Kevin McCarthy says Joe Biden should pledge not to campaign during Senate impeachment trial

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Kevin McCarthy says Joe Biden should pledge not to campaign during Senate impeachment trial

An impeachment trial in the Senate hurts Democratic senators running for president and benefits Joe Biden, says House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," January 13, 2020. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: Welcome to "Hannity." Buckle up.

Tonight, we have several big breaking news stories, including a disturbing new development from the FISA court. It's going to make your blood boil tonight.

Plus, knives are out. Democratic Party are heading to Iowa. We will show you how all of the radical 2020 socialists are now starting to turn on each other, as we predicted.

Also, massive anti-regime protesting going on in the country of Iran, drawing worldwide attention. But many so-called liberals -- they are, of course, notably silent, because it doesn't fit into their deranged anti- Trump narrative.

First, we start, tonight, once again, in the swamp, where Nancy Pelosi, speaker by name only, and her botched impeachment charade is now a source of official embarrassment for top Democrats. After months of screaming, urgency, urgency, urgency -- also they can go on vacation -- Pelosi inexplicably, well, she sat on the bogus articles of impeachment for weeks. What happened to urgency?

Keep in mind, Article I, Section 3, our U.S Constitution, it states, quote: The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. Sole power.

By the way, the House has the sole power to impeach. When that House sends over their partisan garbage, the Senate has every right to dismiss. Pelosi doesn't get to tell the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell how to do his constitutional job and what his role is, which is why as McConnell pointed out, Pelosi's stall tactics have achieved nothing, except the phony belief that it was urgent to do it so quickly. Never was.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL, R-KY.: On Friday, Speaker Pelosi signaled she may finally wind down her one-woman blockade of a fair and timely impeachment trial. In terms of influence and Senate proceedings, this strange gambit has achieved absolutely nothing. But it has produced one unintended side effect: the speaker's efforts to pre-commit the Senate to carry on an investigation which her own House lost patient concede that the House case is rushed, weak, and incomplete.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: All right. Tonight, President Trump is right. Pelosi will go down as the worst speaker in the history of the country. And there's a really good chance she may lose her job in November.

And right now, even her fellow Democrats are trashing the speaker behind closed doors. It's not working out well for her.

Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You heard the speaker say that she actually did gain a lot by holding up these articles of impeachment for three weeks. A lot of skepticism on Capitol Hill.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, definitely. She was clearly putting a positive spin on what a lot of Democrats have privately said was a failed strategy. I do think there are a lot of Democrats who, while not going on the record and saying it, a lot of them have concern about this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: All right. From start to finish, Pelosi has totally botched this obvious political stunt. She announced the inquiry before the transcript of the phone call with Zelensky. Never knew what was in it.

She criticized the call in question before she even read that transcript. She authorized the impeachment inquiry without a vote. She appointed a corrupt, compromised congenital liar by the name of, yes, Adam Schiff, to lead this bogus inquiry.

And Schiff then conducted the Schiff show investigation in secret where he first auditioned behind closed doors the witnesses, grooming testimony, selectively leaking material. Why? To shape public opinion.

His star witness, the so-called whistle-blower, non-whistleblower, hearsay whistleblower, never testified after it was discovered that he had been apparently talking to, may be coordinating with Schiff's office from the beginning.

Now, in the end, the only fact witness, well, that information, that testimony was exculpatory for the president as he refuted the Democrat's wild accusations. And yet, they still passed two B.S. articles of impeachment. Zero Republican support while a few Democrats actually voted against the articles.

Now, these are the weakest articles of impeachment in the history of the United States, not worthy, frankly, of the Senate's time. And despite their best efforts, even the mob and the media failed to bolster the support they wanted.

Look at this. According to NewsBusters, over the past 100 days, a whopping three-fourths of the media's coverage of President Trump is centered around impeachment. And naturally, 93 percent of that, negative.

But Americans are not buying it. Look at the Real Clear Politics average, the polls have shifted in the president's favor.

And now, Pelosi is desperately trying to save face. Good luck with that mission in life.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI, D-CALIF.: We have confidence in our case that it is impeachable and this president is impeached for life, regardless of any gamesmanship on the part of Mitch McConnell. However, that could still come to bear. But we're confident in the impeachment and we think that it is enough testimony to remove him from office.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Now, the only person less self-aware than Speaker-in-name-only Pelosi might be her corrupt, compromised colleague, the congenital liar, Adam Schiff, and his Schiff show.

Now, today, he appeared on hard-hitting news show, "The View" on ABC. You know, the scream fist where the hosts all hate each other apparently, according to Page Six.

