GOOD IDEA?
>> THAT WOULD BE A DOG AND PONY
SHOW.
>> I THINK IT’S IN HIS BEST
INTEREST NOT TO TESTIFY.
>> SENATOR BLUMENTHAL, TESTIFY
OR NOT TESTIFY, DONALD TRUMP?
>> WELL, WHAT YOU HEARD IN THAT
LAST COMMENT IS ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT.
IT CERTAINLY IS IN HIS INTEREST
NOT TO TESTIFY.
HE HAS A VERY SORT OF SLIGHT
CONNECTION TO THE TRUTH.
HE WILL PROBABLY LIE.
HE WILL IMPLICATE HIMSELF IN
THAT KIND OF CRIME, LYING TO THE
UNITED STATES SENATE, AND JUST
DIG HIMSELF DEEPER.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IF THE
HOUSE MANAGERS WANT HIM TO
TESTIFY, I WOULD SUPPORT A
SUBPOENA.
I THINK IT WILL NOT COME TO THAT
BECAUSE THE HOUSE MANAGERS HAVE
INDICATED THEY ARE NOT INTENT ON
HIS TESTIFYING.
I THINK THEIR DEFENSE IS GOING
TO BE THIS FALSE EQUIVALENCE
WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY ABSURD
BETWEEN BLACK LIVES MATTER,
WHICH IN SOME INSTANCES RESULTED
IN SOME SPORADIC AND INFREQUENT
VIOLENCE.
IN NO WAY DOMESTIC TERRORISM.
AND ON THE OTHER HAND, TRUMP
INCITEMENT WHICH WAS PURPOSEFUL
AND INTENTIONAL.
HIS TESTIFYING, I THINK, WOULD
SIMPLY RE-EMPHASIZE HIS GUILTY
INTENT.
WHILE IT’S NOT IN HIS INTEREST,
I THINK IT WOULD BE, IN FACT, AN
ADDITIONAL PIECE OF EVIDENCE
THAT WOULD -- IN THE
PROSECUTION.
>> CONGRESSMAN JEFFRIES, WHAT DO
YOU MAKE OF THE NOTION THAT
DONALD TRUMP’S DEFENSE IS GOING
TO BE SAYING, WELL, THE BLACK
LIVES MATTER PROTESTS, THEY WERE
VIOLENT AND SO WHY AREN’T THEY
BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE?
TO ME IS ABSOLUTELY, PATENTLY
RIDICULOUS, BUT WHAT DO I KNOW.
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
>> WELL, IT’S ABSOLUTELY
RIDICULOUS, BUT IT’S NOT
SURPRISEING AS THE SENATOR
INDICATED.
IT’S A FALSE EQUIVALENT.
AND I BELIEVE IT WILL BE AN
ATTEMPT TO ENGAGE IN VICIOUS
RACE BAITING.
THE NOTION THAT YOU ARE GOING TO
EQUATE SOME SPORADIC INSTANCES
OF CIVIL UNREST IN SOME CASES
RESULTING IN INJURY AND
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY, BUT AS
YOU POINTED OUT, JONATHAN, 93%
OF THE PROTESTS WERE PEACEFUL
AND CONSISTENT WITH THE FIRST
AMENDMENT FREEDOM OF SPEECH,
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, FREEDOM
OF ASSEMBLY AND THE RIGHT TO
PETITION YOUR GOVERNMENT.
HOW CAN YOU COMPARE THAT TO A
VIOLENT ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL
WHERE THE PRESIDENT AT THE TIME
SUMMONED THE MOB TO WASHINGTON,
D.C., THEN INCITED THE MOB AND
THEN DIRECTED THE MOB TO MARCH
ON THE CAPITOL AS PART OF AN
INSURRECTION TO HALT THE
PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER,
UNDERMINE OUR DEMOCRACY AND
RESULTING IN THE DEATHS OF
SEVERAL AMERICANS, INCLUDING
OFFICER SICKNICK.
THE TWO CANNOT BE COMPARED, AND
IT SHOWS THE WEAKNESS OF THE
ARGUMENT THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP
SHOULD BE ACQUITTED.
HE SHOULD NOT.
HE SHOULD BE CONVICTED.