Sen. Richard Blumenthal Criticizes Wilbur Ross' Ties To Russia: I Feel Misled | Morning Joe

>>> YOU WOULD EVER CONSIDER HAVING MUELLER REMOVED OR DO YOU
PLAN TO STAY OUT OF THAT? >> I HOPE HE'S TREATING
EVERYTHING FAIRLY. IF HE IS, I'LL BE HAPPY.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT INNOCENCE, I AM TRULY NOT INVOLVED IN ANY
FORM OF COLLUSION WITH RUSSIA. BELIEVE ME.
>> WILL YOU PLEDGE THAT YOU WILL NOT ALLOW THE MUELLER
INVESTIGATION TO BE CURBED OR STOPPED?
>> I SAID ALL ALONG, WE NEED TO LET THE CAREER PROFESSIONALS DO
THEIR JOB, SEE IT THROUGH. I DON'T THINK HE SHOULD BE
STEPPING DOWN OR FIRED. AND THE PRESIDENT MADE IT CLEAR
HE'S NOT GOING TO DO THAT. >> PAUL RYAN ADDRESSING THE
RESOLUTION FILE BID THREE HOUSE REPUBLICANS CALLING ON SPECIAL
COUNSEL MUELLER TO RECUSE HIMSELF IN THE PROBE OF RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE IN THE ELECTION. JOINING US NOW, BRETT STEVENS
AND RICHARD BLUMENTHAL. GREAT TO HAVE YOU BOTH THIS
MORNING. >> SENATOR BLUMENTHAL, A LOT --
>> WHERE TO GO FIRST. >> A LOT TO TRY TO DIGEST ON
RUSSIA. BUT IT'S SORT OF LIKE EATING AN
ELEPHANT. THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH THIS
WEEKEND. OF COURSE, I -- I DIDN'T MEAN,
YOU KNOW, LIKE A REPUBLICAN ELEPHANT, BUT JUST --
>> I DON'T GO ALONG WITH EATING ELEPHANT.
>> OKAY. >> EXACTLY.
>> LET'S JUST GO BY THE TIME. WE START WITH THE COMMERCE
SECRETARY WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO DISCLOSE ANY TIES THAT MAY HAVE
BEEN COMPROMISING WITH FOREIGN POWERS.
WE NOW FIND OUT THAT HE IS LINKED FINANCIALLY TO VLADIMIR
PUTIN'S SON-IN-LAW. >> VLADIMIR PUTIN'S RESPONSIBLE
AND A MEMBER OF VLADIMIR PUTIN'S INNER CIRCLE WHO IS UNDER
SANCTIONS FROM THE UNITED STATES, BECAUSE HE IS INVOLVED
IN A COMPANY, AND THE SANCTIONS ARE SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE
PUNISHMENT FOR CONTINUING TO -- >> I FEEL MISLED.
THE CONGRESS SHOULD FEEL MISLED. WILBUR ROSS CAME TO OUR
COMMITTEE. HE CLAIMED TO BE DIVESTING AND
SELLING ALL THESE INTERESTS.
IN FACT, HE HAS RETAINED AN OWNERSHIP STAKE IN A COMPANY,
NAVIGATOR, THAT DOES BUSINESS WITH THIS RUSSIAN ENERGY GIANT.
HE PROBABLY MAKES MORE MONEY FROM SHIPPING GAS FOR RUSSIA
THAN HE DOES AS COMMERCE SECRETARY WHEN HE GOES TO
NEGOTIATE TRADE AGREEMENTS. >> WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO MAKE
OF ALL THIS? THEY ALL LIE ABOUT RUSSIA?
>> THAT'S THE THING. >> HE HAS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
GOT CAUGHT AGAIN. NONE OF THEM CAN FILL OUT A
DISCLOSURE FORM. DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF LIED.
IN FACT, DRAFTED THE LIE ON AIR FORCE ONE ABOUT THE DON JUNIOR
MEETING IN THE OFFICE. >> YEAH.
THIS IS LIKE A PAINTING WHERE EVERY SINGLE POINT SEEMS SMALL
BUT IT CREATES A PICTURE. WHAT'S ASTONISHING IS JUST THE
UBIQUITY OF THE TIES AT EVERY LEVEL OF THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN
WHETHER IT WAS CARTER PAGE, GEORGE PAPADOPOULOS, FORMER
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER, MICHAEL FLYNN.
