Carter Page reacts to new Strzok-Page texts
Carter Page says he wants to fix the 'terrible thing' that has happened in the country. Former Trump campaign associate speaks out on 'Hannity.'
This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," September 10, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: Welcome to "Hannity."
Let's just start out and be blunt. The stakes have never been higher. Fifty-seven days from today if Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, Chuck Schumer, if they take over the House, the Senate, this is what you can expect to look at in terms of what's going to happen to your country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MAXINE WATERS, D-CALIF.: They said, Maxine, please don't say impeachment any more. And when they say that, I say impeachment, impeachment, impeachment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: So, let tonight be a clear warning, with just two months to go until the single most important midterm election of our lifetime, you have the power. You will decide whether or not Maxine Waters, Nancy Pelosi get their way.
Now, meanwhile, the RNC is appropriately calling the Democratic Party crazy town. Tonight, we will highlight the Democrats and their candidates that are up for election, including Congresswoman Waters, and those that are living up to their nickname. We're going to show you every Senate race that matters.
We have identified on the show 75 House races that will determine the balance of power in the House. In other words, you might want to look and see if your district is in play tonight.
And we have a message for former President Obama. He's back in the spotlight, talking about his favorite topic, himself.
Plus, the deep state, house of cards literally now coming crashing down. Tonight, we are on the verge of breaking it wide open. Believe it or not, there are brand new text messages between Lisa Page and Peter Strzok. Now we know for a fact what the insurance man was, we have coordination between the DOJ and the FBI, and we have the evidence that they were to leak anti- Trump information to you, the public, in the spring of 2017 to destroy the president. Even Mueller's pit bull Andrew Weissmann himself was allegedly involved in all of these dirty deep state leaks. We now know what that insurance policy was.
This is yet another damning wrinkle in our investigation into deep state corruption. And meanwhile, the president looks poised to finally declassify critically previously redacted sections of FISA applications against former Trump campaign associate Carter Page. Oh, by the way, the coordination thing between the DOJ and FBI, it was about Carter Page. He will join us in just a few minutes.
All right. Sit tight, buckle up, it is time for breaking news opening monologue.
(MUSIC)
HANNITY: Fifty-seven days, you cannot say you were not warned. For months here on this program, I have been sounding the alarm about the Democrats' true agenda, including item number one on their to-do list. This will happen if they get control of the House.
How do we know? They're saying it about impeaching Trump. They want him gone as soon as possible. Yet most Democrats, even Maxine Waters admitted this, she's told not to say it.
They're trying to keep it secret. They whisper it behind the scenes. They don't want to tell you the truth about their intentions are.
But over the weekend, the de facto leader of the Democratic Party, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, oh, she couldn't contain herself. She just let the cat out of the bag, which we already knew. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WATERS: I'm in this fight. I'm in this fight and I'm not going to move. And as you know, there's a difference in how some of our leadership talk about how we should handle all of this. They say, Maxine, please don't say impeachment anymore. And when they say that, I say impeachment, impeachment, impeachment, impeachment, impeachment --
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: The worst part of that -- please, just don't say it, don't say it, just stop. But that's what they want to do.
And, by the way, Congresswoman Waters is no exception. Impeachment is now a foundational pillar in what is the Democratic agenda. It's not about you. It's not about the forgotten men and women in this country that deserve health and service from their government.
Even Senate Minority Leader Chuckie Schumer, he wants to impeachment the president, quote, the sooner, the better. We have that tape. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When y'all going to impeach Trump?
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, D-N.Y.: Sooner the better.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sooner the better? That's not answering the question.
SCHUMER: We got to get a few more Republicans (INAUDIBLE). Democrats are on your side.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: The sooner the better.
So, this threat is real. And if the election were held today, look, I'm always going to be honest with you, I am not confident in any way that Republicans hold the House.
And, of course, impeachment is only one part of the radical Democratic plan for America. Nothing on their agenda is to help you. They want to rescind the tax cuts. They think they deserve your money. They want to preserve Obamacare, bring back the individual mandate tax.
By the way, how's that Obamacare working, did you keep your doctor, your plan, paying less? They tried, and they will likely fail to block the Kavanaugh nomination to the Supreme Court. But if there's another appointment, they will try and block it again and probably have more chances of success.
We know they want open borders. We know they want to abolish ICE. They will definitely kill off all of the investigations into the deep state, which means the biggest corruption scandal, abuse of power scandal on our history. They will burden this president with what will be never-ending investigations into nothing. It will never stop.
This is what is at stake in 57 days. All of the progress we've made as a country, in, what, 19 months, will stop dead in its tracks. It's over.
