Sen. Cruz: Nancy Pelosi's impeachment circus is done
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz looks ahead to Senate impeachment trial on 'Hannity.'
This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," January 15, 2020. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: Welcome to "Hannity."
We start tonight with the Fox News alert. It was a huge day at the White House. President Trump signing phase one of what is a historic new trade deal with China that will benefit so many sectors of our economy, jobs, GDP, straight on down the line.
Now, for years and years and decades, China has been taking full advantage of this country far too long and no president has been up to the challenge of getting freer and fairer trade deals with China and others.
The great news is this agreement will now bring hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue to American farmers, American manufacturers, our energy and service industries and much more, over $200 billion, and that's just the next two years alone.
And this is yet another major promise made, promise kept by the president that you will never hear from in the media mob. We have all those details.
Very big day today for American workers. We'll tell you all about it.
First, while the president was busy making deals to improve the lives of we, the American people, congressional Democrats -- oh, just doing what they've done for three years, wasting your time, your tax dollars with a political stunt, the latest one.
Today, after inexplicably stalling for weeks, we have a very deranged Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, speaker in name only, finally, announcing her hand-selected impeachment managers and officially transmitting -- you would think that she thinks she's president. She did this so prayerfully, these articles to the Senate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI, D-CALIF., SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: This is a very important day for us.
And as you know, I've referenced temporal markers that our Founders and our poets and others have used over time to place us in time, to emphasize the importance of time, because everything is about time, how we use it, how we make -- how we mark it.
And today is an important day because today is the day that we name the managers who go to the floor, to pass the resolution, to transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Then the signing was even worse because after that bizarre presser, Pelosi transmitted the articles to the Senate, but not before a very gleeful, prayerful ceremony where Pelosi signed off on the process.
She used an assortment of pens. She's distributed it all to her smiling colleagues. Here, take this, you're going to want this, give this to your children. Well, that was so prayerful.
Such urgency, they passed before Christmas urgently, and they go on vacation, and they hold it even longer. This is all part of her solemn duty, remember?
And as for the impeachment manager she selected, frankly, a gift to Donald Trump. They represent the Democrats' last chance to persuade the Senate Republicans on the merits of their case.
But this whole process has been a Schiff sham show and a political hit job from beginning to end -- well, Pelosi, she wants to keep that job as speaker, selected a group of the most hyper-partisan, conspiracy theorists, Trump-haters in the Democratic Caucus. In fact, she hired every single most radical, extreme, delusional Trump-hating Democrat. Six out of the seven managers supported impeachment long before the fake non-whistleblower, hearsay whistleblower filed a complaint.
As "The Federalist" pointed out, all the managers are Steele dossier truthers. And let's get to know these you know tinfoil hat Trump-hating conspiracy theorists.
Leading the way, this is a gift for the president, none other than the compromised, in this case, corrupt, congenital liar Adam Schiff -- the guy that needs to be called as a witness in this case. And like his fellow managers, yes, the congenital liar has spent years spreading the Russia collusion hoax. He lied for three straight years, non-stop. He said there was significant, ample evidence of Trump-Russia collusion. He fully endorsed the phony Steele dossier, totally untrue, lying daily through his teeth.
And more recently, fabricating the transcript of the president's call with the Ukrainian president, entering it into the official record of Congress. And that's not all -- yes, the congenital liars office, oh, we now know was in contact with the fake hearsay whistleblower before he or she filed the complaint. He said, well, we'd love to hear from him. Another lie, tried to cover up that contact, keeping it a secret, even lying about it on national TV.
But after he was caught in that bold-faced lie, he refused to allow the un- whistleblower to testify which he originally said would happen. Schiff is a fact witness in his own Schiff show. And now, he's also de facto prosecutor.
That's right, Pelosi's lead manager is a guy that should be called as a witness in the case and you say conflict of interest -- oh. And one of the most disliked people in Congress.
And interestingly, we played it many times, he is the only guy on tape that we hear in his own words conspiring with somebody he believes to be a Russian, to get dirt on Donald Trump and the dirt on Donald Trump so he could use it in a campaign.
Oh I thought that was her -- well, what is the nature of the compromising idea (ph), we have compromising materials on Trump. What's the nature of the compromise? Naked pictures of the Trump, naked pictures. Does Vladimir know? That's all on tape with him.
Yesterday, last-ditch effort, Hail Mary smear job. Yes, the congenital liar attached new documents to the articles of impeachment, including so-called evidence from a former Giuliani contact -- oh, by the way on conspiracy TV.
