This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," May 17, 2017. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: Welcome to "Hannity." This is a Fox News Alert. Major breaking news tonight. The Department of Justice has appointed former FBI director Robert Mueller as a special counsel to oversee the investigation into Russian election interference, or possible interference. Tonight, Laura Ingraham, Mike Huckabee, David Limbaugh, Geraldo Rivera, Dennis Kucinich, Lou Dobbs are all here with reaction.

But first, everything we have been telling you since November the 8th has been coming to fruition. And as I explained last night, in an unprecedented move, five powerful groups are now aligning to take down President Trump. Their goal is simple. They do not want President Trump to govern, and they will do anything and say anything to stop him from enacting the agenda you elected him to enact. We're going to explain tonight what you can do and how to fight back, and that's tonight's "Opening Monologue."

All right, so last night, we told you about the five groups that are aligning to stop President Trump. Now, these groups are, by the way, all the swamp that needs to be drained. Let me explain.

Number one, you've got the destroy Trump media, perhaps among the worst. They're bitter, they are hostile, every night constantly coming up with one bizarre conspiracy theory after another, lie after lie after lie!

You've got a group number two, the Democrats, totally unhinged. They still can't get over the fact Donald Trump won and Hillary lost.

Number three, perhaps the most dangerous, the deep state. They're targeting President Trump by selectively leaking information, true or not true, almost now on a daily basis. They are at war with the president of the United States.

Number four, the never-Trumpers, all right, groups like National Review, The Weekly Standard, and people who never thought or wanted Donald Trump to win, never thought he could win. Now, they're now looking to be vindicated. They want relevance once again because they're so important and they were proven so wrong in 2016.

Number five, establishment Republicans. Now, they're not so much a danger. They never supported President Trump, never supported his agenda. And they're now looking for any excuse because they're afraid of their own shadow. They were always afraid they'd get blamed for a government shutdown.

But the bottom line is this: Make no mistake about it, these five groups are directly threatened by President Donald Trump because his presidency means the destruction of everything they stand for and the old way of how Washington, D.C., works. Now, if the president succeeds, it means they fail. They're out of business. So what's happening? They're doing everything they can possibly do to try and stop all of that from happening.

Now, let me remind you, now, these are people -- remember? They openly laughed at, mocked President Trump's candidacy! They thought it was the funniest thing ever! He can't win. You may remember this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

SETH MEYERS, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER, APRIL 30, 2011: Donald Trump has been saying that he will run for president as a Republican, which is surprising because I just assumed he was running as a joke.

(LAUGHTER)

REP. KEITH ELLISON, D-MINN., "THIS WEEK"/ABC, JULY 26, 2015: We better be ready for the fact that he might be leading the Republican ticket.

(LAUGHTER)

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, CO-HOST: I know you don't believe that, but I want to go on (INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sorry to laugh.

BILL MAHER, "REAL TIME"/HBO, JUNE 19, 2015: Which Republican candidate has the best chance of winning the general election?

ANN COULTER, CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR: Of the declared ones right now? Donald Trump.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

HANNITY: He can't win! It's the funniest thing ever!

Then you remember election night? I remember election night well. I was sitting in my bed, literally tuning channel to channel to channel. After Donald Trump won, all across the television dial, it was a funeral. They couldn't believe it. It was shock and awe! Remember this?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS FROM NOV. 9, 2016)

LAWRENCE O'DONNELL, MSNBC: America is crying tonight. I'm not sure how much of America, but a very, very significant portion. And I mean literally crying. This is a sadness. It is a mourning moment for those people. And it is a moment filled with fear, filled with fear.

RACHEL MADDOW, MSNBC: Our country is about to face some serious crises. And so buckle up, your country needs you.

VAN JONES, CNN: This was a whitelash. This was a whitelash against a changing country. It was a whitelash against a black president in part, and that's the part where the pain comes.

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

HANNITY: Ah, now that shock has given way to anger and real bitterness on their part. And since that day, they have now been relentlessly pushing bizarre tinfoil hat conspiracy theories, lies, all in an attempt to take down President Trump. Don't believe me? We've got the videotape all for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

O'DONNELL, APRIL 7: Wouldn't it be nice if it was just completely, totally, absolutely impossible to suspect that Vladimir Putin orchestrated what happened in Syria this week so that his friend in the White House could have a big night with missiles and all of the praise he's picked up over the last 24 hours? Wouldn't it be so nice if you couldn't even in your wildest dreams imagine a scenario like that?

