Senator Sherrod Brown called on to resign by #MeToo group
Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown faces his own allegations as the #MeToo movement takes center stage in Ohio race; Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor explains on 'The Story.'
This is a rush transcript from "The Story," October 12, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
HENRY: All right. Have a good weekend. Breaking tonight, American pastor Andrew Brunson is finally a free man. Thanks be to God, another American reverend who was in the courtroom exclaimed today, as Pastor Brunson is finally off Turkish soil after 24 months in prison.
Headed to a medical exam in Germany before he'll touch down here at home. Bringing joy to his relief family, of course, and handing President Trump a foreign policy victory as another imprisoned American has been set free on his watch.
I'm Ed Henry, in for Martha MacCallum, tonight. Just hours ago, we witness Pastor Brunson's arrival at an airport in Turkey. Walking through a throngs of reporters as he clutched the hand of his wife, Norine.
His release, a diplomatic triumph for the administration and we expect the President to address the news at a rally tonight in Lebanon, Ohio. You see him there, he'll be speaking in just a few moments. We will be monitoring that. We'll bring you his remarks to get you the latest once he talks about it.
But we begin tonight with our reporter Benjamin Hall. He's live in Izmir, Turkey for Pastor Brunson was released. Good evening, Benjamin.
BENJAMIN HALL, FOX NEWS FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Hi, Ed. And what we saw today was really the end of a two-year nightmare for Pastor Brunson. Most of that ordeal was spent in a Turkish jail, the last few months under house arrest.
But as you say, this is also very much a victory for the Trump administration, and in particular, for his foreign policy. This all started this morning when Pastor Brunson's convoy swept into the courthouse just outside Izmir. Then after a trial lasting just over four hours, the prosecutor recommended that his house arrest be lifted, his travel ban be lifted, and the control order too, before the judge then announced he was free, clearing the way for his return to the U.S.
Brunson released a statement today, saying, "This is the day our family has been praying for. I am delighted to be home on my way to the United States."
President Trump has always pushed hard for Brunson's release and often, in person, and at the highest levels of government. And it was because of sanctions and major tariffs imposed by the President and crucially the threat of more sanctions and tariffs that Turkey conceded.
Just in the last hour, the president has commented, saying, "He is I think in good shape. And he's going to be coming to the Oval Office most likely on Saturday. He suffered greatly. That there's no deal there at all, there's no deal."
Brunson was convicted of terror-related charges today, but the sentence was commuted to time served. He had faced 35 years in jail for espionage and terror of offenses, connected to the failed 2016 coup in Turkey.
But people who knew Pastor Brunson have told us the charges were absurd. He was a pillar of the Christian community, a man who led his congregation faithfully, and it also loved Turkey. When asked to speak in court today, he said only, "I am innocent, I love Turkey, please release me."
And if you pointed out, he is now on route to Germany where he'll have a full medical examination before flying into Joint Base Andrews. And, of course, one of the other issues here, many people saying this may well bridge the divide between the U.S. and Turkey. Two countries which have been at odds quite recently. Ed?
HENRY: Certainly, a lot of tension. Benjamin Hall, appreciate the report tonight. Joining me now live, Jordan Sekulow, he is the Brunson family spokesman and attorney with the American Center for Law and Justice. He and his father Jay Sekulow, of course, have been instrumental in both bringing attention to Pastor Brunson's case, and also getting him released. Good evening, Jordan, and congratulations to you, the family. What a joyous occasion, no doubt.
JORDAN SEKULOW, CHIEF COUNSEL, AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE: It is, Ed, and thank you for that. And thanks to Fox News for covering this throughout the two-year process. It's a long time to continue to cover what is not always a positive story, there's lots of ups and downs. But tonight is a night for the Brunson family to celebrate, for the American people to celebrate, and we have to thank as the attorneys also for the Brunson family and for Pastor Andrew Brunson, the Trump administration. They did a tremendous job. Tenacious is a word we have used in getting him released.
HENRY: Sure.
SEKULOW: They were unrelenting to the point of either threatening additional sanctions if necessary on Turkey to get him off.
HENRY: Relations with Turkey as you say has been very intense. Talk the president we just mentioned in Benjamin's report, the president said that he had been in tough shape at Pastor Brunson.
SEKULOW: Right.
HENRY: What do you know about his condition and his health? And then, we'll get to the family. What do you know about his health and how he was treated?
SEKULOW: So, when he was moved to house arrest back in July, Ed, that was because the court said that was because of his health concerns. So, actually was successfully there. There was also, by the way, pressure from the United States. I don't want to take that away.
It wasn't like Turkey did it all out of goodwill, but he was in rough shape. He lost over 60 pounds, he was in a regular kind of criminal prison with some pretty tough people. And when he was under than house arrest since July until his released today, he's been improving.
I think as the president said, which is why if everything goes well in Germany that he'll be in the Oval Office with the president tomorrow. I mean, imagine what Andrew Brunson is going through and his wife right now who was also in Turkey with him.
HENRY: Yes.
