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GOP Congressman Condemns Spread of Disinformation in Farewell Speech; Hundred-Plus GOP Lawmakers Support Texas Suit to Invalidate Millions of Votes; Senator Mike Lee Blocks Vote for Museums Dedicated to Latinos and Women. Aired 7:30-8a ET
Aired December 11, 2020 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[07:30:00]
JOHN BERMAN, CO-ANCHOR, NEW DAY: Outgoing Republican Congressman Denver Riggleman delivering a fiery farewell address on the floor of the house, calling out those who spread disinformation and undermine democracy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DENVER RIGGLEMAN (R-VA): We must work together to inoculate against the social contagion of disinformation, conspiracies, anti- Semitism, dehumanization, racism, deep-state-caballed nonsense, cults and those grifters posing as servants of the people. For those who spread disinformation, know that I will not stop in tracking those who push falsehoods unto decent Americans. Radicalization and through decent information has no place in the United States. And in this fight, I will not relent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Joining me now is Congressman Denver Riggleman, he is one of the few Republican lawmakers to publicly acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden's victory. He is also the author of "Big Foot: It's Complicated" which focuses on the politics of conspiracy theories. You say you will not relent, you will do everything to stop the flow of disinformation. To that I say this morning, good luck. Good luck with what we're seeing, Congressman. A hundred and six of your colleagues have signed on to a lawsuit seeking to overturn the results of the presidential election. So, you just promised not to relent. What's your message to them this morning?
RIGGLEMAN: What's going on is really what the question is. And I think it was the e-mail, John, that I saw immediately. There was a couple of things in there and I actually read the e-mails that I get, and the first thing was that this might be their last chance to go on record, you know, supporting what's happening as far as challenging the election. And the second one was the thing that I've seen more and more is that you're on a list.
And I believe at this point, I would say this, it's almost like a mythological meme that this stuff is just true and for a large portion of the population. But here's what I saw right after this happened, and I think this is what's going to surprise you, is the amount of fundraising that happened were piggybacked on this amicus brief. And you know, I saw it immediately from some of my colleagues who I really respect, but I was a bit shocked, and it's immediate, "stop the steal" is still huge for some of these individuals. And I think this really was directed to those districts where a majority of the population in the Republican Party specifically might believe it. And that should disturb people.
BERMAN: These members know better. You can't sit here and tell me that you don't think that these 106 members of Congress don't know better, can you?
RIGGLEMAN: I can't. I don't know how to defend this. And you know, I had somebody tell me, you know, I guess there was the e-mail, there was a letter of support for the Pennsylvania lawsuit that had about 23 to 27 lawmakers sign on to it. So somebody asked me, they said, well, you know, Denver, what do you think? Is there going to be 20, is it going to be 30? And I said, what do you think? And they said, at 25. I said 70, and he laughed. I said, I think it's going to be more than you think because right now, you are having this sort of political litmus test for 2022, 2024, nobody knows what's going to happen.
But you've got committee assignments up in the air, you've got fundraising issues that you might have. And you do have districts, you know, that lean heavily Republican right now that believe in a lot of this, right? And that's -- this is what this was about. And by the way, I don't -- I know that sometimes there's rationalization in politics. I know that might surprise you, but I asked one of the individuals who signed on, he said, well, I'm not saying that it's -- that there's -- you know, this is going on. I just think we need more information. And my thing is, how much more information do we need? I think what do we -- what is it -- what is the 1 in 50 or 1 in 51 for lawsuits?
BERMAN: Yes --
RIGGLEMAN: I think at this point, the one lost record is not very good.
BERMAN: Let's play mad-libs here. The Republican Party this morning is blank. Fill in the blank?
RIGGLEMAN: Oh, goodness, a one-worder. Is that what you're asking for, John?
BERMAN: I'll give you up to ten.
(LAUGHTER)
RIGGLEMAN: OK, thank you for that. I think the Republican Party this morning is desperate. So there's a one-worder. I also believe the Republican Party is in fear, and I think it's in fear of what's going to happen to them if they don't go along with the agenda, you know, that's being set by the president right now.