YOU MENTIONED JEFF SESSIONS. AND PEOPLE -- IT'S -- RUSSIA IS
NOT A NATURAL BUSINESS PARTNER. IT'S NOT LIKE, SAY, YOU CAN
IMAGINE FRANCE OR BRITAIN OR JA FAN OR CHINA, MAJOR ECONOMIES.
RUSSIA HAS AN ECONOMY THAT'S CONSIDERABLY SMALLER THAN
ITALY'S. IT SIMPLY BEGS THE QUESTION WHY
SO MANY MEMBERS OF TRUMP'S INNER CIRCLE WERE INTERESTED IN TIES
WITH RUSSIA OR HAD TIES -- >> PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THE
ECONOMY, SMALLER THAN ITALY AND CANADA'S.
IT'S LIKE 1.2 TRILLION. >> BUT THIS ADMINISTRATION
REALLY HAS ROBUST RUSSIA TIES. THEY JUST --
>> ALL OF THEM. >> IT'S REALLY NEVER-ENDING.
EVERYONE HAS SOME KIND OF TIE WITH RUSSIA.
SENATOR, MY QUESTION FOR YOU, SOMETHING I'M JUST -- I'M
CONFUSED ABOUT HOW THIS WORKS, AND IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN.
SO SECRETARY WILBUR ROSS, HE SAID HE WOULD DIVEST.
HE HAS NOT DIVESTED. WHAT IS THE RECOURSE FOR
ACCOUNTABILITY THERE? >> GREAT QUESTION.
WHAT I THINK SHOULD HAPPEN IS THE INSPECTOR GENERAL SHOULD
INVESTIGATE. WE OUGHT TO HAVE HEARINGS IN THE
COMMERCE COMMITTEE. HE CAME BEFORE IT, AND HE
APPARENTLY DELIBERATELY CONCEALED THESE OWNERSHIP
INTERESTS. THERE OUGHT TO BE HEARINGS AND
IF HE FAILS TO GIVE A COMPELLING EXPLANATION, HE OUGHT TO RESIGN.
THIS STAKE IN A COMPANY WITH SUCH CLOSE TIES TO PUTIN'S
SON-IN-LAW, A RUSSIAN OLIGARCH, SUBJECT TO SANCTIONS, RAISES
PROFOUND QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER HE CAN PUT THE NATION'S INTEREST
ABOVE HIS OWN, AND WHETHER HE'LL BE BEHOLDEN TO THE INDUSTRY.
>> THERE ARE TRUMP SUPPORTERS WHO WILL SAY THEY'RE SO FOCUSSED
ON THIS, THEY'RE OBSESSING. HOW STRONG WAS THAT TIE TO THE
PUTIN-CONNECTED OIL COMPANY? GIVE US A SENSE OF THE LEVEL OF
CONCERN HERE. >> WELL, THE BEST LEGAL ARGUMENT
FOR WILBUR ROSS IS HE'S LOADED AND OWNS A LOT OF STUFF ALL OVER
THE PLACE. SO YOU'RE RAISING --
>> COULD HE HAVE FORGOTTEN? >> I DON'T THINK HE FORGOT.
NO. I THINK HE KNOWS WHAT HE HAS.
I THINK HE'S A SAVVY BUSINESSMAN WITH A CLEAR SENSE OF HOW THIS
STUFF WORKS. THE REASON THEY HAVE THE SHELL
COMPANIES IS NOT ONLY SOMETIMES FOR GENERAL OH PASSTY.
IT'S ALSO FOR TAX REASONS. >> HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE TALKING
ABOUT THIS THAT CONNECTION? >> TOTAL, BILLIONS.
BUT IT'S, I BELIEVE, IT'S SEVERAL HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR
STAKE WITHIN THESE SHELL COMPANIES, BUT AGAIN, WHEN YOU
GO OUT TO NAVIGATOR, IT'S STAKES THAT GOES INTO IT.
BRETT SAID THIS IS LIKE A PAINTING.
THE ISSUE THERE IS THE PROBLEM WITH THOSE KIND OF PAINTINGS IS
A MONET CAN LOOK VERY GOOD FAR AWAY, BUT WHEN YOU GET UP CLOSE
IN THE MUSEUMS, SOMETIMES YOU REALIZE THE BRUSH WORK IS SHADY.
IT DOESN'T LOOK AS GOOD UP CLOSE.
