Sound On: AMLO Snubs Biden, Prime-Time Jan. 6 Hearing

so I'll be watching just as everyone else is. The reality is this is a classic attack. The messenger Bloomberg Sound On with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. President Biden touches down in La La Land as the January six Committee prepares for prime time. Welcome to the fastest hour in politics, with immigration also in the air. As the President kicks off the Summit of the America's in Los Angeles, will explore the agenda ahead with Antonio Garza, former US

Ambassador to Mexico. The Select Committee investigating the attack on the Capitol enters Americans living rooms at eight pm Eastern time with new evidence, they say, new video, new details. Bloomberg Congress reporter Billy House will join us a bit later. We'll have analysis as well from our signature panel Bloomberg Politics contributors Rick Davis and Jeanie Chanzano with us for

the hour. First, the markets we get things started as always with an update and now Mr Doug Prisner jo persistent inflation was very much top of mind for markets today. The session began with the European Central Bank signaling a quarter point rate hike next month. That was pretty much expected, but then the ECB went on to signal a another hike, potentially larger than a quarter point, possibly in the fall

as the ECB fights rising prices. Tomorrow here in the US will get inflation on retail inflation for the month of May. The overall consumer Price Index report consumer Price Index I should say, is expected to rise at an annual rate of eight point two So, not surprisingly, we had yields across the curve today, moving up a ten year Treasury last quoted at three point zero four percent,

and tough sledding for the equity market. We finished at session lows, the Dow down more than one point nine percent, the SMP week or by about two point four percent, and the NASDAC comp week or by just about two point eight percent. And then on top of that, the Fed said today the US household net worth fell in the first quarter by nearly well a little more than a half trillion dollars. It was fueled, not surprisingly, by

a three trillion dollar decline in stock holdings. I'm Doug Prisoner, and that is your Bloomberg business flash, Doug, thank you. President Biden weighs in on the January six committee hearing tonight. He made comments in Los Angeles at the start of a meeting with Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Prime minister. Here's

what he said before it began. One of the things can occupy my country Tonight, I suspect his first open hearings on January the sixth, and uh, as I said when it was occurring and subsequent, I think it was a clear flaggerant violation and the constitution. I think these guys and women throw up the law, try to turn around to the result in the election, and uh, there's

a lot of questions who's responsible, who's involved. I'm not gonna make a judgment on that, but I just want to know that I want you know, we're gonna probably be a lot of Americans are gonna be seen for the first time some of the detail that that occurred. That's what they're promising. I wanted you to hear that right off the topic, because this just happened. This, this is fresh sound that that is the promise by the committee tonight. New details, new evidence, new video, including excerpts

from the one thousand interviews they've conducted. We're gonna have a lot more on the hearing tonight later on this hour, including a prebuttle from Donald Trump. Of course, President Byen did not go to Los Angeles to talk about this or necessarily go on Jimmy Kimmel as he did last night. The vein of our existence, the Summit of the Americas is officially underway, the President taking part, of course, and the formality is as we're hosting this in California, smaller

guest list this time around. As we've told you, the president of Mexico is not attending, along with the leaders of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, which combined I just read this on the terminal generate nearly two thirds of the migration to the US border every year. Of course, they're not attending, in part because the US chose not to invite the leaders of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, as

the White House does not consider them democracies. Press Secretary Karine John Pierre, talking with reporters on Air Force one on their way to California, used even more blunt terms. As you can hear, the President's principal position is that we do not believe that dictators should be invited. Okay. So that's the backdrop for a three day conference designed to tackle some very complex issues, trade and security issues, economic issues, and helping us understand more about the dynamic

this year. Is Antonio Garza, former US Ambassador to Mexico under the George W. Bush administration, joining us today from the Mexico City Office of White in Case. Mr Ambassador, Welcome to Bloomberg. It's great to have you. Is there a chance for progress when so many people are not there at the table? Well, I think you always have to hope that there's an opportunity for progress, and in some sense there is. I mean, Joe, the very fact that you're having a summit of the America's against the