[07:35:00] And once you have desperation and fear, and that rolls into where
being re-elected is your number one priority, I think that gets scary, you know, for some people who have been in Congress. For me, not so much, right? And we know. And so, I think that's the issue. I think there's some fear, I think there's some desperation. But I also think the amazing amount of pressure that individuals are receiving, and otherwise individuals that would make common sense decisions, I think they're clouded right now, and they know that -- they know me pretty well and they know that I would say it to their face. And here's what I want to tell people.
COVID is real, the kraken is not. It's that simple. And you know, and that's why I've been so outspoken as you started the clip of me speaking yesterday about conspiracy theories. I just -- my job now is to continue to speak as loudly as I can, you know, about the scourge of disinformation that's infecting so many individuals --
BERMAN: Yes --
RIGGLEMAN: Through the internet.
BERMAN: You know, there are 16 members who signed on to this letter, who live in the four states that are being sued basically. They are trying to overturn the election in the states that they live in. They are saying that the elections that they want are invalid. Don't they have to resign or don't they have to not take the oath of office in January? If the elections are so fraudulent, how can they continue to serve?
RIGGLEMAN: I had this discussion with somebody, and they said, well, it's obvious, you know, that there's some kind of issue, because, look, all these Republicans won and President Trump lost. So there's obviously some kind of nefarious play going on here -- I said, actually, it's the other way around. What you're seeing right now is it's almost impossible to conduct this type of systemic fraud by allowing, you know, the Republicans to gain so many seats in the house, you know, to possibly keep the Senate, but just the country and the president and the manipulation of code, and what you have to do to do that is almost so improbable.
And so, yes, I guess you would have to resign. And when I say that, it's automatically like, Denver, you know -- you know, I think you're taking it too far. I'm like, no, we're really not. And by the way, I thought Republicans were sort of the protector of federalism. So what you're really saying is that you don't trust the 50 states -- hell, we just voted on HR1, you know, in the beginning of the 116 Congress, trying to reject the federal takeover of elections. So now, we are for a federal takeover of elections, but those conversations can get quite dicey, as you can imagine.
BERMAN: Yes, because you're trying to rely on logic and reason there. Congressman --
RIGGLEMAN: Not so much, I'm doing my best.
BERMAN: You also have been pushing -- RIGGLEMAN: Doing my best --
BERMAN: Look, there are millions of Americans who need help right now, who are desperate --
RIGGLEMAN: Right now --
BERMAN: For financial help. In Congress, Republicans and Democrats can't seem to get together to agree on a$908 billion deal, any kind of deal right now. You've said you'll vote for anything. What's wrong?
RIGGLEMAN: If it comes down to -- yes, I don't know, you know, and I own businesses. I think what's wrong is people are still running rather than helping people. And that's a problem I've had for two years that I've been in Congress, is that it seems like the political decision-making always trumps the decision-making to help others. And at this point, you know, when you're looking at the lockdowns and COVID exploding in the 50 states, we've got to help those businesses that through no fault of their own, right, are having real difficulties.
Whether it's restaurants, hotels, things of that nature. You know, service industry type of -- everything to be honest, John. So, I'm not quite sure -- obviously, I'm involved in that anymore. I was in the small business council in the first phase of this, but I don't understand. You know, and I think a lot of people are like me, even in Congress, I can't seem to get a straight answer about what the negotiations are doing, where they're going. I just can't get a straight answer.
BERMAN: Congressman Denver Riggleman, we appreciate you coming on, sharing your views with us. Please keep coming back. We look forward to talking to you again.
RIGGLEMAN: I really appreciate you all, and you know, just keep spitting facts, do the best you can.
BERMAN: I'm doing the best we can. COVID is real, the kraken is not.
RIGGLEMAN: Correct.