One congressional candidate actually wants to block funding to our number one ally in the Middle East, Israel, because of their discriminatory treatment of Palestinians. And there's one Democratic district attorney, candidate, wants to decriminalize, get this, trespassing and shoplifting and destruction of property. Jeez, we have no laws at all and so much more.
And don't forget the congressional candidate from Illinois who once compared Trump to Osama bin Laden. He's now claiming that actual Nazis are working in the White House.
Which brings us back to Congresswoman Waters. She's bragging about her recent threats towards Trump administration officials. Now, imagine if Republicans are saying this and Obama was the president. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WATERS: I got up and talked about the president's cabinet, I said if you see them anywhere, you see them at a restaurant, if you see them in a department store, even at a gasoline station, just tell them you're not welcome here anywhere. And, of course, the lying president said that I had threatened all of his constituents. I did not threaten his constituents, his supporters. I do that all the time shall but I didn't do it that time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Threaten them all the time.
Appropriately enough, the RNC just released an ad they called the Democratic Party for what it is, "Crazytown". This is your future if you don't vote in 57 days. Don't blame me. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please get up in the face of some Congress people.
WATERS: You see everybody from that cabinet, you see them in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Those Republican leaders and President Trump don't give a (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(INAUDIBLE)
REP. NANCY PELOSI, D-CALIF.: I just don't even know why there aren't uprisings all over the country.
(INAUDIBLE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: You want that in 57 days? You want to pay higher taxes? Do you want unfettered illegal immigration, eliminate ICE? You want the progress we've made in 19 months to stop.
Because none of the people you just saw have any agenda to help improve the lives of you, your neighbors, your family. None of them plan to put more money back in your pocket. None of them will increase your safety.
Look at the screen. This is what is at stake. We have nine current tossup states in the Senate. If you are from one of those states, take a good look. We'll put it up every night between now and election night, including by the way, many with vulnerable incumbent Democrats.
There's a huge opportunity mere. McCaskill, Missouri. Heitkamp, North Dakota. Nelson, Florida. Manchin, West Virginia. Donnelly, Indiana.
And in the House, so many pivotal close races will decide the future of this presidency. See -- follow that, see if that's your district. We will run these every night.
And if your House district that you see scrolling on your screen, if that goes blue, guess what? All of the progress we've made will go away. And Democrats will be happy.
Higher taxes will follow. Open borders are on the way. The Trump agenda will be halted, endless investigation.
And when you hear Democrats and their friends on the left, mainstream media calling Republicans, this is going to happen and it's happening, racist, sexist, misogynist, homophobic, Islamophobic, xenophobic, they want dirty air, water, and they want to kill children and throw granny over the cliff. That's what they say every election.
Just know this happens every two and four years. Nothing more than the same old playbook, shameful political tactics because they want their power back. This is not about serving you. In their quest for more power, Democrats are now rolling out their savior, here he comes, the anointed one himself, Barack Obama.
Now, he thinks the midterms to bring sanity back to the country. Like when he was president. Really saying. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT: There's a consequential moment in our history. And the fact is that if we don't step up, things can get worse, where there's a vacuum in our democracy, when we are not participating, we're not paying attention, when we're not stepping up other voices fill the void. But the good news is in two months, we have a chance to restore some sanity in our politics.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: All right. Let's go to his definition of sanity. What was it like under the Obama administration?
Lowest labor participation rates since the ‘70s, lowest home ownership rate in 51 years, the worse the recovery since the '40s, 13 million more Americans on food stamps, 8 million in poverty. And, of course, he took on more debt than every other president before him combined, anemic growth, burdensome regulation, billions of dollars in cash and other currency to the mullahs in Iran, all while they were actively funding terrorism around the world and chanting death to America and death to Israel.
Former President Obama thinks he was extremely successful. In fact, he was so proud of himself that during his recent hour-long speech, he talked a lot about himself, 102 times in one hour. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: I want to be clear, I have to kind of remind them, actually, those job numbers are the same as they were in 2015. I'm glad it's continued but I have to say, this I don't agree with it. I don't agree with that.
I believe. I believe. I have seen it. I have lived it. I'm one of them.
I know. I know. I know. I know. I know.
I'm here to tell you. I'm here to tell you. My administration couldn't have reversed 40-year trends. When I was on the ballot. People like me.
I won states in the presidential election. I got votes from every demographic. I did.
I mention when you hear how great the economy is doing right now, let's just remember when 24 recovery started. I'm not making that up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Toby Keith, all about me, all about I, all about number one, all mine, all mine, what I see, what I know, what I want, what I want, what I see. I love talking about you usually. But I want to talk about me.
