>>> 28 PAST THE HOUR.
>>> 28 PAST THE HOUR. LIVE LOOK AT CAPITOL HILL.
LIVE LOOK AT CAPITOL HILL. WELCOME BACK TO "MORNING JOE."
WELCOME BACK TO "MORNING JOE." JUSTICE DEPARTMENT INSPECTOR
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT INSPECTOR GENERAL MICHAEL HOROWITZ
GENERAL MICHAEL HOROWITZ YESTERDAY TESTIFIED BEFORE THE
YESTERDAY TESTIFIED BEFORE THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE WHERE
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE WHERE HE REITERATED THE CENTRAL
HE REITERATED THE CENTRAL FINDING OF HIS REPORT THAT THE
FINDING OF HIS REPORT THAT THE DECISION TO OPEN AN
DECISION TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION OF THE 2016 TRUMP
INVESTIGATION OF THE 2016 TRUMP CAMPAIGN WAS JUSTIFIED.
CAMPAIGN WAS JUSTIFIED. >> WE DETERMINED THAT THE
>> WE DETERMINED THAT THE DECISION TO OPEN CROSSFIRE
DECISION TO OPEN CROSSFIRE HURRICANE WAS MADE BY THEN FBI
HURRICANE WAS MADE BY THEN FBI COUNTERINTELLIGENCE DIVISIONS
COUNTERINTELLIGENCE DIVISIONS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR BILL PRESTAT
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR BILL PRESTAT AND THAT HIS DECISION REFLECTED
AND THAT HIS DECISION REFLECTED A
A A CONSENSUS REACHED BY MULTIPLE
A CONSENSUS REACHED BY MULTIPLE DAYS MEETINGS OF FBI OFFICIALS.
DAYS MEETINGS OF FBI OFFICIALS. WE DECIDED THAT HIS EXERCISE OF
WE DECIDED THAT HIS EXERCISE OF DISGRESSION IN OPENING THE
DISGRESSION IN OPENING THE INVESTIGATION WAS IN COMPLIANCE
INVESTIGATION WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE POLICIES.
WITH THOSE POLICIES. WE DIDN’T FIND TESTIMONY OR
WE DIDN’T FIND TESTIMONY OR EVIDENCE THAT INDICATED
EVIDENCE THAT INDICATED POLITICAL BIAS OR IMPROPER
POLITICAL BIAS OR IMPROPER MOTIVATION INFLUENCING HIS
MOTIVATION INFLUENCING HIS DECISION TO ON THE
DECISION TO ON THE INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. WE FOUND THAT CROSSFIRE
WE FOUND THAT CROSSFIRE HURRICANE WAS OPENED FOR AN
HURRICANE WAS OPENED FOR AN AUTHORIZED INVESTIGATIVE PURPOSE
AUTHORIZED INVESTIGATIVE PURPOSE AND WITH SUFFICIENT FACTUAL
AND WITH SUFFICIENT FACTUAL PREDICATION.
PREDICATION. THIS DECISION TO OPEN CROSSFIRE
THIS DECISION TO OPEN CROSSFIRE HURRICANE WHICH INVOLVED THE
HURRICANE WHICH INVOLVED THE ACTIVITIES OF INDIVIDUALS
ACTIVITIES OF INDIVIDUALS ASSOCIATED WITH A NATIONAL,
ASSOCIATED WITH A NATIONAL, MAJOR PARTY CAMPAIGN FOR
MAJOR PARTY CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT WAS UNDER DEPARTMENT
PRESIDENT WAS UNDER DEPARTMENT AND FBI POLICY A DISCRETIONARY
AND FBI POLICY A DISCRETIONARY JUDGMENT LEFT TO THE FBI.
JUDGMENT LEFT TO THE FBI. AS WE POINT OUT IN OUR REPORT
AS WE POINT OUT IN OUR REPORT THERE ARE WAS NO REQUIREMENT
THERE ARE WAS NO REQUIREMENT THAT DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS BE
THAT DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS BE CONSULT ORDER EVEN
CONSULT ORDER EVEN CONSULTED OR NOTIFIED PRIOR TO
CONSULTED OR NOTIFIED PRIOR TO THE FBI MAKING THAT DECISION.
THE FBI MAKING THAT DECISION. >> WELL, WILLIE, THAT PART IS
>> WELL, WILLIE, THAT PART IS ABOUT AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS CAN
ABOUT AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS CAN BE.
BE. NO ABUSE OF ADMINISTRATION, NO
NO ABUSE OF ADMINISTRATION, NO BIAS.