SEKULOW: That they didn't know what would happen today. He could have ended up back behind bars, could have ended up back behind in house arrest. And yet, now, he'll be at the Oval Office the next day with the most powerful person in the world, the president of the United States.
HENRY: Absolutely. I mentioned another pastor William Devlin. Reverend William Devlin of New York. I understand he's been at all the court proceedings in Turkey supporting Pastor Brunson throughout. And he said today that Pastor Brunson cried when he finally heard that he was getting out.
Talk about the reaction you've talked to the family, we're trying to give them some space right now before they do a whole lot of interviews.
SEKULOW: Right.
HENRY: What -- what's going through their minds right now, how they react?
SEKULOW: Well, we do a lot of these cases. And so, this is a time to really be -- if you're a prayerful person, to be in prayer for the family. This is -- yes, it's a celebration but it's also a time when you're going through a lot of emotions very quickly. A lot is happening. This has been a horrendous process, as Pastor Brunson said a terrible process for his family.
His children who were here in the United States, his daughter put off her wedding for a long time hoping her dad would be able to attend.
HENRY: Wow.
SEKULOW: Ultimately had a civil ceremony, but is waiting to have the church service ceremony now, where her dad could walk her down the aisle. This is a family that will have to come together and heal. And Pastor Brunson will need a support from his community, from his family, and from those who care about his story. And I know that President Trump and the administration will be there for him, too.
HENRY: Well, you mentioned what a joyous occasion for his daughter to finally be able to walk down the aisle. We hope in the weeks or months ahead, there was another pastor, Pastor White I believe, down North Carolina in the same community where Pastor Brunson serves, who said today that a lot of people there were saying, hallelujah and doing a happy dance.
Talk about this community as we have about one minute left and the president tomorrow in the Oval Office, what we can expect there?
SEKULOW: Sure. You know, Pastor Brunson has spent 23 years in Turkey as an Evangelical minister. Part of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Again, they are excited about his release.
I know -- I've been working on this along with our -- some of our senior attorneys for a long time, and there were a lot of low points, there were some high points, and then obviously get to a day like today with the celebration.
They will be excited, but they will be there as a support network. That's part of the Christian community, and the community he's a part of.
HENRY: Yes.
SEKULOW: It's to support him through the physical issues that you suffer when you're in this kind of situations. Emotional, psychological, and even spiritual, as well.
HENRY: Absolutely.
SEKULOW: And it's not just him, it's his family that we should all be in prayer for and thinking about.
HENRY: Absolutely.
SEKULOW: Because it's a day to celebrate, but it's also a day to remember that their struggle is not totally over. They've got to get back to use to life as normal.
HENRY: Oh, yes. It's going to be a big position. I know you didn't do it for the credit but Jordan Sekulow, his father, Jay, as well deserve a lot of credit for this. Thanks for coming in tonight.
SEKULOW: Thank you, Ed.
HENRY: All right. While the White House is celebrating Pastor Brunson's release, officials are saying tonight they're still deeply concerned about other Americans still detained in Turkey, as well as a potential crisis that's brewing right now with Saudi Arabia.
Here with more is Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger, he's a Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Welcome, Congressman.
REP. ADAM KINZINGER, R-ILL., HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: You bet, Ed. Thanks, good evening.
HENRY: And we're going to get to Saudi Arabia in a moment. But first, talk about the significance of the president getting Pastor Brunson out with paying any ransom. I remember just a few months ago, I was on duty, as well, when he was in the Oval Office with Josh Holt, who was released from a prison in Venezuela. Again, without the U.S. paying any money. Talk about the significance of this tonight.
KINZINGER: That's -- it's pretty amazing. I mean, you think about -- you know, in prior administration's what was paid to get people back. And doing this, the President Trump understands one thing, about U.S. power. And that is that there is U.S. power. That we have the largest economy in the world, the biggest military, and we have a lot of arrows in our quiver to be able to use.
And so, for him to frankly take a very tough stand, and there are a lot of people that were upset with him for doing it.
HENRY: Yes.
KINZINGER: And saying he's going to sanction Turkey until they release our citizen, he gets a ton of credit for this, and that will be well celebrated tomorrow.
HENRY: What do you know within the House of Foreign Affairs Committee? Because we tried to do some research today and it's sort of murky how many Americans are still detained in a place like Turkey. Obviously, Americans detained all around the world. And we pray for them every day or we should.
What do you know about how many Americans are still there in Turkey beyond Pastor Brunson?
KINZINGER: Yes. I don't know the numbers, but there is a lot. You know, some of them can be from legitimate reasons create -- committing crimes while they're in the country, and some are illegitimate reasons.
And obviously, the pastor was a very illegitimate reason, it was a preposterous trial. But this is one of the things where when the president makes it very clear that there's going to be a cost to illegally detaining American citizens.
This will have a ripple effect not just in Turkey with the other people being held in Turkey, but in other countries that are looking at this saying, are we really going to get leverage now out of detaining an American illegally?
HENRY: Right.
