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>> thanks for joining us this hour. just a few days after the 2020 presidential election, the lieutenant governor of the great steak of texas. amending dan patrick, announced a cash reward. a cash bounty. lieutenant governor dan patrick says he was ready to pay up to $1 million to anyone who can find evidence of the supposed voter fraud that president trump said had cost him the election. and this 1 million dollar prize was not just for people in texas. it was an offer valid in all 50 states. quote, whistleblowers and tipsters should turn over their efforts to local law enforcement. -- will be paid a minimum of $25,000. but up to $1 million and wouldn't you know, soon after

texas lieutenant governor threw that into the water here, got a bite. hardly, he got it from someone who has the same job he has in a different state. the lieutenant governor in pennsylvania, i democrat named john federer, said he had taken on the challenge from dan patrick and bingo, instantly he hit pay dirt he said he had banged up surefire evidence of an instance of real voter fraud in the 2020 election, right in his home state of pennsylvania. and it is maybe not the kind of voter fraud his texas counterpart was holding for. but john try to collect just the same. he said hey, lieutenant governor patrick, it's me your counterpart in pennsylvania i'd later collect your handsome reward for reporting voter fraud. i got a dude and 44, pa, who try to have his dead meng vote for trump. sadly, as far as we know, pennsylvania's lieutenant governor did not receive any of

that reward money, despite forwarding that information in response to dan patrick's claim. he didn't get his money from dan patrick. even after he pointed to additional evidence of voter fraud. again in his home state yes, there was the dude in 44, pennsylvania. that was a read real state. he did get arrested for forging an absentee ballot and his dead mother's name, so he could cast a fraudulent vote for trump with her ballot. but he was not the only one. there was another pennsylvania guy, this one in delaware county pennsylvania. he filled out a voter registration of application for his mother as well. although his mother had been dead for a dozen years. >> the guy then requested and submitted an absentee ballot in her name with a vote for donald trump for 20 president in 2020. when the state of pennsylvania flagged his mother's voter registration as belonging to an obviously the person, this guy and get up signed-ing signing and sending about a letter to the states wearing that she was

in fact, still a light. he did that all in order to deliberately cast a single fraudulent vote for donald trump. he pled guilty to it in court. but wait, there's more. there was a guy in chester county, pennsylvania. another registered republican, who went and cast his ballot at his local polling place. but then 45 minutes later, he came back, wearing sunglasses and in sunglasses, he cast a ballot in his son's name. somehow a alert poll worker saw through his brilliant son glass disk ice -- if you don't just want to pick on pennsylvania, there's also a guy in ohio. an actual elected local republican official and his town in ohio. he voted twice in 2020. once for himself and once by forging his dead father signature. again, he's an elected republican official in ohio. voter fraud is very, very rare in our country. but there are a few instances

of it here and there. usually affecting a single vote. and the few instances of it that do turnout from time to time, are usually ridiculous. all of those instances that i describe from 2020, all of those republicans, all of them got with basically a slap on the wrist for their crimes. the dude in 44, pennsylvania, prosecutors dropped the most serious charges against him. they're working out a plea deal. the guy who voted for his dozen years dead mother, ring she was still a life, he got five years probation. the local republican elected official in ohio who voted for his dead father, he got jail time. he got three days and a 500 dollar fine. it is worth keeping that context in mind when you also remember the case of krystal mason. we've talked about the case of krystal mason in 2016. she went to her local polling place to vote. she discovered her name was not on the voting rules there. so, at the suggestion of a poll

worker, miss mason filled out a provisional ballot. she was told were not sure what the problem is, but fill out this provisional ballot. that we, if there is any real problem here, we won't count it. but provisionally, you can cast this vote in case we can sort out whatever seems to be the problem. a few months after that experience krystal mason was arrested and charged with illegal voting. because when she filled out that provisional ballot, she was on supervised release after completing a prison sentence for federal conviction. and she thought, because she had served her time in prison, that she was eligible to vote. she did not know that under texas law, you're not eligible to vote unless you have also completed any probation or supervise relief. after released from prison, she did not know that. even though that was a technical misunderstanding. and even though she cast a provisional ballot. and even though her provisional ballot was never counted. she nevertheless was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison, five years hard time,

for illegal voting. so, if you are a republican white guy engaged in an elaborate premeditated scheme to deliberately cast a dead person's vote for donald trump, even though you know that person is dead and it's illegal, let's forgive it. probation. perhaps a small fine. but if you are crystal mason in texas, who try to vote because she does not know she's not eligible. she's only not eligible on a technicality. and in fact, her vote is never counted, five years in prison. now, you may remember i was talking about miss mason's case on the show. it sticks in your mind, right? because it is so agree just on his face. particularly egregious in context. now it looks like, again in the state of texas it may be happening again. the story starts on primary day in texas last year. so, not the general election.

