TO JON BATISTE, EVERYBODY.

WAS THAT TEAKO, TEAKO?

>> Jon: YES.

YES, INDEED.

>> Stephen: I-- I LOVE LISTENING TO BRAZILIAN MUSIC

WHEN I'M DOWN.

IT GETS-- IT CUTS RIGHT THROUGH IT.

I DON'T CARE HOW DOWN I AM.

>> Jon: YEAH, YOU FEEL THE SUN ON YOUR SKIN.

I LOVE THAT VIBE.

>> Stephen: HAVE YOU BEEN DOWN THERE?

>> Jon: YEAH, YEAH.

>> Stephen: YOU HAVE?

>> Jon: YES, BAIJA IS A LOT LIKE NEW ORLEANS.

THEY HAD RICE AND BEANS.

AND I WAS LIKE, WOW.

I DIDN'T KNOW YOU ALL WERE COOKING LIKE THAT, TOO.

>> Stephen: WE'RE TAKING THE SHOW TO RIO.

THE SHOW IS GOING TO RIO.

CAN YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE MORE OF THAT FLAVOR AS WE GO OUT?

>> Jon: OH, YEAH.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> Stephen: JON BATISTE,

EVERYBODY.

THANK YOU, JON.

>> Jon: YES, INDEED.

PEOPLE MAKE THE WORLD GO 'ROUND.

>> Stephen: MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS A "NEW YORK TIMES"

BEST-SELLING AUTHOR AND THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE F.B.I.

PLEASE WELCOME TO "A LATE SHOW," JAMES COMEY.

DIRECTOR, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME, STEPHEN.

>> Stephen: I'M SURPRISED A MAN OF YOUR HEIGHT CAN FIT INTO

A ZOOM BOX.

( LAUGHTER ).

>> I'M JAMMED INTO A LITTLE BOX.

>> Stephen: OKAY.

NOW, I AM NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHERE TO BEGIN.

I WANT TO GET TO YOUR NEW BOOK, "SAVING JUSTICE," BECAUSE I

THINK THAT HAS PARTICULAR RESONANCE RIGHT NOW.

BUT BEFORE WE GET INTO THAT, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE EVENTS OF

THIS LAST WEEK AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON WORKING FOR THIS

ADMINISTRATION.

THE PRESIDENT, AS YOU SAID IN YOUR LAST BOOK, ASKED YOU FOR

LOYALTY SEVEN DAYS AFTER HIS INAUGURATION.

AND WE HAVE SORT OF THE DANGEROUS REPERCUSSIONS OF THE

NEED FOR THAT KIND OF BLIND LOYALTY TO PRESIDENT TRUMP.

OBVIOUSLY, MOST DISTURBINGLY, LAST WEDNESDAY, BUT THEN IN THE

EXCUSES AND THE OBFUSCATIONS BEING MADE BY THE SORT OF

SPINELESS MEMBERS OF THE PARTY WHO ARE FOLLOWING HIM FOR THEIR

OWN BENEFIT.

WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO WHAT YOU SAW LAST WEDNESDAY?

AND AS A FOLLOW-UP, YOUR REACTION TO THOSE WHO ARE STILL

MAKING EXCUSES?

>> WELL, AS AN AMERICAN, I HOPE LIKE ALL AMERICANS, I WAS

SICKENED TO SEE AN ATTACK ON THE CENTER OF OUR DEMOCRACY.

AS A FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL, I WAS ANGRY THAT THE

CAPITOL WAS SO POORLY DEFENDED.

AND I FOUND THAT MIX DISORIENTING AND VERY, VERY

CONCERNING.

AND THEN TO SEE PEOPLE MAKING EXCUSES FOR AN ASSAULT ON OUR

DEMOCRACY JUST DEEPENS MY SENSE OF NASA AND DISTASTE FOR THEM,

AND MAKES ME WORRY ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET BETWEEN HERE

AND THE INAUGURATION.

>> Stephen: I MEAN, THIS S THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

AND I-- I THINK THAT CALLS FOR UNITY ARE ALWAYS WELCOME, BUT

SHOULDN'T THERE BE SOME PRICE OF ADMISSION TO THE UNITY PARTY?

DON'T THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE...