THE QUESTION FOR THE SENATOR HERE IS UP CLOSE WHEN YOU GET IN
CLOSE TO NAVIGATOR, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING AND ARE YOU CONCERNED THE
TIES CREATE LEVERAGE AND CONFLICTS WERE AMERICAN POLICY,
OR THIS IS JUST A LOT OF MONEY SLOPPING AROUND.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THE U.S. TAXPAYERS SHOULD BE WORRIED?
>> THERE'S A QUESTION OF INTEGRITY IN COMING BEFORE THE
COMPANY AND CLAIMING TO DIVEST 80 COMPANIES, INCLUDING
COMPANIES LIKE THIS ONE THAT HAVE THESE KINDS OF TIES.
SECOND, THERE'S A NATIONAL SECURITY INTEREST, BECAUSE
SANCTIONS ARE IMPOSED AGAINST COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS
BECAUSE THEY THREATEN OUR NATIONAL INTEREST.
HE'S DOING BUSINESS WITH THEM. WE'RE TRYING TO PERSUADE OUR
EUROPEAN ALLIES TO STOP BUYING RUSSIAN NATURAL GAS WHILE OUR
SECRETARY OF COMMERCE HAS THESE BUSINESS TIES TO THAT COMPANY
AND TO INDIVIDUALS IN THE KREMLIN INNER CIRCLE TIED TO
PUTIN. SO IT UNDERMINES OUR NATIONAL
INTERESTS, AND IT THREATENS, IN MY VIEW, OUR NATIONAL SECURITY.
>> YOU KNOW, TO MIKA'S QUESTION, TO ALL THE TRUMP SUPPORTERS,
THEY OUGHT TO ASK THEMSELVES, IF THERE WERE PRESIDENT CLINTON
WITH THE EXACT SAME SCENARIOS, WHAT WOULD THE GOP, WHAT WOULD
THE CONSERVATIVE VIEW BE? WOULD THEY SAY THIS IS A BIG
NOTHING BURGER THAT DOESN'T DESERVE INVESTIGATION BECAUSE
THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE IS RICH AND CAN'T POSSIBLY KEEP
TRACK OF HIS INVESTMENTS? IS THERE NOTHING TO THE FACT
THAT A PARTY PLATFORM WAS CHANGED OVER THE MINUTE POINT OF
ARMING THE UKRAINIANS? IS THERE NOTHING TO THE FACT
THAT THE FORMER CAMPAIGN MANAGER HAD ELICIT TIES AND WAS SUS
SETTABLE TO BLACKMAIL FROM A FOREIGN PARTY.
>> CAN I ANSWER THE QUESTION FOR YOU.
1996. YOU TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE.
WE REPUBLICANS, I THINK WERE RIGHTLY OUTRAGED AT BILL
CLINTON'S ATTEMPT TO GET -- LET'S SAY FOREIGN INTERESTS
INVOLVED SPECIFICALLY CHINA AND SOMETHING THAT I TALKED ABOUT
EVERY TIME SOMEBODY ASKED ME ABOUT BILL CLINTON, I ALWAYS
SAID, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY FOCUSSED ON MONICA.
I THOUGHT YOU'D GO BACK A COUPLE YEARS EARLIER WHEN ONE OF THE
BIGGEST CONTRIBUTORS OF THE DNC TRAY TRIED TO GET A WAIVER TO
SELL WEAPONS TO CHINA. HE WENT TO RON BROWN WHO SIGNED
OFF ON IT. WE WENT CRAZY.
"THE WALL STREET JOURNAL" EDITORIAL PAGE WENT CRAZY.
THE PLACE BLEW UP. NOW IT'S RUSSIA.
WHAT RUSSIA? AND SPEAKING OF THE WALL STREET
JOURNAL EDITORIAL PAGE, A LOT OF REPUBLICANS DON'T -- WE'LL TALK
ABOUT REPUBLICANS. ARE TALKING ABOUT MUELLER.
AND WE NEED TO GET RID OF MUELLER.
A COUPLE OF REPUBLICANS THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, YOU WROTE A
COLUMN ABOUT JUST HOW WHAT A MISERABLY BAD ARGUMENT, THE
SLEAZY CASE AGAINST MUELLER'S PROBE.
