breaking news the Republicans seem to
have found their counter to the Russia
investigation and it puts the FBI and
the Democrats in the crosshairs the memo
they plan to release is just the setup
for what they hope will be a mass
conspiracy of wrongdoing at the highest
levels of law enforcement all an alleged
plot by the enemies of President Trump
that's what they're selling tonight I go
one-on-one with Minority Leader Nancy
Pelosi who is seen this memo and we have
one of the Republicans who is sounding
the alarm friends it is time to get
after it I'm Chris Cuomo welcome to
prime time
[Music]
all right so here's what we know in the
last few hours House Republicans voted
to release a memo by Chairman Devin
Nunez alleging FBI abuses and obtaining
surveillance warrants based on
classified information that the panel is
not releasing and in fact classified
information
Nunez reportedly has not even reviewed
so in effect they're asking you to
accept their conclusions without
revealing the basis
odd just wait the panel deeply divided
along party lines but the Republicans
control so they were also able to block
a counter memo by Democrats now just
last week the Justice Department warned
that releasing the GOP memo without
review would be quote extraordinarily
reckless why the obvious it might expose
sources and methods that could
compromise u.s. intelligence work
reportedly the Republicans have since
shown the memo to FBI director
Christopher Rea and now it goes to the
White House where the president has five
days to approve or deny the release the
top Democrat on the Intelligence
Committee says Nunez as I said didn't
read the information this memo is based
on the memo that bears his name to the
Democrats this is proof that this is all
about politics of the worst kind
we had votes today to politicize the
intelligence process to prohibit the FBI
and the Department of Justice from
expressing their concerns to our
committee and to the house and to
selectively release to the public
only the majority's distorted memo
without the full facts a very sad day I
think in the history of this committee
when you have a deeply flawed person in
the Oval Office that flaw can infect the
whole of government and it's a today
tragically it infected our committee
then there was another significant move
in a related development the sudden
departure of FBI deputy director Andrew
McCabe a frequent target of criticism by
President Trump tonight sources tell CNN
the FBI director Christopher Rea hinted
to staff in an email that an inspector
general report about the FBI's condo
during the 2016 election played a role
in McCabe's abrupt departure all of this
on the eve of President Trump's first
State of the Union speech that is billed
as a call to unity so let's take the
breaking news one-on-one with the House
Minority Leader Democratic congresswoman
Nancy Pelosi of California I heard you
laughing there Minority Leader why well
because unity is of course our goal
that's what we strive for for the
American people bipartisanship
transparency in our activities and to do
something that is unifying and rather
than not and what the president is
striving for unity that's really a sad
statement from there but let's get back
to this point I'm very proud of Adam
Schiff and our House Democrats for
protecting the integrity of the
intelligence community this is a very
big honor that the leader gives to the
ranking member that the speaker gives to
the chairman to be deputized to protect
the intelligence intelligence to for
force protection of our troops for
fighting terrorism and the rest of that
instead chairman Nunez has act like a
stooge acting with the speaker stooge a
stooge of the White House at the
acquiescence or at least or maybe the
guidance of the Speaker of the House
this is not about one thing or not this
is about the integrity and the safety
and our national security that's what it
says - they have crossed they have
crossed from dangerously and recklessly
dealing with intelligence to a cover-up
of an investigation that they don't want
the American people to see come to
fruition and that is most unfortunate
now I have long probably longer standing
than anybody in the history of the
Congress on intelligence I served there
as a member I was in ranking member and
my time there and then as in the in the
leadership as the gang a member of the
gang of eight so I have had access to
all of the intelligence which mr. Nunez
could have access to but has not so
you've seen it I've seen it I've seen
not only the memo and the basis for the
memo but the underlying documents and
what they're putting forth is a
total misrepresentation it is false and
they're putting it out there as if it is
factual and then saying we're going to
show this to the American people but
we're not going to show the rebut
rebuttal to it by the Democrats now the
Democrats have said rightfully we
shouldn't be putting anything out unless
it has been reviewed and redacted by the
intelligence the appropriate they say
they don't want the DOJ to look at it
because they are part of their concerns
about how things were done during the
campaign Jay is only one part of the
intelligence community the intelligence
community is best it's the CIA the DNA
DNI the National Defense everybody has
their element of it and sources and
methods must be protected but not only
that I can't even reference some words
that are in it because that would be a
violation of the confidentiality of the
classified nature so this again putting
this aside in terms of tit for tat which
you seem to well with all due respect to
you it was trying to make it look like
Democrats version it isn't about that
it's about our national security and our
president United States is the
commander-in-chief and he should stop
this immediately
I should stop think he's not gonna
release the memo
he says he's going to he hadn't even
probably seen it but he's gonna release
it and in fact he should be saying if no
release should ever happen without the
agencies of the DEM of the intelligence
community reviewing and redacting from
public review who's going to share
