND SAY
WHERE IS THE COLLUSION AND IF THERE ISN'T COLLUSION THERE
THEY'LL SAY SEE, LOOK, THERE IS NO COLLUSION.
THERE IS THEY DON'T HAVE REALLY GREAT CARDS TO PLAY, BUT THAT
WOULD BE MY GUESS AS HOW THEY WILL PLAY THEM.
THEY'LL SAY LOOK, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN
WILL HAVE EEN DIETED AND DEPUTY WILL BE INDICTED.
THEY WILL TRY TO PUT THEIR DIFFERENCE AND SAY THIS IS A
BUSINESSMAN WHO HAD BAD DEALINGS AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH
LARGER QUESTIONS. MUELLER'S HAS SPENT X AMOUNT OF
MONTHS AND DOLLARS. >> YOU SEEM TO BE SUGGESTING
THAT WAS ERRONEOUS THINKING. >> WHO REALLY -- I MEAN, WHO
KNOWS. WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE DOCUMENTS
YET. WE DON'T HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT,
YOU KNOW, WHERE THIS COULD GO. COULD BE THE BEGINNING OF
SOMETHING LARGER. FIRST CHARGES AND TRY TO PUT
PRESSURE ON MANAFORT TO GIVE UP SOMETHING TO THEM.
THE BODY POSTURE ON THIS IS HE HAS NOTHING TO GIVE UP AND HE
WILL FIGHT IT. THAT HAS BEEN -- I THINK WE'LL
BEGIN TO SEE THAT TODAY. HIS SIDE IS CONSTANTLY SAID
THERE'S NOTHING TO GIVE UP TO THE GOVERNMENT.
>> NBC NEWS WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT KRISTEN WELKER AT
THE WHITE HOUSE. WHAT'S THE REACTION YOU'RE
HEARING FROM INSIDE. >> JOE, I JUST GOT OFF OF THE
PHONE WITH A SENIOR OFFICIAL HERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
LET ME READ YOU SO FAR THE REACTION AND THEN DO SOME
ANALYSIS ON THE OTHER SIDE. THIS OFFICIAL SAYS THE WHITE
HOUSE HAS BEEN SAYING FOR WEEKS THE SPECIAL COUNSEL IS MOVING
FAR MORE QUICKLY AND DELIBERATIVELY THAN PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN REPORTING. THE FACT THE SPECIAL COUNSEL IS
ACTIVELY PERFORMING ITS DUIES DO NOT COME AS A SURPRISE FOR
THE WHITE HOUSE. REALLY THE KEY MESSAGE HERE.
I THINK NO SURPRISE HERE, BUT BEHIND THE SCENES I CAN TELL YOU
THEY WERE BRACING FOR TODAY. THE PRESIDENT AIRING HIS
FRUSTRATIONS OVER THE WEEKEND ON TWITTER TRYING TO PUT THE FOCUS
BACK ON HIS FORMER RIVAL. HILLARY CLINTON.
SAYING THAT SHE'S THE ONE WHO SHOULD BE UNDER INVESTIGATION
FOR PAYING FOR SOME OF THAT RESEARCH THAT OF COURSE LED TO
THAT NOW FAMOUS DOSSIER. PART OF HIS FRUSTRATION COMES
REPUBLICANS TURNING SITES TOWARDS TAX REFORM.
UNVEILING THE SPECIFICS ON WEDNESDAY.
AND THE BIGGEST TRIP OF HIS PRESIDENCY.
PRESIDENT TRUMP ABOUT TO HEAD TO ASIA AT THE END OF THIS WEEK.
I ANTICIPATE WE'RE GOING TO SEE STRONG PUSH BACK.
IN TERMS OF WHAT WE SEE FROM THE PRESIDENT TODAY, SERIES OF
MEETINGS. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THE PRESS
NOT ALLOWED INTO ANY OF THOSE MEETINGS.
WE'RE CERTAINLY PUSHING FOR THAT SO WE CAN FELT REACTION FROM THE
PRESIDENT HIMSELF. >> SO KRISTEN, THE STATEMENT IS
IT'S THE SORT OF STATEMENT THAT SOMEBODY LIKE WOULD RECOMMEND T
WHITE HOUSE PUT OUT. SOUNDS LIKE A A DISCIPLINED
STATEMENT FOR US. CAN YOU READ THAT ONE MORE TIME.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THIS WAS AGAIN JUST MOMENTS AGO
FROM A SENIOR WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL, JOE, I'LL WALK YOU
THROUGH IT ONE MORE TIME. THE WHITE HOUSE HAS BEEN SAYING
FOR WEEKS THE SPECIAL COUNSEL IS MOVERS FAR MORE QUICKLY AND

BEEN REPORTING. THE FACT THE SPECIAL COUNSEL IS
ACTIVELY PERFORMING DUTIES DOES NOT COME AS SURPRISE TO THE
WHITE HOUSE. I THINK THAT IS SORT OF THE
DISCIPLINE MESSAGE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE HEARING AND ONE MORE
POINT ABOUT THAT JOE, REMEMBER, THE PRESIDENT'S LAWYERS TY COBB
JOHN DOWD HAVE REALLY BEEN ENCOURAGING HIM TO BE MORE
DISCIPLINED ON TWITTER. WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT HIS
REACTION IS. OF COURSE AS YOU POINT OUT OVER
THE WEEKEND, WE
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'This Is Happening Today Because President Donald Trump Fired James Comey' | Morning Joe | MSNBC

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