BIAS. THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF PROBLEMS
THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF PROBLEMS AS IT PERTAINED TO THE FISA
AS IT PERTAINED TO THE FISA WARRANT PROCESS WHICH THE IG
WARRANT PROCESS WHICH THE IG WOULD TALK ABOUT.
WOULD TALK ABOUT. BUT LATER ON.
BUT LATER ON. BUT REGARDING THE BIGGER
BUT REGARDING THE BIGGER PICTURE, THE QUESTION THAT TRUMP
PICTURE, THE QUESTION THAT TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND DONALD TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION AND DONALD TRUMP AND ALL OF HIS LACKEYS ON
AND ALL OF HIS LACKEYS ON CAPITOL HILL HAVE BEEN PUSHING
CAPITOL HILL HAVE BEEN PUSHING THE CONSPIRACY THEORY HAS BEEN
THE CONSPIRACY THEORY HAS BEEN NOW FOR SEVERAL YEARS THAT
NOW FOR SEVERAL YEARS THAT BARACK OBAMA TAPPED HIS PHONES
BARACK OBAMA TAPPED HIS PHONES IN TRUMP TOWER AND THEY LAUNCHED
IN TRUMP TOWER AND THEY LAUNCHED THIS INVESTIGATION WITH THE
THIS INVESTIGATION WITH THE SPECIFIC INTENT OF TAKING DOWN A
SPECIFIC INTENT OF TAKING DOWN A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. THAT LIE OR THOSE SERIES OF
THAT LIE OR THOSE SERIES OF LIES, THAT EXTRAORDINARILY
LIES, THAT EXTRAORDINARILY RECKLESS CONSPIRACY THEORY BLOWN
RECKLESS CONSPIRACY THEORY BLOWN IN A MILLION LITTLE PIECES
IN A MILLION LITTLE PIECES YESTERDAY.
YESTERDAY. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. THE INSPECTOR GENERAL MADE CLEAR
THE INSPECTOR GENERAL MADE CLEAR AND SAID SO EXPLICITLY THAT THE
AND SAID SO EXPLICITLY THAT THE FBI DID NOT SEEK CONTINUE TO
FBI DID NOT SEEK CONTINUE TO CERTIFY INFORM ANTSANTS INTO THE
CERTIFY INFORM ANTSANTS INTO THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN.
TRUMP CAMPAIGN. BUT CONGRESS ASKED HOROWITZ DO
BUT CONGRESS ASKED HOROWITZ DO SOMETHING THAT HE’S NOT GOOD AT.
SOMETHING THAT HE’S NOT GOOD AT. TO HOLD TWO QUESTIONS IN HIS
TO HOLD TWO QUESTIONS IN HIS HEAD AT ONCE.
HEAD AT ONCE. THE FISA WARRANTS, THAT SHOULD
THE FISA WARRANTS, THAT SHOULD BE ALARMING TO ANYONE, IF IT’S
BE ALARMING TO ANYONE, IF IT’S FOR YOU SIDE ON ONE MOMENT IT’S
FOR YOU SIDE ON ONE MOMENT IT’S GOING TO BE OTHER SIDE ON THE
GOING TO BE OTHER SIDE ON THE NEXT.
NEXT. BUT THE OTHER PIECE AS WE JUST
BUT THE OTHER PIECE AS WE JUST HEARD IN THE SOUND BITE WAS THAT
HEARD IN THE SOUND BITE WAS THAT THE FBI INVESTIGATION INTO THE
THE FBI INVESTIGATION INTO THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN WAS PROPERLY
TRUMP CAMPAIGN WAS PROPERLY PREDICATED, THAT THIS WAS NOT A
PREDICATED, THAT THIS WAS NOT A DEEP STATE CONSPIRACY TO GO
DEEP STATE CONSPIRACY TO GO AFTER AND TO TAKE DOWN DONALD
AFTER AND TO TAKE DOWN DONALD TRUMP AND TO PREVENT HIM FROM
TRUMP AND TO PREVENT HIM FROM BECOMING PRESIDENT, ET CETERA,
BECOMING PRESIDENT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
ET CETERA. >> SO IT’S MORE THAN THAT.
>> SO IT’S MORE THAN THAT. IT’S THAT THE INVESTIGATION WAS
IT’S THAT THE INVESTIGATION WAS PROPERLY PREDICATED, THE
PROPERLY PREDICATED, THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT SPYING
CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT SPYING ON THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN ARE FALSE.
ON THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN ARE FALSE. THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT
THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT MISUSE OF CONFIDENTIAL
MISUSE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS ARE FALSE.
