Feinstein Defies GOP, Releases Fusion GPS Testimony
BALDWIN: Breaking news on the congressional Russia investigation. The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee has unexpectedly released the interview transcripts of co-founder of Fusion GPS. That is a private investigation firm behind a controversial dossier alleging ties between President Trump and Russians. Senator Dianne Feinstein decision to release Glen Simpson's testimony goes against the wishes of Republicans colleagues on the committee. Let's go to The Hill to our senior congressional correspondent, Manu Raju, who along with a team has been going through these 400 pages of testimony that we know Glen Simpson had wanted released. What are some of the headline so far?</s>MANU RAJU CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the big headline out of this is what Glen Simpson said about Christopher Steele. Who of course, is that British agent who compiled this dossier during the 2016 campaign. Who had gone to Russia, investigated the president, then candidate Trump's connections to Russia. And what he said is that steel was so alarmed at what he found that he went on his own volition, went to brief the FBI about his findings. Because according to Glen Simpson, Steele thought that this candidate, candidate Trump could be susceptible to Russian blackmail. Now this is according to this rather lengthy testimony. Now, what Christopher Steele said during this testimony, during his interviews with the FBI, he said that there was an internal campaign source who essentially corroborated a lot of what Mr. Steele said. A lot of what he found about these Trump Russia connections. The one thing that we have now learned though, Brooke, is that point is not entirely accurate. A source who is close to Fusion GPS tells us that there was actually no internal campaign source who separately briefed the FBI about Trump Russia connections. In fact, what Mr. Steele appears to have been referring to, was an Australian ambassador who had passed along information to the FBI after having discussions about Russia and Trump potential connections with that Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos. Who, as we know, pleaded guilty late last year to lying to the FBI about these Russian contacts. Now, according to this testimony from Glen Simpson, he goes really into length to defend Christopher Steele. He said he was hired as expert to understand exactly what happened during candidate Trump's past. Why he took trips to Russia? Why he had connections with Russia? And that's how Steele came across what he believed was rather concerning information. Now, Brooke, Republicans are very, very angry about this, particularly the Republican chairman of the committee. Because they thought this was done behind closed doors, in private, as part of larger investigation. But Chuck Grassley, spokesman, released a statement saying they were confounded by the decision by Feinstein to release this information. Said it would undercut exactly what they are trying to do moving forward. Including trying to secure testimony from other witnesses like the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. And some Democrats, too are saying this just shows this is a bipartisan impasse this investigation. Chris Coons telling me earlier that Democrats saying, this shows that this could be that the two sides are not in agreement. And that's what the Democrats had to take it this rather extraordinarily step in releasing the transcript showing the concerns that Christopher Steele had about president's ties to Russia and why he decided to talk the FBI last year -- Brooke.</s>BALDWIN: 400 pages. Worth keep going through it. We want to keep hearing the reporting we know Glen Simpson so badly wanted public. Manu Raju, thank you so much for that for now. Coming up next here on CNN the U.S. says it welcomes the second round of talks between North Korea and South Korea. This time focused on the military. But if nuclear weapons are off the table, what's to discuss?