this was actually super tuesday. the day that 15 different states and territories held their presidential primaries, including texas. march 3rd last year. and the turnout on super tuesday was massive. harris county, texas. home to the state's largest city of houston, harris county was not prepared for the huge turnout on super tuesday, last march. they were crazy, long lines at lots of polling places. particularly in heavily minority communities. people in those communities, had to wait for hours to vote in many circumstances. that was men the nation met a -- was the last person in line at the polling site on texas university campus. that same in the white shirt right on the other side of the blast are. her vice rogers worked two jobs he. got to the polling site just speak for the polls close. but in the end, it took him six hours and 20 minutes to get to the front of the line and cast

his ballot. he finally walked out of that polling place after 1:30 in the morning according. to some reports he may be the last person in the entire state of texas to cast his vote. he told reporters after was all over that it was worth it he. felt good. he also said he'd been there so long he had to go get ready for his next schiff for his next job. >> what's next for the night? >> well, going to get ready to go to work. >> got to get ready to go to work. after six hours on line to vote. a couple things came out of that 2020 primary day in texas. for one, hervis rogers, became a little bit of the story of the day. became a one news cycle many celebrity. because of his persistence and dedication were so impressive. also, because no american should have to be so persistent and indicated in order to just cast a vote. the other thing that happened in the wake of that was that the county clerk who oversaw that voting debacle on super tuesday, last march, in texas, that county clerk apologized

and resigned. harris county commissioners appointed a nuclear. and energetic, ambitious, enthusiasts young man who really hit the ground running. he changed the allocation of voting machines and extended voting hours. he convince harris county officials to approve millions more dollars to pay for poll workers. and drive-through voting and mail-in ballots. all things to try to ease the bottlenecks that lead to such terribly long lines. hours long lines, during the primary. we actually spoke to him. you might remember, on the show, the first day of early voting for the general election. laughter when all his hard work paid off. that day, first day of early voting, harris county had a record smashing turnout for the general election. almost double the early vote turnout in 2016. harris county continued to smash early voting records. and also recorded its highest voter turnout in decades. in large part because harris county made voting so easy and so accessible. it didn't want to get stuck in those long lines of years. passive from your car, by mail.

texas republicans looked at that, look at record voter turnout in their states largest cities. one of the most diverse cities in the country. and they said oh no, we cannot let that happen again. and that is why texas state legislators about in the state capital this week, called back by the state's republican governor for a special session. to, among other things, try to pass some of the most restrictive voting laws in the country. what the republicans did to fashion this legislation, honestly, seems like they just look at all of the things that harris county implemented last year. the measures that made voting easier and more accessible, made the voting process so smooth, lead to record turnout -- they look at what harris county did and metro a bill making all of that illegal. no more drive-through voting. no more 24-hour voting. no more sending mail-in ballot applications out. all of those things help people vote in harris county. do we find things make thing --

band that. whatever that was, don't do that anymore. make it illegal. just as republican legislators gather in the texas capital now for the special session to rollback voting rights. and to, make it extra special, just as former president donald trump and trump-esque republicans from all across the country gathered up the ruled in dallas for the annual cpac convention. just as all of that is happening in texas, today, comes over from texas that hervis rogers has been arrested. he has been arrested by the republican attorney general of texas, for illegal voting. turns out when hervis rogers we did over six hours to vote in march of 2020, on super tuesday he was a few months short of the end of his parole for an old burglary conviction in the nineties. he's been out of prison for more than 15 years, but his

parole did not technically end until last june. but he voted in the primary in march. texas attorney general has now charged hervis rogers with two counts of illegal voting. alleging that he voted in the 2018 general election as well. we do not know at this point whether this was an honest mistake on rogers's part. perhaps he did not know he was not allowed to vote. we do not know. that said, perhaps it was a deliberate premeditated scheme to wait over six hours in line to vote, in a democratic primary, in order to break the law on purpose. we do not know what mr. rogers have to say about any of this. we can't ask him because the attorney general of texas has locked him up. has looked up hervis rogers on $100,000 bail. he's in prison tonight, unable to pay $100,000 bail. bill a say at $100,000. what? because he might escape for gift?

