Special counsel . Good evening, outfront toni t tonight, a lot of breaking news. Claims of drunk driving, wrecking a government car, giving out percocet. These are the new allegations against Ronny Jackson tonight ch these coming from 23 of jacksons current and former colleagues. The allegations detailed in a document compiled by democrats on the Senate Veterans affairs xwhe. One of the allegations that after a going away party, he drove a government vehicle, drunk at the time then wrecked that vehicle. Another damming accusation is that jackson, who was the physician for president s george w. Bush, obama and trump, could not be reached because he was passed out drunk in his hotel room and another claim, that quote, he provied a large supply of percocet to a White House Military Office staff member. Just a short time ago, President Trump walking past reporters as you see there, refused to answer questions about jackson. A jackson denistill denies the allegations. You never wrecked a car or did anything with open oids . I have no idea where thats coming from. Should be for easy. I have not wrecked a car. Will you move forward . Did you tell the president that, sir . And tonight, the white house seems to be b standing by the president s pick. Dr. Jacksons record as a white house physician has been impeccable. He has an incredibly strong background. Hes a highly eququalified, hig skilled individual and if you didnt think he was capable of doing the job, he wouldnt have announced his nomination in the first place. Impeccable and highly equ qualified. Of course descriptions that would not be true if the allegations against jackson have accurate. Allegations that include this. You would just go down the aisle . Say he wants to go sleep and who want to wake up. Thats the report wes got from 20 something people who got ahold of us and said we got a problem. This doctor has a problem because he hands out prescriptions like candy. At the white house, they call him the candy man. The white house insists they were not aware of these accusations when the president pickeded jackson to lead the federal governments second largest agency. Veterans affairs says nearly 400,000 employees and the touches the lives of americans across this country. They say the allegations never came up during his four background checks over the years. Sanders suggesting that the Trump Administration actually did their due diligence. Is the white house doing any sort of additional looking into dr. Jacksons background in light of all of the allegations. Theres been a thorough vetting process done by the fbi as well as three other independent investigations, but thats part of what the nomination process of congress should do and what its supposed to look like and why they should move forward with a hearing. So congress is to blame. Its a Pretty Amazing thing to say given the allegations and given the fact that members of the president s own party are calling out the white house for r poor vetting. What do you think this says about the white houses vetting process . It needs to be b more robust. This does raise questions about the white house vetting. Theres been a history here of people coming to the hill not very well vetted. Manu is outfront with the breaking details. What are they doing to verify these accusations they say are comeing from 23 people . Are they going to verify it or not . Theyre requesting a range of records from the white house and dpr other agencies to see if theres any other records that kr corroborate these claims. Republicans are concerned enough to delay todays hearing that was scheduled for Ronny Jackson with no plans at the moment for a new date to reschedule that hearing and some republicans i talked to sit on the Veterans AffairsCommittee Told me they view that the sources who have come forward to provide this information are credible including michael rounds, a republican senator, on that committee. He said some of these individuals are credible. Theyre current and theyre former officials who worked with dr. Jackson. They dont, they are cautious, too. The republicans in particular. They say they dont know exactly if theyre accurate. Democrats, too. They say they dont know if theyre accurate, but if theres any sense that they may be accurate, that would be enough to sink the nomination. I can tell you tonight that republicans on this committee and on capitol hill little manufacture broadly are very skeptical this nomination will get confirmed and if its worth putting this fight to push him through to deal with these messy allegations that are coming from 23 individuals right now and whether its worth fighting to get him ultimately confirmed, particularly if these are true, unlikely at this point. Some republicans believe he gets the job even if it continues to hang out there for several more weeks. Thank you very much and now u straight to the white house and the Principal Deputy secretary who is on to talk about this. So, were learning that Ronny Jackson did meet with the president this afternoon for about an hour u. Can you tell us anything about meeting . That theyre going to push ahead with this . Well, erin, thanks for having me on this evening. We are pushing ahead with this nomination. Jackson has denied the most recent allegations that have been put forward. By senator test er in this document citing anonymous sources. I think its important to be clear. There are enormous sources on the one hand while there are individuals on the record including president obama in the past defending dr. Jackson, defending his character, his integrity, his conduct as the white house chief physician. So you know, these are accusations. We are looking into them. But dr. Jackson has been investigated four separate types in terms of background ga investigations, including a most recent fbi investigation which senator tester said it came