Transcripts For CNNW CNN 20240703

A door in a wellness check. Please Say Something close to the singer that she was they were aware of her safety while being that they had alerted the authorities. Officers never got the chance to speak to spears. Her reps turned them away, saying she is fine. We certainly hope she is. Cnn tonight with pamela brown starts right. No i can see how your concern, hey abby thanks so much for that. Good evening everyone im pamela brown. Lots going on on capitol hill. Right now youre looking at the house floor live where members are voting on the appropriation bill, the last one expected to fail and its just another example of the dysfunction pushing the this country that much closer to a Government Shutdown saturday and midnight. And amid this parade of dysfunction, its real americans will be paying the price while the elected representatives were supposed to be working for you, they arent doing that. If there is a shutdown, 4 million federal employees and more than 1 million active duty troops wont get paid until its over. And there could be massive disruption to air travel its as Tens Of Thousands of Air Controllers will be forced to work without pay. Talk about a waste of time. So what wareHouse Republicans doing today when they couldve been trying to resolve all of this . They held an inquiry into the impeachment for joe biden and, one of the witnesses called directly undercut the gop narrative by admitting there is no evidence yet the President Biden has committed impeachable offenses. Lets go right to cnns Melanie Zanona on capitol hill tonight. So melanie, bring us up to speed, House Republicans are in turmoil. What is happening on the floor right now . Yes so House Republicans right now as we speak are voting on a package of four different long term spending bills. It passed two of them, they are on the third. We are expecting the fourth want to fail however by a large margin. Will be pretty embarrassing for Kevin Mccarthys leadership team. Now, all of these bills will be Dead On Arrival in the senate anyway, but it was an important part of Kevin Mccarthys strategy to keep the government open, because he was hoping that tonight the caucus would rally conservative hardliners around a stopgap bill tomorrow. A stopgap bill that was loaded up with conservative priorities including boosting the border and cutting spending. However, there are no signs that hardliners who are opposed that measure are backing down. In fact, they are digging in and threatening Kevin Mccarthy in the process. So we will see how Kevin Mccarthy decides to proceed tomorrow, whether he decides to go through with what is likely another fail vote on the house floor. Or does he turn to democrats and try to cut a deal with the senate, where they are working on a bipartisan plan . Again at, carries risk for the speaker, because he doesnt want to be ousted by members of the have threatened to do if he works with democrats. So a lot on the line for Kevin Mccarthy in Government Funding is hanging in the balance. Pamela . She was asking him about working with democrats earlier in he would not commit to that. So we will have to see how it plays out. Melanie zona, thank you so much. Joining us now, congressman ryan zinke of montana. Busy minister of the interior and president trump. Thank you for your time tonight. So the bills being voted on senator Dead On Arrival in the senate. Why is Speaker Mccarthy going through these motions . What is the point . Im not sure they would be Dead On Arrival. What we are talking about is our border and and our defense. I cant think two more important issues right now. Lets make sure we have defense to defend our country. Ukraine is set aside, second the border. A lot of people may not see ukraine every day, but everyone sees the border. I put the wall in place and it gives the Border Patrol and i. C. E. The authority to do the job. What about the senates plan that is advancing, is that Dead On Arrival. That also includes funding for ukraine . Well its interesting because the senate as used to pass any appropriations. Of course, we are passing them, one by one, and we are passing them. At the end of the day, the senate is different. Or our position is we want to curb spending. Were getting rid of the woke and in defense we set aside ukraine because quite honestly i think we need a discussion on ukraine. What are the objectives, whats the plan. Im a former ceo and ive been in a lot of operations, ive never been an even emission that i didnt have the objectives and the plan or 100 30 million all in, i think its time for the president of the United States to tell us what the plan is for ukraine. I think he owes us that. So you want ukraine to be handled separately. The Freedom Caucus wants Speaker Mccarthy to urgently reveal the details of his short term spending bill expected on the floor tomorrow. What do you know about the bill and will you vote for based on what you know now . Well, i can tell you theres nothing more important than the defense of our country and securing our border. And of course protecting our veterans. So those moving forward, im for a small funding stopgap. But it also has to have policy in. It also has done things down with our border. We will do our part, look at the Appropriation