CHRIS MATTHEWS, MARCH 22: I'll say it again. This Russian connection just keeps building, and every time it builds and expands, you have to wonder if Trump himself isn't worried about's swirling around under the covers.

ANDERSON COOPER, MARCH 20: CNN has learned new details of the FBI investigation into potential links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE, MARCH 5, ON NBC NEWS: Specifically, Willie, I think what it means is that a federal judge found that people in Trump's organization were colluding with the Russians.

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

HANNITY: See what's happening? They're moving (ph) breathlessly, and I mean breathlessly, the hysteria on television every day and night. They're going from one manufactured scandal to the next manufactured scandal to the next lie, and they're creating feeding frenzies all in the hopes their smears, lies, attacks are going to stick and lead to President Trump's downfall.

Now, just look at the Trump-hating Washington Post story saying that President Trump gave the Russian foreign minister and ambassador classified information while they were visiting the White House last week. OK, it was denied by the Trump administration officials who were actually in the room. But they have their sources, outside sources and sources formerly in the administration and sources from Mars, apparently.

And that's only one of three stories The Washington Post has gotten wrong in just the past two weeks. Now, The Washington Post, just like the rest of the destroy Trump media, has no credibility. And it's why our friend Newt Gingrich has very wisely said and is now saying he is, quote, "personally offended" by the American news media and that they're, quote, "disgusting and destructive."

That's the only way to describe it. The former speaker is right. And it goes along with every single thing that we have been saying on this show. And now, predictably, this destroy Trump alliance -- they're wetting their pants over The New York Times report that cites a memo, James Comey, claiming that President Trump asked the now former, fired, disgruntled, failed FBI director to end the investigation into Lieutenant General Michael Flynn. He took notes. After all, it's his word against Trump's, but the media is believing him and believing what he's saying.

Now, you got the predictably deranged Democrats, they're unhinged allies. They're not wasting this opportunity. They're now calling for President Trump's impeachment, and they know no facts. Don't believe me? Here's your honest media at work lying to you as usual.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

REP. AL GREEN, D-TEXAS: I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to call for the impeachment of the president of the United States of America for obstruction of justice.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN: Are we getting closer and closer to the possibility of yet another impeachment process?

DAVID GERGEN, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER, ON CNN: After watching the Clinton impeachment, I thought I'd never see another one, but I think we're in impeachment territory now for the first time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE ON MSNBC: We are well on our way to impeachment because I think there's a clear set of facts that show obstruction of justice.

MADDOW: This is heading toward the end, right? It has to be, right? It feels that way.

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

HANNITY: No, actually, wrong, in spite of all the foaming at the mouth because the media and the Democrats think this is their chance, they've got to get the president now while they've got time!

Now, unlike the Democrats and the destroy Trump media and their running-wild conspiracy theories, here on this program, we actually care about truth and about facts and about reality. Donald Trump is not getting impeached over the James Comey deal.

Now, as we explained in great detail on Monday, James Comey deserved to be fired. He wasn't the so-called champion of truth. He was an utter and complete failure. He was a national embarrassment. His conduct was shameful.

We explained how he disrespected the Constitution, the rule of law, equal justice under the law for every American, how he created a two-tiered justice system, one for Bill and Hillary Clinton and one for the rest of us. Now, Comey himself laid out the case against Hillary Clinton committing felony after felony with her private email server and explained how she broke several laws with her, quote, "extremely careless" behavior. Remember, the standard is grossly mismanaged, grossly inappropriate, gross negligence. That's the standard legally. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, JULY 5, 2016)

JAMES COMEY, FBI DIRECTOR: From the group of 30,000 emails returned to the State Department in 2014, 110 emails in 52 email chains have been determined by the owning agency to contain classified information at the time they were sent or received.

Eight of those chains contained information that was top-secret at the time they were sent. Thirty-six of those chains contained secret information at the time, and eight contained confidential information at the time. That's the lowest level of classification.

Separate from those, about 2,000 additional emails were up-classified to make them confidential. Those e-mails had not been classified at the time that they were sent...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: He described felonies! But then guess what? Comey played politics. He gives Hillary Clinton a free pass! Remember Christian Saucier? He got a full year of prison. He took pictures inside a submarine he was working on and serving on.

