Mueller tries to squeeze Manafort as trial opens
First trial of Mueller's witch hunt begins; Judge Jeanine and Bernard Kerik react on 'Hannity.'
This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," July 31, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: Welcome to "Hannity."
All right. We are 98 days away from the single most important midterm election in our lifetime. We are 440 days into Robert Mueller's corrupt political witch-hunt.
And today, the trial of Paul Manafort kicked off in a northern Virginia courtroom. You would think it's the trial of the century, it's not. But he's facing potential life in prison over a tax charge that had nothing to do with Russia from 2005.
Now, today, the trial of Paul Manafort kicked off in what are about alleged crimes let me tell you right now had nothing to do with President Trump or Russia or collusion. Nothing.
Now, instead, the prosecution of Paul Manafort, it represents yet the latest in another example of Team Mueller turning the screws on a one-time Trump ally in order to extort something, anything on President Trump. Now, in moments, were going to highlight the sad two-tiered justice system in this country which we better save and we're going to tell you who should really be facing charges tonight if we had equal application of our laws and equal justice under the law without political prejudice or literally criminalizing political differences.
And also tonight, President Trump gave a rousing in speech toward a rally in Tampa Florida for a gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis. We'll show you the highlights.
Meanwhile, before Trump took the stage, poor CNN Jimmy Acosta got a taste of what Trump voters really think about CNN fake news. I'm going to give some advice to fake new CNN tonight, how they can regain the trust that Americans -- well, that they've lost. I don't think they're going to take me up on it, but I'm going to try.
And finally, disgusting language from the left and other never Trumpers. You won't believe what one congressional candidate called our first lady. Sit tight, buckle up, we have a jam-packed breaking news opening monologue.
(MUSIC)
HANNITY: All right. If you tuned in to fake news CNN or conspiracy TV MSNBC today, you would think this was the trial of the century. O.J. Simpson all over again.
Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort in a northern Virginia courtroom now facing charges over an alleged tax evasion and money laundering dating back to 2005 to 2007. These charges have nothing to do at all with the president. These charges have nothing to do with Russian collusion. I'll be shocked if Russia is mentioned once in this trial.
The mainstream media on full high alert, DEFCON level, the smoking gun against Donald Trump. Watch your fake news media in action from earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Trial day one for President Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, the man now facing a slew of charges.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The case against Manafort is also the first high- profile test out of special counsel Robert Mueller.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If, for example, Mr. Manafort is found guilty, that makes it a real problem for the president of the United States.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Could Manafort, is there still time for him to cut a deal?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Paul Manafort.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Paul Manafort.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Paul Manafort.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Paul Manafort.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Paul Manafort.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Paul Manafort.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Paul Manafort.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Paul Manafort.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Paul Manafort, the president's former campaign chair, is accused of hiding at least $30 million.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to learn the nitty-gritty details about Paul Manafort's financial situation.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The jury has just been seated in U.S. versus Paul J. Manafort.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you see what color tie Paul Manafort was wearing? He did not either because he's sat with his back to us.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
HANNITY: There's your media obsessing over a 2005 tax case. We're going to bring you the truth tonight. Everything you're watching on the news media is all political. This is the weaponization -- it's very dangerous - - of our justice system.
Yes, Paul Manafort like Lieutenant General Flynn, Michael Cohen and others being targeted because of their one-time association with Donald Trump. And, look, let me be clear, I have no idea what Paul Manafort did in 2005, '06, or '07, but it wasn't with Russia.
And I do know the special counsel investigation is literally trying to throw the book at him. They want to extract negative information only about the president. It's the only reason why this is happening.
Or as the judge in this case overseeing this case literally said early on telling Mueller's, quote, legal team led by the corrupt Andrew Weissmann: I don't see what relation this indictment has with anything the special prosecutors authorized to investigate, you don't really care about Mr. Manafort's bank fraud. You really care about what information Mr. Manafort can give you that would reflect on Mr. Trump or lead to his prosecution or his impeachment or whatever.
And Judge T.S. Ellis goes on to say that Mueller wanted to, quote, tighten the screws, all in an effort to make Manafort sing or compose. By the way, composing means I'll say whatever you want if you don't put me in jail. I'll make up any story you want. That's the only reason this trial is happening.
Now, if found guilty, Manafort faces for a 2005 tax case up to life in prison over financial related charges. It has nothing to do with Russia at all. Nothing to do with President Trump.
I think he worked for the president less than a hundred days. In fact, witnesses have been instructed to avoid using Trump's name altogether in order to prevent political bias from playing a role with the jury.
Now, without a doubt, Manafort's aggressive prosecution from a special counsel who is supposed to be investigating Russia, Russia, Russia is just one more clear example in the United States of America today. Sadly, we have a two-tiered system of justice in this country. Anyone ever associated with President Trump is now under the legal microscope.
But Hillary Clinton, 2016 exoneration before investigation. Literally, they were writing it in May. They don't interview her until July. Three days later, she's out free.