Bills out as we said we would. Hopefully the senate will get there is out, and then you have two different bodies will come together hopefully in the interest of the country come up with a solution so we dont have to shut the government down. But if the cer fails as expected, do you think mccarthy should work with democrats to strike a deal to avert a Government Shutdown . Well, this is an american issue. What we are seeing is there are a handful of republicans, but every democrat is voting against this. So i heard the rumor but how is this i was, there anyone else to blame other than the conference of republicans . Well certainly we have the majority, and hopefully we pass Appropriation Bills and hopefully the senate picks them up. You are right. This is a defining moment for me. I look at what a shutdown and the consequences of. It i was a secretary. The secretary has a lot of latitude when it deemed critical and essential. As a secretary, and in shut. But i didnt shut down. And a shutdown, our troops are gonna get paid. You know what that means . Thats the Petty Officer and corporal arent getting a check, and thats a break of a contract. Because we have a contract with our lasted, if they serve and give an oath to the constitution, we will train you, will put you in a position to fight and win, but we will give you a paycheck. But, and on that note, in a minute or the speak to the wife of an active duty Service Member, the reality, is there a lot of people in the u. S. Military who are living paycheck to paycheck. What is your message to them as theyre watching this play and our concern about how theyre gonna feed their families if the government shuts down, which it certainly looks like theres a strong possibility of that . All of us should be concerned. Heres the irony. If the government shuts down, the troops in ukraine and pensioners in ukraine are being paid by the u. S. Taxpayer dollars and our troops arent, so something is really, really wrong in washington, d. C. Lets Hope Americans get together and passed two important bills and defending our country and securing our border. The gop hardliners have always dangled vote to oust the speaker if the government shuts down. If thats brought up to the floor, how would you vote . Have you thought about that . I havent and now, what we have said we would do is this. We said we go to regular appropriations, we would work to get all these bills, but every member have their voice, put on the floor, we curb spending, we get rid of the woke. And believe me theres a lot of. Woke when i say woke in the military, the militarys paying for Sex Change Operations in Hormone Therapy to young recruits. No one wouldve believed except his true. If you like status quo as it is, which i think the worst possibility we had the worst outcome is status quo. So we need to change the way were thinking about our budget, also we need to defend our country and we need to secure our borders, and this is a challenge for the Republican Party to rally together but also america to understand whats at risk. Congressman ryan zinke, thanks for coming on and sharing your opinion all of this. Youre prospectively, appreciated. Thank you and god bless. Well it seems last and last likely that anyone will put the brakes on a Runaway Train Hurtling towards a Government Shutdown. Leaving americans to pay the price. If Congress Fails to take action to lead the light on, nearly 4 million federal employees will be the paychecks until the shutdown is over, even know Essential Workers will have to remain on the job. Air Traffic Controllers and tsa workers will also be working without pay and then they may have to look up for work while they find other ways to make enough to put food on the table. And perhaps most disturbing, 1. 3 million active duty troops across the country and around the world will be forced to work without pay. I want to bring in kate marsh lord, a Military Spouse and also Communication Director of the secure our families initiative. Kate, thanks for coming on. You say Military Families are tired of paying the price of concrete congressional dysfunction. Talk to us about that. Yes absolutely. Congress has failed to pass a budget, and now we are not facing a shutdown. The families that will pay the price our Military Families. Once a Service Member takes and oath, raises their hand pledges service to this country, they expect sacrifices. They dont expect to sacrifice a paycheck. Theres really no excuse for politicians putting the personal agendas over the livelihoods of Military Families. And you say that nearly one quarter of Military Families face Food Insecurity in recent years. Many are living paycheck to paycheck. What happens to those families it if even one paycheck is missing . Thats right nearly a quarter, and you have to say it multiple times because its pretty shocking that active families are struggling to put food on the table or worrying about putting food on the table when theyre getting regular paychecks. Missing even a single paycheck could be devastating to these families. What kind of guidance are these families getting from with inside the military . Its a message adequate, are they getting enough steps . Unfortunately, i dont. I think theres a lot of confusion within the military