>>> WELCOME BACK AND WHAT WE

>>> WELCOME BACK AND WHAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE THE TOP STORY

THOUGHT WOULD BE THE TOP STORY OF THE DAY AND IN SOME WAYS IT

OF THE DAY AND IN SOME WAYS IT MAY HAVE HELPED DRIVE THE STOP

MAY HAVE HELPED DRIVE THE STOP STORY OF THE DAY.

STORY OF THE DAY. U.S. AMBASSADOR GORDON SONDLAND.

U.S. AMBASSADOR GORDON SONDLAND. DESPITE THE PRESIDENT URGING

DESPITE THE PRESIDENT URGING THEM, IN SOME WAYS BEGGING THEM

THEM, IN SOME WAYS BEGGING THEM NOT TO COOPERATE.

NOT TO COOPERATE. DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN PETER

DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN PETER WELCH IS ON THE INTELLIGENCE AND

WELCH IS ON THE INTELLIGENCE AND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES.

OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES. HE'S BEEN IN THE ROOM FOR MUCH

HE'S BEEN IN THE ROOM FOR MUCH OF SONDLAND'S TESTIMONY TODAY.

OF SONDLAND'S TESTIMONY TODAY. AND JUST FROM THE LETTER, FROM

AND JUST FROM THE LETTER, FROM THE OPENING STATEMENT THAT

THE OPENING STATEMENT THAT THE -- THAT WAS MADE PUBLIC,

THE -- THAT WAS MADE PUBLIC, CONGRESSMAN WELCH, I WANT TO PUT

CONGRESSMAN WELCH, I WANT TO PUT UP WHAT HE SAID ABOUT HIS --

UP WHAT HE SAID ABOUT HIS -- ABOUT THE PHONE CONVERSATION

ABOUT THE PHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE PRESIDENT.

WITH THE PRESIDENT. AND START OUR QUESTIONING FROM

AND START OUR QUESTIONING FROM THERE.

THERE. I CALLED PRESIDENT TRUMP

I CALLED PRESIDENT TRUMP DIRECTLY.

DIRECTLY. I ASKED THE PRESIDENT WHAT DO

I ASKED THE PRESIDENT WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM UKRAINE?

YOU WANT FROM UKRAINE? THE PRESIDENT RESPONDED NOTHING.

THE PRESIDENT RESPONDED NOTHING. THERE IS NO QUID PRO QUO.

THERE IS NO QUID PRO QUO. THE PRESIDENT REPEATED NO QUID

THE PRESIDENT REPEATED NO QUID PRO QUO MULTIPLE TIMES.

PRO QUO MULTIPLE TIMES. THIS WAS A VERY SHORT CALL AND I

THIS WAS A VERY SHORT CALL AND I RECALL THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS IN

RECALL THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS IN A BAD MOOD.

A BAD MOOD. CONGRESSMAN WELCH, GORDON

CONGRESSMAN WELCH, GORDON SONDLAND TODAY, DID HE PAINT A

SONDLAND TODAY, DID HE PAINT A PICTURE OF THE PRESIDENT CALLING

PICTURE OF THE PRESIDENT CALLING THE SHOTS HERE ON UKRAINE?

THE SHOTS HERE ON UKRAINE? OR OF RUDY GIULIANI CALLING THE

OR OF RUDY GIULIANI CALLING THE SHOTS HERE ON UKRAINE?

SHOTS HERE ON UKRAINE? >> WELL, AS YOU KNOW, HIS

>> WELL, AS YOU KNOW, HIS TESTIMONY IS CONTINUING BUT HIS

TESTIMONY IS CONTINUING BUT HIS OPENING STATEMENT WHICH IS

OPENING STATEMENT WHICH IS PUBLIC MADE IT VERY, VERY CLEAR

PUBLIC MADE IT VERY, VERY CLEAR THAT GIULIANI WAS IN CHARGE OF

THAT GIULIANI WAS IN CHARGE OF THE REAL UKRAINE POLICY.

THE REAL UKRAINE POLICY. IN SOME WAYS, SONDLAND WAS A

IN SOME WAYS, SONDLAND WAS A PERFECT PERSON TO BE THE

PERFECT PERSON TO BE THE AMBASSADOR BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY

AMBASSADOR BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY HE WAS A HUGE CONTRIBUTOR.

HE WAS A HUGE CONTRIBUTOR. HE GOT HIMSELF AN

HE GOT HIMSELF AN AMBASSADORSHIP.