I'll say it again. Fifty-seven days from the most important election, midterm election in our lifetime. It's not easy to win a midterm. Democrats want to return to the status quo, you can't allow it to happen, or you can and you'll pay the price.
Too much is at stake including pivotal investigations into the deep state. Of course, the deep state never wanted Donald Trump to be president and for good reason. His administration is aggressively exposing what we now know to be a dark, seedy, corrupt underbelly of this country's massive federal bureaucracy. There is a swamp, there is a sewer, night after night, right here on this program, we keep bringing you damning information about how corrupt some of these officials are, some who have been hell-bent on defeating President Trump with lies and taking him down with lies.
And tonight, even more breaking news. We thought we had them all, we don't. Brand new, tonight, text messages uncovered between former FBI love birds, Strzok and Page, proves everything we have been telling you for months. Look at this. A letter from Congressman Mark Meadows of North Carolina, to the Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein saying, quote, a review of these new documents suggests a coordinated effort on the part of the FBI and the Department of Justice to release information to the public domain potentially harmful to President Donald Trump's administration.
They actually did it. Specifically, the spring of 2017, high level officials, leaking sensitive information about FISA warrants against one- time Trump campaign associate Carter Page who will join is in a few minutes.
Look at this text from Strzok to Page, April 10th, 2017. Quote, I literally just gone to find this phone to tell you, I want to talk to you about media leak strategy with the DOJ before you go.
OK, the DOJ and the FBI coordinating likes to the media. It's an ongoing investigation. On April 11th, 2017, the very next day, "Washington Post" publishes a story about Carter Page and his FISA application. Now, naturally, this led to multi-day media obsession about so-called Trump- Russia collusion.
Let's go to the next day, April 12th, 2017, one day later, Strzok texting his girlfriend, Lisa Page, job well done all while referring to two derogatory articles about Carter Page.
John Solomon reporting tonight this could have been an attempt to smear Carter Page. Why? In order to cast a negative light on the president and potentially spur new investigations.
And there's even more. Congressman Meadows points out other newly unearthed documents show that Mueller's pit bull, yes, we've told you about them, Andrew Weissmann, Robert Mueller, your number one guy, and other DOJ officials also leaked similar information to the press.
They were coordinating the DOJ and FBI to lie. To lie to you, the American people. Why? To destroy the president.
We now have discovered what the insurance policy is. You have all of these Trump-hating deep state actors, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, Bruce Ohr, Nellie Ohr, Andrew McCabe, and I'll add Christopher Steele to the list, they have one thing in common, they all hate President Trump. Remember, this was about a month before Andrew Weissmann's boss, Robert Mueller, started the phony witch hunt and he's still working for Mueller, Weissmann is.
Now, this comes as President Trump looks poised to declassify important sections of Carter Page's FISA documents. And we're talking about everything that was shown to the "Gang of Eight", specifically the pages 10 through 12, 17 through 34, potentially we're told exculpatory information on Carter Page. Now, all of the associated footnotes, all the so-called 302s, which are the reports that say Bruce Ohr talking about Christopher Steele in the context, terms of what they were talking, this declassification can happen any time.
Now, I haven't seen them, but according to my sources the information will be explosive. We'll ask Carter Page about that in a moment considering it's about him. And if he's such a danger, why hasn't he been charged with anything?
Joining us now, author of number one New York Times best seller, "The Russian Hoax: The Elicit Scheme to Clear Hillary Clinton and Frame Donald Trump", Fox News legal analyst, Gregg Jarrett, and Fox News investigative reporter and contributor, Sara Carter.
Sara, we'll start with the news as we always do, and then we'll get Greg's analysis.
What's first? We have the FBI and DOJ colluding to leak phony Russian lies, to damage the president, the same DOJ that hired Mueller and the same Mueller team, Ohr, Steele, surrounding the information.
SARA CARTER, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Sean, I think these are some of the most important documents, and important text messages to come out yet. What they show is that the DOJ and FBI, high level senior officials, were working hand in hand together to leak information on a counter intelligence investigation. They basically confirm --
HANNITY: An ongoing investigation.
CARTER: That's right, an ongoing investigation, exactly, on Carter Page, a foreign intelligence surveillance warrant. I mean, this is, I believe, and Gregg can explain this more clearly, I was speaking to intelligence officials about this and this is absolutely prosecutable. I mean, you do not talk, confirm, leak to the press anything about a counterintelligence investigation.
I think this is going to be very important, moving forward, and I think this is the main reason why the president needs to declassify the rest of the documents that you just spoke about. The FISA document, as well as the Bruce Ohr's 302s, those are his interviews with the FBI and --
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Strzok and Page communications that haven't been released. This is brand new, how did we not see this before?
