PoliticsNation, Friday, July 18th, 2014

POLITICS NATION
July 18, 2014

Guest: Greg Feith; Linda Kinsler; Greg Meeks, Jan Schakowsky, Angela Rye,
Charles Williams II, David Alexander Bullock


REVEREND AL SHARPTON, MSNBC ANCHOR: Good evening, ed. Thanks to you for
tuning in.

Tonight`s lead, President Obama is warning the Russia and Vladimir Putin
over Malaysia flight 17 with the bodies of the victims still lying in the
field in Ukraine. President Obama said the disaster was with a deliberate
atrocity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Evidence indicates that the
plane was shot down by surface to air missile that was launched from an
area that is controlled by Russian backed separatists inside of Ukraine.
We know these separatists had received a steady flow of support from
Russia. This includes arms and training. It includes heavy weapons. And
it includes anti-aircraft weapons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Russia and pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine have denied any role in
firing the missile. But President Obama said the United States will not
allow any kind of cover-up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: Russia, pro-Russian separatists and Ukraine must adhere to an
immediate cease-fire. Evidence must not be tampered with. Investigators
need to access the crash site. And the solemn task of returning those lost
on the plane to their loved ones needs to go forward immediately. And the
eyes of the world are on eastern Ukraine. And we are going to make sure
that the truth is out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Making sure the truth is out. Already the Ukraine government is
releasing evidence that pro Russian rebels did, in fact, fire the missile.
Here is a report from our British partner, ITN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: Today Ukraine`s security service released this
footage reportedly showing a Russian made missile system moving into the
town of Turrets, just two hours before MH-17 was downed. And they claimed,
this shows the same missile launcher being hardly taken away today,
crucially two of its four missiles are missing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: NBC News can`t confirm those claims. But that launcher
resembles the missile system that separatist bragged about obtaining in a
tweet last month which has now been deleted.

The world will get to the bottom of this. Two hundred ninety eight people
died in this attack, including at least 80 children. Among the dead was
the one American we know for sure was on the plane, Quinn Lucas Schansman.
He was reportedly meeting his family in Malaysia for a vacation.

Also on board one of the world`s top aides researchers, a leading figure in
the push to find a cure. This video was made by a passenger and posted to
Instagram right before the plane took off, four hours before it was hit by
a missile. The video shows the 298 innocent people in what would be the
final hours of their lives. They and their loved ones deserve justice.

Joining me now, Congressman Gregory Meeks, member of the House foreign
affairs committee and Linda Kinstler, managing editor of the "New
Republic." She speaks Russian and has been reporting extensively on the
crisis in Ukraine and the former NTSB investigator Greg Feith.

Thank you all for being here tonight.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good being with you, Rev.

SHARPTON: Congressman, what`s your reaction to the President`s statements
today and the new evidence about the missile attack?

REP. GREGORY MEEKS (D), NEW YORK: I think the President is doing what he
should do. One, he first wanted to make sure he had the facts. He`s been
communicating with the European heads of state. Because, if in fact, as
evidence show that Putin is in control and this was the separatists that
shot this plane down, the way that you apply pressure is with the
additional sanctions with European allies. That`s how you strengthen it.
And that`s exactly what the President has been doing.

So I think he`s handling it in a very intelligent manner in which that you
can force Putin`s hand. Because the relationship between the Russians and
the European nation beforehand because of economics has been such that the
United States could apply sanctions. But that`s not enough to give in to
the pressure we need for European allies. And that`s what the president
has pointed, those are called for the President`s plan right now.

SHARPTON: You know, Linda, today the Ukraine government released new audio
recordings. It claims are between pro-Russian separatists apparently
talking about hiding the missile launch after the plane went down. Watch
this.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYING)

SHARPTON: Now, it`s clear that they are conspiring to hide. Now,
(INAUDIBLE) NBC has not verified the authenticity of this the recording.
But is there any doubt who was behind this?