And there is a compromised, congenital liar where he of all people complaining that the Senate won't fulfill their constitutional duty. Really? Why won't come on a real program? Here, take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ADAM SCHIFF, D-CALIF.: Told me that he believes he is above the law, unaccountable, and we needed to move forward. Even if the Senate won't do their constitutional duty, we in the House need to do ours.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: So why is a congenital liar appearing on "The View", every late night show that will take him, why not this show? We offered him three hours nonstop, the radio show with 625 of the best talk radio affiliates in the country. One hour, thanks to this great audience, the number one show in cable news.

Oh, that's right. He's afraid he'll actually have to answer for his malignant behavior. After all, this is the coward who afforded zero rights, zero due process, zero, basic fundamental fairness to President Trump, the way Newt Gingrich and Republicans did with Bill Clinton.

It appears he tampered, perhaps, with witnesses, leaked material to shape public opinion, and entered a fraudulent evidence into the official record. Remember, he actually fabricated a transcript that didn't exist of the president's call with the Ukrainian president, and, of course, he lied about all of it. Schiff doesn't apparently care about constitutional duties.

Now, since 2016, Democrats have cared about one thing, one thing only, destroying any means possible, Donald Trump. This impeachment charade was their desperate, last ditch attempt and it has been an abject failure. Meanwhile, the Trump agenda continues to be a massive success.

According to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate -- wow. In spite of all of the noise and all of the impeachment, and all the conspiracy theories and all the hoaxes, it is now at the lowest rate since 1969. Many of you watching probably weren't born yet. That's 3.5 percent.

The labor of underutilized rates, they also are at all times lows. Look at this, wage growth for low and middle income earners, you know, the forgotten men and women, disproportionately negatively impacted by Biden and Obama's economy, yep, they're actually outpacing the growth of high income earners. Wow. The rich.

And earnings, growth among every race, every gender, tax bracket is far exceeding the Obama-Biden years. The economy now by every measure firing on all cylinders. The election is only 295 days away.

Here now is House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

Sir, I don't know how you explain it because there was all this urgency. Then the urgency led to everybody going away on vacation and they came back from vacation, and they had no urgency there either. So, the only urgency seems to be just to try and get everybody at Christmastime talking about Donald Trump and he was impeached for nothing.

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY, R-CALIF.: Well, you see the hypocrisy. Do you remember the letter I sent to Nancy Pelosi when this first started? Let's lay this out, just as Clinton had and Nixon had -- a fair process, a due process.

She denied us even the ability to do that. And now, she holds it up.

But I believe she held it up for a number of reasons. One, she knows she has a very weak case. Two, it also plays in the hand -- remember what the Democrats did in 2016? They beat Bernie Sanders. Why? They used superdelegates.

They also had the DNC chairperson, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, had to resign the night before the convention, because they got caught cheating.

What this does, it harms every senator running for president with Iowa being February 3rd and benefits Joe Biden. Joe Biden should actually make a pledge not to campaign while impeachment is on, if he believes in the fairness and that Nancy Pelosi didn't do this for him.

HANNITY: So, what are they -- now, they're going to go back after they impeach and try to get more witnesses to re-impeach the impeached, because they were ready before? What is now the new process or the new conspiracy theory, or the new witch hunt?

MCCARTHY: It's not the role of the Senate to bring any new witnesses in. They are talking about bringing other witnesses in, but the House never subpoenaed, that the House never went through.

When you watched that interview with Nancy Pelosi, the speaker, she said -- they asked, why didn't you go to the courts? She said, oh, it will take too long. There she goes. She said she wanted to go really fast and now she held up.

She has a weak case, which you are very clear about. This is the weakest, fastest impeachment in the history of America. And if you took the standard, the only person who abused the power were the Democrats.

HANNITY: Let's go over constitutionally. Explain, does the Senate have any role in impeaching the president? Except -- the impeachment part, the sole power to impeach is where?

MCCARTHY: In the House.

HANNITY: OK. The sole power for the trial is where?

MCCARTHY: In the Senate.

HANNITY: OK. These are not trick questions. I know Joe Biden might have a hard time.

(LAUGHTER)

HANNITY: Now my question is this. So, the House impeached the president along party lines. Not one of your Republican colleagues, not one, went along with this.

So, you have one fact witness and that was Ambassador Sondland, whose statement was exculpatory. He wants nothing, no quid pro quo like Joe.

MCCARTHY: No, you -- you had another -- you had another fact witness in Adam Schiff, because he lied and met with the whistle-blower. Remember that.

HANNITY: Right.

MCCARTHY: He was a judge, the jury, the fact witness. That would never hold up in them rule of law in any court in America.

HANNITY: All right. If the House, then, has the sole power to do the impeachment, they've impeached him. Now, House managers will go to the Senate. They'll have the big, you know, I guess they'll bring it in with such sobriety and pomp and circumstance. All right, whatever.

And then the Senate's job is to then, they will get sworn in by the presiding judge in the case. That will be --

MCCARTHY: Chief justice.

HANNITY: -- chief justice. That will be John Roberts.

