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tv   Politics Nation  MSNBC  March 31, 2014 3:00pm-4:01pm PDT

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athletes when they get done with their eligibility they get kicked to the side of the road like road kill and none of the universities are going to stay with them. they want the graduation rates to be increased. they say there is plenty of money to do that. chris kluwe, great to have you with us tonight. thank you so much. that's "the ed show." "politicsnation" with reverend al sharpton starts right now. good evening, rev. good evening, ed. and thanks to you for tuning in. tonight's lead, a historic day for health care. we're just hours away from the deadline to sign up for president obama's health care law. despite the naysayers and the petty efforts to dismantle this law, it's working. and it's here to stay. today we learned that nearly 10 million previously uninsured americans have gotten coverage through the affordable care act. 10 million. yes, there have been hiccups along the way. even today the health care website experienced glitches.
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but the president ran and won on the belief that health care was a right, that all americans deserved that right. and he is delivering on that promise. if republicans need proof of how life-saving this law is, just ask one of the hundreds of people waiting in line for insurance. >> it's definitely a benefit to know that if i do need to go to a doctor, i can afford to go. >> i wouldn't want to be caught without it if an emergency would happen. it's better to have insurance that can take care of you. >> my biggest fear was if i broke a leg, i would have to limp for the rest of my life, i guess. to me, my first thought, it was a godsend. >> stories like that are what this law is all about. but the right refuses to accept that success. this weekend fox news showed this dramatically skewed chart to suggest that the law would
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come up far short of its initial estimate of seven million enrollees. since when is six million less than half of seven million? anyone? they distort, you decide. here is what the chart should look like according to reality. how about that? and despite the right's misinformation, gop senators are actually accusing the president of cooking the books when it comes to the health care numbers. circumstances senator barrasso, given that, how much does this six million number actually mean? >> i don't think it means anything, chris. i think they're cooking the books on this. >> you say they don't trust this administration. >> they lie to you. >> your colleague, senator barrasso says the white house is totally fixing the books. >> totally they are. >> you agree with that? >> yeah. >> cooking the books? these interest same folks who questioned the polls before 2012, the same people who
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refused to believe good job numbers. and yet, when asked what their alternative, here is their response. >> i think it's good for the republican party to have a plan of its own that could insure americans without having to lose your doctor. let's start with the idea that preexisting illnesses should not deny you coverage. that means you're going to have to have pools for the really sick. but why would you deny somebody insurance because they got sick? allowing children to stay on the policies up until they're 26 makes sense given this economy. >> preexisting conditions. young adults on their parents' plans. where have i heard that before? oh, right. the senator just described the affordable care act. joining me now are congressman emanuel cleaver, democrat from missouri and anne filipic, president of enroll america, a nonprofit group helping the uninsured sign up for health
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care. thank you both for coming on the show tonight. >> hi, reverend. thanks for having me. >> congressman, let me start with you this. is an important date, no question about it. why is the right so focused on this phony argument that the president is cooking the books on the health care numbers? >> well, these are the same people who were upset with galley owe for saying that the world was round. and i think we've got to come to expect that it's unfortunate that we have people out here who have simply jumped to their own confusion. and we have a responsibility to just continue to make progress. the president was right. we've made tremendous progress. 3.1 million young people, 26 years and younger who are out of high school are still able to get insurance with their parents. >> right. >> insurance policy. so this is a good day. some we just have to understand who will not come along, they're going to be left behind.
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and that's there's not much we can do about them. >> you know, anne, "the washington post" released a new poll that actually shows 49% of americans support the health care law. that's the first time in the poll's history that more support the law than oppose it. haven't we turned the corner on public perception of this law, despite four years of gop lies and distortions? >> well, i think what is happening now is people are starting to get coverage. we knew when this was really implemented and these 9.95 million people now visit now, have the peace of mind that comes with it, as they start to talk to their friends and neighbors about it, that is what is not only changing opinion, but it's also what is causing the long lines we're seeing at enrollment events across the country this weekend and today. >> you know, congressman, senator ted cruz posted a poll on his facebook page asking if people are better under obamacare. let's just say he didn't get the
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response he was looking for. example. lesean wrote, yes, i have ms and i lost my job. i wouldn't be able to get any other insurance because of my preexisting condition. thank you, president obama. russ said, thank god for obamacare. i now have health care, and they discovered i have cancer. without obamacare, i would die. shelley wrote yes, yes, and yes. hands off my obamacare. not exactly what senator cruz wanted on his facebook i'm sure, congressman. >> no, this is not been a good monday for the senator from texas. because i think, he, like some others have over the past couple of years gone out and given their opinions along with several unrelated facts. they have done everything they could to kill this legislation that's going to help millions of
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americans. reverend, i was thinking about this earlier today. i hope i never get to the point where i get up in the morning with my goal being that i want to take something away from people that can make their lives better. and these guys get up in the morning trying to keep people from getting insurance. and that is sick. >> and just because of politics. they want to take it away just for partisan reasons. and it's not like they come up with a different or better plan to service these people that are in need, millions, i might add, millions that are in need of coverage. and the serious stuff. like for example, to date, vice president biden appeared on rachael ray's show. and ray actually teared up talking about how this law impacted her family. listen to this. >> and my brother was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. he was dropped from his health insurance when he hit a health care cap. he has a small child.