BERMAN: A majority of Americans say they're willing to take a coronavirus vaccine, but what about in places where people still question the basic science?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREG LOCKE, PASTOR, GLOBAL VISION BIBLE CHURCH: Pandemic is not real.
ELLE REEVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: But what do you think a pandemic is?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not COVID-19.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Wow. We take a much deeper look, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:40:00]
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CO-ANCHOR, NEW DAY: The coronavirus pandemic is raging through rural parts of the U.S. It is largely Trump country, where there's also resistance to wearing masks. So how do they feel about getting vaccinated? CNN's Elle Reeve went to Tennessee to find out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REEVE (voice-over): News of imminent vaccines comes just as COVID-19 surges through rural parts of the country, and the political debate is as heated as ever.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I don't wear a mask when I go in either.
(CHEERS)
REEVE: We wanted to know if the same resistance to masks would happen to the vaccine. So we reached out to Greg Locke, a pastor and conservative in Wilson County, Tennessee, who says he's grown his congregation by protesting COVID-control measures.
LOCKE: We're not going to close our church ladies and gentlemen because of --
(CHEERS)
There's a lot of sincere people that are doing their best to put out a vaccine, but that doesn't mean I'm going to take it. I don't believe the government can tell me, you know when or how I can stick a needle in my arm or my kids arms, super government overreach.
REEVE: Locke says he's moved his services outdoors not to limit the spread of COVID, but to handle all the new people who have come.
LOCKE: Faith over fear. I ain't worried about some fake pandemic. I'm saying the sickness is real. I'm saying the pandemic is not.
REEVE (on camera): I don't understand what you mean when you say the pandemic is not real.
LOCKE: Pandemic is not real. It's not --
REEVE: But what do you think a pandemic is?
LOCKE: Not COVID-19.
REEVE: Greg, what do you think a pandemic is?
LOCKE: It is not pandemic --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we're stuck on this pandemic question too much. LOCKE: It's ridiculous --
REEVE: Well, then why can't you answer it.
LOCKE: I did. There's no pandemic. COVID-19 is not a pandemic.
REEVE: But what is a pandemic then?
LOCKE: Not what we're experiencing. I'm 44 years old. We've not had one in my lifetime, so I don't know. And this is not it.
[07:45:00]
REEVE (voice-over): To be clear, a pandemic is a disease that spreads across many countries and affects many people. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic in March, and experts say about 70 percent of people need to get the vaccine to control COVID's spread.
LISA BORCHERS, CHURCH SERVICE ATTENDEE: It's not been tested enough. We don't know what's going to happen with it later on. It might help me now, but in the future, it'll cause more harm to your body if you're given --
GRACE PENIX, CHURCH SERVICE ATTENDEE: It's not, you know, this anti- vaccination in your life. It's the devil. It's like -- personally, it's a choice.
REEVE: And some people at the service told us they'd seen Locke on Facebook and liked his message.
LOCKE: Donald Trump won the election by a landslide, and he will be re-elected as the president of the United States.
REEVE: We wanted to know how widespread his views are, so we drove deeper into Wilson County, where there's a COVID testing site at the fairgrounds. We met Quinton Smith, a cattle farmer who runs the agricultural center there, and takes extra care to keep things sanitized during COVID.
QUINTIN SMITH, DIRECTOR, JAMES E. WARD AGRICULTURAL CENTER: You all will never go to a fairgrounds where anybody is proud of their bathrooms. Are you? Come on in. I'm cautious about running out new -- you know, I think everybody's excited about there being a vaccine, but I think it's going to be kind of everybody waiting around and watching the first responders and the nursing home folks and you know, if there's any reaction to it.
Let me tell you what my daddy always tell me. Son, never believe anything you hear, and only have what you see.
WILLIAM SCHAFFNER, PROFESSOR OF PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY: I think it's entirely human to be a little skeptical and a little hesitant. After all, this is a new virus in the human population. This vaccine uses new technology. It's been developed very rapidly, and that makes people cautious. REEVE: Based on our interviews and recent polling, Pastor Locke
represents an outspoken minority. Surveys by the Pew Research Center found that Republicans are less likely than Democrats to see COVID as a major threat to public health, but also that there's a growing acceptance of the vaccine nationwide, including among Republicans. Sixty percent of Americans say they take it, and nearly half of those who are reluctant say it's possible that they'd get it after others do so.