Now, the same goes for the Clinton Foundation. Remember Peter Schweizer? He exposed the pay-to-play schemes at the foundation and the extremely suspicious Uranium One deal. Remember? Hillary Clinton herself gave a waiver that allowed 20 percent of American uranium to go to Vladimir Putin, the real Russian connection.

The Clintons stuffed their pockets with millions and millions and millions of dollars while she was serving as secretary of state. And Comey didn't and think it was important enough to even investigate.

Then, of course, we all care about the Constitution, our 4th Amendment privacy rights. Well, we know the Obama administration, during a campaign season, 600 percent increase that they surveilled, unmasked and leaked then the name of Lieutenant General Michael Flynn. That's a felony! That's violation of the Espionage Act! In fact, it's the only crime we actually know was committed in this whole Russia conspiracy theory, and the media never talks about it.

Now, Comey once again had a reason to act, and he didn't act. Now, James Comey didn't do his job. He got fired. Now he's a bitter partisan and he's out for blood! He's a disgruntled, fired ex-employee, and frankly, anything he has to say for himself in a memo -- well, first, it's his word versus Trump's, but it's meaningless!

Donald Trump's not getting impeached over this. And it's only a matter of time. What did I say the day after he got fired? Comey will get a multi- million dollar book deal, a movie, a miniseries, primetime special, Diane Sawyer, or maybe even George Stephanopoulos. Why not go totally in for the Clintons? And probably an MSNBC contributor-ship. Now, he wants be booked on Rachel Maddow, Steve Colbert, Bill Maher, the biggest Trump haters in the country.

Now, if James Comey's so concerned about this dinner with the president, why didn't James Comey immediately go to the Department of Justice and sound the alarm? By the way, he had a legal obligation to do so. As my colleague, Greg Jarrett, pointed out, Comey may have, in fact, broken two laws by not coming forward if he thought this was an attempt at obstruction of justice.

Look at 18 U.S. Code 4. "Whoever having knowledge of the actual commission of a felony cognizable (ph) by a court of the United States conceals and does not as soon as possible make known the same to some judge or other person in civil or military authority under the United States shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years or both." Oh, three years.

And according to 28 U.S. Code 13.61, "The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of any action in the nature of mandamus to compel an officer or employee of the United States or any agency thereof to perform a duty owed to the plaintiff."

And why last week during a congressional hearing did the acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, say this?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, MAY 11)

SEN. MARCO RUBIO, R-FLA.: I think the American people want to know, has the dismissal of Mr. Comey in any way impeded, interrupted, stopped, or negatively impacted any of the work, any investigation or any ongoing projects at the Federal Bureau of Investigation?

ANDREW MCCABE, ACTING FBI DIRECTOR: The work, the men and women of the FBI continues despite any changes in circumstance, any decisions. so there has been no effort to impede our investigation to date.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: This is so important. This Comey story is just part of the larger puzzle tonight. And this is where I want you to really pay really close attention. It is another piece. You got these five powerful groups actively trying to take down a sitting United States president. These five forces are trying to create enough confusion and doubt through their innuendo because they're trying at the very least to stop President Trump from doing the job that he promised you he would do. Now, they want to keep the current system perfectly intact because that's where they maintain their own power!

So many of you are writing me. You are worried about the theatrics, the hysteria in the media. You're worried about the Democrats calling for impeachment. You're worried about the deep state and the leaking. You're worried about never-Trumpers that now they're feeling vindication and relevancy again that I told you about.

You know, I often say on my radio show and in life, let not your heart be troubled. Here's my advice to you tonight. It's time for you to stand up and fight. You voted for the economy -- you voted for the economy and the plan to grow the economy to get people off of poverty, out of food stamps and back in the labor force and get the home ownership rate at a 51-year low back up again.

You voted for all of those things, lower taxes, seven brackets to three. You voted for extreme venting. You voted for ObamaCare repealing and replacing. It's happening. You voted for a stronger posture to defeat ISIS. You voted for a much stronger military. And more importantly, you voted to drain the swamp.

Here's my advice to you. If you voted, if this was your dream for America in November, stop wringing your hands. Start fighting for the things that you voted for. This is a real clear threat to what you wanted in November.

Get engaged. This battle is now being fought for the hearts and minds of the American people. Losing can't be an option.