community. We are rearing it daily, almost hourly from folks in our community that first of all, not even aware that the shutdown is so close to happening and not even likely to happen. And second, what it means for Military Families. What it means that they wont get a paycheck. I think part of that is just sort of so shocking that we dont expected to be this way. We expect congress to do their job, to pay Service Members, and to this point theyre really not been adequate messaging from military leaders. People are finding information from elsewhere and outside the military community. Also wick and snap benefits, those who receive those benefits will be affected by the shutdown. Tell us about the impact of that because theres many in the military we use those benefits . Thats right, Military Families many nearly a quarter face Food Insecurity they, rely on Services Like wake and snap to make ends meet, to put food on the family for many families. We know that one in three Military Families have less than 3,000 in savings, so missing a single paycheck could really be devastating to families. The white house has warned that the shutdown could undermine National Security forcing Service Members around the world to work without pay. Look at that due to a Service Member that is serving on the front lines or in harms way . Talk to us about that. This is absolutely already impacting readiness. I heard from one commander who serving overseas, i have enough to worry about on my plate right now, the last thing i have to worry about is whether i can afford to miss a paycheck. They are already worried about this and worried about the troops. Not to mention all of the civilians that they work side by side with who might be furloughed. To be missing key members of the team and it impacts morale. Its really hard, the job folks do is really, really hard. And as i mentioned they make enough sacrifices. Not getting a pay, what about do new job adequately and worrying about putting food on the table, having to pay or rent or mortgage, its just too much, as we said before, Military Families are paying the price for congressional dysfunction. When you think about it or, in harms way, they want to make their families are safe that, theres Money In The Bank so they can provide for the families. You have to think about all of that. What is your message to lawmakers tonight . Where do you put the blame . And to put it on congress is a whole, do you put it on these republicans in the conference rolling out . What do you put the blame . I have to say in the larger picture right now it is really upsetting and confusing to be a military family. Between the looming shutdown without pay, the tuberville hold on military conversions in the senate, theres is a lot of instances and circumstances that are totally avoidable that have been brought about by lawmakers putting their personal agendas above the lives and livelihoods and wellbeing of the military. So i dont want to name certain particular folks in the house that id lane, but overall its the message that we are receiving is that their service and sacrifice doesnt matter and it doesnt count as much as scoring political points. Katie marsh lord, thank you for coming on having this really important conversation. We carry so much of whats happening on the hill, but at the end of the day, the bottom line is this is impacting and will impact American Families in a very serious way. Thank you for shedding light on that. We appreciate it. We are following the voting on the house for tonight is the Government Shutdown looms plus a Surprise Development tonight in Donald Trumps Georgia Election subversion case. When a break down what it means going forward. We will be right back. Tonight a Surprise Move from donald trump in the Georgia Election subversion case former president say he wont mueller pushed to move his case from state to Federal Court. Lets dive into all of this with cnn legal analyst norm eisen. I was also the former House Judiciary Council in trumps first impeachment trial. Also with us attorney and former deese d. C. Chair aids scott bolden. Gentlemen, great to have you with us. We appreciate your time. Norm, trump and his lawyers decided they would not move forward to try to move the criminal charges into Federal Court. Does that surprise you . It does because they told the state court that they were going to do it. The thing that changed pam is that mark meadows has been a trail blazer and removal and he lost. And it makes sense that he lost, because you only get to go from state to Federal Court if you are doing official action and attempting to overturn an election as scott well knows, cannot be an official act. Fact under the federal law the hatch act, those kinds of federal activities are by a fifth unofficial. Trump didnt want another big laws like hes facing in d. C. Federal court, new york state court, so he pulled the plug. It wont work under any circumstances under any court undermining democracy trying to change elections. We should point out, a big difference between state and Federal Court, is Federal Court you dont have cameras in the courtroom, a local court this economy different story. We have a broader jury pool. Broadripple. In the state court, the Fulton County which is big