Dr. William Schaffner, who's been working on infectious disease at Vanderbilt University since the '60s says that in order to overcome vaccine hesitancy, public health officials have to build trust.
SCHAFFNER: You have to respect people. You have to respect where they're coming from, hear what they say, and then try to respond to their concerns.
SMITH: You know, we give shots to cows all the time. And you do get reactions to shots. So, you know, we have given a shot to an animal and it walked out there, 20 feet out of the chute and dropped dead. Everybody is going to respond differently.
REEVE (on camera): After the first responders take it, when it's your turn, will you take the vaccine?
SMITH: I probably will go on and take the vaccine.
REEVE: How do you feel about the vaccine?
GWEN SCOTT, FIDDLERS GROVE COORDINATOR, WILSON COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS: Anything new that has not been proven, I'm not sure, I won't be the guinea pig, you know? And I've really wished there was time for more testing, but there's not. And we're losing too many people too fast. So we have got to do what we can. I know it's become a political issue at times, but it shouldn't be. This is a health issue.
SCHAFFNER: The approach to COVID has had substantial political overtones. People have attitudes about this. And it will not be easy to change those attitudes.
REEVE: Are you going to tell members of your congregation not to get the vaccine?
LOCKE: Members of my congregation can do what they want to, but they'll watch my videos and know that I'm not getting it.
REEVE: So you expect them to model your behavior?
LOCKE: I expect them to use their Bible and use their brain.
REEVE (voice-over): Elle Reeve, CNN, Wilson County, Tennessee.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CAMEROTA: Really enlightening as always. And just because you don't know what a pandemic is doesn't mean it's not happening. BERMAN: Look, that exchange was stunning. And good on Elle Reeve for
keeping on going back. I mean, I got a simple question, what do you think a pandemic is? And he refused to answer. I will tell you that something that will be an issue over the next several months, even after Donald Trump leaves office on January 20th, is how much he will do to promote vaccination, right? He has taken credit for the development of the vaccine, and it happened during his administration.
Is he going to get -- go out there and tell people to take it? Will he take it himself? I know he's had it. Doesn't mean he shouldn't take the vaccine necessarily, and it will make a big difference. If he wants to get involved, this could save lives.
CAMEROTA: And other presidents have already agreed that on camera, they will be vaccinated, and so if President Trump could join them.
BERMAN: Yes, but he hasn't -- they don't have the juice that he does --
CAMEROTA: Agreed --
BERMAN: With these people.
CAMEROTA: Great point --
BERMAN: There's one person who might be able to convince that pastor to get vaccinated, and one person only, and it might be Donald Trump --
CAMEROTA: That's right --
BERMAN: If he cares.
CAMEROTA: We'll monitor his Twitter feed. We'd like to take a moment now to remember some of the more than 292,000 Americans lost to coronavirus. Flags were at half-staff in New Hampshire this morning after the death of House Speaker Dick Hinch.
[07:50:00]
The 71-year-old Republican was just elected to the position last month. Governor Chris Sununu remembers him as a respected public servant. Hinch was 71. The Dayton, Ohio community is mourning the passing of long-time firefighter Jeff Guernsey. Lieutenant Guernsey started his career in 1990 with the Washington Township Fire Department after a stint in the Navy. He is survived by his wife, four children and two grandchildren. His chief says the department lost a truly remarkable person. And members of a Fontana, California mega church are grieving the loss of their pastor just days after he tested positive.
Bob Bryant of the Water of Life Community Church was helping people right up until he got sick. Pastor Bryant leaves behind a wife and four adult children. He was 58 years old. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [07:55:00]
BERMAN: Republican Senator Mike Lee facing criticism this morning after blocking bipartisan legislation that would create Smithsonian museums dedicated to the history of women and Latino Americans. Senator Lee says creating the separate but equal museums based on identity would further divide an already divided nation. Bills to establish both national museums passed overwhelmingly in the house earlier this year.
