John Berman: “The President Is Criticizing Federal Charges Against Two Republican Members Of Congress Because Those Charges Hurt Chances For Republicans To Hold Those Seats.” JOHN BERMAN: “We also have a new update on president Trump’s level of support for an impartial and apolitical justice system. That level apparently approaching zero this morning. The president is criticizing federal charges against two Republican members of congress because those charges hurt chances for Republicans to hold those seats. His unambiguous statement is raising alarm even with members of his own party, one senator saying this is not some banana republic.” [New Day, CNN, 9/4/18; Video]
John Berman: “President Trump Is Slamming His Attorney General Jeff Sessions And More Importantly Making It Clear He Doesn’t Want The Justice Department To Remain Apolitical.” JOHN BERMAN: “Back in Washington, president Trump is slamming his attorney general Jeff Sessions and more importantly making it clear he doesn’t want the justice department to remain apolitical. Last month, New York Congressman Chris Collins was charged with 13 counts of fraud related to an alleged insider trading scheme. California’s Duncan Hunter was indicted by a grand jury after allegedly misusing a quarter million dollars in campaign funds.” [New Day, CNN, 9/4/18; Video]
Jackie Kucinich: “This Has As Much To Do With Jeff Sessions As It Does With The President’s Own View That The Justice Department Is There To Protect Him And Apparently His Political Supporters. That’s Just Not How It Works.” JACKIE KUCINICH: “Let’s also not forget another person in the trump orbit, Paul Manafort, when he was convicted, the president said that was unfair. This is long standing. This has as much to do with Jeff Sessions as it does with the president’s own view that the justice department is there to protect him and apparently his political supporters. That’s just not how it works.” [New Day, CNN, 9/4/18; Video]
Philip Mudd: “The President Of The United States Confuses The Presidency With The President. The Presidency Is About Protecting Things Like The Constitution Not Protecting Your Personal Interests.” PHILIP MUDD: “There’s a public debate in this country about what’s appropriate from the oval office. The president of the United States confuses the presidency with the president. The presidency is about protecting things like the constitution not protecting your personal interests.” [New Day, CNN, 9/4/18; Video]
Benjamin Wittes: “The Tweet Is Astonishing Because It Incorporates So Many Of His Attitudes That The Purpose Of The Justice Department Is, You Know, Not To Do Impartial Justice, But To Protect His Friends And Punish His Enemies.” WITTES: “The tweet is astonishing because it incorporates so many of his attitudes that the purpose of the justice department is, you know, not to do impartial justice, but to protect his friends and punish his enemies. To advantage him in elections, right? And certainly not to do something that would disadvantage his favored candidates in an election.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 9/4/18; VIDEO]
Sam Stein: “It Wasn’t About Self-Interest Politically. It Wasn’t About Protecting His Own Hide. It Was About Weaponizing The Department Of Justice To Help His Political Party.” STEIN: “The tweet about the congressman was a wholly different thing that isn’t boring but far scarier than anything he’s tweeted before, because it wasn’t about self-interest politically. It wasn’t about protecting his own hide. It was about weaponizing the department of justice to help his political party.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 9/4/18; VIDEO]
Matt Miller: “We Have Seen This Before What He Thinks Of The Justice Department Existing To Protect Him And Go After His Political Enemies. Now We See That Extent To The Entire Republican Party.” MILLER: “Damning in the president’s intent and the justice system. We have seen this before what he thinks of the justice department existing to protect him and go after his political enemies. Now we see that extent to the entire Republican party. He thinks the justice department is basically the instrument of a ten-pot desk bed in a banana republic.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 9/4/18; VIDEO]