So, they are not supposed to listen to why the House impeached him. They're not supposed to do the House's job for them, are they?

MCCARTHY: No, they are the jury. They can't have cell phones. They can't talk to one another.

They can't raise questions. They write their questions down. Just like anyone who has ever served in a jury box.

It's not their case in the jury box to say, oh, I want to call some other witnesses. I want to try the case for you, because it's a weak. They had their opportunity.

But one thing that wouldn't happen in America, you have people in this jury box who are already made a decision on this case, like Kamala Harris. She said back in October that she'd impeach the president, vote for it, before he was ever impeached in the House. In any jury, she would be kicked out.

HANNITY: All right. Thank you, Congressman Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader in the House of Representatives.

Now, let's turn to a huge developing situation out of Iran. Over the weekend, widespread protests erupted all across the country.

Now, look at this. This time, demonstrators weren't burning American flags, Israeli flags, or shouting death to America, death to Israel. Nope, these crowds, massive crowds turned out to denounce their own hostile regime that has basically pretty much imprisoned all of them.

They were ripping down posters of the dead terrorist leader, Soleimani. They were chanting, "Our enemy is right here. They lied to us that it's America."

Government forces, they then had to respond the way they always do in Iran, firing live ammunition into the crowd, beating protesters. Still -- and look at this powerful scene. See that? Undeterred demonstrators, they chose to walk around a large American and Israeli flag painted on the sidewalk.

Look at this. Pretty amazing stuff. And to avoid stepping on it.

Then, they were booing and jeering the few who did not follow suit.

Compared to the protest mandated by the Islamic dictatorship of Iran, and when the mullahs are there, and they are leading the chants of "death to America, death to Israel," burning our flag, burning the Israeli flag. Hatred, bigotry, ignorance as far as the eye can see.

And tonight, no, we can't do it for you for the people of Iran. We do stand in solidarity. We believe in freedom in America. We don't believe in the suppression of freedom and liberty and rights.

We don't like how women are treated. We don't like Sharia law. We don't like how gays and lesbians are thrown off buildings and murdered because they just do that. We don't like any of that. We don't support any of that.

They truly want to rid themselves of this hostile regime, they will have to act, the people themselves. One thing is clear, because under President Trump, Iran can't have a nuclear weapon. Besides that, you are going to have to win your own independence. And we can help you, I hope we find a way too at some point in time.

But we can't put American troops on the ground. This president has promised he won't. We can't get long protracted conflicts of any kind.

But you do have the right, it is a God-given right. In this country, we believe to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We are endowed by our Creator. We believe that for all human beings.

The crippling sanctions will not be lifted if Iran continues to engage in their hostile behavior all around the regime, all around the region. If they continue to attack Americans, if they continue to attack American assets, or kill Americans.

If you, the Iranian people, want what we have and often take for granted here in this country, better, greater country, more freedom, more prosperity for your country, you must take control of your own destiny.

Joining us now with more, Arizona Senator Martha McSally is with us.

I watched this and as I watched a few people that did step on the American flag and then I watched the majority that didn't, and I'm thinking, wow, ever since the president's sanctions have been put in place and are working --

SEN. MARTHA MCSALLY, R-ARIZ.: Yes.

HANNITY: -- which is why we're getting all these saber-rattling because they're trying to get our attention, thinking that they're going to get bribed again, like Obama and Biden bribed them. But they're not.

Now, the Iranian people can figure out -- they're the ones causing all of this, they're the ones that make us live in this oppressed society. Do you think they've got to figure it out? Do you think that they can overturn this government?

MCSALLY: Well, Sean, thanks for having me on tonight.

And we stand with the Iranian people. Think about the courage that they're having to show, to risk their lives to stand for freedom. I've deployed in this region six times and when I saw those images of them walking around the American flag and the Israeli flag, you know what's in their hearts. And this is in strong contrast to those who were forced out, you know, to come to the largest terrorist leader in this country's funeral, and then the media buying in to their propaganda, of course, of how supportive they were.

This is what's really happening with the Iranian people. They are freedom- loving just like every God -- you know, God created person. We know it's their hearts and they deserve freedom for them and their families. And our prayers are with them tonight.

HANNITY: Well, I agree. You know, the sad reality that we do know -- and, look, I would love to be able to fight evil everywhere around the world. We can't -- we don't have the resources. We don't have the money.

MCSALLY: Yes.

HANNITY: We can't lose American treasure. But we can do what we did here - -

MCSALLY: Yes.

HANNITY: -- when they kill Americans, when they take tankers hostage to try and impact the free of flow at market prices, or even shoot down drones. I don't think I would have the patience that Donald Trump has shown.

MCSALLY: That's exactly it, Sean. I mean, you think about Qassem Soleimani not only has killed over 600 of my fellow servicemen and women, and maimed so many others, but he's responsible for the killing and imprisonment of so many Iranians. This is a bad guy.

