trying to earn a wage for them and their family and i think what you're seeing with mr. trumka and other unions are talking about is they are fed up with being the last person in line to get any legislation passed in their favor. >> all right. congressman tim ryan larry cohen, president of the communication workers, pleasure to have you with us tonight. appreciate your time. that's "the ed show." "politicsnation" with reverend al sharpton starts right now. good evening, rev. >> good evening to you. thanks for tuning in. i'm live tonight from chicago. we start with breaking news in ferguson missouri where the police chief, tom jackson, has resigned. his resignation will be effective next thursday but he'll receive a severance package and health insurance for a year. in 30 minutes, we're expecting a press conference from the city of ferguson to address the personnel changes and we'll go to that live. chief jackson's resignation

comes one week after a department of justice released a blistering report that detailed racial bias in the ferguson police department. but since its release, chief jackson has refused to comment. >> do you think that the department has a race problem? do they have a problem? and are you going to fix it? what are you going to do about it? >> i need to really have time to analyze this report so i can comment on it. >> why do you need time to analyze the report. you should have known what was going on in your department correct? right? what do you think of this doj report and what are you going to do about it? just any idea what it is you are going to do yourself about this as the chief of the department? >> i'm going to analyze the report and take action where necessary. okay? >> does that mean you're going to stay around? >> i'm going to take action where necessary. >> now that action has been made for him. in his resignation letter the chief says it was with,

"profound sadness that i'm announcing that i am stepping down." chief jackson resides over a police force of 54 officers of whom just four are black. the population of ferguson is nearly 70% black. a november 2008 e-mail stated that president barack obama would not be president for very long because, quote, what black man holds a steady job for four years? in april 2011 e-mail depicting president barack obama as a chimpanzee. and an october 2011 e-mail included a photo of a bare-chested women in africa

with the caption michelle obama's high school reunion. but the question tonight, is that enough? so what happens next? will the chief's resignation change enough? no officers were named in the justice department report. do others need to go? should this entire department be dismantled? and what about the city's finance director who asked the police chief for more revenue? this is a city with serious problems. and it's got a long way to go. joining me now is liz brown, attorney and columnist for the st. louis american and former orlando police chief val demmings. thank you for being here tonight. >> thank you, reverend. >> liz, what needs to happen now

in ferguson? >> well i think that the mayor needs to go as well. everybody who is -- i mean this is missouri. the buck stops here state. everybody needs to go. the mayor needs to go next. but i'm not inclined to believe that the police department needs to be dismantled. i think this is a wonderful opportunity to gut this police department. no african-american community -- majority african-american community should ever give away power. you can't get power back. gut this police department. make it a model police department for the rest of the country and that way you'd be able to police the citizens in your community the way that they should be policed as american citizens. >> you said the mayor needs to go. i remember when this report came down and didn't deal with the systemic top to bottom problem that this report seems to

indicate lizz. >> absolutely. and they never used the "r" word, they never used racism discrimination. they never apologized. you can look at what the president of the university of oklahoma did when he was confronted with racism. he acknowledged it. he said it was awful and took -- he took some -- he made some changes immediately. this mayor and this police chief are still saying i have to look at the report. in fact i heard the mayor actually say, i've got to go out and verify that all of these people said what the department of justice said that they said. they need to go. >> val demmings let me go to you. you're a former police chief. gut the department or dismantle it? >> well, i tell you, i spent over 20 years in law enforcement and it was a pleasure that i was honored to serve in. however, what has happened in ferguson is absolutely disgraceful. when you look at the history of

discriminatory practices, illegal search and seizures unfair fines, racial bias i believe that every branch on the poisonous tree has to go. which meebs that every person that knew or should have known has to go in order to move forward. i agree with liz. i don't believe that cutting the police or at least eliminating the police department is the answer. citizens love the ability to have their own law enforcement agencies but i believe it's important to get law enforcement professionals in their right of way who can really handle the day-to-day operations of the department and look at each employee and look at their training records and make sure that the employee matches the

climate that ferguson is trying to move to. but a lot of work. >> now, we saw a lot of missteps from chief jackson in the days after the shooting of michael brown. he was held there in wilson's name in public for six days. he released video that showed michael brown and his friend robbing a convenience store against the wishes of the justice department. and he changed his story on that video first. he said contact between michael brown and darren wilson wasn't related to the convenience store robbery and then backtracked and said it was. so was his says significant nation a long time coming? >> i'm trying to figure out what took so long. i watched those early reports from ferguson, of course as a former chief i'd be interested in what was going on in that community and how the leaders in that community handle it. but it's obvious there was a total absence of leadership.