CARTER: Because they were withholding the information. The Department of Justice is withholding that information, and it trickles out slowly to Congress, because Congress has been fighting over and over for these documents. Just think how many more documents we haven't seen, Sean.
HANNITY: Now, this goes to the issue of firewalls that Steele was talking about with Ohr. This goes to the issue of the insurance policy with Strzok and Page. This goes to the issue of Christopher Steele asking Bruce Ohr if he got his information to the special counsel.
This is what we have. I don't think can you get more corrupt. You have the FBI and DOJ, DOJ is running this investigation supposedly, colluding to leak what we now know to be lies --
GREGG JARRETT, FOX NEWS LEGAL ANALYST: Sure.
HANNITY: -- to the American people to hurt the president.
JARRETT: That's right.
The same DOJ, hired Mueller and Steele is feeding information through Bruce Ohr to Mueller vis-a-vis Weismann.
JARRETT: It's the definition of corruption. If there was ever any doubt that Comey's FBI and Obama's Department of Justice were engaged in an illicit and illegal scheme to frame Donald Trump, this should erase any doubt. And they are bragging about it in their text messages.
They were using deliberately, knowingly, willfully, false information that they were peddling in this case to "The Washington Post", which so biased and gullible, they swallowed it hook, line and sinker. And then afterwards, they're bragging about it to each other.
HANNITY: When you get Ohr and McCabe and Page and Strzok and Steele and then you look at -- they don't want to be exposed, Steele didn't want to be exposed, the fire walls, and the leak to the special counsel, I'm thinking we found -- we now know what the insurance policy is. These are the five hating -- the five big Trump haters.
JARRETT: Right, the insurance policy in the event that Hillary Clinton lost the election.
HANNITY: And this is post election in April of 2017.
JARRETT: Exactly. Was to frame Donald Trump and undo the decision of American voters, undo the election results.
HANNITY: With lies.
JARRETT: That's right. And it's a violation of federal felony statutes, most notably abuse of power.
You're not allowed to use your public office to interfere, disrupt with somebody's constitutional rights, the rights to privacy, Carter Page. And the president of the United States peddling a false story that they knew was fabricated.
HANNITY: At this point in time in April 2017, this is Rod Rosenstein's Department of Justice.
CARTER: That's right.
HANNITY: Jeff Sessions was recusing. And now, he has a special counsel. But he's got another little problem, is that he's up to his eyeballs in all of this, he appointed the special counsel. And he himself signed the four FISA warrant, the third renewal application.
CARTER: Actually, Sean, it was the fourth renewal application. And he knew everything. Or he should have known everything that happened prior to that.
So, the first three applications, those first three renewals, that went over and over again until he finally got it, had all of the information backlogged, all of the information that the FBI would have had, Peter Strzok. So, Rod Rosenstein, this is Rosenstein's FISA. And he should have known, that is why the DOJ and the FBI are fighting so hard not to declassify the information.
Those 302s by Bruce Ohr, the information contained in the interviews, show they withhold exculpatory information from the FISC court. When they get those 302s and compare them to the application warrants, I think all of our answers will come out and I've also been told when --
HANNITY: If that's the case, who goes to jail?
JARRETT: A lot of people could be subject to prosecution, including all the individuals, Rod Rosenstein, James Comey, Sally Yates, Andrew McCabe, who deceived the court, perpetrated a fraud on the court deliberately.
HANNITY: Do you realize that what we have here is that they are leaking -- the Department of Justice coordinating leaks of unverified information and Russian lies to the American people?
JARRETT: That's right. And yet they refuse to answer those same questions when Congress asks them.
HANNITY: All right. Thank you both.
Now, the man at the center of this, Carter Page, he'll weigh in on tonight's breaking news. Also, Ed Henry and much more, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: Lawmakers are now pushing for President Trump to declassify FISA documents that led to the government spying on former Trump campaign advisor Carter Page who will join us in second.
Joining us now with more first is FOX News chief national correspondent, Ed Henry -- Ed.
ED HENRY, FOX NEWS CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Sean, great to see you.
That's right. House Republicans are renewing their push for the president to declassify a whole series of key documents after receiving a batch of new text messages from the FBI and the Justice Department that raise new questions about anti-Trump bias. In particular, Republican Mark Meadows firing off a letter to the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, about these texts suggesting there was a coordinated effort by FBI and DOJ officials to leak damaging information about the president and some of his advisors to keep the Russia investigation alive.
In particular, in April 10th, 2017, text exchange between FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, suggest they have what they call a media leak strategy. The following day, "The Washington Post" published a story about FISA surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page.