And coming up, Laura Ingraham joins us next with reaction to tonight's monologue. And also tonight...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No politician in history -- and I say this with great surety -- has been treated worse or more unfairly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: We have been saying this on this show for months. There is an effort to destroy Donald Trump's presidency.

And also tonight, breaking news. Former FBI director Robert Mueller has been appointed as a special counsel to oversee the, quote, "Russia" investigation. Maybe we'll get some answers. We'll get reaction from Geraldo Rivera, David Limbaugh.

And also tonight, former Congressman Dennis Kucinich is saying about the deep state, sounding the alarm that people in that community are trying to take down the president. Finally, a Democrat willing to address the deep state intelligence leaking. He'll join us, along with Governor Mike Huckabee, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: This is a Fox News Alert. The Department of Justice has named former FBI director Robert Mueller as a special counsel to oversee the bureau's investigation into so-called Russian interference in the election. We're going to have analysis to this breaking news, our legal panel coming up.

But first, joining us with reaction to my "Opening Monologue," editor-in- chief, Lifezette, and Fox News contributor, also nationally syndicated radio talk show host Laura Ingraham.

You know, I don't feel -- do you agree on the five alliance people, that they're really trying to destroy the president?

LAURA INGRAHAM, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Absolutely. I was -- while I was listening to you, I did a few quick cursory searches going back to November, and it was basically within a week of Donald Trump winning the presidency, when everyone was shocked -- I'm so glad you played those old clips of the ashen faces of the reporters -- that the left began to write about and urge possibilities toward impeachment.

This is something they had in mind ever since they got hit with a two-by- four on election night. And they will continue to work fast and furious toward this goal of not only resisting the Trump agenda, but they hope to humiliate him, destroy him, and then destroy along with him the conservative populist agenda that he ran on that, you know, obviously, stood for strong borders, no amnesty, getting rid of those bad trade deals, less of a -- you know, a global policeman role for the United States.

A lot of people are really threatened by that agenda. So I'm so glad you raise that. That's a -- that's something we should talk about here because no serious person thinks that Donald Trump obstructed justice in a conversation with Comey because if he did, Comey thought he did, Comey would have reported it, as is his legal duty, as you pointed out in your monologue. That's Comey's legal duty to do. He didn't. And the investigation was not obstructed. So That's all preposterous.

Under Article 2, the president has a duty and a right to oversee the FBI, and you know, they properly delegate the law enforcement to the FBI and try to insulate it from politics. But that's not to curb the president's Article 2 authority over the FBI. So if he wants to meet with the FBI and give his opinion or even talk about his hopes, if indeed, he said that, he has every right to do so.

HANNITY: Yes, no, it's interesting that James Comey may have committed a crime if he thought he was attempting to obstruct justice. Apparently, he didn't take it now. Even if he did think it, he doesn't think it now because we're reminding him of the law. Apparently, he didn't know laws about that Hillary Clinton had broken. So I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't know this one.

Look, he's bitter. He'll have his book deal, movie, miniseries, Diane Sawyer. That's all coming.

Here's my next question. The Washington Post -- let's go back to that story for just a second here because there's a feeding frenzy a day now and The Washington -- He leaked intelligence! Nobody cared about Hillary. But more importantly, The Washington Post last week got two big stories wrong about the deputy attorney general threatening to quit. He said, No, I never threatened to quit, and James Comey asking for more money...

INGRAHAM: Yes, Paul (ph), Paul (ph).

HANNITY: We got plenty of money. We don't need the money. How do people see the headline, they're wrong all the time, they cheered this week when they got such a response to this...

INGRAHAM: Oh, so transparent.

HANNITY: ... story. How do they get away with getting, quote -- quoted everywhere and hysteria on TV?

INGRAHAM: I've got to say, Sean, remember when Donald Trump talked about the Bezos media, Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com...

HANNITY: Yes.

INGRAHAM: ... committed liberal, when he bought The Washington Post, we all expected The Post, which is already pretty left-wing, to move even further left. And now it's just an extension of the DNC. For the most part, and The New York Times might be a little better, and they have some good reporters at both places. I'm not trying to besmirch the reputation of all reporters.

But on some of this stuff, it is so irresponsibly reported, and taking so many anonymous sources with literally no accountability, and it seems like an axe to grind. There never is any question of the motivations of these leakers. And they -- over at The New York Times, Sean, they're willing to go with a story about a memo they haven't even seen! Who's talking about those journalistic elements?