And somehow, again, the media and the left, they can't seem to figure out, it's not that difficult. We've got the good guys, us, and President Trump making a bold decision to kill this terrorist leader, and then you have the bad guys, the Iranian regime. And they are continuing to oppress their people.

But with the maximum pressure campaign continue to crank up though sanctions, and we need the Europeans to get off the sidelines. Stop trying to bypass the sanctions. Work with us to squeeze the regimes, use diplomatic and economic efforts, and then you (ph) let the Iranian people find a better path for themselves.

HANNITY: All right. Senator, thank you. Martha McSally.

As the House Minority Leader McCarthy plans a resolution, by the way, in support of the Iranian people, Democrats have been noticeably silent. Why would they be silent about liberty and freedom and, yes, we hold these truths to be self-evident, all men are created equal, endowed by our Creator, certain inalienable rights, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness? Would they support that for all people? Because their silence is deafening.

After spending more than a week hyperventilating over the president's actions against the hostile Iranian regime and Soleimani who's killed so many Americans, top Democrats, they've have almost totally, entirely ignored the anti-regime protesters. Most couldn't be bothered to even issue a tweet. For Democrats, bashing Trump is more important. You know, if the dog bites, the bee stings, if you're feeling said, blame Trump if you're a Democrat, or part of the mob and the media.

Here, we have millions of Iranian citizens now crying out for freedom. We should stand with them in solidarity at least. We can't save them. I wish we could.

The left's hatred is so extreme that they now have turned a blind eye to pure evil in this Iranian regime. No human rights -- I thought they cared about human rights. I thought they cared about the rights to women, and gays, and lesbians. Apparently not, because this would be a good opportunity for them to speak out about oppression, all while turning their backs on the citizens of Iran.

Here now with reaction, Salem Radio nationally syndicated host, Larry Elder, FOX News contributor Dan Bongino.

You know, Dan, I don't think this is that complicated. I know we can't save every part of the world were dark and evil and regimes like this exist. I'd like to think, though, we'd stand with solidarity with the people and watching the majority step away from stepping on that American and Israeli flag was pretty inspiring and spoke volumes.

DAN BONGINO, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: That was inspiring. Sean, and -- but your analysis is right. We cannot be expected to combat evil all over the world. I mean, evil stay in men's heart since, you know, first we became sentient beings.

Having said that, if we have an opportunity, an open opportunity to minimize risk to Americans around the world, with minimal exposure to U.S. assets at the time, we should take it.

And I have to ask the Democrats, and I've asked this a couple times. I'll ask it again. You know, seriously, I'm not kidding. What side are you on?

We should turn the table on them, Sean, and we should ask them the question. You keep challenging President Trump for killing one of the world's worst terrorists. I need you to explain to me in a coherent paragraph or less, what was the benefit of keeping one of the world's number one terrorist alive? Please go ahead, Democrats. Let's explain that to the American people, what the benefit of this guy living or having a pulse was.

They'll never do it. They'll run from the question.

HANNITY: I don't care if it's Shia, Iran, the Sunni, Saudi Arabia, Larry Elder, and you are more libertarian than maybe I am. I'm a registered conservative. But who are the most outspoken in the way women are treated under Sharia law? In -- I don't care if it's Iran or Saudi Arabia, or gays and lesbians are killed, being -- just who they are in these countries. I thought lib -- I thought these were liberal values, the most outspoken people in this country are conservatives like me and libertarian conservatives like Joe and Dan.

LARRY ELDER, SALEM RADIO NATIONALLY SYNDICATED HOST: Right, right. Well, you know, Sean, and, Dan, it's difficult to avoid the conclusion that the reason you're hearing this deafening silence is they don't want to give Donald Trump a political victory.

It seems to me that Donald Trump should get -- get credit for the way the Iranian economy is imploding. This regime might very well be on the brink of collapse. And you have thousands of people going to the streets against the law to protest this regime. And you're not hearing any support from the Democrats. Why? They don't want to give Donald Trump a victory. This would maybe change --

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: Larry, hang on a second. They care more about --

ELDER: -- avoid a war, a shooting war. They don't want to give him a victory.

HANNITY: So they care more about hating Trump than the simple basic fundamental principle that we are endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights? That they don't want those rights?

ELDER: Yes (ph).

HANNITY: They lecture us all the time on, you know, even the words we say, never mind the actions some of these countries used to treat their citizens.

ELDER: Well, that's right. That's why Joe Lieberman came out, the former senator, and said, why can't my fellow Democrats at least give Donald Trump credit for taking out this terrorist with the blood of 600 Americans on his hands and thousands of other Americans who've been maimed by his IEDs? They couldn't even do that.

It's all about hating Donald Trump and trying to win in 2020.

HANNITY: All right. Last word, Dan?

