Analysis and discussion of the days top stories and compelling issues from Lawrence ODonnell. Presidency took a giant step toward impeachment. It happened in a courtroom in manhattan when these words were spoken. At the direction of, meaning at the direction of the president of the United States. And when a defendant is Pleading Guilty in court, it is very difficult for the defendant to Say Something more important than the word guilty. Thats usually the most important word a defendant speaks during a guilty plea session. But today in Federal Court in manhattan Michael Cohen said guilty, your honor eight times and hes also said at the direction of twice. And both times he meant at the direction of the president of the United States. And so today donald trump made history by becoming the first president of the United States to be accused under oath in Federal Court of ordering someone to commit a federal crime to win a president ial election. At the direction of. Have to be illegally pu
politics of the midterm elections? does that generate enthusiasm in his wanted base? which is as we discussed a little bit of a shinny object. can they be more enthusiastic? does it gain him anything there. does it just cause the voters who really matter in the election, which is largely democrats who are already stirred up, but particularly a bunch of college-educated women in the suburbs who kind of vacillate between republican and democrat who aren t necessarily committed dependents african-americans women in big cities. does it generate more outrage and anger on their part. does pardoning manafort ensure the democrats take control of the house. it s a terrible political conundrum he faces because of the calendar. john, we ve seen two extraordinary things in two presidencies in a row. if you go back to lbj and nixon. lyndon johnson, who seemed to be the most powerful incumbent president and the wilest politician to be in the oval
donald trump but would not have if they had heard stormy daniels story about donald trump telling her that she reminded him of his daughter before he had sex with stormy daniels. how do you pay restitution to the 330 million people who now live in a country where the president was accused today in federal court of conspiring to commit two crimes for the principal purpose of influencing the election? there is no campaign finance violation in history that comes close to the enormity of the crimes that michael cohen confessed to today and accused the president of the united states of ordering him to commit. leading off our discussion now, john heilemann, co-host and executive producer of showtime s the host. jill wine-banks, former assistant prosecutor. they are both msnbc contributors. we knew michael cohen had something to say but we did not know we were going to hear the words today right from michael cohen s mouth at the direction of donald trump. we did not. and i think one of
lawyer and confidant today in federal court under oath making that accusation about the president of the united states participating in two federal crimes. for the principal purpose of influencing the election. bill clinton was impeached for less. bill clinton was never charged with committing crimes in order to get elected. bill clinton was never accused of a criminal conspiracy to defraud the american voter in order to get elected. there are 16 current members of the united states senate who voted to convict bill clinton in his impeachment trial and remove him from office for less than what donald trump stands accused of tonight by michael cohen and one of those republican senators
we had in the watergate case, but this is a dramatic day. it s a thrilling day for anybody who wants to see the truth come out. this is clear evidence that the president committed crimes. and that is grounds for impeachment. there s no question of it. i know he will defend in saying well, this isn t rush. well, i don t care that it s not russia. it s not russiagate, but it s still trumpgate. this is crimes by the president of the united states, and it affected the election. that is a terrible thing, is that we have that happen in our country. and your opening is quite correct about the millions of people who might not have voted for him had they known the truth. and we can t get restitution for that. there is no way. but we could get some relief from this presidency. and we re joined now by phone by mimi rocah. she s a former federal prosecutor who worked in the southern district of new york, the office that is prosecuting michael cohen. and mimi, as to smoking guns, in the testimony