MSNBC "All in with Chris Hayes" - Transcript: Russian Investigation
Interview
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MATTHEWS: Let`s get to that story that just broke, that special counsel Robert Mueller has evidence that Trump`s personally attorney Michael Cohen secretly made a late summer trip to Prague during the 2016 campaign. That`s according to McClatchy news service and two sources familiar with the matter.
U.S. Congressman Joaquin Castro is a Texas Democrat and a member of the House Intelligence Committee. He joins us by phone.
Congressman Castro, this is a case where there was alleged actions by Michael Cohen, the president`s fixer, lawyer, whatever you call him. He did this kind of stuff, secret stuff for the president. And one of the things alleged, that he had something to do with working with the hackers over in London, over in Europe, the Russians.
How do you put it together?
REP. JOAQUIN CASTRO (D), TEXAS: This is -- I just got off a plane in San Antonio and I saw the news.
And if it`s true, if Bob Mueller has found this out and confirmed it, it is a big liability for Michael Cohen. He has denied all along and certainly did not tell the House Intelligence Committee that he traveled to Prague, completely denied any kind of incident like that.
So there is legal liability for him if this is true.
MATTHEWS: What do you see here in collusion terms, Russian collusion with the president?
CASTRO: Well, it seems like a key element like this, if he was dishonest about that, then really their story very much starts to fall apart.
And it means that there`s a lot more digging that needs to be done. Hopefully, Bob Mueller is doing it. But it also speaks to the fact that the House Intelligence Committee should not have shut down its investigation, and really needs to reopen it.
And, hopefully, the Senate can continue on this trail.
MATTHEWS: Do you any hope that when Nunes, the chairman of your committee, finds out that there was a meeting in Prague and perhaps involving the Russians and support -- financial support of their hacking, it could go all the way, with the dossier suggesting that, do you believe that that would mean Nunes would actually become chairman in fact, not just in theory, and actually would do something with this story?
(CROSSTALK)
MATTHEWS: Would he reopen -- would he actually -- do you have any hope? In percentage terms, between zero and 100 percent, what chance do you think Nunes will reopen the investigation of the Russian collusion based on now this evidence that there was such collusion?
CASTRO: I would put it at about 10 percent.
MATTHEWS: Yes.
CASTRO: Unfortunately, Devin -- most rational, reasonable people would absolutely do that, but Devin, unfortunately, has not conducted his investigation or himself in that way.
MATTHEWS: Yes. I think he`s become a toady. That`s my words, not yours.
Thank you, Congressman Joaquin Castro of Texas, a member of the House Intelligence Committee.
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