MSNBC "The Beat with Ari Melber" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Jerry Nadler

Interview

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MELBER: I`m joined by the ranking member of the judiciary committee,  Congressman Jerry Nadler. He has been defending Rosenstein in the face of  House Republicans calls for impeachment and warn Trump any action against  Rosenstein would have severe consequences.

That was based on the facts that you knew then. Does anything in "The New  York Times" report which includes a Rosenstein denial change your view  tonight, sir?

JERRY NADLER: Absolutely not. As you know, we don`t really know what went  on. There`s one account, there`s denials, but here`s what we do know. We  know that Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein is the lead person in charge  of the investigation into the president for colluding with the Russians and  trying to rig an American election. We know that he`s supervising Special  Counsel Mueller. We know that he was instrumental in initiating the  investigation into the president for obstruction of justice. We know the  president has told us he has wanted to get rid of Rosenstein essentially to  get rid of that investigation.

And if he were to move against Rosenstein now on any pretext, that would  certainly be further evidence of his participation in obstruction of  justice because it would clearly be designed to interfere with the  independents and maybe the existence of the essential investigations.

MELBER: You say that and added to that is the fact that Donald Trump`s own  views of Rosenstein have changed a lot. His Lester Holt interview is known  for his comments about his thoughts in firing James Comey, but he also used  that appearance to praise Rod Rosenstein. Take a look.

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MELBER: Is your view that Donald Trump`s opinion of Rod Rosenstein has  only changed when he backed up Bob Mueller`s investigation?

NADLER: Absolutely. He has backed up Bob Mueller`s investigation. He has  not constrained it and he has backed it up. And the president has made  very clear he doesn`t like that investigation. He calls it a witch hunt.  He`s done everything to sabotage it. And if he can get away it and if he  thinks he can get away with it, he will fire Rosenstein in order to  sabotage the investigation, which is an essential investigation into the  integrity of our elections, the integrity of our democratic system and into  the president`s possible obstruction of justice. This would be more  evidence of an ongoing obstruction of justice. And everything would have  to be on the table in January.

MELBER: I want to read to you breaking news via Twitter, Congressman, not  to catch you off guard but as you know, things are moving quickly. And  this comes from your colleagues on your own House judiciary committee which states, "I intend to subpoena `McCabe memos` and all other documents that have been requested and not provided and links, of course to this "New York Times" story."

As you know and I`m sure you can walk our audience through it, this picks  up on the debate over documentation that Republicans have sought in which  some of them claim would make the DOJ look bad or undermine the  independence of the Russia probe. Your response to that call, which I say  is from the official house judiciary committee account?

NADLER: Well, some of the people on the House judiciary committee,  including unfortunately the chairman now, have been doing what they can to  undermine the investigation, to sabotage it. Essentially, by calling for  and threatening the impeachment of Rosenstein and other people if they  don`t do it, by calling for the unsealing, the publication of secret  documents for an ongoing criminal investigation, which is never done.
The president even did that. He backed off on that the other day, or today  rather, because he was told, no uncertain terms, by high ranking people and  I`m told by the British that this would result in revelation of sources and  this would result in people being killed. And apparently, he doesn`t want  to face it. But some of the people on the judiciary committee and the  Republican side want to do anything to sabotage this investigation and it`s  highly irresponsible and very dangerous.

MELBER: Well, that`s very interesting getting your direct response to that  and your view of "The New York Times" story is more important for what it  does and say which is that there`s an effort to get Rod Rosenstein then for  what it does which is --

NADLER: Well, first of all, it doesn`t allege that anything was done.

MELBER: Right.

NADLER: And it is clearly part of -- all of this is now just a pretext to  get rid of Rosenstein and to sabotage the investigation.

MELBER: And that is, I think, where the big conversation going. We have  up on the screen some of the conflicting accounts, "The Times" version,  Rosenstein denies and our own reporting as I mentioned earlier on the show  puts the same alleged comments in a very different light.

Congressman Jerry Nadler, thank you so much for giving us some time  tonight.

We turn next to Donald Trump reverting to form and attacking Judge Brett  Kavanaugh`s accuser. I have a special set of guests when we`re back in 30  seconds.

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