House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said his committee is filing a court petition Friday in an effort to obtain secret grand jury material underlying former special counsel Robert Mueller's report.

The panel is also expected to file a lawsuit next week to try to enforce a subpoena against former White House counsel Donald McGahn, a key Mueller witness, if he doesn't comply before then.

That suit is expected to challenge the White House's claim that former White House employees have "absolute immunity" from testifying before Congress.

The move comes after Mueller's testimony Wednesday to Congress saying he had not "exculpated" President Donald Trump. Democrats are trying to focus public attention on Mueller's words and on his 448-page report's contents, including several episodes in which Trump sought to influence the special counsel's investigation into Russia election interference.

Mueller concluded that he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice. He also concluded that there was no evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump's campaign and Russia.

The panel has struggled to bring in witnesses like McGahn who spoke extensively to Mueller because the White House has directed them to refuse to testify. Trump has said he will fight "all of the subpoenas."

Nadler said the committee is still negotiating with McGahn for documents and testimony, and the committee will file the lawsuit "in very short order" if he does not comply.

The court battles are beginning as the House leaves for a six-week recess and Democrats are debating whether to impeach the Republican president. More than 90 House Democrats have said they favor starting the impeachment process, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she wants to build the strongest case possible before making that decision, including by going to court to force witnesses to comply.

Nadler said the court filing will include a line saying that the materials are necessary "to determine whether the committee should recommend articles of impeachment."

Washington, DC - 26 July 2019

1. Wide, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler walks into briefing room, along with members of committee

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"Before he (Robert Mueller) ever stepped into our hearing room, the director had rendered our country a great and necessary public service. He showed through his report and his indictments that the United States was attacked and remains under siege by a foreign adversary. He showed that the Trump campaign both welcomed and benefited from this attack on our country. And he showed that the president repeatedly lied to cover it up. And if that were not enough. Director Mueller's testimony removed all doubt. He told us that Donald Trump obstructed justice and abused his office by tampering with witnesses, attempting to block the investigation and attempting to fire the special counsel. He told us that Donald Trump lied to the public about the Trump Tower meeting in New York. Lied to the public about his plans for Trump Tower in Moscow and lied in his written responses to the special counsel. He told us in a remarkable exchange with Mr. (Ted) Lieu that but for the Department of Justice policy from prohibiting, prohibiting from doing so, he would have indicted President Trump."

3. Wide, news conference

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"We will continue to seek testimony from key fact witnesses.  As many of you know the committee has authorized several additional subpoenas. Our work will continue into the August recess and we will use those subpoenas, if we must. We will also continue to seek important documents from the Department of Justice and the White House. We have made some progress on this front. There appears to be compelling evidence of the President's misconduct outside of the four corners of the redacted version of the Mueller Report. And we will work to uncover that evidence as well. Finally, today we are filing an application for the grand jury material underlying the Mueller report. That information is critically important for our ability to examine witnesses including former White House counsel Don McGahn and to investigate the president's misconduct. I will not comment on reports of our ongoing negotiations with Mr. McGahn but unless he complies with our accommodation efforts in very short order we expect to file an additional suit to enforce a subpoena for his testimony and that would be next week or earlier next week."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, Democrat - Pennsylvania:

"The court filings today are the next step and we'll continue down that road to see whether we have the strong case that is needed to put to the American people."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Eric Swalwell, Democrat - California:

"Well if you shut up expecting a Broadway show sure you may have been disappointed but if you listened to what he said he said that the Russians attacked us they had a preference for Donald Trump. The Trump campaign welcomed it and planned around it and when the police investigated it they took great lengths to cover it up including the president and the president is the only person in America who would be shielded from being held accountable because of what they did. That is pretty cut and dry. And what you've seen is not members who have called for impeachment saying take me off of that call in light of what Mr. Mueller have said. Six members since have come forward and have said add me to that call for impeachment."

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Madeleine Dean, Democrat - Pennsylvania:

"And what I believe we really should be focused on is not the performance of Mr. Mueller but the performance or behaviors of this president, obstructing justice. That's the performance you need to be examining. The performance of the Trump administration welcoming, wallowing in interference by Russia. The performance of Russia interfering with our elections in massive and sweeping ways that will continue. And a Senate yesterday that did nothing, in fact blocked attempts, to take care of or protect our elections."

8. Wide

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Veronica Escobar, Democrat - Texas:

"We're crossing a threshold. Absolutely. When you think about the, the, the mode that we were operating under before it really was an oversight function. We're now crossing a threshold with the filing of this, of this, with this filing and we are now officially entering into an examination of whether or not to recommend the articles of impeachment. So it's we have crossed a threshold. I just wanted to make that real clear."

10. Pan as members walk away

House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said his committee is filing a court petition Friday in an effort to obtain secret grand jury material underlying former special counsel Robert Mueller's report.

