Skip to main content

tv   Politics Nation  MSNBC  June 25, 2014 3:00pm-4:01pm PDT

3:00 pm
and of course, our national security is priority. and the commander-in-chief is making sure that he is very careful in ensuring that. >> congresswoman barbara lee, thanks so much for your time. that's it for "the ed show." "politicsnation" with the rev al sharpton starts now. good evening, rev. >> good evening to you. thanks for tuning in. tonight, the republican plan to sue president obama. today the gop confirmed it will try to turn an absurd right wing fantasy into reality. speaker boehner said he will push forward with the lawsuit directed at president obama. >> not only does the president regularly ignore the law, he brags about it and he brags about his willingness to change it unilaterally. that's arrogance and incompetence tense right down the line. in my view, the president has not faithfully executed the
3:01 pm
laws. >> the president has not executed the laws? really? which one specifically does the speaker have in mind? >> what specific executive action are you planning to challenge in court? >> when i make that decision, i'll let you know. >> he hasn't decided which executive action to focus on. he doesn't even know why he wants to bring a lawsuit. it's so ridiculous that even some on the right realize it. gop congresswoman michele bachmann went on the news after boehner spoke, probably expecting to take a victory lap. but what happened next was not what she expected. >> there are far more important things that you guys have to be addressing than filing lawsuits past each other. what is burning. >> i'm not the one talking about that. what i'm saying is what's very important is the president trying to establish lawlessness
3:02 pm
in the united states. that's a big issue. >> democrats said george bush said the same, congresswoman. i'm saying, each side claiming, a waste of time. waste of time. >> so what we need to do is defund the executive branch and then defeat executive -- >> if the -- congresswoman! if democrats said we will defund president bush, defund the -- would you have laughed. and so you should have been. acting democrats will be in their right mind to laugh you out now. defund them. >> the house has the power of the purse. this isn't a small power. we can do this but we can do something further. i hear your frustration. >> all right, congresswoman. >> what we can do is impeach the elected officials. >> oh, man, oh, man, oh, man. what is burning. congresswoman -- >> that's kicking them out of their -- what else do we do? >> it's not, it's not. we'll have more after this. >> then what do you do?
3:03 pm
>> laugh you out? wow. house republicans are now getting openly ridiculed by fox news. they've totally gone off the deep end. it's time for them to do some real work in congress. or at least let the president do his. joining me now is congressman, democrat of missouri and former pennsylvania governor ed rendell. thank you both for coming on the show tonight. >> my pleasure. >> good to be with you, reverend. >> congressman, do even some republicans know how absurd this lawsuit is? >> well, it is absurd. i don't think they realize they will be ridiculed for something like this. it makes me want to join in with some republican legislation to stop frivolous lawsuits. the other thing is, that as i'm
3:04 pm
thinking about this, i'm thinking of filing a class action on behalf of the veterans not getting benefits and malpractice on the part of the republican lead areship because we're not getting anything done. there aught to be a lawsuit for that, and i think what is going on right now, is so silly, that it is going to help democrats. all we have to do is sit back and watch laugh-in from washington. >> well, governor, along with other things that are like over the top, we keep hearing the "i" word, impeachment. speaker boehner was asked directly about impeachment. listen to this. [ inaudible ] >> this is not about impeachment. this is about his faithfully executing the laws of our country. >> i mean, governor, this is the speaker's take on it. how do you respond?
3:05 pm
>> well, i think you and congressman -- even the fox commentator, the real reason they are doing this stuff is to distract from the fact they've done nothing. have not passed a jobs bill. have not passed many grags reform. have not passed an energy bill. have not passed an education bill. the country is burning and they are sitting by fiddling with ridiculous lawsuits. president bush at 290 executive orders in his eight years. president clinton had 308. president obama, is at 187. if he keeps up at the same pace, he will have far less than either president bush or president clinton. so it is ridiculous. they should stop it. get down to work. pass a jobs bill. in pennsylvania, people want to go back to work. they want the middle class jobs. they want infrastructure bill. they want to build up the country. these guys are fiddling with this absolute junk. >> congressman, let me pick up on that. because i want to deal with
3:06 pm
facts. to this date, republicans accuse the president of ramming his agenda through the executive actions and orders. but to date, president obama again, as the governor said, has issued 180 executive orders. fewer than president bush issued at the same point in his presidency, 209. and this chart shows the average number of executive orders signed by presidents each year since 1901. president obama signed fewer per year than anyone. but for some reason, i don't recall republicans trying to swoop past gop presidents, including president bush over executive orders. for that matter, suing democratic presidents over executive orders. >> right. it's slide of hand. they want, as governor said, want us to look at something else other than their failures.
