Thanksgiving week, it sort of looks like a vacation week if you squint at it, but but because the holiday doesnt come until thursday by definition, the first few days of thanksgiving week historically speaking, these are often a time when a whole bunch of news kind of gets crammed in all at once, whether its because the news gods also want thursday off or its because people are just trying to clear their inboxes before they go away or have some time for the holiday. The beginning of thanksgiving week is often a little busy, and a lot of stuff tends to happen, all kind november a crunch. So it is good that you are here tonight. There is lots to get to. In california tonight, there are grave worries about the death toll attributed to the states absolutely unprecedented wildfires. The death toll officially stands at 80 for the California Wildfires tonight. Most of those deaths occurring in butte county in the northern part of the state where the camp fire has been burning. And while that
And later, Andrew Gillum, bill nelson and Stacey Abrams all end their campaigns but not before raising serious questions about the faithfulness of our elections. First, this week, there have been a lot of developments in and around Robert Muellers russia investigation. President trump says he has personally prepared and finished written questions written answers to questions from mueller. A source tells nbc news the president s legal team plans to submit them by thanksgiving. Meanwhile, charges filed against wikileaks founder Julian Assange were mistakenly reveals by the u. S. Attorneys office in the Eastern District of virginia this week. At the same time, alleged russian operative maria butina is negotiating with prosecutors. The department of justice defended acting attorney general Matt Whitaker as unquestionably authorized to lead the department. And whitakers comments on the russia probe as a private citizen led senator jeff flake to push a bill to protect mueller as special coun
The cnn newsroom starts right now. 2 00 a. M. On the u. S. East coast, the scope of destruction in the state of california is almost impossible to comprehend. The death toll continues to rise. Take a look at the map. You see the state here. These fires in both the north and south, so far theyve destroyed an area larger than chicago. The death toll across the state now stands at 80 people who have been killed, 77 of those lives lost in the camp fire in northern california. Hundreds of people there still unaccounted for. Officials warn the search for the dead and missing is painstaking, and that it is far from over. In the aftermath of so much chaos, there are incredible stories of survival. One of them involving a School Bus Driver praised for helping 22 students to escape the camp fire in northern california. Cnns paul reports how the man was able to navigate that bus and its passengers to safety. Reporter so many stories of absolutely stomachchurning despair, but heres one of great he
Fine. You know why its going to be just fine . Because there was no collusion. From what i hear, its ending. Trump also knows the democrats are coming and with greater strength with up to 40 new seats in the house of representatives, the body that impeaches president s. It has been a sobering reckoning for donald trump as he seeps deeper into the most perilous time of his presidency. A rebuke of last weeks midterms elections. He faced war with the media after a federal judge ordered hy him to restore a Reporters Press pass and the existential threat the Robert Mueller mueller poses to he is presidency and the liberty of his family members. Trump was asked about his twitter ramp against the special counsel and what may have triggered it. Yesterday you seemed agitated but the mueller im not agitated. The whole thing was a hoax. There was no collusion. Im very happy. Reporter trump announced hed completed the written answers to questions in the russia probe, insyiisting he ha done it all
Of whom are former very senior fbi officials. Now one of these guests who were going have tonight is someone who you have met before. He has been on the show a number of times. Thats chuck rosenburg. Chuck rosenburg is going to be here to help us get through a number of different legal stories that broke this evening, all related to the Trump Administration, including some very puzzling new news about Robert Mueller and the special counsels investigation. Chuck rosenburg is in new york tonight. He is going to be joining us in studio a little later on in the show. But i also need to tell you were going to be joined tonight by another very senior former fbi official who you have not met before, who has never done this type of interview before. In just a few minutes, were going to be joined by jim baker. Jim baker was the general counsel at the fbi, meaning he was the top lawyer at the fbi. He left that position earlier this year in may. Hes one of the handful of former senior fbi officia