intelligence with us if they think it's
up to
newness not even reading the stuff and
release you put a lot of this on newness
but that means you put it on Ryan that's
because the speaker picked do you blame
Paul Ryan for me I think that he has a
major responsibility and what I call a
cover-up of what they are doing it's
really very sad but again it's a
cover-up also it's a distraction what
really we are trying to do right now is
keep government open they have a problem
with that because they're ineffective
and you think they're doing this because
they don't want the government to be
open well I think they're do whatever
they do is a distraction so what you
never know what that's what they say so
help me understand this I know you can't
reveal classified now I'm not going I'm
not I'm not gonna push you on that but I
will
on this one idea it is hard I have to
believe it's hard for the American
people to have faith that anybody in
this city where we are right now is out
for the truth and not out for politics
and I can understand why they want it
all released congresswoman I can
understand why they want it all out
because they say you know what we can't
trust you guys let us read it let us
figure it out you can redact the names
you can make it safe enough for us to
look at it because they say the same
thing about you that the russia
investigation there's no collusion you
guys are pushing the ball the political
advantage to stymie the president and
they talked about this memo like it
should have been in the Raiders of the
Lost Ark this thing that this is the
holy grail of the truth about what was
happening during the campaign and it
points the finger at the Democrats and
the FBI well let me just say this we're
not going to become them the Republicans
because they are totally irresponsible
in this regard we're talking about the
intelligence community we're not talking
about some issue that were having a
fight about we're talking about our
national security as I said when I've
been on that committee I had been on
that committee a long time and serve as
leader and involved in those issues and
this isn't to not to be politicized this
is about fact it's about evidence about
data it's not about making up a false
memo based on a false premise that the
Chairman hasn't even read and then to
put it out there I gave you that he has
if he hasn't read it that's a problem
we'll take we'll take how can you decide
if you haven't read it that it should be
revealed to the American people but what
I'm saying is this are you saying
without revealing anything that's
confident obviously I can't do it I get
it but you're saying that if the
American people see this memo and they
read it and they think about it that
they could not reasonably conclude that
there was any problem with what happened
during the election of course not the
well then why are they so anxious to
release it because it's not even true
it's not even true they have made up a
memo that isn't even true and they're
lying to the America what are you gonna
do about it well we had put forth a memo
which we reluctantly did but said don't
put this on unless it is reviewed and
redacted that now won't be out when
theirs is out doesn't that tell you
something the Republicans say we want
the American people to see our memo but
we're voting against showing the
American
people the Democratic memo but again
let's enlarge this issue this let me not
get engaged in this Republican
Democratic thing this is about security
or not it's about people in our country
who worked so hard to protect the
American people in the intelligence
community and to be frivolous with their
identity or roads that can lose to lead
to them about you're saying that you
think it puts lives at stake if this
intelligence that is necessary for other
countries to share with us why would
they put it at the mercy of Dennis Nunez
who doesn't even remember and say the
American people should see it and the
American people with that they have
their own jobs to do they're not they're
saying now I'm going to redact a memo
because I know what is true I know what
is false no I'm saying you guys redact
what you need to redact but then let the
American people decide but they that's
not that's not the way intelligence
works you you that's not the way it
works it's not a court this isn't a
subject of that what's in the tax bill
or what's not in a tax bill this is a
question of what is important to our
national security to be secure so and
again let me take it to another subject
because they do these things as a
distraction it's totally a responsive
isn't one person in the intelligence
community recognizing the sacrifice that
our men and women in the intelligence
community make for our country security
that would say this is not reckless
christopher ray god get the director of
the FBI obviously recently selected by
President Trump he got the memo he could
have come out and said this is reckless
don't release it let me just say this
with all due respect you really don't
know what you're talking about right now
but it did Christopher Rea look at it or
no I can't say whether he did or not but
he did not he's in order to redact you
have to have the people who knows I'm
not saying we're exact I'm saying if
these concerns are so sharp enough but
they've already said not to release it
they already said not to her their
justice apart already said it would be
reckless to release it you said that
earlier the DOJ said we've been
reporting it absolutely but now there's
this word that is somewhat of a
compromise but wait a minute I want to
tell you something let me just say this
the Republican Party has as I said
crossed over to cover up their deadly
afraid of the Russia investigation we
investigation to be anything but best
based on the law and the facts and let
the investigation proceed that's the
right thing to do for our country we
have to be respectful of law we have to
respectful of intelligence our surest
and what they're doing is reckless in
regard to both but the fact is also that
it is a distraction from the fact that
they passed a tax bill that gives 83