backdrop of a pandemic inflation. Uh, you know what's going on in Ukraine, uh, and the specter of China, you know, sort of their their increasing interest in Latin America. I think I think it is good that there that we continue to have the Summit of the America's. Is there a terribly ambitious and agenda. No. I mean, if you look back at the first summit in ninety four, the whole focus was on this, you know, democracy spreading across Latin America and this pump possibility of free trade of

the America's is at that ambitious No. But to the extent that they're talking about economic recovery, Uh, some of the health issues, I mean, the pandemic is still COVID is still very much an issue in most of Latin America. In fact, I heard somebody comment on, you know, eight percent of the population in Latin America the deaths and Haiti only two percent vaccinated. So there's some real issues

that they can be discussing. And not the least of which I think is very important to the President Biden is migration going into our own midterms. So there's there's some things that they can do. It it's not it's not you know, occasionary agenda. You sound optimistic though, which is great. I'm going to ask you about the migration issue in just a moment. But just based on what we've already said, um, should we have invited the leaders of Cuba and these other countries to give everyone a seed?

That might have encouraged everyone to show up. Well, you know that was the position of the President of Mexico. He said, listen, if you're gonna have somebody the America's everyone should be there. Uh. If you look at the the the charter of the Summit of the America's back and I guess it was two thousand one. Uh. Then Secretary pal urged the adoption of a democracy charter, that this would be a bedrock, uh kind of principle of

the summits going forward. So so the fact that Cuba has not participated much I guess once during the Obama administration, Venezuela has been sort of hit and missed. Nicaragua under Artega no uh almost like uh, well yeah, yeah, I do. Because we have adopted the charter and democracy in the hemisphere, I think is something that is important that is critical to you know, the the the growth, the economic development and the prosperity of the region. So yeah, I do

agree with it. Uh, but I can certainly see where where you know, Lopez over to the aligne in the sand, and I think he aligned himself as he has over the years with with Cuba in many respects. So you can say he drew a principal line or he's the Cuban stalking horse on this issue. But you know, Mexico has represented there, as are the I think several of the other countries sent minister, just not their leaders of course. So the issue of migration is looming large right now.

And you turn on Fox All you're gonna hear about as a caravan heading for the border. If you turn on CNN, you're gonna hear about terrible conditions. In some cases people are living under bridges. We've got Title forty two in the air, tied up in the court system. Ambassador, I know you're you're from Brownsville, Texas, and we took a look at where that is my goodness that you know more about the border than most people here, growing up in a town that was that was essentially straddling

the border. For for people who are listeners who don't know, this is literally all the way down on the southern tip, the southeastern tip of Texas on the border. I want you to listen to what Anthony Lincoln said today, the Secretary of STAD. He was talking with CNN about this issue and the way that they want to tackle the

issue of migration and immigration at this summit. Here he is everyone in the hemisphere was affected by a regular migration, in particular migration more generally, that is, countries of origin, transit countries, countries of destination come together to take share of responsibility for managing this in a safe, humane, and orally way. Again, well, first of all, do you agree with that, knowing that again two thirds of of the

migration problem isn't fully represented at the summit. Well, well, I I agree with I mean a statement broadly that we had put me safe, secure and orderly migration, and I've long urged it the only way that we were going to see that was comprehensive immigration reform. Short of that, you're going to be dealing with the sort of cyclical and almost annual uh surges along the border and dealing with them with the through executive order and this sort

of thing. So yeah, uh again, taking a step back, uh from from some of the broader the state that are not there. Mexico, for example, is represented by their Minister of Foreign Fairs Marcella Abroad, who has been their point person on migration discussions going back until the last year administration. Uh Ondas and Guatemala are not represented, but they have had long conversations I understand with with the sects of Homeland Security and the Vice President's office, so

there's some discussion around it. The problem, Joe, is that they're trying to do this through executive order and through uh you know, these multilateral agreements as to you know, uh movement of migrants from one country to the other, whether they can go on, you know, continue their path north. And the only way you're gonna really get at this, I think is is twofold one. And people talk about, you know, root cause in Central American economic growth, and

that's probably you know, a longer term strategy. But why is reform of things as basic as our our amnesty procedures and have uh uh I guess worker program that allows some circularity of people are going to come when they're when there's demand and can go back to their home countries, and that embodies on both sides of the border.