Then on April 12th, Strzok congratulated his colleague over two negative articles about Carter Page saying that one was worse than the other for the Trump team. Strzok added, quote: well done.
Now, Mark Meadows' letter to Rosenstein, it's interesting it went to him, because remember, he signed off on one of the FISA warrants that continued the surveillance of Carter Page. Republicans want to see the president declassify documents that may shed more light on how the DOJ handled the investigations to both President Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton around the election.
House Republicans also want to see the documents that may shed light on why Justice Department official Bruce Ohr kept such close touch with the former British spy, Christopher Steele, who, of course, put together the dossier that laid the ground work for the surveillance of Carter Page -- Sean.
HANNITY: All right. Dossier that even Steele himself doesn't stand by, as we know from the interrogatory in Great Britain.
Ed Henry, thank you.
Here now with an exclusive interview, reaction, is former Trump campaign associate, he is at the very center of tonight's breaking news, the FISA abuse scandal, Carter Page.
Great to see you, sir.
Just to remind people, when you were on last time, you traveled to Russia and other places. When your country, when you came back, they often debriefed you.
CARTER PAGE, FORMER TRUMP CAMPAIGN ASSOCIATE: Very often, yes.
HANNITY: And you cooperated with your FBI because you're a patriot?
PAGE: Throughout my life, yes.
HANNITY: And with the CIA and other agencies.
PAGE: Yes.
HANNITY: So, they considered you a friend.
PAGE: I always thought they did, yes.
HANNITY: Yes. Well, you are at the heart of all of this. The quote, media leak strategy, which was on April 10th, 2017, Strzok and Page communicating with each other. Then it likes the next day, the 11th in the "Washington Post." Then Strzok is congratulating page for a job well done with two derogatory articles about you.
That's the FBI and the DOJ coordinating against you to leak in an ongoing investigation. Your reaction?
PAGE: You know, Sean, Thompson (ph) I think said it best on your show, you know, going back weeks, it's not about me, they're just trying to get to the Trump administration, the Trump campaign. This is just a way of tearing down all of the great things that President Trump is doing.
HANNITY: Well, let's be honest here, though. I mean, this is about your name, your reputation, your life, and it's an ongoing investigation. You just heard what Sara Carter said, 302s are released, the unredacted portions of the FISA released, you are going to be exonerated with exculpatory evidence withheld.
Let's assume Sara is right, considering she hasn't been wrong yet. What would that mean to you?
PAGE: Well, Sean, I just remember six years ago tonight, my good friend Chris Stevens lost his life in a very similar situation.
HANNITY: Benghazi.
PAGE: You know, where these people -- people in Washington, there's no concern about his safety, and they're very much worried about their narrative for the media. That's the focus. It's not -- it has nothing to do with safety, they're just focused on their own spin for their own personal gratification.
HANNITY: A systemic culture of media leaking by high officials at the FBI and DOJ related to ongoing investigation. That's what we're talking about, you are in the center of it.
You know, my mother was a prison guard. My dad was family court probation. I had more people in the NYPD. The two -- the two people we've referred to is deity, we're FBI guys. We're not talking about the FBI.
We're talking about a few people in the FBI and the DOJ that abuse their power and basically used you as the single person to go out there, to get the president. Do you have any doubt they're trying to get the president now?
PAGE: There's no doubt whatsoever.
HANNITY: When you spoke to these people, now interestingly, you haven't been indicted.
PAGE: Of course not.
HANNITY: Are they talking to you anymore?
PAGE: I haven't talked to anyone from the U.S. government this year. Other than the people in the DOJ where I was, you know, had my case against the U.S. government. But, and they keep, similar to the FISA court, Southern District of New York keeps giving this false testimonies to the court.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: About you.
PAGE: About, you know I have a case against the U.S. government. And you know, the fake news propaganda.
HANNITY: You have lawsuits that you're moving.
PAGE: Absolutely.
HANNITY: And you don't want any money you told me.
PAGE: One dollar just, you know, nominal.
HANNITY: How do you pay lawyers with $1? I don't know anybody.
PAGE: I want to fix this terrible thing that's happened to our country. You know, this is just on principle, but it's just so corrupt right now.
HANNITY: So tell me if this is wrong, the FBI and DOJ we learned through these text messages were colluding to leak what are phony Russian lies about you and then the same DOJ hires Mueller to investigate it. But the DOJ is working with the FBI leaking it.
And then we find out, through Bruce Ohr and Christopher Steele's contacts, Christopher Steele is saying did you get my info to your friends in the special counsel. Tell me what's wrong with that picture.
PAGE: Well, Sean, look, I have, you know, dozens of lawyers that I'm up against in DOJ. And that's on the civil division. It's been, you know, told to friends with the Washington Post and New York Times that I talk to--
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Did they ever apologize to you for taking laks that are unverified?