giftalso, i should tell you. this hervis rogers, lives in harris county. the big, diverse county that includes houston, i just told you about. hervis rogers lives in harris county. he voted in harris county. but the texas attorney general has chosen to file the charges against him in neighboring montgomery county. we asked the attorney generals office why they follow these charges in the other county. they told us essentially, because we can. they told us the laws allowed them to fight these charges in any county that abuts harris county, if they want to. they wouldn't tell us why they picked montgomery county to pressley's charges specifically. i can tell you though, that according to the most recent u.s. census data, of the eight possible counties that about harris county -- of the eight possible counties, they could legally have charged hervis rogers in -- of the eight counties from which they have the option of joined a jury poll if this case goes trial, montgomery county is just about the white house.

and has the lowest proportion of african american residents of any of those counties. attorney generals office will not tell us why they chose this county. i will tell you the aclu of texas put out a strong statement on this tonight. it says, quote they arrest and prosecution of mr. rogers should alarm all texans. he waited in line for six hours to vote to facility believed to be his civic duty. he's locked up on a bail him out most people cannot afford. he faces decades in jail. our laws should not intimidate people from voting by increasing the risk of prosecution for at worst innocent mistakes. we will fight for justice and for mr. rogers and push back against efforts to further restrict voting rights. only he had been a white guy casting a vote in the name of dead relatives from donald trump. right? can't we all agree that's the way -- i will also tell you attorney general ken paxton tweeted he

refers to local public radio news article that broke the arrest as a liberal and pr article. ken paxton says quote hervis is a felon rightly barred from voting under texas law. he prosecutes it whenever he wants to as well it would seem and wherever she wants he wants to. the alleged illegal voting hervis is accused of took place a year and a half ago. it's not like he was hiding. it like i said, he was a national media figure for a hot minute. he had to cast his vote after that six plus hour week before heading off to his other job. apparently this is the moment to arrest him, to lock them up on $100,000 bail and to bring charges against him that could put him in jail for decades. this is the moment. for some reason now, it had to

happen today. as republican legislators gather in the texas take capital to try and make it harder for texans who looked like hervis rodgers to vote and in time for ken paxton to give his big headline or speech at cpac this weekend in dallas before donald trump takes the stage there. i should tell you texted tony general ken paxton himself is under indictment on securities fraud charges in the state of texas. has been four years. texas attorney general ken paxton is under fbi investigation for abusing his office to allegedly benefit a wealthy campaign donor and elaborate scheme that was so egregious and over the top, seven of paxton's top deputies and the attorney generals office reported him to law enforcement authorities. texas attorney general ken paxton who's under investigation by the texas state barr determined with his efforts to overturn a 2020 presidential election based on bogus fraud claims amount to professional misconduct that should result and him losing his law license.

remember when you try to get the united states supreme court to toss out other states presidential votes for biden and declare donald trump the winner? you know, forging your dad parents signature to vote for trump, slap on the wrist, maybe. try to overturn a whole democratically decided election? you get to be attorney general of texas! even if you are already under indictment. wait in line for over six hours to cast a vote if you fix before your parole is up. we get locked up with bail you cannot possibly pay. charged in a county that seems designed to insure and all white jury for you threatened with decades in prison. it seems to be where we are tonight. joining us now is texas tate representative nicole collier, she represents part of fort worth, also chair of the texas legislative black caucus representative collier, thank you for taking time to be here with us on a friday night. i appreciate it. >> thank, you rachel.

i appreciate being here. obviously i'm talking about a couple different things that are happening at once here. this case of mr. hervis rogers, his arrest, these charges against him and the texas special session right now to restrict voting rights across the state. let's start with the second one of those first. what is at stake in the special session, and do you think there's any hope of holding off changes to texas law? >> the republicans created barriers and filed bills that will create barriers to voting. we had limited the highest voter turnout rates in the last general election and our former republican appointed secretary of state said those elections are smooth and secure. let me tell you what's on the line. your ability for free and fair elections are on the line. blacks have the highest voter turnout rates in texas.