LINDA KINSTLER, MANAGING EDITOR, THE NEW REPUBLIC: Not much. Because the
facts remain that we know the separatists had those missiles in their
possession. There have been report that is the missiles that they had were
not working. Russia is doing what it can to put out propaganda saying that
it was actually Ukrainians who were firing the missiles. But the Ukrainian
military operation, the anti-terrorist operation that has been going on in
the east, they had no reason to be using anti-missile defense systems
because the separatists aren`t flying planes over eastern Ukraine, only the
Ukraine military has been. And those are the planes that they have been so
proud of shooting down in the past few weeks.

SHARPTON: You know, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power, he
warned of a possible cover-up by those responsible.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAMANTHA POWER, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UNITED NATIONS: On July 14 separatists
claimed credit for the downing of a cargo plane flying at 6,000 meters.
And on July 16th, they claimed credit for the downing of a Ukrainian
fighter jet. If indeed Russian-backed separatists were behind this attack
on a civilian airliner, they and their backers would have good reason to
cover up evidence of their crime.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Greg are, are you concerned about the possibility of a cover-up?
I mean, after all, we are not sure the location of the black boxes.

MEEK: Absolutely. Because if you look at where the planes went down there
is clearly territory that is controlled by the separatists. And so, they
are on the ground. And some believe that they might have had the black
boxes and taken them to Russia now. And impeding because it is a dangerous
area, impeding others that would come in. The investigation to look to
find out the truth.

So, I am concerned. Just by the very geographical fact of where the plane
has landed. I`m glad the U.N. and the nations there have been meeting and
talking. That puts additional pressure on Putin if the separatists are
running to Russia.

SHARPTON: I have a former NTSB investigator Greg Feith.

Greg, are you concerned about this? I mean, the separatists are
controlling the land where this is happened. Is that not right?

GREG FEITH, FORMER NTSB INVESTIGATOR: Where this aircraft actually came
down, when you look at it from a crime scene it`s been pilfered, it has
been rummaged, if you will. There is talk about the fact that both of the
boxes are already gone. What`s going to happen to them, where they are
going to go and who is going to do, what they are going to do with that
information is yet to be known.

But I think this is a national security issue. And more so than any kind
of aviation or accident investigation scenario. So it`s really going to be
up to U.N. security folks, military people trying to solve the intent of
the shoot down and who actually did it.

SHARPTON: Feith, what will investigators be looking for when they get
there? Yes, I mean, it`s a very difficult scene.

FEITH: When you look at what it is and it`s now a crime scene, of course,
we don`t know how much evidence is still in existence given the foot
traffic that`s been through there with reporters, and rebels, and locals
and that kind of thing. So what investigators will be looking for, of
course, is telltale signs, possibly any kind of remnants of a missile-type
explosion. External residue, external shrapnel-type penetrations on parts
of the aircraft fuselage skins and that kind of thing. But they will also
be looking at the remaining victims to see if there is any kind of evidence
of shrapnel wounds to those victims.

SHARPTON: Linda, the President today talked about sanctions and President
Putin. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: I spoke to President Putin yesterday in the wake of additional
sanctions that we imposed. He said he wasn`t happy with them. And I told
him that we have been very clear from the outset that we want Russia to
take the path that would result in peace in Ukraine, but so far at least
Russia has failed to take that path.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: The President was clear that it came from control territory, by
the rebels. He was very clear on that. Is there additional sanctions need
against Russia?

KINSTLER: Probably.

I think that when we issued the sanctions this week, we were very careful
in making sure that they were just enough to put pressure on the Kremlin,
but not enough to really force them to stop the flow of separatists into
eastern Ukraine. The border has never been secured despite claims to the
contrary. And for all we know, there might be more fighters coming in.
It`s entirely possible.

SHARPTON: Congressman, you have been over there. You know, the AP is
saying that pro Russian rebels are denying responsibility by floating some
of the most bizarre conspiracy theories that you can imagine. One rebel
leader was even saying quote "suggesting many of the victims may have died
days before the plane took off" claiming, quote, "the bodies were drained
of blood and reeked of decomposition."

You know, if the separatist rebels are behind this, how far will they go to
avoid responsibility in your judgment?

