[Lemon:] So we have breaking news. A source says Rob Porter was interviewed by the FBI in the fall and they brought up what the ex-wives had alleged. Porter then told White House Counsel Don McGahn about it. Also in the fall, the chief of staff John Kelly was made aware of some of what the FBI had learned when Kelly inquired about status of some security clearances. Now, again, Porter denied the allegations. I want to bring in now CNN political commentator Scott Jennings and Symone Sanders. Listen, no matter how you slice it, this is a very troubling story. Good evening to both of you. Scott I'm starting with you. I have to ask you about this new reporting by CN's Pamela Brown about Rob Porter interview with the FBI and what John Kelly and John McGahn were told. Should Porter have been fired then and there?
[Scott Jennings, Cnn Political Commentator:] Well, certainly if the FBI thought that the allegations were credible enough to bring forward, and if Porter then misled as some are saying chief of staff Kelly and the White House counsel McGahn about what was said in the interview, absolutely. That is one thing you will hear if you talk to people in the White House tonight, because they feel like Porter really did mislead them. I'd like to know what Porter told the FBI, I like to know if he misled them as well. These time line has been laid out and the reporting tonight is extremely troubling. And the White House I think still has work to do to try to clean up precisely who knew what and when. Again if you talk to people in the White House there is a lot of frustration. They feel some of this has been scrambled about when John Kelly knew things and when he did not. But at the end of the day you cannot deny this is a major P.R. debacle in the White House. I'm glad Rob Porter is ultimately gone. But this has been a torturous story. Nobody with this kind of stuff in their background should be in a position of trust.
[Lemon:] You mention a time line but the White House won't give the time line, because they're afraid it makes them look bad.
[Jennings:] There are things going on in this time line that we don't know. What I would advise the White House to do is sometimes letting people, the American people, the press look under the hood of the security clearance process is a good thing. And if there are things that aren't getting out that they feel like would help clarify this situation that would be good. Look, the bad actor here is Rob Porter. He clearly did something he shouldn't done. It was a terrible thing. So what the White House has some explaining to do on is how does the security clearance process work? How did it work with Porter? And why wasn't it acted upon?
[Lemon:] John Kelly is not a bad actor, after a year you can't get a permanent security clearance?
[Symone Sanders, Cnn Political Commentator:] I think Scott is being generous. He is being extremely generous. Too generous. The fact of the matter is Rob Porter is a bad actor. And John Kelly. And anyone else who excused and covered up this behavior. This is not rocket science. It's not just Rob Porter for that matter that is been operating with a temporary security clearance at the White House. Because there is some reason they cannot get a real security clearance. Jared Kushner as well. And 13 other individuals who don't have security clearances handling sensitive information for this country in the White House. This is a problem. I don't buy it not more a minute that the White House didn't know. It should be inexcusable at any level for something like I don't care if you are a Rhode scholar if you are beating on your wife or anyone else, you don't deserve to serve the American people.
[Lemon:] Let me say this. They say they were misled by Porter. Well they had the information. The FBI said there were orders of protection. An order of protection. There is the evidence. There were two different wives that there were allegations against. I mean, if you have the evidence laid out in front of you, then how can you be misled by Rob Porter? There is the evidence. The facts. And then how someone spins them. Scott?
[Jennings:] Yes, I think there is some dispute if you talk to White House people about exactly what they knew from the FBI. Now what I think is frankly a more troubling.
[Lemon:] Is it because they don't trust the FBI even if
[Jennings:] Porter had been involved with separately from the FBI called the White House and said these things happened to me which further complicates the overall time line. One thing to remember about the security clearance process. It's not instantaneous process. It does take time for people who even had relatively uncomplicated backgrounds. It is not totally unusual. This one took a long time and clearly there were issues at play that they should have looked into it.
[Sanders:] Son, I think the fact of the matter here is this. To be clear Porter is no longer at the White House not because the White House felt it was egregious of what he was accused of they need to excuse him. But because of media pressure, he excuse himself and even afterwards the chief of staff sent out a statement basically saying we stand with him.
[Lemon:] But Symone, January of last year, the White House reportedly told FBI, I mean the ex-wives told the
[Fbi. Sanders:] Exactly which is why this is problematic. What this says to me, this is a larger issue. We have had a national reckoning with the #metoo movement. But the fact of the matter is that men in power are still protecting toxic men who are having access to power.
[Lemon:] Is this an old boy's club Symone?
[Sanders:] It's an old boy's club. I think we have to unpack it, we have to speak very frankly and intentionally about that. I just do not understand I think there are many folks across the country, especially women, asking themselves today how could Rob Porter be allowed to continue to operate in that magnitude at the White House and folks continue to support him?
[Lemon:] I got to switch gears here so let's move on now. I want to talk about the former White House aide. Omarosa.
[Sanders:] It is black history month we got to talk about Omarosa? All right. I'm just saying. It is black history month.