democratic stronghold, the politics is going to invade the criminal justice system. But you are pulling jurors from that polling electorate. You are going to have the cameras. And one of the interesting things norm, is that this trial is Gonna Play Out during 2024. And whether you are a maga supporter or a republican or a democrat, youre gonna see the criminal system at work, we constitutional issues, but more important youre gonna see the facts in realtime. With witnesses, as to what happened, and how they try to undermine this election. Its going to educate a lot of voters i think whether they want to be educated or not, the criminal system is going to work and its not gonna be a political process. You are going to see facts that really show how dangerous these acts were. And we get to see trump testify live on television right . Thats a possibility . It is. I can just sees lawyers saying do not testify. You are right that is part of the reason, the Testimony Question i think is part of the reason why he opted not to remove. Because if he had removed and mark meadows testify, he injures his case very badly with some of the things he said, trump wouldve had to testify. His lawyers, pretty smart said well watch that play out were not gonna do that even. If it gets even worse for donald trump to. Whether thats the atlanta trial or the federal trial or the new york trial. Trumps public statements, the attacks on this judges, the attacks on the prosecutors, his interviews with the media where he talks about these cases and makes these Party Admissions, i think the Federal Court you can get those Party Admissions admitted. I dont think theres any way he gets on the stand because itll take three days just to cross examine him on his prior inconsistent statements. You gotta do that because hes running for president but his campaign and these criminal cases, the criminal cases are his campaign. Its really. Were gonna talk about a situation where it could take the stand and testify, and as a 250 million fraud trial in new york said to start on monday. The new York Attorney general released a list of witnesses including trump himself and his children, ivanka don and eric junior. Well its different than in a civil case in a criminal case. In a criminal case he has a right to take a fiddle fifth amendment. Anna civil case you get whats called an adverse inference. That means if donald trump refuses to testify, these colin takes the fifth amendment, and theyre certain sick incidences, the judge can say while im in a hold out against you mr. Trump. A judge is already very severe on the former president. We will see how these issues play out. I think trump is in a world of hurt in this civil fraud case. What is more important to him pam and his businesses, his brand and his name has been taken away from him it seems by the judge in this case. The receivership is going to be very harmful. Judge has already taken away business certificates. Im not sure how they were operating. Its up on appeal, thats probably how they were operating. But this is the pocketbooks of not only the company these individuals and, in a Civil Justice system he has to testify. I know there are exceptions, but the kids up to testify because of their testimony is deemed irrelevant, they are gonna take that stand. Again against a peanut, their parties to this lawsuit, and the Civil Justice system just wont allow any shortcuts to discovery and sworn testimony. Look for that testimony if they do testify, to find its way into these criminal trials. All right, well be watching all of this very clay sly. Great to have you along with this in hearing your perspective. All right thanks so much. While the government could be facing a shutdown this weekend, Congress Still took its timed all its first biden Impeachment Inquiry meeting. Congressman Eric Swalwell is next. 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C might expect that the witnesses republican called would come armed with some evidence. Not so much. I do not believe that the Current Evidence would support articles of impeachment, that is something that an inquiry has to establish. Im not here today to even suggest that there was corruption, fraud or any wrongdoing. In my opinion, more information needs to be gathered in assess before i would make such an assessment. Joining me now, congressman Eric Swalwell, he is at the gamma crack from california who sits in the house judiciary committee. I congressman, thanks for coming on. You had these two witnesses, they tetanus testified, they dont have any direct evidence implicating joe biden yet at least. Over site chair james comer for his part says this wasnt about fireworks. What was it about in your opinion . This hearing was not about the American People who are just hours away from a shutdown where our troops will not get paid, Border Agents will not get paid, fbi agents, air Traffic Controllers were not debate, but instead we got a show where the American People saw the titanic of congressional hearings, where the republican called witnesses said there is nothing there. But the hearing was really for one person, not any single american other than the former president , because this congress has become the Insurrection Lp Law Form where they work on behalf of