Right on the interrupt ambassador. But getting back to the message from blinking, I guess how much of it is our responsibility to handle our own migration issue versus doing that as as kind of a team with with the Central American leaders well, Joe, and not only requires people on both sides of the board, it requires both people on both sides of the isle in the United States. And I've never argued for immigration reform because I thought

it was good for Mexico or Central America. We needed in the United States for our own self interest and that's that's why you do things ultimately, and so I think immigration reform is something that would be in the best to the United States now cooperation from under the countries to the extent that we can get it in terms of enforcement and keeping people uh you know employed in their countries. That's everything from investment to urging uh uh them to have the sort of domestic reform that

would attract investment to those countries. I mean, Mexico uh has done generally well, but if you look at their their their track record of the last you know, a couple of three years on something as basic as energy reform, they have not been particularly friendly to investment. That's not good, you know, that doesn't allow the economy to grow and

creating an opportunity here. So yeah, there's a there. There are things that we can do with other countries, but ultimately, the immigration reform that we did in the United States is something that we need to do for the United States. I have less than a minute, Ambassador. I love talking to worse off now in Brownsville than they were a year ago when it comes to this issue on the border. Well, this time a year ago, there may have been a

bit more of a spike. But but you pointed out that I, you know, thirty some five years ago, as I was a county executive. Central We're dealing with a Central American crisis. This is cyclical. I've seen it every the year for as long as I can, as I can look back. So are they worst? They're pretty much as expected. Sounds like he's seen it all. Come back and see US Ambassador Antonio Garza, the former US Ambassador to Mexico, getting us rolling on the fastest hour in politics.

This is Bloomberg. You're listening to Bloomberg. You sound on with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio and we assemble the sound on panel as the formal meetings of the Summit of the Ammerica's begin on the West Coast. Looks like it's actually been a pretty fun trip so far for the White House Press Corps, the traveling pool. As I'm seeing on social media, Genie Chanzano and Rick Davis are with us Bloomberg Politics contributors, and it's great to have

both of you here. This is something we haven't talked a lot about the snubs. This is getting a lot of a lot of ink. As we used to say, Rick Davis, should this White House have invited the leaders of Cuba, Venezuela, etcetera? Or are they on the right side of history? You know, I have my own personal attachment to to this issue. In two thousand fifteen, I attended the Summit of America's in Panama where the President of Cuba, Ral Castro, met with Barack Obama. And and

that was a full attendance. Everybody came, presidents of thirty five countries in Latin America. And when you look at what has happened since then, our policy towards Cuba, our policy towards Venezuela, our relations in Mexico. I mean, you can argue that it's all gotten worse. And the fact that the three Northern Triangle states, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador only sent their foreign ministers. This is where the majority of the immigration comes from illegal immigration in the

United States. How do we expect to have a migration discussion if the leaders aren't even in the room. Uh, sixty six percent of the migration, as I read on the terminal genie to the United States Southern or each year comes from Mexico, Guatemala, Hondura, Sell Salvador, none of which we'll have a leader at the table now to UH Ambassador Garza's point earlier, and he was speaking fairly optimistically. Uh, but positively, I should say, some of the white people

are still at the table representing those nations. But you know, if you're going to be signing this major declaration without all those signatures on it, does it does it still matter? You know, it's very tough to do. I mean people have been asking the question that Rick just asking you just asked, you know, how can you possibly tackle immigration which is at you know, by some accounts of four decade high at this point, and the caravan is coming, Um,