we are also overrepresented in the criminal justice system. when you create laws that are going to create new criminal penalties, it's going to impact people of color more. in fact, the aclu did a report that showed a texas attorney generals office targeted people of color, 72% of the cases they have filed have been against black and latino people, especially most of them being women. we have reason to be concerned. we need to make sure we turn out to oppose any -- on our right to vote. >> you have called on texas residents to make themselves known at the special session to come to austin, to come to the state capital, to come to these hearings as republicans trying to pass new laws to make voting even more restricted in texas. we are expecting a pretty considerable rally at the texted capital for people who are trying to fight these

rollbacks of these voting rights. as this captured the attention of the people of texas? has captured the attention of black and twenties in texas who as you say are particularly targeted by these types of voting rights attacks? >> there's been a concerted effort. the charges are getting involved, making sure this is reminiscent of what happened in the 1960s where we were fighting for equality and we are still fighting for equality today. now we have more support in the business arena and with our churches. back at again making sure that people are organized, that they are prepared. we have to stay ready. always be ready. they are chipping away at our right to vote. i believe yes there are more opportunities for people to speak, but we are just outnumbered in the texas

legislator. when you look at the numbers, there is only 67 democrats and that's not enough to overcome this oppressive bill. we will have to use all the tools we have whether it's parliamentary procedure by filing amendments or putting points of order up there, we will do everything we can to stop this bill going forward. >> texas state representative nicole collier, chair of the texas black caucus. thank you, i know this is a really intense time. thank you for keeping us on track here and up to date. i appreciate you being here. >> thank you. >> we have more to get. a busy friday night. stay with us. stay with us ♪

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the michigan state senate published a report laying out the results of their own months long investigation. and she claims by former president trump and his supporters that the election in michigan was somehow rigged. that joe biden didn't really win michigan by more than 150,000 votes. that somehow the voting in michigan must have been tampered with war burgled by the hamburger. trump must of really want. it looked into all of a deeply, and what they found was up kiss.

this committee exhausted every resource available to examine our elections process in michigan and drill down on claims and testimony specific to the 2020 election. the committee found no evidence of widespread or systematic brought in michigan's prosecution of the 2020 election. 80 till examination of all evidence presented to the committee established in an undeniable conclusion. there is no evidence to prove other significant acts of fraud or a wide scale effort was -- to commit activity was perpetrated to subvert the will of michigan voters. this was a review by republicans in the michigan state senate. no fraud or irregularities in the election. sad trombone, very sorry, turns out biden just won michigan, full stop. at the top of the junk keep of track trump conspiracy theories about the election, a totally banana set of claims about won michigan county. county called anteroom county. the republican senators who

investigated all the conspiracy theories about michigan found that the claims about and trump county are actually a the stupidest of them all. the conspiracy theories were, quote, indisputably false. quote, demonstrably false. and quote, based on misleading information and illogical conclusions. in fact, the michigan republicans found that the claims being made about the county were so outrageously false they were so egregiously obviously divorced from reality, they found that the people still pushing those claims might actually be motivated by something other than misunderstanding. it might be motivated by something worse than just ignorance. we might be motivated by something worse than just ignorance. senate republicans in fact wrote this in to their report. quote the committee recommends that the michigan attorney general consider investigating those who have been utilizing misleading and false information about antrim county, to raise money or publicity for

their own ends. that's actually the only fraud that michigan senators said they found when they looked deeply and carefully into all the trump world conspiracy theory sees about the vote in michigan. the only four they were able to find with the fraud committed by the trump folks who are trying to sell this untrue, totally debunk, totally fictional fairytale thing about antrim county. --