The guy is facing federal charges from the Southern District of New York, you don't really want to mess with those people, campaign finance violations, whole bunch of other stuff. So, he goes right to state-run MSDNC, conspiracy channel media.
And keep in mind, when people like him trying to stay out of jail, think about this, how many times have we heard from the liberals, no, you can't waterboard or use enhanced interrogation because people will say anything, they'll lie to make it end? Well, people trying to stay out of jail, in my humble opinion, they'll say anything.
But if you're willing to smear Trump, you're always welcome.
And by the way, even people indicted that want to lessen potential jail sentences, they're welcome on NBC. Tom Brokaw, you must be so proud.
But back to the topic at hand, another manager appointed by Pelosi, another first-rate hypocrite from New York, Jerrold Nadler. November 2016, only days after the election, Nadler issued a dramatic proclamation writing, quote, we can't wait for years to vote Mr. Trump out of office. He wanted to impeach Trump the day he was elected.
Also promising that if he was appointed Judiciary Committee chairman, he would impeach Trump. What for? We'll make it up as we go.
This despite railing against the impeachment of Bill Clinton in '98. He didn't even want the Starr report which was mandated by law with 11 felonies Ken Starr identified crimes really committed by Bill Clinton, he didn't even want that public. But he wanted, of course, the Robert Mueller report, not mandated by law, to go out, the special counsel law which replaced the independent counsel law.
Other lesser-known managers appointed by Pelosi just as unhinged. And you got Congresswoman Val Demings, Congressman Jason Crow supporting impeachment after the Mueller report, the fourth investigation found zero evidence of Trump-Russia collusion or conspiracy. Fellow manager Sylvia Garcia supported Congressman Al Green's baseless impeachment resolution over nothing from July 17th.
Meanwhile, another manager, congresswoman and armchair psychologist, Zoe Lofgren, once said president was an old person, suffering from mental decline. Oh I guess she wasn't talking about Joe Biden who openly invites by the way foreign interference.
And last but not least, here's Hakeem Jeffries, said every racist in America voted for Donald Trump. Wow. The president is a KKK grand wizard, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
These are the deranged idiots representing impeachment before the Senate, how fitting.
With these appointments, you have to wonder is Pelosi that desperate catering to the extreme, insane (ph) base of a party to cling to her speakership. She's not really speaker anymore. That'd be the squad. That would be Ocasio-Cortez. She's speaker in name only.
And after claiming urgency, got to get this done, then go on vacation. So urgent we got to go on vacation -- and then stalling for weeks after that.
Constitutional scholar, Jonathan Turley, he wrote Pelosi, quote, destroyed her own case for impeachment.
Even fake news CNN, every once in a while they get something right, they're claiming Pelosi gambled and she lost. Now, the Senate trial will start sometime next week. Pelosi's impeachment -- yes, those people now have their opportunity to present their weak, their partisan, unfounded articles of impeachment and be helping the president, because the American people see through this, this Schiff sham show.
Now, the Senate, thanks to some weak Republican senators unfortunately, there's hell-bent on helping this corrupt process when they should be putting an end to it. They want to waste time and call witnesses.
But I do have good news to report and that is people like Senator Ted Cruz of Texas reportedly floating a pretty interesting idea and a deal -- witness reciprocity. That means Democrats can call witnesses, take, for example, oh, Mick Mulvaney, John Bolton, Mike Pompeo, whatever, all who likely won't testify because it's the president that has the right to use executive privilege, like every other president before him and he said he'd use it -- just like Obama, just like Clinton, just like everyone else.
But then Republicans could call whoever they want. That means, I say call quid pro quo Joe, I say call zero experience Hunter, who are at the very center of what is a real Ukrainian scandal. You're not getting the billion taxpayer dollars unless you fire the prosecutor that is investigating zero experience son of mine who's being paid millions and millions of dollars.
OK, if you'd fire him, I'll give you the billion.
That was the great thing about the new evidence that the presented yesterday. Joe Biden and Hunter are totally innocent, the prosecutor was corrupt. Why was the prosecutor corrupt? He saw a company paying money that no other company would pay for zero experience. He was looking into it.
The compromised congenital liar, let's bring him in. The non-whistleblower, hearsay whistleblower, let's bring in the non, hearsay -- the hearsay whistleblower.
People seem to forget the president -- well, he's faithfully execute the laws of the land. That would mean he has a duty. That would mean that he has an obligation he made a pledge to investigate potential crimes.
What Joe Biden is admitting to is a crime in my book, at least where I come from. Quid and a pro and quo with Joe. And the millions of dollars zero experience Hunter received from that Ukrainian giant and, of course, a father who was overseeing all the policy in Ukraine.
