Explains himself under bipartisan questioning. Although we should note he was not under oath. Still, theres one potential witness we wont be hearing from. To this date Jared Kushner had not agreed to meet with the Senate Judiciary committee and the panel now admits its given up trying to get him. Lets get to our team of reporters. First we have breaking news isolate the Justice Department. They say they the found missing texts between two fbi officials. Their disappearance has been labored a conspiracy by some republicans. Joining us is Pete Williams in our washington newsroom. Pete, are were they recovered . The Inspector General says it was using a forensic technique. Doesnt explain anything more than that. These are Text Messages that were sent between lisa page and peter strzok who were two people that had been working on the Mueller Investigation. And they were sent between december of last year and then
theres a lot of interest in here. Perhaps don junior made a mistake that could eventually become an important part of the story line. Its impossible to know at this stage what sort of information we maybe able to glean from this thats different from where we already are. But, again, i think there was some pressure from the witnesses themselves for this to come out. Lets go back to when we first learned about this meeting. It exploded in the press. It was one of those things that if youre asking if there was any attempts or work between the Trump Campaign and anyone in russia to try to influence the election, you could point out this meeting and say, look, don junior got on Simplicity Note from somebody in russia or someone purporting to have someone from russia with russian information, russian dirt on Hillary Clinton coming from a different foreign power, not an ally of the u. S. And don junior saying, i love it, especially for later in the summer. Later in the summer we got all
those wikileaks and thats when those started to really hit and donald trump seized on them and rallied his base against Hillary Clinton. This was a big deal when we found out about it. To get these transcripts, betsy, what could we possibly learn that we dont already know from this meeting . Its possible well learn more details about the way the meeting got set up, about the way don junior was connected to some of these russian and russianlinked characters who initially pitched him on having the idea of the meeting. I certainly would expect well be able to learn how the meeting itself went and if there was any additional followup. That said, one important thing to keep in mind is that the investigation has been really unusual. While the senate intel and the House Intel Committees have stayed largely focused on the russia question, the Senate Judiciary committee actually has
taken a weirdly different lens, one staffer for Chuck Grassley who shares that Committee Told me several months ago their investigation was hardly even focused on russia at all and instead was looking at potential wrong doing by the fbi or the Justice Department as part of the committees routine oversight. Additionally, some republicans on the Senate Judiciary committee concluded based on their investigation that Christopher Steele who wrote that controversial they referred it for prosecution. One thing ill be interested in seeing when this transcript comes out is to what extent are republicans and democrats remotely on the same page as far as what questions they really had for don junior. Itll be interesting to see what Democrats Ask him and what republicans ask him. What this the point of these hearings right now . We have Robert Mueller looking into this. The congressional hearings seem
to devolve in bickering. Why do this . Katy in theory they have Different Missions than Robert Mueller. This is not a criminal prosecution type of situation. Instead these committees are attempting to look into what russian efforts to influence american elections. And i think one of the frustrations for some of the more Middle Of The Road members of congress and members whove been russia hawks for many years is that has gotten very lost and i think its been very hard to get members to focus. Senator marco rubio, to his credit, was one of the only republicans who, during the 2016 campaign, went out and said, hey, stop crowing about the fact that Hillary Clinton is in the
cross hairs on this right now. Remember that someday down the line it could be republicans. Its not as though russians are necessarily partisan. They have an agenda thats focused on what russia is trying to achieve and one day that be to our detriment. And we know his campaign at one point, one of his Senate Campaigns was the focus of some of these efforts. And so he sits on the Senate Intelligence committee. I think thats still what these committees are trying to accomplish. Achieving that has become harder and harder. Ladies, thank you very much. President trump says hes looking forward to talking with Robert Mueller under oath, but a new oped in the New York Times is looking how statements the president and his Campaign Officials have made to the media were later proven false. Ryan goodman joins us to help us see through the fog in the mueller russia probe. We have a lot of strands that come out on a daytoday basis,