one client. It was an embarrassment, a second and embarrassing for calmer, and a Ways And Means chair, thick because they had nothing. Their own witnesses said they had nothing. And again the tragedy, the cost here is that the American People want their government to work for them saw a complete show the went nowhere and no progress and keeping the government open. Republicans for their part say there is enough smoke to justify an inquiry. They are looking into whether President Biden took any action related to payments received his son received or, whether he obstructed into his son. They say getting to the bottom of those accusations is a worthy endeavor. So in your view why would there be . Again, there is just zero evidence and again they can call every witness in the world. They have thousands of documents and their own witnesses say there is no evidence for impeachment. But they have never accepted joe biden as president. In fact, they routed for an insurrection that tried to throw him out. They go and visit the insurrectionists at the d. C. Jail, and this impeachment is just a continuation of the insurrection, while democrats are working for working people. They want to keep government working, so people get their benefits social security, and the troops get paid. So were trying to show the contrast that they are chaotic, we are confident, they are for corruption, we are for the community and that couldve been on bigger display than what you saw today in that room. To be clear, this hearing was full of fall cities like this one from congresswoman nancy mace. Lets listen. You know, the president took bribes from burisma. I just want to add, betraying your country is treason. So again, that claim is false. At a time when polls show americans are divided about whether joe biden committed wrongdoing along that along party lines, are you concerned americans will hear that and believe that . Thats a great point. Im just concerned that democrats are a defense too often. We need to plan their side of the field. And playing on their side of the fields first discrediting them from the beginning. Jim jordan who led this hearing is 500 plus days into violating his own subpoena, so we dont need a lecture from jim jordan on lawlessness. We need to defend these allegations. Weather coming the Ways And Means chairman jason smith said not really clear on the timeline. Well guess what, taliban or get clear in the timeline if youre gonna try and impeach the president. Then we should pivot to if we were given to keys to government, what we would deliver. That discredit, defend and deliver. We want to focus on these hearings that were focusing on keeping kids safe in the classroom, defending the border from fentanyl which means keeping the government open, and then again every single day in america to preserve this country should be paid. When you say keeping the border open, youre saying keeping the Border Patrol and so forth undo the. Yes if they they want to shut down the security of the border. But they will continue to be working the paycheck may be delayed. I do want to note the, chairman james comers statement tonight. He said, as the bidens were ceiling deals around the world, joe biden showed up, not with, talked with, shook hands with and had meetings with the foreign nationals sending money to his family. Biden as you know has said he never discussed business with his family. But do you think that he should have been more transparent to released it void the perception that something unseemly was going on . Again, there is no evidence, first there is no evidence that any deal that hunter biden had done broke the law right. Theres no indictment of hunter biden for any foreign deal it he did. And by the way, one of the leading president ial cam did its on the republican side was doing deals with the chinese the same time that hunter had done deals with the chinese. That in itself is not illegal. So they havent connected that not yet, and theres certainly no evidence that joe biden received any of the money that his son was working on. So we shouldnt accept that anything in this premise is even wrong until they prove that its wrong. But most importantly, again this is because they do not accept the joe biden is the president. Its actually laughable that they want to have impeachment of someone who they wont even acknowledge if you ask them is joe biden president , they want to say is present, because they tried to run an insurrection in the guy. They dont accept the outcome of the 2020 election, but yet they want to impeach him. The American People want us to work for them they did not see that today. Congressman Eric Swalwell, thank you. My pleasure thanks pam. And while republicans were holding Impeachment Hearings on the hill, President Biden was worrying warning against the Maga Movement. What he said about the threat up next. President joe biden with a stark warning tonight. Democracy is in danger. Listen. Im here to speak about it another threat to democracy. We all too often ignore. The threat to our political institution, to our constitution itself, and a very character of our nation. Democracy is maintained by it here to the constitution and to perfecting aryan by protecting and expanding rights with each successive