[Lemon:] Guys.
[Sanders:] We didn't go to the mat to get Negro history week and eventually turning into a black history month to talk about Omarosa and her apology tour and salvaging her reputation on a reality TV show. Not during black history month, Don.
[Lemon:] Ok.
[Sanders:] These are the facts. Scott, you going to back me up.
[Lemon:] All right. Sorry the guys in the studio are not helping let me get the story.
[Scott Jennings, Cnn Political Commentator:] That was terrific. That was a terrific decision. I'm frankly amazed with someone is allowed to use a position of public trust to further enrich themselves. I think it devalues the office.
[Lemon:] She is not the only all right listen as much as I'm laughing at Omarosa she is not only one using the public office to enrich themselves personally. There are lots of people in this administration, including the President.
[Sanders:] Every other white man that is been fired from the White House.
[Lemon:] Wow! Let's get the story in. Omarosa is now on the celebrity show celebrity big brother I think on CBS, she has been giving insight into the time at the Trump administration. Watch this.
[Unidentified Female:] I was haunted by tweets every day. Like what is he going to tweet? Does anybody say to him, what are you doing? And I tried to be that person. And then all of the people around him attacked me. Should we be worried? Don't say that. Because we are worried, but I need you to say now it's going to be ok. No it's not.
[Lemon:] Okay. So.
[Sanders:] I don't think it's going to be ok either.
[Lemon:] But
[Jennings:] Wait, whoa, whoa? Why is he whispering? She is on national television. Who does she think is not going to hear her? I bet if you tried to produce a memos of all the things she accomplished at the White House you couldn't fill up a piece of paper double spaced.
[Lemon:] Hold on Symone, OK you just made my point.
[Sanders:] Ok.
[Lemon:] In defense of Omarosa which I can't believe I'm defending Omarosa. There are lots of people at the White House.
[Sanders:] It is black history month.
[Lemon:] Symone, I got to get through this. Stop it, girl. If you look at the White House there are lots of people who didn't get anything accomplished in the White House and who are not getting anything accomplished now. Look at the chaos that is going on. Omarosa is not alone. I think maybe other people in the house are sleeping. Maybe give her and what's his name some credit for that. Go ahead.
[Sanders:] Look, I don't give any passes to anyone who came from the White House who participated that the kerfuffle that is the Donald Trump in my opinion presidency and the eroding of the institutions who leads the White House and going on the tours suggesting they are hurt.
[Lemon:] But Symone other people showing up on this this network on making money off this White House and getting rich why should shouldn't Omarosa be any different.
[Sanders:] They are all in my eyes bad apples. I'm putting Omarosa in it.
[Jennings:] Hold on hold on. You can't apply that to you cannot apply that title to there are people working in the White House and this administration and there are people working in the Obama administration and the Bush administration and the Clinton people go to the jobs by and large do so because they believe in public service. You can't apply that title to everybody that works there.
[Sanders:] You worked in the White House. It's not just because I don't like the President. I think the president is eroding institutions and the stance abroad. The damage is done to American democracy that is being unraveled. So in my opinion anyone that is working in the White House that is complicit that doesn't beat in back every single day, I think those individuals are complicit I'm calling them bad apples.
[Lemon:] I want to White House response? Can I do the White House response? I want to do the White House response. Let's play it real quick.
[Unidentified Male:] Omarosa was fired three times on the apprentice. And this is the fourth time we let her go. She had limited contact with the President while here. She has no contact now.
[Lemon:] So here is what I got out of that. We let her go, meaning the White House is the apprentice. It's a reality show. He said that. His words, Scott.
[Jennings:] Yeah, I thought Raj's note today and comment was good. It was stinging. But the clearly she shouldn't have been hired in the first place. I mean, this person's entire life has been made by Donald Trump both before and I guess after the White House.
[Sanders:] Hold on Don.
[Jennings:] I think she used this job as a spring board to the next reality TV thing. To use a job like this where you could do some good really to enrich only you're only self and I think despicable.
[Sanders:] She is not the only one.
[Lemon:] She is not the only one only black one.
[Sanders:] Omarosa is no different than the President of the United States in this matter. I think that statement goes to show that this White House if you didn't think it before they had zero loyalty. Omarosa had been with the President from the beginning. She went to support the Donald Trump candidacy, because her friend called her and told her he was running for president. What would you do if your friend called you? I don't know what kind of folks need enemies with friends like these. Omarosa is no different than other folks on the apology tours which I do not support.
[Lemon:] I got to go. This is a fascinating conversation. I needed a good laugh. Thank you Symone. Thank you, Scott.
[Jennings:] Thank you, Don.
[Lemon:] Omarosa. Come on now. Really. When we come back her father was one of Vladimir Putin's bosses. Now this reality star turned politician is challenging for the presidency. Sound familiar?