3:07 pm
look, executive orders are important. while i hope it doesn't happen in my lifetime, there probably will be another republican president. i would is hate to have taken something from him or her. president obama is a piker compared with other presidents. truman for example, had 3500 executive orders. some were good. for example, the emergency work administration. of which in the middle of the depression. harry truman desegregated troops. and one that i will never hope that people forget is emans pace proclamation. it was not a vote of congress. so the republicans need to be careful not to play with this because they will do damage it future administrations when we need a strong executive to do something. this is not what about what president obama is doing with executive orders. it is about some other thing. it is silly and wasting time.
3:08 pm
>> that's the real point, governor. this is about some other things. let's be real candid. they were meeting the night of the first i ninaugural ball. and you can see even when a. if news anchor man was chastising michele bachmann. they are grabbing at anything. this is about undermining this president. this has nothing to do with executive action. has nothing to do with not executing the law. this is all about they were determined from day one to undermine president barack obama. >> you're right, and it hasn't stopped. it's got a viciousness and personal quality to it that unlike anything i've ever seen. even the clinton impeachment wasn't as personal as vindictive and hateful as this is. but you know what? we said last weekend on your show. they are doing things and i think congressman would agree
3:09 pm
with me, they are about to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. they are giving us ammunition to go to the american people and say, these guys are crazy. they are doing completely out of the box things. they are not of merit. we have people without unemployment compensation who desperately need it. we need a minimum wage increase. come on, people. give us a democratic congress again. we will get those important things done. we will have an infrastructure bill. have a jobs bill. >> congressman, can this translate it a movement in the mid term elections to change the congress? that's the question. >> i think so. i do think so. i think that a combination of things. i think many americans are angry because they realize that congress is dysfunctional and they want something done and i think when you see people
3:10 pm
talking about impeaching the president and filing lawsuits that can also be used in some kind of cartoon on sundays in the newspaper, they are come together conclusion that something is wrong in washington. and it could very well back fire on republicans to the benefit of democrats. and in cases like this, we should not interfere. stand back, let them play with whatever they want to play with and do damage to themselves. >> thanks to both of you for your time tonight. >> have a good night. >> coming up, tea party darling in mississippi loses. now loyalists like sarah palin are floating the idea of a third party. good luck, gop. oh, and this happened. >> i wonder what the campaign slogan was in mississippi the past couple days? uncle toms for thad? >> plus, it's been one year
3:11 pm
since wendy davis became a household name. fighting for women's rights in texas. today, a fight goes on. and also one year ago, the voting rights act was gutted by the supreme court. wait until you see what republicans did since then. we can't, and won't, let them roll back progress.
3:12 pm
at legalzoom virtually all yourof important legal matters in just minutes. now it's quicker and easier for you to start your business, protect your family, and launch your dreams. at legalzoom.com we put the law on your side. add brand new belongings from nationwide insurance... ...and we'll replace destroyed or stolen items with brand-new versions. we put members first. join the nation. ♪ nationwide is on your side ♪
3:13 pm
our facebook page is very busy today with reaction to speaker boehner's plan to sue president obama. michael says, going after president obama is the only
3:14 pm
thing they know how to do. i agree, michael. ernest says, i they would put this much effort into creating jobs. imagine that. and wendy says, it's the worst congress ever. this won't help, wendy. we want to know what you think. please head over to our facebook page to join the conversation. the season's freshest flavors, now at olive garden. dive into our new pappardelle pescatore with the best of the bay. prepared from scratch daily and always served with unlimited salad and breadsticks. taste the flavors of the season at olive garden. smoke? nah, i'm good. [ male announcer ] celebrate every win with nicoderm cq, the unique patch with time release smartcontrol technology that helps prevent the urge to smoke all day long. help prevent your cravings with nicoderm cq. there was a boy who traveled to a faraway place that helps prevent the urge to smoke all day long. where villages floated on water
3:15 pm
and castles were houses dragons lurked giants stood tall and the good queen showed the boy it could all be real avo: whatever you can imagine, all in one place expedia, find yours the actions by our state leaders on this particular bill hurt texans. there is no doubt about that. >> that was wendy davis.