And we know she committed crimes. We know the server was hacked by foreign entities. We know she violated the Espionage Act, mishandled secret intelligence.
Where is that server? Where are those emails? Why did she destroy classified top-secret information?
We all know that if any of you out there, if you would delete subpoenaed emails, acid-washed your hard drive with Bleach Bit, bust up your devices with hammers, eliminate their SIM cards after they're subpoenaed, you would be charged with obstruction of justice. So, the question really tonight is, why isn't Hillary Clinton on trial for violating the Espionage Act, for obstructing justice?
And, of course, we got Clinton's dirty Russian dossier filled with Russian lies to influence the election and literally brainwash the American people and misinformation campaigns before the election. Why is it Mueller investigating that collusion?
And then there are high-ranking officials who lied to FISA judges four separate times. They didn't verify the information. They didn't corroborate the information. The information that they presented to the judges turned out to be untrue.
Why are they on trial? Why didn't they tell these judges that Hillary Clinton literally paid for that information? They purposely withheld that information from the judges. Comey signed off on the FISA application. Sally Yates signed off about -- on it.
What about Strzok and Page? They steered two investigations one in favor of the candidate they loved and one against the candidate they hate.
Where's Andrew McCabe? We know the deputy FBI director is a liar and that he probably should be charged with certain crimes as well.
Where's Clapper? Where's Brennan? Leaking the dossier information to people like, what, Harry Reid?
This is the sad truth tonight in America. We have a two-tier justice system. As Mark Levin says, we live in a post-constitutional America. We better get our country back. We better start demanding equal justice under the law, equal application of our laws or else we are going to lose our rights and our freedoms as a constitutional republic forever.
That's why this upcoming midterm election, in 98 days, will be the single most important midterm in our lifetime, and we've only just begun to peel back the layers of this deep state. And our work, by the way, can only continue if Republicans maintain those majorities in the House and Senate. Even if you have to hold your nose and vote for a RINO that's weak and spineless, at least they're not going to be trying to impeach the president.
Now, earlier tonight, while campaigning for Florida gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis -- well, the president had this to say about the upcoming elections and so much more. Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Democrats want to raise your taxes. They wanted to destroy your jobs. They want to crush our industries with crippling regulations.
Republicans want strong borders and no crime. Democrats want open borders which equals massive crime.
(BOOS)
And on top of that, the Democrats, Nancy Pelosi, the whole group, Maxine -- Maxine, she likes me a lot. She likes me.
(BOOS)
They've launched outrageous attacks on our incredible law enforcement officers and on ICE and our border patrol. Can you believe it? People that keep us safe.
Their new platform, what they want to do, the Democrat Party, they want to abolish ICE. In other words, they want to let MS-13 rule our country. That's not going to happen.
In some states, Democrats are even trying to give illegal immigrants the right to vote. They want to give them the right to vote.
(BOOS)
If you want safety, if you want borders, if you want to have a country, then you need to go out and vote Republican.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: So, tonight, while President Trump slammed, rightly, Democrats, many in the crowd actually called out the abusively biased press in this country. In fact, many Floridians in attendance let CNN's Jim Acosta know exactly what they thought about his network's partisan, abusively biased coverage. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM ACOSTA, CNN REPORTER: The White House has held only three briefings for the press this month, and eight total since the end of May. There is no other way to slide what the White House is doing these days, Wolf. Top officials, including the president are hiding from the press.
And, Wolf, just to give you a sense as to what's happening right now, you could hear there is a chorus of boos and other chants in this Trump crowd here in Tampa, Florida. They're saying things like CNN sucks, go home and fake news.
Wolf, obviously, all of those things are false. We're staying right here. We're going to do our job and report on this rally to all of our viewers here tonight, Wolf.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Jim, they're not wrong. It's not false. You're probably watching because you don't watch your own network.
I'm going to actually give your network some advice if you have an open mind and an open heart, maybe a little humility. The people of this country, they're screaming at you for a reason. They don't like you're unfair, abusively bias treatment of the president of the United States.
Now, if you want to earn the respect of all Americans, not the coastal elites in California, L.A., San Francisco, D.C. and New York, maybe try reporting the entire story, maybe try getting rid of the bias, maybe examine why are people saying this to us? In other words, coverage like this from the White House correspondent at CNN, this is why they're doing it.
Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH SANDERS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I'm going to move on. David, go ahead.
(CROSSTALK)
ACOSTA: Sarah, President Trump's tone towards the press obviously it's not helpful at times and I think that that's plain to see. There are some fears up on Capitol Hill and we understand some in the White House that a Democratic wave is coming that can sweep the Republicans out of power in the House and that could potentially lead to impeachment proceedings that the Democrats could bring forward. What is the president's thinking on that? What is your thinking on that?
You understand how a wall could be different than border security, Sarah, border security can mean drones.
SANDERS: No, actually, I don't.
ACOSTA: It can mean agents, it could be more fencing. It doesn't necessarily mean a physical.
SANDERS: And that's part of the negotiation that we expect Congress to have.