the chief made mistake after mistake, misstep after misstep. he was not held accountable, it seems like. and i'm really trying to figure out what took so long for him to resign and even more than that. why did he have the opportunity to take a long time to tender hisress seg nation. >> lizz brown, the grassroot activists, those of us that came in calling for justice, the department of justice responded to that. we should give those young people a lot of credit because had there not been a light, we would have never gotten a report. where does the community go from here? how chief jackson's resignation is only the beginning. how does the community come together and go from here? >> the community needs to get involved politically. because again, that's how you control what happens in your community. on the ground people need to be

registering to vote. they need to be engaged in making certain that they have full access to and full participation in who is going to govern their community. and they should continue to call for the resignation of and the removal of the mayor of ferguson and just to note reverend all of the men in this -- in ferguson were allowed to resign. and that was a woman. so the notion that had all the guys got to retourire with their severance packages and deals is outrageous and shows that this is a city that cannot fairly govern itself. >> thank you both. now let's bring in the attorney for michael brown's family attorney benjamin crump. attorney crump, what's your reaction? and i heard you just now speaking with the mother of michael brown. what's the family's reaction to

this news about chief jackson? >> reverend al they are relieved that action is being taken, especially in light of the doj findings. these just horrible findings in a pattern and practice of discrimination and excessive force against african-american citizens which they have maintained from day one, reverend al was the approximate cause as to what happened to their teenage son in broad daylight. and they always said every citizen always said they don't treat us right here in ferguson. they profile us. and you know that reverend al, because you went to ferguson and heard the cries from the people. >> now, i remember early. i was in there 48 hours after the family call and i remember that from the first rallies, all the family the mother and father, the whole family stood up with such dignity. all they kept say is you must

understood why there is oh such outrage here because of the systemic problem. in many ways, that's why the department of justice has studied this. they gave change. they did not give mr. wilson prosecuted as many had strived for but they have dramatically changed what is going on in ferguson at this point. >> they did. and i think it's important, reverend al because what we said there was larger implications about the tragic killing of michael brown. you see unarmed people of color being killed all over america. it's almost like an epidemic right now. and so we need to try to prevent this and there needs to be some deterrent and when you see doj say we're going to highlight and we're going to do honest fact-finding missions to see if there's a pattern and practice then that's a wakeup call for other police departments all across america. >> as the problem is nationwide

and all of us focused on ferguson, what can come out of this that can heal and give a direction to the nation as we see this all over the country now, wisconsin, washington, all over the country, different cities facing this problem? >> i think the biggest thing should be learned that you want leadership. you want your leaders to be transparent. you want them to try to have trust with the community. and the only way you do that is to deal with them openly and honestly. if you make a mistake, you say, i made a mistake. we're going to work together as a community to prevent making future mistakes. when you don't do that and sweep it under the rug and sanitation the and see ferguson happen nobody wants to see what happened in ferguson happening in their city. the way to do it is do an honest assessment and say, let's try to police all our communities equally. protect and serve, not just the

blacks or the whites. we have to have equal justice. >> ben crump, thank you for your time tonight and we are awaiting a press conference from ferguson officials. we'll have that for you live. straight ahead, backfiring. the 47 republicans being called traitors for their letter to iran are in full-blown spin mode today. but one republican is actually trying to fund raise off of it. plus the widening investigation into the sae fraternity caught singing a racist song. tonight, other schools and other chapters are being looked at. and is the hillary clinton 2016 campaign off and running? wait until you see the tweets she sent today. please stay with us.

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. a fury is erupting over the letter to iran from 47 senators. this was supposed to be a great idea. they were going to stick it to president obama. but their unprecedented disrespect for the president has become a colossal catastrophe. today, many of these republicans are in full-blown damage control mode spinning and twirling to explain it. some are pointing a finger at the president somehow trying to blame president obama for sending the letter. others said it was all fun, just a cheeky reminder of the congressional branch's prerogatives. this morning, senator rand paul said it was meant to strengthen the president's hand and he actually said it with a straight face. but it goes from the ridiculous