BONGINO: Yes, I mean, Sean, it's like they are actually advancing Iranian propaganda, too. I mean, we've already seen it. The whole parroting, this was an accident with the plane, the 30 Americans died in the attack when they didn't on MSNBC, and finally, that this was a revered figure.

ELDER: Right.

BONGINO: So revered, they are ripping posters down and protested against him in the street.

Give us a break, guys. Please? This is America. Get on Team America for once.

HANNITY: All right, guys, thank you both for being with us.

Wow. What a reception the president just had earlier tonight. We're going to play it, straight ahead.

Also, unbelievable, FISA court has now capped a former Obama administration lawyer who has appeared on, yes, Area 51 Roswell Rachel Maddow Show to oversee the FBI's surveillance reforms. You can't make this up.

Sara Carter has that breaking news. She'll join us.

Also, Congressman Devin Nunes tonight.

And -- wow. What a reception for the president and first lady, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: All right. Pretty hard to believe but the deep state appears to be fighting back yet again. On Friday, the FISA court made an outrageous decision. Guess what? They tapped former Obama administration official, a guy by the name of David Kris, who defended the Carter Page surveillance, in other words, premeditated lying to a FISA court, for the purpose of spying on not only Carter Page and denying him his constitutional rights and civil liberties, but also spy on a presidential candidate, transition team and president. To assist with reforming, they hired this guy, the FBI's FISA process.

But breaking tonight, GOP Congressman Mark Meadows, he's now told Sara Carter, FOX News investigative reporter, that lawmakers will appeal to the FISA court to remove the former Obama official from the FBI's review.

Here now to explain it is investigative reporter, Sara Carter.

All right. So this is a guy, just to remind everybody, Sarah, David Kris -- you know, he was the one in this particular case, who openly was criticizing the Republicans like Devin Nunes who will join us, and defended the FBI bureau's premeditated fraud on the FISA court. Why would this person --

SARA CARTER, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Yes.

HANNITY: -- even be here?

CARTER: Well, this is the question that everyone is asking, Sean. I mean, this is what is stunning about this. David Kris was appointed by the new FISA court judge, James Boasberg, to basically lead this oversight of the bureau. He's the same man, as you said, that both defended the FBI's surveillance of Carter Page and then went directly after Congressman Devin Nunes' incredible report which, by the way, was verified and validated by inspector general Michael Horowitz of the FBI's malfeasance.

He still defended the FBI. He played it down Horowitz's report just recently. And he's continuing to write for stuff like "Lawfare" blog, different blogosphere, as well as his Twitter account, going after both Devin Nunes. In fact, he accused Devin Nunes in March of 2018 of obstructing justice and said he should be charged.

What's fascinating right now is that people are asking the very question that you asked. Why was he appointed? Well, I can tell you this, that senior Republican lawmakers led by Mark Meadows are going to send a letter to the judge, to Boasberg, to Judge Boasberg, demanding that Kris be removed from this oversight. And they actually threatened that come March when there's a reauthorization for the FISA, that they might not reauthorize it at all, regarding the FISA report.

So, this is a serious situation. It can change at the drop of the hat. So, it looks like Dave Kris is in for a fight. It looks like the Republicans are pushing back. And come March, FISA might not be reauthorized.

HANNITY: And there also is concern (ph) that Page's application may not have been the only one altered by FBI officials seeking warrants to spy on Americans. Is that true?

CARTER: That's absolutely true. And Rosemary Collier actually pointed that out in her letter in December, Sean. She is very concerned. Remember, she was the former head of the FISC court, of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. And she suggested that this wasn't the only one.

And this is something that we need to look at seriously, Sean, because there are a number of people saying we need to review all of these FISA applications. And I know that Horowitz is now in charge of that. So, that's something that he is going to be doing. But, remember, that reauthorization comes back up in March. And if nothing changes and if the FISA is reauthorized, then we may never get those changes. And that's what a lot of people are concerned about.

HANNITY: Unbelievable. Great reporting. Sara Carter, thank you.

CARTER: Thank you.

HANNITY: Here with reaction, California congressman, he is the Republican leader in the -- on the House Intel Committee who happened to be vindicated by every single word the inspector general's own report. Devin Nunes is with us.

Can you explain this to me? This -- if this isn't rigged, then what else is? Because this person attacked you.

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: You told the truth. Adam Schiff is now proven through the inspector general report to be a liar for the 400,000th time.

REP. DEVIN NUNES, R-CALIF.: Sean, you really just can't make this up. It's almost like they wanted this to happen, like they knew it was the Republican, the Republicans were going to go crazy over this. I'd said now a few times in interviews that the -- it's like the court wants to get itself abolished.

And so, what Sara is talking about is the 702 section of FISA that we reauthorized. It was a five-year reauthorization. That's a tool that we use to really target terrorists.