ACOSTA: And you understand Democrats are saying that they may not be in favor of this kind of deal but they say thanks but no thanks for the wall.
SANDERS: Jim, I'm not negotiating with you. I'm going to let Congress take care of that.
ACOSTA: But we're witnessing right now is just this erosion of our freedoms in terms of covering the president of the United States. I think that there are moments when this president is just really sensitive to criticism and he lashes out in this fashion.
That is just a strange and unpresidential thing to do to be throwing rolls of paper towels at people.
The last three news conferences, Wolf, all of the questions to the American news media have been handled by conservative press and I think, Wolf, there's no other way to describe it but the fix is in.
(CROSSTALK)
(INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jim, I appreciate your speech.
ACOSTA: I think we saw the president's true colors today and I'm not sure they were red, white and blue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Not red, white and blue.
Jim Acosta, that's called opinion, and you're extremely rude. Oh and a liberal partisan hack. That's why Americans don't trust you or fake new CNN. You pretend to be fair and unbiased journalists, you're not.
You're not reporting facts. You're giving your opinion. You're an opinion channel. Every minute of every day, every week, 24/7 hate Trump, and it's pretty obvious and the people see it.
So, instead of maybe doubling down on your anti-Trump rage, maybe look inward. Maybe find your Zen. Maybe find your inner peace. Analyze objectively the overwhelming, nonstop, hysterical coverage against the president.
In other words, maybe you will have a better luck getting an interview if you start being a little fair. Maybe, just maybe. You'll take my advice, I tend to doubt it.
We do have a recent study, FOX News -- that's right, this channel, not fake news CNN, is among the most trusted brands in TV news. Now, sadly, I doubt CNN is going to take my advice.
So, while CNN continues to trash the president hour after hour, minute after minute, day after day, many on the left, other Never Trumpers are engaging in rhetoric that is even worse, literally bottom of the barrel.
Now, this week, on Twitter, one congressional candidate from Oregon used one of the single most vulgar terms to describe the first lady of the United States. Imagine the outrage if a Republican candidate ever said the same thing about the former first lady, Michelle Obama. The outrage from these very same people would be nonstop, but the media has largely ignored the story.
So, some Republicans are calling for to get her to ban this deranged Trumpet hater from their social media platform. We're not going to hold our breath.
But with 98 short days until these important midterms, each night on this program we will do something that your mainstream media will not do. We'll actually show you the very worst rhetoric coming out of the Democratic Party. It happens every single election cycle. They will call Republicans racist, sexist, misogynist, xenophobic, homophobic, Islamophobic, who want dirty air, dirty water, they want to throw granny over the cliff and kill children. And just like the attacks on Melania Trump.
There's only one way to counter the deranged left wing in this country. If you care about your rights, if you care about this country, if you care about the president's successful agenda, you better get your ass and go vote in November because the future of the country does depend on it.
Democrats have their post-election agenda in place. If they win and 98 days, you see on the screen what they will do.
All right. Before we get to our guest tonight, I got to wish a good friend of mine, Pete Constantino, a happy birthday. He is a friend, a gifted brilliant brain surgeon who has saved the lives of so many, including many in our military. Happy 50th birthday, Pete.
All right. Joining us now with reaction to our opening monologue, FOX News contributor Sara Carter, author of the number one book in the country, "The Russia Hoax: The Illicit Scheme to Clear Hillary Clinton and frame Donald Trump", FOX News legal analyst, Gregg Jarrett.
Let's start with the Manafort trial. Will Russia get mentioned?
GREGG JARRETT, FOX NEWS LEGAL ANALYST: No. Russian won't get mentioned. Collusion won't. Trump won't. Trump campaign won't.
This is a perfect example of you will be persecuted and prosecuted if you so much as shake hands with Donald Trump or join however briefly his presidential campaign. If you're friends of Hill and Bill, wow, you get a sweetheart deal or immunity or a get out of jail free card.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Why she isn't on trial today?
JARRETT: She should be and should have been a long time ago. But James Comey abused the position of his office as FBI director to clear Hillary Clinton in the face of compelling evidence of criminality, in order to clear her path to the presidency. And on the very day he cleared her, he launched the investigation of Donald Trump, meeting secretly with the author of the anti-Trump dossier who is on the payroll of Hillary Clinton and he was off to the races to destroy Trump. And really, that's the thesis of the book "The Russia Hoax".
HANNITY: You know, Sara, you've broken a lot of stories right here on this very program. And I'm watching a 2005 case that even the judge says, we don't care about Manafort's taxes. What you care about is putting the screws to Manafort so he sings or composes, so you can prosecute or impeach Donald Trump. That's the only reason we are here.
All these other people whose corruption you've exposed and helped expose with Gregg, they're not on trial today. I think every American needs to be worried.
SARA CARTER, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Well, remember, Sean, Judge Ellis himself said he be begrudgingly move forward with the case only because Rod Rosenstein gave so much latitude to special counsel Mueller. So, he gave him all this latitude.