to the absurd. senator marco rubio is trying to fund-raise off of it the pac saying, quote, if you agree that republican senators are not traitors please contribute $25 today. maybe it's good business for marco rubio but the american people are speaking loud and clear and this letter is all based in a deep-seeded resentment of president obama. joining me now is former pennsylvania governor ed rendell. thank you for being here governor. >> my pleasure. >> fundraising off this letter governor? >> well, it's disgraceful as disgraceful the letter itself was. rev, bev to look at this in the context of american history. no congress has ever done anything close to something like this where they've undermined

the policy trying to be set, the foreign policy trying to be set by the president of the united states by writing leaders of a foreign government and telling them don't deal with this president. it's -- new york daily news which is not a fan of president obama's iran deal it's not a fan but they had a big headline that called the senators traitors. and if they are not traitors they certainly did something which borders on treason. it bofrdrders on undermining the united states government. >> governor they are in damage control mode today. the only way out, to me is an apology. what's your reaction? >> i absolutely agree. an apology. and i would second a second letter if i was those 47 senators saying look don't be misled by our first letter. we stand behind the president of the united states' ability to

negotiate with your government. we just hope that we can count on your government to negotiate in good faith and if you agree to a deal live up to it. that's what i would do if i were them. look, they've got to admit that this was a mistake. people are furious about this. you know the hillary clinton e-mail controversy, not one person in the philadelphia region has stopped me to ask me about that. tens and tens and tens of people have stopped me to ask about this incredible letter that was sent. it's backfiring at a tremendous speed right on the 47 senators. the only republicans who look good are the seven who refused to sign. >> you know it is truly unprecedented and the report says quote, the u.s. senate historian's office has so far been unable to find another example in the chamber's history where one political party open hee tried to deal with a foreign

power against the presidential policy. >> if rand paul is trying to say they were trying to strengthen the president's hand it's ludicrous. it's ludicrous. look these guys should stand up and say we made a mistake, we're sorry we made the mistake, it was ill thought out and we're writing the iranian leaders to tell them that we're going to stand behind the president. there is no way out. you can't talk your way out of it, spin your way out of it. it's a total unmitigated disaster but not just for the republican party in the senate. it's a disaster for the country. >> yeah. >> what is going on in iran is serious business rev. the middle east could blow up because of it could blow up because of it.

if iran gets nuclear weapons, lord know what is is going to happen. it's very important business. >> and -- >> i'm not sure that i totally agree with -- >> you and i have been around politics and social issues for a long teamime. i've never seen anything like this. usually politics stops at water's edge. >> absolutely. and foreign policy the united states has always spoken with one voice on foreign policy. there's no question about that. once a decision is made. and look i'm not crazy about the deal although we don't know what the eventual deal is going to be. i'm not so sure we should have strengthened sanctions as some of the senators say. but that's no excuse for a treacherous action like this. almost bordering on treason. >> ed rendell, thank you for your time tonight. still ahead, did that fraternity racist chant happen at other schools and other

chapters? breaking news tonight on the growing investigation. also we're awaiting that live press conference from ferguson announcing that the city's police chief is resigning. we'll bring it to you live, ahead.

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breaking news on an alarming incident involving the secret service. two agents drove a government car into white house security barricades after drinking at a party last week. "the washington post" reports one of the agents alleged to have been in the car is a top member of president obama's protective detail.

for the secret service, it could be another black eye after a series of blunders including letting an armed intruder break into the white house. the agency now has a new director but tonight it appears the secret service may be dealing with the same old issues. coming up any moment now, we're expecting a press conference from ferguson missouri, on the resignation of their police chief tom jackson. what happens next? will the mayor go too? and what should happen to the city's police department? we'll bring you that briefing live, next. they're all competing with each other; they're all making very low margins making enough to survive but not enough to get out of poverty. so kickstart designs low cost irrigation pumps enabling them to grow high value crops throughout the year so you can make a lot of money. it's all very well to have a whole lot of small innovations

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the racist frat video at the university of oklahoma. widening tonight possibly to other schools, the president of the university of texas at austin says he's investigating rumors that the sae chapter there sang a similar chant. and the frat's national leader says they are looking into reports of incidents at the other chapter. the apologies coming from the ringleaders, not expelled from school, are raising only more questions about how many people were involved. 19-year-old parker rice saying, "i am deeply sorry" but then adding, "yes the song was taught to us." the song was taught? by whom? today, the fraternity's national office responded saying they believe the chant was a recent creation originating at the university of oklahoma chapter.