Now, what business -- this is not a tough, this is not a tough jeopardy question. What business would ever pay millions and millions of dollars to somebody who has zero experience? I can't think of one, except a company that might be trying to buy influence?
Bring in quid pro quo Joe and zero experience Hunter. Let's get all the facts on the table. It's time to see the full picture. It's time to have equal justice under the law, equal application of our laws, not just the skewed view from Adam Schiff's beady little eyes.
Stay tuned. It's going to get very interesting.
Joining us now with more, Texas Senator Ted Cruz is with us.
Let me just start with an offbeat constitutional question, happens to be in your wheelhouse, to your great credit.
Now, my reading of the Constitution is pretty clear, doesn't seem very complicated. The House of Representatives, they alone, not the Senate, have the sole power to impeach the president. Is that right, sir?
SEN. TED CRUZ, R-TEXAS: That's right.
HANNITY: And the Senate, they have the sole responsibility, constitutional authority to have the trial, correct?
CRUZ: That's right. Nancy Pelosi got a little confused on that, but you're absolutely right.
HANNITY: OK. Now help me out here. Why -- and I love your idea, you're the like the saving grace in all this -- why would Republican senators, they're now supposed to hear the case, why did you impeach him?
They're not supposed to enhance the case or make the case. Their job is to let them present the case and then there is no case and they should vote to acquit.
Why they bring -- wanting, talking about bringing in other people?
CRUZ: Listen, I think you're exactly right.
The good news is that the partisan circus in the House is over. Nancy Pelosi's circus is done, and we're not going to see the one-sided show trial that the House is engaged in for months and months and months. That farce is over.
In the Senate, here's what I hope happens -- I hope the Senate -- I'm confident the Senate will conduct a fair trial. That means we'll give the House managers an opportunity to present their case. We'll listen to what they have to say, but then we're going to do something that the House didn't do, which is we're going to give President Trump a full opportunity to defend himself, to present his case to lay out the facts and evidence and law that the House ignored.
And once the president is able to defend himself, I am confident that the result of that is the president will be acquitted, and the reason is, these articles of impeachment on their face are ridiculous. They don't satisfy the constitutional standard of high crimes and misdemeanors.
And so, we've moved out of Nancy Pelosi's world. It's why she delayed this for so long because she knew that once the House no longer had it, that they wouldn't be able to put on a kangaroo court like they have, and instead, we're going to move in the Senate where I hope and believe we're going to follow the law and that means we're going to acquit the president.
HANNITY: The federal rules of evidence, I understand them. We'll have the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John Roberts -- he will be presiding over this Schiff sham show. Federal rules -- I'm glad you have a sense of humor, Senator. Some people are not getting it.
(LAUGHTER)
HANNITY: Confidentially.
But now, we have a situation where federal rules of evidence are clear. Hearsay evidence is inadmissible. Opinion witnesses, they're nice. You can have experts on all sides.
But there -- that has nothing to do with the trial. There's only one fact witness if I'm not mistaken that the House brought in. That would be Ambassador Sondland who said the president wants nothing, no quid pro quo.
CRUZ: Look, you're right. The bulk of the testimony in the House would be inadmissible in any federal court, in any state court. An awful lot of it was hearsay, was people who had no direct evidence, witnesses who'd never even met President Trump, much less heard anything he had to say, and an awful lot of the testimony was essentially, I don't know, but I know a guy who knew a guy who told me this happened.
Now, there's a reason courts don't let that wit -- that testimony in because it's notoriously unreliable. That being said, if the House managers get up and they want to do a presentation and all of their ridiculous somebody knew a guy who knew a guy who knew a guy who said the following, I feel confident that President Trump's lawyers going to eat their lunch, because it's ridiculous.
And the reason you know it's ridiculous, if you look at the articles that the House voted out, you remember for months and months, they were talking about quid pro quo. Well, they didn't vote on anything on quid pro quo. They were talking for weeks and weeks about bribery. They didn't vote out anything on bribery.
This is the first time in the history of the country, a president has ever been impeached without an article even alleging criminal conduct. They don't allege a single federal law that was violated, not a criminal law, not a civil law. This is a partisan sham because they're mad -- the House Democrats are mad at the American people for electing President Trump.
And that's why the results of this is going to be rejecting the articles of impeachment. You know, you mentioned witnesses -- what I've been saying, I don't know if there's going to be 51 senators to bring witnesses in or not. I think there's plenty already to reject these ridiculous articles of impeachment.