3:16 pm
one year ago today in a filibuster that sent her into the national spotlight in the fight for women's reproductive rights. wearing now famous hot pink sneakers, texas state senator spoke for 13 hours to delay the passage of a bill that would impose harsh restrictions on abortion clinics and institute a 20-week abortion ban. and citizens seated in the gallery took over. [ chanting ]
3:17 pm
>> but despite those heroic efforts, the texas legislature passed the bill later, one year ago texas had 42 abortion clinics. as of today, only 21 remain and by september that number is expected to drop to 6. not just texas. it is happening all over the country. a woman's right to a safe and legal abortion is federal law. but getting access in some states is nearly impossible. but politics matters. what wendy davis did a year ago today matters and the fight is only beginning. joining me now is jess mcintosh and victoria difrancesco soto. thank you both for coming on the show tonight. >> thanks for having me. >> thanks, rev. >> wendy davis tried to stop that restrictive bill from
3:18 pm
passing. what's the situation like in texas a year later in. >> what an amazing night that was. you know, i think that that filibuster was about something bigger than the bill that she came so close to defeating. because you can't look at it and see that the bill passed and think that we lost. the voices that came out in texas that night i think surprised i think absolutely everybody. the idea that women all across the state could stand up together and shut down a government that wasn't doing anything to help them, i think inspired people all over the country. i know it inspired people as far as the coasts. and now we're seeing wendy davis in an amazing campaign for governor. and she is joined running for lieutenant governor as fellow state senator, the woman who famously said, at what point does a woman need to raise her hands to get recognized by her male colleagues on the floor, that set of sent the chamber into eruption like that. so these two women are
3:19 pm
campaigning, running a great race statewide in texas. i think in november there's a good chance that republicans will be just as surprised as the volume and veracity of women who come out to vote too. >> now victoria, i mentioned this in -- that this is spreading. state legislature is trying to end abortion services in the south. take a look at this. these states have passed laws that could shut down the few clinics that they have left. in alabama, there are three clinics left. but if the law goes into effect, there will only be two. in louisiana, there are five. but that could drop down to two. mississippi only has one clinic that is left. they are hanging on by a thread. and in oklahoma, they have three for the entire state, but could end up shutting down all but one. roe versus wade might be law, but for a lot of women, it is
3:20 pm
becoming meaningless, victoria. >> you know, the irony here is that the states in the south which have the most restrictive abortion bills are also the most fiscally conservative that want to cut assistance for head start programs, for feeding assistance. if you are concerned about lowering the number i've of abortions and not putting women in the tough spot of making those choices, provide the funding for the family and stop fighting the contraceptive mandate. so republicans, gop say they are the party of the family, but really all of their access are speaking contrary to that. >> you know, jess, this week, just this week, those restrictive laws have forced another clinic to close. we're learning one of alabama's last abortion clinics is losing its license because of a law that says their hallways are too narrow.
3:21 pm
these laws are sweeping the country. 27 states have similar laws. these laws will get challenged in the courts for being unconstitutional. so why are we seeing this under state level? >> you know, i think that the laws are designed exactly to get tried in court. this is all in an attempt to get the supreme court to overturn roe v wade. of course, the republicans can't say that because 7 out of 10 americans want roe v. wade to stay exactly how it is. so they have to chip away and hope they are looking at things that the average voter went understand. like the hallway structure. that doesn't seem as strange as overturning a right that 7 out of 10 americans want to keep in place. victoria is absolutely correct. the majority of women who choose to have abortions are already mothers who decided to put the limited family resources that they have toward the kids they are raising.
3:22 pm
so the idea you could take away these rights at the same time making it harder for women who make ends meet for their family. that just -- it is party that is entirely out of touch with the people they are asking to vote for it. >> jess, is that why we are not seeing a lot of challenges? let me direct this at you, victoria. because the pro choice people want to see this go to the supreme court? is that why we are not seeing a lot of challenges to these things in lower courts? >> i do. and i think jess is absolutely right, there. you know, the other thing i wanted to add on that jess mentioned earlier is that i think we are seeing overreach. and because they are trying to ultimately push it to the supreme court, it is going to backlash on them. because we saw the mobilization in texas that really sparked battle ground texas and wendy davis's campaign. i think in this effort to block aabortion rights and to overturn roe v. wade, you see democrats
3:23 pm
across the country and independents too, we've had enough. we need to support the right to choose. >> that's what i'm saying, jess, i said pro choice but i meant pro lifers. pro lifers want to get this in front of the supreme court to deal with roe versus wade. >> i think those are the serious hard core activists. but your average american who identifies as pro life actually does not want their lawmakers focus owned abortion restrictions. they want, and i'm talking about your average republican independent moderate, they call themselves pro life, they want their law makers focused on jobs and economy and health care and education. they don't like this as priority for the republican party. so i think the overreach that victoria is talking about, it will backlash even in their own party. we have seen it in virginia, he probably campaigned the hardest and most unapologetically. and he lost single women by 42
3:24 pm
point. that's not just democrats. i think, you know, i think we will see this across the board in november. >> jess mcintosh and victoria difrancesco soto, i'm going to have to leave it there. thank you both for your time tonight. >> thanks for having me. >> thanks, rev. >> tea party sore losers come out after their newest star losers. is sarah palin going rogue? she is floating an idea after third party. and five years ago today, the king of pop died. tonight, i remember my friend, michael jackson. please, stay with us.
3:25 pm
the was a truly amazing day. without angie's list, i don't know if we could have 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 are the largest targets in the world, for every hacker, crook and nuisance in the world. but systems policed by hp's cyber security team are constantly monitored for threats. outside and in.
3:26 pm
that's why hp reports and helps neutralize more intrusions than anyone... in the world. if hp security solutions can help keep the world's largest organizations safe, they can keep yours safe, too. make it matter. i dbefore i dosearch any projects 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.
3:27 pm
humans. we are beautifully imperfect creatures living in an imperfect world. that's why liberty mutual insurance has your back, offering exclusive products like optional better car replacement, where if your car is totaled, we give you the money to buy one a model year newer. call... and ask an insurance expert about all our benefits today, like our 24/7 support and service, because at liberty mutual insurance, we believe our customers do their best out there in the world, so we do everything we can to be there for them when they need us. plus, you could save hundreds when you switch, up to $423. call... today. liberty mutual insurance -- responsibility. what's your policy?
3:28 pm
the republican shut shutdown. i remember like it was yesterday. ted cruz reading "green eggs and ham." and republicans saying furloughed filibusters will earn a quote paid vacation. the gop shutdown brought us quite a few memorable moment. but perhaps none more than this. republicans racing to the world war ii memorial to grand stand and take pictures with elderly veterans. they were just outraged the memorial was closed. but they conveniently forgot to mention, it was all their fault! >> we are going to let these world war ii vets used as political pawns. that's why we showed up today.
3:29 pm
>> we are here to show our solidarity with them. this is not a tool to be used against them in a political fight. >> our veterans shouldn't be about politics. it is shameful that administration is barricading and trying to shut down memorials. >> our veterans should be above politics. but the go is all talk and no action. a report out today finds 285,000 unemployed veterans will lose access to jobless benefits by the end of june. 285,000. all because republicans in congress. yes. those same republicans refuse to pass an extension. this was a nice walk down memory lane. but did republicans and congress think we'd forget where they really stand on veteran's issues? nice try. but remember this one. we got you.
3:30 pm
this is the first power plant in the country to combine solar and natural gas at the same location. during the day, we generate as much electricity as we can using solar. at night and when it's cloudy, we use more natural gas. this ensures we can produce clean electricity whenever our customers need it. ♪ it says here that a woman's sex drive. increases at the age of 80.
3:31 pm
helps reduce the risk of heart disease. it seems that 80 is the new 18. grannies, bless your heart, you are bringing sexy back! eat up. keep heart-healthy. live long. for a healthy heart, eat the 100% natural whole grain goodness of post shredded wheat. doctors recommend it. i got this., whenever you're ready. no, i'll get it! let me get it. ah uh, i don't want you to pay for this.
3:32 pm
it's not happening, honey. let her get it. she got her safe driving bonus check from allstate last week. and it's her treat. what about a tip? here's one...get an allstate agent. nice! switch today and get two safe driving bonus checks a year for driving safely. only from allstate. call 866-788-0900 now. hold on man, is that a leak up there? that's a drip. now that's a leak. that is a leak! and if you don't have allstate renters insurance... game over. protect your valuables from things like water damage for as low as $4 a month when you add renter's insurance to your allstate auto policy. call 866-788-0900 now. and, if you're a safe driver, you can save up to 45%! just a few more ways, allstate is changing car insurance for good. call an allstate agent and get a quote now.
3:33 pm
it's one of the biggest political surprises we've seen in a long time. mississippi senator thad cochran holding off chris mcdaniel. his tea party challenger for the republican nomination. and mcdaniel wasn't happy about it. in fact, we've got a clip from his speech last night. woops, that wasn't chris mcdaniels. here is how he actually reacted. >> are you crying? >> no. >> are you crying? are you crying! there's no crying. there's no crying in baseball! >> there's no crying in politics either. but last night, chris mcdaniel came pretty darn close. >> there is something a bit
3:34 pm
strange. there is something a bit unusual. about a republican primary that's decided by liberal democrats. >> this is not the party of regan. but we're not done fighting. and when we're done, it will be. >> we'll keep fighting? usually after you lose, you start moving on. he's upset because senator cochran reached out to democrats and particularly african-american voters to win the primary. and it really did help him win. the ten counties where the incumbent senator improved most were those where african-americans make up 69% or more of the population. but that tactic has the tea party hopping mad. just goes to show that rif in
3:35 pm
the republican party isn't going away any time soon. joining me now or joe madison and jimmy williams. >> thank you for having me. >> thank you. >> chris mcdaniel released this statement. quote, in the coming days our team will look into the irregularities to determine whether a challenge is warranted. after we've examined the data, we will make a decision on whether and how to proceed. is this just sour grapes or is he serious? >> you can keep asking the girl at the bar to go out with you over and over again. even when she says no, that means she says no. but you can keep asking. that's okay. so keep asking to girl at the ba are to go out with you. you're right, he has a bitterness left over. he won the original primary with less than the run-off number. he lost last night. lost convincingly last night, 6,000 votes.
3:36 pm
here is a bigger problem that i have with what mcdaniel is suggesting and what sarah palin is suggesting. that democrats can vote in a republican primary. here is the problem with that. when john mccain picked sarah palin in 2008 will to run as vice presidential candidate, that ticket got 10% of the democratic vote. is this some kind of ethnic cleansing that mcdaniel and palin are hoping should happen. some states have open primaries. but this is the tactic, if you will, if you discourage voting by any ethnic group, then you say, no, you're not good enough to vote in our primary. that's an smart way to go about it. so i suggest to mcdaniel and palin that they try to get votes anywhere they can, including african-americans. >> you know, the african-american votes was key for cochran's win, joe madison, and they've gotten some ugly reaction from the right. listen to the head of the party, rush limbaugh.