generation. Biden warning against the threats the former president and current republican front runner donald trump and his Maga Movement posed to american democracy in institutions. Joining us now, harvard professor of government danielson flat. Thanks for coming on, daniel we should know is the coauthor of the book how democracies die. So youve ridden and you have spoken out and extensively on the threat to democracy, the attack on the institutions, the undermining of the constitution. Where you see the biggest threat right now . And just remind our viewers our how fragile the american experiment is . Certainly correct and i think President Biden really described it pretty accurately today. In our book weve just published that we make the case that to be a party or a politician committed to democracy after the three basic things. We have to accept elections, whether you win or lose, you have to not use violence in gaining Power Holding on to power, if you are Mainstream Party or politician, if youre really committed to democracy, you have to call it or disassociate youre self from your own allies who engage in those types of behaviors. From what we have seen, and we cried account of this in our book, in the course of the 20th century in latin america, 16 70s near up, its when politicians turn a blind eye to abuses like this that democracy really gets into trouble. And you know President Biden for his part as made the threat to democracy a cornerstone of his campaign. Do you think his messaging about this is compelling enough to reach the people who may not see it or even care . Yeah, well i think there are large majorities of americans who of course to support democracy, liberal democracy, and whats kind of striking about the current moment is that what makes it so difficult that when you are in a two party system, we have two parties and one of the parties is going off the rails in large portions of it, this can be very dangerous. Its hard to sustain a democracy, ending the historical record is very clear. If you dont have at least two parties committed to democracy. I think what President Biden is trying to call out is that there are elements certainly as he said not all elements within the Republican Party, but there are elements that dont accept Election Results and engaging in violent. So this is a basic threat and in order for democracy to survive, we need two competing parties willing to turn out voters and to try to win power through legitimate means. Yeah, President Biden really focused on republicans in their silence is deafening he said. What in your view to these republicans need to be saying now about this . What would you like to hear from them . I think it really goes back to january 6th, when there was a moment where there was a clear assault on the constitutional process of transition of power, and i think most Republican Leaders regarded this is unacceptable what happened. But theres really been an effort to downplay it in effect and to kind of not really recognize the threat that is there and to essentially now that there was an effort to impeach the president of course in this failed, and now republicans find himself in the situation with the back to square one or many Republican Leaders have a candidate that they dont necessarily wish for. This represents a threat. Because if you have parties are making these threats about whether they come into office all of the assaults that theyre gonna carry out. One of the learns weve still learned stunning cases, that if authoritarians advertise what theyre gonna do, the easily do it, so we have to take these threats very seriously. In your view, what does a second trump term look like . Again, i think we have seen and begun to see outlines of it. Its pretty clear that back before 2016, candidate trump said he might not accept Election Results if the last. We saw that this came to fruition in 2020. I think we have to take the threats that hes making today and over the last several days very seriously. This effort to pack and purge the bureaucracy to go after the National Security apparatus. These are things that are deeply, deeply worrying because the totally destabilizing to democracy. What we have seen a more contemporary cases of democracy, political leaders often coming into party elected, so in that sense it seems kind of democratic, but what they do is they tilt the Playing Field so its impossible to get them out of office, thats the kind of thing we should really be worried about. All right daniel ziblatt, thank you for coming on and offering your perspective. Thanks so much. Senator telling Senate Democrats said he wont resign despite facing bribery status charges. Ill talk to somebody who is in a similar situation. Up next. Tonight senator bob menendez doubling down. Fernandez telling Senate Democrats he will not resign after pleading not guilty to allegations he took bribes and pass Sensitive Information to the Egyptian Government. The senator has repeatedly said prosecutors misrepresented the normal work of a congressional official. I firmly believe that after all the facts are presented, not only will i be exonerated i will still be new jerseys senior senator. I have withdrawn thousands of dollars in cash for my personal Savings Account, which i have kept for