The panel is also expected to file a lawsuit next week to try to enforce a subpoena against former White House counsel Donald McGahn, a key Mueller witness, if he doesn't comply before then.

That suit is expected to challenge the White House's claim that former White House employees have "absolute immunity" from testifying before Congress.

The move comes after Mueller's testimony Wednesday to Congress saying he had not "exculpated" President Donald Trump. Democrats are trying to focus public attention on Mueller's words and on his 448-page report's contents, including several episodes in which Trump sought to influence the special counsel's investigation into Russia election interference.

Mueller concluded that he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice. He also concluded that there was no evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump's campaign and Russia.

The panel has struggled to bring in witnesses like McGahn who spoke extensively to Mueller because the White House has directed them to refuse to testify. Trump has said he will fight "all of the subpoenas."

Nadler said the committee is still negotiating with McGahn for documents and testimony, and the committee will file the lawsuit "in very short order" if he does not comply.

The court battles are beginning as the House leaves for a six-week recess and Democrats are debating whether to impeach the Republican president. More than 90 House Democrats have said they favor starting the impeachment process, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she wants to build the strongest case possible before making that decision, including by going to court to force witnesses to comply.

Nadler said the court filing will include a line saying that the materials are necessary "to determine whether the committee should recommend articles of impeachment."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 26 July 2019

1. Wide, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler walks into briefing room, along with members of committee

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"Before he (Robert Mueller) ever stepped into our hearing room, the director had rendered our country a great and necessary public service. He showed through his report and his indictments that the United States was attacked and remains under siege by a foreign adversary. He showed that the Trump campaign both welcomed and benefited from this attack on our country. And he showed that the president repeatedly lied to cover it up. And if that were not enough. Director Mueller's testimony removed all doubt. He told us that Donald Trump obstructed justice and abused his office by tampering with witnesses, attempting to block the investigation and attempting to fire the special counsel. He told us that Donald Trump lied to the public about the Trump Tower meeting in New York. Lied to the public about his plans for Trump Tower in Moscow and lied in his written responses to the special counsel. He told us in a remarkable exchange with Mr. (Ted) Lieu that but for the Department of Justice policy from prohibiting, prohibiting from doing so, he would have indicted President Trump."

3. Wide, news conference

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"We will continue to seek testimony from key fact witnesses.  As many of you know the committee has authorized several additional subpoenas. Our work will continue into the August recess and we will use those subpoenas, if we must. We will also continue to seek important documents from the Department of Justice and the White House. We have made some progress on this front. There appears to be compelling evidence of the President's misconduct outside of the four corners of the redacted version of the Mueller Report. And we will work to uncover that evidence as well. Finally, today we are filing an application for the grand jury material underlying the Mueller report. That information is critically important for our ability to examine witnesses including former White House counsel Don McGahn and to investigate the president's misconduct. I will not comment on reports of our ongoing negotiations with Mr. McGahn but unless he complies with our accommodation efforts in very short order we expect to file an additional suit to enforce a subpoena for his testimony and that would be next week or earlier next week."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, Democrat - Pennsylvania:

"The court filings today are the next step and we'll continue down that road to see whether we have the strong case that is needed to put to the American people."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Eric Swalwell, Democrat - California:

"Well if you shut up expecting a Broadway show sure you may have been disappointed but if you listened to what he said he said that the Russians attacked us they had a preference for Donald Trump. The Trump campaign welcomed it and planned around it and when the police investigated it they took great lengths to cover it up including the president and the president is the only person in America who would be shielded from being held accountable because of what they did. That is pretty cut and dry. And what you've seen is not members who have called for impeachment saying take me off of that call in light of what Mr. Mueller have said. Six members since have come forward and have said add me to that call for impeachment."

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Madeleine Dean, Democrat - Pennsylvania:

"And what I believe we really should be focused on is not the performance of Mr. Mueller but the performance or behaviors of this president, obstructing justice. That's the performance you need to be examining. The performance of the Trump administration welcoming, wallowing in interference by Russia. The performance of Russia interfering with our elections in massive and sweeping ways that will continue. And a Senate yesterday that did nothing, in fact blocked attempts, to take care of or protect our elections."

8. Wide

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Veronica Escobar, Democrat - Texas:

"We're crossing a threshold. Absolutely. When you think about the, the, the mode that we were operating under before it really was an oversight function. We're now crossing a threshold with the filing of this, of this, with this filing and we are now officially entering into an examination of whether or not to recommend the articles of impeachment. So it's we have crossed a threshold. I just wanted to make that real clear."

10. Pan as members walk away

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus121022

House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said his committee is filing a court petition Friday in an effort to obtain secret grand jury material underlying former special counsel Robert Mueller's report.

The panel is also expected to file a lawsuit next week to try to enforce a subpoena against former White House counsel Donald McGahn, a key Mueller witness, if he doesn't comply before then.

