Transcript for White House press secretary briefs press on North Korea summit, Mueller memo

Hey Daryn thanks for joining us here in the briefing ram on day number 500 for the trump. White House we have a lot to drill into today after at a brief scene in a pretty news packed weekend that really kicked out with that New York Times story. About a memo that president comes legal team sent to special counsel Robert Mueller out loud. Outlining why he could not obstructed justice as the chief law enforcement officer and not say that he may be able to terminate the investigation or even. Use the power of pardon and so I'm joined here by our colleague Mike Levine covers the Justice Department and just an official his White House team what did you guys make of this map out. I mean I think I think the menace is clear effort to try to get its that the president doesn't have to sit down with the special counsel they laid out their reasons why the president can basically. Count of these efforts why he doesn't have to go and answer questions and they basically argued pay all the information the special counsel needs birdies out there might mean when they need to talk to the president. And I just think that's five. The big takeaways that I got from the memo was that while he's present. The president is about the law. Now Sarah was asked about that directly and he said well he's not about the law she did get to that but what Giuliani is singing acting to for the most clearly to the Huffington Post is that. He could she could she have firing James coney could have shot and killed him. And still couldn't be indicted until after he's impeached that's one of the debate arguments that that making that while he's president. He can't be bothered of this stuff because he is the chief. Law enforcement officer. When things stuck out to me at the briefing today and also just in between from the present this morning's they keep referencing these scholars legal scholars saying you know legal scholars say that. That the president has unfettered authority to pardon himself. Naysayers Anderson for briefings that you know. That. Scholars say that the appointment of special counsel mall it was unconstitutional and who are these scholars how many scholars are there to 2000. But scholars the legal scholars in this country that really mattered or nine of them and are called the Supreme Court justice. When we don't know exactly which legal scholars the president outlets talking about but we do have our ABC news supreme court's. I'm contributor to the legal scholar here at ABC news Kate shot means joining us. Kate so the morning the president sat I have the absolute rights apart and myself is actually in the case. Well you know it's just not at all settled so no president has ever tried so hard and the Supreme Court has never weighed in on the ability of the president himself pardon. Legal scholars are totally divided about this. And the only real recent opinion about into the 1974 Justice Department opinion. Making quite clear the president doesn't have the power in the south part and so it is far from clear that he in fact does have that pardon. That power but I don't think anyone really knows. And yesterday every Giuliani saying they would be unthinkable if the president works a part of himself but he probably does have that power is as what. His legal team at west saint and heat and while we have you know there's a pretty big decision over at the Supreme Court today involving that Colorado baker. Foods and refused to bake a cake for same sex and marriage can you tell us what that justices decide about that. Shore so the court today ruled in favor of the baker who refuse to bake the cake for the same sex couple. You know it's an interesting decision a lot of these very device of high profile cases divide 54 this is actually is 72 votes so two of the more liberal justices. Joined justice Anthony Kennedy a tool for the baker a so he argued that basically requiring him to bake a cake for wedding that he objected to. Violated his right to religious freedom and also his free speech rights and we said. It's expressive to make a cake into enforcement and educate that I don't believe in or treatment. Violates my right to free speech so that the majority opinion written written by justice Anthony Kennedy. Basically said these are hard questions right so gay couples have a right to you know not only marry under the constitution but to sort of have photographers and wedding cake bakers answered all the trappings that surround marriage but so too do you know vendors have a right to. Liberty of conscience and speech and to you have to balance these kinds of claims sometimes and in this case the court found that because the Colorado officials. Basically. Indicated through disrespect of religion during the proceedings a while they need been in references to. On to us or hostility and even animus against religion. Because about the baker won here. But the court doesn't really resolve these kind of competing interests for all time. Kind of leaves for later courts to decide how future disputes like it resolved I have one follow up for Alessio it's just you're sure why. Why the rule only about this specific case and not make some broader ruling about. Discrimination in this and this thing wise it pertain only to this one case. You know the Supreme Court likes to the issue very narrow decisions that they can't think is a big and contentious case. And if it tried to answer this question for all time I think it would have been really hard to get even five votes let alone seven still wanted to do something kind of narrow here. Duck the bigger constitutional question kindest. Punted for a later date about what they did hearing things. I think Kate think you so much. For joining us ever at the Supreme Court we appreciate that I want it back to that Nana that trumps legal team sent to the president arts arts has special counsel Robert Mueller and something that was new in that memo. Why is that they sag president trump didn't dictate that responds after Don juniors meeting. A list with Russian lawyer palm in a Ford and Jared Kushner was first revealed there's a lot of shifting explanation. From the White House evidence past few months they can't seem to nail it down on what exactly what they told. It's four times at least four different occasions that the president did not dictate this response to the trump tower meeting. And now this memo says quite clean out cleanly plainly he did dictated. And one of the people told us that he didn't dictated what Sarah Sanders and I think we have or do we not have we do not have that by. I don't know but we did Jon Karl who is over at the White House our chief White House correspondent thanks for joining us giant we're here talking about. Whether the president dictated that statement regarding Don juniors meeting and learns about memo that he in fact it what do you make of all Latin. Well I get the sense that certainly won't talk about that you grieve that our election is just yet seem to want to engage. Obviously as I heard you guys pointing out it's that the question that was being asked. Auxerre on this. Was not about the lawyer's letter that was the first question with a follow up question is do you still stand by what you said. In August of last year when he said the president certainly did not dictate. That response and she kept on saying I'm knocking a comment about the lawyer's letter with a lawyer's letter was written in January of this year. So this this was a question about what Sarah said herself back in August. She clearly wasn't gonna go there but. You know what my sensing it in talking. Personal tending half of these briefings but also talking