>> there's also this, which we found today on the telegram channel promoting the cause of an arizona-style election audit in michigan. there. apparently going to hold an event in michigan where you can

learn all about the confirmed existence of systematic election fraud in michigan. you can learn all about why they need to have a forensic audite a forensic audi cough up 20 bucks to get in the door. we tried contacting the organizers today to find out where that 20 bucks goes, if you in fact decide to hand over your hard earned money to attend the michigan fraud fest. so far, we have not heard back from them, but we'll keep trying. one other thing to watch or though, it's going to happen early monday morning. because it's not just grift-y potential fraud suspects in michigan who have been pushing the false election fraud claims in michigan. in late november, trump attorneys sydney powell and three other lawyers, filed a federal lawsuit in michigan trying to push many of the same claims. many of the lawsuit try to force the state of michigan into aborting its electoral votes to trump, even though biden won the election in michigan. the federal judge hearing that case in late november, not only

dismissed the trump world lawsuit. she basically nuked it. she wrote in her ruling in early december quote, plaintiffs ask this court to ignore the orderly statutory scheme established to challenge elections, and to ignore the will of millions of voters. this, the court, cannot and will not do. the people have spoken. the judge said quote, this lawsuit seems to be less about achieving the relief plane take seek, and more about the impact of their allegations on people 's faith in the democratic process and their trust in our government. trust in our government pow. that was december. well, on monday morning, this upcoming monday, bright and early, that same federal judge has now demanded the presence of all of those trump lawyers who brought that dumpster fire lawsuit. she's demanded the presence of all of them at a hearing to consider quote, motion for sanctions, motion for disciplinary action. motion for a disbarment referral. motion for referral to state

bar disciplinary bodies. that's where the trump lawyers who filed that lawsuit will be monday morning in michigan. it's only two weeks ago that trump lawyer, rudy giuliani, lost his license to practice law new york state. thanks to his alleged misrepresentations through the court. in his own dumpster fire legal efforts on behalf of trump's false claims that he secretly won the election. that was just two weeks ago. this week, mr. giuliani lost his license to practice law in washington d.c. for the same reason. well now we know that monday morning, sydney powell and the other trump lawyers who play to tree that play that same game in michigan, they will have their reckoning as well. while the michigan state police and state attorney general star investigating anyone who was making money still trying to sell this disproven, malicious, anti-democracy horse hockey to the american people. people. happy friday, everybody. t.j. i ate. lots of days we move back. some days though, we really do move forward.

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in -- she's a star worker. but she isn't being treated right. she's underpaid, passed over for promotions. competitor across the street knows it and once to bring her in at a high ridge. but she can't do it. her company -- over a noncompete clause yet to sign in order to get higher in the first place. she can't afford a lawyer for help. she's locked in. imagine if you're in her shoes, you'd feel powerless. disrespected, bullied, trapped. that's not right. workers should be free to take a better job if someone offers it. if your employer wants to keep you, he or she should had to make it worthwhile to stay. >> president biden this afternoon, just before he signed a new executive order designed to increase

competitiveness across the economy. i'll tell you, this seems like kind of a big deal. is at least a got big games in making things worth the american peoples while. weather as an employee or a star customer. seems to be the kind of unifying factor of the order. but this thing with touches us so many different part of the economy, is almost hard to get your head around. it covers everything from raining in noncompete clauses, like we just heard the president described there. to make sure americans can leave their jobs for better offers. in order it orders to make drug prior traces more competitive by a americans to buy imported, canadian drugs. it has really specific stuff like allowing hearing aids to be sold at counters over drugstores. the way we sell reading glasses. right now hearing aids can cause thousands of dollars. making over the counter purchase -- could bring that down from thousands to hundreds of dollars. this executive order today even has a line in it. i kid you, not about forcing cell phone manufacturers to let you get your phone repaired by

a third party, rather than making you come back to them. i mean, who hasn't been annoyed by those weird roles in the past? there is another line that would make it so if you paid for wi-fi on a flight and the wi-fi didn't work, or if you paid to check a bag and the airline lost a bag they would have to give you your money back because they didn't actually provide those services. all those specifics, but then there's really big broad changes, very big things like count merger and anti trust law will be enforced. there is in fact so much here that i wanted some help breaking it down from somebody in a position to know. joining us now bharat ramamurti, part of biden's economic council. it's a pleasure to have you here. thanks for making time tonight. >> thanks, rachel. >> is it fair to say that people getting treated more fairly, either as a customer or employee ought to be thought of as the unifying idea here, the

unifying theme here? >> the common thread through this entire executive order and the 72 specific actions that are called for, it is reviving competition in the american economy. that's going to do three things. it's going to lower the prices people pay for goods and services they buy every day. it will raise wages for workers and it's going to promote and evasion and dynamism in the economy. to give an example, noncompete two talked about at the beginning, 60 million workers in this country are subject to not compete agreements and these are not high level executives to as the president said today no secret formula for coke and you don't want them to go to pepsi. these are hotel workers, construction workers, one in five workers without a college degree subject to noncompete agreement. i heard the other day about yoga teachers being subject to them. by banning these types of noncompete agreements, what we allow is workers to go find a job that's better for them,

