Former world chess champion and Russian pro-democracy advocate Garry Kasparov suggested Monday evening on CNN that the Russian state may have recordings of Bernie Sanders praising communism from his trip to the Soviet Union in the 1980s.



"Don't forget, Sanders made many statements in supporting Soviet Union here in America," Kasparov said. "Imagine what Senator Sanders, at that time Mayor Sanders, could have said in the Soviet Union back there when he was, you know, just wanted to please his host. And I have no doubt that if he said something incriminating, Vladimir Putin has it on files."





ANDERSON COOPER: So, a senior FBI official is saying today that Russia's goal is essentially to watch us tear ourselves apart. Do you -- does that sound accurate to you?



GARRY KASPAROV, RUSSIAN PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER: Absolutely. Absolutely. Spreading chaos, that was Putin's goal, not only in America, it's across Europe. You could see him eagerly supporting far right or far left, making sure that the center is decimated. And, again, every country looks like a house divided.



So that's what he's looking for because he's afraid that, you know, with American leadership the free world can be united against his aggression in Europe. And it's especially stupid to deny that Putin wants Trump to be reelected, because Putin said it himself then next to Trump in Helsinki.



So, he made no secret that he wanted Trump to win 2016 and he made no secret that he wanted to see wins Trump to be reelected because it's not just for what Trump does, but it's probably more for what Trump doesn't do. So he doesn't talk about human rights. He doesn't talk about democracy. He doesn't foster the alliances with traditional American allies. Exactly, that makes the free world weaker.



COOPER: It's interesting, though, the idea of -- you know, the idea that he could be through disinformation or whatever it may be or election interference pushing Trump but also pushing Bernie Sanders, the idea of the center is sort of the enemy, that he basically is trying to they try to support the various sides of the spectrum.



KASPAROV: Yes. And I think they're coordinating the efforts, because if you see that's -- what's happening now in the conservative media, it's somewhat a reflection what's happened in 2016 in the liberal media ignoring Trump because many believe that Trump would be ideal opponent for Hillary to beat.



Now, FOX just has a moratorium on Sanders. You know, it's amazing. It's just so become socialist and he's just not on the radar, but at the same time if you follow Trump's speeches like in Davos at World Economic Forum or his State of the Union when he brought Guaido, it's the president of Venezuela, so definitely I recognized him. So it clearly shows that he's prepared his campaign. He's shaping it against Sanders.



So, and of course, Putin believes, I know and I think it show this with Trump that Sanders could be ideal candidate to go after. Don't forget, Sanders made many statements in supporting Soviet Union here in America.



Imagine what Senator Sanders, at that time Mayor Sanders, could have said in the Soviet Union back there when he was, you know, just wanted to please his host. And I have no doubt that if he said something incriminating, Vladimir Putin has it on files.



COOPER: I mean, the statement that he made publicly was about youth programs in the former Soviet Union.



KASPAROV: Yes, but here, but it's -- you know, eating and drinking there in Soviet Union he could be now more open about praising Soviet Union. And I have no doubt that it's already you know, just you know, piled in the White House ready to go when or if Sanders needed (ph).



COOPER: It is remarkable that, you know, we now talk about the White House having purges of officials who are not toeing the line. Again, it is reminiscent of, you know, when you think of the word purges you think Soviet Union.



KASPAROV: I hate telling you, I said so many times. Now, it's not just, you know, solving one problem at a time. I mean, firing the head of DNI after this agency said, allegedly that's what I understand, adhering that Russia was interfering, it's not just simply, you know, putting Trump's man on top of the Trump's lucky, on top of organization, but it's sending a message across-the-board.



COOPER: To the entire organization.



KASPAROV: Exactly. You go against me, that's what going to happen. The same happened with Alexander Vindman. Everybody talked about him being fired. But it's more important what Trump did to his twin brother.



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COOPER: He was removed from the White House.



KASPAROV: Exactly. But that's a message, you know. If you do something against me, I will go after your family. That's what classical books, you know. That's from Mario Puzo, "The Godfather." This is dictators and what mafia bosses do to protect their interests? They go after the family of their ascenders.



COOPER: The idea that they're making lists now, which we are reporting about today, of potentially anybody who they think is disloyal to be purged out --



KASPAROV: Absolutely.



COOPER: -- it's weakening what they would call the deep state or the bureaucracy.



KASPAROV: Exactly. Because it is less people are just in the powerful positions, you know, as more power is concentrate enhance of inner circle and it will dictating himself. And let's imagine, Trump has been doing it now in the election year. If he, God forbid, is reelected, you know, he will have no more constraints. And that's what Putin is betting on.



COOPER: It's, you know -- I remember Marie Yovanovitch, the former American ambassador to Ukraine who was removed, she talked about the State Department being hollowed out from the inside.



KASPAROV: Absolutely.



COOPER: Which is a terrifying idea. It sort of you don't even notice it from outside, but inside it's been hollowed out.



KASPAROV: But it's a record number of positions in the state, in defense, and many other agencies, intelligence agencies, that are not being filled because, again, less people are just missed positions, more power will be concentrated in the hands of chosen few that Trump nominated.



COOPER: Yes. Garry Kasparov, I appreciate it. Thank you very much.



KASPAROV: Thank you.



COOPER: Coming up, Bernie Sanders told me in a "60 Minutes" interview some fair to say everything is bad about Fidel Castro's Cuban regime. I asked him about comments he had made in the past about literacy rates in Cuba. We're going to play for you the entire exchange. Some Democrats are going after Sanders for it, obviously Republicans as well. We'll show you what he actually said and how it stands up to the facts ahead.