And let's not forget that Andrew Weissmann is in charge of this case, right? Andrew Weissmann who by the way have met with the Associated Press the day before the Associated Press wrote that big expose, this was before he joined the Manafort team, and the Associated Press wrote that big expose on Paul Manafort, on April 12th, 2017.
And now, they are fighting that. You know, Weissmann was never removed from this case and should have been investigated because the FBI themselves, the people that were in that meeting with the "A.P." had actually filed a complaint against Weissmann.
And we are seeing a case that in 2014 -- 2014, the government had the opportunity to go after Paul Manafort. I don't know what he did. You don't know everything that he did. I mean, this is case.
HANNITY: I have no idea.
CARTER: But they decided to pass on it.
HANNITY: I have no idea about the Ukrainian deals that he did.
CARTER: That's' right.
HANNITY: Let me ask Gregg this. Is this the same Weissmann running this case, wasn't he excoriated by two judges for holding exculpatory evidence?
JARRETT: Oh sure. And he was --
HANNITY: Well, hang on. And it's the same guy that tens of jobs at Anderson Accounting were lost.
JARRETT: Right, and overturned unanimously by the Supreme Court.
HANNITY: What was -- nine to zero?
JARRETT: Nine to nothing, yes.
HANNITY: And didn't he put four Maryland executives in jail for a year?
JARRETT: Yes, ruined their lives. And then, of course, they were released because what Weissmann had done was wrong.
HANNITY: Overturned by the Fifth Circuit?
JARRETT: Yes, that's right.
HANNITY: Yes. Why would someone hire somebody with that record that has been excoriated by judges to holding exculpatory evidence?
JARRETT: You do it if you want to hire a team of partisans to be unfair and not neutral and to conjure a case out of thin air against somebody who's innocent. That's what they're doing there.
HANNITY: And this is all in your book, right?
JARRETT: This was -- it is. This is a perfect example what happened today in court. Prosecutors tried to smear Paul Manafort simply because he's rich. And the judge stopped them and turned to the jurors and said, it's not a crime to have a lot of money.
This is how pernicious these prosecutors are, how unprincipled and unscrupulous they are.
HANNITY: Sara, I look at this track record of the guy that's leaking this case and I think of what the president says, 13 partisan Democrats. Isn't one of the hires, not just Andrew Weissmann, Jeannie Rhee -- tell me if I'm wrong. Did she ever work for the Clinton Foundation as a lawyer?
CARTER: Well, yes, Sean.
HANNITY: How, gee!
CARTER: This should not be -- this should not be shocking to people right now because what we have seen over and over again is extraordinary targeting of the president and everyone surrounding the president. And these people are doing everything they can to go after him and this is one example of that, and we'll see other examples of that in the future.
HANNITY: I think they hate you and Gregg's book and me, I don't think they like any of us. But keep up the good work.
CARTER: Yes, I don't think so.
HANNITY: Congrats on the book, number one in the country.
JARRETT: Thank you very much.
HANNITY: All right. Coming up, a warning about Mueller's justice system. It should scare all of you. Judge Jeanine Pirro, Bernie Kerik, important interviews coming up next as we continue.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I didn't know anyone in Washington but now I know everybody in Washington. I know the good ones. I know the bad ones. I know the wonderful people and I know this scum.
And America now is winning again like they haven't won before.
I am for America first and the American worker. We want to be a puppet for no one any longer. We are not going to be a puppet any longer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: All right. That was the president earlier tonight in Florida. President Trump is staying focused on implementing his agenda, keeping his promises, while the Russia witch hunt continues despite zero evidence after 400 and whatever many days of Russia collusion, Russian collusion.
Today, former New York City Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik, he wrote an op-ed, very important. Quote: Mueller's weaponized justice system should scare all Americans.
Bernie Kerik, hero of 9/11, joins us in studio, along with the author -- she is now the number one best-selling author of "The New York Times." Now, that is the hugest accomplishment for a person that I love, and admire, and she fills in on the show and she's got her own show, "Liars, Leakers, Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy." Host of "Justice", Judge Jeanine Pirro.
And here's what I -- here's the problem I have. So, Gregg's book came out much after yours. Your book has been number one on "The New York Times" list. OK. He is number on Amazon.
So, I got the two number one people here and I have to say --
JEANINE PIRRO, HOST, "JUSTICE": You are lucky, we love you. We all come on to be on your show.
HANNITY: All right. Well, I love it when you fill in.
Here's what I'm worried about. Here's -- I want to bring people inside the justice system. Different discussion. Sammy "The Bull" Gravano, didn't you know he killed 19 people? They did, right?
BERNIE KERIK, FORMER NYPD POLICE COMMISSIONER: Yes, of course.
HANNITY: OK, they gave him a deal. They said, if you testify, I think it was John Gotti Sr. at the time? OK, the Teflon Don.
You testify, we're not going to put you in jail for killing 19 people, some say 20. He then gets the government to give him a house in Arizona, in the witness protection program. In other words, they put the screws to him. If you sing or compose, I don't know what he did because I don't remember the case, we are going to give you a sweetheart deal.