emergencies and because of the history of my family facing converse confiscation. Now this may seem oldfashioned, but these were monies drawn from my personal Savings Account based on the income that i have lawfully derived over those 30 years. Less than a decade ago, justices reviewed a case that echoed todays menendez scandal, this one involved Virginia Governor Baumgartner A Jury found guilty on 11 counts of accepting lavish gifts from a businessman in return for favorable actions from the government. They overturneds Corruption Conviction on the grounds of those actions work permissible. Warnings now as former governor Bob Macdonnell. Thank you for joining us governor. Yeah pamela thanks for having me on. So more than two dozen senators have called on menendez to resign, and i want to know what your view is. Do you think he should step down based on what we know from the indictment, these allegations . You know pamela, its a tough call. First of all as you well know, you have the Presumption Of Innocence is the hallmark of the american legal system. And secondly, you hate to try these cases in the press because you only have a small amount of the evidence. On the surface though, when you see gold bars and major cash envelopes with the fingerprints of egyptian businessmen on it, and mercedes and mortgage payments, it certainly doesnt look good on the surface and apparently we are here and is a Treasure Trove of emails between his wife and his egyptian Business People. Not to mention the Senate Foreign Relations Committee actually helping to unlock state Department Funds for human relation. It doesnt look very good at all, very different from the fact that he was exonerated back in 2017 and 18. You know pamela, i think its a political decision first on whether or not he believes he can do the job and whether or not he has the trust of the people in new jersey. Your case from the Supreme Court was huge. It was monumental and defining the legal parameters of these Corruption Cases and what official act is. Senator menendez and saying that his actions were part of his official duty, saying their official acts. And as i said during the Supreme Court, the rulings and the accusations of corruption had to involve more than just setting up meetings. Based on the indictment, what do you think about mr. Menendez case here. Do you agree with him, that this was just normal work of the government that he was engaged in . You know you have to prove the quid pro quo as you know pamela. Theres plenty of quit here, the gold et cetera, the question is is there a pro. In other words did you get the gifts in exchange for doing those actions, i can be implied or, there could be direct evidence. Those tax from the wife a pretty troubling. But the real question you brought up is the official acts. If these are official acts under the law, of the things that he did to try to influence the State Department to help the Egyptian Government of these egyptian Business People by putting his thumb on the scales of influence of government thats, the way its been defined as an official act, then that completes the crime. But i do want to note here governor mcdonell, that jack smith was the prosecutor of your trial. Hes also prosecuting Donald Trumps Election Interference in maralago documents case. I wonder if you have any thoughts on the governments cases there, and how smith is proceeding. You have a unique perspective on jack smith. I do. Jack smith is a remarkably talented lawyer given decades of his time to Public Service and for many years, many of the doj jobs i think he did well. My concern about mr. Smiths during the five years that he wasnt Public Integrity section pamela, he just consistently used bad judgment to go after highprofile officials showing to me that he would rather win than get it right. Not only bob menendez, not only john edwards, and bipartisan, but in my case, when he was unanimously wrong, the Supreme Court said and wrote a very stinging opinion in rebuke of the governments expansive interfering, thats basically criminalized normal things that legislators and Government Officials do. I was a Supreme Court opinion in my case. I had to ask you before you go. As you reflect back in your own case and again the Supreme Court threw your conviction, but as i was wondering as you look back on it, you have any regrets about some of the actions that you took . How do you see now years later . Of course, pamela i have played that back 1000 times in my mind. I spent 38 years of my life in Public Service, from senate to governor of virginia, and i tried to do my best every step of the way. Of course i look back and think there were things that i would absolutely have done differently in the case of decisionmaking and busy office there are things i wouldve done differently. Nothing that was remotely illegal under federal state. Law governor Bob Macdonnell thank you so much for your time. Pamela great to be on with you thank. You thanks for watching our coverage continues. Tonight on three, 62 breaking developments, donald trump trial that already brings is not be delayed, and the former president decides not to fight to make is george a trial in federal case. Also tonight, President Biden warning that democracy is in danger, he says not justm