KINZINGER: Or is it actually going to end up costing us more and that's what Turkey found out.
HENRY: And I want to go over to Saudi Arabia because you mentioned a moment ago the American power. But the president's also under pressure tonight. He gets congratulations for bringing Pastor Brunson home. But he's under pressure to do more to deal with Saudi Arabia and find out what happened to Jamal Khashoggi, the journalist who has disappeared, some fear he is been murdered.
The Turks say that Saudi Arabia planned this out and basically killed him. What do you know tonight from U.S. intelligence and other sources?
KINZINGER: Well, everything seems like that's correct. Turkey's been very forward-leaning. Which means they have evidence. Supposedly they have played this evidence, I, of course, haven't heard it.
It's disgusting if it's true, and it appears to be true. But I think what's important here is to take broad international politics of this and put it in context. Keep in mind, the Russians poisoned people in the United Kingdom.
HENRY: Right.
KINZINGER: Assad, Iran, and Russia killed 500,000 Syrians. So, it's not excusing, and there needs to be a cost to that. But some of these Senators that have been pining for years to cut off any kind of aid to Saudi Arabia for some reason are using this as now the impetus and saying this is the reason to now basically cut off all aid, cut off relationships with Saudi Arabia is an overreaction.
HENRY: Yes. I've got 30 seconds though. One of those Senator is Lindsey Graham. And he has said, there should be a bipartisan tsunami he calls it if, in fact, Saudi Arabia was behind the disappearance potential murder. What does that mean? Should we cut off, you say don't cut off aid? What about the arms sales? Over $100 billion in arms sales.
KINZINGER: Well, I -- yes, I think the arms sales is the big thing that we have to really think about before we handle that because there are some big implications. I have a lot of respect for Lindsey Graham. I think there should be sanctions against the individuals involved, but we have to be very careful before you make massive pronouncements and basically in the relationship with Saudi Arabia. We'll have massive implications in Israel, Syria, and everywhere else.
HENRY: Yes. And get the facts before we take any action. Obviously, the president's been under pressure.
KINZINGER: Let's get to facts.
HENRY: But he's been saying, let's do an investigation, get to the bottom of it. Congressman, appreciate you coming in tonight.
KINZINGER: You bet. Thank you.
HENRY: Breaking right now, news that Hillary Clinton has been stripped of her security clearance, as well as several key members of her inner circle. That's breaking tonight, we have details coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENRY: Breaking tonight in the southern part of the United States. The death toll is still rising now at 13 in the wake of that catastrophic Hurricane Michael. Wide swaths of the Florida Panhandle left devastated, rescue workers are still pulling people to safety as families hold out hope for their loved ones. Mike Tobin is live in Callaway, Florida. Good evening, Mike. I understand a lot of people still without power as well.
MIKE TOBIN, FOX NEWS CHANNEL CORRESPONDENT: Just about everyone is still without power so a lot of people getting generators and they're relying on the generators but out here the power lines are still down. The crews are doing everything they can but it's just such a Herculean job right because it's just a massive job I should say to get the power restored. But what we're also seeing out here is a lot of cooperation from all over the nation. We just followed members of Ohio's urban search-and-rescue task force one as they were going door to door in the neighborhood.
When they found a man in need of medical transport they relied on soldiers from the 144th transportation company out of Marianna, Florida to handle that in one of the big five-ton trucks. Security all the while was handled -- was provided by cops out of Baltimore so lots and lots of cooperation. These search and rescue teams are going door-to-door and they're putting a lot of hearts at ease. The number one concern we get here is people who cannot locate or communicate with a loved one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We got such a bad fight before the storm. She told me she hated me and never wanted to talk to me. And now I can't find her and I just want to say I'm sorry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TOBIN: And by the way, the relative that she's looking for is her sister named Anna Casper Watson. She's hoping that putting the name out there will put them back in touch. Most people out here are unable to cook a meal. The Salvation has stepped up with the mobile kitchens providing hot meals and you should see the line stretching all the way across a parking lot for that.
Some sad news particularly for your Air Force fans, news out of the Tyndall Air Force Base which is home of the F-22 Raptor Joint Strike Fighter. The commander of the 235th Fighter Wing says the flight line suffered catastrophic damage. Now, those F-22 is they have a price tag $143 million. Most of them were able to fly out ahead of the storm, but as it stands the reason some are going to be down for maintenance, some of them for whatever reason couldn't move.
Well, just about all of the structures at Tyndall Air Force Base which took a direct hit, all of those structures were damaged. And what we're hearing from the commander of the 235th Fighter Wing is that these engineers just are unable to get inside these hangars which are so badly damaged and really do an assessment of how extensive the damage has been to the aircraft that remained there on the ground. Ed, back to you.
HENRY: Wow. To see that kind of damage in those photos of military bases gives you an idea of how much worse it must be at just single-family homes. Mike, we appreciate you bringing that report tonight.
