MSNBC "Hardball with Chris Matthews" - Transcript: Interview with Sen. Richard Blumenthal

Interview

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MATTHEWS:  We`re continuing following the breaking news tonight. 
 
Boy, is it big.  In three separate filings, federal prosecutors have provided a number of new bombshells.  Tonight, federal prosecutors up in New York said Trump directed lawyer Michael Cohen to cover up a campaign contribution in the form of payments to two women with whom he had sexual relations. 
 
We`re also getting new insight into what Cohen, Michael Cohen, has told the special counsel in the ongoing probe of potential coalition -- well, synergism with Russia, they call it.  The Russians call it that.
 
According to the filing from the Mueller`s office, Cohen not only provided information about the Moscow real estate project over there that Trump pursued during the election, but also provided information about attempts by other Russian nationals, trusted nationals, they`re called, to reach the campaign, and set up a sort of a synergy between the Trump and the campaign against Hillary. 
 
So it`s Russia and Trump against Hillary. 
 
Anyway, separately, prosecutors detailed how Trump`s former campaign chair Paul Manafort lied to them repeatedly while he was supposedly cooperating with them. 
 
For more, I`m joined by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who sits on the Judiciary Committee. 
 
Senator, a lot tonight. 
 
What do you -- how do you react to the Southern District of New York`s report that the president directed the criminal violation of the campaign laws to cover up his affairs with Susan McDougal and with Stormy Daniels? 
 
SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D), CONNECTICUT:  This sentencing memorandum, first of all, is a bombshell in showing why prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, independent of the special counsel, believe that Donald Trump committed a felony that enabled him or at least helped him to become president. 
 
And covering up those payments was part of what was done, part of the conspiracy in which Donald Trump is an unindicted co-conspirator.  Think of it for a moment, unindicted co-conspirator.  And the further information in this bombshell memorandum shows facts and evidence that link that conspiracy to Russian collusion with the Trump campaign and potentially obstruction of justice. 
 
So, the pieces of the mosaic or the puzzle are coming into place, and the walls are closing in on Donald Trump and his inner circle, including his family. 
 
MATTHEWS:  Well, the president said in that infamous "Access Hollywood" tape that he can do what he wanted to do with women because he is a celebrity, he can get away with it. 
 
And my question, is he right?  Or is he going get caught?  Is he caught now, because he was indicted -- he was basically charged by the federal prosecutors up in New York, not here in Washington, but up there, charged with campaign violation, and the campaign violation being payments to shut people up, to pay them off and to kill the story?
 
BLUMENTHAL:  There is a basic tenet of the American rule of law that no one is above it.  No one is above the rule of law.  That was the lesson of Watergate.  I hope it will be the lesson of this dark period in our history too. 
 
Remember that those government prosecutors who have, in effect, named Donald trump as an unindicted co-conspirator, so far unindicted, are not in this special counsel`s office.  They`re in a separate office, and they will survive any effort by the president to shut down the special counsel.
 
But all the more important now to ensure the independence and integrity of the special counsel, because, as the walls close in on Donald trump, he is going to be more desperate, more destructive, and potentially more damaging.  And that`s why I am going to demand of this new nominee, William Barr, as attorney general, that he commit specifically and unequivocally to protect the integrity of and the independence of the special counsel. 
 
MATTHEWS:  By the way, on that topic tonight, because it is emerging as a big story between now and next year, the Republicans still control the Senate with 50 -- what, 53, 54 seats.  They can get a majority vote and get this guy confirmed. 
 
How do you, as a Democrat stop that, if you want to do so? 
 
BLUMENTHAL:  I`m going to be asking tough questions, and I`m going to be demanding specific commitments, for example, that he will commit to approving any subpoenas issued by the special counsel. 
 
MATTHEWS:  I see. 
 
BLUMENTHAL:  Approve the budget, approve the indictments that may be handed down, and avoid constricting the authority of the special counsel. 
 
I think my Republican colleagues are going to be very, very interested in those answers.  I think they want this investigation to be completed.  And their fear is that there`s an attorney general who will, in effect, commit another Saturday Night Massacre, even if it`s a Saturday Night Massacre in slow motion, which is the danger from the acting attorney general, Matt Whitaker. 
 
And, remember, William Barr has cast aspersions on the prosecutors in Bob Mueller`s office.  He has said that Hillary Clinton and Uranium One are worthier of investigation than collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians or obstruction of justice. 
 
And I want specific, definite commitments he is going to protect the special counsel.  I`m going press for legislation that will require full disclosure of any findings in evidence from the special counsel, including a report. 
 
And I think those kinds of commitments are absolutely necessary.  And Democrats, as well as Republicans can unite about them. 
 
MATTHEWS:  Before you leave tonight, I want to get your thoughts up in the Tri-State area up there in New York.
 
The New York -- Southern District of New York has basically pointed out, they have charged the president with directing a criminal activity, the cover-up of that campaign contribution, in great, intricate fashion, apparently, according to that memo today, about how Michael Cohen really went around to try to create the paperwork to make it look like it was something it wasn`t. 
 
They say that in -- that memo today, in that sentencing memo, that Michael Cohen knew what he was doing.  He is a lawyer.  He was politically sophisticated enough to know he is breaking the law, and proof of that was the way in which he was covering it up, with such intricate effort. 
 
Do you belief it`s possible or plausible that the president of the United States, who is directing him to do so, didn`t know he was doing so to cover up a crime? 
 
BLUMENTHAL:  I believe it is totally implausible that the president had no idea there was a cover-up ongoing here. 
 
He knew the facts, as apparently the Southern District of New York believes that he did.  It seems both impossible and implausible that he didn`t understand the motive and the criminal intent here…
 
MATTHEWS:  Yes. 
 
BLUMENTHAL:  … as well as the actions. 
 
And one more thing.  This hammer over Michael Cohen, the recommendation for additional time, I think, is a point of leverage, and we will see more coming from Michael Cohen. 
 
MATTHEWS:  Knowing what you know of the law, as a former attorney general of Connecticut, sir, all those years, longer than you have been a senator, much many more years, many more years, do you think that the reason the president wasn`t indicted is because he was president, and that`s it, that, otherwise, he`s guilty? 
 
BLUMENTHAL:  I happen to believe the president could be indicted.  I may be in a minority in that opinion.  And the trial could be postponed until after he finishes his service. 
 
I think that there are legal obstacles to such an indictment, and the special counsel or the Southern District of New York is going to have to convince itself and the American people and ultimately a judge that those obstacles can be surmounted. 
 
But the report, I think, will be extraordinarily damning whether or not there is an indictment. 
 
MATTHEWS:  Well, when he leaves office, he gets it done.  That`s an additional reason for your Democratic Party, sir, to find a nominee who can defeat him this next election. 
 
Thank you so very much, Senator Richard Blumenthal.  It`s always great to have you on. 
 
BLUMENTHAL:  Thank you. 

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