how can you tackle that? If those Central American leaders are not at the table, that's a big, big problem for the White House. And you know, I have to say, also, though the ambassador raised a really good point about Cuba. The back and forth between Senator Bob Menendez and the President of Mexico, I think has been really astonishing today. To have a leader of a foreign country call out a senator like that, and also including Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio for the U S policies towards Cuba, that

is pretty astonishing stuff. So, you know, I think the the White House and Congress has some work to do as it pertains to our you know, to our relationships both with Mexico and with Cuba, and of course dealing with this really serious issue of immigration in this country. So I know, what's what's your thought? Then? Did they do the wrong thing? Um? You know, I think they could have. You know, I'm not sure what they could have done to possibly convince him to come short of

inviting those people. And the problem for the White House, the whole family knowing everybody's gonna come, or if you start whittling down the invite list, nobody's gonna come. Well, that's right. And you know, the White House also got themselves into this question about hypocrisy as it pertains to Saudi Arabia. And you know what Lopez open Door said is this is an old interventionist policy and it shows

a lack of respect for nations and their people. So you have that, But the ambassador is right, this was a summit that was designed about democracy and that's something President Biden cares an awful lot about. So, you know, I think he's gotten himself into a difficult situation. I don't know if there was a really good way out, but he did stick with what he promised, which was he wasn't going to allow dictators to attend, and he's going to pay the price for that. Well, I guess

that's true. At least he talked to Jimmy Kimmel while he was out there. Rick Um. This of course, comes just a couple of weeks after a federal court blocked the planned and the plan termination of Title forty two. Remember what a big deal that was. At the time, the Homeland Security Secretary was up on Capitol Hill testifying to towards the six point plan they had to go into effect to replace it. Is this administration better prepared now than it was then to deal with what's happening

at the border. You know, It's it's hard to tell because I don't think anybody in this administration, certainly in the run up to this summit, has articulated what the plan is for dealing with the border cry sis. And and I just can't help but thinking today's reporting on this summit, that we take a step back and say, where's the Biden Administration's comprehensive immigration plan? Uh? Why isn't there bill in Congress this week? This is what you do in the advance of a where's the media thing?

All the Cabinet secretary is talking about this, pushing it on cable news right exactly. And you know, I just can't help but think, you know, a little burden the back of my mind is didn't didn't the Vice President get the remit to run Latin America for this administration? I mean, what's her role at all this? I mean they arguably this is a um secondary team of people down there doing this work for the administration. And and and we're missing a bunch of the key players, uh,

you know, on on the issues of immigration. I mean, like, what, what's the success going to be spelled? Like, there's there's no expectation that I can say that I've read that this administration said success is spelled this way. Jennie should Kamala Harris be playing a more visible role this week. You've got three d as here in her old state of California. Yeah, and she's got the worst job, having

been handed over to deal with immigration. Um, and you know, I think she's probably trying not to do too much at that's point, excuse me, because it's been such a tough issue for her to have to handle. On the other person we have to talk about is Majorcis the Secretary of Homeland Security. Where has he been on this issue? There's been a lot of questions raised there, and I agree with Rick. Nothing came out about a policy in

Congress in terms of immigration from the White House. Jenny Schanzano and Rick Davis, who's been there at the Summit of the America's with exclusive analysis here on Bloomberg Sound On. They're back a little bit later on. We're gonna get things set up for the big hearing tonight January six, we'll check in with Bloomberg News on Capitol Hill and reassemble the panel. I'm Joe Matthew. This is Bloomberg. The headline on the terminal January six panel promises surprises in

nationally televised hearing. Nothing like raised expectations, but I guess that's what prime time is all about. Bloomberg. Congressional reporter Billy House up next to talk to us about what we can expect tonight. Then we'll bring back the panel for more big wind up today in Washington ahead of the hearings hearing tonight the of course January six committee.