But if they are going to bring witnesses in, we're not going to do what the House did of a one-sided show trial and I think it should be in a bare minimum one for one. So, if the prosecution brings a witness, if they bring John Bolton, then President Trump can bring a witness. He could bring in Hunter Biden, then it should be fair and even.
And I got to tell you, fair and even actually on the facts scares the living daylights out of Democrats because they know on the facts they lose.
HANNITY: Oh, I would love to see Schiff, the non-whistleblower hearsay whistleblower, quid pro quo Joe and zero experience Hunter. I'd like all four of them.
You're right, we'll trade you Mick Mulvaney, John Bolton, Mike Pompeo and maybe Vice President Pence even, who had meetings -- there were five meetings after the call, that none of those meetings was aid ever discussed. Aid was never even mentioned on the call, Senator.
CRUZ: They don't want to get into the facts. And what they're really terrified of and you've done a great job addressing it, is the very significant evidence of real corruption. You got Hunter Biden making $83,000 a month from the biggest natural gas company in Ukraine, and what was he been paid for? He wasn't geologist, he wasn't a geophysicist, but his daddy was vice president, and his daddy was intervening in a very direct way, and that is significant evidence I believe of corruption.
At a minimum, it's more than enough for the president to say, we're going to follow the law and investigate it. And I expect to hear that at considerable length from the president's defense team.
HANNITY: Senator, I love your proposal. We're going to have that witnesses, at least one for one. I hope they pick four. Then I get the four I want.
Adam Schiff and he'll be a witness in his own case, and the not -- hearsay whistleblower, and we get quid pro quo Joe and zero experience Hunter.
All right. Thank you, Senator. We appreciate it. Thanks for clarifying all that.
But let not your hearts be troubled, Democrats' impeachment charade is not impacting the president's agenda, whatsoever. This is amazing. They said it couldn't be done.
The president today, this is historic by every measure, this is great for American workers, a historic deal with China who's been taking advantage of us forever. Make no mistake, the most significant trade deals with China since President Nixon first opened up trade relations in the `70s.
Now, in what is phase one of what will be a multi-part negotiation, China's agreed to stop stealing intellectual property to buy in two years, this year and next year, up to $220 billion worth of U.S. goods over the next two years. Fifty billion going to our great American farmers, $40 billion to our great American workers in the service sector, $50 billion to our energy industry.
Jobs for Americans, career jobs, high-paying jobs, up to $80 billion in manufacturing, including heavy major buys in machinery, aircraft, medical devices and yes, our auto workers. Great news for workers in this country.
Look at this, according to the director of U.S. National Economic Council, Larry Kudlow, smart on economics, the 94-page deal could translate into millions of additional jobs in the U.S., at least a half a point GDP growth, fantastic news. I guess bad for those that want to recession like Bill Maher.
The deal also includes protections. I have a friend of mine who's the inventor of the year, intellectual property theft is costing us a fortune.
Currency manipulation, a fortune, and they have in the deal the mechanisms to penalize China if they don't cooperate or try to cheat.
No other president has been able, even really try to get these concessions from China. China has been tariffing (ph) everything for years and getting away with, and president still keeping most of the tariffs in place until they do more. Major progress, another promise made, promise kept, on what has been an utterly historic track record this president has fulfilled one campaign vow after another.
Tonight, we -- well, took a look back through our archives to show you how this president defied the odds, all the resistance, all the hate, the rage, psychosis, witch hunts, character assassinations, impeachment attempts, to accomplish the agenda he promised we the people in spite of all of this and a media mob that is state-run TV and do-nothing Democrats that do nothing except hate the president.
Watch yourself and ask yourself -- what have Democrats done in the last three years to create any jobs, any prosperity for you we the people, or make us more safe and secure we the people? What have they done? I can't think of anything.
Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: My number-one priority is to dismantle the disastrous deal with Iran.
I would renegotiate trade agreements. The trade agreements are horrible.
They're one-sided.
I will outline reforms to add millions of new jobs and trillions in new wealth.
Our military is totally depleted. I mean, we have to rebuild our military.
We have to do a lot of things.
Our horrible trade agreements with China and many others will be totally renegotiated, that includes renegotiating NAFTA.
We will move the American embassy to the eternal capital of the Jewish people Jerusalem.
We're going to cancel the Paris climate agreement.
We're going to build the wall and it's going to be a serious wall.
(APPLAUSE)
We are going to appoint justices of the United States Supreme Court who will uphold our laws and our Constitution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: And the trade -- and guess what? We're now energy independent. He's going to build 400 miles to be completed by the end of this month, and we'll let you read the rest.