That suit is expected to challenge the White House's claim that former White House employees have "absolute immunity" from testifying before Congress.

The move comes after Mueller's testimony Wednesday to Congress saying he had not "exculpated" President Donald Trump. Democrats are trying to focus public attention on Mueller's words and on his 448-page report's contents, including several episodes in which Trump sought to influence the special counsel's investigation into Russia election interference.

Mueller concluded that he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice. He also concluded that there was no evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump's campaign and Russia.

The panel has struggled to bring in witnesses like McGahn who spoke extensively to Mueller because the White House has directed them to refuse to testify. Trump has said he will fight "all of the subpoenas."

Nadler said the committee is still negotiating with McGahn for documents and testimony, and the committee will file the lawsuit "in very short order" if he does not comply.

The court battles are beginning as the House leaves for a six-week recess and Democrats are debating whether to impeach the Republican president. More than 90 House Democrats have said they favor starting the impeachment process, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she wants to build the strongest case possible before making that decision, including by going to court to force witnesses to comply.

Nadler said the court filing will include a line saying that the materials are necessary "to determine whether the committee should recommend articles of impeachment."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 26 July 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman: ++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY OVERLAID++

"Before he (Robert Mueller) ever stepped into our hearing room, the director had rendered our country a great and necessary public service. He showed through his report and his indictments that the United States was attacked and remains under siege by a foreign adversary. He showed that the Trump campaign both welcomed and benefited from this attack on our country. And he showed that the president repeatedly lied to cover it up."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASHES++

POOL

Washington - 24 July 2019

2. Various Robert Mueller testifying

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 26 July 2019

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"We will continue to seek testimony from key fact witnesses.  As many of you know the committee has authorized several additional subpoenas. Our work will continue into the August recess and we will use those subpoenas, if we must. We will also continue to seek important documents from the Department of Justice and the White House. We have made some progress on this front. There appears to be compelling evidence of the President's misconduct outside of the four corners of the redacted version of the Mueller Report. And we will work to uncover that evidence as well. Finally, today we are filing an application for the grand jury material underlying the Mueller report. That information is critically important for our ability to examine witnesses including former White House counsel Don McGahn and to investigate the president's misconduct. I will not comment on reports of our ongoing negotiations with Mr. McGahn but unless he complies with our accommodation efforts in very short order we expect to file an additional suit to enforce a subpoena for his testimony and that would be next week or earlier next week."

President Donald Trump has gone on a clemency blitz, commuting the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and pardoning former NYPD commissioner Bernie Kerik.

Trump also says he has granted clemency to financier Michael Milken, who  pleaded guilty for violating U.S. securities laws. Kerik served just over three years for tax fraud and lying to the White House.

Trump confirmed the news to reporters before departing for California.

Blagojevich was convicted of political corruption just months after he appeared on Trump's reality TV show, "Celebrity Apprentice."   

Blagojevich, who hails from a state with a long history of pay-to-play schemes, had been found guilty of crimes that included seeking to sell an appointment to Barack Obama's old Senate seat and trying to shake down a children's hospital.

The 63-year-old Democrat exhausted his last appellate option in 2018 and had seemed destined to remain behind bars until his projected 2024 release date. His wife, Patti, went on a media blitz in 2018 to encourage Trump to step in, praising the president and likening the investigation of her husband to special prosecutor Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election — a probe Trump long characterized as a "witchhunt."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chicago - 14 March 2011

1. Wide of Former Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich and wife, Patti, speaking to reporters

2. UPSOUND (English) Former Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich: "And as things get harder before they get better, Patti and I can't begin to tell you how grateful we are from the bottom of our hearts."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chicago - 7 December 2011

3. Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich gets into car

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Littleton, Colorado - 15 March 2012

4. Various of Blagojevich arriving at Englewood Federal Correctional Institution

5. STILL image of Blagojevich arriving at Englewood Federal Correctional Institution

6. Wide of Blagojevich arriving at Englewood Federal Correctional Institution

POOL

Springfield, Illinois - 9 January 2008

++4x3++

7. Top pan of Illinois House meeting

8. UPSOUND (English) Representative Barbara Flynn Currie, House Majority Leader, Illinois General Assembly:

"This governor has violated his oath of office. This governor has breached the public trust. This governor must be impeached and I urge your aye vote."

9. Wide of resolution voting board

10. UPSOUND (English) Michael Madigan, Illinois Speaker of the House:

"The House does adopt House resolution 1671 and Governor Blagojevich is hereby impeached."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chicago - 8 December 2008

++4x3++

11. UPSOUND (English) Reporter, off-camera: "Do you think the cloud that hangs over you is going to taint your pick?"

UPSOUND (English) Rod Blagojevich: "I don't believe there is any cloud that hangs over me."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 27 January 2009

++4x3++

12. UPSOUND (English) Rod Blagojevich, speaking on telephone: "If I'm not governor anymore, can I come on your show? You're the man."