HANNITY: Oh, I'm sure it exists. Memo to self, oh, Donald Trump said this.

INGRAHAM: Yes, never self-serving, though! No one ever writes self- serving memos!

HANNITY: No. Oh, yes, make him look -- again, he should have told the Justice Department if he thought he was attempting to obstruct justice.

Let me pick your legal mind here. With all the hysteria -- I mean, it's breathless reporting, and all the media -- I think we're the only rational, sane people now, which, by the way, will drive them crazy to hear me say that.

INGRAHAM: Yes. Yes.

HANNITY: But here's my point. Putting your legal hat on for just a second -- there's nothing here, legally, nothing. But...

INGRAHAM: Oh, I know. I'm, you're right. I mean...

HANNITY: So what is the net effect of this? My argument...

INGRAHAM: Well, again, it's not about -- I don't think most serious legal scholars or commentators believe any crime was committed. Remember, with impeachment, the crime is whatever -- or the conduct is whatever Congress decides it is. It doesn't have to be a crime. They can be -- it can be whatever Congress decides it's going to be at that moment. So that's number one.

Number two, what they want to do is stop this agenda. So if they can call his integrity into question -- and I'm not saying Donald Trump has not made mistakes. I think he has made some mistakes in judgment and on some occasions, been poorly served by the staff.

But if they can nick up and cut up his judgment, his integrity, his credibility, they believe that they'll scare these pusillanimous Republicans who -- and who need to grow a spine -- they'll scare them into this perpetual defensive crouch. They won't push tax reform. They won't do health care reform. The won't do the renegotiation of NAFTA. They won't do any of that because they're waiting for the other shoe to drop. That's what the Democrats are counting on, Sean. And when you have people like John McCain, who shamelessly went out and mentioned Watergate, it is -- when you see someone like McCain do that, you wonder why -- you know, we don't even need a Chuck Schumer if we have John McCain. And then others, like Justin Amash, congressman who actually is a good guy and a conservative guy. What is he doing? What is he mentioning impeachment for?

HANNITY: I know.

INGRAHAM: It's -- it's...

HANNITY: He hated Trump from the beginning.

INGRAHAM: There's a level -- I'm going to be really -- not crude, not crude, but not so nice here. It is a level of stupidity and defensiveness that you never see the Democrats acting defensive. They all stay together and they all defend their people and their positions. But Republicans are the first ones to turn tail and run when any -- when a New York Times reporter comes a'knocking. It's really reprehensible.

HANNITY: Well said. Laura Ingraham, appreciate it, as always. Thanks for being with us.

And coming up, former FBI director Robert Mueller has been appointed special counsel to oversee the so-called Russian investigation. Remember, it didn't impact one vote! Geraldo Rivera, David Limbaugh weigh in on that breaking news.

And also tonight, former congressman Dennis Kucinich sounding the alarm about the deep state and leaks coming from the intelligence community and what a threat it is to our democratic republic! He'll join us, along with Governor Mike Huckabee.

And later, Lou Dobbs is here with powerful reaction to our "Fake News Roundup," our new segment, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ED HENRY, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: This is a Fox News Alert. I'm Ed Henry on the North Lawn of the White House where President Trump and his top aides late today were surprised with news from the Justice Department that a special counsel is being named to investigate Russian interference in the last election. You see them right there, Robert Mueller, the former FBI director who preceded James Comey in that job, has been selected to lead this investigation.

President Trump, though, repeated what he has said for many months, that there is nothing to this investigation, saying, quote, "As I have stated many times, a thorough investigation will confirm what we already know. There was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity. I look forward to this matter concluding quickly. In the meantime I will never stop fighting for the people and the issues that matter most to the future of our country."

Of course, the danger with an investigation like this, as we saw with Ken Starr in the Clinton years, that it can start out as one thing and grow into something else.

I'd Ed Henry at the White House, and now back to Sean Hannity and "Hannity."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Look at the way I've been treated lately, especially by the media. No politician in history -- and I say this with great surety -- has been treated worse or more unfairly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: President Trump speaking earlier today. And also tonight, new developments, we're learning the Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has appointed former FBI director Robert Mueller, he's now been appointed to oversee the FBI's investigation into Russia meddling into the 2016 election. Remember, they told us it didn't impact one vote. What impact did they have? We should know.