We've got some breaking news from the State Department. Hillary Clinton and five members of her inner circle have now been stripped of their Security Clearances. Just coming into our newsroom, the investigation into her e-mail server apparently is still very much alive. We'll have details coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENRY: And this is a "FOX NEWS ALERT." The plane carrying Pastor Andrew Brunson has just landed in Germany. That's where the pastor will be getting a medical examination before he heads back to American soil. We expect he'll be at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland roughly noon Eastern Time on Saturday if all goes well with the medical check-up. He is it now headed to Ramstein Air Base. That is a U.S. airbase in the southwestern part of Germany. Traditionally were any American hostage or service member who's injured in that region of the world they typically wind up in Germany. We have incredible medical facilities there.
We mentioned a moment ago that the President is doing a rally right now near Cincinnati, Ohio and we promised we'd go there once he commented on Pastor Brunson. He's just done that a moment ago. Here's the president United States on the latest.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm really proud to report that earlier today we secured the release of Pastor Andrew Brunson from Turkey. He is now free from jail and he is in the air heading to Germany where he'll get off for a brief check and I think he's going to be in great shape and that he's coming to Washington D.C. tomorrow and we'll say hello to him. He went through a lot you know, all about Pastor Brunson. He went through a lot but he's on his way back. We've done that with a lot right? We've had a lot of success. North Korea, Egypt --
HENRY: Yes, another successful foreign policy accomplishment for President Trump. He's talking about Pastor Brunson who has now landed safely at a U.S. airbase in Germany. The president mentioned he has suffered greatly but also added that he believes that Pastor Brunson is in good shape. The doctors are going to try and confirm that.
If all goes well with the medical checkup, we are told by U.S. officials we can expect Pastor Brunson headed towards Maryland, to Washington D.C. area as the President said roughly 12:00-noon Eastern Time tomorrow. We, of course, will be covering that live here on the Fox News Channel. And then after that Pastor Brunson expected to go to the White House in the Oval Office to meet with President Trump. So we will be all over that. In the meantime, we have a lot of other news.
Also breaking tonight, word from the U.S. State Department that Hillary Clinton is surrendering her top-secret security clearance. It comes in the wake of her handling or mishandling of classified information in the now-infamous e-mail server scandal. Trace Gallagher is following this breaking story, just heard about from the State Department the last couple of hours. He's live in a West Coast newsroom. Good evening, Trace.
TRACE GALLAGHER, FOX NEWS CHANNEL ANCHOR: Good evening, Ed. This all goes back of course to the State Department's ongoing review of the mishandling of classified information related to Hillary Clinton's use of a private e-mail server and it also kind of gives you an idea of how slow some things move in government because almost a year and a half ago the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee Republican Chuck Grassley sent the letter to the State Department asking about the status of Hillary Clinton's security clearance.
In that letter, Grassley stated that any government workers who possibly engaged in such serious offenses would at the very minimum have their security clearances suspended pending an investigation. Well, three weeks ago the State Department finally responded to Senator Grassley's 2017 letter saying quoting here. "At her request former Secretary Clinton's security clearance was administratively with on August 30th, 2018." The letter went on to say that on September 20th the security clearances of five other Clinton researchers had also been revoked. Only Clinton aide Cheryl Mills was listed, the other four names were redacted.
Of course, at the time of the probe Hillary Clinton was running for president and no charges were filed. This summer president trump revoked the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan and at the time the White House said it was reviewing the clearances of several other people. So about 17 months after Grassley sent the letter, he finally got her response from the State Department.
HENRY: Trace Gallagher, I appreciate that report. Joining me now from Washington, Byron York. He's Chief Political Correspondent for the Washington Examiner of course, and Fox News Contributor. Good evening, Byron.
BYRON YORK, FOX NEWS CHANNEL CONTRIBUTOR: Good evening, Ed.
HENRY: So what do you make of this? Maybe better late than never but a lot of people are wondering for a long time whether Hillary Clinton would be held accountable at all for the server issue. One wonders tonight whether this is something she just maybe was no longer using the security clearance and decided to give it up or maybe she knew a blistering report was coming and wanted to say I'm voluntarily giving it up before it gets taken away.
YORK: Well, nothing did happen as far as the actual criminal investigation of this is concerned. That was extremely controversial. Now, I think the idea that at her request it was -- it was ended gives her a way of saying look, this wasn't a disciplinary action. I no longer used it. It's not something that is important to me anymore.
But given that the -- that the administration has already done this with John Brennan, the former CIA director who really bashes the president at every opportunity these days, I think people are going to want to look at this and say exactly what went on behind this withdrawal of a clearance.
HENRY: Yes, interesting. Isn't this what really infuriates people about the Clinton investigation which is you know James Comey and his role and what he did and didn't do. And now here we are years later and she's surrendering the security clearance, doesn't even have it stripped and many are wondering has there been any accountability. Has there been anything to really hold her accountable?
YORK: Well, the key issue of course in her secret e-mail server was that she did send classified information over this unclassified basically unsecured system. And there's really no doubt about that. I suppose you could argue whether it was super important stuff or not but the fact that it was classified, she did send it in a casual way over an unsecured system seems pretty much beyond dispute now.