The bigger problem here is that FISA itself is a law that dates back 30 years. And so, we would actually end up shutting down a critical program because of the abuses that have taken place on a larger program.

But I agree with Mark Meadows and others, that if we're going to appoint people like this, and, look, it's not just the guy accused me of federal crimes. It's more that the guy has really downplayed this and has been an apologist, really, to the -- about what has happened with the FISA report.

So I just don't know that what we've read is that there were eight people that were selected as possibilities to implement these changes at the court.

HANNITY: You pointed out --

(CROSSTALK)

NUNES: This guy is the only one of the eight that have this background.

HANNITY: I'm not particularly impressed with this guy. I mean, obviously, this would then be rigged or whitewashed as Sara points out here. But you even pointed out this weekend that you needed to look no further. This guy's mind is made up when you look at his Twitter feed. And he not only went after you, he's gone after the president.

And as you said as well, that the selection of this guy Kris by the FISA is ridiculous. The FBI lied, and to help make sure this doesn't happen again.

Now, where is Director Wray? And I would think if I was a judge and I was lied to and it was premeditated lying against me to take away someone's civil rights and spy on a presidential candidate, transition team and president, that I'd want the truth told to me.

NUNES: Yes. So, that's why this is going to be important. I think if Congress sends a letter to the court and if the court doesn't take action, I think that's -- then you know all that you have to know, which means that the judge knows exactly what he's doing, he wanted to get a partisan actor to implement these changes. If that's the case, it's going to leave us very little choice in terms of reauthorizing FISA 702.

HANNITY: What about Director Wray? I don't see the urgency. I want to see it in FBI director, to protect the 99 percent of great, brave men and women that make up the world's best law enforcement agency ever.

NUNES: Well, I think the disappointing thing with Director Wray is that he knew what myself, and Chairman Gowdy at the time, John Ratcliffe, the things that we were talking about at the time, and they really did nothing to help us. And that's -- you know, I'd like to see Director Wray at some point talk to us about, you know, the decisions he made at the time, because a lot of it doesn't make any sense.

HANNITY: All right, Congressman Nunes, great job. You told them -- America the true.

NUNES: Thanks.

HANNITY: And, of course, the congenital liar does what he always does -- he lies.

All right. Coming up, it's being called an act of terror. New updates on the shooting from late last year at the naval air station in Florida. Trace Gallagher with that report.

And the gloves are coming off from the Democratic primary.

And wait until you see the reception the president and the first lady got today.

Stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: All right. New tonight, the Department of Justice investigation into the shooting at the Pensacola Air Base last month. They are showing that it was in fact an act of terrorism.

Trace Gallagher, he's live with us tonight with the very latest -- Chris.

TRACE GALLAGHER, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Sean, Attorney General Bill Barr says the investigation into last month's shooting at the Pensacola Air Base did show it was an act of terror and that Saudi Air Force Lieutenant Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani was motivated by jihadist ideology, and left a trail of extremism. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL BARR, ATTORNEY GENERAL: During the course of the investigation, we learned that the shooter posted a message on September 11th of this year, stating the countdown has begun.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GALLAGHER: Alshamrani also posted anti-Israeli and jihadi statements just hours before killing three U.S. sailors and wounding eight others.

The U.S. also expelled 21 Saudi nationals, who like the shooter, were training with the U.S. military. Most of the Saudi cadets being sent home had contact with child pornography and had social media with jihadi or anti-American content.

And although their conduct was unbecoming of an officer in the Royal Saudi Air Force, Bill Barr says it was not terror and would not result in federal prosecution, Sean.

HANNITY: Trace Gallagher, thank you.

Also tonight, the Democratic field is one fewer after Spartacus, yes, Cory Booker, shockingly announced he is ending his 2020 bid. The president sent him a kind farewell, tweeting out, quote: Really big breaking news. Booker who was in zero polling territory just dropped out of the Democratic presidential primary race. Now, I can rest easy tonight. I was concerned that that I'd someday have to go head-to-head with him.

Now, as the Booker campaign ends, it looks like the feud between Sanders and Warren is just beginning. Tonight, comrade Bernie, he's now denying a report that he told the Massachusetts senator back in 2018 that a woman couldn't win the presidential race.

But just moments ago, Warren released a statement on the meeting that said, in part, quote, I thought a woman could win. He disagreed.

The conflict comes after Warren herself was out there taking a shot at Sanders over leaked campaign messaging against her.

The president, well, he thinks it's already over, tweeting, quote, everybody knows her campaign is dead and want her potential voters. Anyway, while the Trump campaign dubs Bernie Sanders the new frontrunner, well, now, what's undeniable is that there is low energy and enthusiasm all throughout the rest of the Democratic Party.

Take a look at your screen. Highly touted event in San Antonio this weekend with Michael Bloomberg and Judge Judy -- I like Judge Judy -- drew literally 45 people.