MEEK: Well, here is where Putin has to step up. That Putin has to see
that these guys that he has been supporting are out of control. This is
clearly an out of control situation. And so, he needs to step in. And
that is why I think that the President is putting the pressure on Putin.
Putin needs to tell the separatists they got to cut this out and give the
country back to the Ukrainians and that Ukrainians control their own
country. And pull his troops away from the borders and get out of the
situation altogether. That`s what needs to take place.

SHARPTON: Greg Feith, what do you expect to see in the next few days in
this investigation?

FEITH: Well, I would hope, Reverend, that you know, right now, that part
of the world and especially that accident site, there is a lot of
lawlessness, there is a lack of civility there. And if you are going to
have any kind of investigative team do any kind of investigation,
especially a criminal investigation, trying to gather evidence to support
the fact that this aircraft was an intentional act, it was shot down. That
they are going to have to be able to secure that site so the those
investigators can go in and not only collect evidence, but the remaining
victims that still remain out there are given some dignity with the
recovery of their remains and then of course return to their respective
families.

SHARPTON: Well, it`s a very difficult problem. Thanks to all of you for
helping us try to better understand it.

Congressman Greg Meeks, Linda Kinsler are and Greg Feith, thank you for
your time tonight.

FEITH: You`re welcome.

SHARPTON: Coming up, how this international crisis is provoking a
political fight here at home. Senator McCain even says President Obama has
gone AWOL. We`ll talk about that ahead.

Also, the progressive game playing for fairness in 2014. The game may be
rigged for the rich, but Elizabeth Warren won`t back down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D), MASSACHUSETTS: So the way I see this is we can
whine about it, we can whimper about it, or we can fight back. I`m
fighting back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: And the dramatic march in Detroit today for something so basic
that you literally can`t live without it. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: There`s been an outpouring of prayers and support on our
facebook page over the downing of Malaysia airlines flight 17. We will
have much more on the tragedy in Ukraine and some of the politics coming up
next.

If you want to share your thoughts, you can do so on our facebook page at
facebook.com/politicsnation.

We`ll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: This should snap everybody`s heads to attention and make sure we
don`t have are time for propaganda, we don`t have time for games. We need
to know exactly what happened. And everybody needs to make sure that we
are withholding accountable those who committed this outrage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: There are still many unanswered questions about the shoot down
of Malaysia air license flight 17. The President is working with his
national security team to get all the facts. It`s a serious foreign policy
issue. But some conservatives already want the President to go further,
including Senator John McCain. He wants what he always seems to want -- to
send in American troops.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Move some of our troops into with areas
that are being threatened by Vladimir Putin. Now, the countries like the
Baltics and others. Move missile defense in to the places where we got out
of like the Czech Republic and Poland, and other places. And impose the
harshest possible sanctions on Vladimir Putin and Russia. That`s just for
openers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: After years of wars overseas, do the American people want more
troops in harm`s way? And do we really want to be sending troops to these
Baltic states right on Russia`s doorstep. It would be like Putin sending
Russian troops to Cuba or Mexico. Now is a time for measured action not
rash are decisions or saber rattling from the right.

Joining me now is Salon`s Joan Walsh. Thank you for being here.

JOAN WALSH, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, SALON.COM: Thank you for having me, Rev.

SHARPTON: Joan, for hoax like Senator McCain, why is the first response
always to send American troops thousands of miles away?

WALSH: Especially in this situation, Reverend. I mean, your first segment
really laid out all the questions. There are many questions. We think we
know that the separatist rebels did this. But the idea that you would send
more weaponry into an area like this where people are already misusing
weapons, obviously, is crazy.

And you know, Senator McCain, I`m not sure there`s been a conflict in
recent years he hasn`t thought we should have more troops and more weapons.
From Iran to Iraq, Libya, Syria, Nigeria and now Ukraine. This is his
standard answer when what we really need is first of all an investigation
and then to work with our European allies to find out how to stop the
violence in Ukraine.

SHARPTON: And you know, he goes even beyond that, Joan, into personal
attacks on the President over this. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCAIN: This is just what we used to call in the military AWOL. It`s just
been cowardly. It`s a cowardly administration that we have failed to give
the Ukrainians weapons with which to defend themselves.

SHARPTON: Cowardly? AWOL? I mean, --

WALSH: AWOL, no, no. You don`t say that about the commander in-chief. I
mean, you know, this is a man, I respect him for his service. But if we
are going to talk cowardly, somebody put -- tried to put Sarah Palin a
heartbeat away from the presidency so that he hoped to hold onto his right
wing base. I mean, somebody has a lot to atone for and a lot to be
thinking about. Shouldn`t toss around words like cowardly.

SHARPTON: And cowardly and AWOL.

WALSH: Yes. You know what they do to people who are AWOL, I mean. So
this is, again, the extremism of this rhetoric --

SHARPTON: It is a very serious thing to say, and especially framing it in
military terms as you have said.

But you know, Americans have made it clear, they don`t want to keep getting
involved in overseas conflicts. In a recent poll only 19 percent said
America should be more active in world affairs. Thirty percent said we
should keep involvement at the current level and 47 percent said we should
be less active. So there is no real appetite for the American public to
jump into a lot of these affairs around the world, particularly with
military involvement putting our military in harm`s way.

WALSH: No. I think the American people saw what happened when we tried to
get over involved in areas of the world where we really didn`t haven`t any
business. And they are tired of it.

You know, we have people in Detroit having their water turned off. We
should be, you know, delivering water to people n our city. We have
problems at home that people are aware of. When there is a need for global
leadership we`ll be there.

The other thing that I think is so short-sighted about this is this really
is an opportunity to work with European allies. We have been dragging
their heels on sanctions. This is -- Europeans died for the most part in
this awful tragedy. There is really an opportunity here if the President
does the right thing to get other people to stand up and join us in de-
crying it. But not by beating his chest and rattling sabers.

SHARPTON: Talking about rattling sabers, the right wing has really started
coming out. No huge surprise to you. But a lot of the inappropriate
rhetoric from right wing pundits, let me give you a couple of them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: What`s next? He is going to put golf flags
since his has placed (INAUDIBLE) times at half mast? I mean, where is
Presidential action here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Missing in action. I think that`s the big problem.
It is -- the leading from behind.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a policy of appeasement. And while -- I don`t
think anybody could have foreseen this specific tragedy. It is entirely
understandable that something like this has happened because of the way
Putin has perceived American weakness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: I mean, just really out there with rhetoric that`s very
provocative before we even are clear on what happened, and what European
nations may do.

WALSH: Well, these guys don`t recognize leadership unless it is macho
swaggering leadership. And that seems to be a problem with their own
masculinity or their own security in life. They don`t recognize it if they
can`t see it and it doesn`t involve shouting at people I`m the leader.

SHARPTON: Joan Walsh, thanks for your time. Have a great weekend.

WALSH: You, too.

SHARPTON: Come up, the humanitarian crisis happening right now in Detroit.
Thousands came out to protest the city shutting off water for the poor.

But first, some breaking news tonight on day two of the Israeli ground
invasion into Gaza. That`s next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: Tonight in the Middle East, Israel`s prime minister is warning
that his operation in Gaza may widen significantly in the coming days. We
are now into day two of the Israeli ground invasion into Gaza. Today we
have seen several rockets fired over the West Bank. Israel has attacked
hundreds of targets in the Gaza Strip over the past day and a half. Going
after rocket launchers and underground tunnels which they say Hamas is
using to attack their territory.

Since the ground invasion began, at least 25 the Palestinians and one
Israeli soldier have been killed. The Israeli prime minister warned the
ground action could last for weeks.

This afternoon the U.N. security council held an emergency meeting to
discuss building a cease-fire. Yet another international crisis facing the
Middle East and the United States.

We`ll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: Who`s fighting for fairness in this country? Republicans spent
this week talking about lawsuits and impeachment. But today, Senator
Elizabeth Warren, a champion of the middle class laid out the democratic
agenda.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D), MASSACHUSETTS: We believe that Wall Street
needs stronger rules and tougher enforcement. We believe that no one
should work full-time and still live in poverty. That means raising the
minimum wage, and we will fight for it.