3:37 pm
>> i wonder what the campaign slogan was in mississippi the past couple days. uncle toms for thad. i thought it was the worst thing you can do is as an african-american, vote for republican. insider republicans in the senate bought 9% points, 8 or 9 percentage points from the black uncle tom voters in mississippi. >> so when you vote against the tea party, your black uncle tom. but when you vote for republicans that they like, then you're a responsible black that stay away from the likes of sharpton and madison, joe. >> yeah, you're right. jimmy williams made the analogy about asking the woman at the bar for a date. you also have to treat the woman at the bar with respect. >> respect, yes. >> if you want that date. now, understand, thad cochran
3:38 pm
had several things going for him. one was constituency service. everyone recognized that. republicans, democrats. number two, i think rush limbaugh should recognize that the black community in mississippi as well as around the country, we are now sophisticated voters that have come of age since 1965. and so therefore that sophistication showed in that primary yesterday. and number three, as you know, reverend sharpton, all it takes in a very tight primary race, when there's low voter turn out, you can get one or two mega churches with large congregations that could in fact be the margin of of victory. but you also have to keep in mind finally, that mcdaniel did not have respect for black voters. when you make comments like, let's take mississippi back to better times, because he
3:39 pm
remembers how good things once were, well, black people also remember mississippi back then, too. and they weren't good times. >> you know, let's go back to this though, jimmy. a lot of conservative talkers, i want to go back to your point, they could barely hand they'll loss by mcdaniel. listen to this. >> what happened in mississippi was that the most electable republican candidate was thwarted by the republican establishment. >> i'm just sick to my stomach. i thought i was living in a country where liberty had a chance. where fair play had a chance. >> the republican party doesn't get their act together, you would consider moving third party. explain. >> well, if republicans are going to act like democrats, then what's the use in getting all gunning hoe about getting more republicans in there? >> jimmy, you've got sarah palin
3:40 pm
talking about a third party. you've got glenn beck saying he's sick. because a republican won. is this how divided they are? >> yes. >> a republican won. >> yeah. well, that's not good enough for them, i suppose. i continue to say this and i will continue to say this. i will ask a rhetorical question. if someone knows where headquarters is, i would like to visit. oh, it doesn't exist. it will never exist because it is nothing more than the republican base. i continue to say to my republican friends, own your people. own your crazies. they are in the middle of a divorce right now. it a family that hates each other. they are going to have to figure it out. as i said to a friend of mine who used to work for trent lott, he and i worked in the same building back there for almost
3:41 pm
seven years. i said to him this morning, when you and i worked there, we worked together, we made deals and nobody complained. we took care of p em from illinois and mississippi. that's not good enough today because of the republican base. they have no idea what is happening in their own party except that they hate each other. until they come out of the rock bottom, it is a downward spiral. >> ted cruz didn't endorse mcdaniel but he did seem disappointed too. listen to this. >> you saw the washington republican establishment put millions of dollars into that race to preserve an incumbent. and they encouraged an awful lot of democrats in that race and won a razor thin race. i think that demonstrates that there's a lot hunger for change. >> so joe, not just the talk that seems like the guys in congress too are very much divided in fighting this time. >> and don't insult the intelligence of our voters in mississippi. like i said, we've come of age.
3:42 pm
you can't -- you can spend all the money you want. but you know, people vote their conscience. they vote what -- >> and their interest. i. >> and most importantly vote their interest. i disagree with jimmy about the republicans. i don't think you own them. i think quite honestly, you put them out of their misery. and if sarah palin and them want to start a third party, i would encourage them to go right ahead and do so. because there are political grave yards full of third parties. >> i will have to have you all duke that out on another night. joe madison and jimmy williams, thank you both for your time tonight. >> thank you very much. >> thank you. >> still ahead, tragic death of the king of pop. where were you when you learned that michael jackson died five years ago today? also, the truth about the crime rate in chicago. police say they turned the city around. but are the numbers too good to be true?
3:43 pm
my colleague, chris hayes, joins me with a special report. hey there can i help you? shhhhhh (whispering) sorry (whispering) hi, uh we need a new family plan. (whispering) how about 10 gigs f data to share and unlimited talk and text. (whispering) oh ten gigs sounds pretty good. (whispering) yeah really good. (whispering) and for a family of four, it's $160 a month (impressed, breaks whisper mode) what! get outta here! (whispering) i'm sorry are we still doing the whisper thing? or? (whispering) o! sorry! yes yes! we'll take it. at&t introduces our best-ever family pricing. for instance, a family of four gets 10 gigs of data, with unlimited talk & text, for $160 dollars a month. explaining my moderate to severe so there i was again, chronic plaque psoriasis to another new stylist. it was a total embarrassment. and not the kind of attention i wanted. so i had a serious talk with my dermatologist about my treatment options.
3:44 pm
this time, she prescribed humira-adalimumab. humira helps to clear the surface of my skin by actually working inside my body. in clinical trials, most adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis saw 75% skin clearance. and the majority of people were clear or almost clear in just 4 months. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer have happened. blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure have occurred. before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb. ask your doctor if you live in or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. make the most of every moment. ask your dermatologist about humira, today. clearer skin is possible.