Joining us now, Fox News correspondent at large, also an attorney, Geraldo Rivera, and the author of The New York Times bestselling book, it's like his ninth bestseller, "The True Jesus, Uncovering the Divinity of Christ in the Gospels," David Limbaugh. All right, let's go to both of you. I think this is a good thing. They've been clamoring for it, let them get it. We know it didn't impact the election, not one vote, we've been told repeatedly. Let's get to the bottom of it, game on, let's go.

DAVID LIMBAUGH, "THE TRUE JESUS" AUTHOR: Well, the appointment of this special prosecutor looks like a CYA move. They know there's nothing there. The DOJ knows that there's nothing there. There's been no evidence at all of any collusion. And so appointing him may tamp down some of the allegations of impropriety, the interrelationship between Trump interfering with the investigation and all that. So it gives them some distance. I think it might hurt a little bit politically, but we don't know who ordered it.

HANNITY: Why does it hurt politically to say were going to get to the bottom of it fairly and objectively?

LIMBAUGH: What I mean by that, no, that immediately doesn't. That helps politically. It just fuels the Democratic fire. There's nothing here, and yet we add another layer that lends credence to it. I'm not saying we shouldn't have done it --

HANNITY: In my case, he needs to govern, and this breathless hysteria that is existing and the deep state leaks, it's hurting his ability to do his job.

GERALDO RIVERA, FOX NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: I totally agree. I have a slightly different take than David does. I think this shifts focus from the Senate and the House, which are now hotbeds of covering your backside, to the FBI's investigation. We have a much more prudent organization now in charge.

And this guy Mueller is an inspired choice. Remember, he was the FBI director from 9/11 on. He's the one who helped fashion the FBI into a counterterrorism organization with much more vaunted abilities in terms of foreign security, national security. I think that he is untouched by politics as far as I know. He's unimpeachable in many ways. I think that this will help depoliticize the investigation. And if there is no there there, as there has not been any there there proven yet, I think he's exactly to guy to find the truth.

LIMBAUGH: I agree with what you're saying. I don't disagree with either you or Sean on the political aspects of that. Remove it, get some distance. But guess who is the most unimpeachable guy character-wise in the history of the universe -- Ken Starr, and they destroyed him. I'm not saying they will do that to Mueller. But still --

RIVERA: He had to do it. He really --

HANNITY: It wasn't him.

RIVERA: It wasn't him. It was the acting a.g. there. But I think what we had to do was restore confidence. We know so far zero evidence of collusion. So unlike Watergate, there is no crime at the heart of this. But when you see people starting to tell stories out of school, or I taped this, or inappropriate --

HANNITY: You're about to hate me. I've got a question. Can we open up the Uranium One deal, the real Russia collusion story? And Hillary signs off on 20 percent of our uranium going to Putin, and all the people involved in the deal sent millions to the foundation, can we look into that too?

RIVERA: I think this has gone too far for --

HANNITY: So the answer is no. You're telling me no, Hannity. That's not a talking point.

RIVERA: I believe that what goes around comes around. A lot of the bitterness that exists now towards Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., has to do with the fact that nobody expected him to win, so election 2016 is the prime cause of what we are seeing. And also Benghazi, Benghazi was dragged out on a lot of very reckless things were said about Hillary Clinton and others. And I think that this is in many ways karma, but it's karma with revenge tinted in. But now Mueller can clear Donald Trump. That's the key thing. Remember, you can't assume because he is a special prosecutor that he's going to find something. I do agree with David that sometimes these have a life of their own.

HANNITY: He's right.

RIVERA: Ken Starr didn't start to impeach Bill Clinton.

HANNITY: It's 40 years, $40 million, I think we remember that, and the blue dress, and right, Betty, I remember it all. It's a special counsel, not a special prosecutor.

So my last question for you, I think 20 percent of America's uranium going to Vladimir Putin is a big deal. That's Russian collusion and money in their pocket.

LIMBAUGH: Yes, and I want to make a point about this. People who are upset with conservatives who are defending Trump seem to think that we can't defend Trump without being a cheerleader and that we're always pointing out Democratic hypocrisy. But this is more than Democratic hypocrisy. This is Democratic wrongdoing, and they are affecting the best interests of the country. By making these fraudulent allegations about Russia collusion, they are hurting the country, they are undermining election results. And that's a separate wrong. I can say, Sean, I'm disappointed with the way Trump handled certain things, he shouldn't tweet certain things. But I also want to talk about how bad the Democrats -- what the Democrats are doing and how terrible that is.