mr. Sanders. If she has read you the made an effort now to say that she is not going to talk about anything regarding this these special counsel investigation. She is really kind of built a wall between what she will comment on which is. Policies actions in the White House and anything to do with the legal team has anything to do that which. You know. Meet meet meet media wise personal strategy report but it doesn't particularly optically satisfied. Proposals asking questions. But some on that that we did have talking about that mount mount over the weekend was Rudy Giuliani NDP appeared on This Week with George Stephanopoulos outlet and yes and CE men. A list saying that this entire sixteen -- and about the dictation of the statement is a reason why president trump shouldn't sit for an interview a smaller so go ahead and take lessons that's gotten. Do you in the presence attorneys believe the president has the power of pardon itself. That he truck he's not me probably does. The men had I had no intention of pardoning it himself but. Think probably I took that as a jet I mean that's another issue relieved existing constitution blog can the president pardon himself. So that was every Giuliani talking about the pardons and John when US Aaron Sanders. And yes. As art when you ask Sarah standards about this earlier. She would invite them and wouldn't say whether the president actually does have the pardon. I'm grandfather. One of the big things that you and I also said that interview was that. The reason we can't have an interview with Mueller is because our recollection. Of the events keeps changing. So John that's basically now. Giuliani's argument that because people like terrorist Anders we can't keep the story straight truck can't keep straight either so that's why we don't want to do the interview. So help us John explain why. Not the only your story straight is a good legal. Well this that this is a lot to explain just the first black if want to note. In terms of this this up program it's notable that when you ask for some sound nothing happens when our wet out. And the control room. You know jump yet attention that's true that's I'm trying to get the hierarchy of the show. Now you ask a question. The nod in our let's I'm gonna ask. Answer our let's question first. Yeah added that the question of whether the president has a right to pardon your burglar Giuliani said. On this week which is. Theoretically he does have a a right to pardon himself. What he wouldn't do such a thing or be highly unlikely another program that in which we won't mention here he said it would be unthinkable. For the president. To pardon himself and that he tried such a thing it would lead to immediate impeachment. But then you have the president this morning. Tweeting that he has an absolute rights of art and an absolute right to pardon that he doesn't need to exercise because of course he has done. Nothing wrong so my question to Cerro was really to pour one why does the president think he has an absolute right to pardon himself. There really isn't. Much of a legal case out there on that there and the president also said that many legal scholars said this. I have found one. Legal scholar who has suggested the possibly that's right to pardon himself but. But but not making it definitive case on this. Armed so why does he think that and though would he rule out for the reason that Giuliani said it would be unthinkable that it would lead to impeachment. Even if he does have the power that he rule out doing it and Serra did not answer that did not answer a follow up on that simply. Sticking to the argument the president has done nothing wrong which of course is not respond to the question so you can see a pattern at the pre it's hard to get a direct answer just. One quick thought on that interesting to note that the president's attorney the actual lawyers says that the president probably. Has. That authority whereas the president says he absolutely has mandatory. Describe. The president's lawyer says he probably has that authority but it would be unthinkable and would lead to immediate impeachment so doesn't sound like something that is really a central. Component of their legal strategy and the more important question on the on the part question is. Is the president thinking about pardoning any of his associates have been tied up in the investigation. People like Michael Cohen as you may recall I actually asked that question directly of the president's. Not long ago he told me it was a stupid. Remember that John Lannan your questions your statement but thank you put so much for joining us over at the White House that while talk to use and thank you. But since many are really quickly were leading up to that big summit next week between president from. In Kim Jung and Sarah Sanders said that the president's receiving daily brief scenes. On the summit what are you expecting to. I'm in I think there's still figure out what they're going to agree on what kind of statement they're gonna come up with I think. He was really telling last week but the president had to say about this going in they were talking about a plan for coming away with resolution on complete denuclearization. Now a lot I think they're walking that back big time and just sort of having any sort of statement that they can agree on about the way forward that's led to from the president's. Remarks last week after. His meeting Kim Jong troll. So I think the expectations are way down. And the Washington Post had a really quick story about. Is he knew then that the logistics of the whole thing that he had also need. Figured out which is not done yet there's a lot of court. And it's just about a week. A way and one thing we learned yesterday and that a First Lady money at trump will not be going to Canada for the G-7 Justin's guy in there and yet it is a Latin and alliant problematic going to the G-7 or urge to North Korea are scientists think bush is what are have a right other accidents since I thought it. But one thing that we will see aren't we won't see her today but. Firstly want to get trampled to be keen she's on the public schedule today shall be going to an event with president trump. To honor. Gold star cameras right over Memorial Day and this is going to be the first time that she's out in public. In 24 day during this is that procedure she had a lot. There's a lot of the problem is there's a lot of speculation about where Milan and might be that the problems for sister houses using that word speculation doesn't work for me we yes we end here. Where it pays yes she had. This. Procedure for benign kidney issue which all the doctors stays in and out. Date thing and you know so progress in the questions but. I'm not sure it's totally fair. She is expected to. Be doing an event tonight with goals are fan as you mentioned but it's we're not expecting to see her which would be normal for an event like that so. Yours if you're an at and we were saying the near term we answer the first six months of the presidency so while choosing New York so I'm not really sure what that. Outrageous all completed. She slid and she's sub issues that we're still working hard even though she has been out in public eye but she will be eight. With colds or at least today over at the White House. I and before we go really quickly dismissing got a pat since we have a half game Stanley Cup tonight we have a that's in bobbled but. That wraps it up from here at the briefing room from ABC news a just and national Mike Levine and myself violent signs thanks so much. For joining us remember you can find us on abcnews.com. On our ad re okay so apple TV every act that expertise and.

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