Here now, with the Trump Organization, Donald Trump Jr.
You know, I think keeping promises is good politics. What do you think?
DONALD TRUMP, JR., SON OF PRESIDENT TRUMP: It's hard to believe that it's not the norm, Sean. It's hard to believe that I watch these congressmen and these senators, they talk about all these things and how terrible they are.
I'm going to give Chuck Schumer the benefit of the doubt today and assume that he knows nothing about trade, because that's probably being generous.
When he's knocking this while sitting in the Senate for decades having done nothing to improve American jobs, having done nothing to stop IP theft, Trump is going through the checklist, and I was getting a little verklempt watching that thing, because it's just amazing as an American, as a father of five young kids, to see a promises made, promises kept agenda for the first time.
And that's up against unprecedented, Sean, Democrat resistance. You see the nonsense today from Nancy Pelosi, says, it's very -- it's very troubling to do this.
Meanwhile, she has to say about seven times, this is permanent, this is permanent, the impeachment is permanent, because that's all it is. It's just optics, Sean.
It's the only thing they have been able to do to Trump while he's fighting for Americans, putting up unprecedented numbers, unprecedented success year after year -- again, despite unprecedented incoming.
It's truly awesome to watch and it's going to make -- especially when I look at the clowns on the debate stage last night, it's going to make the next 10 months a lot of fun.
HANNITY: You know, I -- we keep this list up because it's really important. Nobody else in the mob and the media talks about it and all they want to talk about is impeachment.
But I could tell you people are watching it. Best barometer, nobody watches these channels that are full-time impeachment.
We have 35 seconds.
TRUMP: Yes, they don't, because there's nothing going on. There's nothing new. I said it earlier, name one accomplishment of the Democrats in the last few years. Name a single thing that they've done.
That's why they have to run on impeachment because it's all they got for their side, saying, maybe there's hope. Meanwhile, Trump has put up win after win after win, and he's just going to keep going. That's what the American people want to see. They want to see a politician who is finally fighting for them, who is finally doing the things he said he was going to do when he ran. That hasn't happened in recent history.
HANNTY: And winning.
TRUMP: And winning.
HANNITY: You have that number one bestselling book, good for you.
All right. When we come back, Senator Lindsey Graham up next, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: All right. The stage is set. The impeachment sham is set to hit the Senate next week.
Joining us now with a preview, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, Lindsey Graham.
Senator, you've got a good pulse on how this is going to go the whole time. We saw what happened in '99. I assume those rules will be adopted by Republicans. It was 100-0 back in '99.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, R-S.C.: Right.
HANNITY: Walk us through the process. How does this work?
GRAHAM: Well, the House will be able to make their case for 24 hours. Hopefully, we do this in a couple of days. Then the defense team of the president will get to make their case based on the record established in the House. Then, there'll be an effort to call witnesses or ask for documents.
And I hope that nobody will be called as a witness because every witness being requested by the Democrats were available to the House. They chose not to call them. Executive privilege applies to all these witnesses.
So I'm hoping this can be done in about a week and I predict a bipartisan acquittal of President Trump.
HANNITY: OK. So, the issue of witnesses now is front and center before us.
GRAHAM: Right.
HANNITY: And why, I don't know. I went over this with Senator Ted Cruz. Sole power to impeach is in the House, they've done it. They've done their impeachment. Sole power of the Senate, to hold the trial, and presiding judge is the chief justice, that's John Roberts.
Now, OK, they bring in their case before the American people, I assume the president will have his lawyers and others make his case. Why would some of your colleagues in the Senate want to do the House's job, constitutional job?
GRAHAM: Well, I would tell my colleagues on the Republican side that Chuck Schumer is not seeking the truth. If you think Chuck Schumer is trying to find out what happened here, you're missing a lot.
Chuck Schumer is trying to take back the Senate. He's trying to make the argument if you don't call a witness, you're trying to cover up for the president.
The truth of the matter is that Chuck Schumer is willing to destroy executive privilege. I can only imagine what he would be saying if this were a Democratic president. Who is he asking for? The national security advisor to the president, his chief of staff, the secretary of state, and the OMB director, four people essential to any presidency, and he could give a damn if Trump loses executive privilege.
They just hate this guy so much, Sean. From the time he got elected to now, it's been an unending effort to destroy his presidency.
We lost five seats as Republicans when we impeached Clinton. People thought we went too far. I think 2020 is going to be a blowout. I think what Nancy Pelosi did spike the ball at halftime. The score on impeachment is one to nothing us. They lost one Democratic seat by impeaching the president.