Every network's taking this but one of course, Fox is not running this, but it's gonna be in a lot of living rooms, and uh so everyone's talking about it in advance. Democrats are trying to not give away too much but draw people towards this. Republicans are trying to hose it down as a partisan exercise and unconstitutional one at that. Uh starting with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, just get a sense of how everyone's framing this on the January

six hearing tonight. I've kept my distance from the committee, so I'll be watching just as everyone else is, UH to see the presentation the narrative of what happened as an assault on our democracy, on our constitution, in our capital, on our Congress in a very violent way. We've played for you comments from Kevin McCarthy from at least defonic, calling this an unconstitutional and illegitimate exercise, and we don't

need to relitigate this whole thing. Of course, there are only two Republicans on the panel, not selected by Kevin McCarthy, and you're gonna be seeing, uh, Liz Cheney, of course one of them. They'll all be there tonight, but Liz Cheney is gonna be holding forth with opening remarks. Following the chair Bennie Thompson McCarthy today was asked, Kevin McCarthy, the minority leader in the House, Uh, in this this exchange that you know this was made to go viral?

I guess. But Jonathan Carl, the ABC News reporter, wanted to get him on tape, saying that Joe Biden won the election and Donald Trump was wrong about how it turned out. This. Of course, maybe you could predict what was gonna happen. Give it a listen, you believe that Joe Biden was the legitimate victor of election. And do you believe that Lald Trump is just flat wrong when he says the election was stolen. Look, we've answered this

question a long time. Joe Biden is the president. I think you can look that there's a lot of problems still with an election process. They just arrested a former Democratic congressman just the other was it yesterday in Pennsylvania and Philadelphia? Um? And as we find a lot more information out there, we want to make sure more people have the ability to vote and that it's a secure and with the election, where we go, Yes, ma'am, Yeah, your question, Your question was was Donald Trump wrong when

he says the election? You know, Jonathan and we talked about this a long time. I've already answered that question. Thank you, Thank you well now, thank you, Vick, thank you very much. Thank you, Jonathan. I've answered it numerous times. I know you have a microphone, I know what you want to do. I've already answered the questions with any time than thank you for your time, go right ahead. Would not say it. And by the way, you know who else was arrested, Ryan Kelly here about this today?

A candidate for governor in Michigan arrested, charged with four misdemeanors related to the attack on the capitol, the FBI says, and they've shown video evidence of him there. He's been charged with going into the building and vandalizing it, not leaving when asked, knowingly entering and engaging in disorderly conduct, and restricted buildings on grounds. That's a lot of trouble. So Kevin McCarthy, of course, did not testify, he was subpoenaed.

I'm not even gonna go through this exercise. I was going to play the couple. What's the point Billy House is here? I know what Billy's doing tonight. I'm sure you're not home popping corn, Billy. But there is a dramatic side to this because there's a lot of stuff we don't know that's going to come out. Has the committee raised expectations to a dangerous level? I think they have. I mean when networks basically clear clear their schedules in

prime time. Uh, of course, you know the opposition. Some of the competition is a hockey game. But um, the the committee has really got to I think grab this national audience what it will be. UM, right, away, um, and so I think what you probably won't see is the average uh, you know, congressional hearing with somebody gabbling down and reading ending uh some of Now, I think they got to start right from the beginning with some

dramatic footage. We've all seen dramatic footage of the attack on the Capitol, so this is going to have to be somewhat different dramatic footage. And then I think they got to to put up or shut up when they say they've got material that and the documents and information and testimony that nobody else has ever seen. Well, there we go, and now you're hearing, uh, someone who covers Congress every day, somebody who walks the halls, talks to the staffers of the lawmakers and and and the staff

of the leadership here involved in this committee. Billy, that they've they've kept things pretty quiet about tonight. I'm sure you've been asking, but they're obviously looking for some dramatic impact with what they can call new information, and they they're acting like they got it. What we do know it could be dramatic are snippets of taped testimony from

