WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:02.135 SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING TO BE OBVIOUSLY INHERENTLY 00:02.136 --> 00:02.569 OBVIOUSLY INHERENTLY CONTROVERSIAL. 00:02.570 --> 00:03.336 CONTROVERSIAL. WHEN IT CAME TO THE DECISION TO 00:03.337 --> 00:04.070 WHEN IT CAME TO THE DECISION TO MAKE PUBLIC DISCLOSURES ABOUT 00:04.104 --> 00:05.371 MAKE PUBLIC DISCLOSURES ABOUT THE STATUS OF THAT 00:05.373 --> 00:07.341 THE STATUS OF THAT INVESTIGATION, DIRECTOR COMEY 00:07.375 --> 00:09.075 INVESTIGATION, DIRECTOR COMEY CRITICIZING SECRETARY CLINTON 00:09.077 --> 00:10.343 CRITICIZING SECRETARY CLINTON EVEN AS HE WAS ANNOUNCING THERE 00:10.344 --> 00:11.845 EVEN AS HE WAS ANNOUNCING THERE WEREN’T GOING TO BE 00:11.846 --> 00:13.046 WEREN’T GOING TO BE PROSECUTIONS, DID YOU HAVE ANY 00:13.047 --> 00:14.881 PROSECUTIONS, DID YOU HAVE ANY ROLE IN THAT OR DID YOU HAVE 00:14.916 --> 00:16.516 ROLE IN THAT OR DID YOU HAVE STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT THAT AT 00:16.551 --> 00:17.083 STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT THAT AT THE TIME? 00:17.118 --> 00:18.117 THE TIME? >> I DID. 00:18.152 --> 00:18.985 >> I DID. I DID. 00:18.986 --> 00:20.387 I DID. I WAS DEFINITELY PART OF THE 00:20.421 --> 00:22.088 I WAS DEFINITELY PART OF THE GROUP DIRECTOR COMEY WAS 00:22.090 --> 00:24.457 GROUP DIRECTOR COMEY WAS CONSULTING ON WHAT TO DO, AND 00:24.492 --> 00:25.792 CONSULTING ON WHAT TO DO, AND ULTIMATELY I LARGELY SUPPORTED 00:25.827 --> 00:26.259 ULTIMATELY I LARGELY SUPPORTED HIS DECISION. 00:26.294 --> 00:27.594 HIS DECISION. THIS WAS NOT A TYPICAL 00:27.595 --> 00:27.994 THIS WAS NOT A TYPICAL INVESTIGATION. 00:28.029 --> 00:28.895 INVESTIGATION. THIS WAS NOT AN INVESTIGATION 00:28.896 --> 00:32.899 THIS WAS NOT AN INVESTIGATION WHERE THE SUBJECT WAS SECRET AND 00:32.900 --> 00:34.134 WHERE THE SUBJECT WAS SECRET AND NOBODY KNEW THIS INVESTIGATION 00:34.168 --> 00:35.201 NOBODY KNEW THIS INVESTIGATION WAS UNDER WAY. 00:35.203 --> 00:37.371 WAS UNDER WAY. EVERYONE KNEW SHE WAS UNDER 00:37.372 --> 00:37.804 EVERYONE KNEW SHE WAS UNDER INVESTIGATION. 00:37.806 --> 00:38.772 INVESTIGATION. PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS CEASE SLY 00:38.773 --> 00:40.407 PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS CEASE SLY ASKING TO LOCK HER UP AT ONE OF 00:40.408 --> 00:43.510 ASKING TO LOCK HER UP AT ONE OF HIS RALLIES, SO THE NOTION WE 00:43.544 --> 00:44.878 HIS RALLIES, SO THE NOTION WE WOULD SAY NOTHING WRRPT TO 00:44.913 --> 00:46.313 WOULD SAY NOTHING WRRPT TO CHOOSING NOT TO CHARGE HER EVEN 00:46.314 --> 00:48.415 CHOOSING NOT TO CHARGE HER EVEN THOUGH EVERY PERSON ON THE TEAM 00:48.449 --> 00:51.184 THOUGH EVERY PERSON ON THE TEAM UNIFORMLY AGREED THAT THERE WAS 00:51.219 --> 00:52.819 UNIFORMLY AGREED THAT THERE WAS NO PROSECUTABLE CASE, THAT WAS 00:52.854 --> 00:53.586 NO PROSECUTABLE CASE, THAT WAS TRUE AT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, 00:53.621 --> 00:55.021 TRUE AT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, THAT WAS TRUE AT THE FBI, SO WE 00:55.023 --> 00:57.891 THAT WAS TRUE AT THE FBI, SO WE ALL AGREED WE NEEDED TO SAY 00:57.893 --> 00:58.225 ALL AGREED WE NEEDED TO SAY SOMETHING. 