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my mom and my sister went online to the site and used it as a resource to find the people in our community and they found the right health care for my brother and his child. it is such an important resource. >> the peace of mind that it brings to the millions of people who could not get coverage before is amazing. it's amazing. >> and i just hope the young people -- i'm getting teary, because it's very emotional for our whole family. >> no, it's personal. >> and these are the kind of stories. and when you see somebody like rachael tearing up, you see this often. that's the human factor which i think is way above the politics which is why i'm so disheartened by seeing all this bickering when real people need real help. >> well, that's exactly. >> go ahead. >> we hear these stories every single day across the country. that's why people are waiting for hours, literally for hours to get this coverage. and i just want to say for anyone who is out there who is
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uninsured. it's not too late. and make sure you're telling your friends and family too. as you said, this is personal. this isn't about politics. this is about the opportunity to find that peace of mind that comes with having coverage. >> you know, congressman, you've got to explain one thing to me. rick santorum, he argued this weekend that the 2012 election had nothing to do with health care. listen to this. >> was the issue in 2010 that caused us to have the tea party revolution. it was all around the issue of health care. and this election is going to be all around the issue of health care. and they're two great elect elections for republicans. 2012 was not about health care. >> 2012 was not about health care? maybe i was delusional. but i thought we talked about it often. i think it was in the debates. i mean, what is he talking about? >> if you belief what senator santorum, you believe that football has nothing to do with
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passing, and i think that anybody who has even a moderately good memory will recall that there was not a single debate and very few speeches that were made either by president obama or by mr. romney that did not raise the issue of the affordable care act. >> yeah. >> it was front and center. so the people of this consider consider what was going on, and the proposals that have been brought forth on the aca and they voted to reelect the president anyway. i think eventually that the others are going to get on board when all other alternatives have been exhausted. >> well, it's a great day. it's a historic day. and clearly, as you said, anne, it is still a few more hours before the midnight deadline. but millions of people have a different day than they had in the past. congressman emanuel cleaver and anne filipic, thank you both for coming on the show tonight. still ahead, the democrats
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fight back. we'll tell you why republicans may be in for a rude awakening if they think health care will be a winner for them in november. also, the gop's 1% problem. why are the biggest names in the party reaching out to billionaires instead of voters? also, is it a new case of too rich for jail? the shocking note from a judge who gave a wealthy man probation for child rape. it's in tonight's justice files. stay with us. here's a word you should keep in mind "unbiased". some brokerage firms are but way too many aren't. why? because selling their funds makes them more money. which makes you wonder. isn't that a conflict? search "proprietary mutual funds". yikes!! then go to e*trade. we've got over 8,000 mutual funds and not one of them has our name on it. we're in the business of finding the right investments for you. e*trade. less for us, more for you. the fund's prospectus contains its investment objectives,
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with less than six hours left until open enrollment ends, just about everyone in the white house is joining the campaign to encourage americans to get covered. but tonight they got the real
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star power. here comes bo and sunny, the first dogs get covered signs and posed along the first lady in the final signup push before midnight. the first lady tweeted out the picture today saying no bones about it, today's the last day for signup for health insurance. the dogs are embracing the law, and so is the power voices in the party. what is former president bill clinton saying about it? get ready for a political dogfight, republicans. that's next. ects on my home. i love my contractor, and i am so thankful to angie's list for bringing us together. find out why more than two million members count on angie's list. angie's list -- reviews you can trust.