>> I WON'T GET INTO MY FORMER COLLEAGUE'S CASE, BUT, LOOK, ONE
OF THE POINTS THAT'S CONSTANTLY MADE IS FUSION GPS, SLEAZY
OPERATOR. THEY WERE PAID BY THE DNC, BUT
THE ONLY QUESTION THAT MATTERS ISN'T WHETHER FUSION IS
REPUTABLE OR SLEAZY. THE QUESTION IS WHETHER
CHRISTOPHER STEELE HAS A GOOD REPUTATION AND WHETHER HIS
SOURCES ARE GOOD, AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT FIRST OF ALL,
STEELE'S REPUTATION IS
IMPECCABLE, AND SECONDLY, MANY OF HIS STORIES CHECK OUT AND
CHECKED OUT BEFORE THEY WERE LATER CONFIRMED.
>> FUNDED AT THE BEGINNING BY THE FREE BEACON AND BY AN
UNNAMED REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE. >> RIGHT.
>> AND BY WEALTHY REPUBLICAN DONOR.
>> AND THEN AFTER DONALD TRUMP DOT THE NOMINATION, THEN IT WAS
THE DEMOCRATS. >> THERE'S AN IMPORTANT POINT
HERE WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PRESS.
THAT IS HOW DO WE KNOW ABOUT ALL OF THIS STUFF RELATING TO WILBUR
ROSS? HOW DO WE KNOW ABOUT A LOT OF
THESE RUSSIAN TIES? IT IS BECAUSE OF INVESTIGATIVE
REPORTING. >> YEAH.
>> NBC, "THE NEW YORK TIMES," REPORTING WITH THE INTERNATIONAL
CONSORTIUM OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS BREAKING THIS STORY
WITH LEAKS FROM APPLE BY J AN OFFSHORE LAW FIRM.
WILBUR INTERESTS ARE OFFSHORE. THE KAMAN ISLANDS WHERE THEY
OBSCURE OWNERSHIP AND TAXES. THE INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING HERE
HAS BEEN SUPERB. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO RESIST THE
CALLS BY THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF TO REVOKE LICENSES, TO DENOUNCE
JOURNALISTS, BECAUSE WE KNOW AS MUCH AS WE DO SIMPLY BECAUSE
REPORTERS ARE DOING THE WORK. >> WE ASK QUESTIONS ON BOTH
SIDES, AND THE FOCUS ON THIS IS REAL.
I WILL SAY JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS SHOW AND OUR APPROACH TO IT
IN THE RUNUP TO THE CAMPAIGN, WE ASKED TRUMP QUESTION AFTER
QUESTION ABOUT RUSSIA. WE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE
ANSWERS. WE ALSO ASKED ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT THE DNC WAS RIGGING THE ELECTION.
WE ASKED ABOUT DEBBIE WASHERMAN SCHULTZ.
WE ASKED IF HILLARY CLINTON HAD A MESSAGE AT ALL, AND WE
FOCUSSED A GREAT DEAL ON HER E-MAILS.
THE BALANCE IS THERE IN THE COVERAGE AT LEAST HERE, AND I
THINK THESE QUESTIONS ARE REAL. >> WE DID COVER HER E-MAILS,
YOU'RE SAYING? >> OH, WE HEAR ON "MORNING JOE"
DID. I WAS --
>> I REMEMBER COVERING HER E-MAILS?
>> I WAS OUT ON FRONT ON THAT AS SOMEONE WHO VOTED FOR HER.
THIS IS CALLED TRANSPARENCY. >> YOU MAKE AN IMPORTANT POINT.
THE SCRUTINY COMES WITH THE TURF.
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION WHO THINKS THERE SHOULDN'T BE
SCRUTINY IN LAW OR JOURNALISM, THAT'S NOT AMERICA.
>> YOU TALK TO DEMOCRATS, THEY'LL SAY THAT THE PRESS
FOCUSSED TOO MUCH ON THE E-MAILS.
YOU TALK TO REPUBLICANS, AND THEY'LL SAY YOU GUYS WERE SO
ONE-SIDED AGAINST TRUMP. >> THAT'S THE REAL -- THAT'S
WHAT'S REALLY SCARY ABOUT WHAT TRUMP DOES.
I DON'T THINK HE'S GOING TO WITHDRAW ANYONE'S LICENSE.
HE'S GOING TO CREATE A SUSPICION OF THE MEDIA THAT ALLOWS HIM TO
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Sen. Richard Blumenthal Criticizes Wilbur Ross' Ties To Russia: I Feel Misled | Morning Joe | MSNBC

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