PAGE: Absolutely not, no. And you know--
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: By the way, if they do it, it's going to be on page 836 in the bottom right-hand corner, nobody will find it.
PAGE: Hopefully they start fixing this a little bit, Sean.
HANNITY: Are you going to sue them?
PAGE: Well, it's just like the first -- the fake intel report by Clapper, Comey, Brennan on January 6, 2017, two weeks before the inauguration. It was split into two themes. One is the hacking, the other is government propaganda. I am doing, I have a legal action right now, and the government propaganda. We'll see about the hacking.
HANNITY: We get this information that we wanted declassified and unredacted, are you convinced there's exculpatory evidence they withheld, do you know that there's exculpatory evidence?
PAGE: The more information that comes out, it's just going to keep showing how ridiculous this whole thing is.
HANNITY: So you think when you look at the players Steele, Ohr, Strzok, Page, McCabe do you think that was the insurance policy?
PAGE: Sure, it's definitely seems like it.
HANNITY: All right. Good luck. I appreciate it. Sorry you were lied about.
PAGE: Wouldn't have happened with (Inaudible).
HANNITY: All right. Alan Dershowitz and Andy McCarthy react next, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: All right. here with reaction to my interview with Carter Page, author of bestselling book in New York Times "The Case Against Impeaching Trump," Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz is with us, also Fox News contributor Andy McCarthy.
It comes down to this, both of you I know are good people. I know, Andy, your work in the Southern District of New York. I know where you stand on indicting a ham sandwich and criminalizing political differences Professor Dershowitz.
But when you have the upper echelon of the FBI and the DOJ coordinating leaks that turn out, professor, to be untrue in an ongoing investigation at what point do people get held accountable for this?
ALAN DERSHOWITZ, PROFESSOR, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL: Well, this is a very serious problem. We have too many leaks, many of them are unlawful. Many of them are in violation of the laws and the rules. And we have too little disclosure of allegedly classified material, and exculpatory information.
They have it backwards. They should be disclosing this material that they claim is classify, 95 percent of it, designed to protect people, not to design to protect national security. And they must reveal exculpatory material. But they should never be leaking.
And the tragedy, is that the former head of the FBI, James Comey, gave permission to leak. When he leaked material and laundered through a Columbia law professor that put the green light to many people, and say, hey, if the head of the FBI can leak, why can't we?
HANNITY: What about the coordination, the FBI and the DOJ, you know, they even say it, Andy, media leak strategy. Then they leak. And then they, you know, job well done on two derogatory articles about the guy we just had on. Now maybe a lot of people don't have empathy--
(CROSSTALK)
ANDREW MCCARTHY, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Sean--
HANNITY: I don't want to be leaked about the FBI and the DOJ and I don't think either one of you do.
MCCARTHY: Well, nobody wants to be leaked about. But I don't want to get ahead of what we know here. I've been in investigations where there were leak problems. And sometimes you have to have a leak strategy because your investigation is being damaged by leaks.
Other times, you have what I regard as a corrupt endeavor by government officials to intentionally leak information in order to as I say tickle the wires, that is to say you have people who are under surveillance, you put information out in the media, and you see how they react, who they speak to, et cetera. It's not a tactic that I think is a worthy one. But it does happen.
So, I think we need to find out, I agree with Professor Dershowitz, that what we need is disclosure, disclosure, disclosure. But I don't want to pounce on what we don't know yet because we don't know what leak strategy--
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Well, we have two text messages that talk about a media leak strategy, and then they're congratulating each other over leaking about Carter Page and talking about further likes.
MCCARTHY: Right.
HANNITY: Let me ask this, professor, because there's a big question the president now is going to have to answer. And I have not seen them, but I hear if he declassifies and sends out unredacted FISA applications, the 302s that Sara Carter says has exculpatory evidence in there that they withhold, the gang of eight material, all of the Page, Strzok e-mails and texts, that it will be exclusive and will show corruption at the highest levels.
More -- my sources say each one has said at least nine or 10 out of 10 in terms of corruption exposure.
DERSHOWITZ: Well, I think first of full, sunlight is the best disinfectant as Justice Brandeis said. And so we want to see all of this information the public ought to have the opportunity to judge, the media ought to be able to assess it, it ought to be put in context, let's see what there is.
Let's not have selective disclosures, either by Republicans or Democrats, which helped their narrative. Let's disclose everything we can, unless it really raises serious issues of national security.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: By the way, you sound like Spartacus--
DERSHOWITZ: And when in doubt, put it out.