INFORMANTS ARE FALSE. CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT THE
CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT THE INSURANCE POLICY, WE HAD A
INSURANCE POLICY, WE HAD A CONVERSATION ON THIS SHOW A
CONVERSATION ON THIS SHOW A COUPLE MONTHS AGO ABOUT THE
COUPLE MONTHS AGO ABOUT THE INSURANCE POLICY CONSPIRACY,
INSURANCE POLICY CONSPIRACY, THAT IS NOT TRUE.
THAT IS NOT TRUE. YOU KNOW, THE STRZOK-PAGE TEXTS,
YOU KNOW, THE STRZOK-PAGE TEXTS, THE COUP, ALL THAT STUFF IS
THE COUP, ALL THAT STUFF IS GARBAGE.
GARBAGE. THERE IS TWO REPORTS HERE,
THERE IS TWO REPORTS HERE, RIGHT, AND IT’S IN ONE VOLUME.
RIGHT, AND IT’S IN ONE VOLUME. ONE REPORT IS ABOUT WHETHER ANY
ONE REPORT IS ABOUT WHETHER ANY OF THESE CONSPIRACY THEORIES
OF THESE CONSPIRACY THEORIES HAVE ANY ELEMENT OF TRUTH TO
HAVE ANY ELEMENT OF TRUTH TO THEM.
THEM. AND THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION
AND THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS A DECISIVE REBUTTAL OF ALL OF
IS A DECISIVE REBUTTAL OF ALL OF IT.
IT. I MEAN, JUST ALL OF IT.
I MEAN, JUST ALL OF IT. INCLUDING DOZENS AND DOZENS AND
INCLUDING DOZENS AND DOZENS AND DOZENS OF STATEMENTS BY THE
DOZENS OF STATEMENTS BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES DATING BACK NEARLY TO THE
DATING BACK NEARLY TO THE BEGINNING OF HIS PRESIDENCY.
BEGINNING OF HIS PRESIDENCY. THE OTHER REPORT, AND I DON’T
THE OTHER REPORT, AND I DON’T WANT TO DIMINISH THIS BECAUSE,
WANT TO DIMINISH THIS BECAUSE, AS YOU SAY, WILLIE, IT’S REALLY
AS YOU SAY, WILLIE, IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT, IS WHETHER THE FBI
IMPORTANT, IS WHETHER THE FBI CONDUCTED ITSELF IN THE CONTEXT
CONDUCTED ITSELF IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE
OF THE FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE ACT APPLICATIONS
SURVEILLANCE ACT APPLICATIONS HERE IN A FASHION THAT COMPORTS
HERE IN A FASHION THAT COMPORTS WITH WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT FROM
WITH WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT FROM THE PREEMINENT LAW ENFORCEMENT
THE PREEMINENT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN THE NATION TASKED WITH
AGENCY IN THE NATION TASKED WITH THIS VERY SACRED AND DELICATE
THIS VERY SACRED AND DELICATE TRUST UNDER THE STATUTE.
TRUST UNDER THE STATUTE. AND THE ANSWER SO THAT QUESTION
AND THE ANSWER SO THAT QUESTION IS, NO, THE BUREAU’S CONDUCT
IS, NO, THE BUREAU’S CONDUCT HERE IS SIMPLY NOT WHAT WE
HERE IS SIMPLY NOT WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT FROM THE FBI IN AN
SHOULD EXPECT FROM THE FBI IN AN INVESTIGATION OF, YOU KNOW,
INVESTIGATION OF, YOU KNOW, CARTER PAGE OR AN INVESTIGATION
CARTER PAGE OR AN INVESTIGATION OF SOME UNNAMED MUSLIM AMERICAN
OF SOME UNNAMED MUSLIM AMERICAN WHO MIGHT -- THERE MIGHT BE
WHO MIGHT -- THERE MIGHT BE SUSPICIONS IS CONNECTED WITH,
SUSPICIONS IS CONNECTED WITH, YOU KNOW, A FOREIGN TERRORIST
YOU KNOW, A FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.
ORGANIZATION. FISA IS A REALLY DELICATE
FISA IS A REALLY DELICATE INSTRUMENT AND WE SHOULD DEMAND
INSTRUMENT AND WE SHOULD DEMAND MORE OF THE FBI IN THE CONDUCT
MORE OF THE FBI IN THE CONDUCT AND PREPARATION OF FISA
AND PREPARATION OF FISA APPLICATIONS THAN WE SAW IN THIS
APPLICATIONS THAN WE SAW IN THIS CASE.
CASE. AND SO I THINK YOU’RE EXACTLY
AND SO I THINK YOU’RE EXACTLY RIGHT THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO
