Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Protesters Marching on the Streets of Chicago; New Details on San Bernardino Terrorists; Chicago State Representative Filed Bill to Repeal or Recall Rahm Emanuel. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired December 09, 2015 - 15:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[15:30:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Listen, this particular board that he has in place now over the last few years has 400 complaints from police officers. Now, only four have been sustained. It is a joke. We need to overhaul and he didn't speak to that. We even want him to go to the city council and submit to a city council investigative hearing. What do you know? Did you suppress those tapes for 13 months? Was there $5 million hush money? We have a lot of questions.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So when you talk about questions, you talking about remaining peaceful, you talk about --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm very happy with that. These young people are intelligent. They're not turning this city upside down. They really also are expressing some frustration with our city councilmen. Some people are not black caucus who are supposed to represent these young people. They basically got up and said, thank you, Mr. Mayor, and sang Kumbaya, kissed and made up because he said I'm sorry. That's not enough.

YOUNG: What the mayor wasn't enough today? What do you feel about that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The mayor was a major disappointment. The mayor really frustrated me because I told him personally if he wanted to gain some credibility in the grassroots, he had to do something substantively. All he wants to do is parade this blue ribbon task force around that he has hand-picked. And he has no more authority right now. And he wants us to accept their recommendations and there's nobody from our community that's on that task force. There's no Jim Montgomery. There is no Lou Meyer. There's no Flint Taylor.

YOUNG: Reverend, I got go away with you. The last thing is, you can feel the pain as people walk together. A lot of people have been walking up to talk to him as well. As the protesters are pushing north on Michigan avenue headed toward the magnificent mile, Poppy.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN HOST: Ryan Young, thank you very much for reporting, bringing us the words of the protesters, why they're doing this, what they want to see.

Let's get some context. Context is very important in all of this. No one better to talk to than our Jeff Zeleny, CNN political reporter who covered Chicago for years on the ground. Can you talk to us, Jeff, about Rahm Emanuel as the mayor, the release

of this tape, why it took 400 days? He was running for reelection there. So many questions now as some people call for him to step down. But we all know who Rahm Emanuel is. This isn't someone who goes quietly.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: No question about that. And I do not expect Rahm Emanuel it to step down, knowing what we know right now. But you can see on the ground there as they're walking up Michigan Avenue from south Michigan Avenue up to north Michigan Avenue, this is going to create a disruption. And it's really near city hall. So Rahm Emanuel is seeing and watching this.

But look, I think that what we saw today was I mayor who knows how to deal with crisis at the highest levels. Of course, he has served in the White House as chief of staff. He worked for Bill Clinton in the White House. So I think he's not stalling at this point in terms of apologizing.

But for the people of Chicago it is, for many people, it is too little too late. So he is going to need to do major reforms and bring in this community here in the hiring of a new police superintendent. And this is a city that has been divided along racial lines for many, many years, and he was reelected on a promise to sort of unify. But Rahm Emanuel does not have a lot of goodwill across the broader spectrum of Chicago. It's his hometown. He's from Chicago. He was a congressman on the city's north side. But it is a city that has changed since he's been away in Washington, and it is a city that he's going to struggle to unify here I think.

But a test of any mayor, of any leader, is how they come together in a crisis like this. So Rahm Emanuel has been through many of them. I certainly think that he, you know, is well equipped to try and deal with this. But he needs to bring community leaders obviously to his side and get some help from them.

HARLOW: All right. Jeff Zeleny, thank you very much. Important context.

Much more with Jeff and our entire team on the ground in Chicago.

Quick break. We're back on the other side with more.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:38:23] HARLOW: Breaking news out of Chicago. You are looking at live pictures in the heart of the city as we see people sitting down. Looks like people are blocking traffic.

Let's go straight to Ryan Young who is with them.

Ryan, set the scene for us. Where are these protesters seated? Have they successfully, it looks like blocked traffic.

YOUNG: Well, they have definitely blocked traffic. We're on Michigan and whacker. And just to give you a reference for where we are. That is the start of the magnificent mile right there, the "Chicago Tribune" building. Those are all the shopping areas here in Chicago. But you see this as young people have lined up, blocking everything here before the bridge. They are sitting in a circle.

Now, as you can see, all the way back this direction. And if you look in the center, you can see they are addressing everyone and the crowd. One of the things they are saying over and over is 16 shots. They are making sure that when they get to every intersection they are saying 16 shots.

People have also expressed the fact that the words of Rahm Emanuel didn't touch them as much as maybe some people thought they would have. They are still very angry and upset about what necessarily happened.

So look, you are upset. You are here. Why march and why block the road?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No justice. No peace.

YOUNG: How do you feel about what happened to Laquan? How do you feel about the movement so far?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need a change. We need a systematic change. The whole system is -- can I curse?

YOUNG: No. We're live on TV.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The whole system is in shambles. We need a revolution.

YOUNG: I appreciate it. Thank you, man. Than you.