Oh, we believe. I can`t believe I have to say this in 2014. We believe in
equal pay for equal work. And we are willing to fight for it. And we
believe that corporations are not people, that women have a right to their
bodies.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

We will overturn Hobby Lobby and we will fight for it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Minimum wage, equal pay for equal work, making sure everybody
gets a fair shot. These are the issues President Obama called the defining
challenges of our time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRES. BARACK OBAMA (D), UNITED STATES: This is the challenge of our times,
making sure that if you work hard and you are responsible, anybody can get
ahead in this country.

VICE PRES. JOE BIDEN (D), UNITED STATES: When people get paid more, the
economy grows. More products get bought. The rich get richer, the middle
class grows. And the poor have a vision for a way up.

OBAMA: We do better when the middle class does better, we do betters when
workers getting a decent salary, we do better when they have decent
benefits.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: We do better when everyone gets a fair shot. And that`s a
fight, Senator Warren says, she`ll keep fighting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WARREN: The game is rigged. And the rich and the powerful have lobbyists
and lawyers and plenty of friends in Congress. Everybody else, not so
much. So the way I see this is we can whine about it. We can whimper
about it. Or we can fight back. I`m fighting back.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

I`m ready to fight back. Are you ready to fight back on this?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: She`s ready to fight back. And so are we.

Joining me now Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, democrat of Illinois and
Angela Rye. Thank you both for being here.

ANGELA RYE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Thank you, Rev.

REP. JAN SCHAKOWSKY (D), ILLINOIS: Thank you.

SHARPTON: Congresswoman, Senator Warren is talking about helping working
people. How much does that message resonate?

SCHAKOWSKY: You could hear from the crowd that was at the Nat roots
conference. But she could give that speech anywhere. She has proven. She
gave that speech in West Virginia where many people think that`s a red
state and we don`t have a chance. You can give that speech in the urban
north or in the rural south and people hear the message that that the
system is rigged. It`s a word that Elizabeth Warren uses that the system
is rigged against ordinary people who are just trying to make it in
America. And that`s why the Democrats have started a campaign for jump
starting America. An economic agenda that we are going to take into the
elections in 2014. And we are going to do what Elizabeth Warren says. Not
just one, not just whimper, but we are going to fight. And that means
getting people out to vote, too.

SHARPTON: You know, Angela. Senator Warren really pushed the idea that
the wealthy and corporations are treated differently in this country.
Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WARREN: Just look at the big banks. They cheated American families,
crashed the economy, got bailed out. And now the biggest banks are even
bigger than they were when they were too big to fail in 2008. They still
swagger through Washington, blocking reforms and pushing around agency. A
kid gets caught with a few ounces of pot and goes to jail. But a big bank
launders drug money and no one gets arrested. The game is rigged. And it
isn`t right.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: As the congresswoman said, she talks, Senator Warren that is,
about the American people agree the system is rigged. A recent poll from
Pew found 62 percent say the economic system unfairly favors powerful
interests, Angela. How do we change this?

RYE: Well, I think we have to start with undoing things like Citizens
United. You know, that the way which the court is even ruling now is
against people. The fact that you have to pay to play in politics in all
ways, shapes and forms is highly problematic. And we can`t even get folks
to even consider a bill on raising the wage to ensure that people can keep
their lights on, that they cannot only go vote but they can just live from
day to day. The American dream has become a nightmare for so many people
in this country because we have people elected to office that just are not
there to advocate for their interests. They won`t even vote, Rev. They
are not even passing any legislation up on the hill.

SHARPTON: Yes. You know, Congresswoman, while Democrats are talking about
economic issues, the right has been focused on impeachment this week.
Listen to this. Starting with Georgia congressman and Senate candidate
Jack Kingston.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: But with this lawsuit, by the time there is any
resolution, he`ll be out of office. So is this maybe the first step to
issue articles of impeachment?

REP. JACK KINGSTON (R), GEORGIA: You know, it could go in that direction
if there was a big discussion. I mean, I think it`s possible.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I`m not prepared at this point to call for the
impeachment of the president.

RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: I haven`t spoken in favor of
impeachment. Although under certain circumstances and if the political
will for it could be developed, I mean it`s all dependent on that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: I mean, will this kind of talk backfire on them, Congresswoman?

SCHAKOWSKY: I absolutely think it will. How many millions of taxpayer
dollars is it going to cost for them to sue the President of the United
States? And remember, Rev, what they are suing Barack Obama for is for not
enforcing ObamaCare. Think about that. The hated ObamaCare. He didn`t
enforce the employer mandate by postponing it for a year. That`s why they
are going to spend millions and millions of taxpayer dollars in order to
sue the President? And that`s the contrast.

Democrats are going to be jump starting the middle class saying within a
hundred days of taking the majority which we can if those same people that
are cheering Elizabeth Warren and are struggling to make ends meet get out
to vote. They are wasting money on a silly and really frivolous lawsuit to
sue the president of the United States just like they spent $74 million to
shut down the government. Ridiculous.

SHARPTON: You know Angela, the Democrats really do have an upper hand on
economic issues. Because take a look at these numbers. Seventy one
percent of Americans support raising the minimum wage. Fifty four percent
favor raising taxes from the wealthy to help the poor. And 52 percent want
to extend unemployment benefits. I mean, how do Democrats use this to
their advantage in the midterms this year?

RYE: I think part of it is staying focused on the real issues. But
something has to move somewhere in either chamber. I think that you would
hear Senator Reid, for example, say that he also feels that he`s been in
some way held hostage by the fact that the majority isn`t large enough.
Well, I do disagree with the congresswoman that the majority will flip in
the House in 2014, perhaps there`s a chance in 2016. And the best way to
do that is ensure they stay focused on what the American people want to
hear. That is starting to ensure that the bottom rises.

That the wages are raised. That women are paid fairly. All of the other
issues that really matter. Impeaching the President is just not on the
agenda of any real in touch American person. I know that when Dick Cheney
was interviewed this week he said that the President was the worst
president in history. Perhaps he forgot about his administration, during
his vice presidency. But I think that the real issue here is staying
focused on what matters and the only way to do that, I think that`s the
only way you will really advance any type of American dream and an agenda
that makes sense to the American people.

SHARPTON: I`m going to have to leave it there. Congresswoman, I`m going
to have to leave it there. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and Angela Rye,
than you both for your time, have a great weekend.

RYE: Thanks, Rev.

SCHAKOWSKY: Let`s win in 2014.

SHARPTON: Still ahead, a human rights crisis right here in America. We go
live to Detroit where people are fighting for something you literally can`t
live without. Also a big development in the case of that police beating
caught on tape. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: There is a human rights crisis happening right now in Detroit.
Today over 1,000 people came out in downtown Detroit calling for the city
to turn the water back on for over 17,000 residents. They are demanding an
end to the shut-off for people whose accounts are overdue. Three thousand
households have been getting their water shut off per week for not paying
their bill. Today activists, unions, politicians and residents, including
actor Mark Ruffalo said water is a basic human right.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(Crowd chanting): Water now!

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Water now!

(Crowd chanting): Water now!

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Water now.

(Crowd chanting): Water now! This is what democracy looks like!

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: No justice.

(Crowd): No peace.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: No justice.

(Crowd): No peace.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: How is this happening in America? It`s austerity gone wild.
Does the financially bankrupt city of Detroit need to raise money? Yes.
But not like this. Governor Snyder and unelected managers are trying to
balance the city`s books on the backs of the poor. They are leaving 17,000
without water to drink. They can`t cook for their families. They can`t
bathe. They can`t even flush a toilet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: What kind of government would allow its people to live
without water? What kind of people are we?

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: This water, you can`t do nothing without water. You
want to cut off a family`s water without notice because you`re late?

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: You can`t take a bath, you can`t cook your food, you
can`t wash clothes, it`s unsanitary.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: How do I live? I don`t want to get emotional on
camera, but this is my life. And you`re taking everything that I have
worked for.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Water is a basic human right. And it should be available to
everybody, not just for those who can afford it. It`s time to restore
services immediately.