HENRY: Yes, now, of course, the Secretary of State works hand in glove with the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley has now said she's stepping down at the end of the year and there's this big Washington partly game going on who's going to take over. Ivanka Trump had taken herself out of the running but the president seems to keep pushing her name. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I've heard a lot of them. I've heard Ivanka. There's nothing to do with nepotism but I want to tell you the people that know, know that Ivanka would be dynamite. I think if I could be incredible, that doesn't mean I'd -- you know, I'd pick her because you'd be accused of nepotism even though I'm not sure there's anybody more confident than the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: So that sounded like a trial balloon a few days ago. Then Ivanka Trump herself tweeted, no I'm not interested, dad and the rest of the world, I suppose. Today the President was at it again tweeting "so nice everyone wants Ivanka Trump to be the new U.N. Ambassador. She would be incredible but I can already hear the chants of nepotism. We have great people that want the job. What's going on here.
YORK: Well, I think this is exactly the sort of thing the president says a lot. He frequently praises his daughter saying she would make excellent this or an excellent that. She is already on the White House staff and I believe they would have to get around the nepotism rules to make that happen in the first place.
So this is -- that strikes as the president's sort of normal praise of his daughter. He did actually bring up the fact that there are nepotism rules involved here. But the bigger thing being Ivanka Trump has basically said--
HENRY: She does.
BYRON: -- she would not serve.
HENRY: Right.
YORK: She would you turn her father down.
HENRY: But do you think maybe there, that he does really want her? He keeps bringing it up. And maybe there is some in the White House saying we had to deal with that nepotism issue. Because he keeps bringing it up. And some are going to saying that but she'd be really great.
YORK: Well, you know, obviously he did give his son-in-law Jared Kushner a huge portfolio covering all sorts of projects in the U.S. government, including the Middle East peace.
HENRY: Yes.
YORK: So it's not beyond imagination. But this is a big and a very important job. And there are more qualified or more experienced people to deal with this.
HENRY: No doubt about it. Byron York, we appreciate you coming in tonight.
YORK: Thank you, Ed.
HENRY: All right. The Me Too movement makes its way now to Ohio. Just as President Trump rallies for the Republicans. Now a group called Me too Ohio is calling on their Democratic senator to resign. We speak with group next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, Democrats vilify Judge Kavanaugh they continue to turn a blind eye to one of their own, Sherrod Brown. Brown's ex-wife testified under oath that he abused her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENRY: As we mentioned at the top, the president campaigning tonight in southwest Ohio for various Republican candidates including Jim Renacci. He is running against incumbent senator, Senator Sherrod Brown. But the Me Too movement is taking center stage in the race. Watch this ad from the Republicans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: While Democrats vilify Judge Kavanaugh they continue to turn a blind eye to one of their own. Senator Sherrod Brown. Brown's ex-wife testified under oath that he abused her. These court records prove it. A restraining order was issued to protect her which Brown violated physically and verbally abusing the mother of his children. End the hypocrisy. Call Sherrod Brown and tell him to resign.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Joining me now is the spokeswoman of that Me Too Ohio group responsible of the ad, lieutenant governor of the state, Mary Taylor. Good evening, Mary.
MARY TAYLOR, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF OHIO: Good evening, Ed. How are you?
HENRY: All right. And lieutenant governor, I wonder, obviously some people are going to see that and say boy, that's a pretty tough shot. But I think you seem to believe the Democrats were going so hard after now Justice Kavanaugh, the Judge Kavanaugh, that what's good for the goose is good for the gander.
TAYLOR: Well, look, the Democrats have to end this hypocrisy. They -- you know, they are OK with certain things as long as they are defending the right person. But when you look in this situation where you had Senator Brown and the other Democrats fighting against the nomination of then Judge Kavanaugh against uncorroborated allegations, yet, in this case, Senator Sherrod Brown has documented in court filings of his abuse of his now ex-wife.
HENRY: Right.
TAYLOR: It's hypocrisy and a time -- it's time for Senator Sherrod Brown to be held accountable for his actions. And we are calling on him to step down.
HENRY: Now obviously you are talking about court records compared to uncorroborated evidence that was brought against Justice Kavanaugh. I want to be fair to Senator Brown. The Democrats are running this ad and I want you to respond to that. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARKE RECCHIE, SENATOR SHERROD BROWN'S FORMER WIFE: You've been hearing a lot about our family. And I want to set the record straight. Divorce can be difficult and ours was no different. But the political attacks against our family are just wrong. Not only am I glad to share four wonderful grandchildren with Sherrod and Connie but I couldn't be prouder to have Sherrod Brown as Ohio senator. I understand politics can sometimes be nasty but Jim Renacci should be ashamed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: So obviously, that is Senator Brown's ex-wife. As you say there are divorce records that suggest there were serious problems here. But she is trying to come forward and say look, you weren't there, lieutenant governor, I wasn't there. We don't know what happened. Things were said, things were done in the middle of the divorce that people are not proud that maybe were pulled out of context. How do you respond?