00:58.259 --> 01:03.497 SOMETHING. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN VARYING 01:03.531 --> 01:06.033 THERE MAY HAVE BEEN VARYING DIFFERENCES INTO HOW MUCH, BUT 01:06.034 --> 01:07.034 DIFFERENCES INTO HOW MUCH, BUT THERE WASN’T DISAGREEMENT ON 01:07.035 --> 01:08.135 THERE WASN’T DISAGREEMENT ON WHAT TO SAY. 01:08.169 --> 01:09.770 WHAT TO SAY. >> AND YOU ULTIMATELY ENDED UP 01:09.804 --> 01:11.238 >> AND YOU ULTIMATELY ENDED UP WORKING ON THE RUSSIA 01:11.272 --> 01:13.006 WORKING ON THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION DEEPER INTO 2016. 01:13.041 --> 01:14.942 INVESTIGATION DEEPER INTO 2016. OBVIOUSLY YOU WERE ONE OF THE 01:14.976 --> 01:15.776 OBVIOUSLY YOU WERE ONE OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE JUSTICE 01:15.810 --> 01:17.244 PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FBI IN SUCH A 01:17.245 --> 01:19.747 DEPARTMENT AND THE FBI IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU KNEW A LOT ABOUT 01:19.748 --> 01:20.848 WAY THAT YOU KNEW A LOT ABOUT BOTH OF THOSE CASES. 01:20.849 --> 01:22.449 BOTH OF THOSE CASES. DID YOU AND THE OTHER PEOPLE 01:22.484 --> 01:24.017 DID YOU AND THE OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THOSE TWO CASES 01:24.052 --> 01:30.357 INVOLVED IN THOSE TWO CASES STRUGGLE AT ALL WITH THIS 01:30.358 --> 01:32.459 STRUGGLE AT ALL WITH THIS DISCONTINUITY THAT THE CLINTON 01:32.460 --> 01:33.661 DISCONTINUITY THAT THE CLINTON INVESTIGATION FOR REASONS YOU 01:33.695 --> 01:35.129 INVESTIGATION FOR REASONS YOU JUST DESCRIBED WERE DISCLOSED TO 01:35.163 --> 01:40.868 JUST DESCRIBED WERE DISCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC HAD A HUGE POLITICAL 01:40.869 --> 01:43.370 THE PUBLIC HAD A HUGE POLITICAL IMPACT WHEREAS THAT WAS A LIVE 01:43.372 --> 01:45.672 IMPACT WHEREAS THAT WAS A LIVE VERY PROVOCATIVE DISTURBING 01:45.674 --> 01:46.474 VERY PROVOCATIVE DISTURBING INVESTIGATION INTO THE TRUMP 01:46.508 --> 01:50.111 INVESTIGATION INTO THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AS WELL AND THAT WAS 01:50.145 --> 01:50.978 CAMPAIGN AS WELL AND THAT WAS KEPT PRIVATE. 01:51.013 --> 01:53.013 KEPT PRIVATE. >> THE TWO INVESTIGATIONS 01:53.048 --> 01:54.482 >> THE TWO INVESTIGATIONS COULDN’T BE LESS SIMILAR. 01:54.516 --> 01:55.516 COULDN’T BE LESS SIMILAR. IN THE CLINTON INVESTIGATION 01:55.550 --> 01:57.485 IN THE CLINTON INVESTIGATION YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT HISTORICAL 01:57.519 --> 02:00.855 YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT HISTORICAL EVENTS THREE YEARS PRIOR, HER 02:00.889 --> 02:03.991 EVENTS THREE YEARS PRIOR, HER USE OF A PRIVATE E-MAIL SERVER 02:03.992 --> 02:04.758 USE OF A PRIVATE E-MAIL SERVER THAT WAS PUBLIC INVESTIGATION 02:04.760 --> 02:08.062 THAT WAS PUBLIC INVESTIGATION EVERYBODY KNEW ABOUT. 