Jail, MAGA lies & coup crimes: See 'Trump playbook' shredded in criminal court

>>> TRUMP AND HARRIS FACE OFF IN >>> TRUMP AND HARRIS FACE OFF IN THIS DEBATE IN EXACTLY ONE WEEK, AND THAT'S A FORUM WHERE TRUMP HAS PREVIOUSLY THREATENED TO JAIL HIS OPPONENT AS HE INFAMOUSLY DID TO HILLARY CLINTON. AND IT IS ILLEGAL FOR ANY U.S. POLITICIAN TO ORDER SUCH SELECTIVE PROSECUTIONS, BUT DONALD TRUMP HAS CONTINUED EXACTLY THOSE THREATS THIS YEAR INCLUDING AS HIS SO-CALLED REVENGE FOR HIS OWN LAWFUL INDICTMENTS AND TRIALS. HARRIS ALLIES SEE HER AS A CALM PROSECUTOR WHO CAN HANDLE ANY OF THAT, AND SHE MEMORABLY GRILLED ONE OF TRUMP'S MOST LOYAL APPOINTEES, ATTORNEY GENERAL BARR ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE. THE QUESTION WAS HAD HE BEEN ASKED BY TRUMP OR WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS TO OPEN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS OF SPECIFIC PEOPLE, WHICH YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO. AND SHE DREW HEADLINES FOR THAT EXACT HEARING AND PUTTING BARR ON DEFENSE. AND HE HAD TO KIND OF MINCE WORDS AND AS YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE ULTIMATELY SAY HE DIDN'T KNOW RATHER THAN BE ABLE TO SAY UNDER OATH, NO, TRUMP DIDN'T ASK FOR THAT, IT NEVER HAPPENED. >> ATTORNEY GENERAL BARR, HAS THE PRESIDENT OR ANYONE AT THE WHITE HOUSE EVER ASKED OR SUGGESTED THAT YOU OPEN AN INVESTIGATION OF ANYONE? >> I WOULDN'T -- I WOULDN'T -- >> YES OR NO? >> COULD YOU REPEAT THAT QUESTION? THEY'VE NOT ASKED ME TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION BUT -- >> PERHAPS THEY SUGGESTED? >> I DON'T KNOW, I WOULDN'T SAY SUGGEST. >> HINTED? >> I DON'T KNOW. >> BARR DODGING A STRAIGHT ANSWER. HE WAS UNDER OATH, SO DIRECTLY LYING TO CONGRESS COULD BE A CRIME. AND HE KNEW IT WAS BAD TO ADMIT THAT TRUMP OR EVEN HIS TEAM WAS DEMANDING SUCH INVESTIGATIONS. AND WE ALSO KNOW FROM THE EVIDENCE, REPORTING, AND FACTS BILL BARR DID INJECT HIMSELF INTO INDIVIDUAL CASES FOR TRUMP ALLIES AND TRUMP'S POLITICAL BENEFIT AND EVEN SECRECY OVER ALLEGED ONGOING PLOTS. BARR USED HIS POWER TO LEAK AND SPIN THE FINDINGS OF THE MUELLER PROBE AND TO DISMISS THE CASE AGAINST TRUMP AIDE FLYNN AND TO REDUCE JAIL TIME FOR TRUMP AIDE ROGER STONE. THAT DREW I SHOULD SAY RESIGNATIONS AND PROTESTS FROM NONPARTISAN CAREER DOJ PROSECUTORS. THIS MATTERS. SOME TRUMP ALLIES WANT TO FOOL YOU WITH PROPAGANDA OR MAKE YOU AS CYNICAL AS THEY ARE. THEY CLAIM NOTHING MATTERS, BUT TRUMP CAN CONFESS TO ANYTHING AND GET AWAY WITH IT. THE RECORD SHOWS SOMETHING ELSE. BILL BARR WANTED TO AVOID CONFIRMING THERE WERE ANY ORDERS TO HELP THOSE TRUMP AIDES. HE DIDN'T WANT TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD, AND KAMALA HARRIS ASKED A STRONG QUESTION WITH STRONG FOLLOW-UP THAT HELPED FLUSH SOME OF THAT OUT. AND OTHER TRUMP LAWYERS AND OPERATIVES WOULD RATHER THEY SAY DON'T REMEMBER THE TRICK HE USED OR EVEN INVOKE THE FIFTH RATHER THAN TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT APPARENTLY THINGS THEY DID THAT WERE IMPROPER OR MAYBE EVEN ILLEGAL FOR DONALD TRUMP. >> I ASSERT MY FIFTH AMENDMENT RIGHT AGAINST BEING A WITNESS AGAINST MYSELF. >> EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE. FIFTH. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY RECOLLECTION OF THIS. I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT I MEANT BY IT OR I DON'T RECALL. >> AND I DON'T SPECIFICALLY RECALL. >> HERE IS THE PLAY BOOK, AND IT MATTERS FOR THIS ELECTION. IT MATTERS FOR THE NEXT TWO MONTHS. THE PLAY BOOK IS DODGE QUESTIONS OR LIE IN PUBLIC, DUCK OR DELAY TESTIFYING UNDER OATH WHERE THOSE SAME LIES WOULD THEN BECOME A POTENTIAL CRIME. IF YOU THEN HAVE TO TESTIFY, DODGE BY CLAIMING YOU DON'T RECALL, AND SOMETIMES THAT COULD BE A TRUTHFUL ANSWER. SOMETIMES THERE'S SO MUCH EVIDENCE THAT BECOMES AN UNBELIEVABLE OR ILLEGAL ANSWER. IF LATER EVIDENCE CONTRADICTS YOUR TESTIMONY, THEN CLAIM IT'S ALL LATE AND OLD NEWS. EVEN THOUGH WITH THE DELAYS WERE THE THING THAT THE TRUMP TEAM CAUSED TO BEGIN WITH, SO YOU BLAME OTHERS FOR THE DELAYS THAT YOU CAUSED. SO TAKE THE SAME MUELLER PROBE THAT BILL BARR WAS SPINNING AS HE DISCUSSED IT WITH KAMALA HARRIS. THE MUELLER REPORT BUSTED MANY ATTEMPTS TO INTERFERE IN INDEPENDENT DOJ PROBES OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION INCLUDING THEN-PRESIDENT TRUMP ASKING HIS FIRST 2016 CAMPAIGN MANAGER, CORY LOUN DOUSKY, TO INTERFERE IN THAT MUELLER PROBE, AND THEY USED THIS PLAY BOOK. FIRST LEWANDOWSKI DODGED IN PUBLIC. ONLY WHEN ASKED UNDER OATH BY FEDERAL PROSECUTORS DID LEWANDOWSKI ADMIT, AND WE KNOW THIS FROM THE REPORT, HE ADMITTED TO -- AND LEWANDOWSKI WANTED TRUMP TO DICTATE A MESSAGE FOR SESSIONS TO SAY. TRUMP TRYING TO USE LEWANDOWSKI AS A KIND OF CUT OUT GHOST WRITER AND THIS WAS A BIG DEAL AND RARE. IT WAS, QUOTE, THE FIRST TIME THE PRESIDENT HAD ASKED LEWANDOWSKI TO TAKE DICTATION, ACCORDING TO LEWANDOWSKI'S OWN TESTIMONY AS FINALLY HONESTLY IN THAT SETTING EXPLAINED IN THE MUELLER REPORT. SO LEWANDOWSKI ADMITTED THAT TO PROSECUTORS. HE ALSO LIED ABOUT IT IN PUBLIC AND IT WAS NOT UNTIL CROSS-EXAMINATION AT A HOUSE HEARING THAT HE HAD TO FESS UP. "THE NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTING LEWANDOWSKI CONFIRMING IN THAT TESTIMONY THE PRESIDENT HAD ONCE ASKED HIM TO HELP CURTAIL THE SCOPE OF THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION, POSSIBLY OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE. WE HAVE THE EVIDENCE. WE HAVE THE TESTIMONY. WE HAVE THE RECEIPTS. ADMITTING THAT CONTRADICTED LEWANDOWSKI'S CLAIMS IN AN MSNBC INTERVIEW, WHICH WAS SUCH A BIG DEAL TO HOUSE INVESTIGATORS, THEY ADMITTED IT AS EVIDENCE AGAINST LEWANDOWSKI AND USED IT TO CONFRONT HIM WHEN QUESTIONING HIM UNDER OATH, AND THEY DREW ANOTHER ADMISSION, WHICH MATTERS RIGHT NOW AS HE'S JOINED THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN. LEWANDOWSKI UNDER OATH SAYING HE CAN BE DISHONEST WITH THE MEDIA. >> PRIOR