>> somebody says it was talk to us. we know it was not the national headquarters. when they are talking about being taught the songs, it was done by somebody in a two or three-year period there who has passed it down and said here's a chant that we want to teach you. >> but the investigations tonight indicating this story isn't over. how did this chant start and where will this end? joining me now is lawrence ross author of "the dinvine nine." >> thank you, rev. >> lawrence you know the culture of fraternities as well as anyone. are you surprised that this investigation is widening to chapters at other schools? >> no not at all. in fact i'm just surprised that we are surprised. if you actually understand the

history of fraternities and sororities particularly on white campuses you'd really be able to see this any year that you wanted to look at it. all you have to look for is fraternities and halloween and fraternities and sororities during black history month. we've had plenty of incidents over the years where predominant fraternities put black paint on their faces, held a racist party, like constant cookouts and ghetto parties, quote/unquote, where they imitated gang members or things that dealt with latinos in terms of using a latino stereotype. so this actually goes back. this is not something different. and you might see this in terms of the early history of sorry

sororities and fraternities. >> that it was on public display seemingly without reservation by millennials shows that too many folks in this country continue to live as if it's 1965 or 1865 for that matter. jonathan, does this video remind you of the things that still haven't changed in this country? >> right. exactly. the thing that was so shocking about that video, in addition to the "n" word being used in addition to the reference to lynching, in addition to the reckless abandon with which this cheer is being led and people clapping was the fact that millennials were engaging in this racist activity. millennials are the people we are always talking about leading us the united states to a more progressive, more open more

inclusive america because they are so accepting of things like marriage equality because they are quote/unquote color blind and don't have a problem with race and here we have in a ten-second video in 2015 the day after we celebrated the 50th anniversary of selma, a reminder that while things have changed greatly, there is still a whole lot of work to be done with people's attitudes, not just older americans but the people who are coming up the millennials, betweens and folks in their early 20s. >> now, in line with that professor ross after the racist video from the university of oklahoma surfaced a picture from oklahoma state sae chapter made headlines. it showed the confederate flag hanging in the sae fraternity house. doesn't that mean that this is

not an isolated incident and there are larger concerns. >> we can talk about a lot of fraternities particularly the cap cappa alpha order where people would dress up in confederate uniforms and parade through those communities and they would display the confederate flag. this is the same thing as mr. capehart was speaking about. is this a symptom that happens when we have a broader issue, for example, public policy. when you have the university of oklahoma where there are only 5% african-american on campus you marginalize african-american students on campus which makes it comfortable for these students in fraternities to be very comfortable singing that song. the thing that struck me by this whole thing is how he felt free

to actually sing this song. he felt free because he felt there was probably no one on the bus who interacted with black people. >> and that no one was going to stop it or be seemingly offensive. jonathan, i want to go back to something that the professor referred to in terms of the history of this and going back because the website for sae's national organization refers to his history in the precivil war south. noting that it's quote, the only national fraternity founded in the antebellum south. the fraternity had fewer than 400 members when the civil war

began. of those, 369 went to war for the confederate states. how relevant are the sae roots when we talk about its culture now? >> it's extremely relevant. the thing about that chant is that fraternities are all about tradition and passing things down from member to member class to class, so that way when you leave the university and go around the country and ask what part of the a fraternity and you find out that they are part of the same fraternity you have the same traditions and language. and to be a part of a fraternity that is a precivil war fraternity and they celebrate the fact that most of its early members fought for the confederacy against the union in the civil war, you have to wonder and you kind of know what the history of that fraternity is. and it's going to be incumbent

upon the national leadership the modern day national leadership to live down that history, to make sure folks understand and know that they are not that fraternity from pre-1865. if indeed they are not that fraternity from pre-1865. >> what is interesting about it professor, that they in 2015 would post that seemingly proudly on their website. that this was their founders and this is what they did. >> i don't know that you could change it in terms of the founding but it's a disservice to the young african-american men who want to become members of sae. i've been a 30-year member of the oldest fraternity and if something happened that made me feel lesser i would feel lesser. these men who decide to go to sae, i know they must feel that

they've been let down because they look for an ideal, particularly for sae, the idea of a true gentleman. and what they really received was someone who said no you're not -- fraternalism does not transcend in terms of all of our differences, race, ethnicity, beliefs, unifying us around principles and ideas, you have really just reduced me and humiliated me and this is what you think. how can i now look at all of my other brothers and think i'm an equal in your eyes? that's got to be a devastating psychological view for a young african-american men as a member of that fraternity. >> lawrence ross and jonathan capehart, thank you both for your time tonight. we're going to stay on this. >> thanks. coming up, we're awaiting the press conference in ferguson missouri. we'll be back after this. smart sarah. seeking guidance. just like with your investments. that sets you apart. it does?