CAMEROTA: So every year, the U.S. Postal Service undertakes operation Santa. Volunteers adopt letters from needy children and send them things on their wish lists. This year, kids are still asking for toys and clothing, but it's not the only thing on their minds. The pandemic is weighing heavily on them. For example, nine-year-old Alani(ph) writes, "dear Santa, this year has been rough because of corona. My mom said she can't get anything for me for Christmas because she is not getting paid as much. I would appreciate it if she could get something, too, because she takes care of us."
BERMAN: Savannah from Massachusetts asked for Lego sets and other things before confessing to Santa, "I'm sorry I've been bad, it's really hard because of COVID-19 and online school. I'm trying to be good. Hope you understand."
CAMEROTA: Eleven-year-old Lilly from Maine writes, "I have not had a good year. My grandpa died and I could not see him much because of COVID. I miss him and his big hugs. Please help all the kids and families. It is hard because many moms and dads are home and can't work."
BERMAN: As of yesterday, more than 16,000 letters had been sent in. If you want to adopt a letter and make a child's Christmas a happy one, you can go to cnn.com to find out more. This is a wonderful cause and a heartbreaking reality. I encourage everyone to go check it out. You get a real reminder of what the last ten months have been like when you look at it through the eyes of a child heading into the holidays, and you see, I think, the embedded impact that it's had. And it's -- you know -- it's tough.
CAMEROTA: I now know what my kids and I will be doing this weekend. I look forward to answering some of these postcards with my kids because my kids -- because I am working and my husband has a job, are shielded from all of these requests that other kids have.
BERMAN: The only thing that my wife asked for, for Christmas from my sons was for them to answer these letters --
CAMEROTA: Right --
BERMAN: So, that's what we're doing.
CAMEROTA: OK, NEW DAY continues right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The FDA Advisory Committee just voted to recommend a green light for Pfizer's vaccine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The FDA will take on the consideration that recommendation and will very likely act on it quite soon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm really just fearing what's going to happen over the next several weeks. Hospitals are overwhelmed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: More than 100 U.S. House Republicans have signed on to support a Texas lawsuit seeking to overturn the 2020 results.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Legal experts said they doubt the high court will take it up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Failing to accept this reality puts the country in a very dangerous moment in time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're trying to use democracy to undermine democracy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world, this is NEW DAY, and we do begin with breaking news. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar just moments ago said that the FDA does intent to grant emergency use authorization of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine which would be the first in the U.S.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEX AZAR, SECRETARY, HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES: When the next couple of days probably as we work to negotiate with Pfizer. The information doctors need to prescribe it appropriately, we should be seeing the authorization of this first vaccine, and we'll -- as you just said, we will work with Pfizer to get that shipped out, and so we could be seeing people getting vaccinated Monday, Tuesday of next week.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Help can't come soon enough. This was the deadliest week in the U.S. since the pandemic began. More than 2,700 new deaths reported overnight. The number of hospitalizations continues to rise. As long as that keeps going up, we are not going to see any meaningful reduction in death. More than 107,000 people in the hospital now.
CAMEROTA: Meanwhile, congressional negotiations on a critical coronavirus relief package appear to be on the brink of collapse. Sources tell CNN that Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell sees no path for bipartisan agreement on two key sticking points, funding for state and local governments, which Democrats are pushing for, and corporate liability protection which Republicans want. Twelve million unemployed workers will lose benefits by Christmas if Congress does not act by the end of next week, and desperation is growing across the country before the house adjourned.
OK, also we have some breaking news right now. "The New York Times" is reporting that the Manhattan District Attorney's office has interviewed several employees of President Trump's bank and insurance broker in recent weeks. And this indicates that President Trump still faces the potential threat of criminal charges once he leaves.