percent of the benefits to the top 1%
they'd like to distract from that that
86 million middle-class Americans will
pay more in taxes one and a half
trillion now of the two trillion
including interest will be added to the
national debt that they do give this
gift to corporate America at the expense
of our children's future they don't want
to talk about that they don't want to
talk about the fact that they have what
they've done in terms of the president
put forth a ridiculous memo on well I
don't know if you put it forth or they
leaked it on infrastructure which
doesn't even go word near what our
country needs they are doing bad things
in terms of immigration and the rest
there what they do is they give you a
nugget they say here's what we're doing
on on immigration isn't that wonderful
while it looks so pretty and while they
do very unpretty things behind the scene
same thing with a tax bill isn't this a
nice little thing we're giving you while
we give and and same thing again with
with intelligence we're gonna show your
memo all right this is ridiculous all
right I want to look at those other
issues you just itemize from the
perspective of what Democrats could have
done and did not do and should do now
how would that be well I'll get to it
okay this is pretty urgent right now and
it's got you know it's got us a little
on edge so if this memo if the president
says okay I say let the people decide
my guys seem that they're fine with it
and it comes out what can you do to
counter a narrative which they must they
clearly believe no no this is going to
be very persuasive to you if you lie
have no allegiance to the truth they're
totally disrespectful to your
responsibilities to the security of our
country you can persuade people of
anything it's half
than before so how do you counter them
as well the well hopefully with the the
the validation of outside sources
arrests but the American people are
working hard they're taking care of
their families they're trying to make
ends meet they're not prepared to read
act or do act on memo I understand I was
never suggesting they should have when
they get this memo they're gonna read it
they're gonna say holy cow it's not true
but where is that where are the facts
how do you make the case because
otherwise they're gonna say this I don't
believe if I were to tell you why it
isn't true here I would be taking up
telling the truth about 22 in this
entire situation they shouldn't have
people it shouldn't burn down that path
they're only going down this path to
foil the Moller investigation they
should let the facts and the law take it
where it goes no other place further
than that and that's what should be
they're so afraid of the truth they're
afraid of the truth they're afraid the
truth or a democratic memo that's why
they're not releasing it so why don't
you put that out on the floor the you
know as you know I do not mean to tell
you procedure you know better than I
ever would man however this is a
relatively arcane mechanism that they're
using right now to release this
information okay it's highly it's not
even highly unusual it's never been done
before the violation of the classified
nature of intelligence Oh fine that's
your description what is a fact I get it
that's your description of what of this
process what I'm saying is you could go
to the floor of the house as you know
man you can read things there is an
immunity for speech and debate I don't
know you don't know you don't reveal the
classified intelligence but you could
read the substance of your memo that
protects your sources in but counters
what's in this memo what if you think
you can know the only thing that our
members are allowed to see is what they
go down to the Intelligence Committee
and then that can't happen you say no it
can't happen and besides in order to
refute it you'd have to tell the facts
and the facts or classified all right
and we're not going to engage in what
they're doing but you know what I want
to tell you something you're missing it
this is very big this is very big and
turns those in terms of what line they
have crossed tonight and it's shocking
really but not surprising because
they're desperate
and they're desperate because look we
can't keep government open there on
therefore there go to the fifth now
they're talking about their fifth
continuing resolution because they're
incompetent and they're ineffective and
all they had to do is sit down and say
let's come to terms on how we're going
to fund the government let's come to
terms and how we're going to protect and
you say the Democrats are willing
partners in that provide solutely we
have been willing but they say you're
not no here's their problem this dark
cloud hangs over the Capitol is called
their tax cut it's taken us two trillion
dollars additional into debt that makes
them afraid of concurring any further
debt so they don't want to spend money
on their domestic agenda now what we're
fighting for
and money for opioids money for more
money for meeting the needs of our
veterans meant money for the biblical
power to cure the National Institutes of
Health money for pensions which are
struggling in our country in addition to
that appropriately dealing with the
disaster assistance for Puerto Rico
Virgin Islands and the other areas
affected by the disasters and hurricanes
and the fires shut down if this is so
important why would the Democrats relent
no because the fact is they change the
subject the fact is this is about money
and all they're doing is trying to
increase the defense budget which we
believe is so why didn't you hold your
ground and say we're gonna fight we're
gonna fight for this we are fighting to
relented on the shutdown no we didn't
relent the fact is we think we have a
better place to fight with government to
open than government shut and we don't
believe in shutting down government they
have they've shut it down five times now
including last weekend oh when they shut
down why was that not on you guys you
know no they didn't have 50 votes in
their own caucus much less 60 but but
they needed they needed the Democrats
that said they didn't have 50 votes and
