MSNBC's Joe Scarborough blasted apologists who say President Donald Trump did not intend to obstruct the Russia investigation by firing FBI director James Comey.
The "Morning Joe" host has been pointing to the president's interview with NBC News anchor Lester Holt and his remarks to a pair of senior Russian officials in the Oval Office as proof of corrupt intent.
"It is a joke," Scarborough said. "Donald Trump fired the FBI director because the FBI director would not ignore a federal crime that Donald Trump was aware of that his national security adviser made, and after firing that FBI director, which every president has the right to do, but after firing that FBI director, Donald Trump admitted to NBC News and to the Russian foreign minister and to Russia's ambassador to the United States, that he did so to kill the Russian investigation, and he said, I'm now no longer under investigation and quotes to the Russians, the pressure is off."
He bashed political observers who have defended the president against obstruction allegations, saying special counsel Robert Mueller had all the proof he needs.
"Anybody that writes an op-ed and suggests that Donald Trump has not put himself directly in the target of an obstruction charge is just fooling themselves and some very, very stupid, ill-informed readers," Scarborough said. "Because even the firing of Bob Mueller, the ordering of the firing of Bob Mueller, the argument is it's not done until it's done. It goes to intent. They're lying to people out there."
He said Trump's supporters were trying to keep him away from a looming interview with Mueller -- which the president and his defenders are clearly worried about.
"A panic is sweeping across Trump supporters on the right, sweeping across Republicans, sweeping across some conservative publications and they're humiliating themselves -- and I don't know why they're doing it because truth will call them out a week from now," Scarborough said. "It makes no sense."