HANNITY: You sound like Spartacus now.
DERSHOWITZ: Well, put it out.
HANNITY: But in all seriousness, you're right.
(CROSSTALK)
DERSHOWITZ: Well, there is an issue on that.
HANNITY: And Andy, would you call for an--
DERSHOWITZ: I mean, we shouldn't be withholding material about Kavanaugh either. I think what's good for the goose is good for the gander, it has to come out on all sides.
HANNITY: I'm not disagreeing, but Kavanaugh, in fairness they released more documents than the five previous nominees. But go ahead, Andy.
DERSHOWITZ: Not enough, though.
MCCARTHY: Yes. I would say not just on Republicans and Democrats, but not by the FBI and the intelligence community. The big problem you have when you have a government that leaks is that it cherry picks leaks--
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Well, should the president unredact?
MCCARTHY: -- so that the (Inaudible) of events that may not be reality.
HANNITY: Should the president declassify?
MCCARTHY: Of course, he should have done it the first day in office.
HANNITY: We specifically--
DERSHOWITZ: The president has the power to declassify but he should do it not politically. He shouldn't to serve his interests or the interest of his party but the interest of full disclosure and the America -- the Americans citizens' ability to read for themselves.
You know, when we hold information back, we insult the American public. And they have a right to see it. That's what democracy is all about. You can't have democracy without information. And so we need more disclosure and fewer leaks.
HANNITY: Last word, Andy.
MCCARTHY: Two years, two years, put it out. Two years.
HANNITY: Yes. Is Rod Rosenstein conflicted, and as considering now it was head this DOJ, FBI, and they're the ones now that we find out they have people leaking and that he's appointing Mueller and he signed the last FISA warrant? Is he conflicted?
DERSHOWITZ: He's so conflicted, he's so conflicted even beside the fact that he's a potential witness in the case.
HANNITY: Bingo.
DERSHOWITZ: He has become a player in this case rather than the objective neutral chief prosecutor.
HANNITY: You agree with that, Andy?
MCCARTHY: I do, and I think his memo, his August 2nd memo which is roughly contemporaneous with the FISA warrant that he signed also should be unsealed and revealed.
HANNITY: All right. Thank you both. The house of cards is about to fall. When we come back, the ladies of The View vicious, hateful swipes at our first lady. We'll play you the tape. We'll get reaction, Judge Pirro and Tammy Bruce as we continue.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: All right. The ladies of The View they're back, and they already going after the first family. They can't control themselves. Just look at the swipes taken from some of the hosts at the first lady, Melania Trump. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUNNY HOSTIN, CO-HOST, ABC: I was shocked by Melania's statement. She said -- yes.
(CROSSTALK)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, ABC: Do not -- don't do it.
HOSTIN: I can't come back.
GOLDBERG: No. That's why we tell you don't do it.
HOSTIN: Good. Right. Don't try it I can't do it. She says, people with no names are writing our nation's history. Words are important. And accusations can lead to severe consequences. If a person is bold enough to accuse people of negative actions they have responsibilities to publicly stand by their words and people have the right to be able to defend themselves."
As far as I recall--
(CROSSTALK)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, ABC: Who wrote that, Michelle Obama?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Joyless Behar then continue to bashed the first lady over the weekend. Let's watch her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: She is now enjoying the fruits of the American country. Her parents are now, in the chain, what do they call that chain migration?
VAN JONES, CNN HOST: Yes, chain migration.
BEHAR: They're enjoying chain migration which a lot of people in this country unfortunately are not enjoying because her husband wants to stop it. Why shouldn't she go along with it? You know, she was in Slovenia, doing nothing, I don't know what she was doing there. What was she doing there?
JONES: I think she was working as a model.
BEHAR: Ok. She was a model. Now she's the first lady. I mean, come on, as my mother would say, who's better than her?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Wow. Pretty vicious. Joining us now with reaction, Fox News contributor, Tammy Bruce, and author of the number one, that's right number one, did I say number one New York Times best seller "Liars, Leakers, and liberals: The Case Against the anti-Trump Conspiracy," the host of Justice here on Fox. And she fills in for me but she complains about it all the time.
JEANINE PIRRO, FOX NEWS HOST: I do not! I love to fill in for you, when you taking off again?
HANNITY: When are you going to drop dead, I'll jump right in the grave. You know, I really have had it with the attacks on Secretary Nielsen, Pam Bondi, Sarah Sanders, first lady, Ivanka, even Baron Trump. I had it.
Leave -- leave the wife of the president and leave the children alone and leave the women that serve their country alone. Because if Republicans did this we know what the reaction would be.
PIRRO: You know, I have personally experienced the kind of attacks that you just saw on The View. it wasn't that long ago when I went on for my book.