HANNITY: This is good to be interesting, and you know what, I think we're on the right path here. I do. And again, they told us it didn't impact one vote. Let's see what they got. It's time to put up or shut up. All right, guys, good to see you both, appreciate it.

When we come back, you're not going to believe that, a former Democratic congressman, Dennis Kucinich, says, yes, the deep state, people inside the intelligence community are trying to destroy the president. He'll join us next along with Governor Mike Huckabee. And also tonight --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LOU DOBBS, FOX BUSINESS NETWORK: The determined the forces of evil that surround this White House are trying to destroy the Trump presidency and will settle, it appears, for nothing less. This is a war, damn it, so get to war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Powerful commentary, Lou Dobbs with a strong message to Republicans that are weak and feckless and a spineless. He'll be here and weigh in on that in our fake news roundup segment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: Welcome to "Hannity," welcome back, that is. Former Congressman Dennis Kucinich is making major news tonight by saying the deep state is trying to destroy Donald Trump's presidency. He joins us now. He's a former Ohio congressman, former mayor of Cleveland, and Fox News contributor along with former Arkansas governor, also a Fox News contributor, Mike Huckabee. How bad is this, former Congress Kucinich?

DENNIS KUCINICH, FORMER CONGRESSMAN AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, you have politicization of the agencies that is resulting in leaks from anonymous, unknown people, and the intention is to take on a president. This is very dangerous to America. It's a threat to our republic. It constitutes a clear and present danger to our way of life.

So we have to be asking, what is the motive of these people? Who's putting these leaks out? Why doesn't somebody come forward and make a charge and put their name and their reputation behind it instead of attacking through the media and not substantiating their position?

HANNITY: Sir, you agree with me, this is a real danger when you have the intelligence community in the election season under the guise of national security that are spying on an opposition party candidate and transition team at a 600 percent increase rate from the years prior to the election season.

KUCINICH: Well, we have to remember this -- our first allegiance is to our country. This isn't about one president. This is about the political process of the United States of America being under attack by intelligence agencies and individuals in those agencies, as you said, there might be some good people in there, but there are certain individuals who are lifers who want to be able to direct the policy of the country. And if a president stands in their way whether it's a Democrat or Republican --

HANNITY: Let me just repeat what you said. You're saying President Trump is under attack by the deep state intelligence community. Fair statement?

KUCINICH: I believe that. Not only that, Sean, but it has to be pointed out in October of 2016, that same deep state overrode the decision of President Obama and Secretary Kerry to come to an agreement with Russia in a ceasefire in Syria. They overrode it and launched an attack against the Syrian military base. So this is a problem in our country. We have to protect our nation here. People have to be aware of what's going on. We've got to stand up for America now.

This isn't about Democrat, Republican. This is about getting what's going on in the moment and understanding that our country itself is under attack from within.

HANNITY: Wow. Governor Huckabee?

MIKE HUCKABEE, FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR: First of all, I want to say thanks to congressman Kucinich for having the courage as a Democrat to speak truth rather than just to speak party politics.

But we hear a lot of these commentators talking about a constitutional crisis, and, Sean, we have one. The constitutional crisis is not what the president has said or done. The constitutional crisis is unelected, career bureaucrats who are trying to subvert the person that the voters chose. We have a constitutional process to remove people. It's called a ballot. And the only time that this nonsense talk about an impeachment should even come up is when there is irrefutable evidence that is so overwhelming that people even in the president's own party would think that he has to go. And only twice in American history has a presence been impeached. Neither time was that president convicted. I think the president, President Trump should come out and say, you want to impeach me? Knock yourselves out. Go ahead. Put the articles out there, let's do it, let's end the Democratic Party forever, because first of all, you're not going to have the votes to have it even come to an impeachment in the House, and you're never going to get the votes in the Senate. So if that's what you want to do, just tell Maxine Waters and tell some of these other people, do it, go for it, knock yourselves out, make this happen, and make Donald Trump a martyr and make him the most popular and effective president that we've had probably in our lifetime.

HANNITY: Well send both of you. I appreciate you both being with us, very important commentary.