02:08.063 --> 02:08.696 EVERYBODY KNEW ABOUT. WITH RESPECT TO THE RUSSIA 02:08.730 --> 02:09.397 WITH RESPECT TO THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION WE’RE TALKING 02:09.398 --> 02:10.198 INVESTIGATION WE’RE TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO INVESTIGATE WHAT 02:10.199 --> 02:12.700 ABOUT TRYING TO INVESTIGATE WHAT AN INCREDIBLY HOSTILE FOREIGN 02:12.702 --> 02:13.968 AN INCREDIBLY HOSTILE FOREIGN GOVERNMENT MAY BE DOING TO 02:14.002 --> 02:15.103 GOVERNMENT MAY BE DOING TO INTERFERE IN OUR ELECTION. 02:15.136 --> 02:17.405 INTERFERE IN OUR ELECTION. WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER 02:17.406 --> 02:18.973 WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER WAS, AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN 02:19.007 --> 02:22.510 WAS, AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DEEPLY PREJUDICE AND UNFAIR TO 02:22.511 --> 02:23.277 DEEPLY PREJUDICE AND UNFAIR TO CANDIDATE TRUMP TO SAY ANYTHING 02:23.278 --> 02:24.278 CANDIDATE TRUMP TO SAY ANYTHING ON WHAT WE NEED HAPPENED. 02:24.279 --> 02:26.213 ON WHAT WE NEED HAPPENED. >> IN TERMS OF THE WAY THIS 02:26.215 --> 02:29.717 >> IN TERMS OF THE WAY THIS PLAYED OUT ULTIMATELY YOU’VE 02:29.752 --> 02:31.519 PLAYED OUT ULTIMATELY YOU’VE BECOME A POST CHILD WITH SEVERAL 02:31.520 --> 02:33.921 BECOME A POST CHILD WITH SEVERAL OF YOUR COLLEAGUES ON THESE 02:33.922 --> 02:34.655 OF YOUR COLLEAGUES ON THESE CLAIMS FROM THE PRESIDENT AND 02:34.690 --> 02:36.724 CLAIMS FROM THE PRESIDENT AND NOW INCREASE LAGLY FROM THE 02:36.759 --> 02:39.160 NOW INCREASE LAGLY FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THAT THE 02:39.194 --> 02:39.927 ATTORNEY GENERAL THAT THE TRUMP-RUSSIA INVESTIGATION WAS 02:39.929 --> 02:41.529 TRUMP-RUSSIA INVESTIGATION WAS COOKED UP ON THE BASIS OF FALSE 02:41.531 --> 02:43.031 COOKED UP ON THE BASIS OF FALSE ALLEGATIONS OR EVEN SOME 02:43.065 --> 02:44.199 ALLEGATIONS OR EVEN SOME CONSPIRACY SPECIFICALLY TO HURT 02:44.233 --> 02:47.802 CONSPIRACY SPECIFICALLY TO HURT HIS CHANCE OF GETTING ELECTED. 02:47.803 --> 02:49.437 HIS CHANCE OF GETTING ELECTED. NOW, OF COURSE THE PROBLEM THERE 02:49.438 --> 02:50.939 NOW, OF COURSE THE PROBLEM THERE IS NO ONE IN THE COUNTRY KNEW 02:50.973 --> 02:51.873 IS NO ONE IN THE COUNTRY KNEW ABOUT THAT INVESTIGATION BEFORE 02:51.907 --> 02:53.741 ABOUT THAT INVESTIGATION BEFORE PEOPLE HAD THE CHANCE TO VOTE ON 02:53.776 --> 02:54.008 PEOPLE HAD THE CHANCE TO VOTE ON HIM. 02:54.043 --> 02:57.412 HIM. AND I MEAN JUST AN AS OBSERVER I 02:57.413 --> 02:59.848 AND I MEAN JUST AN AS OBSERVER I FIND THAT FLABBERGASTING. 02:59.849 --> 03:01.449 FIND THAT FLABBERGASTING. MOW DOES IT STRIKE YOU AND 03:01.451 --> 03:02.450 MOW DOES IT STRIKE YOU AND COMPART WITH YOUR UNDERSTANDING 03:02.484 --> 03:04.452 COMPART WITH YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS GIVEN WHAT YOU 03:04.453 --> 03:04.819 OF THE PROCESS GIVEN WHAT YOU DESCRIBED? 