13. Mid of Blagojevich seated during interview

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Rod Blagojevich:

"...The best things that could clear all of this up would be if I was allowed to bring in every one of those taped conversations, not two of three or four, but every one of those taped conversations so that the people of Illinois can hear the full context of what I was discussing with regard to who the next US senator might be and if they hear that, they'll hear the whole truth, nothing but the truth and that will set me free. This is completely opposite of what President Nixon was doing during Watergate when he fought every step of the way to keep those tapes of his from being made public."

15. Mid of Blagojevich seated during interview

US President Donald Trump has gone on a clemency blitz, commuting the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and pardoning former NYPD commissioner Bernie Kerik.

Trump also says he has granted clemency to financier Michael Milken, who  pleaded guilty for violating U.S. securities laws. Kerik served just over three years for tax fraud and lying to the White House.

Trump confirmed the news to reporters before departing for California.

Blagojevich was convicted of political corruption just months after he appeared on Trump's reality TV show, "Celebrity Apprentice."   

Blagojevich, who hails from a state with a long history of pay-to-play schemes, had been found guilty of crimes that included seeking to sell an appointment to Barack Obama's old Senate seat and trying to shake down a children's hospital.

The 63-year-old Democrat exhausted his last appellate option in 2018 and had seemed destined to remain behind bars until his projected 2024 release date. His wife, Patti, went on a media blitz in 2018 to encourage Trump to step in, praising the president and likening the investigation of her husband to special prosecutor Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election — a probe Trump long characterized as a "witchhunt."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chicago - 14 March 2011

++16:9++

1. Wide of Former Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich and wife, Patti, speaking to reporters

2. UPSOUND (English) Former Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich: "And as things get harder before they get better, Patti and I can't begin to tell you how grateful we are from the bottom of our hearts."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chicago - 7 December 2011

++16:9++

3. Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich gets into car

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Littleton, Colorado - 15 March 2012

++16:9++

4. Various of Blagojevich arriving at Englewood Federal Correctional Institution

5. STILL image of Blagojevich arriving at Englewood Federal Correctional Institution

6. Wide of Blagojevich arriving at Englewood Federal Correctional Institution

POOL

Springfield, Illinois - 9 January 2008

++4:3++

7. Top pan of Illinois House meeting

8. UPSOUND (English) Representative Barbara Flynn Currie, House Majority Leader, Illinois General Assembly:

"This governor has violated his oath of office. This governor has breached the public trust. This governor must be impeached and I urge your aye vote."

9. Wide of resolution voting board

10. UPSOUND (English) Michael Madigan, Illinois Speaker of the House:

"The House does adopt House resolution 1671 and Governor Blagojevich is hereby impeached."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chicago - 8 December 2008

++4:3++

11. UPSOUND (English) Reporter, off-camera: "Do you think the cloud that hangs over you is going to taint your pick?"

UPSOUND (English) Rod Blagojevich: "I don't believe there is any cloud that hangs over me."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 27 January 2009

++4:3++

12. UPSOUND (English) Rod Blagojevich, speaking on telephone: "If I'm not governor anymore, can I come on your show? You're the man."

13. Mid of Blagojevich seated during interview

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Rod Blagojevich:

"...The best things that could clear all of this up would be if I was allowed to bring in every one of those taped conversations, not two of three or four, but every one of those taped conversations so that the people of Illinois can hear the full context of what I was discussing with regard to who the next US senator might be and if they hear that, they'll hear the whole truth, nothing but the truth and that will set me free. This is completely opposite of what President Nixon was doing during Watergate when he fought every step of the way to keep those tapes of his from being made public."

15. Mid of Blagojevich seated during interview

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus120930

House Republicans say Robert Mueller's testimony Wednesday uncovered no meaningful new information and that it's time to move on.

Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy told press on Wednesday that "this should be the end of the chapter that we put America through."

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, following Mueller's testimony, is making some of her strongest comments yet about the House possibly proceeding with impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.

Pelosi says a "cone of silence" from the White House that's not providing documents and witness testimony "will not prevent us from going forward." She adds, "In fact, it's even more grounds to go forward."

Pelosi tells reporters she wants "the strongest possible hand" by continuing the House's court actions aimed at forcing White House cooperation.

Washington - 24 July 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House:

"We want to have the strongest possible case to make a decision as to what path we will go down and that does, is not endless in terms of time or endless in terms of the information that we want. But if it comes to a point where the cone of silence and the obstruction of justice and the cover-up in the White House prevents us from getting that information, that will not prevent us from going forward. In fact, it's even more grounds to go forward."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Republican Minority Leader:

"It was a historical day because today is the day that we close the book on this investigation. It is time that America turns the page. It is time for America to move forward. The Democrats have to stop wasting time in trying to have a do-over of the 2016 Presidential election."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York:

"Today was a watershed day in telling the facts to the American people. With those facts we can proceed and we face a time of great danger. Richard Nixon said he thought that the president was a dictator. He said if the president does it, that means it's not illegal. President Trump echoed that yesterday. He said under Article 2 'I' that is he can do anything I want. That is a totalitarian picture, not a democratic picture. The United States must be saved from this."