TAYLOR: Well, look, all we're doing is looking at the court papers and the actual documents that were filed court during this divorce proceeding. And it was alleged in those documents that he was abusive to his wife. In fact, there was a restraining order at one time against Sherrod Brown when he was still married to her and he violated that restraining order.
All we are doing is going back to the public documents. And now we live in a different world. We are in the Me Too era and the victims are coming out and they're speaking up. And we want to make sure that victims have a voice. And the fact that in the past Sherrod Brown has dismissed this and calling it a family matter I think is really unfortunate.
And I think it's -- we want to empower the victims to speak out. And we're just pulling information directly from a court proceedings, a court filing that is a public record.
HENRY: All right. Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor in Ohio, we appreciate you joining us tonight.
TAYLOR: Thank you, Ed.
HENRY: All right. Coming up, the first lady Melania Trump making some headlines. We now have some exclusive clips from a rare sit down interview she did.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM LLAMAS, CORRESPONDENT, ABC NEWS: He's been in office now almost two years. Has he had people that you didn't trust working for him?
MELANIA TRUMP, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: Yes.
LLAMAS: Did you let him know?
TRUMP: I let him know.
LLAMAS: And what did he do?
TRUMP: Well, some people they don't work there anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LLAMAS: Are you looking forward to possibly six more years in the White House?
TRUMP: I believe that my husband is doing an incredible job for this nation. I want that American people to have success. So whatever he will decide I will support him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: There is the first lady Melania Trump of course speaking out. She gave an interview during her recent trip abroad as an ambassador for the United States. She was in Africa you'll remember. Earlier today Martha spoke to ABC's Tom Llamas. He has the exclusive interview with the first lady. He says no questions were off the table.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARTHA MACCALUM, FOX NEWS HOST: I think a lot of people wanted to sit down with Melania Trump, the first lady and get inside her head a little bit about what she thinks. You would travel to Africa with her. How did you get this interview?
LLAMAS: Well, we've been working on this for about two years. And I covered the Trump campaign. And it was something I sort of toyed with back then but she really wasn't doing this sit down extensive interviews towards the end of a campaign.
MACCALLUM: Yes.
LLAMAS: We build really good relationships with some of the people that she works with who came from the Trump campaign. And then we met with her a few times in the White House. And my pitch to her was very simple. My pitch was America doesn't know who you are and I want to give you the opportunity to tell America who you are.
MACCALLUM: I want to play sound bites just to remind people because we don't know you have the greatest relationship with the president on the campaign trail. You weren't learning that but here's the moment between you and the president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What I don't want when I raise millions of dollars to have people say like this sleazily guy right over here from ABC. He is a sleaze in my book.
LLAMAS: Why am I a sleaze?
D. TRUMP: You are a sleaze. Because you know the facts and you know the facts well.
MACCALLUM: So he calls you a sleaze and then you land the interview with the first lady.
LLAMAS: That's right.
MACCALLUM: How does that work out?
LLAMAS: That was towards the middle of the campaign and I was asking him about the donation to the Iowa veterans. Later on he called me a good reporter. And later on I got one of the last one-on-one interviews with President Trump before he was elected.
So the relationship as you know covering the Trumps can be a complicated one.
MACCALLUM: Yes.
LLAMAS: I think you never take those personally. You do your job you try to get to the facts you try to get to the truth. And as long as you are fair, they come back to you.
MACCALLUM: You asked her a lot of direct questions. This one about the affairs. Let's watch.
LLAMAS: It has been a tough year for you personally. You're not are not the first lady to have to deal with her husband's alleged infidelities. Has this put a strain on your marriage?
M. TRUMP: It is not a concern and focus of mine. I'm a mother and first lady and I have much more important things to think about and to do.
LLAMAS: Have you been hurt, though?
M. TRUMP: Media would be speculating. Yes, it's not always pleasant, of course. But I know what is right and what is wrong and what is true or not true.
MACCALLUM: What did you make of that?
LLAMAS: You know that was one of the biggest moment in that interview when she paused to sort of think about, I think what the last year has been like for her. I think it was very revealing. And I think to her credit it was brave because when we sat down we said no preconditions. And she said no preconditions. No questions were off the table.
(CROSSTALK)
MACCALLUM: But she tells you that she wanted to address these issues.
LLAMAS: And people have told us that she had something to say. I didn't know exactly what it was and I don't know if this is the topic she want to talk about because we talked about immigration. We talked about breaking with her husband in other regards. We talked if she was happy in the White House. But in this section she opened up more than I think she's ever opened up.
MACCALLUM: I thought the other revealing moment was when she talked about the business really, the partners, not business, but partnership that she would like to make, outreach that she wants to do as the first lady and that some of those doors have been closed to her. Watch this.
M. TRUMP: It's sad to see that organizations and the foundations that I want to partner with choose not to because of the administration. I feel that it's been the politics over helping others.
HENRY: And you can tell that she is hurt by this. That she thought that doors are going to be open and some of them aren't. Do you have any idea whose she's talking about?