03:04.854 --> 03:06.154 DESCRIBED? >> THERE IS NO ONE ON THIS SET 03:06.189 --> 03:08.823 >> THERE IS NO ONE ON THIS SET OF FACTS WHO HAS ANY EXPERIENCE 03:08.858 --> 03:09.557 OF FACTS WHO HAS ANY EXPERIENCE IN COUNTER INTELLIGENCE WHO 03:09.559 --> 03:10.458 IN COUNTER INTELLIGENCE WHO WOULD NOT HAVE MADE THE EXACT 03:10.459 --> 03:11.259 WOULD NOT HAVE MADE THE EXACT SAME DECISION. 03:11.293 --> 03:13.561 SAME DECISION. THIS IS A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER 03:13.562 --> 03:14.829 THIS IS A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER RUSSIA IS WORKING A UNITED 03:14.864 --> 03:16.831 RUSSIA IS WORKING A UNITED STATES PERSON TO INTERFERE IN 03:16.833 --> 03:17.565 STATES PERSON TO INTERFERE IN OUR ELECTION. 03:17.567 --> 03:19.534 OUR ELECTION. WE WERE OBLIGATED TO FIGURE OUT 03:19.536 --> 03:20.669 WE WERE OBLIGATED TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER THAT WAS TRUE OR NOT AND 03:20.703 --> 03:22.671 WHETHER THAT WAS TRUE OR NOT AND TO FIGURE OUT WHO MIGHT BE IN A 03:22.672 --> 03:26.208 TO FIGURE OUT WHO MIGHT BE IN A POSITION TO PROVIDE THAT 03:26.242 --> 03:26.641 POSITION TO PROVIDE THAT ASSISTANCE. 03:26.642 --> 03:28.376 ASSISTANCE. >> IN TERMS OF THE CRITIQUE THAT 03:28.410 --> 03:31.713 >> IN TERMS OF THE CRITIQUE THAT I JUST IMPLICITLY MADE IF HAD 03:31.748 --> 03:33.348 I JUST IMPLICITLY MADE IF HAD BEEN SOME SORT OF CONSPIRACY 03:33.350 --> 03:36.084 BEEN SOME SORT OF CONSPIRACY AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP, THAT 03:36.118 --> 03:37.519 AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP, THAT COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN LEAKED TO 03:37.553 --> 03:39.988 COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN LEAKED TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SO PEOPLE 03:39.989 --> 03:41.089 THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SO PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT WHEN THEY WEBSITE 03:41.090 --> 03:43.658 KNOW ABOUT IT WHEN THEY WEBSITE TO THE POLLS. 03:43.660 --> 03:45.861 TO THE POLLS. >> WE WERE CAREFUL NOT TO DO 03:45.862 --> 03:48.397 >> WE WERE CAREFUL NOT TO DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD ALLOW THIS 03:48.398 --> 03:49.164 ANYTHING THAT WOULD ALLOW THIS INFORMATION TO GET OUT BEFORE WE 03:49.165 --> 03:49.698 INFORMATION TO GET OUT BEFORE WE KNEW WHAT WE HAD. 03:49.699 --> 03:52.401 KNEW WHAT WE HAD. >> YOU DESCRIBED AS I MENTIONED 03:52.435 --> 03:54.336 >> YOU DESCRIBED AS I MENTIONED THE SORT OF SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS 03:54.370 --> 03:55.971 THE SORT OF SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS AROUND THE CLINTON 03:55.972 --> 03:56.972 AROUND THE CLINTON INVESTIGATION, THAT EVERYBODY 03:56.973 --> 04:00.776 INVESTIGATION, THAT EVERYBODY INVOLVED WAS CONSCIENCE 04:00.777 --> 04:02.010 INVOLVED WAS CONSCIENCE EVERYTHING GOING TO BE DONE WAS 04:02.045 --> 04:04.079 EVERYTHING GOING TO BE DONE WAS GOING TO BE SCRUTINIZED. 