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, (R) Georgia:

"I challenge the Democratic colleagues, get over the election of 2016. Run in 2020 if you want. This President has put forward a great economy. This President has put forward great ideas. Run on this, quit trying to dredge up a picture that today got painted, that said your investigation is over. Mr Mueller has done his job. He presented a report. Someone asked did you find out anything new? The answer is no."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California:

" But there are two juries in an impeachment there is the jury which is the Senate which decides removal from office. And then there is the jury that is the American people and I'm most concerned about the jury that is the American people. And before we embark on a course as significant to the country as the impeachment of a president I want to make sure that we can make that case to the jury of the American people."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Devin Nunes, (R) California:

"I think what you see today is collusion between the Republican Party and the Trump campaign is over. There was no evidence. There was a dossier that was built and paid for by the Clinton campaign. That was the real collusion. You've had collusion through a British former MI6 agent who was working supposedly with Russian sources. We didn't get any new information on that today. But the Democrats have refused to accept reality, they live in an alternative universe."

Robert Mueller paused. He refused to speculate. He made constant references to his report — but wasn't sure of a number of things in it.

The former special counsel's long-awaited, heavily-negotiated testimony Wednesday was just what he'd promised: Relentlessly focused on his report issued in April on President Donald Trump, obstruction and Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

As members of the House Judiciary Committee strained to hear what he had to say, it became clear that the famously apolitical Mueller was not going to play their made-for-TV games.

"Robert Mueller did not go outside the four corners of the report and he stuck very, very closely to his answer that he wasn't comfortable discussing something that was outside the purview of his investigation or he would refer the questioner to the report," said Claire Finkelstein, a professor of law at Penn Law and a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.

Finkelstein said, however, there were a few moments that Democrats may have found useful in their hopes the hearing might be a platform to begin impeachment proceedings.

"Number one, the fact that he was willing to say explicitly that he was not able to exonerate the president of obstruction," Finkelstein said.

She says going forward, Mueller's assertion that Trump could be open to prosecution for such crimes after he leaves office will be a subject of much discussion.

Philadelphia - July 24, 2019

++QUALITY AS INCOMING SKYPE INTERVIEW++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Claire Finkelstein, Professor of Law, Penn Law, senior fellow, Foreign Policy Research Institute

"Robert Mueller did not go outside the four corners of the report and he stuck very, very closely to his answer that if he wasn't comfortable discussing something that was outside the purview of his investigation or he would refer the questioner to the report. The few surprises, the unusual moments were, number one, the fact that he was willing to say explicitly that he was not able to exonerate the president of obstruction. That, of course, we knew from his report. But the fact that he was willing to say so boldly and not just refer back to the report at that moment was something I think the Democrats were not certain that he was going to do. He also said that the president could be prosecuted for crimes after he leaves office, though he declined to say what he thought about the possibility of the statute of limitations running. He was very clear that Russia sought to assist the Trump campaign in its interference and wanted Trump to win. And he also admitted that the Trump campaign welcomed that interference. So amidst all of the moments in which he said that he could not answer the question or referred the questioner back to the report, he did make those striking straight up comments which ought not to be lost."

++BLACK FRAMES++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Claire Finkelstein, Professor of Law, Penn Law, senior fellow, Foreign Policy Research Institute

"(Congressman Mike) Quiggley asked him whether or not the fact that he was not indicting a sitting president because he was a sitting president meant that the statute of limitations would be told. And I think that's a question that's going to come up again. The argument would be that if the president is immune to prosecution because he's president, something that not everyone agrees with. But if you do think that and if you understand Robert Mueller is suggesting that then should that not suspend the running of the statute of limitations to preserve the claims against the president?"

++BLACK FRAMES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Claire Finkelstein, Professor of Law, Penn Law, senior fellow, Foreign Policy Research Institute

"Well it's a very significant moment. The Democrats are, of course, hoping that it will catapult us into impeachment proceedings. Obviously, Nancy Pelosi has been unwilling to go in that direction. And I think what they are hoping is that there may be some Republicans who were swayed in the direction of supporting impeachment, both in the House and Senate, and there's more public support for it. And we know from Watergate history that that can happen. And that when the American public really understands the depth of presidential misdeeds that there can be a very sudden switch of opinion and you can suddenly find the politics going the other way. I doubt that will happen at this moment because I don't think that the admissions or the moments in which Mueller was willing to say that there were misdeeds on the part of Donald Trump or of his close associates would have resonated enough with viewers, is my guess."