SUPPORTED THE PRESIDENT UP TILL NOW HAVE TO ADMIT AND UNDERSTAND

WHAT A DANGER HE IS?

AND THEN WE CAN ALL UNIFY IN DEALING WITH THAT DANGER.

>> YEAH, THEY'RE STANDING IN THE LOBBY OF A BUILDING THAT THEY

LIT ON FIRE, AS THE REST OF US ARE UNNING OUT, THEY'RE URGING

US ALL TO LOVE EACH OTHER AND TO UNIFY.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH FIRST.

WE NEED TO PROTECT THE BUILDING AND PEOPLE NEED TO ADMIT THEIR

RESPONSIBILITY.

THEY HAVE NURTURED THE EXPLOSION, ALMOST A

CHERNOBYL-LIKE EXPLOSION OF THE RADIOACTIVE STEW OF RACISM,

MISOGYNY, CONSPIRACY-MINDED VIOLENCE THAT WE'VE LONG HAD IN

THIS COUNTRY BUT WE'VE KEPT IT IN A CONTAINMENT BUILDING.

THEY'VE BEEN DIGGING AT THE FOUNDATION OF THAT BUILDING FOR

THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AND NOW THERE'S BEEN AN EXPLOSION

AND THERE HAS TO BE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.

>> Stephen: YOU SAID YOU WERE SHOCKED NOT ONLY BY THE

LAWLESSNESS BUT THE LACK OF.

CHRISTOPHER WRAY, TOLD CONGRESS THAT WHITE SUPREMACISTS ARE THE

BIGGEST DOMESTIC TERRORISM THREAT, AND THAT WE SHOULD BE

PREPARED FOR THAT.

NOW, OF "THE WASHINGTON POST" ALSO REPORTS THAT THE F.B.I.

WARNED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC ATTACK.

SO WE HAVE THE GENERALIZED WARNING FROM THE DIRECTOR OF

F.B.I., YOUR OLD JOB.

AND THEN YOU HAVE SPECIFIC WARNINGS FROM THE F.B.I.

I'VE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT, PIECE TOGETHER THE DIFFERENT

EXPLANATIONS AS TO WHY THERE WASN'T PREPARATION.

DO YOU HAVE SOME SENSE WHY THEY WEREN'T PREPARED FOR THIS, FROM

WHAT YOU'VE SEEN FROM NEWS REPORTS?

I'M ASKING YOU TO CURATE THE NEWS TO ME TO SEE IF YOU CAN

EXPLAIN FROM YOUR SUFFICIENT WHY THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SHOW OF FORCE

FOR WHAT WAS SO CLEARLY A DANGEROUS GROUP?

>> YEAH, I-- I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT, STEPHEN.

I-- WE WERE HIT AS A GOVERNMENT AFTER 9/11 FOR A FAILURE OF

IMAGINATION.

WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE THE WAY THE TERRORISTS MIGHT COME AT US.

THIS WOULDN'T HAVE INVOLVED ANY IMAGINATION AT ALL.

THIS WAS JUST A FAILURE.

AND I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT.

THERE ARE LITTLE PIECES OF IT THAT I SEE, MAYBE BREAKDOWNS IN

COMMUNICATION, OR MAYBE A FEAR OF NOT BEING TOO AGGRESSIVE IN

THE POSTURE OF THE DEFENSE AROUND THE CAPITOL.

NONE OF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE TO ME.

IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE AS A COUNTRY

UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED AS WE DID AT 9/11.

>> Stephen: THE OFFICIALS AT THE D.O.J. HELD A NEWS

CONFERENCE TODAY.

DID YOU GET A CHANCE TO SEE THAT?

>> YES.

>> Stephen: WHAT STOOD OUT FIRST OF ALL?

>> THEY'RE DOING THE WAY YOU EXPECT THEM TO DO.

THIS IS WHAT THE F.B.I. DOES BEST, WHICH IS TO FIND THE

PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE AND BRING THEM TO JUSTICE QUICKLY.

SO IF YOU WERE THERE AND YOU PARTICIPATED IN THAT ATTACK,

THERE'S GOING TO BE A KNOCK ON YOUR DOOR.

YOU SHOULD TURN YOURSELF IN NOW.

AND THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT TAS THEY SHOULD, AS A SEDITIOUS

CONSPIRACY AND INSURRECTION AGAINST THE UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT.

THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT STRUCK ME, THAT THIS IS WHAT THE

F.B.I. DOES AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT THE F.B.I. TO DO.

>> Stephen: YOU SAY, "YOU SHOULD TURN YOURSELF IN," YOU

DON'T-- DO YOU MEAN JUST THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN NAMED THAT

THEY'RE SEARCHING FOR?

OR IF YOU KNOW YOU WERE THERE AND ENGAGED IN UNLAWFULL

ACTIVITY YOU SHOULD TURN YOURSELF IN BECAUSE THERE ARE

CAMERAS ALL OIFER THE PLACE AND THEY'RE GOING TO FIND YOU?

>> YEAH, IF YOU TRESPASSED ON THE PROPERTY, IF YOU WENT UP

THOSE STAIRS-- NOT EVEN INTO THE BUILDING-- IF YOU WENT UP THOSE

STAIRS YOU COMMITTED A CRIME.

IN YOU PARTICIPATED IN ASSAULTS ON THE POLICE OFFICERS, WENT

INSIDE THE BUILDING, ANY OF THAT, YOU ARE GOING TO BE FOUND.

THE BUREAU IS A HUMAN ORGANIZATION WITH LOTS OF FLAWS.

ONE THING IT DOES EXTREMELY WELL IS RELENTLESSLY TRACK DOWN

PEOPLE LIKE THIS.

>> Stephen: WERE YOU SURPRISED IT TOOK THIS LONG TO GET THIS

PRESS CONFERENCE FROM THE F.B.I.

AND THE D.O.J.

WE'VE ALL BEEN KIND OF RELYING ON CATCH-AS-CATCH-ICA

INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WAS BEING DONE SO FAR TO APPREHEND PEOPLE.

>> YES, I WAS.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AT ALL TIMES THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT BE

TRANSPARENT AROUND ITS WORK.

IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I WROTE THE BOOK.

ESPECIALLY IN CRISIS, THE AMERICAN PRIME NEED TO HEAR THAT

ADULTS ARE ON THIS AND HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY'RE

DOING.

I WAS SURPRISED IT TOOK SO LONG.

>> Stephen: WE HEARD FROM D.O.J. AND F.B.I. OFFICIALS AT

THE PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY, WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM DIRECTOR

WRAY.

SHOULD HE BE OUT THERE OUT FRONT TELLING US WHAT'S BEING DONE?

>> IN NORMAL TIMES, SURE.

BUT I-- I SPECULATE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW.

I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO HIM-- THAT HE IS A PERSON OF GREAT

INTEGRITY, TRYING TO STAY IN THE JOB AND NOT TO GIVE AN UNSTABLE

PRESIDENT AN EXCUSE TO DECAPITATE THE F.B.I. IN THE

MIDDLE OF A CRISIS.

THAT'S JUST SPECULATION, BUT IT'S INFORMED SPECULATION.

I COULD IMAGINE HIM WANTING TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO ANTAGONIZE THE

MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE FOR ANOTHER EIGHT DAYS.

>> Stephen: SO IT'S REALLY IN THE INTEREST OF MAINTAINING THE

INVESTIGATIONS OR CONTINUITY AT THE BUREAU WOULD BE YOUR

SPECULATION?

IS THAT BASED-- >> THAT'S MY GUESS.

>> Stephen: IS THAT BASED ON ANY CONVERSATIONS YOU'VE HAD?

>> NO, IT'S JUST BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE, KNOWING THE BUREAU,

KNOWING THE KIND OF PERSON CHRIS WRAY SA PERSON OF GREAT

INTEGRITY, BUT VERY PRUDENT.

AND KNOWING THE KIND OF PRESIDENT WE HAVE.

IF HE GOES OUT THERE AND STARTS TALKING ABOUT SEDITIOUS

INCITEMENT COMMENTS BY PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE INVESTIGATING, THE

BUREAU MAY BE DECAPITATED WHEN WE NEED IT MOST.

>> Stephen: BUT THAT THESE LAWYERS WHO WENT OUT TODAY,

THESE INVESTIGATORS WHO WENT OUT TODAY, IT'S OKAY FOR THEM TO SAY

IT BECAUSE IN THE PRESIDENT'S POINT OF VIEW, THEY'RE NOBODIES.