Now, you have all these people getting sweetheart deals in the Manafort case. So, here's my question as a judge and as an attorney, how often do they offer like this? And aren't there many people that are saying, well, what do you want to say to keep me out of jail?
PIRRO: Well, look, there's no question. And it speaks to the article the Bernie wrote today, and that is that U.S. attorneys very often have a political agenda, and that political agenda will determine whether or not they want to forgive someone who has murdered 19 people that they can prove beyond a reasonable doubt so that they can go after someone else. They are going after Mueller, and Bernie can talk about this, because they want to squeeze him. They're going after Michael Cohen, they want to flip him.
HANNITY: Why would you want to let somebody who killed 19 people make a deal? Isn't he going to say whatever you want him to say?
PIRRO: Well, you know what? When I was at D.A., I would make deals with drug dealers to get after the guy who was about that drug dealer. You do it all the time in law enforcement.
HANNITY: OK. But what credibility do they have, Bernie? And this goes to the heart of your article today.
KERIK: Listen, their credibility is slim. And here's the problem -- every one of the people I mentioned in the article, Cohen, Flynn and Manafort -- they are specifically investigative targets just because they knew Trump, just because they were associated with Trump.
HANNITY: All three of them.
PIRRO: Yes.
KERIK: All three, and Cohen -- who I'm pretty disappointed with at this stage -- but Cohen ironically was his attorney and they targeted him intentionally for this reason, to create a conflict, make him a witness and guarantee that he can no longer talk to Trump. That's the purpose behind targeting the attorney.
And now, you know, you talk about -- you talk about what they did with Sammy the Bull. They charged Michael Flynn with one false statement --one false statement.
HANNITY: By the way, both FBI agents and Comey said they didn't think he was lying, right. And he's had to sell his home, and the said well, we're going to go after your kid. I'm assuming that happened and I guarantee you it happened. And he say, so what father is not going to dive on the sword to kill themselves for their kids? Did he do that, probably?
PIRRO: Well, there's no question they do it all the time. That's what they do to get people to plea or going after your son, your accountant --
HANNITY: Oh how stupid am I.
PIRRO: -- your mother, your daughter. We want this guy and in order to get him, everyone he's ever touched is who they're going to go after --
HANNITY: Why would a jury ever believe somebody who cut a deal to save their ass?
PIRRO: Because -- because the prosecutor will pick a jury and he will tell them, look, this is the only way we can prove a crime. We don't even like doing what we do. And then the jury says, well wait a minute. And what they are doing in the Manafort case, they are bringing in all kinds of evidence to show. He thinks he's above the law. He bought Persian rugs and he bought an ostrich jacket.
HANNITY: How great was the judge today? Excuse me, if you are wealthy it's not a crime.
PIRRO: Right. He's great. He's a great judge.
KERIK: I give this judge a lot of credit. Emmet Sullivan, the judge in the Flynn case, the new judge. These guys know --
HANNITY: Sullivan said I'll decide what's exculpatory. Give me all of it.
KERIK: No, that's exactly right. And that's fortunate for these men because normally that's not the case. Normally, the prosecutors -- federal prosecutors sort of run rogue over these cases and when they do so, the judges sit back and let them do what they want.
HANNITY: If I'm on a jury and I'm listening to the defense asked, did you cut a deal with these guys over there? So, did they threaten to put you in jail? Did they say you are not going to go to jail if you do this? I'm dismissing that person because I don't believe you cut a deal to get out of jail you are going to be honest. You are basically thrived and paid. True or false? True or false?
PIRRO: You are going to do that, yes, but if you have people sitting on a jury and the prosecutor already has them --
HANNITY: Aren't they bribing the witnesses?
PIRRO: -- they don't care about it anymore.
HANNITY: Yes or no?
PIRRO: Yes or no. Yes. Yes.
HANNITY: They are bribing the witnesses.
KERIK: -- it's even worse than that sometimes. They are bribing the witnesses to get them to testify but a lot of times --
HANNITY: Compose?
KERIK: -- they -- and that's what Alan Dershowitz said earlier. They extort testimony that's false out of these people --
HANNITY: That's what Judge Ellis meant when he said sing or compose.
PIRRO: That's what he said.
HANNITY: What would you like me to say to keep me out of jail?
PIRRO: Look. Look. It's the same with Michael Cohen. I said on my show this weekend, that guy, he will confess to sinking the Titanic because he wants to get out of jail. And when the jury looks at him they're going to say, well, the prosecutor makes a good case. They had to do this to get the evidence, otherwise, they can't get the bad guy.
HANNITY: I'm sorry. I don't believe bribery is the only way to get this evidence.
PIRRO: Do you know what the conviction rate is in federal prosecutors? Ninety-seven to 98 percent.
KERIK: Ninety-eight percent.
PIRRO: Ninety-eight percent.
KERIK: In state courts, it's 65 to 75 percent around the country.
PIRRO: The feds got you by --
HANNITY: To try what? Did you have to say that? That's not going to make news. You're going to be in the headline in the media. Why did you say that?