The report by BuzzFeed News, citing two unnamed law enforcement officials, says that Trump directed Cohen to lie to Congress and that Cohen regularly briefed Trump on the Moscow project. The Associated Press has not independently confirmed the report.

The House intelligence committee chairman Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff said he will do what is necessary to confirm the report.

The story also says, citing the sources, that Cohen told special counsel Robert Mueller that Trump personally instructed him to lie about the timing of the project in order to obscure Trump's involvement.

The BuzzFeed story says that Mueller's investigators learned about Trump's directive "through interviews with multiple witnesses from the Trump Organization and internal company emails, text messages, and a cache of other documents." The report says that Cohen then acknowledged Trump's instructions when he was interviewed by the Mueller team.

Cohen's attorney Lanny Davis didn't weigh in one way or the other whether this story was true but Lanny Davis simply said that "Michael Cohen is is someone who is full of regret for his longtime employment with President Trump. He worked for him for about a decade," according to AP White House reporter Jonathan Lemire.

Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, scoffed at the report, saying in a statement to the Associated Press "that if this story was true I have the Brooklyn Bridge to sell you and suggested that it was not the case. This had never occurred."

On Twitter Friday morning, Trump charged that Michael Cohen is "Lying to reduce his jail time!" even though he's already been sentenced. On Fox News Channel, White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said that taking the story seriously was "absolutely ludicrous," but repeatedly refused to deny the central allegation that Trump directed Cohen to lie.

Cohen already pleaded guilty in November to lying to Congress to cover up that he was negotiating the Trump Tower project in Moscow on Trump's behalf during the heat of his presidential campaign. The charge was brought by Mueller and was the result of his cooperation with that probe.

He was then sentenced in December to three years in prison for crimes that included arranging the payment of hush money to conceal his boss' alleged sexual affairs, telling a judge that he agreed time and again to cover up Trump's "dirty deeds" out of "blind loyalty."

Cohen is scheduled to testify before the House Oversight and Reform Committee Feb. 7, where he will likely be questioned about the report.

++SOUNDBITES PARTIALLY COVERED BY VIDEO++

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY A WHITE FLASH++

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 18 January 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Jonathan Lemire, Associated Press White House Reporter:

"Late Thursday night BuzzFeed News broke a story that reports, according to some of their sources, that President Trump instructed his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen to lie on his behalf. To lie to Congress about the president's involvement with a real estate deal in Russia. Now it should be pointed out very carefully, The Associated Press has not confirmed this reporting yet. No other mainstream news outlet has as well. But lawmakers are responding. And It is certainly a major story today, Friday."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARCHIVE: New York - 12 December 2018

2. Michael Cohen exiting court after being sentenced to prison

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARCHIVE: Washington - 29 November 2018

3. President Donald Trump walks out to talk to reporters

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 18 January 2019

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Jonathan Lemire, Associated Press White House Reporter:

"The new story suggests that the Donald Trump's involvement with the project did not end in 2015 or early 2016 as he initially had said but instead continued that the president and his family members including his adult children Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Junior who also worked at Trump Organization were getting updates throughout 2016. And that after the election, when Donald Trump was then president-elect he instructed Michael Cohen to lie about this to try to minimize Donald Trump's own involvement with the project. The BuzzFeed story goes on to say that as Michael Cohen was preparing to testify before Congress he again talked to the White House and Donald Trump who said to lie about that project."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARCHIVE: Cleveland, Ohio - 21 July 2016

5. President Donald Trump at the RNC rehearsal, Ivanka and Paul Manfort off to the side

POOL

ARCHIVE: Fletcher, North Carolina - 21 October 2016

6. Donald Trump walks into campaign rally

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARCHIVE: New York - 12 December 2018

7. Cohen exiting court after being sentenced to three years in prison

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 18 January 2019

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Jonathan Lemire, Associated Press White House Reporter:

"If this is true then this means the president urged a witness to lie under oath before Congress, which would appear to be a pretty clear example of obstruction of justice which of course is a significant not potentially criminal charge but perhaps impeachable offense."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARCHIVE: Washington - 29 November 2018

9. President Trump walks away from talking to press

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 18 January 2019

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Jonathan Lemire, Associated Press White House Reporter:

"Democratic lawmakers are seizing upon this. Adam Schiff who's the new chair of the House Intelligence Committee and others say that the House, the Congress will investigate these charges and if they feel that if true, I believe just phrase were, this would be the most serious offense yet. He suggests that these are the some of the most serious allegation the president currently faces and it is something that will stir up talk of impeachment."

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Jonathan Lemire, Associated Press White House Reporter:

"So, it should be pointed out that the president's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani who's his lawyer for the Russia investigation gave a statement to me at the Associated Press saying that if this story was true I have basically I have the Brooklyn Bridge to sell you and suggested that it was not the case. This had never occurred."

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus125740

A judge has ordered the Justice Department to give the House secret grand jury testimony from special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, handing a victory to Democrats as they gather evidence for the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.