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growing up in brooklyn, i learned a couple of valuable lessons. you should always stand up for what you believe is right, and you should never back down from a bully. republicans are convinced the health care law will be a big winner for them in 2014. but will it? some of the biggest voices on the left are saying no. former president clinton says democrats should embrace the law, not run from it. and minority leader nancy pelosi says the law will be the winner in 2014. why? because 59% of americans want to keep or improve the law. ontario 29% support the gop plan, which is to repeal it or get rid of it. republicans think they can win elections by taking health care away from millions of people. it's up to democrats to prove they're wrong. democrats have a good policy
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with this health care law. now they need to make it good politics as well. joining me now are former pennsylvania governor ed rendell and krystal ball. thank you both for joining me. >> thanks for having me. >> our pleasure. >> the best defense is a good offense. shouldn't democrats go after republicans when it comes to health care? >> absolutely. the first thing i would do, rev, if i was running for governor in florida or pennsylvania or mary landrieu or kay hagans running in north carolina and louisiana, go after the republicans for not expanding medicaid. find every one of those people in pennsylvania almost 500,000, every one of those people who would have health care coverage had they chosen to expand medicaid, and say look, we can do this. it's wrong for the republicans to keep you from getting health care. get all those people out to the poll, number one.
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number two, get all of the 26 and under who are living with their parents who if we appeal obamacare, they have no health care. get them out to the polls. get the people with preexisting illnesses. get them out to the polls. emphasize the positive. let's go and get the people who have been helped, because more people have been helped so far than have been hurt. >> now, krystal, along those lines, a new democratic strategy has been running ads in michigan and west virginia, targeting republican candidates who want to repeal the health care law. listen to this. >> for 35 years, he worked in the mines. now i worry we both could get hurt if evan jenkins goes to congress. he vowed to repeal black lung benefits and reports letting insurance companies charge women more for health care. >> with land, insurance companies will be able to deny you coverage when you get sick. women's access to preventative health care would be cut while their costs would increase. >> now, that's taking the
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offense. how successful and effective do you think that will be for democrats? >> i think those are terrific ads. and i absolutely think that's the tactic that they should be taking. because if you look at it even now, if you ask people individually about the different provisions in obamacare, they support it. people support individuals having access to health care, not being denied for preexisting conditions, for young people to stay on their parents' health insurance. they support the law. sometimes when you attach the president's name to it, it becomes so politicized. and it's been so demonized by republicans and a lot of misleading attacks people have a reaction. when you break it down and say here is a real person that is benefitting from this law, somebody in your community who is benefitting from this law, and this republican wants to take it away. it is absolutely the approach that democrats should be taking. >> governor, you know, democratic voters support the law. in january when enrollment stood
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at 3 million, 65% of democrats supported the law. in march after enrollment hit 6 million, that spiked the points up to 76%. that ties a record high, which came just after the law passed in march of 2010. now, isn't the law starting to reenergize the democratic base? isn't it going to be helpful in bringing them numbers out? >> sure. and, rev, remember, that six million is only who signed up for the exchanges. another four million have coverage because of the expansion of medicaid. and those people plus the people who have been denied coverage because republicans refuse to expand medicaid in many states, that's the base. and that base ought to be really fired up over the health care law, fired up to keep it, fired up to get the benefits from it. i think we can turn a negative into a positive, but we've got to stand and defend. we can't be cowardly like we were in 2010.
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>> and that's basically, crystal, what president clinton is saying. in fact, on his hbo show friday night, bill mauer called out democrats for failing to promote the health care law. watch this. >> the republicans run ad after ad of obamacare horror stories. but where are the success stories from the democrats? you just need someone who has seen a gynecologist, not big foot. try it's not like a vince vaughn movie, this is a good thing. >> in his own special way. >> yes. >> but get the point. >> yes, you get the point. and we've seen americans for prosperity have had all of these misleading ads that have been destroyed by the fact checkers claiming to put up people who are being hurt by obamacare. as the governor pointed out, there are millions more people who are benefitting from this law in ways that are absolutely life-changing. and this has been a problem for democrats since they passed the
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law. they haven't known how to defend it. they haven't known how to go on the offense. now is the time. the minutes are wasting. and i think that democrats are finally realizing they can't try to hide from it. they can't try to run away from it. this is an unequivocally good thing that we have done for the country. stand on it. >> and i think also the thing that needs to really be pointed out, governor, is that the republicans have not come up with an alternative plan. i wrote a piece today about hating obama is not a health care plan. where is the alternative? are you really just saying to people don't go with the president's plan, don't go with the affordable care act, but just leave the people in the condition they're in with no health coverage. that would in and of itself would be a political liability. >> there is no question about it. not only have they really not come up with a plan, they claim that there is this senate bill, but it's a pathetic bill.