04:04.113 --> 04:07.215 GOING TO BE SCRUTINIZED. THAT INTICIPATORY SCRUTINY 04:07.217 --> 04:08.917 THAT INTICIPATORY SCRUTINY SEEMED TO DRIVE DISCLOSURE IN 04:08.919 --> 04:11.920 SEEMED TO DRIVE DISCLOSURE IN TERMS OF WHAT BLOW BACK THE FBI 04:11.921 --> 04:12.821 TERMS OF WHAT BLOW BACK THE FBI WOULD GET. 04:12.855 --> 04:14.423 WOULD GET. GIVEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED 04:14.424 --> 04:15.958 GIVEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED ULTIMATELY TO EVERYONE WHO WAS 04:15.992 --> 04:17.426 ULTIMATELY TO EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THAT RUSSIA 04:17.427 --> 04:18.627 INVOLVED IN THAT RUSSIA INVESTIGATION DO YOU LOOK BACK 04:18.628 --> 04:22.631 INVESTIGATION DO YOU LOOK BACK NOW AND RECOGNIZE ANY OF THE 04:22.632 --> 04:23.332 NOW AND RECOGNIZE ANY OF THE SAME SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS ABOUT 04:23.366 --> 04:23.699 SAME SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS ABOUT THAT? 04:23.733 --> 04:25.935 THAT? IS IT THE SAME SENSE THIS 04:25.969 --> 04:27.069 IS IT THE SAME SENSE THIS SCRUTINY OR BLOW BACK WAS GOING 04:27.103 --> 04:29.037 SCRUTINY OR BLOW BACK WAS GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO BEAR ON ALL OF 04:29.039 --> 04:29.305 TO BE BROUGHT TO BEAR ON ALL OF YOU? 04:29.306 --> 04:31.240 YOU? >> I WOULDN’T CHARACTERIZE IT 04:31.241 --> 04:33.542 >> I WOULDN’T CHARACTERIZE IT THAT WAY BECAUSE THIS WAS A 04:33.543 --> 04:35.511 THAT WAY BECAUSE THIS WAS A COUNTER INTELLIGENCE 04:35.512 --> 04:37.746 COUNTER INTELLIGENCE INVESTIGATION FIRST AND 04:37.748 --> 04:38.113 INVESTIGATION FIRST AND FOREMOST. 04:38.114 --> 04:40.148 FOREMOST. IT’S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THIS 04:40.150 --> 04:41.717 IT’S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THIS INVESTIGATION COULD HAVE ENDED 04:41.718 --> 04:43.719 INVESTIGATION COULD HAVE ENDED THAT WAY HAD NOTHING BEEN FOUND, 04:43.720 --> 04:46.555 THAT WAY HAD NOTHING BEEN FOUND, ALL THERE BEEN NO RELATIONSHIP 04:46.556 --> 04:48.624 ALL THERE BEEN NO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PEOPLE ON THE TRUMP 04:48.625 --> 04:50.459 BETWEEN PEOPLE ON THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND PEOPLE IN RUSSIA. 04:50.494 --> 04:51.927 CAMPAIGN AND PEOPLE IN RUSSIA. IT’S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THIS 04:51.962 --> 04:53.963 IT’S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THIS COULD HAVE EARE MAINED A SECRET 04:53.964 --> 04:55.665 COULD HAVE EARE MAINED A SECRET INVESTIGATION FOR THEERARY 04:55.699 --> 04:57.700 INVESTIGATION FOR THEERARY REASON YOU COULDN’T REMAIN 04:57.734 --> 04:59.668 REASON YOU COULDN’T REMAIN UNPREJUDICED IF YOU DIDN’T FIND 04:59.670 --> 05:01.370 UNPREJUDICED IF YOU DIDN’T FIND SPECIFIC CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE 05:01.372 --> 05:02.471 SPECIFIC CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND MEMBERS 05:02.472 --> 05:04.840 RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND MEMBERS OF THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN. 05:04.841 --> 05:07.109 OF THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN. THAT’S ULTIMATELY NOT WHAT