which is going to causeway just to go up for workers, give them better options maybe better benefits, more flexible hours and that's the kind of economy that the president wants to build. >> how much of this can be done by executive order? obviously legislation is always the more permanent way and the more difficult way to get stuff passed. i'm struck by the fact that the word encourages appears a lot in this executive order. is some of this the president laying out the way he wants the economy to operate, or is some of this enforceable in stuff that can be changed by virtue of the presidents signature today? >> there is a lot that's going to change because of this executive order today. there is a set of orders towards what are called the executive branch agencies health and human services, the department of transportation and so on where there are clear directives to take action and within a certain timeline. for example that hearing you talked about, it's directed to

happen within 120 days. as you note, there are some portions of the order that talk about encouraging or urging agencies to do things. because some of these agencies are independent agencies like the federal trade commission. the federal communications commission and so on. in those cases, we at the white house have talked to those agencies. they are on board of the changes we are talking about. we hope and expect over the next month to see a series of changes that are going to make concrete improvements and peoples lives. >> let me ask you on that hearing aids point. i've been fascinated with that hearing aids issue for quite a long time just because it's so easy to understand, especially when you look at the parallel with reading glasses for example. which you can't get over the counter and which made reading glasses so much more affordable for the tens of millions of americans who need them. president trump signed legislation, i think a bill in his first year in office that was designed to accomplish that same goal. of course it never happened. why didn't it happen then, why will it happen now?

>> as you note, this is actually a bipartisan proposal from senator warren and senator grassley to allow hearing aids to be sold over the counter passed 2017. by law, the federal food and drug administration was to issue regulations to actually allow the hearing aids to be sold over the counter by 2020. the trump administration didn't take action on it. president biden wants to make sure that as soon as possible folks can get hearing aids over the counter. i will note 50 million americans suffered from mild to moderate hearing loss and only one and seven of those folks actually have hearing aids. the reason for that is because it can cost up to $5,000 a pair. but these changes, folks will be able to walk into the local drugstore and pick up a pair of hearing aids likely by a thermometer. the cost a few hundred bucks instead. >> bharat ramamurti, deputy director of the economic council. this is a big deal. thanks for helping us understand all those pieces over their. thanks for being here tonight.

>> thanks. >> more ahead, stay with us. e ahead, stay with us.

>> nbc's chief foreign correspondent is richard angle. richard is in kabul, afghanistan, -esque to earth troops keep complete their withdrawal after 20 years of war. today, richard met with a guy who worked for years as a translator for u.s. troops there. >> in kabul, i met tom, which is what u.s. troops called him. did you hear president biden's promise? >> i got a lot of news. a lot of announcements. but there are no action. >> tom lived in close quarters with u.s. troops and has greens of recommendation letters he. help translate for and sometimes defend u.s. forces on 150 combat operations. >> he told me, hey, tom just get behind me and show me the enemies. >> so you're pointing out where the taliban are? >> yeah, i point there. >> tom's former company

commander vouches for him a royal letter endorsing his application. >> we owe that not just at home, but to interpreters that served us and thaw alongside us. >> tom has been waiting for his visa for four years. >> this process is really hard, man. >> you helped the u.s., now the u.s. needs to help. you >> yes. >> simple as that. >> yeah, yeah. >> u.s. needs help, so we helped them. right now we need help, so the u.s. army, the u.s. government has to help us. >> it seems reasonable. >> he went over 150 combat missions with u.s. troops. think about that. over 150 combat missions. the u.s. promised we would keep him safe and exchange for him help our forces there. but in his case, so far we are blowing it. as you heard richard report there, this young man applied for u.s. visa to get out four years ago. but still nothing. this translator who's richard spoke with today told him that