LLAMAS: It was a surprise in the interview. I didn't know she was going to say this. It was at the beginning of our interview. So she came ready to say this. That much I think is true.
It's interesting. We were in Africa and we were going to all these orphanages, schools that U.S. aid is helping.
MACCALLUM: Right.
LLAMAS: They're on the ground, you can see the progress they're making. She saw the progress they're making.
MACCALLUM: Yes.
LLAMAS: Obviously he is a very polarizing president in a lot of people's minds. And I think that's what she is dealing with. Because I think where she is coming from, from what she told us she honestly authentically wants to help some people out and people are telling her no.
MACCALLUM: Just final thought about her as a person. What is she like?
LLAMAS: She's very kind. She was professional throughout the entire interview. During all these tough questions she did not lose her cool. She stuck to the agreements we had for the interview. She answered every single question. She never told me anything was off limits.
I think she truly cares about combating cyber bullying. I think she care about her son Barron a lot. And I think she is trying to balance one of the most complicated times for a first lady in the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HENRY: A lot to unpack there from the first lady. We've got just the perfect panel to do it. It's ladies night on The Story, that's coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LLAMAS: Sources have told us, sources in the White House that you are gatekeeper, that you tell him who he can trust and who he can't trust. Is that true?
M. TRUMP: Yes, I give him my honest advice.
LLAMAS: He's been in office now almost two years. Has he had people that you didn't trust working for him?
M. TRUMP: Yes.
LLAMAS: Did you let him know?
M. TRUMP: I let him know.
LLAMAS: And what did he do?
M. TRUMP: Well, some people they don't work there anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Some people they don't work there anymore. Glimpse there of Melania Trump, the White House gatekeeper. That sit-down getting a lot of attention as Americans get a closer look at the nation's first lady. She was just on that big trip to Africa. She has largely avoided the spotlight and rarely spoken during her tenure.
Here to weigh in tonight for ladies night as we call on Friday on "The Story." Jessica Tarlov, Lisa Booth, and Susan Li. Good to see you, all. Jessica, what do you think of--
(CROSSTALK)
LISA BOOTHE, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Thanks for joining us.
HENRY: Yes, And we were going to do it -- yes, and Ed. And we were going to it last Friday night and I think Lisa Murkowski was on the Senate floor talking about future Justice Kavanaugh.
(CROSSTALK)
JESSICA TARLOV, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: And bump for a lady.
HENRY: Bump for a lady.
BOOTHE: Yes.
HENRY: But not the lady she's here. We get a chance to speak. What do you think of the first lady speaking out?
TARLOV: I think that she did well. I think she said some things that are ridiculous like that she is the most bullied person in the world. I think there are a lot of people who are suffering from bullying, you know, being physically attack and things like that who would disagree with her.
But I think that actually whenever she gets in front of a camera, gives an interview she does herself a world of good. I think her popularity is at 54 percent which is far above any other member of the Trump administration or the Trump family.
I appreciate her answering questions about what it feels like when you know, your husband is accused of cheating on you publicly like that. And ask when she isn't the first first lady to suffer from that but it's I think always end up positive for her to do something like that.
HENRY: Lisa, what do you think about that? And what do you think about whether it's fair game for ABC to kind of go there so directly.
BOOTHE: Well, we know they went there because they would make headlines and we'd be talking about it like we just did. So I mean that's the whole point of him asking the question.
But look, Melania Trump has been on the receiving end of a lot of ridicule making fun of her accent, making fun or even the clothes that she wears, criticizing her intelligence and trying to make it seem like she is not an intelligent woman despite speaking multiple languages.
So, she is always on the receiving end of ridicule. So I think it's fair for her to say that she is bullied. I mean, we see it all the time.
(CROSSTALK)
TARLOV: The most bullied person in the world?
BOOTHE: But what I really like about the interview--
HENRY: Lisa is just skipping over that.
(CROSSTALK)
TARLOV: Yes. Like, it's really like--
BOOTHE: Speak for yourself, my friend.
TARLOV: No, I can't because I am not a conservative.
BOOTHE: Liberals do--
HENRY: This started so nice.
BOOTHE: I know. We had all the promising. But I like the fact she said she was her husband's gatekeeper. Because most first ladies are. Nancy Reagan was. I mean, they are notoriously the gatekeepers of their husband both in their legacy and also the people that surround their husband.
SUSAN LI, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: But is having to deny infidelity now part of the first lady's job description? I mean, it's ridiculous.
TARLOV: If you are married to a guy who cheats.
(CROSSTALK)
LI: Well, I mean, I think that's alleged. I mean, did they ask Eleanor Roosevelt or Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy back in the day.
HENRY: Well, it was a different time. There were a lot of reporters back them who sort of covered it up.
(CROSSTALK)
LI: I think it's a different time. I understand that. It was a different time. But I just sometimes think that what happens in the bedroom stays in the bedroom. It's no one else's business.