TO THE MUELLER REPORT BEING PUBLISHED IN REDACTED FORM, DID YOU EVER MISREPRESENT WHAT YOU DID ON BEHALF OF THE PRESIDENT? >> I CAN'T THINK OF AN INSTANCE WHERE THAT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. I DON'T EVER REMEMBER THE PRESIDENT EVER ASKING ME TO GET INVOLVED WITH JEFF SESSIONS OR THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM EVER. >> DID YOU HEAR THAT, SIR? THAT WAS YOU SAYING ON MSNBC YOU DON'T EVER REMEMBER THE PRESIDENT EVER ASKING YOU TO GET INVOLVED WITH JEFF SESSIONS OR THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IN ANY, WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM. THAT WASN'T TRUE WAS IT, SIR? >> I HEARD THAT. >> AND THAT WASN'T TRUE, WAS IT? >> I HAVE NO OBLIGATION UNDER THE MEDIA BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST AS DISHONEST AS ANYBODY ELSE. >> SO YOU ADMIT, SIR, YOU WERE NOT BEING TRUTHFUL IN THAT CLIP, CORRECT? >> MY INTERVIEW WITH ARI MELBERING? >> YES. >> CAN BE INTERRUPTED ANY WAY YOU LIKE. >> INACCURATE. LEWANDOWSKI IS NOW BACK SERVING ON TRUMP'S CURRENT CAMPAIGN, AND HE JOINED US ON "THE BEAT" LAST WEEK FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THAT HEARING AND THAT INTERVIEW, AND WE HELD HIM AXABLE AND IN FAIRNESS WE GAVE HIM A CHANCE TO ADDRESS ALL THIS AND ASK WHY PEOPLE SHOULD BELIEVE HIM NOW, AND MR. LEWANDOWSKI WAS COMPLETELY UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO OFFER A SUBSTANTIVE ANSWER. >> I HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO BE HONEST TO THE MEDIA BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST AS DISHONEST AS ANYBODY ELSE. PERHAPS I WAS INACCURATE THAT TIME. >> IF YOU ADMIT UNDER OATH YOU WERE NOT TELLING THE TRUTH IT IS RELEVANT NOW, AND NOW YOU SEEM UNABLE TO ADDRESS IT. >> ARI, LISTEN, WE'VE BEEN DOWN THIS PATH. THIS PATH. >> HIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME BACK SINCE -- >> THAT INTERVIEW WAS FOUR PLUS ALMOST FIVE YEARS AGO TO THE DAY TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. >> THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO ADDRESS AND YOU'RE NOT ADDRESSING IT, THAT'S FINE. ALMOST FIVE YEARS AGO. THAT'S THE PLAY BOOK, DODGE, DELAY, ADMIT IT UNDER OATH IF YOU HAVE TO DO THAT TO AVOID POSSIBLE JAIL RISK AND DELAY EVERYONE ELSE FOR DELAYS. FIVE YEARS AGO, OLD NEWS. NOW, IF THIS ALL SOUNDS EXHAUSTING TO DEAL WITH, IT CAN BE. THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT. THEY WANT TO GRIND EVERYONE DOWN. NOW, THAT NEW INTERVIEW BROUGHT PLENTY OF HEADLINES ABOUT LEWANDOWSKI LYING AGAIN. HE HAS BEEN BUSTED LYING. HE HAD TO ADMIT LYING UNDER OATH. HE ADMITTED UNDER OATH THAT HE DOES DISHONEST THINGS WITH THE MEDIA, AND THEN YOU SAW AFFORDED TIME IN A FAIR FORUM THAT OTHER COLLEAGUES OF HIS AND REPUBLICANS AND TRUMP OFFICIALS HAVE USED, IT DIDN'T GO AS POORLY FOR THEM AS IT DID FOR HIM. HE HAD NO GOOD NO ANSWER. HE LIES. HE LIES AGAIN. AND HIS FAILED EFFORT TO DEFLECT DRAWS THOSE HEADLINES. FINE. THAT'S THE TRUMP PLAY BOOK. OTHER AIDES WHO TRY TO DEFY GOING UNDER OATH, MEANG EVEN GOING FARTHER THAN HIM AND JUST NOT PARTICIPATING AS YOU SAW IN THOSE KIND OF HEARINGS, SOME OF THEM HAVE LANDED IN PRISON. DONALD TRUMP SPENT YEARS TRYING TO DUCK EVEN TESTIFYING IN THAT RECENT NEW YORK FRAUD CASE. BUT WHEN HE LOST AND STARTED >> TRUMP SPENT HIS MORNING AT A NEW YORK CITY OFFICE BEING DEPOSED UNDER OATH BY LAWYERS FROM THE NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL'S TEAM. >> THAT DEPOSITION AND DONALD TRUMP'S INABILITY AS A CIVIL DEFENDANT TO PROVIDE DECENT DEFENSES UNDER OATH BECAME EVIDENCE IN A FRAUD TRIAL, WHICH TRUMP NOT ONLY LOST BUT LOST TERRIBLY. THE PENALTY AND LEGAL FEES APPROACHING HALF A BILLION DOLLARS. HUNDREDS OF MAGA CRIMINALS HAVE FACED CONSEQUENCES AS DEFENDANTS IN THE JAN 6 CASES, AND MANY TOP TRUMP AIDES AND LAWYERS HAVE BEEN INDICTED OR CONVICTED IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, AND THOSE CASES CONTINUE THROUGH THE COURTS. DONALD TRUMP'S OWN COUP TRIAL WAS DELAYED AND COMPLICATED BY A FAVORABLE RULING HE GOT FROM THE SUPREME COURT, SO THAT'S PUSHED OUT PAST NOVEMBER. AND WE SHOULD NOTE FOR ACCURACY HERE, SOME PARTS OF TRUMP'S PLAYBOOK DID WORK WHEN HE WAS PRESIDENT. DENY, DEFY, DELAY, AND HE BASICALLY DANGLED PARDONS AND THEN USED THEM FOR CERTAIN AIDES LIKE ROGER STONE, WHO I MENTIONED ALSO GOT HELP FROM >> MANAFORT AND STONE WERE BOTH PROSDEUTED BY ROBERT MUELLER'S SPECIAL COUNSEL TEAM LOOKING INTO RUSSIAN ELECTION MEDDLING. >> SO WHAT IS YOUR TAKEAWAY HERE OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE TO STAY ON THE JOB AND BE FAIR BUT ALSO CONTINUE TO DO TOUGH WORK AND HOLD LIARS ACCOUNTABLE? WELL, ONE TAKE AWAY IS A MIXED VERDICT IN HOW AMERICA DOES ACCOUNTABILITY. AS YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THAT PLAYBOOK HAS WORKED. AND IF OTHER PARTS OF THE SYSTEM GIVE INTO THAT EXHAUSTION I MENTIONED OR A NORMALIZATION, IF PARTS OF OUR BROADER SOCIETY, WE HAVE HEARD A TON ABOUT INSTITUTIONS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. BUT LET ME REPEAT SOMETHING TONIGHT THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW. INSTITUTIONS ARE ONLY AS EFFECTIVE AS THEIR RULES, SYSTEMS, AND THE PEOPLE WHO COMPRISE THEM. AGAIN, THE PEOPLE WHO COMPRISE THEM. AND THAT'S NOT A PARTISAN POINT. YOU SEE LIZ CHENEY ON THE SCREEN AS A LIFELONG CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN. YOU SEE JACK SMITH, AN INDEPENDENT AT DOJ AND MR. LEWANDOWSKI, A FREQUENT LIAR. SOME OF THE INSTITUTIONS ARE DELIBERATELY WALLED OFF FROM PUBLIC PRESSURE. OTHERS ARE ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE ANSWERABLE TO THE PUBLIC. AND WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S NOW BEEN PUBLICLY EXPOSED, AND WE JUST SHOWED A FEW KEY POINTS TONIGHT, THE FINAL ARBITER OF THIS IN NOVEMBER IS YOU. WHAT KIND OF INSTITUTIONS DO YOU DEMAND? WHAT WILL YOU ACCEPT AS NORMAL, AS PART OF POLITICS, OR OUT OF BOUNDS?