By the time the trial is over, and we have an election in November, there's going to be a backlash, and let me tell you why. Most Americans jealously guard the right to pick their own leaders, and I think they're going to hold it against politicians who tried to take that right away.
We're going to get the House back. We're going to keep the Senate majority and President Trump's going to be reelected, and one of the reasons is the way they've conducted themselves.
HANNITY: Well, then let me ask you. I kind of like what Senator Cruz was saying that is OK, want to talk to Pompeo, Bolton --
GRAHAM: Yes.
HANNITY: -- whoever you want to talk to --
GRAHAM: Yes.
HANNITY: -- fine, let's bring in Hunter, zero experience, paid millions.
Why would any company, can you think of any reason why any company -- because this was in this last-minute, new evidence of Schiff from a guy who was indicted, I'm assuming would say anything to stay out of jail, but -- so that makes him a great MSDNC guest.
But here's the question I have -- why would a company pay millions and millions to somebody with zero experience? Can you think of a good reason?
I only can think of one.
GRAHAM: Well, here are the facts.
In 2014, Vice President Biden was told by President Obama, you're in charge of the Ukraine. The Ukraine is your portfolio.
Just within a matter of months after that, Burisma, the largest gas company in the Ukraine, hired Hunter Biden, paid him over $50,000 a month, for what? And when the prosecutor started investigating Burisma, guess what?
Hunter bargain calls the State Department, Hunter Biden's business partner meets with John Kerry -- this stinks to high heaven.
So, we're going to look at that after the trial. The best thing for the American people is to end this crap as quickly as possible, to have a trial in the Senate, bipartisan acquittal of the president. And on February the 4th, when the president comes into the House chamber to deliver the State of the Union, he will have been acquitted by the Senate. He will be the strongest he's ever been politically.
HANNITY: All right.
GRAHAM: And when it comes to Donald Trump, all that stuff you just named, the best is yet to come, Sean.
HANNITY: Amazing, this deal is big today and those accomplishments -- under these circumstances and conditions, never-ending attacks, every second, minute, hour of every day --
GRAHAM: Yes.
HANNITY: -- and they do nothing for the American people.
Senator, thank you. We'll be looking forward to watching the Schiff sham show.
Now, last night's Democratic debate was a total unmitigated disaster, even the far left, even they recognize it, even a fake news CNN.
Plus, Project Veritas releasing another video exposing the Sanders campaign, comments so bad Project Veritas has now alerted the Secret Service about Bernie Sanders field organizer or coordinator. We'll explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: Right now, the new, extreme Democrats had their final debate before Iowa last night, in the caucuses. And it was filled with empty promises, outright lies from quid pro quo Joe, and the latest clash between Sanders and Warren.
But perhaps the biggest moment of the night happened when the debate ended. Elizabeth Warren appeared to refuse to shake hands with fellow socialist, radical Bernie Sanders following their spat over an allegation of sexism.
And just breaking moments ago, fake news CNN uncovered exactly what was said. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN, D-MASS., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think you called me a liar on national TV.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, I-VT., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What?
WARREN: Let's not do it right now. You want to have that discussion, we'll have that discussion.
You called me a liar, you told me -- all right. Let's not do it now.
TOM STEYER, D-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't want to get in the middle of it -- I just want to say hi Bernie.
SANDERS: Yes, good, OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Oh, best part of the debate. Behind this all (ph) -- behind the scenes.
Now, beyond the burgeoning Warren/Sanders feud, this is a party in all-out desperation, all-out panic ahead of 2020 because they have no ideas how to grow the economy, inspire the American voters. But don't take my word for it, just listen to CNN's own far-left progressive, Van Jones. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VAN JONES, CNN ANALYST: To see those two have that level of vitriol was very dispiriting. And I want to say that tonight for me with dispiriting. The Democrats never do better what we saw tonight. There was nothing I saw tonight that would be able to take Donald Trump out and I want to see a Democrat in the White House as soon as possible. There was nothing tonight that -- if you're looking at this thing, you say -- did any of these people are prepared for what Donald Trump is going to do to us?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Even worse is that this is a Democratic Party trying to take extremism mainstream, because breaking tonight, we have another bombshell video from Project Veritas, James O'Keefe's group, he's the CEO, this time showing the same Bernie Sanders Iowa field organizer, admitting Sanders is only masquerading as a Democratic socialist. His real intentions of much more extreme.