HANNITY: That was such a bad idea.
PIRRO: No, no, I'll go toe-to-toe with anyone. They don't scare me. But here's the bottom line.
HANNITY: Nobody watches.
PIRRO: There is so much hatred by the left toward the right, all of a sudden racism is acceptable. Sexism is acceptable. Derogatory statements.
Look, I know Melania Trump, the woman speaks five languages, she is extremely classy and bright. You would never hear her say, for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country. You would never hear Melania talk about the fact that, you know, it is not right that so and her parents came.
You know, the comment about chain migration, the reason she says chain migration isn't what it should be, is that people are coming in illegally. They're just crossing the border. That's what Michelle Obama wanted.
HANNITY: Melania came in legally.
TAMMY BRUCE, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Legally.
HANNITY: Number two, the English is her fifth language, not first, not second, not third, not fourth, her fifth language.
BRUCE: Yes.
HANNITY: Can I barely speak one. And not only that, she's a good mother, she represents our country well, and I just can't believe the vicious, vile attacks.
BRUCE: Yes.
HANNITY: Never-ending. Like that idiot, Jimmy Kimmel.
BRUCE: Well, let me tell you, as a woman, if you experience this and you recognize it for what it is, they're jealous. And when you're growing up, if you are a special individual, you are excelling, you are beautiful, there is a crowd of the mean girls who go after you because they can't stand it. It's clearly jealousy.
At the same time, you've got Melania who frankly can take the heat in that kitchen. But you notice what they were attacking was Melania personally. Not her ideas. Because the statement she made about freedom of expression and taking responsibility, is at the core of what matters to every American, right?
But instead, even the Joy Behar remarks implied, horribly, that the first lady is a prostitute. That she's doing things for certain reason just to get stuff. When in fact, I think we're dealing with some projection here, aren't we.
The first lady's approval rating is the highest, really, of the president, of everybody else in politics, certainly of anybody on the view. She's well liked for a reason, because she represents what makes this country great.
Yes, immigration, people want to come to this country to become Americans. And then honor us with embracing the American ideal. That is what they hate, that is what they're going after, and it is why the president will be re-elected and why this nation -- I welcome it. It exposes the left for what they are.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: It's going to happen in 57 days.
PIRRO: And you know what, that is the reason that Donald Trump is the president. Everything you are saying is true.
BRUCE: That's right. That's right.
PIRRO: The reason he's the president is because people rejected that Barack Obama and the Michelle Obama legacy. It's really as simple as that.
BRUCE: Yes. Look, I think that first lady herself particularly represents what makes the country great. What the American people recognized in that couple. And why she, frankly, with her programs for kids, her speaking out against this anonymous op-ed piece in the New York Times, she knows what makes this nation especially great. And her life experience--
(CROSSTALK)
PIRRO: She is an elegant woman.
HANNITY: She is an elegant, lovely, beautiful, wonderful person.
(CROSSTALK)
PIRRO: Elegant and classy. And I want her to keep speaking up. keep speaking up.
HANNITY: Thank you both. All right. If you have family or loved ones on the East Coast you need to see a report, hurricane Florence is real. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: We do have a Fox News alert. And you've been hearing about hurricane Florence now miles off the coast. It's headed right to the Carolinas. Now beware. It is headed straight for the East Coast of the U.S., according to projections, as my friend Joe Bastardi says, this is a pattern hurricane, which means it's likely not going to change course.
It's a cat four, it's 140 miles per hour, set to make landfall on Thursday in the Carolinas.
Look, we love you. If you live in North Carolina, South Carolina, if you are in Virginia, Wilmington obviously it looks like ground zero right now. This storm is headed for you.
Mandatory evacuations are now in place in certain areas. We urge you, please heed those warnings. You know what? We've seen enough damage. As a matter of fact, when hurricane Hugo went to the same area, this particular storm, hurricane Florence, is a slower moving storm.
Hugo did so much damage in the Charleston area, the Carolinas, that literally, it decimated entire communities. You've got to take this seriously.
We, remember, we can always rebuild homes. I know it's not easy come I know it's inconvenient, I know it's a pain but take your possessions, take your kids, take your animals, and if they tell you to evacuate, please get out. Please.
There's the one time in my life I'll tell you to listen to government. And also pay your taxes. Those of you who don't they'll put you in jail. Anyway, please be careful. We are going to follow it here on the Fox News Channel throughout the week. And we are praying for all of you that are in harm's way.
All right. We are always fair and balanced. We are not the destroy-Trump media. Let not your heart be troubled. Laura Ingraham is standing by. Big show tonight, Laura.
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