AMBASSADORSHIP. HE KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT

HE KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT FOREIGN POLICY.

FOREIGN POLICY. SO HE ACTUALLY THOUGHT HE WAS

SO HE ACTUALLY THOUGHT HE WAS DOING THE PRESIDENT'S WORK ON

DOING THE PRESIDENT'S WORK ON UKRAINE AND IT WAS ONLY AFTER

UKRAINE AND IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE FACT WHEN HE READ ABOUT THE

THE FACT WHEN HE READ ABOUT THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE CALL AND HE

TRANSCRIPT OF THE CALL AND HE SAW SOME OF THOSE TEXTS THAT HE

SAW SOME OF THOSE TEXTS THAT HE REALIZED THAT WHAT REALLY RUDY

REALIZED THAT WHAT REALLY RUDY GIULIANI WAS DOING, WHO HE KNEW

GIULIANI WAS DOING, WHO HE KNEW WAS IN CHARGE, WAS NOT THE

WAS IN CHARGE, WAS NOT THE FOREIGN POLICY THAT HE THOUGHT

FOREIGN POLICY THAT HE THOUGHT HE WAS PURSUING WAS ABOUT.

HE WAS PURSUING WAS ABOUT. >> CONGRESSMAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE

>> CONGRESSMAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU THINK GORDON SONDLAND WAS

YOU THINK GORDON SONDLAND WAS DUPED BY THE PRESIDENT AND

DUPED BY THE PRESIDENT AND GIULIANI.

GIULIANI. >> HE WAS.

>> HE WAS. >> YOU THINK HE WAS DUPED.

>> YOU THINK HE WAS DUPED. YEAH.

YEAH. >> HE WAS THRILLED TO BE AN

>> HE WAS THRILLED TO BE AN AMBASSADOR.

AMBASSADOR. YOU KNOW, HE MADE HUGE

YOU KNOW, HE MADE HUGE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TRUMP

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND THERE IS A HISTORY

CAMPAIGN AND THERE IS A HISTORY IN THIS COUNTRY, REPUBLICANS AND

IN THIS COUNTRY, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS, OF PAYING OFF SOME

DEMOCRATS, OF PAYING OFF SOME CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS WITH AN

CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS WITH AN AMBASSADORSHIP.

AMBASSADORSHIP. SO HE HAD THE BEST OF

SO HE HAD THE BEST OF INTENTIONS.

INTENTIONS. I DON'T DOUBT THAT WHATSOEVER.

I DON'T DOUBT THAT WHATSOEVER. BUT HE, UNLIKE SOME OF THE

BUT HE, UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHERS, KNEW HOW FOREIGN POLICY

OTHERS, KNEW HOW FOREIGN POLICY WAS SUPPOSED TO WORK.

WAS SUPPOSED TO WORK. SO THEY HAD A KIND OF SKEPTICISM

SO THEY HAD A KIND OF SKEPTICISM THAT HE WASN'T ABLE TO BRING TO

THAT HE WASN'T ABLE TO BRING TO THE JOB.

THE JOB. SO HE WAS THRILLED TO BE ON THE

SO HE WAS THRILLED TO BE ON THE SCENE.

SCENE. HE THOUGHT HE WAS DOING WHAT HE

HE THOUGHT HE WAS DOING WHAT HE COULD TO ADVANCE AMERICA'S

COULD TO ADVANCE AMERICA'S INTEREST.

INTEREST. BUT WHAT HE DID KNOW WAS THAT IT

BUT WHAT HE DID KNOW WAS THAT IT WAS GIULIANI WHO HAD TO CALL THE

WAS GIULIANI WHO HAD TO CALL THE FINAL SHOTS, NOT HIM.

FINAL SHOTS, NOT HIM. >> WHAT WE LEARNED FROM MICK

>> WHAT WE LEARNED FROM MICK MULVANEY TODAY WHERE HE ADMITTED

MULVANEY TODAY WHERE HE ADMITTED TO AT LEAST ONE PART OF THE QUID

TO AT LEAST ONE PART OF THE QUID PRO QUO AND THAT THEY WERE

PRO QUO AND THAT THEY WERE ASKING FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO

ASKING FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE SERVER CONSPIRACY.

THE SERVER CONSPIRACY. IS THAT REAL-TIME DEVELOPMENT

IS THAT REAL-TIME DEVELOPMENT HAD AN IMPACT ON THE QUESTIONING

HAD AN IMPACT ON THE QUESTIONING OF MR. SONDLAND?

OF MR. SONDLAND? >> I'M NOT SURE IT WOULD HAVE

>> I'M NOT SURE IT WOULD HAVE MUCH AN IMPACT ON SONDLAND

MUCH AN IMPACT ON SONDLAND BECAUSE HE'S REALLY CONFIRMING

BECAUSE HE'S REALLY CONFIRMING WHAT WE KNOW.

WHAT WE KNOW. THAT THERE WAS THIS OFF THE

THAT THERE WAS THIS OFF THE BOOKS FORM

BOOKS FORM BOOKS FOREIGN POLICY THROUGH

BOOKS FOREIGN POLICY THROUGH GIULIANI.

GIULIANI. I THINK WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT

I THINK WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT MULVANEY IS THE EXPLOSIVE

ABOUT MULVANEY IS THE EXPLOSIVE NATURE OF WHAT HE SAID.

NATURE OF WHAT HE SAID. ESSENTIALLY, TODAY, AND IT WILL

ESSENTIALLY, TODAY, AND IT WILL BE REMEMBERED, THE WHITE HOUSE

BE REMEMBERED, THE WHITE HOUSE WENT FROM WE DIDN'T DO IT TO SO

WENT FROM WE DIDN'T DO IT TO SO WHAT IF WE DID?

WHAT IF WE DID? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

IT? THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHERE THEY

THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHERE THEY ARE NOW.

ARE NOW. AND WHAT THE PRESIDENT WITH HIS

AND WHAT THE PRESIDENT WITH HIS ADMISSION THROUGH MULVANEY IS

ADMISSION THROUGH MULVANEY IS TRYING TO DO IS SAY THIS IS WHAT

TRYING TO DO IS SAY THIS IS WHAT EVERYBODY DOES.

EVERYBODY DOES. BUT WHAT'S DIFFERENT IS, SURE,

BUT WHAT'S DIFFERENT IS, SURE, THERE'S NEGOTIATION IN FOREIGN

THERE'S NEGOTIATION IN FOREIGN POLICY.

POLICY. BUT THE GOAL IS THE NATIONAL

BUT THE GOAL IS THE NATIONAL SECURITY INTEREST OF THIS

SECURITY INTEREST OF THIS COUNTRY, NOT THE

COUNTRY, NOT THE PERSONAL/POLITICAL INTEREST OF

PERSONAL/POLITICAL INTEREST OF THE PRESIDENT WHO HAPPENS TO BE

THE PRESIDENT WHO HAPPENS TO BE OCCUPYING THE OVAL OFFICE.

OCCUPYING THE OVAL OFFICE. SO IT IS VERY, VERY SERIOUS AND

SO IT IS VERY, VERY SERIOUS AND IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL

IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL CHALLENGE I THINK TO MY

CHALLENGE I THINK TO MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES BECAUSE

REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT THE ADMISSION OF

YOU'VE GOT THE ADMISSION OF USING THE OFFICE OF THE

USING THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY IN A WAY THAT SUB

PRESIDENCY IN A WAY THAT SUB SUBVERTS NATIONAL SECURITY

SUBVERTS NATIONAL SECURITY INTEREST TO ADVANCE YOUR OWN

INTEREST TO ADVANCE YOUR OWN CAMPAIGN.

CAMPAIGN. >> HOW HAS SONDLAND BEEN TREATED

>> HOW HAS SONDLAND BEEN TREATED BY THE COMMITTEE?

BY THE COMMITTEE? DO YOU FEEL LIKE HE'S BEEN

DO YOU FEEL LIKE HE'S BEEN FORTHCOMING?

FORTHCOMING? YOU SOUND VERY EMPATHETIC TO HIM

YOU SOUND VERY EMPATHETIC TO HIM A BIT.

A BIT. WHEN DO YOU FEEL LIKE HE KNEW HE

WHEN DO YOU FEEL LIKE HE KNEW HE WAS BEING USED?

WAS BEING USED? >> I'M NOT SURE BECAUSE HE SAID

>> I'M NOT SURE BECAUSE HE SAID IN HIS OPENING STATEMENT, AS YOU

IN HIS OPENING STATEMENT, AS YOU KNOW, THAT IT WAS ALL AFTER THE

KNOW, THAT IT WAS ALL AFTER THE FACT IS WHEN THAT PUBLICATION,

FACT IS WHEN THAT PUBLICATION, THE PHONE CALL CAME OUT.

THE PHONE CALL CAME OUT. IT'S WHEN THOSE TEXTS CAME OUT.

