CNN host Jake Tapper advised Sam Nunberg to comply with special counsel Robert Mueller's subpoena on Monday after the former Trump campaign aide publicly said he would refuse to appear before a grand jury or provide requested documents.
Nunberg set off a bizarre afternoon of news when he told the Washington Post he was requested to appear before a grand jury Friday and would not do so, nor would he give Mueller's team requested emails and documents concerning his contacts with President Donald Trump and members of his campaign.
Starting with MSNBC's Katy Tur, Nunberg did three separate phone interviews on Monday. He thumbed his nose at Mueller's investigation but suggested Trump did "something" with the Russians during the campaign that Mueller's team is honing in on.
He went on Tapper's program "The Lead" and said he believed "scumbag" former Trump adviser Carter Page colluded with the Russians, although Nunberg said he didn't think of Page as a true adviser.
Tapper tried to wrap up the interview, but Nunberg—who earlier told Tur confidently he would not go to jail for contempt—asked Tapper if he should cooperate with Mueller.
"If it were me, I would," Tapper said. "I mean, just asking my opinion, because it sounds like a pain, but he is the special counsel, and he does have the long arm of the law."
Nunberg mourned the idea of producing every email he sent to Trump orbit members like Steve Bannon and Roger Stone.
"Sometimes life and special prosecutors are not fair, I guess," Tapper said. "I would cooperate were it me, but, you know, I'm a different breed of cat."
Tapper again tried to end the interview, but Nunberg wasn't finished.
"Jake, I'm definitely the first person to ever do this right? Flat out say I'm not cooperating," Nunberg said.
"You're the first one I've ever spoken with who's ever done it," Tapper said. "That much is true."
"Thank you very much," Nunberg said. "By the way, it's an honor to be on your show."
Nunberg was fired from the Trump campaign on August 2, 2015, because of racially charged Facebook posts he wrote, less than two months after Trump launched his bid for the White House. He made a point Monday of saying he strongly disliked Trump.