Trump family members and Trump White House officials. But We don't know exactly how edited those are or what those snippets will say, but that's certainly something everybody's eager to hear or see. The Republican leadership has been making a pretty big deal about whenever we hear at least dephonic war. Today, Kevin McCarthy talk about this, Uh. They refer to this ABC former ABC News president who was hired uh and

and was accused of quashing the Jeffrey Epstein story. They're really trying to knock this down as a thing of entertainment. But are we gonna be watching essentially a movie tonight? I think you will see something very scripted. But look, I mean, you really got to walk a long way to get to Jeffrey Epstein, and there is a long walk, but it is a long walk. But but I think, I mean, let let's face it, Uh, you interview one thousand people, you have ten thousand or ten thousand documents,

You got all this stuff. I mean, why wouldn't anybody hire somebody that knows how to distill all of this so it's digestible or watchable. Well that's the thing, Billy. Yet, you know I'm thinking about not not not weirdos like us who have been you know, have this on the calendar for for months or however long it's been scheduled. But what about the you know, the old couple. They go in the living room there, they're gonna watch their Law and Order at eight o'clock tonight and they turned

the TV on. Well, what the hell is this? This is to your point, if you do a c span kind of hearing there, they're just gonna move along. How do you grab people unsuspecting viewers in their homes. It's gonna be hard. I think with his first hearing, there's

if you do it right, you can do that. I think the real, the real tough road to home will be these ten am hearings Monday and then Wednesday and some after that, because keep in mind, they expect to do this over as many as six hearings, and if you can't hold your audience tonight for two hours, hearing four or five are gonna be really rough. I guess that says a lot from Billy House. Great work. Find Billy's story. By the way, that I mentioned the headline

Jan six panel promising surprises and nationally televised hearing. Everything you need to know about tonight. It's a great right through on the terminal, and I bet you Billy is going to be very busy starting around eight o'clock. Well, of course, have full coverage here on Bloomberg and we reassemble the panel next for more on this from Rick and Jeannie. We've only got a couple of hours to go, so our final thoughts here about what we're about to

witness tonight in prime time. This is Bloomberg. You're listening to Bloomberg. You sound on with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. Stay with Bloomberg for full coverage of the January six Committee hearing tonight. Just keep it right here on Bloomberg Radio. Rick and Genie are in for the duration. By the way, I'm gonna get some sleep for surveillance tomorrow morning, but you know I'm watching this thing as well, with full

coverage here on Bloomberg Radio. As you would expect. An historic moment here, Rick Davis, Jeannie Chanzano with us right now as we prepare for what's about to happen tonight. Gennie, what's your thought on the presentation the show business part of this? And I don't mean to to turn it into just that. But this is a TV show as well, a lot of people don't know they're about to see this at eight o'clock. Some people are going to be sitting down with this in mind and want to listen closely.

But look, you work in broadcasting. You know how difficult it is to get people's attention. How do they do this in a long form and keep people's eyes on it? It's going to be very difficult. You not only have to capture people's attention, but you you've got to hold it and you've got to live up to the promises. And what you and Billy were just talking about is absolutely right. They have, you know, promised a bombshell essentially, and the question is can they live up to it?

So you know, I think we're going to see a lot of video here, a lot of sound, a lot of audio pictures, live testimony, we understand, but you know, they have one shot at this essentially. You know, absolutely there's going to be more days of testimony. But if they can't hit it out of the ballpark tonight and get people to focus on it, it's gonna be hard to get any size audience going forward. So it's a

real challenge. The only thing I can imagine that's going to be a bombshell of the you know scope that they're talking about, is if they can connect to the White House and the former president, to the violence at the Capitol that day and show that the seditious conspiracy that the Proud Boys are accused of was politically directed by the White House. Short of that, I think it's very, very tough to meet sort of the hype that has preceded this. What do you make of the hype machine here? Rick?