In a Friday ruling that also affirmed the legality of the impeachment inquiry itself, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ordered the department to turn over the materials by Oct. 30.

A Justice Department spokeswoman said it was reviewing the decision. The administration can appeal.

"We think that the courts are going to continue to stand by our power to obtain the information we need, both as a matter of general oversight, but also as a matter of the House of Representatives conducting an impeachment inquiry, US Congressman Jamie Raskin said.

Raskin spoke to reporters on Capitol Hill, as the Democrats' inquiry continued at full speed Saturday with a rare weekend session.

Philip Reeker, the acting assistant secretary of state for Europe, testified behind closed doors.

The ruling in favor of the House Judiciary Committee comes as Democrats gather closed-door testimony from current and former government officials about the Trump administration's efforts to get Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden.

The Mueller materials could reveal previously hidden details to lawmakers about Trump's actions during the 2016 election and become part of the impeachment push.

The material covered by Howell's order consists of redacted grand jury testimony mentioned in Mueller's report.

The Justice Department says that information is the only piece of the document that key lawmakers have not had access to.

Democrats believe the still-redacted information could shed new light on key episodes of the investigation, including discussions Trump is reported to have had with associates about the release of stolen emails during the campaign and conversations about a 2016 Trump Tower meeting at which Trump's eldest son expected to receive damaging information about Hillary Clinton.

The judge said the materials could help lawmakers as they decide which witnesses to call for an impeachment inquiry and what additional lines of investigation should be pursued.

On Saturday, Trump tweeted that he's "not concerned with the impeachment scam. I am not because I did nothing wrong."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASH++

POOL

Washington, DC - 26 October 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland:

"The court case yesterday was a huge victory for the American people and for our Constitution. The single best line in the whole case, as it appeared on page two where Judge Chief Judge Beryl Howell says the Department of Justice is wrong. Essentially, what the court found is that we have the right to obtain the grand jury materials that Attorney General Barr wanted to block from us. We have a right to define the impeachment process the way we wanted to define it. And there's nothing wrong with what we've done."

++WHITE FLASH++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland:

"The U.S. District Court said the impeachment inquiry is lawful. It's constitutional. It is completely within the power of the House of Representatives. Article 1 says that the House of Representatives has the sole power of impeachment. And it's up to us to define our rules. And so we have defined the rules following what the Republicans have always done in terms of the committees when they're in power. And so we saw this frivolous and absurd complaint this week that there's something illegitimate about the process. The United States District Court flatly rejected that. The court said that -- I think it's it's a three-word sentence -- DOJ is wrong."

++WHITE FLASH++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland:

"We think that the courts are going to continue to stand by our power to obtain the information we need, both as a matter of general oversight, but also as a matter of the House of Representatives conducting an impeachment inquiry. And Chief Judge Beryl Howell put to rest yesterday any claim that we are not in an impeachment inquiry, we most emphatically are in an impeachment inquiry."

People in the Times Square area of New York City monitoried the impeachment hearings Wednesday as they went about with their day's activities.

Across the country, the first public airing of the impeachment drama had millions of Americans tuning in — and, in some cases, deliberately tuning out. Although only the third time impeachment hearings were aired live on television, the proceedings in Washington were landing on a jaded and weary public, with little certainty that the event would change minds.

In many cases, "watch" isn't quite the right verb. Americans were consuming these hearings in ways unimaginable during the last impeachment hearings more than 20 years ago. They were scanning headlines on Twitter, reading posts on social media and would click on snippets of video pushed out online in real time. Some will merely glance at tickers moving across the screen at the doctor's office.

Democrats' push to impeach the president for soliciting a political favor from the president of Ukraine and, they claim, threatening to hold up millions in aid as leverage.

Polls show Republicans oppose impeaching or removing Trump and still overwhelmingly approve of the president even after more details have arisen of how his administration held up military aid while asking Ukraine to investigate a political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden. While Democrats control the House of Representatives and likely have the votes to impeach Trump, they would need about 20 Republican senators to vote to convict him of high crimes and misdemeanors before he would be removed from office.

Like in previous nationally-televised hearings in the Trump-era — special counsel Robert Mueller's testimony about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, or the confirmation hearing of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh — Wednesday's hearing marks Democrats' latest hope in breaking the partisan stalemate that has dominated politics this decade.

Democrats were hoping, if not for a national epiphany, then at least a day that would stand out from the partisan acrimony and circus-like atmosphere of Trump-era Washington.

Democrats are hoping the trajectory mirrors that in 1973, when the nationally-televised Watergate hearings helped hammer down President Richard Nixon's approval rating from about 50% to a low of 24% before his 1974 resignation from office.

But other examples offer Democrats less hope. The Mueller hearing, for example — produced little change in Trump's approval.