incremental. It gets hard to remember what happened when and where the truth is. Right. I think one of the difficulties is actually trying to break through fog and see not just the moments in which Trump Campaign officials lied to the media, which i think we well understand, but also when they lied to federal officials because thats when they were getting themselves into legal jeopardy. If you look at the count, its actually six Trump Campaign officials, five are clearly senior officials who seem to have lied to either fbi or congress, not including Paul Manafort and rick gates. Big question then is, why were they all lying . Was it a joint agreement or at a understanding . You served on the Special Counsel to the general counsel at the Department Of Defense when you have these conflicting
statements, what does that mean for the Mueller Probe . How does that play into their investigation . So one thing thats noticeable about the Mueller Probe is that all four of the either guilty pleas include false statements. You can lie to the media, and its not a crime, but you lie to one of those federal officials or bodies, and its a crime. The the Big Question Is Mueller is about to interview the president probably, Obstruction Of Justice i think is on everybodys mind. Yesterday when donald trump was talking to reporters, he was asked about obstruction and whether or not hes done so in regards to the russia investigation. He said no, no, no obstruction and he is Fighting Back. Fighting back, what does that mean . Its difficult to know what it means. Sounds like in a certain sense he is recklessly admitting to
some of the facts because hes saying what i did is fought back. Some people would call that obstruction. Hes addressing something i did, do some people are going to classify that as obstruction, they should. If i was his counsel thats the last thing i would want him to say. What has piqued your interest . Not just focusing on the single players but i why did they all do it. If they did it, its a big question because it means not just people who already lied to federal officials but anyone who encouraged them to do so which could lead all the way up to the president. That was the downfall for the Nixon White House where in the white house nixon is encouraging associates to commit perjury. If theres anything like that going on within a senior part of the Trump Campaign, i think that would be a bombshell. Ryan goodman, thank you very much for joining us. Turning a text into a talking point. Well see how the president , lawmakers and conservative media allies are questioning the fbi ice credibility, but to what end . Was really easy. Easy. Thatd be nice. Phone for help with chairs, say chair. Phone for help with bookcases, say bookcase. Bookcase. I thought this was the dresser . Isnt that the bed . Phone im sorry, i didnt understand. Phone for help with chairs, say chair. Does this mean were not going out . Bookcase. See how easy renters insurance can be at geico. Com. When youve got no plans but with your comfy pants, grab a Marie Callenders roasted turkey stuffing. With Mashed Potatoes and made from scratch gravy. Spoiler alert, things are about to get good. Because me time calls for Marie Callenders. Your insurance on time. Tap one little bumper, and up go your rates. What good is having insurance if you get punished for using it . News flash nobodys perfect. For drivers with accident forgiveness, Liberty Mutual wont raise your rates due to your first accident. Switch and you could save 782 on home and auto insurance. Call for a free quote today. Liberty stands with you™ Liberty Mutual insurance. Starting to crumble. They seized on a Text Exchange between peter strzok and lisa page referring to a secret society. Lawmakers had claimed it was proof off the Law Enforcement agencys antitrump bias. Now at least one of them admits it may have been just a joke. Heres senator ron johnson talking with nbc news moments ago. After reading those transcripts of the Text Messages, do you think it was made as a joke . Its entirely possible. Well see what the next text do you owe an apology, sir . Republicans were also up in arms about the fbi failing to retain five months of additional Text Messages between the two officials. Some insisted that too was a conspiracy to hide the former lovers unflattering exchanges. Now we learn that was only a Technical Glitch and the Text Messages have been recovered. Enter devin nunes having a
claim. Fisa helped expose conversations with the russia ambassador. Releasing the memo would be reckless, he says. The top democrat on the House Intel Committee slammed nunes and his actions earlier. He is attempt to go tar the entire intelligence community, fbi bob Mueller Investigation in order to once again protect the president. Its a terrible disservice as well as a terrible distraction. Joining me is michael caputo. Good to see you. Hey, katy, how are you doing . What do you think of this secret society that ron johnson raised only to later admit it was probably a joke . I dont know. I think in Text Messages between a mistress is and her boyfriend, what theyre trying to hide from their spouses can go into all