their own caucus if we didn't even have
the 60-vote majority they would not
margin they would not have had the votes
but listen to what I'm saying to you
opioids it's a crisis throughout America
and they are saying well we're you know
we want to spend more money on defense
we agree do you understand that the
domestic budget which they don't want to
invest in contain
a third of it a third of it contains
security Homeland Security Veterans
Affairs the State Department
anti-terrorism activities of the Justice
Department are all contained in the
domestic budget thirty-four percent of
the domestic budget is security and
they're saying we just want to increase
defense but we don't want to invest in
home and domestic and that's because
their members don't want to increase the
deficit for the debt further than they
they're asking for a lot of money in
your dacha immigration dollars for a
wall right the Mexicans were going to
pay for it right who believes that but
the fact is is that we shouldn't have a
wall New Mexican shoe and paper but we
should have security at her border
whatever the context requires on the
quarter north and south we've we have in
her in our recommendations what the the
then why did Chuck Schumer say he'd give
him the wall why was that ever on the
table if you're so against it well he
would give him part of the security on
the border yeah some physical structure
but the our proposal has what the Border
Patrol said were their needs right what
their needs and that their needs do not
include a wall do you think that it
helped the chance of getting a deal done
by describing their offer as making
America white again well that's what
they're doing I could have been saying
that a year ago but the president said
it we said it when he talked about
certain countries and how he
characterized them but what they want to
do is not let any more people you see
with their proposal cut in half legal
immigration into our country what they
want to do is send people back that's
their real goal that's that's what we
fear most is their domestic surveillance
their interior surveillance internal
surveillance and also to look what
they've done with the lottery with the
opportunity of visas that come from all
say it's a security risk and look what
they're doing with family unification
making up a fake name chain chain they
like the word chain that sends tremors
through people in our well you read
something into everything they're doing
of course I do I'd see them every day so
this is as
this is but a laugh mr. McConnell says
she shouldn't have said that I didn't
hear him say anything about the
president saying anything about does
that foul language she used describing
countries from which we received many
wonderful entrepreneurial people you and
I know being Italian Americans the
immigration is the constant
reinvigoration of America people come
with their family values to make the
future better for their families their
hopes their dreams their optimism their
courage to make the future better and
that's what our founders intended that
every generation would take
responsibility for the next generation
to do better and that's called the
American dream and these dreamers have
inspired America this should be so easy
but if you want to talk about cops not
easy
yeah do you think a deal is gonna get
done at all it has to it has to and so
we'll stick with it until we can get a
deal but if they want to do
comprehensive immigration let's do that
but that takes time
the Senate already did it in a
bipartisan way a few years ago but the
Speaker of the House would not bring it
up on the floor dance it didn't get done
but for the dreamers there's a
commensurate amount of border security
that is commensurate with the number of
people who are protected there's
bipartisan support in the House and the
Senate to get it done let's do what is
unifying but is bipartisan which is
transparent instead of trying to sell a
bill of goods on some of these things
and in the meantime to be so afraid of
the truth
that they would do they would degrade
the whole process of intelligence by
taking it to a different place I call it
a cover-up Nancy Pelosi thank you for
spending time with us I appreciate it
well all right so um we're gonna text
we're gonna test the flip side of the
argument Republican Congressman Jim
Jordan says the memo is the truth and it
is a must-see for the American public
breaking news tonight a series of major
developments that take Russia out of the
crosshairs and replace it with the FBI
the first salvo is a GOP memo alleging
FBI abuse of surveillance laws during
the 2016 campaign also FBI deputy
director Andrew McCabe a frequent target
of President Trump suddenly stepping
down just months before his planned
retirement which could have several
different explanations except the FBI
director recently appointed by Trump
suggested to his staff that the
departure has to do with an Inspector
General report on FBI practices during
the campaign let's take all of these
serious developments up with Republican
Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio member of
the House Judiciary Committee could not
have a better night to have you on thank
you for making that time okay um so the
memo yep all right
it's been voted on to come out you
believe it should come out there are all
these concerns about intelligence
sensitivity you know that the DOJ said
it could be exceedingly reckless
extremely reckless to put this out well
you guys think it should happen and I
also know Chris Rea look at it yesterday
today chris ray has not said that it
shouldn't come out he's been he's been
silent on the issue and you know what
they said last week what I know is I've
read it and there are lots of quiet mean
we've had lingering questions about this
dossier for months and the American
people if they're asking the question
was the dossier used that's a legitimate
question and and that's something that
needs answered so this memo should come
out let it speak for itself now I did
say I wish we had the appropriate
references citations footnoting to the