back clean. So so as a r very basic question. When you started this process and the president said i want Ronny Jackson. Did you do any vetting at all beyond saying he passed background checks from the fbi . So first of all, he has passed three acceseparate backgd investigations and for anybody in the sensitive position as his i understand, but im saying did you do for fitness, theyre obvious questions what about he thinks about Veterans Issues. How he would conduct and clean up the va, which are questions very important to the actual position hes been nominated for. Theres a thorough background check in which you interview subordinates, previous bosses. So youre say iing you did tt separate from the fbi background check . The fbi does that. And it came back clean. Again, its very important, tht a rear admiral in the United States navy. Whos conducted himself in all published reports on him, all audits et cetera, come back with a stellar record including from president obama and the current president. Hes gone through over a decade. A guy from a small town in west texas who moved to become the president s chief physician. He has shown an impeccable record. Until theres actual evidence, senator tester has issued two pages of anonymous accusations against gop say this is credible. 23 people wto come forward. Sfl what is also crede bable is president obama and President Trump. Also the assessments from numerous audits. Theres an issue recording Prescription Drug dispensation by the white house medicial uni. There have been internal and external audits by the Walter Reed Medical Center that have shown that the white house medical unit dispenses Prescription Drugs according to medical policy. So theres a lot of evidence. So do you know enough on that point, i just want to interrupt because the allegations are now specifically about percocet, which is an opioid, something everyone in this country is aware of. Theres a very specific allegation. Do you know for sure that that is false . Or do you not know yet . Well what specific allegation . I just want to be clear. Overprescribing percocet to a military officer. What im saying is there have been numerous audits done about the white house medical units use of Prescription Drugs and issuing of Prescription Drugs. They do so according to policy. According to medical policy. Several audits under dr. Jacques ens unit have given them a clean bill of health. And you know, if you are a white house official, he is your physician, he asks you pertinent questions. Informs you of the risks involved and may make an assessment. He is a physician. Hell obviously give out Prescription Drugs when appropriate. It sounds like youre saying that is false. Or it didnt before, but youre not sure. Im trying to understand. Specifically or not or going to deny them . I understand your point, but its really impossible to address anonymous allegations, sources of which we cant interview or speak to. We rely upon the Background Investigation process. The fbis assessment, we reply upon the stellar record that he has been, he has shown, really, in the United States navy in the white house and the assessments from multiple president s and i would say that you have right now, anonymous accusations that are being presented by senator tessito tester. President Obamas National Security council chief of staff said in the New York Times today hes never seen anything to corroborate these allegations in numerous years of seving alongside dr. Jackson. You had a former secret Service Agent who said nothing they have ever seen corroborateded this stuff. What im curious about though is you can make this case and no one knows at this point. But you have 23 people. You have republicans on that committee saying these sources are credible. I hear you. You want people to be nameded. B what im say trooiing to understand is are you going to come out and deny this happened . Are you prepared to do na . Or not. Dr. Jackson has not. He has not, but im asking about you. Have you looked into it. As the president of the United States absolutely sure these allegations are lies against dr. Jackson . Were saying theyre independent assessments from many individuals and many credible statements that have been made on the record that speak to his character. All of us in the white house have been around dr. Jackson for the last 15 months. Weve seen him personally, seen him conduct his role as a physician, his role on overseas trips and nothing we have seen kro corroborates these allegations. Oneonone with senators in open hearing on the record with cameras on, live for everyone to see. White house official is right now, i dont know if you know this, raj but, we have reporting telling jeff zellny that the president today raised the prospect of going spot Briefing Room to stick up for dr. Jackson but several senior officials advised him against doing so. Is that so . I wasnt in the meeting. The president feels very strongly about dr. Jacksons character. About through his personal interactions with dr. Jackson, about how strong of a leader he is. That this is a man who served in combat, who saved lives. Hes cared for veterans on the battlefield. For us at the white house. Hell do great care for our veterans who deserve his leadership. So, can i just play for you something that john kn tester s . Sure, b maybe president obama had a great experience with him. He said he has. President trump has said he has, but that does not mean these things are not true. We were told time and time again the people above treated like gold, people above him, he belittled, screamed at him. Created a really toxic environment to the point where the people who worked around him felt like they had to walk on egg shells because of his lack of respect for his job. You know, just sort of makes me think when allegations against matt lawyer or charlie rose, i