>> NOTHING, ZERO. THAT'S WHAT TRUMP DID. HI AGAIN, EVERYBODY. IT'S 5:00 IN NEW YORK. IT IS AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH FOR TRUMP. IT'S PROVEN ITS TRUE TIME AND AGAIN INCLUDING TODAY. HOWEVER BAD THINGS SEEM FROM THOSE OF US WATCHING FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN AT DONALD TRUMP'S CONDUCT AS PRESIDENT, IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE ROOM IN SECRET, IT ALWAYS TURNS OUT IT WAS MUCH, MUCH WORSE. WE KNEW, FOR INSTANCE, EVEN ON THE VERY AFTERNOON THAT THE INSURRECTION TOOK PLACE AT THE U.S. CAPITOL THAT THE DISGRACED EX-PRESIDENT WAS DERELICT, SIMPLY BY HAVING SUMMONED THAT MOB AND ACTING TOO LATE TO STOP IT. THE REALITY IS WORSE. THE JANUARY 6th SELECT COMMITTEE MADE CLEAR TRUMP DIDN'T MERELY SIT ON HIS HANDS WHILE HIS SUPPORTERS THREATENED TO HANG MIKE PENCE OR ABDUCT LAWMAKERS. AS YOU SAW, HE ACTIVELY RESISTED CALLS FROM HIS FAMILY, FROM HIS ALLIES, FROM HIS CABINET TO BRING IN REINFORCEMENTS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND TO DISPERSE THOSE RANSACKING OUR SEAT OF GOVERNMENT. TODAY, THOUGH, WE LEARNED THAT EVEN THOUGH WE KNEW ALL THAT, IT WAS WORSE THAN ALL THAT BECAUSE ACCORDING TO TWO FORMER LEADERS OF THE D.C. NATIONAL GUARD, IF TRUMP OR BY EXTENSION THE PENALTY GONE HAD EFFECTIVELY REACHED OUT THAT DAY, THEY WERE READY. THEY WERE READY TO SWING INTO ACTION. THEY HAD A PLAN TO SECURE THE U.S. CAPITOL. MICHAEL BROOKS WAS THE SENIOR AND LISTED LEADER OF THE D.C. GUARD ON JANUARY THE 6th. HERE'S WHAT HE TOLD A HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT INVESTIGATING SECURITY FAILURES AT THE CAPITOL TODAY, THIS MORNING. >> WHAT I CAN TELL YOU WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY IS THAT WE HAD A FORCE EQUIPPED AND READY TO RESPOND AND DESPITE THE INACCURACIES OF THE DODIG REPORT WE HAD A PLAN AND WOULD HAVE LIKED THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY. INSTEAD WE WAITED FOR HOURS, LESS THAN TWO MILES EAST OF THE CAPITOL BUILDING ABSOLUTELY FRUSTRATED KNOWING OUR CAPITOL HAD BEEN BREACHED AND NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY WE HAD NOT RECEIVED THE AUTHORIZATION TO RESPOND. I CANNOT TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF TIMES SOMEONE HAS ASKED ME WHERE WERE YOU? WHERE WAS THE NATIONAL GUARD OR HOW CAN YOU CALL YOURSELVES CAPITOL GUARDIANS? THERE IS NO EASY RESPONSE TO THOSE QUESTIONS AND THE TRUTH IS WE WERE THERE, AND WE WERE READY. WE JUST WEREN'T AUTHORIZED TO RESPOND AND THAT IS DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN. THE SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN OF THE D.C. NATIONAL GUARD DESERVE BETTER. >> WE WERE THERE. WE WERE READY. TRUMP WASN'T JUST RELUCTANT TO SAVE LIVES INCLUDING HIS OWN VICE PRESIDENT'S TO KEEP THE PEACE. IT WAS AN OUTRIGHT REJECTION TO DO SO. EVEN AS HELP WAS STANDING BY. QUOTE, WE WERE READY. BEGS THE QUESTION ONCE AGAIN, IF HE WAS CAPABLE OF SUCH A CALLOUS DISREGARD FOR THE SAFETY OF REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS, DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS AND DEMOCRACY