underlying source but the fact is I
think it will speak for itself and I
think will answer a lot of questions all
right so let's do this one step at a
time you've seen the memo I have you
have not seen the intelligence that it's
based on we're not we're not permitted
to see that but doesn't that concern you
that something was so heady yeah it is
so provocative and you don't get a
chance to see where the schedule I said
it should be footnoted inside it but
that's not the choice the committee made
I do think the memo will speak for
itself
plus I know all the other context I know
the text messages between struck and
page I know I mean look we knew before
the text messages come out we suspected
the fix was in
the Clinton investigation now that the
struck page text messages have come out
we know the fix was in on the cloud do
you know that because what did what he
said he said Trump is awful Clinton
should win a hundred million seven like
Trump yeah what he's like certain of the
agent with a lot more they went a lot
more than they didn't like trumpet was
animus against trumpet was the most
extreme bias I've ever seen but here's
how you know the fix was in
because when Loretta Lynch says she's
gonna appropriate the decision to James
Comey to decide whether they bring
charges or not
what does Lisa page say now this is
before they've interview Clinton before
the investigation is over
Lisa page says well that's not really a
Profile in Courage because she already
knows charges won't be brought so we
know the fix was in
and then these same people Lisa page
Peter struck Andrew McCabe the same
people who ran that investigation and
rigged it in favor of Clinton they're
the ones launching the Trump
investigation they're Trump Russia
investigation peter structs the one
interviewing Mike Flynn so it's
appropriate I think just common sense
wise for Americans to step back and say
hey maybe there's something there and
then you look at what they said about
Trump you look at the fact they said we
need an insurance policy we can't let
the American people I'm afraid we can't
let the American people decide who's
gonna be the next president
we need an insurance that's what that's
what Peter strokes that no he didn't he
didn't say we can't let the American
afraid we can't take that risk that the
American people might like he also said
walking in Walmart says though I can
smell the Trump supporters the derision
they had for people who voted for
President Trump that's a problem and so
all we're saying is this memo gives even
more context to this whole situation and
the American people can decide for them
there's a difference between wanting to
ascribe political motivations to how
people do their job which you don't
really know that it affected the
investigation we know they're human
beings at the FBI
we know they have personal positions
about one we're gonna deal with general
common sense I've worked with the FBI
for a long time I know you have as well
the idea that it's a left-leaning
organization would Charlotte a
conscience I of most you know what at
the rank-and-file but the top people at
the Hillary Clinton has struck page they
were certainly pro Clinton when when
Hillary Clinton and they were when they
were doing the email investigation and
Comey came out with that letter and made
it public and talking
what was going on and reintroduced it
back into the campaign they were saying
the same things you're saying now these
people don't like us this is personal
animus who would inject this into a
campaign so what's the lesson lesson is
you need proof
now you're going with a memo that by
your own reckoning and including newness
newness didn't even look at the
confidential information his own memo is
based on you're not worried about that
yep but you're not worried at all that
you're throwing something out into the
public domain that could be very very
provocative and you don't even know if
it's accurate yeah does it does it
bother you that Lisa Paige and Peter
struck were the key people Peter struck
deputy head of counterintelligence at
the FBI saying the things he said about
President Trump said about him but yeah
but he first picked him and put him on
the team and that's what the inspectors
but for the inspector general do in this
investigation we would have known this
it's back to general house
accountability by the same organization
that you're saying maybe I right exactly
right well that kind of fights your
premise though doesn't it you got all
this information from the inspector
general it's not like Nunez who doesn't
read the confidential information
they'll get up himself well true we got
it from the inspector general but this
memo is still important and as I said I
think whatever I want every journal I
want you to see it
I want every journal it face more
importantly I want the American people
to see it but what if I don't I can't I
can't judge it cuz I don't know what no
West oh that's why I called for having
the underlying sources reference cited
footnoted but you know what the FBI can
release it the FBI can say the Justice
Department's say you know what the
sources for that they can release it and
ultimately the White House could say
that they want to release it too and if
that's what it comes to maybe we'll have
to entertain that question at that time
but what I know now is this memo is
something the American people should
read even though they won't know whether
or not they can believe what's in it
because they won't have the substance of
the background that its banks why that's
why I wish we had it there but you know
you wish you had it there but you might
call for it right away
I know but but it didn't happen so
doesn't that make you feel like well
then it shouldn't come out until you can
release it the right way don't release
it but and then to not release the
Democrat one at the same time but how is
that not just that's not where at if
it's coming out tomorrow you're gonna
get hurt but why don't you look like
that won't come the committee it'll come
out when the president gives it two
thumbs why doesn't the Democrat won't
come out if a citizen banners what