3:45 pm
my motheit's delicious. toffee in the world. so now we've turned her toffee into a business. my goal was to take an idea and make it happen. i'm janet long and i formed my toffee company through legalzoom. i never really thought i would make money doing what i love. we created legalzoom to help people start their business and launch their dreams. go to legalzoom.com today and make your business dream a reality. at legalzoom.com we put the law on your side.
3:46 pm
last year, there were 434 murders with a firearm on the streets of this city.
3:47 pm
and 65 of those victims were 18 and under. so that's the equivalent of a newtown every four months. >> president obama last year talking about the epidemic of violence in chicago. he spoke after the murder of hadia pendleton made national headlines. 15-year-old girl who was shot and killed just a week after attending the inauguration. the violence in chicago was a crisis. the city ended 2012 with 507 murders. more than any other city in the nation. last year i travelled to chicago and helped call attention to the violence. and in november, kids were still telling me they didn't feel safe. >> when you leave school, how afraid are you all about gun violence? >> it is always on my mind. >> yeah, what if this happens, what if that happens. >> what would you say, any of
3:48 pm
you, that you would like to see done to make the city safe? >> like law enforcement, high schools. when you get on the bus, a big old crowd. >> but then, suddenly, chicago police announce that crime had actually dropped in 2013 to the lowest level in decades. it was positive news. but was it too good to be true? investigating chicago crime and how people feel about it, here is part of his report. >> even in those neighborhoods with the most shootings and murders, police statistics show the violent crime rate has fallen. effected resident don't believe the numbers. >> there are still people getting killed and shot everyday. >> i do think it's safer? i think it r's the same. >> i go out in the daytime, and
3:49 pm
i'm back at home at night. >> we're not going to rest until people feel the reality of these numbers. >> joining me now is chris hayes, host of all in with chris hays. thanks for being here. >> great to be here. >> so chris, murder is down 18% last year. over all crime down 16%. are the numbers too good to be true? >> i think the context here is that crime has been dropping in chicago for the last 10 or 15 years. >> okay. >> the homicide rate particularly has been stubbornly resistant to the dramatic drops in new york and los angeles. the drop in 2012 to 2013 was remarkable. two magazine reporters decided it look into it and they found evidence of ten different homicide cases they say were improperly classified. away from homicides to noncriminal death. our investigation centers on one of the cases. 20-year-old woman by the name of tee area groves found naked in a warehouse, abandoned evidence in the death certificate they had
3:50 pm
been bound and gag and a death certificate naming homicide. that is classified as homicide, then reclassified towards the end of 2013 in december by cpd as noncriminal death investigation. >> i want to show how police reclassified the murder of this young woman named tiara groves. >> the chicago police department reclassified the homicide investigation of tiara groves as a noncriminal death investigation. that means that the 20-year-old found with evidence that she had been bound and gagged in a warehouse, whose death certificate reads homicide, to this day, was not counted in 2013's homicide numbers. and the groves family is still waiting for answers. >> it is just a nightmare. she is gone, just like that. she's gone. >> so her death was ruled a
3:51 pm
homicide. but the chicago police didn't include her death in the city's murder rate and murder count. >> that's right. in december it was reclassified as noncriminal death investigation. >> so reclassification says how you get a lower -- >> yes. let me just say this. the chicago police department strenuously objects to any implication they are cooking the books. they say this is due to information that came to light in the course of the investigation. but you know, in the case of tiara groves, the specific case, it is hard to look at the facts of this case, facts of the young lady's death, and not conclude this someone who was murdered. >> and not just murder. we are seeing, from your report, reclassifying other crimes too. like burglary and assault. >> yes. and we speak on the record to an alderman from the relatively affluent north side, scott, he says, i don't believe the numbers. he just said that to us straight on camera. i think the statistics are wrong. i talk to people in my community and there is a mismatch in
3:52 pm
chicago right now. whether or not the statistics are right, there is absolutely a mismatch between people's perception of the city's crime rate and the probability of being victims of crime, and the statistics that are being produced by the cpd. >> now the reason this is important, the reason the country should care, is we can't have real solutions unless we really know and become honest about the problems. and dealing with the problems. >> that's correct. the mayor says, i believe the numbers because i make my decisions based on the numbers. i believe in the integrity of the cpd. some of the report rs that have looked into this say look, there is so much pressure on the cpd at this moment to bring crime down, people are reamed out, punished if they miss their numbers and in the comstat meetings, that happen once a week, it cascades to the department to nudge things in one way or the other to make the
3:53 pm
crime rate look lower. >> chris hayes, thanks for your reporting and thanks for being on shot tonight. be shower to watch chris's full report on chicago tonight on all in with chris hayes at 8:00 p.m. eastern time. coming up, a year ago the supreme court struck down a key part of the voting rights act. since then we've seen republicans move to suppress the vote. we can't let it happen. and remembering my friend, michael jackson, five years after his tragic death today. please stay with us. for the evert time.. she let him plan the vacation. off the beaten path: he said trust me: he implored alas, she is beginning to seriously wonder why she ever
3:54 pm
doubted the booking genius planet earth's number one accomodation site booking.com booking.yeah! that's why i always choose the fastest intern.r slow. the fastest printer. the fastest lunch. turkey club. the fastest pencil sharpener. the fastest elevator. the fastest speed dial. the fastest office plant. so why wouldn't i choose the fastest wifi?
