Reporting from Capitol Hill Friday morning, MSNBC correspondent Garrett Haake was giddy with excitement over all the Democratic-led congressional investigations of the Trump administration that would ensue in the months to come following the President’s former personal attorney Michael Cohn pleading guilty to lying to Congress.
“President Trump’s eldest son and some others in his inner circle may want to review their statements after Robert Mueller’s prosecution of Michael Cohen for lying to Congress. The Senate and House committees investigating Russian interference are now combing through more than 200 witness testimonies for more possible misleading or untruthful statements, those are also known as lies,” anchor Stephanie Ruhle declared in the 9:00 a.m. ET hour.
As the host asked “what happens next,” Haake eagerly replied: “Stephanie, this guilty plea yesterday was really an early Christmas present for all of the congressional committees that are investigating various elements of the Russia case here.” He added: “It provides additional teeth for them to go after witnesses who they want to talk to and to go back through the transcripts and testimonies of witnesses that they already have.”
Haake particularly touted how Democrats, poised to take control of the House of Representatives in January, were asking themselves: “Who else can we call out here knowing that we’re going to be backstopped by the Mueller investigation, knowing that anyone who lies to us will be prosecuted?”
He teed up a clip of incoming House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff expressing readiness “to bring in additional witnesses”:
This is a very significant plea and statement. It means that when the President was representing during the campaign that he had no business interests in Russia, that, that wasn’t true. This, I think, only underscores the importance of our bringing Mr. Cohen back before our committee.
Haake satisfyingly concluded: “So bottom line, Stephanie, that plea yesterday, a major shot in the arm for all of the investigative agencies that are working on various elements of the Russia story.”
Moving to another topic, Ruhle wondered about a newly filed lawsuit by former FBI Director James Comey against House Republicans, demanding that his upcoming scheduled testimony before the House Judiciary Committee be public rather than behind closed doors. Haake praised Comey for the “politically smart” maneuver:
...here’s what’s politically smart about this lawsuit, by saying he won’t show up on Monday and by challenging the idea that this is done behind closed doors, he is forcing House Republicans to make an argument for why this testimony can’t be public....With this court filing, he can essentially force them to do so. A politically smart move, even if, you know, the legal elements of it are more dubious.
It’s one thing to cover the latest facts about the Russia investigation, it’s another to wildly speculate about what may happen next and gush over possible political benefits for the President’s political opponents. At that point, it’s no longer news reporting, it’s just partisan cheerleading.
Here is a full transcript of the November 30 segment:
9:37 AM ET
STEPHANIE RUHLE: President Trump’s eldest son and some others in his inner circle may want to review their statements after Robert Mueller’s prosecution of Michael Cohen for lying to Congress. The Senate and House committees investigating Russian interference are now combing through more than 200 witness testimonies for more possible misleading or untruthful statements, those are also known as lies. And Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intel Committee, says the panel has already made multiple criminal referrals to the Special Counsel’s office, but refuses to identify who.
So let’s go live to Capitol Hill, where Garrett Haake is standing by. Alright, Garrett, tons of reaction from lawmakers over Cohen’s guilty plea. What happens next?
GARRETT HAAKE: Stephanie, this guilty plea yesterday was really an early Christmas present for all of the congressional committees that are investigating various elements of the Russia case here. It provides additional teeth for them to go after witnesses who they want to talk to and to go back through the transcripts and testimonies of witnesses that they already have.
You mentioned the 200-plus interviews already conducted by the Senate Intelligence Committee alone. Mark Warner told me yesterday they’ve made multiple criminal referrals in the past over this. We know that the Senate Intel Committee’s gonna go back through those – those interviews. I talked to John Cornyn, Republican member of the committee yesterday, he said, “Look, this absolutely woke us up.” They are paying very close attention to the stuff that they already have.
On this side of the house, in the House, where the Democrats will be taking control in January, not only are they paying attention to what they already have, but now they’re saying, “Who else can we call out here knowing that we’re going to be backstopped by the Mueller investigation, knowing that anyone who lies to us will be prosecuted?” Adam Schiff told reporters yesterday he’s ready to bring in additional witnesses, take a listen.
REP. ADAM SCHIFF [D-CA, HOUSE INTELLIGENCE CMTE.]: This is a very significant plea and statement. It means that when the President was representing during the campaign that he had no business interests in Russia, that, that wasn’t true. This, I think, only underscores the importance of our bringing Mr. Cohen back before our committee.
HAAKE: So bottom line, Stephanie, that plea yesterday, a major shot in the arm for all of the investigative agencies that are working on various elements of the Russia story.
RUHLE: Alright, walk me through this one that was reported yesterday. Former FBI Director Jim Comey, he’s filed a lawsuit that blocks House Republicans, that they’ve subpoenaed him for a closed-door testimony. I don’t understand what’s going on.
HAAKE: So that testimony was supposed to happen Monday, as you said. House Republicans on the Judiciary Committee, kind of one of their last acts while still in power here in the House, wanted to get James Comey behind closed doors for one last deposition. I’ll leave it to people smarter than me to explain the legal maneuvering here by Comey, but here’s what’s politically smart about this lawsuit, by saying he won’t show up on Monday and by challenging the idea that this is done behind closed doors, he is forcing House Republicans to make an argument for why this testimony can’t be public. It’s not about classified information.
Comey’s argument is, in part, that his words will be twisted. He tweeted about this yesterday, essentially saying, “If you guys really want to talk to me, I’m happy to show up, but let’s make it public. And if it can’t be public, you ought to tell the American people why.” With this court filing, he can essentially force them to do so. A politically smart move, even if, you know, the legal elements of it are more dubious.
RUHLE: My goodness, Garrett, you got a busy job.