Now, by the way, we showed you some of this last night. Remember, oh, they're going to burn things down if Trump wins again. By the way, the Sanders campaign did not respond to our request for comment.
Take a look at these disturbing findings.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, PROJECT VERITAS)
KYLE JUREK, FIELD ORGANIZER, SANDERS CAMPAIGN: I think that he's a legit socialist masquerading as a Democratic socialist.
I mean, the whole basis of communism is like people and planet above property. Like you can give them a choice like hey, you can join the revolution, you cannot be a bootlicker, you could sit idly by and allow it to happen, but if you're going to take up arms against the revolution, then you should expect a violent response.
There are things that are more important than the rule of law in the United States when it comes down to the existence of the human race.
JOURNALIST: Are there Antifa people there?
JUREK: There are some here, a lot of them are probably on the Bernie campaign.
JOURNALIST: What about like James O'Keefe?
JUREK: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) Project Veritas.
JOURNALIST: Yes, that mother (EXPLETIVE DELETED)
JUREK: Yes, I mean, he's got a special place in hell reserved for him, right?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Those gulags of Stalin that killed those people, they weren't bad. Same Bernie staffer caught on tape yesterday's video suggesting Trump supporters be put in gulag camps for re-education, predicting that Milwaukee will burn if Sanders doesn't get the nomination.
Project Veritas has contacted the Secret Service, we can confirm tonight, to fully investigate these apparent threats.
Here with reaction, author of the new upcoming book "Speaking for Myself", Fox News contributor Sarah Sanders, along with journalist, host of Fox Nation's "No Agenda", Lara Logan.
You know, they talk about burning things down, Sarah, they talk about oh the Stalin's gulags that killed millions weren't that bad, and you say all these things, they don't seem to be any repercussions, and the mob and the media ignore it. Why?
SARAH SANDERS, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Because they've completely lost their mind, Sean. I mean the left has gone so far crazy and they are so obsessed and they're fully I think suffering from Trump derangement syndrome that they can't even think and speak clearly. And I think it is awfully sad that this will get so little attention, only probably on this network and on shows like yours will we even hear this video outside of social media.
And if this was the opposite and somebody on Donald Trump's campaign said some half as outrageous as this, you would see it all day every day by all of the mainstream media.
So, I think it is awful, these comments. I hope that more people are paying attention to them and I hope things start to understand exactly what candidates like Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren are really trying to push.
It is true socialism and that is something we should never want to see in America.
America is special because we push away ideas like that, and the idea that they would want to take us down the road of Stalin and others is just completely outrageous.
HANNITY: Lara Logan, you come from a more establishment background. You were with "60 Minutes" for a lot of years. You look at this, you read this, you see the coverage, what are your thoughts?
LARA LOGAN, HOST OF "LARA LOGAN HAS NO AGENDA" ON FOX NATION: Well you know I'm always a journalist first, right, when I look at these things and assess them. And so, I still have a lot of questions, like, you know, is this person, how representative are they of people on Bernie Sanders campaign team? You know, are there a small number like that, or is this really symbolic of a much more widespread problem?
I don't know if this guy's telling the truth when he says you know they're real socialists but -- and they're hiding it, pretending -- masquerading to be Democratic socialists. I have no idea. That hasn't been independently verified, right? It doesn't help the Sanders campaign isn't coming out and giving, you know, their side of the story, if you like.
But I'm, you know, I'm a little cautious because of what I saw the tactics, I saw it playing out with the Trump campaign, where people like Carter Page, you know, one minute Carter Page was a senior member of the Trump campaign. Then you narrow it down and find out the facts and really Carter Page was on the campaign for four and a half seconds, and he was very junior member. And he was once in the room with Trump.
And so, I, you know, I like to be a little cautious about these things until I know more. I'm cautious about what I don't know.
HANNITY: It's amazing. It is so ugly, twisted, sick and shocking. And it doesn't change at all.
We -- I think Sarah is right, this would be all over the place if it was Donald Trump or anyone on his team.
Good to see you. Congratulations, Lara, on Fox Nation.
And, Sarah, we'll be looking for your book.
Up next, shocking twist, controversial FISA advisor we told you about earlier this week, he's saying the FBI recommendation doesn't go far enough. I still don't trust him.
Director Wray, we're calling you. Do your job. Protect the number one law enforcement agency in the entire world. Where are you?
We'll explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: So, in the wake of the damning I.G. report on rampant FBI FISA abuse in the 2016 election and the FBI has been compelled to reform the process. The adviser overseeing these reforms is already lasting the bureau, calling them, quote, insufficient.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General Bill Barr is now stepping up to take matters into his own hands, implementing a new rule that requires the FBI director and attorney general to sign off on any future investigations into any campaign.