I know you need people uh to get in the room and sit down and turn on the TV or look at your phone at a certain time, but uh, you don't want to do another Benghazi hearing, right, Yeah, I mean I think be Ghazi is exactly what you want to avoid. But you're right. I mean, you have to have enough excitement around it that people actually want

to tune into this and not something else. Uh. And to me, it's kind of like a presidential debate, right, It's nobody's gonna watch the thing all the way through, so you gotta grab them up front. And I think that that is on the backs of Benny Thompson, the chairman and Liz Chenney, the Republican co chairman. It's they're going to give opening statements, and those have to be compelling. Those have to be really um um, you know, sort of draw in exactly what this committee is trying to

accomp what's an otherwise boring forum. Rick, that's right, and but but they're the first act, and then the second act is going to be the video in the in the in the scenery, we've forgotten what it looks like. Uh, to see that attack, it was gut wrenching at the time people were following it in real time. To see that again in a more refined package and new things that you haven't seen before, I think could be revetive.

So if you get in there, you know, first fifteen twenty minutes, and that's the next thing you see, then then you're likely to stick around and see what else they've got. But they've got to throw this stuff up there like it was a television show, or, as I said, a presidential debate, so that so that anybody tuning in at any given time is going to get something out of it. And then they got to orchestrate the press afterwards.

I'll be honest with you, I think the Republicans have had day one and two to orchestrate this thing, and they've been attacking it, and they've been very little pushback other than the President saying things like, oh, it'll be interesting, you'll see something new. Uh. And so I want to see Democrats lined up on morning TV or expect them to be tomorrow. They better be because the reality is that this is going to be defined in day two and three after the fact, not not tonight. And in

that time they'll rick law Republican lawmakers. In many cases, a lot of House lawmakers are leaving town again. We heard the prebuttles today and I'll mention what Donald Trump had to say in a minute. But Kevin McCarthy held the full set with with other Republican leaders in the House in the briefing room in the Visitors Center in the US Capital. This was largely what they talked about. They did a little bit of of a gun reform, but it was basically a January six conversation. And he

was asked specifically why he didn't just go ahead. I think the question is on here, we can let it roll. Why why not just testify here? He is? So the committee asked if I would come talk to them, So I sent him a letter to ask what they want to talk about. They never responded. What they said publicly went out there. They said they wanted to talk about

my conversation with president on January six. So on January six, when I had that conversation with the President, I then went on three networks, one with I think I was even with you, Jonathan. I had a longer discussion with the American public than my conversation with the President, So there was nothing to be added to go about. And then the argument of whether you could subpoena members themselves, it purely looks to me like it's political a couple

of different things. They're a genie for starters though, I mean, lot you do a network TV interview. Is that the same as testifying under oath before this committee? Yeah? Yeah, that that's what Kevin McCarthy has been saying. And of course we've all heard and listened to the change you

know that occurred from January six. What McCarthy was saying to you know what he says now, Um, but I think you know the reality is the counter programming by McCarthy, by least staphonic, by the Republicans is going to go on throughout this. Rick is right. Democrats have got to be on top of the committee. Quite frankly is you know, not just Democrats, but the committee has got to be

on top of that. But I think one thing to underscore here is what we're hearing from AIDS to the committee is the other part of this is this is not just for history's sake. They're talking about this as an ongoing threat to democracy. In other words, they're saying this thing is not over. It wasn't just one incidence of violence at the Capitol, as bad as that was, but that this is continuing. And I think that's something

that I'm going to be looking to see. Do they make the case that this is not over, that the United States democracy is still under threat? And you listen to what the Proud boy are doing now and the reality is that if you believe what you're hearing from the Justice Department, that's very much the case. You heard Billy House mentioned a thousand interviews. That's a thousand interviews.