true but my understanding is they're
following the same process for the
Democrat amendment then why she come out
first well because what we followed for
the Republican was first she made it
available to all members to come read
then when enough members had read it and
said you know this needs to be made
public it was made public that is my
understanding on what they're doing with
a Democrat amendment they're making it
available for all members of the house
to come read and I'll go read it but
there's gonna be a lag so then yours
gets out there that's all this exposure
was until today the Republican members
been in the committee for a couple weeks
and several hundred members have read it
and everyone who's read it said released
it to the public Jim if you were home in
Ohio and you weren't in this business
you were doing something else that your
talents alleged to be touched and
wrestling or something like that yeah
you'd be sitting with your kids that
your coach and wrestling saying never be
like these people Wow get these
Democrats and Republicans look what
they're doing what they're fighting with
each others pair and they're gonna just
dump it on the FBI and how is it
transparent when you're not even
releasing the source material every I
can release that if they do but they
think that it could be dangerous to do
so because of the source material well I
can't what can be dangerous is when
fundamental liberties aren't upheld and
when you have top people the FBI rigging
the game making sure Hillary Clinton
charges aren't brought against her and
those same people run the Russian
investigation and everything points to
putting their finger on the scale it is
not supposed to work that way in this
great country it is supposed to be equal
treatment under the law
true and I say you don't have
reservation no one should be treated if
you look at some texts between lovers
okay within the FBI
no she's general she's FBI counsel I
mean you have to be sure of that in in
terms of the nature of their banter I'm
not saying they're unimportant but
context matters you have Andrew McCabe
now he's stepping away maybe it's
because of the Inspector General report
says Christopher raised by suggestion
this is a man who voted in a Republican
primary you have this guy he's also a
guy who sat down with Terry McAuliffe
Clinton's biggest supporter when his
wife was one his white center yeah was a
year and he was in this position here's
the thing we always forget you know when
he said never said a year-and-a-half
part you here's the other thing we
forget when he sat down with Terry
McAuliffe it wasn't just about Terry
McAuliffe is the biggest Clinton
supporter and his wife was running for
office in getting five hundred thousand
dollars of financial help for her state
senator year as a Democrat before as a
Democrat but when he's
down with Terry McAuliffe Terry
McAuliffe was under investigation by the
FBI what is what is Andrew McCabe Deputy
Director of the FBI sitting down with
Terry McAuliffe while he's under
investigation by the FBI helping get
financing but the idea that this was so
long ago that a year and a half before
he's finishing your work before but you
see a direct connection when the call-up
is under investigation the deputy
director is going to sit down with him
and get money for his wife's campaign
when she's launching her campaign I mean
that this weekend when the Eagles pull
up to the to the big state and play the
game if the referees get off the Eagles
bus that's gonna be a problem you can't
you really have to be impartial you're a
referee you do the investigation Billy
you don't show that you must come
Democrats or people who favor Democrats
were in charge of the Hillary Clinton
investigation and they allowed what
happened to her to have that letter come
out from Comey to have that release
that's so big read her can't wait do you
think that was them doing her one
Republican who said what Comey did in
October was wrong I criticize what Jim
Comey did in July was wrong what they
did during the investigation was wrong
they screwed this thing up from start to
finish and what Comey did ten days
before the election I was the one
república said he shouldn't have
released that letter and made it public
and reopened the investigation but you
know why I think he did it because he
thought like everyone else in this
country
he thought Hillary Clinton was gonna win
but guess what Donald Trump kicked her
tail so that's why he did he thought he
was covered all I can I can release this
and she's still gonna win but I
criticized it at the time I took heat
from Republicans buying it a lot of
speculation I'm just telling you what
these types of things that's what I said
I know but you're speculating you don't
know why Comey did what he did why would
he try to submarine her campaign because
he thought he was gonna win it doesn't
make sense all I'm saying is this he
thought people risk after what that
terrible the way this is right yeah he
could keep his boat Boy Scout image
Jesus I hear you I hear the speculation
and it's your right to have it we only
know what you show and what we're
dealing with in terms of telogen s-- you
better have the facts to back it up
otherwise Plusle are gonna go on the
basis of suspicion well said Jim Jordan
I appreciate you making the case as
always and you know that all right so
the memo as Jim Jordan was just saying
is at the White House tonight the
president faces a big decision release
it or keep it under wraps it is
literally up to here
what should he do let's debate it Jones
versus urban the great debate next what
a night we are following breaking news a
partisan fault line rupturing the House
Intelligence panel republicans voting to
release a memo that's beliefs based on
classified information that a lot of
them haven't even seen the allegations
are huge anti-trump bias within the FBI
that's what this memo is about
Republicans also block the release of
the Democrats counter memo so that
brings us to brown one of tonight's
great debate former Obama special
advisor Van Jones is with us along with
former Trump campaign strategist mr.