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breaking news from ferguson missouri for more on the resignation of police chief, jackson. >> lizz brown, you said to me the mayor needs to go. short of that, what else could

the mayor say to this community tonight that in your opinion, would be effective? >> you know i really think that this mayor has just advocated his responsibility as a mayor. the fact that this mayor is still going around saying that we have to go and delve into this doj report that we have to verify the findings from this doj report remember this was a mayor who said initially there were no racial issues that confronted the city of ferguson. he had to be drug kicking and screaming, into the small admission that there are reash initial racial issues in the city of ferguson. this mayor had an opportunity to cut a different deal with this police chief. this police chief, it looks like he'll be able to get his pension and health care and when you think about it, it's a police chief that has never commented on this doj report. a police chief that has said, i've never even finished going

through it. i was live tweeting it as i got it and i'm sure you read it too. so it is despicable and amazing that the police chief will be able to get away without ever making a comment on the doj report that has captivated and is important to everybody in america. so the fact that the mayor did not require him to do so that he cut this kind of deal with him says again, that this mayor has to go. you have to clean out the entire -- the entire political body that has been involved in this issue. >> jonathan what do we need to hear tonight? >> one, i think we need to hear a further apology for what's happened in ferguson that we now know as a result of the doj's report on the ferguson police department. i think what he should have announced, thomas jackson's resignation a week ago when he had a press conference saying that they had gotten the report and they are looking at it. i don't think we're going to

hear him say that he's resigning. i'm not sure what more we're going to hear from him. but you know what i think his resigning would let him off too easily. i want the people of ferguson to do something that's at once easy but also harder given voter turnout in the last two elections. mayor knowles is up for re-election just next month. they only have a month left in office. the people of ferguson, if they want to send a clear message to it their government, they need to show up at the polls and vote mayor knowles out. that would be -- >> attorney crump, let me go to you here. mayor knowles, police chief jackson going through this whole thing. you're representing the family. the chief, as i said earlier, put out a tape on michael brown and had conflicting interpretations of the tape.

there were other things the mayor said there was no race problem in ferguson. tonight, what if anything can they say? we are told we're only going to hear from mayor knowles. they are all coming out but we are only going to hear from mayor knowles. given what we have heard from the whole situation, the whole case since last august what can they say tonight given the doj report? >> one thing they can say, that we have not heard, are they going to enter into an agreement with the consent decree or are they going to fight the consent decree? because that's very important. and so jonathan the young lady said they are still saying they've got to thoroughly go through this fact-finding from doj. that tells me they are still finding these e-mails, these arrests, these overcharging of tickets, this putting people in

jail for inability to pay tickets that clearly were designed to raise capital on the folks of -- on the backs of poor folks. >> and it goes beyond even ferguson, which is why what happened here is so struck tif and implications reverend al it has become a microcosm for our greater america. we have to get it right here in ferguson as an example for all these cities where you have tragedies occur with unarmed black and brown people being killed by the people who are supposed to protect and serve them and nothing happens. >> let me bring in seema. what in your mind has to

happen and what are your thoughts as we go through this? a lot of us were in this from day one, some of us under attacks for even raising the question of this needs to be looked into. >> well, rev, of course it needs to be looked into. justice has not been served. now we're at a point where things have to change in terms of training staffing creating diversity and transparency. >> let me go political science jason johnson, you andwere in selma over the weekend and we had this great weekend and awesome memory. here we come out of the weekend and we are dealing with the racial video coming out in oklahoma we're dealing with another killing of -- by police in wisconsin and madison and now we're seeing what is going on in

ferguson. this shows how far we have yet to go jason. >> of course. and the violence is tremendous and it's not going to stop and either the department of justice report said we can probably go 15 miles up the road and find the same problem. but i'll say this reverend developed, about the announcement they are going to make in ferguson. fire everybody. let's make this simple. there are two other police departments in the seant lewis area that have been eliminated for tax purposes and corruption purposes. they should fire everybody in the ferguson police department and start from scratch. so this idea of people saying i'm going to resign is crazy. >> by firing everybody, you're creating a whole new set of problems. >> how so? >> because you fire people without warranted reasons, then they are going to sue the police department and already this whole new agreement, this lawsuit potentially by the doj, whether they signed the consent