3:55 pm
i would. switch to comcast business internet and get the fastest wifi included. comcast business. built for business. that was one year ago today when conservatives gutted the rights act. trying to undermine one of the great chimes of the civil rights movement. in the year since republicanis have race aid head with new laws to suppress the vote. in 15 states this year, the first federal election with new
3:56 pm
voting restrictions in place. the progressives are fighting back. in recent months voters voting against suppression laws. in wisconsin, pennsylvania and ohio. and the justice department is still challenging voters suppression laws in other states. a year ago the supreme court tried to roll back the clock but it won't work. no matter how long the lines get, no matter how hard we have to fight, we will make our voices heard. [ male announcer ] celebrate every win with nicoderm cq, the unique patch with time release smartcontrol technology that helps prevent the urge to smoke all day long. help prevent your cravings with nicoderm cq.
3:57 pm
that helps prevent the urge to smoke all day long. means keeping seven billion ctransactions flowing.g, and when weather hits, it's data mayhem. but airlines running hp end-to-end solutions are always calm during a storm. so if your business deals with the unexpected, hp big data and cloud solutions make sure you always know what's coming - and are ready for it. make it matter. did someone say burn? try alka seltzer reliefchews. they work just as fast and taste better than tums smoothies assorted fruit. mmm. amazing. yeah, i get that a lot. alka seltzer heartburn reliefchews. enjoy the relief. peoi go to angie's listt for all kinds of reasons. to gauge whether or not the projects will be done
3:58 pm
in a timely fashion and within budget. angie's list members can tell you which provider is the best in town. you'll find reviews on everything from home repair to healthcare. now that we're expecting, i like the fact i can go onto angie's list and look for pediatricians. the service providers that i've found on angie's list actually have blown me away. find out why more than two million members count on angie's list. angie's list -- reviews you can trust. finally tonight, five years ago today, michael jackson died. the little boy from gary, indiana who became the biggest pop star on the planet, we will never see another michael jackson. nobody has been able to reach his commercial success or his worldwide fame. five years ago, i remember going right to the place he loved, the apollo theater in harlem. and it was where michael's career took off.
3:59 pm
i knew michael since we were teenagers. in 2002, he came to my national headquarters, rallying for fairness in the recording industry. we worked together on a lot of issues. memorial service in los angeles, i spoke to his three kids. >> i want his three children to know, there was nothing strange about your daddy, it was strange what your daddy had to deal with, but he dealt with it. >> as i looked at michael's casket and then at his children, i knew that michael would not be concerned about the tabloid papers that called him wacko and wouldn't be concerned about the critics. i knew that he cared about what his children would know. i know because those of us that had to deal with controversy seem to know to tune out those that will never turn around and care about those that have to
4:00 pm
carry on. we are carrying on, michael, and we will never forget, not your dress, not your unique ways. but how you entertained a world and made us one and understand that life can be better. thanks for watching. i'm al sharpton, "hardball" start right now. boehner v. obama. let's play hard ball. good evening, i'm steve kornacki in for chris matthews. leading off a potentially historic legal and political confrontation. reports hinlted that john boehner was considering suing the president of the united states. the charge, that president obama is illegally ignoring congress and abusing his oath of office. and todaoe