THE LAST TIME AROUND, WHAT ON EARTH WOULD HE DO WITH A SECOND TERM? THAT'S WHERE WE START THE HOUR WITH SOME OF OUR FAVORITE REPORTERS AND FRIENDS. "POLITICO" NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT AND MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR, BETSY WOODRUFF SWAN IS HERE, PLUS DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN ERIC SWALWELL OF CALIFORNIA JOINS US AND FORMER LEAD INVESTIGATOR FOR THE JANUARY 6th SELECT COMMITTEE TIM HEAPHY IS BACK. CONGRESSMAN, YOUR THOUGHTS TO WHAT YOU HEARD TODAY? >> ME, ME, ME. THAT IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE PRIORITY WHEN IT COMES TO DONALD TRUMP, AND IT COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED TO THE COUNTRY ON A WORSE DAY THAN JANUARY 6th. HE'S NOT AN AMERICA FIRST PRESIDENT, HE'S A ME FIRST PRESIDENT, AND WE SEE THAT IN EVERY WAY THAT HE TRIES TO LEAD. AND SO IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT HE COULD HAVE DONE MORE AND DIDN'T, AND BY THE WAY, IF HIS DEFENSE IS -- AND I SEE THIS IN MY OWN LAWSUIT THAT WE HAVE AGAINST HIM FOR JANUARY 6th, IF HIS DEFENSE IS NO, NO, NO, THE MOB THAT WAS THERE TOOK ME, YOU KNOW, FIGURATIVELY -- THEY TOOK ME LITERALLY RATHER THAN FIGURATIVELY WHEN I SAID WE'RE GOING TO THE CAPITOL AND WE HAD TO FIGHT LIKE HELL. WELL, IF IT WAS A MISTAKE FOR THEM TO GO THERE OR THEY MISINTERPRETED YOU, WOULDN'T YOU DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER ONCE YOU SAW THOSE VIOLENT IMAGES OF POLICE OFFICERS BEING BEATEN AT CAPITOL TO STOP THAT AND TO SEND THEM HOME AND TO HAVE REINFORCEMENTS FROM THE GUARD COME IN? HE DID NOTHING. WE CAN DERIVE FROM THE ABSENCE OF ACTION HIS MOTIVE AND HIS INTENT. >> YEAH, I MEAN, CONGRESSMAN, THE EVIDENCE IS TURNED UP BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE IS EVEN BLEAKER THAN THAT. THIS IS SOME QUESTIONING FROM YOUR FELLOW PANELIST TIM HEAPHY OF PAT CIPOLLONE. >> CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD OF TIME UP UNTIL 4/17 CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR A STRONGER STATE? >> YES. >> WERE YOU JOINED IN THAT EFFORT BY IVANKA TRUMP. >> YES. >> BY MARK MEADOWS IS THIS. >> YES. >> WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL'S OFFICE WANTED THERE TO BE A STRONG STATEMENT OUT TO CONDEMN THE RIOTERS. I'M CONFIDENT IN THAT. >> SO IT GOES BEYOND WELL, WE DIDN'T MEAN FOR THEM TO BE VIOLENT. WE DIDN'T MEAN FOR THEM TO HANG MIKE PENCE. ONCE HE SAW, EVERYBODY SAW AND EVERYBODY TRIED TO GET HIM TO STOP AND HE WAS STILL UNWILLING TO DO SO. WHAT IN YOUR VIEW EXPLAINS THE FACT THAT THERE STILL HASN'T BEEN LEGAL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR DONALD TRUMP? >> YEAH, THAT HE IS A LEGAL TERRORIST WHO HAS 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, PROBABLY MORE THAN ANY PERSON IN AMERICA, WITH LAWSUITS AND TIEING UP THE SYSTEM AND SEEKING TO DELAY, DELAY, DELAY, AND SO IT'S COMING, THOUGH, NICOLLE. THERE'S A TAPESTRY OF ACCOUNTABILITY THAT HE'S SEEING IN THE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL REALMS RIGHT NOW. IT'S NOT COMING AS FAST AS IT SHOULD, BUT