During a long “Morning Joe” panel discussion on the Russia report compiled by a GOP-led Senate committee released on Monday, the panel seemed stunned by how many members of Donald Trump’s administration who were implicated in not only working with Russia, but also who lied to investigators about it.

With MSNBC legal analyst Ben Wittes calling the nearly thousand-page report “devastating” to Trump, co-host Joe Scarborough ticked off the crimes alleged in Senate investigators.

“They presented mountains of evidence that Donald Trump and his campaign worked with the Russians and were aided and abetted by the Russians, that it was an ongoing, aggressive attempt,” Scarborough began before citing GOP lawmakers who are still defending the president.

“They did what idiots, useful idiots for Vladimir Putin have been doing now for several years, and that is clinging to the most lurid tales in the Steele dossier and said you didn’t prove that, so the whole thing is a hoax,” he stated. “Acting as if that one part of this investigation would somehow distract from the mountains and the mountains of damning evidence. And I just have to say it again, from the mountains and mountains of devastating evidence that Donald Trump lied to Robert Mueller, committed perjury under oath.”

“I mean, he had time to think through it and still committed that,” he said of the president’s written responses to the special counsel’s questions. “And then again, that you go through all of these people — Trump’s foreign policy adviser lied about contacts with Russia. His national security adviser lied about contacts with Russia. His campaign chairman lied about contacts with Russia. His deputy campaign chairman lied under oath, all of them under oath, about contacts with Russia. His personal lawyer lied about contacts with Russia under oath. His political consultant lied about contacts with Russia under oath. and his attorney general lied before Congress under oath.”

“And of course — and yesterday, Republicans concluded that the president of the United States lied under oath to federal investigators about his campaign’s contacts with Russia,” he concluded, “Boy, that’s some [Russia] hoax.”

Watch below:

Rudy Giuliani is doubling down on his stunning refusal to obey a legally drafted subpoena by House Democrats engaged in a valid impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump.

Earlier Tuesday afternoon Giuliani parted ways with his newly-hired attorney, who he now describes as “a lifelong friend.” He also announced he would not obey the subpoena, but added, “if they enforce it then we will see what happens.”

That apparently has been thrown out the window.

“I will not participate in an illegitimate, unconstitutional, and baseless ‘impeachment inquiry,'” Giuliani tweeted minutes ago.

Amid reports those close to Giuliani have been advising him to retain a criminal attorney, Giuliani, the president’s personal attorney and a former federal prosecutor, declared, “At this time, I do not need a lawyer.”

He made those remarks via Twitter, posting a copy of the letter from his short-term lawyer, Jon Sale.

Of note: Giuliani’s now-former attorney says in his letter to House Democrats Giuliani is invoking all the claims made by President Trump in his widely-mocked as “garbage” letter drafted by the White House Counsel.

I will not participate in an illegitimate, unconstitutional, and baseless “impeachment inquiry.”

Jon Sale, who is a lifelong friend, has represented me for the sole purpose of analyzing the request and responding. At this time, I do not need a lawyer. pic.twitter.com/l0IR0ikEHD

— Rudy Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) October 15, 2019

Former FBI Director Jim Comey says President Donald Trump had “corrupt intent” when he ordered then-White House Counsel Don McGahn to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

The former FBI Director, who himself was fired by President Donald Trump two years ago to the day, was reserved but exacting in his answering a question from CNN’s Anderson Cooper Thursday evening.

“Do you think [Trump] had criminal intent, based on with a you have seen now in the Mueller report?”

“It sure looks like he did, in connection with a couple of episodes,” Comey responded.

“The direction to Don McGahn to get the Special Counsel fired is, to my mind, a flaming example,” Comey said.

Cooper interjected: “Of corrupt intent.”

“Yes, of corrupt intent,” Comey agreed.

“And I know even the Attorney General has said, ‘Well, what the President meant was, he wanted Don McGahn to convey his concerns.’ Well, really? Don McGahn went and called his lawyer, packed his office, and said he was going to quit. I don’t think that’s the reaction of the White House counsel when it’s about conveying concerns.”

Comey again confirmed that it “sure looks that way,” that Trump acted with corrupt intent.

The former FBI Director began the segment by taking a thinly-veiled swing at Attorney General Bill Barr. Comey told the audience that “the President is not above the law, and I don’t accept the notion that because he’s the head of the3 executive branch, he can’t ever obstruct justice, in connection with an executive branch activity.”

Barr has made clear he believes that as head of the executive branch any President cannot be considered to have obstructed justice.

Comey called the idea that a President can’t obstruct justice, “crazy and a recipe for lawlessness.”

The concept of “corrupt intent” is important because it means an individual acted knowing their actions were illegal.

Watch:

"The President is not above the law." Former FBI Director James Comey says the idea that the President can't ever obstruct justice because he is head of the executive branch is just "crazy and a recipe for lawlessness." #ComeyTownHall https://t.co/8Ponk93eAY pic.twitter.com/86LH55kzCA

— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) May 10, 2019