kinds of hyperboly. What it is and which comment is a joke . I dont know. But i can tell you this. When i heard that these Text Messages were missing, i was very excited because it gave me an opportunity to tell investigators that all my texts and emails are available except for those that went out between june 16th, 2015 and january 20th, 2017, because my dog ate those. They found those Text Messages, so thats a bit of a moot issue . I found mine too. My dog threw them up, which is probably what happened at the fbi too. Dont you feel like republicans in order to take apart the fbi right now are really grasping for straws . I dont know. I look at some of the texts between those two people. Two people who are having an
affair talking to each other in private. I mean, no ones saying any fbi investigators are not allowed to have opinions about politics. Their opinions just cant color what they do. If theres evidence the opinions color what they do, then that is a real problem. And thats the evidence were looking for. Robert mueller took them off the investigation, so theyre not even there any longer. So are you saying as a donald trump supporter, are you saying that anybody who Doesnt Support the president or think negatively of him or might Say Something to somebody in a personal conversation that is not flattering of the president that they cant be fair . I wouldnt say that. I think people have a right to their own opinions in politics. But people at the head of these investigations, at the deputy level, they have to be chosen very carefully. As you know, as an attorney, you can donate in america to the campaign of a judge. So the Legal Profession doesnt have the concerns of hiring
someone who donated to a campaign of an opponent of the person youre investigating. But katy some of this stuff thats going on, its really concerning to me. Im trying to keep an open mind. Ive known fbi agents and ive worked with them throughout my career. Im concerned because it turns out it might have been redundant if donald trump turned russia. Were turning to russia ourselves. Who are you calling the going kgb, michael . The people who deserve to be exposed. People in the fbi are actually part of the kgb . Come on. I was being facetious, as you know. Its funny how the jokes told between these two lovers are hilarious you to at msnbc. But they were private messages to each other. You are on National Television and you are saying people in the fbi are act like the kgb. Some republicans are loyal to donald trump, the president himself, and a lot of folks outside who are coming on tv to defend the president , instead of defending him on merits, youre saying the fbi is corrupt and the fbi is working in this conspiracy to take down the president. Members of the fbi are acting more like the kgb. I mean, that is radical thing to say on National Television . Absolutely, it was a joke which i was hoping you laughed at like the fbi texts. At the same time im telling you you Whats Going On is very concerning. And i believe we need to investigate this completely and fully. I believe they should release the memo that was written by the majority at the House Intelligence Committee and see where those apples fall. We should investigate whats
going on. There should be a Special Counsel to look into them as well. The criticism of the Special Counsel youre hearing today, and the Special Counsel investigation of the bush white house, this is politics as your back, katy. And wringing your hands over this is a bit over the top. Politics as usual. Seems kind of sad. Michael caputo, thank you. Next, trump took his America First message overseas. How is it sitting with World Leaders . Were at davos where he met with israel Prime Minister benjamin netanyahu. Come say hello to our voters. Youre cnn. Im with msnbc now. Thanks for watching. Good to see you, sir. Needles. Essential for vinyl, but maybe not for people with rheumatoid arthritis. Because there are options. Like an unjection™. Xeljanz xr. A once daily pill for adults with moderate to severe ra for whom methotrexate did not work well. Xeljanz xr can reduce pain, swelling and further joint damage, even without methotrexate. Xeljanz xr can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. Serious, sometimes fatal infections, lymphoma and other cancers have happened. Dont start xeljanz xr if you have an infection. Tears in the stomach or intestines, low Blood Cell Counts and higher liver tests and cholesterol levels have happened. Your doctor should perform blood tests before you start and while taking xeljanz xr, and monitor certain liver tests. Tell your doctor if you were in a region where fungal infections are common and if you have had tb, hepatitis b or c, or are prone to infections. Needles. A must for vinyl. But for you, one pill a day may provide Symptom Relief. Ask your doctor about xeljanz xr. An unjection™. Which ultimately is very important. Number one i dont like talking about because, frankly, nobody should be talking about it. It should be based on the strength of the country. We are doing so well. Our country is becoming s