decree or don't sign it is going to cost the ferguson police department millions of dollars. so if officers who don't have to be fired -- and then you're facing lawsuits. >> you can fire people for any reason. >> let me bring in victoria defrancesco soto. the politics of this the wider policy question because what many of us have raised is the need for legislation nationally when attorney general holder dealt with the whole decision on michael brown, he talked about what we raised in the big march in december jurisdictional pressure, how hard it is to make civil rights cases. what are the legislative needs that we need to see come out of this? >>. >> at its core reverend is a respect for diversity. in your previous segment, you and jonathan and other guests were talking about all of the incidents taking place across college campuses where black and

brown folks were being disrespected stereotypes being used of them and that's a bigger part of what goes on in ferguson, because if we allow those things to happen just oh it's a stereotype these are just young kids who don't mean anything, then it snowballs into what happened with michael brown. it snowballs into the police not having respect for black bodies not having respect for latinos and -- >> let me stand by because here mayor knowles is coming out and we're going to go live to ferguson to hear what mayor knowles is going to say. >> the city of ferguson and police chief thomas jackson have agreed to a mutual separation from the city of ferguson. the chief's resignation is effective march 19th 2015. this was a mutual decision both by the chief of police and the city's administration. chief jackson will receive a severance payment with health

insurance for one year. lieutenant colonel al ikoff will assume the duties of acting chief as of march 19th 2015. in addition for a search for a new city manager, we'll be conducting a nationwide search for a new police chief. one week ago today the city of ferguson received its final report from the department of justice. the city has been committed to and will continue to be committed to addressing each item outlined in the report. it is the city council's goal to continue to be transparent as we strive to once again, become a vibrant and diverse community. on a final note i would like to say this. to ferguson residents, business owners and to the entire country, the city of ferguson looks to become an example of how a community can move forward in the face of adversity. we are committed to keeping our police department and having one that exhibits the highest degree

of professionalism and fairness. and i'll open it up for questions. >> how much is that severance? >> i believe his annual salary is 96,000 somewhere in that range. it's roughly 100,000. >> what can you tell us about the acting police chief? does he have a function or action with the residents of ferguson? >> lieutenant colonel ikoff is relatively new. he started in august right before the events in august he was formerly with st. louis county. and our police officers have a very high degree of respect for the professionalism of

lieutenant eickhoff and we're thankful that he can take the reins while we search for a new police chief. >> does a year severance seem like a lot to you? >> some of those discussions were employee discussions and personnel discussions. i think that it's fair to say that in many executive level private industries you would get a similar treatment. >> he's been permitted to stay in his job all along and can you tell us did he voluntarily -- can you characterize how this happened? >> sure. i think we've all been very candid for the last several months that we have explored every option. the city manager, myself the

chief as far as what would be the best way forward, how we can lessen the frustration during the unrest how we can try to bring this community together so we can move forward. you know the chief is the kind of honorable man who you don't have to go to. he comes to you when he knows that this is something that we have to seriously discuss and so after a lot of soul searching and it is very hard for him to leave and for us to have him leave, he felt that this was the best way forward. doing this obviously not only for the city but also for the men and women who served under him in the police department because he is and he has been committed to making sure the city of ferguson keeps the ferguson police department chtand the city of ferguson has been committed to that as well. that was kind of his thought process and when he decided to make an exit.

>> can you talk about wanting to keep the police department? have you all assessed given what the justice department wants from you all, will the city be able to fulfill those commitments and keep its department? >> those are recommendations from the justice department. sure. so the city of ferguson again, is looking at all of those recommendations. we are engaging we have already mentioned that we're engaging consultants to tell us what that price tag might be and what are those -- tell us realistically what we need to be working on. and we'll keep that in mind as we make decisions going forward. >> and will you be able to keep the ferguson police department? >> we're already engaged several experts on these issues. rough estimates and things going forward, i would say that we believe that it's something that we can do. so we're committed to making

that happen. >> the press conference in ferguson continues. chris matthews will have continuing coverage on "hardball." >> and so you know, for right now, what we're seeing going forward to keep the police department. >> many who protested outside of the police department liked him on a personal level. >> absolutely. >> can you talk about the job he did and as a police chief after you read that scathing report about how he ran the police department? >> again, we talked about where the breakdown was. again, the chief being an honorable man decided we need to talk about the way moving forward was with someone else so we left. that is not to say that that's an indication of anything at this point.