So look. There are obviously people who have emotion. They are obviously, they want to express themselves. You see what's going on here. We have people who believe there's a cover-up that's been going on for quite some months.

We actually heard people from city council almost all the council members talking about some council meeting. People expressing themselves, about how they have been profile throughout their lives here in Chicago. They even talking about the fact there's two cities here, one on the north and then the rest of the city.

They wanted to see equal policing throughout the city of Chicago. They want to merge the city. So many people talk about the segregation that is going on in this city. That's something we heard from city council members, in a very emotional plea that was made right after Rahm Emanuel talk.

You see the folks in the crowd here who are now addressing the public and walking along. This has stayed, as we have said so far, very peaceful. In fact, they just made an announcement, please do not attack the cars. Do not attack the cars. You see there is some (INAUDIBLE) as been all this as well.

[15:40:47] HARLOW: Ryan Young, thank you. Stay with me.

Rosa Flores another of our correspondents on the ground.

Rosa, last we were with you were talking with protesters in another part of Chicago. And look. They are seated now too just like the protesters where Ryan is.

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, I want to introduce you to a family, Poppy because there are a few families marching with their children. I was just talking to Ebony just moments ago. And she was telling me why she was marching with her children and why it was important for her to do that.

EBONY, PROTESTER: Yes. My son actually wants to be part of CPD in the future, and this is not the legacy I want him to follow up behind. I'm not saying all cops are bad. But the ones that actually make - they are making other ones look bad. You know, one apple towards the bunch. And I don't want him to be misled that this isn't the job for you. This is definitely the job for you because you have the compassion, you have the empathy in order to become what CPD means. You are the formula for that, for the future of CPD.

FLORES: Now, tell me. You said you wanted to be a police officer before. And why did you change your mind?

EBONY: Well, I felt that, you know, because of the legacy with (INAUDIBLE) and, you know, the misfortune, the controversy that surrounds the CPD, I said maybe I should take my compassion and empathy elsewhere. And I have found success in the medical field, a respiratory therapist of nine years.

FLORES: Now, we have seen the video of Laquan McDonald, we have seen the video of Ronald Johnson, we have seen Philip Coleman as well. As a citizen of this city, what does that mean to you to see those videos, to see the controversy around them as well?

EBONY: It's very disgusting. It hurts to be a citizen of Chicago and to be part of, you know, a police department that calls this -- it just really hurts. It really hurts. It makes me fear for my own children because my son is 15 years old. I also have a 5-year-old son. And I feel like the police officers are the criminals. They will be the ones to take my son's life before actually gang members or somebody else with a gun in their hands.

FLORES: Ebony, thank you for your sharing your story.

We should add that, Poppy, in the past eight weeks we have seen the mayor of Chicago ask the superintendent of police to step down. We have seen him ask the independent police review authority head to step down. He welcomed the DOJ to come into Chicago and investigate the police department, investigate use of force. Right now there's an investigation by the DOJ under way to investigate use of force in the city and also other practices surrounding the police department. And everybody here we have talked to has said, that's wonderful, that's great, but we want more. HARLOW: And Rosa, before I let you go, I know they want more from

their mayor. We want to hear more. They want more action. Let's also remember the context of this. This is President Obama's hometown. This is a city that many people cheered his election almost eight years ago now alongside him Rahm Emanuel at the time. How do they feel on a national level?

FLORES: Say that again, Poppy. It's a little difficult for me to hear.

HARLOW: You know, I'm going to get a break in.

We'll be back. More with you on the other side because I do have some breaking news. We'll talk about that in a moment.

Breaking news involving the San Bernardino killers. What the friend, that friend who is under investigation right now allegedly -- who allegedly purchased two of those guns used in the attack, what they told investigators about another plot planned on U.S. soil in 2010.

A live report on that next. Stay with me.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

[15:48:50] HARLOW: A major development in the case of the San Bernardino shooting, the terrorists carrying that out, and who else may have been tied to them.

I want to go straight to CNN justice correspondent Pamela Brown working her sources.

This is huge when it comes to the role expanding, it appears, of Enrique Marquez, right, Pamela?

PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. This is the friend and former neighbor of Farook, Syed Farook, who we have known and talked about, that investigators that interviewed following the attacks. We know that he had purchased the two AR-15s used in the attack. It's unclear and investigators don't believe at that time had point that he was -- had knowledge of the San Bernardino attacks.

But we're learning Poppy that he told investigators about this 2012 plot that CNN was first to report about, that he and Syed Farook back in 2012 had selected a target and then were going to launch an attack, but the two got spooked after there were four terror-related arrests in that area, unrelated to what they were doing. And as a result, they decided to abort their plans.

So Enrique Marquez, this friend of Farook, telling FBI investigators this. We have learned that he has waived his Miranda rights. He has been talking to investigators for days giving very important information. Also telling investigators that he had been radicalized with Farook as early as 2011. So that gives us more of a timeline as to how far back Syed Farook had been radicalized. We know, Poppy, that the director, James Comey, of the FBI, today said

in 2013 Farook was talking online, talking about jihad with his soon- to-be wife Tashfeen Malik. But now, from this friend, it seems like his radicalization went back to even further -- Poppy.