people he knows who translated for british forces, or for french troops in afghanistan, they have had their applications to get out processed and oked. and they have been flown out. it's all been done quickly and safely, already. those people he knows who worked with forces from other countries, they're out. and safe already. as the problem now forms a ring around kabul, and his claim responsibility fork coverage of more than 85% of african territory. frican so, for some reason if you served british are french troops you've been taken care of a really ready. but if you served american troops, you're just sitting there. as time starts right out, and as the taliban close in. now, president biden has pledged that the u.s. is going to do the same. that there is a home in the united states for these folks, if that is where they want to be. that we will stand by them as they stood by us. he has made that commitment crystal clear, but honestly, there isn't sign of it on the ground. one other proposals that has been floated for how to get

health -- help get the u.s. translators to safety in the very near term, which is when they need to get to safety, as for the u.s. to fly them to the u.s. territory of guam. we have done that before. guam has served as a safe landing place for tens of thousands of evacuees from previous u.s. wars. that's where they have come first, as their applications for u.s. visas are processed. walmart knows how to do it. they say they are ready to do it again. last night on the show, the governor of guam told us that she and the island of guam are basically ready and waiting for somebody in the u.s. government to reach out to her. so, that one can make it happen for these translators to whom america owes a depth of gratitude. guam is happy to do it. they're ready to put start putting plans in motion. but they haven't heard anything from the biden administration. what is going on? what's the holdup? we got some insight into that today. >> wednesday this week, i interviewed matt zeller, he's an afghanistan veteran. he's been organizing to get translators evacuated. when i asked him why it seems

like nobody is arguing against this plan, but still is not happening, he said this -- >> what is the holdup here? >> we're told it's the department of homeland security. we're told it's career officials who want to do that whole, oh we can't bring them here. they might be bad people. this program has existed for over 13 years. in that time, not a single nefarious in individual has ever snuck. for through these people had to be vetted just even work with us overthrew sees. so they've already gone through excessive vetting just to serve alongside u.s. forces. e he said they were told the department of homeland security. that answer caught my attention when matt zeller told us that a couple of days ago here on the show. well now today, some new reporting from our colleagues at nbc news appears to confirm that assessment. nbc news reporting today quote, biden administration officials have a locked in an internal debate over plans to evacuate afghans who worked for u.s. military.

with some officials arguing against taking the evacuees to u.s. territory, where they would have more legal rights once they arrived. in the administrations discussions on the issue of getting these translators to safety, some officials at the department of homeland security and the state have voiced misgivings about evacuating afghan partners to guam or other u.s. territories, where the visa applications would be reviewed. according to two correctional aids and three people familiar with the matter. that's five sources. those officials believe there are additional legal issues you encounter when you bring them to u.s. territory, said one congressional aide. if an afghan's visa requests were denied on u.s. territory, legal experts said the applicant would have recourse to appeal the decision. and under american immigration law. but if instead, the applicant was in a third country, he or she would have virtually no grounds to appeal any rejection of a u.s. visa requests or an order to deport that person back to afghanistan. der to deporall right, it is wog out here again, that these are

trends leaders who risked their lives to help american forces in afghanistan. and they have already been vetted by the u.s. military in order to carry out that work. let me just say this clearly -- if in fact, there are random officials, who are not the president, there are randall officials at homeland security and state department who are worried that if those translators and about in a u.s. story tory like guam, we'll have too many legal protections. they'll have too much due process while their claims are evaluated. and that's the holdup for evacuating any of them at all. that's a problem. that is so backwards, it's almost inside out. heaven forbid they get due process from us. after all they have sacrificed for our country. the risk is that some of them might get too much due process, so we're not evacuating any of them. president biden appears

legitimately committed to getting this done. but for whatever reason, the government he runs is not getting it done. the holdup appears to be at the homeland security department. and according to this nbc news report today, also at the state department. officials at homeland security and the state department are blocking this from getting done. and it is getting to be too late. the president says he wants this done. getting this done means it has to be done quickly. the dithering and handling in here is blocking any of the evacuation effort from actually starting. somebody high up has to unclog this. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪

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tonight. happy friday. i will see you again here monday night. it's time for the last word where many has sought is in for lawrence tonight. good evening, good to see you. >> good evening, rachel. it's friday night. can you confirm for the viewers of unpacked weekend ahead? >> no, not at all. i'm just going to be reading transcripts and stuff. not doing any fishing. [laughs] >> sunday afternoon joining virtually and watch england win the european football championship for the first time and my lifetime. >> fair and off. good luck. thanks, buddy. >> have a great weekend. good evening