IT'S COMING, AND HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER FOR ALL OF IT, BUT AS WE THINK THROUGH LIKE WHAT WOULD A TRUMP PRESIDENCY LOOK LIKE KNOWING THAT HE, YOU KNOW, FAILED TO PROTECT THE COUNTRY AND THE CAPITOL THAT DAY, WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK COULD HAPPEN IF YOU HAVE A DISTRACTED, SELFISH, VENGEFUL PRESIDENT WHO ONLY CARES ABOUT HIMSELF AND AMERICA IS, IN ANOTHER WAY, UNDER ATTACK AS WE HAVE SO MANY, YOU KNOW, ADVERSARIES AROUND THE WORLD AND VULNERABILITIES IN OUR COUNTRY. WOULD HE PROTECT US AND SAVE US, OR WOULD HE AGAIN DO WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF HIM? HE'S A ME, ME PRESIDENT. HE WAS ON JANUARY 6th, AND HE WOULD BE IF HE WAS PRESIDENT AGAIN. >> I DON'T GET TO SEE THIS VERY OFTEN, MARK ESPER AGREES WITH YOU. LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT HE HAD TO SAY ABOUT DONALD TRUMP. >> I THINK HE'S UNFIT FOR THE PRESIDENCY. WHAT I LOOK FOR IN A CANDIDATE IS SOMEBODY WHO PUTS THE COUNTRY FIRST, SOMEBODY WHO HAS CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY, SOMEBODY THAT CAN UNIFY THE COUNTRY AND SOMEBODY THAT CAN LEAD. IN MY ESTIMATION DONALD TRUMP DOESN'T CHECK ANY OF THOSE BOXES. SO I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO SAY THAT WHEN ASKED, AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT AS SOMEBODY THAT WORKED DIRECTLY FOR HIM, NOT JUST AS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, BUT KEEP IN MIND I WAS SECRETARY OF THE ARMY FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS. I DON'T THINK HE'S THE RIGHT PERSON FOR OUR COUNTRY. I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING HIM, BUT OTHERWISE, LOOK, I THINK HIS RECORD'S OUT THERE AT THIS POINT IN TIME, VOTERS EITHER KNOW -- IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHO HE IS, THEN THEY'VE BEEN SLEEPING IN A CAVE SOMEWHERE. >> WHAT IS THE SPECIAL OBLIGATION OF FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICIALS TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT THEY SAW? >> IT'S THE HIGHEST IT'S EVER BEEN BECAUSE THE CONSEQUENCES OF US GETTING IT WRONG AGAIN ARE TOO HIGH, AND WE COULD BE ATTACKED, YOU KNOW, IN A WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD SERIOUSLY JEOPARDIZE OUR COUNTRY'S SECURITY WITH A COMMANDER IN CHIEF WHO'S JUST NOT UP FOR DEFENDING AMERICA'S INTERESTS BECAUSE HE'S PUTTING HIS OWN FIRST. AND SO IF YOU SAW SOMETHING YOU SHOULD PROBABLY NOW SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE WE HAVE SIX MONTHS TO GO AND AMERICANS SHOULD GO TO THE BALLOT BOX FULLY AWARE OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, IF THAT, YOU KNOW, QUOTE UNQUOTE, 3:00 A.M. OR 3:00 P.M., YOU KNOW, DECISION HAS TO BE MADE AS IT WAS IN THIS CASE ON JANUARY 6th. >> TIM HEAPHY, HERE IS A PRODUCT OF THE INVESTIGATION THAT YOU OVERSAW. THE OATH KEEPERS ON THAT DAY. >> CNN JUST SAID THAT THEY EVACUATED ALL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS INTO A SAFETY ROOM. >> THERE'S NO SAFE PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES FOR ANY OF THESE -- RIGHT NOW. LET ME TELL