Comics, including Stephen Colbert and Trevor Noah, discussed the reaction to the special counsel Robert Mueller’s two indictments and one guilty plea

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Late-night hosts on Tuesday addressed the continued fallout after Robert Mueller’s first indictments in the special counsel investigation into potential Trump campaign collusion with Russia, including the administration’s response and the ways Republican lawmakers and pundits have avoided discussing the charges.

Late-night on Manafort indictment: 'He can change his costume to sexy convict' Read more

“This is a particularly scary time for Donald Trump,” Stephen Colbert began on Halloween night.

“Yesterday, special prosecutor Robert Mueller indicted former Trump campaign chairman and maitre d’ at a gangster-themed pizzeria, Paul Manafort, on 12 charges including conspiracy against the United States, which I believe is the legal term meaning ‘getting Trump elected’,” Colbert said.



“Manafort’s indictment was completely expected and Trump’s thumbs were standing guard on Castle Tweet-more,” Colbert explained, referencing the president’s response to the news, which read: “The Fake News is working overtime. As Paul Manaforts lawyer said, there was ‘no collusion’ and events mentioned took place long before he came to the campaign. Few people knew the young, low level volunteer named George, who has already proven to be a liar. Check the DEMS!”

“Ironclad defense,” the host responded. “Don’t blame me. I happened to know he was a criminal before I hired him.”

“You notice his no-collusion witness is Manafort’s lawyer?” Colbert continued. “OJ did not do it. Johnnie Cochran swore to me on a stack of bloody gloves. Honestly, I think Hillary is the real killer.”



“What nobody saw coming was that Mueller got a guilty plea from Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos,” Colbert explained, referencing the 29-year-old who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with foreign nationals linked to Russia. “And here’s the thing. Papadopoulos was secretly arrested by Mueller months ago and, since then, has turned state’s evidence, working for Mueller as a ‘proactive cooperator’.”



Colbert then showed news coverage of the Papadopoulos indictment, including a clip of legal expert Jeffrey Toobin claiming that the term proactive cooperator could imply Papadopoulos has been wearing a wire for Mueller.

“Needless to say, the White House folks were caught with their pants crapped,” Colbert said. “As one senior Republican put it, ‘The walls are closing in and everyone is freaking out’.”

“Oh, are they? Do they wake up every morning feeling overwhelming dread that something terrible has happened in our country that they have no control over?” Colbert quipped. “I have no idea how that feels, if I drink enough.”

Trevor Noah on the Daily Show discussed the GOP’s response to the indictments, including the ways lawmakers have evaded questioning and newscasters have spun the story.

“Yesterday, special counsel Robert Mueller finally dropped tracks from his highly anticipated new album Kremlinade,” Noah began. “It was huge news. So obviously the question for Republican leaders was how do you respond when asked about these charges? Do you defend Trump and risk your integrity or do you defend the rule of law and risk angering Donald Trump? I think Senator Chuck Grassley had the best answer, which was to just get gone.”

Noah then showed footage of Grassley, standing with a group of Republican senators, being asked about Manafort’s indictment, after which he clandestinely sneaked off the stage behind the coverage of several flagpoles.

“Oh, wow. He just disappears!” Noah said. “Pray to God you are in the room with Grassley when there is a fire because he will find the exit.”

Trevor Noah on republicans’ response to Paul Manafort’s indictment.

“Not everyone yesterday could escape the room like sneaky Chuck over here, but they did find different ways to deal with the Mueller indictment,” the host explained. “For instance, former campaign manager Cory Lewandowski, who basically said that it’s the FBI’s fault for letting them hire Paul Manafort.”



Noah then showed clips of Lewandoski’s appearance on Fox News, where he said the FBI should have notified the Trump campaign of Manafort’s past before they hired him.

“I think you’re confusing the FBI with HR,” Noah responded. “Maybe I missed the movie where the FBI busts in shouting ‘freeze, don’t hire that guy!’”

Distract and dismiss: how rightwing media saw the Russia indictments Read more

“Blaming the FBI was a novel path to take but sometimes the classics are the classics,” the host continued. “And last night, my friends, Sean Hannity held a masterclass on how to flip the script, AKA what about?”



Noah went on to show Hannity’s Monday night segment on Fox, where he claimed the real story was the Uranium One deal and the Democrats’ payments to fusion GPS to fund the Christopher Steele dossier.

Mocking Hannity’s frenzied delivery, Noah shot back: “That is the closest Sean Hannity will ever come to a rap battle,” before showing a spoof Hannity rap video.