CONVERSATION.

WE'LL FILL THE COUCH WITH A SPECIAL ROCHESTER AREA PANEL OF LEGISLATORS PAST AND PRESENT.

BUT WE ARE GOING TO START TONIGHT WITH NATIONAL POLITICS.

DAVID SCHULTZ TEACHES POLITICAL SCIENCE AT HAMLINE UNIVERSITY AND IS ALSO AN ADJUNCT LAW PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS.

THANKS FOR DRIVING DOWN TONIGHT.

DOWN HIGHWAY 52.

>> MY PLEASURE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Cathy: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BIG STORY TODAY.

A MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, JUDGE ARRESTED BY THE FBI FOR OBSTRUCTING AN IMMIGRATION ARREST OPERATION.

I MEAN, THIS IS REALLY THE ADMINISTRATION RATCHETING UP EFFORTS TO PUT HE HEAT ON LOCAL OFFICIALS, ISN'T T?

>> IT ACTUALLY IS AT THIS POINT.

THIS IS GOING TO BE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, FIRST TO FIND OUT WHAT THE CHARGES ARE, SOME KIND OF AIDING OR ABETTING, SOME KIND OF CONSPIRACY, BUT YOU GENERALLY DON'T SEE, WE'RE IN A FEDERAL SYSTEM, THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE DIVISION OF AUTHORITY BETWEEN NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS AND STATE GOVERNMENTS.

THIS IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INTRUSION UPON STATE AUTHORITY AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE, FOR THE MOST PART, THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT CAN'T TELL STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, INCLUDING THEIR OFFICIALS, WHAT TO DO, AND CAN'T SAY COMMANDEER THEM OR DIRECT THEM TO ENFORCE CERTAIN LAWS.

>> Cathy: BUT ATTORNEY GENERAL BONDI SAYS NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

>> THERE MAY BE MIRROR THAT HAS TO BE HELD UP SOMEWHERE WITH THAT STATEMENT.

[ Laughter ] BUT EVEN IF NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW, STATES DO NOT HAVE TO FOLLOW ALL THE FEDERAL DIRECTIVES AND THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED, NOT REQUIRED UNDER THE CONSTITUTION TO ENFORCE FEDERAL LAW.

>> Eric: ON THE OTHER HAND, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS REINSTATED SOME STUDENT, FOREIGN STUDENT VISAS?

>> YES, THEY HAVE AT THIS POINT.

AND WHAT'S STARTING TO HAPPEN AT THIS POINT, THERE'S THIS AMAZING CONCEPT IN THE U.S. CONSTITUTION CALLED DUE PROCESS OF LAW.

THE IDEA THAT IS CALLED RULE OF LAW THAT THE GOVERNMENT BEARS THE BURDEN OF PROOF IF IT WANTS TO INCARCERATE, LOCK UP OR DETAIN PEOPLE.

AND WHAT'S STARTING TO HAPPEN, AT THE SUPREME COURT LEVEL, LOWER COURT LEVELS, COURTS ARE NOW STARTING TO SAY, WE ACTUALLY TAKE THE CONSTITUTION SERIOUSLY, AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, FOR EVERYBODY WHO IS WORRIED BOUT, IS HE GOING TO COMPLY, ARE THEY NOT GOING TO COMPLY WITH THE COURTS, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS GRADUALLY BE FORCED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW.

[ Applause ] >> Cathy: SO THE FIRST 100 DAYS IS TUESDAY.

OF THIS COMING WEEK.

THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

HAS HE SET STANDARDS IN TERMS OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE FIRST 100 DAYS FOR OTHER PRESIDENTS TO COME?

>> POSSIBLY HAS.

POSSIBLY HAS, IN THE ENSE THAT THE PREVIOUS STANDARD FOR THE 100 DAYS IS FROM FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT, HIS FIRST 100 DAYS IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF LEGISLATION THAT WAS ADOPTED.

TRUMP WILL PROBABLY SET THE RECORD IN THE FIRST 100 DAYS FOR THE NUMBER OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS.

HOWEVER, HAVING SAID THAT, WE ALSO SHOULD KEEP IN MIND, AS WE SAW IN THE FIRST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, GOING BACK TO ROOSEVELT, THE FIRST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAD THE WORST RECORD IN COURT OF ANY PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION, GOING BACK 80 YEARS.

AND SO FAR, HIS TRACK RECORD WITH THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS IS GOING IN THE EXACT SAME DIRECTION.

MOST OF THE ORDERS ARE BEING STAYED, BEING HUNG UP OR OTHERWISE BEING HELD UP IN SOME WAYS.

BUT WHAT'S INTERESTING, I HAD SOMEBODY WHO ASKED ME TODAY, ONE OF MY STUDENTS SAID, WELL, IS TRUMP NOW EN MASSING MORE POWER THAN WE'VE EVER SEEN UNDER A PRESIDENT, HOW'S HE DOING IT?

>> IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT TRUMP IS MASSING POWER, CONGRESS IS ACQUIESCING, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE HERE, ALL OF US LEARNED THE CHECKS AND BALANCES, SEPARATION OF POWERS.

OUR FRAMERS, THAT CONGRESS WOULD STEP IN AND DO THE JOB.

BUT THAT'S NOT HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

>> Eric: THE U.S. HOUSE COMES BACK TO WORK NEXT WEEK, ON THE AGENDA IS WHAT TRUMP CALLS THE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL.

>> YES.

>> Eric: WHAT'S IN IT, IS THERE FODDER FOR OPPONENTS AND PROCEED INCIDENTS >> THERE'S FODDER FOR EVERYBODY IN IT.

AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE TRUMP TAX CUTS TO MAKE THE TAX CUTS THAT ARE THERE PERMANENT, PLUS A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS.

I HATE TO KIND OF LIKE THE OMNIBUS GARBAGE BILL, BUT IT HAS ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING HE WANTS TO DO, I DON'T MEAN THAT IN A DEROGATORY ENSE, IT'S LITERALLY EVERYTHING HE WANTS TO JAM INTO ONE BILL REGARDING DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PHASE-OUT, PHASING OUT OF EMPLOYEES, A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS.

>> Cathy: SAY, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF PETE HAG SETH, MINNESOTA NATIVE PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY, DO YOU THINK HE SURROUNDS HIS SECOND ROUND, SECOND PROBLEM THAT HE HAS?

>> THIS IS GETTING HARDER AND HARDER FOR HIM AT THIS POINT.

BECAUSE THE SECOND ROUND OF CONTROVERSIES AT THIS POINT IS REALLY WEAKENING HIM AND, AGAIN, POLITICS IS ABOUT 08% RUMOR, AT SOME POINT LIKE THAT.

BUT YOU'RE HEARING LOTS OF RUMORS COMING OUT OF WASHINGTON RIGHT NOW THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS STARTING TO WAFFLE ON HIM.

80% RUMOR.

AND ONE GOOD WE WAY, THINK ABOUT IT, ONE GOOD WAY, IF THE PRESIDENT IS TAKING HEAT ON THIS ISSUE, WHAT DO YOU DO, YOU BLAME IT ON A SUBORDINATE AND FIRE THEM.

I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S GOING TO SURVIVE.

BUT TRUMP'S HARACTERISTIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN, DATING BACK TO THE DAYS OF THE SHOW THE APPRENTICE, HE'S NOT LOYAL.

>> Eric: DAVID SCHULTZ, GIVE HIM A BIG HAND.

[ Applause ]