MSNBC "The Beat with Ari Melber" - Trump Administration

Interview

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MELBER: Pruitt joins this list of Trump officials that range from Tom  Price to Ben Carson to Jared Kushner under fire for what is still probably  the swampiest thing you can do abuse your office for personal game.

I`m joined now by Don Fox. He was the acting director of the office of  government ethics and New York congressman Hakeem Jeffries.

First question to both of you starting with Hakeem, based on what we have  learned, should Scott Pruitt get this potential promotion to DOJ, stay in  his job or resign in your view, congressman?

REP, HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D), NEW YORK: He should either resigned or he should  be fired. I mean, you are talking about exhibit A of the fact that a  President who promised to drain the swamp has brought us an administration  that effectively has become the swamp. And there`s no reason to have any  degree of confidence that Scott Pruitt will be a thoughtful steward of  taxpayer dollars. He is flying around the country with unnecessary  security details, flying first class in some instances, using private jets  in other instances. Basically trading on his position to negotiate  sweetheart deals with lobbyists in order to dramatically reduce his costs  of staying in a luxury condominium in Washington, D.C. I mean, the fact,  Ari, that Donald Trump would even consider promoting such an individual is  just the classic embodiment of the dysfunction that has been this  administration since day one.

MELBER: Why do you think he would want Pruitt at DOJ?

JEFFRIES: Well, I think from my perspective, it all stems from the fact  that clearly Donald Trump above all else, including the rule of law prides  himself on loyalty. And he fundamentally doesn`t understand that the  attorney general of the United States is not his personal lawyer.

MELBER: Right.

JEFFRIES: The attorney general is a lawyer for the people of this great  country.

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