MSNBC’s 11th Hour host Stephanie Ruhle finally figured out on Wednesday night, nearly two years after it was launched, that the Pelosi-picked January 6 committee is a partisan venture. During the opening segment, Ruhle had a back-and-forth with Washington Post investigative reporter Carol Leonnig about the committee’s final weeks before the incoming Republican majority shuts it down.
Ruhle seemed miffed that committee chairman Bennie Thompson wants to provide the Justice Department with the transcripts it collected at the same time it releases them to the public. This didn’t sit well with Ruhle who rightly viewed that as political and self-serving.
“I don't know how to make sense of what Bennie Thompson said, that the committee wants the Justice Department to get the transcripts the same time the public does,” Ruhle complained.
Turning to Leonnig, Ruhle asked “Why do they want that? Who is it good for? What should we think about this?”
Leonnig explained that “the committee has a completely different MO" "than the Department of Justice.” According to her “the January 6 committee was almost operating as if it were a subdivision of the Department of Justice.”
“So, in Bennie Thompson's view, and in the view of many lawmakers, they are going to issue their report, they're going to share all their facts before they give over all the transcripts,” Leonnig predicted.
“I guess I'm still scratching my head. Based on what you're telling me, that sounds like the committee is being super political,” Ruhle said disappointingly.
“If the whole basis of their work in the committee is to get this information and make sure the country is stronger and safer, wouldn't they take all the work and hand it over to the Justice Department immediately?” Ruhle asked. “It sounds like what you're telling me is no, they want the world to see what they did and take a victory lap. That sounds political.”
Leonnig shot back in defense of the January 6 committee: “Isn’t everything in Congress ultimately political? Why would we have hearings in primetime? Why would we withhold information until we can show you at the 8:00 news?”
“That is what happened in this congressional investigation. I don't say that as a criticism,” Leonnig concluded.
When you’ve lost Stephanie Ruhle, you know you’re in serious trouble as a Democrat.
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To read the relevant transcript click “expand”:
MSNBC’s The 11th Hour
11/30/2022
11:07:38 p.m. EasternSTEPHANIE RUHLE: Carol, I don't know how to make sense of what Benny Thompson said, that the committee wants the Justice Department to get the transcripts the same time the public does. Why do they want that? Who is it good for? What should we think about this?
CAROL LEONNIG (INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, WASHINGTON POST): Well, you know, the committee has a completely different Mo, Steph than the Department of Justice. The Mo of the committee’s look, we did the digging, we did the hard work, we were first out of the gate to find and interview these witnesses and gather this evidence, and we are sharing it with the American people. And you know, frankly, after covering these kinds of investigations for years, it's the Department of Justice that is typically out in front, way out in front, in front of reporters, in front of Congress. But this time the January 6 committee was almost operating as if it were a subdivision of the Department of Justice.
It was really gathering new facts, fresh facts. And frankly, bad facts for Donald Trump on the criminal case of obstructing a government proceeding. They found a lot of ways in which he was the man operating the levers to try to, for example, get the Department of Justice to falsely claim that there was a fraudulent election in Georgia, get different elements of his government to seize voting machines, to re-run the election, pressuring his Vice President over and over again to not do his constitutional duty and certify the election, the win, the victory of Joe Biden.
So, in Benny Thompson's view, and in the view of many lawmakers, they are going to issue their report, they're going to share all their facts before they give over all the transcripts. To be fair, the Department of Justice has a really good claim on this material, and frankly they're doing the proper thing which is to ask for everything. They don't want to cherry pick.
RUHLE: I guess I'm still scratching my head. Based on what you're telling me, that sounds like the committee is being super political. If the whole basis of their work in the committee is to get this information and make sure the country is stronger and safer, wouldn't they take all the work and hand it over to the Justice Department immediately? It sounds like what you're telling me is no, they want the world to see what they did and take a victory lap. That sounds political.
LEONNIG: Isn’t everything in Congress ultimately political? Why would we have hearings in primetime? Why would we withhold information until we can show you at the 8:00 news? That is what happened in this congressional investigation. I don't say that as a criticism.
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