powerful wing of the republican caucus in the house forced him out or whether it was maybe more mutual. >> the reporting says that he stopped -- he told cnn in martha he had stopped going to the freedom caucus meetings after clashing with the group over directions to go with donald trump. >> huge differences. >> interesting time for him. so we'll see what transpires with that. dana, thank you for bringing us that. i want to bring in laura. turning to today's hearing, the former white house counsel under nixon, cnn contributor john dean in the hot seat today and he made this point. watch. >> i think that this committee does have a role, and it is adding something that the special counsel could not, and that's public education. this report has not been widely read in the united states. it's not even been widely read in the congress from some of my conversations but i think it's a very important function that the committee is serving by bringing these matters to public