PIRRO: Because I want them to know my point is that the feds, when they squeeze you, they squeeze you tight.
HANNITY: All right. Good to see you both. We got to roll. By the way, Judge Pirro's book right now in the New York Times --
KERIK: Number one.
HANNITY: -- is number one. Say it buddy.
KERIK: Number one.
HANNITY: Number one. "Liars, Leakers, and Liberals" in stores everywhere, right? She's number one on Amazon. You've been out for how many weeks?
PIRRO: I was number on Amazon?
HANNITY: Proud of you. All right. Jesse and Jessica, wow. This will get interesting, next, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Just last week it was announced that the U.S. economy grew at 4.1 percent last quarter.
(APPLAUSE)
It was a number that everybody said was not reachable and I would never want to say it during the campaign even though I believed it. We're setting records like never before. Since the election, we have added 3.7 million new jobs. They would not have believed it.
(CROWD CHEERING)
We are in the longest positive job growth streak in history. Think about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: That was the president earlier tonight in Tampa, Florida touting his economic accomplishments since taking office. Trump's record does speak for itself, but with the midterms 98 days away, Jessica's friends are working in overdrive to downplay and discredit this record.
This is what The Hill yesterday reported, "Celebrities dive into midterms hoping to thwart Trump." Here with the reaction, he's got two shows, not one, two -- host of the "Watters World," co-host of hit show "The Five," Jesse Watters and Fox News contributor Jessica Tarlov.
All right, let's just go through really quick. Obama, 13 million more American on food stamps, 8 million more in poverty, lowest labor participation rates since the ‘70s. Lowest recovery since the ‘40s, lowest home ownership rate in 51 years, accumulated more debt than every (inaudible) president combined.
Trump, 4 million new jobs created, the best labor participation rate that we've ever had, record low unemployment, 14 states. Hispanic Americans, African-Americans, Asian-Americans, women in the workplace and we have more jobs available in America than we have on unemployment. This is the single greatest economy that we have had in 10 years. Tell me, what's wrong with that, why would you want to go back to your friend Obama's record and agenda?
JESSICA TARALOV, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Because he did better.
JESSE WATTERS, CO-HOST, "THE FIVE": Oh, come on. (Inaudible)
HANNITY: You just lost.
TARLOV: OK. I didn't just lose (ph).
HANNITY: You just lost.
TARLOV: No, absolutely not. President Obama added over 11 million jobs. He got the unemployment rate down from 7.8 percent to 4.8 percent.
HANNITY: He put 13 million on food stamps.
TARLOV: There are 15 million Americans who are insured now because of President Obama. It is true. Don't shake your head. I didn't shake my head on you.
WATTERS: I'm not calling you stupid, but it's the economy, stupid. When Obama was in charge, he averaged --
HANNITY: You've gotten so mature. Let's test for maturity.
WATTERS: I go to cover my bases. When Obama was in charge, it was 1.6 average GDP growth. Trump's already averaging near than 3 percent growth. Wages are up, the stock market is up 30 percent --
TARLOV: Actually, the (inaudible) are the problem and the president tweeted that --
WATTERS: -- and record low unemployment, and then what happens during the State of the Union? No one even clapped when that was announced because you guys are running on socialism, open borders and impeachment, the face of your party is Maxine Waters.
TARLOV: No it's not.
WATTERS: She's going to chase everybody out of a restaurant. And Nancy Pelosi, the most unpopular politician in America. And then you have Trump, a stable genius, at 48 percent. I'll go with Trump.
TARLOV: He's not at 48 percent.
HANNITY: Yes he is.
WATTERS: Rasmussen has him at 48.
TARLOV: Rasmussen (inaudible). Talk to any pollster with the Rasmussen poll and you got a very different read.
WATTERS: Rasmussen nailed the 2016 election. I'll take that over the fake news polls.
HANNITY: Rasmussen did nail the 2016 election.
TARLOV: OK. Actually, a lot of pollsters got the 2016 election.
HANNITY: That's checkmate Jesse.
TARLOV: No, it's not. Also, Maxine Waters is not the face of our party. Also Hillary Clinton isn't either if you're about to say that.
WATTERS: Who is? Who is the face?
TARLOV: Who is the face of the party? A lot of different people. It depends where you are. It's a local (inaudible).
HANNITY: I could tell you the face of the Republican Party.
TARLOV: Yeah, I can. I'm not a big fan of that face.
HANNITY: Donald J. Trump.
TARLOV: I have more things to say. And also -- yes, he got 4.1 percent GDP growth. President Obama got that, what, four quarters, even baited over five --
HANNITY: What was his average for eight years?
WATTERS: 1.6.
TARLOV: Yes, we'll see how this president does who also told you, oh, maybe I'll get to seven, eight, nine percent, which is utterly ridiculous.
WATTERS: I remember when Barack Obama was talking about bringing jobs back, 300,000 manufacturing jobs left America under Barack Obama. Donald Trump already added 300,000 manufacturing jobs.