New York - 13 November 2019

1. Fox News headquarters outdoor headline ribbon announces start of impeachment hearings

2. Wide of News Corporation headquarters

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Chad R. MacDonald, New York:

"The ambassadors that have already testified this morning have pretty much provided damning evidence that Trump has put his private interests over the interests of the nation. And that's as high a crime as you can get. He can yell 'no quid pro quo' all he wants, but the fact is he's already admitted it as has (John Michael "Mick") Mulvaney. And the proof is just piling up. These are high crimes."

4. Impeachment hearings on Fox News Channel

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Pat Carman, New York:

"I had it on this morning in the beginning I was able to see (U.S. congressman Adam) Schiff's opening remarks, I thought he gave a very clear explanation as to what was going on. Unfortunately, I had to leave the house at that point, so I missed (U.S. congressman Devin) Nunes, but I heard that he was a little controversial in the comments that he made. But I feel the House is doing what needs to be done. Obviously, there's something there that needs to be investigated. And if they did not go through with these impeachment proceedings, then they would not be doing the job that they are charged with doing, which is to have oversight of what goes on."

6. Police car and camera crew in front of News Corporation headquarters

7. Fox News headquarters outdoor headline ribbon with impeachment news

8. Wide of Times Square

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Yolanda Lawrence, New York:

"For a while I was not (paying attention to impeachment proceedings) because I said 'he'll never get out of office.' And now there is hope. And we need to clean this up whether Democrats or Republicans we need to think about America and think about what America stands for and he doesn't stand for America."

10. NASDAQ headquarters in Times Square

People in the Times Square area of New York City monitored the impeachment hearings Wednesday as they went about with their day's activities.

Across the country, the first public airing of the impeachment drama had millions of Americans tuning in — and, in some cases, deliberately tuning out. Although only the third time impeachment hearings were aired live on television, the proceedings in Washington were landing on a jaded and weary public, with little certainty that the event would change minds.

In many cases, "watch" isn't quite the right verb. Americans were consuming these hearings in ways unimaginable during the last impeachment hearings more than 20 years ago. They were scanning headlines on Twitter, reading posts on social media and would click on snippets of video pushed out online in real time. Some will merely glance at tickers moving across the screen at the doctor's office.

Democrats' push to impeach the president for soliciting a political favor from the president of Ukraine and, they claim, threatening to hold up millions in aid as leverage.

Polls show Republicans oppose impeaching or removing Trump and still overwhelmingly approve of the president even after more details have arisen of how his administration held up military aid while asking Ukraine to investigate a political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden. While Democrats control the House of Representatives and likely have the votes to impeach Trump, they would need about 20 Republican senators to vote to convict him of high crimes and misdemeanors before he would be removed from office.

Like in previous nationally-televised hearings in the Trump-era — special counsel Robert Mueller's testimony about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, or the confirmation hearing of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh — Wednesday's hearing marks Democrats' latest hope in breaking the partisan stalemate that has dominated politics this decade.

Democrats were hoping, if not for a national epiphany, then at least a day that would stand out from the partisan acrimony and circus-like atmosphere of Trump-era Washington.

Democrats are hoping the trajectory mirrors that in 1973, when the nationally-televised Watergate hearings helped hammer down President Richard Nixon's approval rating from about 50% to a low of 24% before his 1974 resignation from office.

But other examples offer Democrats less hope. The Mueller hearing, for example — produced little change in Trump's approval.

New York - 13 November 2019

1. Fox News headquarters outdoor headline ribbon announces start of impeachment hearings

2. Wide of News Corporation headquarters

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Chad R. MacDonald, New York resident:

"The ambassadors that have already testified this morning have pretty much provided damning evidence that Trump has put his private interests over the interests of the nation. And that's as high a crime as you can get. He can yell 'no quid pro quo' all he wants, but the fact is he's already admitted it as has (John Michael "Mick") Mulvaney. And the proof is just piling up. These are high crimes."

4. Impeachment hearings on Fox News Channel

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Pat Carman, New York:

"I had it on this morning in the beginning I was able to see (U.S. congressman Adam) Schiff's opening remarks, I thought he gave a very clear explanation as to what was going on. Unfortunately, I had to leave the house at that point, so I missed (U.S. congressman Devin) Nunes, but I heard that he was a little controversial in the comments that he made. But I feel the House is doing what needs to be done. Obviously, there's something there that needs to be investigated. And if they did not go through with these impeachment proceedings, then they would not be doing the job that they are charged with doing, which is to have oversight of what goes on."

6. Police car and camera crew in front of News Corporation headquarters

7. Fox News headquarters outdoor headline ribbon with impeachment news

8. Wide of Times Square

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Yolanda Lawrence, New York:

"For a while I was not (paying attention to impeachment proceedings) because I said 'he'll never get out of office.' And now there is hope. And we need to clean this up whether Democrats or Republicans we need to think about America and think about what America stands for and he doesn't stand for America."

10. NASDAQ headquarters in Times Square