Here now, the author of the bestseller "Witch Hunt", Fox News legal analyst Gregg Jarrett, author of "Guilt By Accusation", Harvard law professor, Alan Dershowitz, FOX News contributor, Sara Carter.
You know, I find -- there's a lack of urgency by Director Wray, Sara. You broke the story about this guy the other day.
SARA CARTER, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Yes.
HANNITY: He shouldn't even be in this position based on what, the tweets, and the lies about Nunes. How did we get here?
CARTER: Well, and also, his commentary in the "Lawfare" blog where he specifically said that Nunes should be charged with a crime of obstruction. I mean, this is somebody who absolutely made excuses for the FBI, Sean, and went out of his way to target the Republicans. So, we know he's biased.
But what we see now, even with this story, I don't trust him. This is political theater, Sean. They want the American people to believe something is happening. That there's going to be some miraculous cure before March, before they have to reauthorize the FISA.
What we know, Sean, I will quickly say it, is that they weaponize the intelligence community. It's more precious than anyone else in the world, this information. And there is insufficient oversight.
Congress needs to do something to stop this. Congressman Mark Meadows told me one of the things he would like to see changed is that every candidate be given a defensive briefing. And we know that -- we know that didn't happen with Trump.
HANNITY: Professor, I hear you uh-huh-ing.
ALAN DERSHOWITZ, HARVARD LAW PROFESSOR: Oh, yes. Look, I have been opposed to the FISA court since the day it was established. And thankfully, now, a lot of conservatives have are joining me. Back in the day, it was me out there and many of the conservatives said, no, no, no, we need a FISA court for national security.
It was also set up in a way that was an invitation to abuse. The way the judges were appointed. The fact that it's ex parte.
The one remedy that's absolutely essential now is for Congress to require the appointment of a lawyer with security clearance whose job it is to oppose the granting of the warrant, the granting of the opportunity to get the information. He should be the devils advocate.
Let the prosecution argue one side, but let the court hear all sides. And let the court hear, oh, gee, the prosecution withheld this evidence. It didn't give you that evidence. This is political. This is designed to get involved in a campaign. We need an adversarial system before American citizens, particularly those in politics are subject to intervention.
HANNITY: Gregg Jarrett?
GREGG JARRETT, FOX NEWS LEGAL ANALYST: These are not --
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: I'm sorry.
JARRETT: Well, Christopher is offering reforms that aren't reforms at all. These are things that are required by the law already. And the FBI has ignored them with impunity. They've have done it before back in 2002. Then- FBI Director Robert Mueller promised reforms. He instituted them and the FBI promptly ignored them. They have continued to lie and deceive the court.
I agree with the professor. The only solutions and portions of FISA come up for renewal in two months, the solution is to abolish the FISA court, replace it with a new structure. No more paper submissions. You must have hearings. And there must be, as the professor said, a public advocate with security clearance to challenge the FBI, because it's clear the judges won't do it. And the Chief Justice John Roberts of the U.S. Supreme Court doesn't care.
HANNITY: Thank you, all. Great opinions.
DERSHOWITZ: I don't agree with that --
HANNITY: When we come back, wait until you hear what, yes, Alec Baldwin is saying about you, we, Trump supporter, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: All right. Alec Baldwin, our villain of the day. He may play President Trump, he's not really good come on TV. Well, he's definitely not on the Trump train.
But it's his disdain for we, the people. Goes to Twitter, claiming Trump supporters -- smelly Walmart people, believe in God, Constitution, Bibles, religion, irredeemable deplorables -- are responsible for the near moral collapse of this country and, quote, colossal destruction of everything that matters to Americans. Liberals like him. A guy who called his -- what did you call your own daughter, Alec?
Speaking of colossal destruction, well, here is a clip of him crashing and burning. Talk radio is about talking to we, the people. He didn't do well when he tried out twice. Take a look.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: When can we take some calls?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have everyone.
BALDWIN: We have calls on there now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No calls yet. No calls yet.
BALDWIN: No calls yet. What number do people call me on the air? Do we have that number?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's right there.
BALDWIN: Oh, do I to call the number in front of me? Oh, I'm so sorry.
That's interesting. Interesting.
We have any calls yet, Ivan?
No calls. Let's read some more about scientology. Is Sean Hannity a scientologist? Alec Baldwin posing the big questions here.
Do we have any calls yet, Ivan? None. Boy, it's just incredible.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HANNITY: Let not your heart be troubled.
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