BOOTHE: So what is the point of asking? I mean, how does that move any sort of conversation forward or how does anyone learn anything about her, they didn't know previously? I don't see the -- I feel like the question is irrelevant.
TARLOV: Well, one of his affairs ended up in potentially being--
(CROSSTALK)
BOOTHE: Allegedly.
TARLOV: -- could lead to campaign finance dollars.
(CROSSTALK)
BOOTHE: Well, actually this humored (Ph) SEC chairman said that it was not a campaign finance--
TARLOV: Allegedly.
BOOTHE: And I thought so allege, my friend.
TARLOV: Everything is allege at this point but it doesn't mean that we should be talking about it because a lot of alleged things are actually true.
HENRY: Something that is not alleged but we know for a fact is that the president is upset with the Fed. And Susan, you cover--
LI: As the finance--
HENRY: -- the economy--
(CROSSTALK)
LI: Yes.
HENRY: -- for Fox Business Network. Not the first president to be mad at the Fed.
LI: No.
HENRY: But maybe the first president need to partly to speak out so tough. Listen to how he put it this week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
D. TRUMP: It's so tight. I think the Fed has gone crazy. The Fed is going loco. There is no reason for them to do it. And I'm not happy about it.
The Federal Reserve is getting a little bit too cute. That's all. That's ridiculous what they are doing.
I think the Fed is out of control. I think what they are doing is wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Loco.
LO: Loco it is crazy. But you're right. He is not the first president to criticize the Fed. In fact, the only president I can remember in modern history that actually approved of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates is Alan Greenspan -- not Greenspan. Pardon me. It's Paul Volcker and that was Ronald Reagan back in the 1980s.
But in terms of actually criticizing the Federal Reserve chairman? What about Alan Greenspan in 1992. Bush H. Bush blamed him Alan for the fact that he lost the 1992 economy.
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: That he didn't pump for the economy.
LI: He didn't pump the interest rates fast enough or you know, hard enough.
HENRY: What say you?
TARLOV: What she said.
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: You're taking a pass for the economy?
TARLOV: No. I'm not taking a pass on it.
HENRY: I'm kidding.
TARLOV: It's totally par for the course for Trump. And I think if you look at other presidents who I would say are more mild mannered that's kind of un-Trump beyond loco level, right. So President Obama said that really, you know, I wish we weren't having trouble with interest rates.
(CROSSTALK)
LI: Because he never had to criticize the Fed. They never raised interest rates for most of his entire -- yes, entire tenure in the White House.
BOOTHE: And I think what President Trump is looking ahead at is obviously the midterm elections--
TARLOV: Right.
BOOTHE: -- he's knowing that it's going to be a really tough race to try to keep the House for Republicans. So he doesn't want anything to offset the economic gains that we've seen under his administration due to his policies like the tax reform law, anti-regulation which we could thank him for.
(CROSSTALK)
TARLOV: What a winner!
BOOTHE: Four percent--
TARLOV: Can I--
HENRY: Good point. Then I want--
(CROSSTALK)
TARLOV: But what Trump did do that other presidents don't is to take responsibility for the stock market. Like he said that that was his (Inaudible) which another -- other presidents don't take responsibility for. So when there is a problem with it he--
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: When it goes down, nothing to see here.
TARLOV: Right. Catch up with me next week.
HENRY: So talk about the first lady. Let's talk about the first daughter. It seems like there's a whole list of candidates for the U.N. job which a lot of people don't care so much about. A lot of people think the U.N. is very inefficient, and it is. But the president keeps talking about the first daughter. Why is he bringing up Ivanka Trump when she tweeted I'm not interested?
BOOTHE: Well, I think he believes in his daughter. And if you talk to people behind the scenes they say that Ivanka and Jared Kushner have been spearheading a lot of these things behind the scenes. Like Jared Kushner, for instance, talking about criminal justice reform that might actually get done. He's been part of the brain child behind it in moving with--
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: Nothing wrong with him bringing her up but if she is not interested in that job, she already has power.
(CROSSTALK)
BOOTHE: Yes, she said she's not interested. I don't know. You'd have to ask the president about that. So, yes, who knows?
HENRY: What say you?
TARLOV: Well, he is obsessed with his family and with himself. And you know, I guess his lineage. She is not interested lay off and get someone with real credentials. And I would say Jared Kushner not just brain child hidden genius--
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: Susan? Let Susan in.
LI: And so I think Ivanka does have the glamorous credentials.
TARLOV: Because she is pretty? I mean--
(CROSSTALK)
BOOTHE: She doesn't want the job.
HENRY: Susan got a job. She's already got a good job.
BOOTHE: Yes, U.N. ambassador.
HENRY: Susan?
TARLOV: Don't leave us for the U.N.
HENRY: Susan, Lisa, and Jessica, not a loco one in bunch. That's "The Story" for tonight. Martha will be back Monday night at 7. Watch me hosting "Fox & Friends" tomorrow and Sundays at 6 a.m. Tucker is up next.
END
Content and Programming Copyright 2018 Fox News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2018 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of CQ-Roll Call. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.