Ex-DOJ official marvels at how 'numb' we are to the Trump-Russia scandal: 'Everyone believes he will lie'

Two former Department of Justice officials explained on MSNBC's Deadline: White House the stakes of special prosecutor Robert Mueller's interview of President Donald Trump, with one former prosecutor focusing on how "numb" we have become to the implications of the investigation.

"I can't see this as being in his best interests to agree to do this," former FBI assistant director for counterintelligence, Frank Figliuzzi, told host Nicolle Wallace. "It's going to be a withering day or two if he agrees to do it and he could be captured in a lie, easily adding to evidence of intent to obstruct."

"I think Frank's assessment that the president could easily be caught in a lie is just the objective analysis of any White House reporter ... or any White House staffer who thinks they're not on the record, or any presidential ally speaking freely about the man they know," Wallace concluded.

"The really remarkable component of this whole little unfolding drama is how numb we've become," concluded former United States Attorney Joyce White Vance.

"The fact that whether you are one of the president's lawyers or part of his staff or maybe an objective observer, everyone believes that this president will lie when he's questioned by special counsel," Vance noted. "That there is something -- whether it's collusion with Russia or some sort form financial misdealing or obstruction -- that will cause the sitting President of the United States to lie about his conduct and expose himself to criminal prosecution."

Vance added that "this part of the story really is very telling about where this investigation is moving and how high up in the White House culpability lies."

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