David Urban what a mess let's talk about
what is going on here David Urban I
start with you the first guest was Nancy
Pelosi
she says this is nothing more than a
cover-up that crosses all the lines of
decency and responsibility for
intelligence that you guys don't want to
talk about what matters you're afraid of
the Russia investigation so if you
concocted this as a cover your take at
Creswell well I would expect nothing
less from from the Minority Leader and
it's unfortunate that she would take
such a position look I think the White
House has made their position pretty
clear on this
now therefore full transparency in this
and they believe I think that you want
to see you know everything put on the
table all the cards put on the table no
close to ever okay well yeah I know but
I take I take exception you know not the
entire FBI is under you know scrutiny
here there are a few individuals but
what are you gonna think when they read
this memo
well I think listen I don't know I'm not
I don't know I'm not privy to what's in
it but I would just you know always take
note that let's not throw the baby out
of the bathwater the FBI the men and
women the FBI are patriots they go to
work every day and do a great job for
America on so many different levels
there's there's problems with folks in
the FBI and this investigation I think
there's gonna be an IG report coming out
that maybe not so favorable and I think
that's what maybe the Democrats are
trying to get ahead of
right well van we don't know any of this
but this is the speculation and when
this memo comes out and it says that
there are problems at the top echelon of
the FBI with respect to how they did
surveillance or anything that has to do
with the campaign what is it going to do
to people in this country well listen
there may well be and we don't know but
there's a process that we've always gone
through if if these things are serious
you don't take serious allegations and
then treat them in silly theatrical ways
there's a mismatch between what they're
saying is going on let's give them the
benefit the doubt maybe there was some
malfeasance at the top of the FBI as a
Liberal Democrat I'm not somebody who's
surprised there may be something wrong
with the eff with the FBI and in certain
instances but if that is true and if
there was a conspiracy at the top of the
FBI to negatively impact this election
that is the most serious thing you can
say about the top law enforcement agency
if that is true you have to proceed with
the utmost caution the utmost care to
make sure you handle it and you handle
it well you don't call press confident
and just throw stuff out it's right well
so being I'm not quite certain I think
there's been some a great deal of
deliberation done and in the house by it
by the committee I would like to see
both the minority and majority reports
release I think that's probably if you
if you have to do it I think that's
probably the fair way to do it and
that's what I would urge in this case
Kris gonna say something well sure when
we when we saw Donald Trump winning this
election those of us who are progressive
Democrats were very worried we said oh
my god just like Richard Nixon now you
may have a weaponized politicized FBI
going after progressive targets you
might have with those so that was a
really big concern that people had or
like like the IRS you get to talk with
your attorney doesn't happen by the way
that didn't happen but you turn in a
minute Chris we had a real concern that
though we might have a weaponized
politicized FBI try being unleashed you
also had concerns that maybe they were
going to back off of some of these white
supremacist groups and they have we
never thought that you would have the
GOP take a
wrecking ball to the FBI that they would
just try to destroy the FBI and then you
would have people like myself out here
trying to defend the FBI this is so
crazy and it's so nuts that literally
people don't know what to do when the
leader of the Democratic Party Nancy
Pelosi is looking at this and she's
saying herself I cannot get out here and
tell you how big these lies are because
if I did that I would jeopardize
national security that's where we are
Chris and it's a frightening moment for
all Americans words should be well I'll
tell you something let's take a break
david let's do a second block all right
let's go
i would be for having both memos the
majority and minority NGO Transparency
we heard on that let's take a quick
break Dave while we're in the break you
should call Devon Nunez and find out if
it's true that he didn't look at the
confidential information the classified
work on this because if he did so Jim
Jordan told you make a phone call stick
around everybody the president trades
barbs with jay-z over black unemployment
I'm telling you just can't make up the
headlines these days
who's right we're gonna keep talking
about intelligence in America and we're
gonna segue to this round two next
african-american unemployment rate is at
a historic low that's a fact but it is
the result of a trend that has been
going on for a long time so who gets the
credit President Trump says I do but
here's what jay-z told our own Van Jones
it's not about money at the end of the
day money is not doesn't equate to like
happiness it doesn't is that's that's
not missing the whole point you treat
people like human beings it goes back to
the whole thing you're gonna treat me
really bad and pay me well yeah it's not
gonna lead to happiness now before you
say jay-z what do I want to hear from
the president responded when Jacy spoke
about this and said somebody please
inform jay-z that because of my policies
black unemployment has just been
reported to be at the lowest rate ever