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but we could also pivot and say you know what? we think obamacare and health care is good for this country and they're good examples. but guys you talk about the health care act hurting the economy, it's been two years and you haven't done one thing to help the economy. the president has asked for infrastructure money. the president has asked for this and that and that. because i still think the economy is what worries most americans even more than all of the doubts that have been raised under the health care act. so pivot and say you guys are so obsessed with repealing obamacare, you haven't been able to think about anything or do anything else. it's time for you to go. >> well, i think that this is going to be a central issue this year. it's going to be a determining factor to where we see the politics of 2014 go. and we're going to be there every step of the way. ed rendell, krystal ball, thanks for your time tonight. >> thanks, reverend. big, sure to catch krystal on "the cycle" right here on msnbc.
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coming up, how big is the big money in republican politics? one billionaire has the stars running to vegas over the weekend. we'll take you inside. and it's the new affluenza case drawing national attention and outrage. is this wealthy child rapist too rich to jail? a judge thinks he would not do well behind bars. the justice files is ahead. okay ladies, whenever you're ready.
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it was "american idol" in las vegas over the weekend. four gop 2016 hopefuls flock to sin city for the republican jewish conference retreat at the venetian hotel. and they were all vying for one man's attention, casino titan sheldon adelson. he is the eighth richest man in the world, worth $38 billion, and he is looking to bankroll is 2016 candidate. last election he put $98 million worth of chips in for the gop and the high roller lost. but he is a gambling man, and he is getting ready to dole out more cash. but here is what is important. all these politicians were there for one billionaire, one person
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can produce a cattle call like this. and it's similar to the secret retreats the billionaire koch brothers hold twice a year. where just like las vegas, what happens there, stays there. this is something new in politics, a handful of billionaires calling all the shots for an entire party. but while republicans keep fighting over billionaires, president obama and the democrats are going to keep fighting for the american people, for families, for a minimum wage increase, for unemployment insurance. they're putting all their chips in on the american people. and if i were a gambling man, i would too. joining me now are dana milbank and joan walsh. thank you both for coming on the show tonight. >> hi, reverend. >> joan, a new vegas show over the weekend, kissing up to a billionaire. that's the name of the new show.
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>> i like it. >> what is troubling about this process to you? >> well, it's just such shameless pandering, reverend al. i mean, politicians pander, that's what they do. they raise money. but to go before this one man who stands for israel and islam ma phobia and union busting, whose agenda is frankly extreme. and to panneder in such shocking ways. i mean, chris christie accurately describes the occupied territories as occupied. and he has to go and apologize immediately. scott walker talks about lighting the menorah at hanukkah. that's lovely, but come on. john kasich was acting like adelson was the only man in the room. there were other people there, other props, but he is only talking to him. and jeb bush gets a private audience with the man. he doesn't stand for anything but money, and that's what these people are after. he is their constituency, the top of top 1%. >> dana, what do you think? >> well, i think it's appropriate that they have this at the venetian hotel because you've got to go back 600 years
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or so to have a patronage system like this where people are basically purchasing the politicians and the country. you know, when this happens in russia, we complain about the oligarchs running the government there. that's exactly what is happening in this country in the wake of citizens united, where it's just a handful of billionaires. it's this guy, it's the koch brothers, a few others can basically run the elections, particularly in an offyear. they can basically purchase all of the senate seats that are needed to give the republicans a majority. that's just how the system works. >> you know, on that point, joan, a political article about the eidelson event over the weekend had this very interesting observation. it says there is a growing overlap between koch world the adelson jewish republican coalition crew. with adelson attending a 2012
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koch doan seminar and the president of the americans for prosperity group attending his first rjc meeting last weekend. now, what would it look like if the koch-backed spending and the adelson spending were combined? that would be close to half a billion dollars, joan. >> it will look terrible. and it's happening. they are increasing their coordinating. here is the only bright light. i'm really an optimistic. we also learned this weekend that a lot of these rich money guys, the big donors behind mitt romney are begging jeb bush to run. now this is really, frankly ridiculous, the notion that the only thing republicans have going for them are men named bush. they can't find a president from the 20th century to the 21st century who is not named bush. they've got to foist these wealthy men on us. they're bankrupting their party of ideas, and they're bankrupting them of leaders. they're trying desperately to shut out the tea party and make
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sure no crazies run. but this the process, you've got this selection process that is controlled by a handful of wealthy men. that's not good for the republican party, in my opinion. >> you know, in line with that, dana, you have the new report out today that shows the wealth and inequality in america. the top 0.1% wealth have the highest yield of wealth since the 1920s. and the gop is fighting for the attention of a billionaire instead of looking for solutions to this inequality? >> yeah, it is extraordinary, you know. and as joan mentioned, chris christie gets in trouble for talking about the occupied territory. the real occupied territory right now is the republican party occupied by this handful of oligarchs. it's our system in general. something is happening similar on the democratic side there just isn't that much money concentrated in such a tiny place. there's got to be a point at which people say we've gone too far with this income inequality.