had worked with them and hasnt experienced it, but everything that was said against them that came out to be b true, it happened. But i didnt know about it, but it still happened. Isnt it possible that the guys who were, that he was treating, dont know these things happened but yes, they indeed happened . Well, with all due respect, erin, i guess anything is possible. What he might be referencing there is add audit that r dr. Jacqukson himself called for in 2012 in which some of these allegations were made against him and against another senior manager for which the report issued most of the blame for the other senior manager and there was another audit, which the morale had improved. And since then in subsequent year, he was promoted by president obama and by the current president. So again, this is a 5yearold report which has addressed by the white house and been looked at and he has been promoted as the chief white house physician. Im just simply making the point that the president of the United States, whoever that is, wouldnt have been aware of this behavior at a secret service party, wrecking a car, handing out drugs to someone he shouldnt. But dr. Jackson would be the president of the United States would not necessarily have known. So they could be speaking honestly and vouching for character and not know all the facts. That may be, but i can attest that dr. Jackson does know the facts and he has denied that specific allegation you just made. Jeff is also reporting the white house aides, i understand you dont want to, but you are preparing for the possibility that jackson may pull his nomination. Is that true . Of course we are. This is as the president said, dr. Jacksons decision. We stand behind him 100 . Depending on what he decides to do. We think hell make a great secretary of Veterans Affairs, but this is a nasty process right now. Were seeing it unfold bf us. Hes been hammered frankly by accusations from individuals who are not going on the record and as i statedd earlier, there hav only been two new voices on the record. Its very difficult when youre being shot at from anonymous sources. He deseves trves to right to de himself and have a hearing. Thank you very much. Preeappreciate your time. Thanks so much, esh. Next, breaking news. Michael cohen asserting his fifth amendment rights to not testify in the Stormy Daniels case. Her attorney responding live. And break iing news. Rudy giuliani meeting with bob mueller. Hets to get the probe quickly resolved and the president increasingly acting as his own Communications Director. Will he ever fill the role . Anthony scare muchy is outfront. And almonds. So, guess what . We call it cranberry almond. Find your favorite and give kind® a try. Anyone can get you ready, Holiday Inn Express gets you the readiest. Because ready gives a pep talk. Showtime but the readiest gives a pep rally. I cleared my inbox Holiday Inn Express, be the readiest. its the details that make the difference. Only botox® cosmetic is fda approved to temporarily make frown lines, crows feet and forehead lines look better. Its a quick 10 minute treatment given by a doctor to reduce those lines. Ask your doctor about botox® cosmetic by name. The effects of botox® cosmetic, may spread hours to weeks after injection, causing serious symptoms. Alert your doctor right away as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems, or muscle weakness can be a sign of a lifethreatening condition. Do not receive botox® cosmetic if you have a skin infection. Side effects may include allergic reactions, injection site pain, headache, eyelid and eyebrow drooping and eyelid swelling. Tell your doctor about your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions, and medications including botulinum toxins as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. The details make a difference. The man makes them matter. See real results at botoxcosmetic. Com men. The man makes them matter. Each day justin at work. Walk. And after work. He does it all with dr. Scholls. Only dr. Scholls has massaging gel insoles that provide allday comfort. To keep him feeling more energized. Dr. Scholls. Born to move. Ftheres flonase sensimist. Tchy and watery near pollen. It relieves all your worst symptoms including nasal congestion, which most pills dont. And all from a gentle mist you can barely feel. Flonase sensimist. So lionel, what does 24 5 mean to you . Rade well, it means i can trade after the market closes. Its true. So all. Evening long. Ooh, so close. Yes, but also all. Night through its entirety. Come on, all. The time from sunset to sunrise. Right. But you can trade. From, from. From darkness to light. Youre not gonna say it are you . Michael cohen said hes going to plead the fifth in the daniels case. He says its because of the ongoing criminal investigation in new york. Outfront now, kerry sandic, White House Correspondent for american radio networks, and john avalon. Harry, what do you make of it . Its a thoeltly logical thing for him to do. A search warrant was executed in his hotel room and his offices and it appears hes under investigation. Any lawyer would advise their client as cohens lawyer has to take the fifth. The problem with it is of course not just what a lot of think about taking the fifth. What he thinks about people who take the fifth is. Fifth amendment, fifth amendment, fifth amendment. The mob takes of it. If youre innocent, why you taking the fiftyfif when yo have your staff taking the fifth so theyre not prosecuted, i think its disgraceful. April yes. Made it clear how he feels about it. Its stunning. When it fits his situation, you dont hear a tweet, anything from Sarah Huckabee sanders, anything from raj, from anyone. But you know, its amazing how it can get you caught up and get you in trouble for a situation that basically mirrors what you were talk iing about. This