Up next on this busy breaking news night tonight right here on Hannity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHANOPOULOS: The course of Trump's presidency will turn on his coming public showdown with James Comey. The big question, did President Trump try to block the FBI's Russia investigation commit an impeachable offense?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Yes, George "Clinton" Stephanopoulos, part of the destroy-Trump media with their breathless, breathless coverage of the Comey memo and the special prosecutor, our fake news roundup coming next. Lou Dobbs also here tonight.

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HANNITY: Welcome back to "Hannity." Time for tonight's fake news roundup featuring all the usual suspects, at the same time their favorite tactics, including calls for President Trump's impeachment, questions over his competency. Here's your fake news roundup.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The course of Trump's presidency will turn on his public showdown with James Comey. The big question, did President Trump try to block the FBI's Russian investigation commit an impeachable defense?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That makes them only want to get to the bottom of why the president seems to have this fealty, this subservience to Russia more than to the constitution and the rule of law and justice in the United States.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If this man that we are looking at right now ere the CEO of any Fortune 500 company, the board of directors would have fired him weeks ago. Donald Trump now sits at the threshold of impeachment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Here with reaction from the Fox Business Network, our sister network, Lou Dobbs. Before we do anything else, I have identified five groups of people that want to destroy this president, and you agree with me -- the media, the Democrats, the deep state, establishment Republicans that just, they can't fight over even shutting down the government, and then the never-Trumpers that want relevancy.

DOBBS: I couldn't agree more.

HANNITY: This is what you said last night in a powerful monologue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOBBS: The determined the forces of evil that surround this White House are trying to destroy the Trump presidency and will settle, it appears, for nothing less. This is a war, damn it, so get to war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Lou Dobbs, I mentioned my five groups, I think you agree. If the American people who voted for him want his agenda fulfilled, that have to go fight for it, because they are trying to kill him politically.

DOBBS: You're exactly right. And I am most concerned about everything that's going on. I am most concerned about the millions of Americans who voted for this man and how much they are willing to sacrifice and fight for this man, this country, his agenda. And our destiny right now is in the hands of this president, and we've got to support him.

And what we are watching is a bunch of RINO Republicans and establishment Republicans who haven't got the guts to step forward. And I was so happy to see Paul Ryan.

HANNITY: I was, too, pleasantly surprised.

DOBBS: -- say I have a full confidence in this president, none of this mealy-mouthed nonsense, standing up tall. That is precisely what we've been begging for four months.

HANNITY: Listen, the establishment Republicans to me, the last link, the never-Trumpers are the last link. The three gravest threats of media breathless reporting, we got him, we got him, every night. The deep state -- I'm not even worried about the Democrats as much. The deep state leaking and the media is trying to destroy this man.

DOBBS: And doing so knowing full well that it's nonsense that's being carried by the national leftwing media. They know, if you listen to George Stephanopoulos and some of these characters talking about impeachment, are you kidding me? Even they have a basic understanding of law, the constitution, and the understanding of the facts. There is nothing that rises even to the level of obstruction of justice on the part of this president. He is caring about his mandate and his responsibilities.

HANNITY: As I said in my opening monologue, if it did rise in Comey's mind to obstruction of justice, he had a legal responsibility to go to the Justice Department or he is violating the law. So clearly he didn't think that, because even if he thought of, now he doesn't think it's.

DOBBS: And I want to see, Sean, I want to see all of his other memos. He apparently writes a memo after talking with the president of the United States. I want to see all of those memos going back through Mr. Obama. I want to see the Obama-Comey memos. Let's do it in chronological order from the time Comey took the job under Barack Obama. We'll start with those memos and then we'll get to the Trump memos.

HANNITY: I want the memos, but it's his word versus Trump's at the end of the day, and it's not enough to rise to the level. And if he's going to admit that he thought it was obstruction of justice, that means he's admitting to a crime.

DOBBS: Absolutely.

HANNITY: Lou Dobbs, always wanting to back away from a fight, I really admire that about you. All right, thanks for being with us.

DOBBS: Thanks.

HANNITY: When we come back, our very important, we need your help with this, seriously, "Question of the Day," straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: All right, time for our "Question of the Day." Earlier today the president said no politician has been treated worse or more unfairly than him. Do you think? Do you agree with him? We want to hear from you. Go to Facebook.com/SeanHannity, @SeanHannity on Twitter, let us know what you think.

That's all the time we have left this evening. Thanks for being with us. Set your DVR, never miss an episode. Back here tomorrow night.

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