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we've gone too far with a few billionaires running our entire political system and we've got to push back. >> and in fairness, the democrats have money behind them to some degree. but the unions, what tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of members and many of them setting up the process to vote on who they're going to support. it's not one man making the decision. >> there is no equivalent right now. >> no. there is no equivalent. and unions are semi powerful there are divisions within the democratic party, but there are lots of democrats, even wealthy democrats. the interesting thing about them is many of them often advocate for policies that actually would cost them some money and help the working class, help the middle class. these people are advocating for policies that only help themselves. >> now dana, president obama has made raising the minimum wage a priority this year. listen to this. >> a majority of americans not just democrats, not just independents, but republicans too support raising the minimum wage. it's the right thing to do.
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if you work hard, you should be able to pay your rent, buy your groceries, look after your kids. >> say yes to that, give america a raise. >> i firmly believe it's time to give america a raise. so join the rest of the country. say yes. give america a raise. >> democratic senators announced today they won't be backing down either. they're threatening repeated votes on minimum wage. senator tom harkin was quoted as saying we're not just going to walk away after one vote. it's too important for that. dana, that could be very critical in this election year to put republicans on the record over and over again about minimum wage while you are running around, trying to get the support of billionaires to bankroll your campaigns. >> right. i was over at the conservative heritage foundation today, they there were labor and other
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groups picketing there for the minimum wage vote in the senate. i think the democrats and their allies have to keep on doing this. they may be outgunned in terms of the big money that is going into the political system. but they have to keep setting up the contrast even if they lose the fight on unemployment insurance, on immigration, on the minimum wage. they have to keep saying here is our agenda. here is who we're for, even if they're not prevailing on it. >> joan walsh and dana milbank, thank you both for your time tonight. >> thanks, reverend. still ahead, a wealthy man gets probation for raping his own daughter. and critics say it could be another example of too rich to jail. that's in tonight's justice files. and later, dr. martin luther king's powerful words about health care and why republicans need to listen to them today. stay with us. w? well, i die low testostero.
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can someone be too rich to jail? it's a case getting national attention and national outrage. a rich father from delaware served no jail time after raping his 3-year-old daughter. robert h. richards iv, an heir to the dupont family fortune was indicted six years ago on two counts of second degree child rape of his 3-year-old daughter. he was allowed to plead to fourth degree rape. the judge put him on probation, saying he needed treatment, and
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noted in her sentencing order that richards would, quote, not farewell in a level 5 setting in prison. so why are the details just coming out now? because his ex-wife just filed a new lawsuit on behalf of her two children. her attorney alleging there was even more abuse. >> the father initially denied the charges, but after failing a lie detector test, he admitted the abuse of the daughter. later, when taking another lie detector test, he all but admitted the abuse of his son. >> so how could a man convicted of raping his daughter and accused of raping his son be allowed to walk free? joining me now, msnbc legal analyst faith jenkins and defense attorney michelle suskauer. thank you both for being here tonight. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> we'll get into the new charges in a minute. but first, faith, what happened
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six years ago? how is man who admitted to raping his daughter allowed to walk free? >> well, what happened is the d.a. offered a plea deal. he was able to negligent to a lower felony, a c felony. and the sentencing range include nod jail to up to 15 years. so it was really in this judge's hand, and in her discretion. and in my opinion, her abuse of discretion, she decided that he didn't deserve any jail time. he was even released on $60,000 bond originally in the case. so he was able to walk out of jail without really serving any time. and then in the end, she sentenced him to eight years, but then she suspended that sentence and decided that probation was more appropriate. i think it's absolutely appalling. yes, we do suffer from an epidemic of over incarceration in this country. but when it comes to the most violent crimes, crimes against our children, raping your children, in this case, he raped his own daughter, he should serve jail time. and thing is a significant oversight on the part of this judge. and the reason she did it is because he is a wealthy man,
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that he had powerful attorneys from the biggest law firm in the state, and he has a lot of money and a prominent name. those are the only reasons. >> we're talking, michelle, about a 3-year-old child that was his. >> that's right. >> and he served not one day in jail. the judge saying on the record he wouldn't farewell? i mean, this is contemptible. >> well, you know, you're pointing the finger right at the judge. and obviously this was a plea. this was not a neglected plea. this was a plea up to the court, which means the court had the discretion to sentence him. but let's go backwards a step to the state attorney, to the prosecutor in this case, because that's not what he was originally indicted for. but the prosecutor permitted a plea to one count of fourth degree rape which does not require -- >> indicted for second degree, am i right? >> that's right. and two counts, he plead to one
