welcome to the beat. i m ari melber. we are tracking several stories tonight, including another supreme court ethics scandal, tying gop appointee samuel alito to another billionaire on a fishing trip. we ll get into that later. it s a big story. but our news program begins tonight with not only the criminal trial of donald trump, now slated to begin on august 14th buck the broader ongoing threat of right wing individual lantyism and authoritarianism. tonight we begin with a special report on that very challenge, and trump s efforts to hijack the criminal justice system that now is trying to potentially hold him accountable. we re talking about a range of actions that has prompted already fear of violence over the violent rhetoric and whether that could turn to action. we re about one week out from the federal arraignment that trump did try to prevent. we remember he was forced to sit silently in that miami courtroom. outside cameras showed a very small crowd. the scene was
Happened in the past and apply its own laws. Concerning the allegations, i have stressed that no one in the new team governing ukraine had anything to do with anything that may have happened in 2016. They were making Television Shows at the time. I also said that it is not credible to me that former Vice President biden would have been influenced anyway by financial or personal motives in carrying out his duties as Vice President. A different issue is whether some individual ukrainians may have attempted to influence the 2016 election or thought they could buy influence. That is at least as possible. But the accusation Vice President biden acted inappropriately, did not seem credible to me. I connected them by text and later by phone. They met in person on august 2nd 2019. In conversations with me
following that meeting, which i did not attend, mr. Giuliani said that he stressed the importance of the ukraine conducting investigations of what happened in the past. And he said it is the
26efth. 17 . Yes. What do you come to mean by yes, sir. They got. Security assistan, three e amigos. As well. They cudid. If i said that number was my understanding of ambassador sondlands use of around 270 million. That term thed three people in would that probably be accurate . Charge of ukraine policy during the summer was he, gordon sound about right . Sondland and ambassador volker did they get aid in fy 18 . And secretary perry. When did you come to learn yes, sir. Including security about mr. T giulianis role and assistance . Including security what do you consider his role to assistance. We already talked about the have been . Er i first heard about former javelins and antitank missiles mayor jewgiulianis interest in that they were not able to purchase in previous ukraine in january of this year. Administrations. Have they gotten Security Assistance in fy 19 . Yes, sir. Prior to the 400 million or that was a different phase than what happened during the so that were discussing
It was not in any record i july 25th call. And this is consistent with the reported comments from received. But when you did see. Ambassadors volker and taylor. After the zelensky meeting, i yes, i saw that in september, also met with zelenskys senior correct. So on this continuum, the aide, andre yermak. Beginning of the continuum begins on may 23rd when the president instructs you to talk I Dont Recall the specifics of our conversation, but i believe the issue of investigations was to rudy . Correct. And you understood that as a probably a part of that agenda direction by the president that you needed to satisfy the or meeting. Concerns that Rudy Giuliani would express to you about what also, on july 26th, shortly the president wanted in ukraine . After our kiev meetings, i spoke not to me. By phone with President Trump. To the entire group, volker, perry and myself, correct. The white house, which has now, in your opening finally, finally shared certain statement you confirmed that
That a businessman would have knowledge is limited in any when he is about to sign a transaction. But if you go after his integrity, right, if you go check. And by that he clearly meant after his public service, if you go after his military record, that President Trump was youre done. Thinking about or had in front but chuck, isnt there a high stakes problem with that, for of him the possibility of providing Security Assistance to trump and the republicans to say, because then the next question is, okay, who does know ukraine. It was similar to writing a check to someone who youre what trump said . Bolton and trump. About to send. He used that analogy very and they dont want those folks to come before congress. I absolutely agree. Im saying if there is a path to clearly to indicate that this try and point out that he has limited knowledge, thats the would be this would require path and its a narrow one. Something. If that person owed him does it ultimately work . No, it doesnt. Right.