Chris Hayes Beside Himself Over Report That Trump Officials Might Settle Lawsuit as Part of ‘Shakedown’

MS NOW host Chris Hayes was beside himself on Wednesday over reports that officials in President Donald Trump’s DOJ were considering settling a lawsuit with Trump himself.

The Department of Justice is reportedly engaging in “internal discussions” about the possibility of settling Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS. The president sued his own department in January, demanding damages over a leak of his tax returns during his first term in office. The New York Times reported on Tuesday that DOJ officials were discussing settling the lawsuit, which could involve paying the president with American taxpayer money.

Hayes got right to the point on Wednesday’s edition of All In, bluntly characterizing the possibility of a settlement as “the greatest heist in American history.”

“It is hard, dear viewer, to keep track of the very, very long list of shady deals and no-bid contracts and outright corrupt crypto schemes that have been the hallmark of the presidency of Donald Trump, particularly this second version of it,” he said. “But I ask you tonight to pay attention to the one that he appears to be about to pull off, because it’s got to be the greatest heist in American history. A direct transfer of billions of your taxpayer dollars directly into the bank account and the pockets of Donald Trump, all dressed up as a settlement of a lawsuit in which Donald Trump is both the plaintiff and also the defendant.”

The host repeatedly reiterated his level of shock over what he characterized as the flagrant nature of the lawsuit, claiming that he was unable to even fully describe the president’s move because it was so “novel.”

“Now, this is so novel, I don’t really know how you characterize it legally. Like we’re out past the frontier,” said Hayes. “Whether legal or not, I am of the strong opinion, and I think many would be also, that this is an attempt at the largest theft ever by an American politician. Plainly, flagrantly, blatantly, in plain daylight. It is a conflict of interest so enormous, the term itself, conflict of interest, hardly begins to capture what’s happening.”

Hayes then turned to the new reporting on a possible settlement of the case, telling viewers that “the mob has a word” for the DOJ’s possible choice to pay Trump.

“Today, sources tell the Times, quote, ‘White House and Justice Department officials have in recent days been exploring ways to potentially settle the suit before that deadline,'” said Hayes. “Essentially, find a settlement that would be agreeable to the plaintiff and the defendant, Donald Trump, and shovel tons of cash over to him in return for him dropping the suit. The mob has a word for that: shakedown.”

Watch above via MS NOW.

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