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count of fourth degree, which does not count -- does not have any mandatory minimum prison sentence. so the court had that discretion. so the prosecutor here freed the court's hands to do what they did. we weren't present at the sentencing hearing. we don't know the strengths or weaknesses of this case. remember, there must have been a reason for the state to do it. and i'm not saying just because he is wealthy, that's why he got that plea. maybe there were problems with this case. i'm not defending the acts. what i'm saying is there is a reason there is a reason. i understand. >>, no he admitted the rape. this isn't a problem with the facts. this is a defendant who actually admitted that he raped his 3-year-old daughter. so there is not a problem with the fax. >> i understand. >> yes, i think that -- >> but what we're saying is -- >> i think that to answer your question, i think that this judge's rationale in pointing at all the other reasons that she thinks probation is appropriate is a complete farce.
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i think the only reason that this man under these facts was given probation is not because of what he did, because she completely looked past that, it's because of who he is. >> all right, michelle. >> okay. you know, listen, he's a convicted sex offender. that is a life sentence. that stays with you forever. and i'm not saying that he shouldn't have done prison time in this case. but we're not privy to why -- what the rationale was of the prosecutor in this case. the prosecutor, go backwards, was the one who freed the court's hands there also is an eight-year suspended sentence, which means if he violates probation, he is going to go to prison. >> yeah, but let me ask you this, michelle. >> he has all the conditions that go along with being a sex offender on sex offender probation. >> i understand all of that. but here is the question. what kind of precedent are we setting? both the prosecutor and the judge when you say on the record he would not do well in prison? >> right. >> they didn't -- >> nobody does well in prison.
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>> they didn't say any of the things you say could have led to this. i'm talking what they did say. and they said that, quote, he wouldn't do well. what kind of precedent does that set when we see ordinary working people, poor people go to jail every day for much less than raping their own 3-year-old daughter. >> listen, this is -- there is no question, this is a horrific, horrific crime. i have defended people charged with this. i have represented victims in court. this is terrible. however, you are picking out one line of probably a very lengthy sentencing hearing and sentencing memorandum. we haven't seen anything else. so if you want to look at that in a vacuum and say that was it, well, nobody does well in prison. he is not going to do well, but nobody does well in prison. >> that was one of the reasons that the judge gave, and that reason in and of itself is unacceptable. you're talking about -- that's why we have protective custody in prison. i understand that child
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molesters for whatever reason are targeted in some prisons that doesn't justify them not going to prison. that's why you have protective custody. he is 6'4", he is 250 pounds. he can certainly take care of himself. you're talk about take caring of him? what about the children, not only his 3-year-old daughter, but the other children who are now susceptible to his behavior. >> let me also raise this, michelle. richards was indicted on two second-degree rape charges in 2008. they would have carried a mandatory ten-year jail sentence each, apiece if he had been convicted. >> right. >> the average sentence for drug possession in state prison is 20 months. so to go from mandatory ten years on each one to allow him to go to a plea on the fourth and no jail time, i mean, and we read the sentencing report, there is no explanation why you would do that. >> again, again, i think you need to ask the state attorney
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why they went ahead and went from two much more significantly serious felonies to one fourth degree level that doesn't require. that's right. with no mandatory jail time. and i think you need to go backwards. we're also hearing bits and pieces of this. again, i'm not defending the act. we're hearing bits and pieces from the ex-wife's attorney. and they're suing him for however much they're suing him for. >> i understand the ex-wife's attorney and there may be -- they're self-serving there. but the court documents of the judge's sentencing is the court documents of the judge sentencing had nothing to do with the wife, nothing to do with the wife's attorney. and you say we should ask? that's exactly what i intend to do is keep asking. faith jenkins and michelle suskauer, thank you both for your time tonight. >> sure. >> thank you. coming up, on this historic day in america, we look back at
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what dr. martin luther king said about it and america's long arc of history bending toward justice. ok, here's the way the system works. let's say you pay your guy around 2 percent to manage your money. that's not much, you think except it's 2 percent every year. does that make a difference? search "cost of financial advisors" ouch! over time it really adds up. then go to e*trade and find out how much our advice costs. spoiler alert. it's low. really? yes, really. e*trade offers investment advice and guidance from dedicated professional financial consultants. it's guidance on your terms not ours that's how our system works. e*trade. less for us, more for you.