And, of course, there's also quid pro quo Joe, who continues to face the ire of progressives on everything -- the Iraq war, he lied. Trade deal, well, of course. His record on serving minority communities, because look at this, Sanders' national co-chair, Nina Turner, published a blistering op-ed entitled, quote: While Bernie Sanders has always stood up for African-Americans, Joe Biden has reportedly let us down.

But what the piece fails to mention is that President Trump, not the far left, not the Obama-Biden administration, it's the Trump administration that has been delivering for the forgotten men and women in this country. Look at this. Breaking down demographics, record low unemployment again, one record after another for African-Americans, for Hispanic-Americans, a new household high in median income. Fifty-year low unemployment, 3 percent wage gains.

And we just got even more good news, because since President Trump took office, average wage growth for individuals at the tenth percentile of the income distribution, that now outpaces wage growth for the individuals at the 90th percentile. And the average wage growth for African-Americans now outpaces wage growth for white Americans. It's all great news for Americans.

In other words, those disproportionately that were left behind during the Obama-Biden years, the forgotten men and women, they're doing so much better under the policies of Donald Trump.

But the bad news for the extreme socialist economy-killing Democratic agenda, by the way, New Green Deal, $94 trillion in 10 years, Medicare for All, no more private insurance, $52 trillion in 10 years. You get to decide in 295 days. You get the final say.

Here with reaction, Fox News correspondent-at-large, Geraldo Rivera, along with the author of, it's a great book, "The Iron Triangle", Vince Ellison with us.

All right, Vince, I'm looking at eight polls. Eight. These aren't outliers.

VINCE ELLISON, "THE IRON TRIANGLE" AUTHOR: Uh-huh.

HANNITY: The president got 8 percent of the African-American vote in 2016. He now has 34 percent, 34-1/2 percent, 34 percent, 33 percent, 28 percent, 22 percent, lowest was 16, twice what he got in 2016.

OK. I don't think you can argue those argue those polls are all outliers, they're major polls. What does that mean for the president if he gets anywhere between 16 and 34-1/2 percent of the black vote in America?

ELLISON: It's going to mean that he's going to be reelected big time. It's going to be the death knell of the Democrat Party. In my book, I talked about how the Democrats use these black politicians and most black preachers and black civic organizers to make sure that black and white America stay separate.

They want to make sure that American state separate. They stir the pot and he calls trouble. Cory Booker fell right into that trap.

And here's the thing, Sean, and you know this. There is an awakening in the black community. And this is why Cory failed. People aren't falling for it anymore.

Black people are waking up. There's a lot going on out there. And Cory couldn't come on TV without saying Donald Trump was a racist.

And the president is not a racist. If he's anything, they see him as an -- as an abolitionist, coming to slave plantations trying to accept (ph) the slaves free. And that's why they hate him. And so, they took out the first Republican president with the (INAUDIBLE). They are trying to do the same thing with Trump with this impeachment thing in Washington right now.

HANNITY: Geraldo, we had 13 million more Americans on food stamps after eight years of Obama, we had 8 million more in poverty, lowest labor participation rate, here you have now 8 million -- almost 8 million fewer Americans on food stamps, 8 million more new jobs created. And the people that are benefiting the most are African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, women in the workplace, and youth unemployment. I'd say Donald Trump's policies have been good for all Americans.

GERALDO RIVERA, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT-AT-LARGE: I absolutely agree, Sean. He's been, you know, the true civil rights worker in many ways. He has remade the economic landscape. His rising tide is lifting all boats.

When you see African-American unemployment at record lows and Hispanic unemployment at record lows, and it goes through the -- through the social economic ladder, I think this is wonderful news for the country, wonderful news for the president.

And in terms of his popularity among Latinos and African-Americans, I think that these minority people love -- you know, like me, love to watch people succeed. They love to see the American system working.

HANNITY: I love it. Hey, Geraldo, we are all Americans. Let's all have our American family prosperous.

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: You know --

RIVERA: Right, in terms of breaking the stranglehold of the Democratic Party in the urban areas, I think it's magnificent. These, for decades, these parties have ruled the cities that have been on the road to ruin, cities like Baltimore and New Orleans, and indeed here in Cleveland, Ohio.

We need a new rethinking. We need new management. We need, you know, fresh ideas. We need the capitalist system to be working for everybody, Sean.

HANNITY: Last word, Vince, to me --

ELLISON: The one thing here --

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: Why is it that all these cities run for decades by liberal Democrats, highest crime rates, highest drug abuse rates, violence, why? We only have 15 seconds.

ELLISON: It's the iron triangle. It's the iron triangle and they've been there for years. They haven't been -- no one has been talking.

Trump broke the mold. He started talking to them. He started going out there and challenging them. And that's why his numbers are high and that's why he's going to win the election, and it's going to be the death knell of the Democratic Party. It's going to be good for America.