>> THEY'RE CAREER PEOPLE NO ONE'S EVER HEARD OF.

KNOWING THE PRESIDENT'S PARANOIA, HE'LL PROBABLY TRY TO

CONNECT THAT QUICKLY TO THE DIRECTOR.

BUT AT LEAST IT GIVES THE DIRECTOR SOME SPACE SO AS NOT TO

PROMPT AN IMMEDIATE FIRING.

THAT WOULD BE VERY BAD FOR THE AGENCY AND THE COUNTRY.

>> Stephen: YOUR NEW BOOK IS CALLED "SAVING JUSTICE," AND IN

IT, YOU SAY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SHOULD NOT PURSUE A

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OF THE PRESIDENT ONCE HE LEAVES OFFICE.

HAVE THE EVENTS OF THE LAST WEEK CHANGED YOUR MIND ABOUT THAT?

>> THAT WAS A REALLY HARD CALL WHEN I WROTE IT BACK IN THE

FALL.

IT'S EVEN HARDER NOW.

I THINK I'M STILL IN THE PLACE THAT THE COUNTRY IS BEST SERVED

BY NOT GIVING DONALD TRUMP SPACE ON OUR TELEVISION SCREENS IN A

COURT PROCEEDING IN D.C. FOR THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR YEARS.

>> Stephen: WHAT ABOUT SPACE IN AN EIGHT-BY-FIVE CELL?

>> I BELIEVE THE STATE PROSECUTORS IN NEW YORK SHOULD

PURSUE HIM FOR THE CROOK HE WAS BEFORE HE BECAME PRESIDENT.

AND IF THEY CONVICT HIM, THAT'S FINE.

I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THE MISSION JOE BIDEN HAS BEFORE

HIM, WHICH IS TO HEAL OUR COUNTRY BOTH SPIRITUALLY AND

LITERALLY, BECAUSE SO MANY OF OUR FELLOW AMERICANS ARE DYING,

IS NOT ADVANCED BY HAVING DONALD TRUMP GET WHAT HE WANTS MOST,

WHICH IS TO BE IN THE DRAMA, IN WASHINGTON EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I'D RATHER THE LIGHTS GO OUT, WHICH IS THE GREATEST PUNISHMENT

HEBD IMAGINE.

STAND ON YOUR LAWN AT MAR-A-LAGO AND YELL AT CARS, BUT NOT HAVE

THE LIGHTS ON THERE, AND LET JOE BIDEN GET ON WITH THE BUSINESS

OF THE UNITED STATES.

>> Stephen: WHAT MAKES YOU THINK HE'S NOT GOING TO GRAB FOR

THE SPOTLIGHT ANYWAY?

I MEAN, THERE ARE CRAVEN AND CYNICAL MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA WHO

WILL GIVE HIM ALL THE SPOTLIGHT THAT HE WANTS.

>> HE WILL, AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SUCH A CLOSE CALL.

I THINK THE AMOUNT OF SPOTLIGHT HE COULD CLAIM WOULD BE SO MUCH

GREATER IF HE WAS WALKING IN AND OUT OF THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE IN

D.C. AS PART OF "UNITED STATES VERSUS DONALD TRUMP."

THAT CIRCUS WOULD DOMINATE OUR NATION FOR PROBABLY ANOTHER

THREE YEARS OR MORE.

>> Stephen: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE PART OF THIS

VIOLENT INSURRECTION, THESE PEOPLE WHO, IN MY OPINION, ARE

ACCESSORY TO MURDER.

WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN TO THEM?

BECAUSE I MEAN, I'M OPPOSED TO THE DEATH PENALTY, BUT SOMETHING

TERRIBLE HAS TO BE RAINED DOWN ON THESE PEOPLE SO THAT NO ONE

EVER BREATHES THE IDEA OF DOING IT AGAIN.

>> THEY SHOULD ALL COME TO SEE THE RULE OF LAW THAT'S THE SPINE

OF THIS COUNTRY UP VERY, VERY CLOSE.

DEPENDING ON UPON THEIR INVOLVEMENT, THEY SHOULD BE

BROUGHT TO JUSTICE AND PUNISHED SEVERELY.

I'M ALSO OPPOSED TO THE DEATH PENALTY BUT THEY SHOULD BE