recorded
now facts first right unemployment among
African Americans is at an all-time low
like I said that's true six point eight
percent that number sound high that's
because it is all right now while it's
been falling for years well before Trump
was in office
it is still
so much higher than the rate for white
workers and that's something that has to
be addressed
let's have round two of the great debate
with Van Jones and David Urban the facts
are not in dispute then the rate is low
it's been going down but it's still too
damn high and everybody knows it you had
jay-z speaking about it so how do you
see this conflict between jay-z and the
President on this issue well guy I gotta
say you know we did the debut of my show
on Saturday and uh Oprah and Trump both
texted I've tweeted about it so I was
like this is good for my ratings but
it's actually bad for the country
because the president miss appointment
love Oprah but the president missed the
point
what jay-z was trying to say is it's
good that we have some these numbers
continuing to improve obviously started
under Obama but it still doesn't get the
president off the hook from some of his
rhetoric and the way that he says
demeaning things about people and we
were talking as parents how hard it is
to raise black kids when the president's
saying things like s whole countries etc
so those numbers which are good don't
make up for the bad things the president
entirely missed the point let me just
say one more quick thing and I'd love to
hear what would David thinks about this
but just what just one more quick thing
here I listen under Obama
you had the unemployment rate for black
people falling 1.8 percent 1.6 percent a
year under Trump it felt 1% so yes the
trained people
wait the trend is continuing down but
it's actually slowing under Trump so I
want to talk about numbers also another
so van first of all congratulations
great show thanks we know you made a lot
of news you know Congrats on that second
of all jay-z saying that money doesn't
buy you happiness a little laughable
guys a billionaire Oh III well called
pretty close to being a billionaire a
pretty successful guy him him called the
president of superbugs not really a
great argument if jay-z you know jay-z
wrote a very successful book right new
Empire State of Mind from the street
corner to the corner office if you know
you should ask jay-z if he's got a plan
I love it I'll hand it to the president
myself love to see that and and and look
you you know yourself man that President
Obama was widely criticized by African
American unity for not doing enough for
the African American community he was he
was widely criticized the Atlantic why
is President Barack Oh
Bhama failing the black community and
they are the LA times so I'm interested
in Rosewood Chris you know what's
interesting about the point that she
raised is African Americans wanted
President Obama to do more you know why
he didn't do more because he had to walk
on eggshells because whenever he did
anything to help the after Mir community
Republicans attacked him so Chris Chris
so let me say this the president that
this president just passed an incredible
tax catalogue to the Congress right
there are five million individuals that
got nice bonus checks from their
employers I'm guessing a good deal of
those are African Americans so he didn't
uh he didn't he did something well there
yeah there's a great deal of Americans
that are getting a gigantic bump in the
standard deduction to twenty four
thousand dollars their taxes are gonna
go significantly down Apple many other
companies have announced you know
they're gonna invest in new plants new
infrastructure in America which is going
to help African Americans I mean just
say that the president is not helping
African rights he's helping all
Americans I think that's I want to see
here I gave him credit and I give him
credit look I get beat up I didn't hear
that but I will say that gave him credit
and I watched it I guess show and I give
him credit maybe but here's what I don't
do I don't think if he had said in that
tweet he said because of my policies
this is happening that's the problem
that you have a Bible because
acknowledge both political parties
should be proud of the fact for the past
seven years we've had that unemployment
rate coming down Obama had his share and
so did Trump is a bipartisan success
well we got a long way to go van I love
here you I love here and you say I know
a good thing if the president got out of
his own way more Dave and said less
inflammatory things he'd hear that a lot
more often so let's see what he does
tomorrow night gentlemen thank you gonna
be a great speech tune in tune in
everybody all right stick around
rachel is next
all right as a treat tonight I'm gonna
give you two final facts first the
reason that the president relies on Wall
Street so much is because that's an
indicator that is really high without
qualification when he talks about jobs
two million the growth rate three
percent these numbers are either wrong
or they are not historically great okay
if you do the Google research and you
look at the tax policy you look at the
economic numbers you'll see the numbers
are good but they're continuing a trend
and often they're not even improving on
it so do the homework the other fact is
I'm sorry but all this stuff about the
memo it just reeks of politics and it is
the politics of the worst kind left and
right engaged in a dynamic where you are
going to be held hostage and the FBI may
be made victim by their own struggles if
this isn't about facts and they don't
prove things it is going to be dangerous
for everyone that's all for us tonight
CNN tonight with Don Lemon them