HANNITY: Hey Jesse, he said those jobs are never coming back.
WATTERS: Never coming back. Yet they did.
TARLOV: I don't know why -- first of all, grading someone on two years of this. President Obama --
WATTERS: Yes, doing better in two years and Obama did an eight.
TARLOV: I know and I've read Charlie Kirk's tweets where he says, you know, Donald Trump has accomplished more in two years (inaudible) Obama did in eight. It is factually inaccurate. Donald Trump --
HANNITY: We have two minutes left. I already have the winner, but go ahead.
TARLOV: You said you were going to be fair tonight.
HANNITY: I am being fair. You have a lot of ground to cover in two minutes.
TARLOV: I think I'm doing a good job. Let's talk about solar and wind energy. I know that's a big winner for you guys.
HANNITY: Wait a minute, Solyndra.
WATTERS: Solyndra.
TARLOV: It went up 369 percent. Yes, there was a decrease in coal jobs.
HANNITY: You know what the future is going to be? Flex fuels.
TARLOV: OK.
HANNITY: The future in America will be the world's dominant producer of energy by the end of the Trump administration in six years.
TARLOV: So you don't think it will be clean coal?
HANNITY: Well, that's going to be part of the solution. You can actually make flex fuels -- ethanol out of it, when you use the corn as well.
TARLOV: OK. What do you think about the tariff subsidies? What do you think about the tariff war? How does that trade war feel?
WATTERS: You know what I think the good trade was, Trump put America first instead of America last. That's a good trade.
TARLOV: Is that how the soybean farmers feel? (Inaudible) who work at Harley-Davidson?
WATTERS: You know what it's like a short term game for long term gains. It's like when I go to the gym, you know, no pain no gain.
TARLOV: Yeah, I've heard that. I don't go to the gym that often but I've heard people say that -- the soybean farmers, not big fans, those who work at Coca-Cola. I know Caterpillars managed to earn enough that they could offset the fact that they have to raise prices --
HANNITY: Wait. What happened last week with Europe? It was a trade war or did we get a better deal?
TARLOV: We haven't seen the final settlement there yet. We are moving towards progress.
HANNITY: Wait a minute. Did we get a better deal or did we get --.
TARLOV: Well, you don't know what you'll have yet.
WATTERS: We got a better deal.
HANNITY: We got a better deal.
TARLOV: You don't know what you have yet.
HANNITY: Could we have gotten a deal if the president didn't negotiate it?
TARLOV: No, obviously.
WATTERS: Oh, so OK, a concession.
TARLOV: Yeah. Well, it's literally a concession.
HANNITY: You can say thank you President Trump.
WATTERS: And the president also got the European Union countries to pony up more to cover the cost --
HANNITY: Aren't you happy, seriously, that all these manufacturing jobs are back?
TARLOV: Of course.
HANNITY: Aren't you happy the economy is doing well?
TARLOV: Of course, but that doesn't mean that --
HANNITY: But you know what? You know what the problem is for your party, every bit of good news is bad news top your attempts to take back power.
TARLOV: Well, I don't think that that's true.
HANNITY: Yeah, they don't like it.
TARLOV: If you look also how the president --
HANNITY: Bill Maher said it. He hopes for a recession.
TARLOV: I don't agree with Bill Maher on that. I don't know any Democrats who are the face of the party or not who would say something like that. The president, yes, is rated extremely high -- stop. I actually think I've killed it this evening.
WATTERS: You're losing all --
TARLOV: It's not going to lose at all.
WATTERS: And now you guys are so desperate you're bringing celebrities to campaign. What? Madonna going to go up the White House?
TARLOV: So desperate? You guys would love it if a celebrity wanted to campaign for you.
WATTERS: Watch DeNiro going to punch Trump in the face?
TARLOV: You would love if Kanye West sends out one tweet in favor of the president and you guys are riding high --
WATTERS: You know, we'll take Kanye, you take Barbara Streisand. How's that for fair play.
TARLOV: Oh, that's a trade I would definitely --
HANNITY: You get them all on Hollywood.
WATTERS: You take them.
(CROSSTALK)
TARLOV: -- she's supposed to be amazing.
HANNITY: You know what?
TARLOV: What? Not a (inaudible)?
HANNITY: It was a bad day for you. It's Jesse's world, he owns it. Here we go.
TARLOV: All right, bye.
WATTERS: Bye.
HANNITY: Alright, when we come back, I love this story. The president pardoned Alice Marie Johnson. She was going to -- she spent 20 years in prison, but thanks to President Trump, she's here. Her incredible story, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: All right. This past May, Kim Kardashian West appealed to President Trump to commute the life sentence of Alice Marie Johnson. She was the 63-year-old great-grandmother. She served nearly 22 years in prison. One offense, a first-time nonviolent drug offense. Life sentence. Its insanity
President Trump did rightly commute Alice's sentence and you all remember - - this was choke (ph). I'm getting goose bumps watching it now. An emotional video, Alice reuniting with her family early last month after nearly 22 years behind bars. By the way, Kim Kardashian is receiving backlash after refusing to malign the president in an interview with Mr. Weinstein, Jr. Jimmy Kimmel last night, take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM KARDASHIAN, REALITY TV STAR: I'm very hopeful that more good things are going to come out of our conversations. I have nothing bad to say about the president. You know, he's done something amazing.