Joining me now live from Detroit, Reverend Charles Williams II, he`s the
president of the Michigan Chapter, my civil rights organization and
National Action Network. And Reverend David Alexander Bullock, the
national spokesman for the Change Agent Consortium. Thank you both for
being here.

REV. CHARLES WILLIAMS II, NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK: Thank you Reverend for
having me.

DAVID ALEXANDER BULLOCK, PASTOR, GREATER ST. MATTHEW BAPTIST CHURCH: Thank
you for having me.

SHARPTON: Reverend Williams, you led protests today. Give our viewers a
sense of the water crisis people are facing.

WILLIAMS: Well, Reverend Sharpton, 50 years ago Lyndon Johnson signed the
civil rights bill. Fifty years later, today we are marching and fighting
for not race segregation but now class segregation. Where people aren`t
getting access to basic public services because Governor Snyder has decided
to dehydrate Detroit.

SHARPTON: Now, the poverty rate in Detroit, Reverend is over 38 percent.
Unemployment is high as 14.5. They just increased the water bill rate by
8.7. The Detroit water rate is plus 119 percent over the past decade.
Something seems wrong with this picture.

BULLOCK: That`s right. Something is wrong.

WILLIAMS: We have a race to the bottom instead of a race to the top,
Reverend Sharpton. And so, what we are doing is we are organizing and
mobilizing folks from across the city of Detroit, across the state of
Michigan to prepare ourselves to be engaged in this election. Because the
buck stops in one place. And that is only on the desk of Governor Rick
Snyder. And so folks have to understand that it`s not our mayor. They
have no power. It`s not the city council, they have no power. It`s
Governor Snyder. And that`s who we have to stop. Not only are we going to
protest. But we are going to register folks to vote and we`re going to
push them out to vote in our freedom summer initiative that you have kicked
off nationally and they were working on in Michigan, in Ohio and across the
country.

SHARPTON: Now, Reverend Bullock, give us a sense of how people are
suffering and dealing with this. And also, people need to understand the
hypocrisy here. Is everyone getting the same treatment? Because I`m told
that there is not been the same treatment to vote major corporations and
others that owe substantial water bills.

BULLOCK: No. Reverend Sharpton, thank you for having me on the program.
You`re exactly right. People whose water is shutoff they can`t prepare
formula for their children, seniors can`t take their medicine, they can`t
bathe themselves. So, this is not just about shutting off water, this is a
health crisis waiting to happen in the city of Detroit. And while you are
shutting off folks who owe $150 or more, 60 days late, you don`t have the
same level of accountability for corporations. Joe Louis Arena, $50,000,
Ford Field about 55,000, Palmer Park golf course $500,000. City of
Detroit, $20 million. Well, how come you don`t have the same level
shutoffs with those corporations?

SHARPTON: Wait, wait a minute. You`ve got people owing $50,000, half a
million dollars and their water is not been disturbed but you have mothers
who can`t boil water for their babies because they couldn`t pay a bill
after we have seen the rise of unemployment or the rise are of joblessness
while at the same time they have increased the rates over the last several
years by 119 percent, Reverend Bullock?

BULLOCK: That`s right, Reverend Sharpton. Hear me clearly. Corporations
are not being shut off. Look, Joe Louis Arena again about 50,000. Ford
field, $55,000. City of Detroit, somewhere around 20 million. The State
of Michigan has a $5 million water bill just on the state fair grounds
alone. But they`re not going after this municipal or corporate actors,
they are going after grandma, they`re going after grandpa. This is a war
on the poor. At the same time --

SHARPTON: And the state of Michigan now, the governor and them are the
ones doing this, Reverend Williams. No wonder you could be able to, you
and union leaders could get those numbers out today. Because this is
blatant.

