The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle, 6/16/22

Summary

The panel is set to focus on former President Donald Trump`s attempts to pressure Vice President Mike Pence into changing the results of the 2020 election. The January 6 committee will seek testimony from Ginni Thomas about her efforts to persuade Trump officials to participate in the attempt to overturn the 2020 election. Retired federal Judge J. Michael Luttig, a staunch conservative long admired by many Republicans, will testify before the House`s Jan. 6 committee. Bush-appointed circuit judge, debunked the theory that Vice President Mike Pence had the power to recognize alternative electors.

Transcript

LAWRENCE O`DONNELL, MSNBC HOST: We`re a few seconds over out of time THE 11TH HOUR with Stephanie Ruhle starts now.

[23:00:26]

STEPHANIE RUHLE, MSNBC HOST: Tonight, the bombshell hearing highlighting the coordinated bully campaign after Mike Pence stood up to the former president, the danger that was 40 feet away and a current and continuing threat to our democracy.

Then, even the guy who wrote the memo for overturning the election knew it was against the law, and then asked for a pardon.

Plus, she insists she wants to clear the air. So when will Ginni Thomas tell the committee all she knows about the insurrection as THE 11TH HOUR gets underway on this Thursday night.

Good evening, once again, I`m Stephanie Ruhle. Today, the January 6 committee made a powerful case about the relentless pressure Donald Trump and his allies put on Mike Pence to unlawfully overturn the 2020 election results.

This afternoon, the committee presented detailed evidence revealing the intensity of that effort and the real danger Pence was in on the day of the insurrection.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Mike Pence I hope you`re going to stand up for the good of our Constitution and for the good of our country. And if you`re not I`m going to be very disappointed in you. I will tell you right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m telling you what I`m hearing to Pence. I heard that Pence just caved.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is that true? I`m hearing reports the Pence caved. I`m telling you, if Pence caved, we`re going to drag through the streets.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RUHLE: Hang Mike Pence. That`s what they were chanting. Today star witnesses to key Republicans, Pence`s former White House Counsel Greg Jacob and former federal judge J. Michael Luttig. Their testimony focused on Trump`s lawyer John Eastman and his scheme to defy the Electoral Count Act and reverse Joe Biden`s victory.

Trump was apparently 100 percent behind Eastman`s plan, despite being informed over and over that the plan was illegal. And Greg Jacob went on to testify that even Eastman himself admitted the plot was against the law.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREG JACOB, FMR. COUNSEL TO VP PENCE: When I pressed him on the point I said, John, if the vice president did what you were asking him to do, we would lose nine to nothing and the Supreme Court, wouldn`t we? And he initially started it. Well, I think maybe he would lose only seven to two. And after some further discussion acknowledged, well, yes, you`re right, we would lose not nothing.

REP. PETE AGUILAR (D-CA): The doctor is going to…