JIMMY KIMMEL, LATE NIGHT HOST: Right, because you still have people on the list.
KARDASHIAN: So, I am very focused and, you know, but I don't agree with everything either, you know. And I wasn't -- I had no idea what to expect in going in there. I just was like, look, I'm going to be focused and it really turned my idea around in this category.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: With reaction live in the studio, Alice Marie Johnson. It is -- I am so honored you are here.
ALICE MARIE JOHNSON, SENTENCE COMMUTED BY TRUMP: Thank you.
HANNITY: I am so happy you are out.
JOHNSON: Thank you.
HANNITY: I don't talk about conversations I've had with the president but I did when I saw him last, we talked about you. That video moved his heart and he actually said, I want to do more of this. How do you feel?
JOHNSON: I feel this does not seem real. My sister is in the studio with me tonight.
HANNITY: Hi.
JOHNSON: She is one that ran out and brought the roses to me. The reaction that I'm getting from the public, every single place that I go if people recognize who I am, they hug me, they tell me how happy they are that I'm home. They tell me how much they were praying for me and how they followed from the day Kim went to the White House. There were prayer vigils going on all over, literally.
HANNITY: How hard was that?
JOHNSON: The waiting has been very painful for me and my family. We've had so many ups and downs, so many false alarms that it was going to happen for years. We have fault and fault and fault.
HANNITY: And Donald Trump did it.
JOHNSON: He did it.
HANNITY: And Kim Kardashian, God bless her, she went to the White House for you, how cool was that?
JOHNSON: Yes, on my birthday. Did you realize it was on my birthday? I was watching T.V. that day. I didn't have any idea that what she was about to do, to tweet something as Happy Birthday Alice Marie Johnson, today is for you. And I am so happy that Kim is staying focused because there are so many others just like me who of non-violent offenders.
HANNITY: How do you get a life sentence over -- no previous crime ever? You didn't even get a parking ticket. That is insane.
JOHNSON: At least you now something. This system is broken.
HANNITY: It's busted.
JOHNSON: It needs to be fixed.
HANNITY: I agree with you.
JOHNSON: And I'm so happy that you recognize that.
HANNITY: The president said he's going to do more of it. You want him to do more of it.
JOHNSON: Yes I do. I'm so happy that his heart has been touched to do more.
HANNITY: You touched it. He told me personally. You did. And something else you did that really amazed me, and I talked about it at the time. I loved what you said. You came out and you said thank you America, thank the president. Thank you for giving me the second chance. You even said, I won't let you down.
JOHNSON: I won't let him down.
HANNITY: You're not going to let him down.
JOHNSON: There is no way. This country is a country of second chances. I love America and I believe that as the president sees what has taken place with me, that he is going to follow up and do some other things for other people.
HANNITY: There are other Alice Marie Johnsons.
JOHNSON: Absolutely. I'm not the only one. People see my face and that's what they need to see. I'm just like you. I'm just like other family. My family is here with me tonight.
HANNITY: I know. And the lawyers -- how many years did your -- how many years did you work on the case? You can show her. Hi.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've known --
HANNITY: How many?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For 10 years.
HANNITY: Ten years, pro bono, right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pro bono, and heavily involved with that.
HANNITY: Yeah. Amazing. Thank you for what you did. And there is your sister. Listen, I am so happy and I hope you see the president and tell him your story so that he can hear and we can -- there are other people like you that deserve that chance.
JOHNSON: Just like me.
HANNITY: God bless you.
JOHNSON: God bless you too.
HANNITY: It's an honor to meet you.
JOHNSON: Thank you.
HANNITY: I'm so glad you are free.
JOHNSON: And thank you for your support.
HANNITY: You are very welcome. All right, when we come back, some of the highlights from the president's rally earlier tonight in Florida, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: During tonight's rally, President Trump talked about North Korea and that disastrous Iranian deal. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We are doing well in North Korea. We have our, as you know, we have our hostages back.
(APPLAUSE)
There has been no nuclear tests. There has been no missiles or rockets flying, beautifully, over Japan. I think our relationship is very good with Chairman Kim and we'll all see how it all works out but there's nothing like talking.
The Iran nuclear deal, it's a horror show. I hope it works out well with Iran. They're having a lot of difficulty right now. I hope it works out well. And I have a feeling they'll be talking to us pretty soon. And maybe not, and that's okay, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: By the way, I do hope that Alice Marie Johnson gets to see the president. That would be awesome. We will always going to be fair and balanced. We are not the destroy-Trump-media. We are different. Thank God. Thank you for being with us. Thank you for making this number one again this past month. We can't do it without you. Let not your heart be trembled. Ingraham is still in New York. Why didn't you tell me you were in New York? We would have put you on the show.
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