We're gonna see some of them or snippets of some of them with Jared and Ivanka Trump were told, um, we'll see about that but Rick, we learned today House Republicans are going to release their own report on what happened January six. Uh. They say they're going to be

focusing on inadequacies in security preparations. They've even talked about potentially subpoena NG Speaker Nancy Pelosi to talk about what they describe as a lack of you know, preparation and and and security that should have been addressed before this ever happened. Is Kevin McCarthy gonna return to subpoena with a subpoena? You know he could, But it's just grandstanding. I mean, is that a new thing? Now? We're going to do that now all the time. Oh, I think

it's it's very much And it's not so new. I mean, when Republicans are in charge, they they investigate the Democrats. From the Democrats are in charge, they investigate the Republicans. I mean, honestly, there's no clean hands in this one. Uh. And and so cyclically, you know that's gonna happen. I mean, look, they've already said they think that not even impiza president if they get in control of Congress. Uh, you know,

the Republicans. So I think this is a tip for tat that that has been going on for a long time. It's not productive. It's not gonna gain any votes for Republicans to to prosecute that. I'm not sure how many votes to Democrats are gonna get for this. I think this is one that they've got to take for the team Constitution democracy. They've got to spell this out. Can't be partisan, and it can't be vindictive. Uh. If they can set a historical record here that then sticks, Uh,

they'll have done some good. But if it's just another political tip for tat, uh, it's it's gonna it's gonna fall on deaf ears because people are tired of hearing that. Two witnesses tonight we understand at least a genie this will be somewhat of a congressional hearing, even if it's not traditional. One is a cow little police officer who was there. The other is a documentary filmmaker who was embedded with the Proud Boys, who you already mentioned here tonight.

This apparently is footage that we've never seen before. And I'll be real honest with you, I can't imagine things worse than what we've seen, Jeanie. But is that the point that shock and awe here tonight on the first night. Yeah, I think it is. I think they're trying to try to lay out this story, this narrative, and after so many interviews and so many documents, they're going to try

to tell a story about what happened that night. And again they're going to try to connect it the violence that the Proud Boys have been charged with, the seditious conspiracy. They're going to try to connect it to the White House and potentially the former president. But I agree with Rick, they have to be very, very careful not to make this a partisan issue. They've got to show that they're doing this for democracy. And that's why I think the

person to watch is Liz Cheney. Can she show that she's doing this because she's defending the Republican Party from this cancer and also defending democracy and Republicans like Adam Kissinger as well. Yeah, boy, just wait. Will be here tomorrow, of course to dissect all of this, and again special coverage tonight with Rick and Genie. We're lucky to have them for the duration here. So in this last moment, in the fastest hour in politics, I must acknowledge what

has been the fastest year in politics. Indeed, it was one year ago today I had the honor of taken this microphone and joining you for this conversation at the end of each day, which has been certainly an important part of my life. And it's all been elevated to this level by this amazing team here at sound on our panel. Rick Davis, of course, Jeanie Schanzano, who you here almost every night together, the best in the business, and bring such intellect and perspective to this conversation. It

wouldn't be the same otherwise. They're also really lovely people in case you're wondering, and those you never hear about in New York. Bob Bragg and Jody Schneider are producers in DC. Christine Barata and Matt Shirley are actually right there. I think they're at the microphone right now. Hey, there they are. Love these guys, these are the people who make this stuff happened. We spend all day talking about who we want to bring on, why we want to

bring them on, what we want to explore. Matt Shirley digs them up, Christine Baratta brings them over, and I just want to thank both of you for being such great partners. Oh, thank you so much, Joe. It's a pleasure to work with you. I think Christine you probably agree with that. Right, you don't have to say anything deep right now, but you're the best, and Jeannie and Ricky you're the first time. Yeah. Well, I'll see you guys back here tomorrow on the fastest hour in politics.

Look for the committee hearing tonight, of course, and I'll meet you on TV in the morning with full analysis, and then of course back here on sound on at five pm Washington time. If you showed up late, subscribe to the podcast. Joe Matthew, This is Bloomberg