HANNITY: All right. Vince, welcome, by the way, to the program. Good to have you.

Geraldo -- by the way, Geraldo is saying, Hannity, you were right about the president and Iran. You can say it now. Go ahead. We'll wait, we'll be late, it's fine.

All right. Wait until you see the video of the president and the first lady tonight.

Also, the story everyone is talking about. Prince Harry, Meghan Markle want out of the royal family and the queen appears to have now given her blessing. Details, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: All right. It's the story the world is talking about. Today, the queen held crisis talks with her family about Megxit. Now, they announced there, there will be a period of transition where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will spend time in Canada and the U.K.

Joining us now with reaction, editor of the highly read dailymail.com, Charlie Lankston, with us. "New York Post" columnist Miranda Devine.

By the way, I watch you all the time on "FOX and Friends". You do a great job.

You -- these are the papers -- if you're not reading these two court papers, you're not enjoying life.

CHARLIE LANKSTON, FEMAIL EDITOR, DAILYMAIL.COM: Get on it.

HANNITY: Get on it, right?

LANKSTON: Yes.

HANNITY: It's like you're not watching the show.

All right. I almost felt sorry for the queen.

LANKSTON: I think we all did. And to be honest, I think that's why everyone in the U.K. was really upset by this, because of how the queen was treated. Not only you do not treat the queen like that, because she's the queen, you don't treat your grandmother like that. Have some respect.

HANNITY: Did either of you know Piers Morgan?

LANKSTON: Yes.

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: I like Piers Morgan. He's a great guy.

Is it true that he was friends with Meghan Markle until she had the first date?

MIRANDA DEVINE, NY POST COLUMNIST: He wasn't friends. He knew her briefly, had a drink with her. And then (INAUDIBLE) she dumped him because she then went and met Harry and started dating him. So, he's angry with her for that reason.

HANNITY: Right.

DEVINE: But I think, still, all of this criticism while they're very vicious targetedly (ph) spot on.

HANNITY: Is this going to be horrible for me to say this? You know, the heir and spare, right? OK, am I allowed to say this?

DEVINE: Yes, you can say that.

HANNITY: OK. So, my question is, if he's the spare but now we got two other busy, he is now, what number?

LANKSTON: You know what, it's not -- he's sixth in line to the throne. But it's not about --

HANNITY: But he's never getting there.

LANKSTON: Right. But it's not about getting that. It's about doing your duty as a member of the royal family. And he is --

HANNITY: Why not -- if they want to go make their own money --

LANKSTON: One hundred percent, I don't begrudge them that whatsoever. I think they deserve their independence. I think the thing I take issue with is the way they've gone about it and the way that they've managed their (INAUDIBLE). That's what's disrespectable.

HANNITY: I agree with you. You are right.

(CROSSTALK)

DEVINE: The entire story has gripped the world, I think because of this clash of cultures and it's between the sort of vacuous, virtuous signaling, celebrity work, Hollywood culture that Meghan Markle represents, the American divorcee, and the sort of duty and tradition that -- and the sort of self-abnegating way of the monarchy.

HANNITY: Kate Middleton seems so lovely, right?

DEVINE: She's wonderful.

HANNITY: Princess Diana was wonderful. Meghan comes in and here we go, it becomes an Adam Schiff show.

DEVINE: Yes, competition.

LANKSTON: I think the thing is, is that people always want to play the blame game. You know, is it Meghan's fault? Is it who's fault is it?

I think we really all have to look at the fact that they are both grown- ups. And Harry has been raised as a member of the royal family and needs to take responsibility for his own actions.

DEVINE: But Harry for 33 years had no problem being in the bosom of the monarchy.

LANKSTON: Right, and I agree with you.

DEVINE: Suddenly, Meghan Markle comes in, it's all gone.

HANNITY: Did William -- is true William said, hey, you're going a little quick here?

LANKSTON: Well, we -- you know --

HANNITY: Which rather, we would be fair.

LANKSTON: Right, and remember, there was a rift between the two brothers who've been around for a very long time, isn't just in the wake of this announcement. And I think the truth of the matter is William has said, Harry, you were, first and foremost, a member of this family and you need to take responsibility for what happens.

HANNITY: I got to run. Both you do a tremendous job.

DEVINE: Thank you.

HANNITY: "New York Post", Miranda, good to see you. Great to see you, (INAUDIBLE) on the dailymail.com.

LANKSTON: Thank you for having me.

HANNITY: When we come back, oh, you've got to see this. Oh, the president and first lady's reception tonight, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: That was the president, the first lady attending the NCAA college football championship game between Clemson, LSU in New Orleans. Warmly greeted, loud cheers, chants of "USA, USAs" as they arrived in the field prior to the singing of our national anthem.

Listen.

I think we're out of time. We'll do that tomorrow.

Let not your heart be troubled. Laura Ingraham is next.

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