[15:50:34] HARLOW: Yes, to 2011 at least.

OK, you do have to question, right, Pamela, the reliability of this information that Enrique Marquez is telling investigators for one clear reason, right?

BROWN: That's right. This is an individual who right after the attacks in San Bernardino checked himself in to a mental health facility. Officials caution that they are trying to corroborate this, verify the details of what he is telling them but that it could be an attempt to deflect attention if he knew about the attacks in San Bernardino. They are trying to figure this all out as we speak. What did he know, what did he not know, is this an attempt at deflection? We want to point out too that we have been withholding his name since last night seeking further comment but decided to come forward with his involvement in that 2012 plot after other media outlets including the "New York Times" has reported his name, Poppy.

HARLOW: OK. Again, major headline from Pamela Brown there. Much more on this ahead. Stay with us for that. Pamela, thank you very much for your reporting.

Quick break. We are back on the other side. More live pictures and reporting from Chicago where protests there are heating up. We will bring you a live report next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:56:01] HARLOW: Breaking news out of Chicago. Let's look at live pictures. Protesters amassing in the city, middle of the busy work there.

Ryan Young, our correspondents across the board in Chicago.

Ryan, what is the latest?

YOUNG: Well, I just wanted to bring you this because there was an announcement made to the crowd and not to spoil it for anybody but you said right now just in last now what happened in the last ten minute or so? What happened? Explain it to me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: State representative (INAUDIBLE) of the west side filed a bill, house bill 4356 which amends the state home rule law to allow for a recall of the mayor of Chicago.

YOUNG: Why do you think that action is need?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look around. Look around. I think the mayor talked about accountability and accountability doesn't have the mayor of Chicago and the democracy. Accountability is with the people. And as you see these people here speaking, state rep wanted to put in a tangible piece of legislation to speak to these issues. Because as you see, the people came here several weeks ago for black Friday, and now it's blue Monday or something or Tuesday.

This isn't going to stop. Rahm Emanuel can't govern now. And the only reason he is in the position that he is that is he was paid $25 million from his supporters to be here.

YOUNG: All right. Appreciate it. Thank you so much. Poppy, we are going to send it back to you as we start marching.

HARLOW: Ryan, can you just repeat -- Ryan, if could you just repeat for our viewers what bill was filed? What are they calling for for Mayor Rahm Emanuel?

YOUNG: So essentially they wanted to put a house bill in the state so they could repeal or to recall Rahm Emanuel. They said that basically that provision wasn't put out there just yet. This is the first time we have heard of a state representative stepping forward to do this.

HARLOW: OK.

YOUNG: It just happened. The young man made the announcement right in front of our camera. But we were in commercial break. So I wanted to bring him over.

HARLOW: No, we really appreciate that, Ryan. Thank you.

Sunny Hostin with me, Danny Cevallos, legal analysts for your take on that.

Sunny, is that possible?

SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I don't know that it is possible. But I think it is very significant that you have a state representative introducing a bill to get a dually elected mayor, duly elected mayor to resign from office. I mean, if you look at the sentiment that is going on in Chicago. I know there was a poll published by the Illinois observer that was commissioned by the insider, 51 percent of Chicagoans say that Mayor Rahm Emanuel should resign.

Now, of course, he has resisted resignation, but there appears to be this crisis of confidence when it comes to Mayor Emanuel. Maybe in the interest of this city, maybe he does need to resign because a lot of people are talking about a cover-up. We have been, you know, hearing a lot about that. And let's face it, he was up for re- election in April. This happened the October before. And his administration tried really, really hard to make sure that that video was not released. That's problematic.

HARLOW: So, Danny, we are talking about the video of the shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, the officer who shot and killed him now charged with first degree murder awaiting trial.

Danny, the release of these videos. They typically don't get released ahead of charges being brought for a legal reason, but everything seems to be changing. The scope of what the public is demanding, not just this video, across the board is changing.

DANNY CEVALLOS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: We are at a fascinating moment in our history because historically for decades if not centuries prosecutors had a system they worked under. And that system was we are going to release during that investigation either nothing at all or whatever we feel like. And if the public doesn't like it, too bad. And that system has worked very well for them for a very long time up until this moment. Keeping investigations secret has always worked to the benefit strategically of prosecutors. And now it seems for the first time the public is saying, you know what, I'm not so sure we like that situation anymore. And it's a fascinating thing to watch because - what is even more amazing to me often is that the public is shocked information isn't released more often. And to that, you want to say look, it never has been. Prosecutors are now designed that way. They don't release information or make it public.

HARLOW: Danny, thank you very much. Sunny, important legal expertise.

We are going to keep following Chicago live for you, what is happening on the streets of Chicago.

That does it for me. I'm going to hand it over to my colleague, Jake Tapper with "the LEAD" that starts right now.

END