IT'S WHEN THOSE TEXTS CAME OUT. SO IT WAS LIKE TOO OBVIOUS FOR

SO IT WAS LIKE TOO OBVIOUS FOR HIM TO IGNORE.

HIM TO IGNORE. BUT I GOT THE SENSE -- HE WAS

BUT I GOT THE SENSE -- HE WAS TREATED VERY NICELY BY THE

TREATED VERY NICELY BY THE REPUBLICANS AND BY THE

REPUBLICANS AND BY THE DEMOCRATS.

DEMOCRATS. YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT THE ARCHITECT

YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT THE ARCHITECT OF THIS.

OF THIS. HE WAS ON THE PERIPHERY OF IT.

HE WAS ON THE PERIPHERY OF IT. EVEN THOUGH HE WAS IN ON THESE

EVEN THOUGH HE WAS IN ON THESE MEETINGS, HE JUST DIDN'T

MEETINGS, HE JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT THE REAL MEETING

UNDERSTAND THAT THE REAL MEETING WAS IN THE ROOM NEXT DOOR.

WAS IN THE ROOM NEXT DOOR. >> HOW DO YOU GUYS PLAN TO GET

>> HOW DO YOU GUYS PLAN TO GET THE WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF,

THE WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF, ACTING OR OTHERWISE, TO TESTIFY?

ACTING OR OTHERWISE, TO TESTIFY? BECAUSE I'M GUESSING YOU'RE

BECAUSE I'M GUESSING YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO HEAR FROM MR.

GOING TO WANT TO HEAR FROM MR. MULVANEY NOW AND HE'S GOING TO

MULVANEY NOW AND HE'S GOING TO HAVE THAT POWERFUL EXECUTIVE

HAVE THAT POWERFUL EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE ARGUMENT TO MAKE.

PRIVILEGE ARGUMENT TO MAKE. HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK?

HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK? >> YOU KNOW, AS A PRACTICAL

>> YOU KNOW, AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, I THINK IF HE ASSERTS --

MATTER, I THINK IF HE ASSERTS -- IF THE PRESIDENT ASSERTS

IF THE PRESIDENT ASSERTS EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE, IT'S GOING

EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE, IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH TO OVERCOME.

TO BE TOUGH TO OVERCOME. BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST TAKE

BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST TAKE WHAT IS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

WHAT IS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. THE PRESIDENT'S RELEASE OF THE

THE PRESIDENT'S RELEASE OF THE TRANSCRIPT OF HIS CALL WITH THE

TRANSCRIPT OF HIS CALL WITH THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE.

PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE. MR. MULVANEY'S PRESS CONFERENCE

MR. MULVANEY'S PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY WHERE HE BASICALLY SAYS,

TODAY WHERE HE BASICALLY SAYS, SO WHAT?

SO WHAT? WE DID IT.

WE DID IT. THAT'S WHAT YOU DO.

THAT'S WHAT YOU DO. WELL, THAT'S NOT TRUE.

WELL, THAT'S NOT TRUE. THIS IS ILLEGAL CONDUCT THAT

THIS IS ILLEGAL CONDUCT THAT THEY ARE CONDONING.

THEY ARE CONDONING. SO DO WE REALLY NEED HIM TO SAY

SO DO WE REALLY NEED HIM TO SAY MORE THAN WHAT HE'S ALREADY SAID

MORE THAN WHAT HE'S ALREADY SAID PUBLICLY AND TO THE WHOLE

PUBLICLY AND TO THE WHOLE COUNTRY?

COUNTRY? >> YEAH.

>> YEAH. WELL, THAT'S A QUESTION SOME

WELL, THAT'S A QUESTION SOME PEOPLE ARE ASKING.

PEOPLE ARE ASKING. HOW MUCH MORE TIME DO YOU NEED

HOW MUCH MORE TIME DO YOU NEED TO INVESTIGATE BEFORE YOU START

TO INVESTIGATE BEFORE YOU START WRITING YOUR ARTICLES?

WRITING YOUR ARTICLES? >> WELL, THAT'S -- THERE IS A

>> WELL, THAT'S -- THERE IS A QUESTION THE COMMITTEE'S GOING

QUESTION THE COMMITTEE'S GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER.

TO HAVE TO ANSWER. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO

BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO BE THOROUGH

THE BEST WE CAN TO BE THOROUGH BUT NOT DILATORY.

BUT NOT DILATORY. AND THAT'S WHAT CHAIRMAN SCHIFF