YOU. >> THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT JOKING AROUND. >> MILITARY PRINCIPLE 105. MILITARY PRINCIPLE 105, CAVE MEANS GRAVE. >> TRUMP JUST TWEETED PLEAS SUPPORT OUR CAPITOL POLICE. THEY ARE ON OUR SIDE. DO NOT HARM THEM. >> THAT'S SAYING A LOT BY WHAT HE DIDN'T SAY. HE DIDN'T SAY NOT TO DO ANYTHING TO THE CONGRESSMEN. >> WELL, HE DID NOT ASK THEM TO STAND DOWN. HE JUST SAID STAND BY THE CAPITOL POLICE, THEY ARE ON OUR SIDE AND THEY ARE GOOD PEOPLE. >> TIM HEAPHY, WHAT WAS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT? WHAT THEY HEARD AGAIN WAS HE DID NOT TELL US TO STAND BY, TO STAND DOWN? >> YEAH, I'VE ALWAYS, NICOLLE, THOUGHT THAT THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE OF THE PRESIDENT'S TWEETS THAT AFTERNOON WAS REALLY SIGNIFICANT. THE FIRST THING HE DOES IS HE CRITICIZES MIKE PENCE AND CALLS HIM A COWARD, WHICH ONLY AMPS UP THE ENERGY IN THE CROWD, AND THEN THE NEXT TWO TWEETS USE THE WORDS STAY AND REMAIN, STAY PEACEFUL, REMAIN PEACEFUL. HE DOESN'T TELL ANYBODY TO LEAVE. THAT VERY STRONG EVIDENCE THAT HE APPRECIATED THE THE MOTIVES OF THE CROWD AND, FRANKLY, INTENDED FOR THE JOINT SESSION TO BE INTERRUPTED. I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THE NATIONAL GUARD. THE NATIONAL GUARD WAS NOT WAITING FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP TO GIVE THE GREEN LIGHT. TO BE FAIR, THE PRESIDENT HAS OVERALL COMMAND OF THE D.C. GUARD, BUT HE HAS DELEGATED THE AUTHORITY TO DEPLOY THE GUARD TO FIRST THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND THEN FROM THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE TO THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY. SO IT WAS ACTING SECRETARY MILLER AND SECRETARY OF THE ARMY RYAN McCARTHY WHO HAD THE IMMEDIATE AUTHORITY TO DEPLOY THE GUARD. NOW, HAD THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIOT URGED HASTE, URGED DEPLOYMENT OF THE GUARD, ARGUABLY IT WOULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE. MIKE PENCE WAS DOING THAT AS GENERAL MILLEY SAID, IT WAS MIKE PENCE ON THE PHONE TAKING CONTROL SAYING WHERE'S THE FORWARD? GUARD. MILLEY ALSO SAID IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT MARK MEADOWS CALLED HIM AND SAID, HEY, WE HAVE TO TAMP DOWN ON THE NARRATIVE THAT THE VICE PRESIDENT IS IN CHARGE. THE PRESIDENT IS STILL THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, AND MILLEY IS INCREDULOUS BECAUSE HE HAS NOT HEARD FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP. PRESIDENT TRUMP NEVER CALLS, MILLEY NEVER CALLS McCARTHY, NEVER CALLS ACTING SECRETARY MILLER, NEVER CALLS ANY POLICE OR MILITARY AGENCY. WE'VE GOT TO BE CLEAR THAT THE AUTHORITY TO DEPLOY THE GUARD HAS BEEN DELEGATED TO THE SECRETARY OF THE DEFENSE AND ULTIMATELY TO THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY AND THE NATIONAL GUARDSMEN WHO HAVE TESTIFIED TODAY TOLD THE SAME THING TO THE SELECT COMMITTEE, THEY WERE FRUSTRATED THAT THAT ORDER TO DEPLOY DID NOT COME FASTER. THEY'RE SITTING STILL FOR A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN THEY COULD HAVE BEEN MOVING TOWARD THE