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right now the jobs picture
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in america is improving. employment increased in 33 states last month, and jobless rates fell in 29 states. great news, but the fact is more than ten million americans are still looking for work. yet three million jobs still remain unfulfilled. how is that possible? well, there are a lot of reasons. but the biggest is the skills gap. too few people have the right skills to fit those jobs in america. we have to be better than this. we need to help train people for those jobs. president obama has talked about it. >> we've got to help our workers get the training to compete for the industries of tomorrow. no job in america should go unfilled because somebody doesn't have the right skills to get that job. nobody. so if there is a job open, we
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should train those folks right away so that they can do the job. >> in advancing the dream series tonight, we highlight a program in chicago doing extraordinary work. it's called skills for chicagoland's future, a public/private partnership works with employers to build a pathway to employment for people who don't have jobs. the company then makes a commitment to hire them after training. and this mom's story is one of 700 success stories in the last seven months. >> because of the weight her son has had to understand that things are different. >> he's always known mommy to work, considering i received my master's degree about a year and a half ago. mommy was also doing homework while he was doing homework. so he is used to me doing a lot of different things at the same time. but he understands that mommy is looking for a job. >> reporter: since she has been working with scf, she has noticed a pickup in her job search. >> my first interview came
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through them. after all these months and searching and the recruiters i have spoken with and gone to meet with, they were the first ones i've gone to have an interview with rather than just the recruiter. >> such a pickup that she has been offered a job doing fraud and risk analysis for jpmorgan chase. >> the skills for chicagoland's future group is giving people more than new skills. it's giving them hope. and i hope more organizations across the country can follow its great example. we'll be right back. those little things still get you. cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment is right. cialis is also the only daily ed tablet approved to treat symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure.
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do not drink alcohol in excess. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, get medical help right away for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or any allergic reactions like rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a free 30-tablet trial. the was a truly amazing day. without angie's list, i don't know if we could have
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found all the services we needed for our riley. for over 18 years we've helped people take care of the things that matter most. join today at angieslist.com today congressman john lewis, an icon of the civil rights movement sent a tweet that capture what's the health care debate is all about. quote, in 1966, dr. king said of all forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane. dr. king made those remarks 48 years ago this week. in a speech at a chicago medical convention. he knew that life without health
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care could be as crippling as life under jim crow. and just as difficult to reverse. president obama talked about how dr. king might feel about the affordable care act. last summer. >> oh, he'd like that. well, because i think he understood that health care, health security is not a privilege. it's something that a country that is as wealthy as ours, everybody should have access to. >> and everybody should have access to it. and despite the glitches, today people can go to a website or phone number that never existed before in their lifetime. that's america at its best. we have until midnight to bring in more. but thank god for those enlightened americans that fought the politics of today and made it a moral statement that not only will help make people's
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lives better, but makes the character of this nation's better when we do what is right for other americans. it's a great day. thanks for watching. i'm al sharpton. "hardball" starts right now. dynasty. let's play "hardball." >> good evening. i'm chris matthews in washington. and let me start tonight with the coming dynastic struggle between hillary clinton, and jeb bush and the former governor of florida. it's the lynn package ins as much as the resumes of the two candidates that either excites or disturbs the country's most politically sensitive citizenry. the plausibility of facing a november 20

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