WILLIAMS: The National Nurses United Union they stood with us today. And
they announced today that Detroit is a public health crisis. Because
people don`t have access to healthy, clean drinking, bathing, cooking
water. It`s wrong. It`s also wrong for Snyder and Orr to give five
percent pay increases. Five percent pay increases to all of the employees
that make almost over $100,000 a year. It`s also wrong for the state of
Michigan and the city of Detroit to give a half a billion dollars, not a
million. Half a billion dollars in tax subsidy so that they could build a
new red wings stadium while at the same time folks at the bottom are being
pushed even further by cutting off their water. This is wrong. We`ve got
to fight and stand up against this. We want to thank the national folks
who came in to help us. But we`re going to continue this movement.

SHARPTON: Well, Reverend Bullock, they are passing to have a new stadium?
At a time when they are cutting off the water on 17,000 people.

BULLOCK: Look, Reverend Sharpton. The city of Detroit gave prime property
to Mike Ilitch for one dollar. Took money from education to the tune of
$235 million and transferred it into another fund so that they could use
public dollars to build a hockey stadium that most folks who live in the
neighborhoods will never be able see the inside of. And to add insult to
injury, 125 communities are supplied water by the Detroit water system.
The suburbs have their own accounts and so why are they trying to act like
somehow the Detroit customers are the reason why the entire system has
debt? We need to look at the other communities that this system supplies
and make sure they are paying their bills as well.

SHARPTON: Reverend Williams, what will make Snyder and the others
understand that this is serious? Will they agree? Will the communities in
Michigan come out and vote? He`s up for election this year. He`s the one
that started this.

WILLIAMS: Well, Reverend Sharpton, we`ll educate and organize and mobilize
and organize folks from across the state of Michigan to get out and get
ready to get involved in this election. National Action Network members
have hit the streets across the state. But that`s what it`s going to take.
That`s the only thing that`s going to win against this water. That`s only
thing that`s going to win against these egregious policies that continue to
drive folks further into poverty.

SHARPTON: This is a human right. This is atrocious. Reverend Charles
Williams II. Reverend David Alexander Bullock, thank you both for your
time and for your dedication.

BULLOCK: Thank you.

SHARPTON: Coming up, news on the California highway beating caught on
tape. The woman is now fighting for justice.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: There is news tonight in the case of a California highway
patrolman caught on tape repeatedly hitting a woman in the head during an
arrest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(Bleep)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Oh! He`s beating her up.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Oh, my gosh. Why?

(Siren)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: The attorneys for Marlene Pinnock, the woman who was beaten on
that tape have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the officer in
that video. And the commissioner of the California highway patrol as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN BURRIS, ATTORNEY FOR MARLENE PINNOCK: He was throwing vicious blows
that were shockingly in the manner which they delivered, the power which
they were delivered. And, you know, you can easily suffer brain damage or
have a serious injury as a consequence of that. You can`t pound a person
into submission and expect to get away with it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: The officer continues to work for the CHP and still getting
paid. Pinnock`s attorneys are also asking that the officer be charged with
attempted murder for his use of excessive force in this case. We`ll
continue to follow this story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: Finally tonight, the 298 victims of Malaysia Airlines flight 17.
They were parents and children starting vacations. Medical experts headed
to an important conference. At least 80 children lost their lives in the
attack on the plane including three infants and three children who were
going home to Australia with their grandfather. At the crash site,
children`s books and stuffed animals are strewn among the wreckage.
Makeshift white flags marked where the bodies lay in corn fields and among
the debris.

One American was confirmed killed, 19-year-old Quinn Lucas Schansman, he
born in New Jersey but lived most of his life in Holland. Yesterday he was
on his way to meet his family for a vacation. Twenty five-year-old Carlean
Kaiser (ph) was a doctoral student in chemistry at the University of
Indiana. She was a member of the women`s rowing team three years ago.
Also on board, one of the top aids researchers, a leading figure in the
push to find a cure. For one answer, their mother, a different outcome.
She missed the flight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Feeling physically sick. Coming through the airport I
was just crying. I`m just thinking I feel like I have been given a second
chance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: This video made by a passenger and posted to Instagram right
before the plane took off shows 298 innocent people were about to lose
their lives. Our condolences to their families. To honor all of them, we
must seek justice.

Thanks for watching. I`m Al Sharpton. Have a great weekend. "HARDBALL"
starts right now.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY
BE UPDATED.
END

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