Return to Transcripts main page
Erin Burnett Outfront
Acting DHS Secretary Resigns As FBI Bulletin Warns "Armed Protests" Planned At U.S. Capitol And All 50 States Capitols; Trump, Pence Speak For First Time Since Capitol Riot; Interview With Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA); House Democrats Plan Impeachment Vote Of Trump On Wednesday; Interview With Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI); Parler Sues Amazon After Being Forced To Go Dark After Riot; U.S. Reports 100,000- Plus COVID Hospitalizations 41 Days In A Row, Averaging More Than 3,000 Deaths Per Day. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired January 11, 2021 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: His wife, Carol (ph), says he was also an accomplished watercolor artist and a loving husband, father and grandfather.
Donna Pierce of Texas was 64. She was a retired teacher who kept in touch with former students. Her son, Williams (ph), says she loved camping and, of course, her family.
May they rest in peace and may their memories be a blessing.
"ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.
ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next breaking news, the Acting Homeland Security Secretary steps down as the FBI issues a chilling bulletin warning of armed protests in all 50 states and the capitol. Was the Capitol riot last week just the beginning?
And more breaking news, the House barreling toward an impeachment vote. Tonight, a Republican congressman says he is seriously considering impeaching Trump. He's OUTFRONT.
And two Capitol police officers suspended tonight as police departments across the country investigate whether anyone in their ranks joined the rioters. Let's go OUTFRONT.
And good evening. I'm Erin Burnett.
OUTFRONT tonight the breaking news, the Acting Homeland Security Secretary, Chad Wolf, resigning tonight despite pledging just four days ago to 'remain in my position until the end of the administration due to', again quoting Chad Wolf, 'serious threats facing our nation'. That was four days ago. And his resignation now, suddenly coming tonight, is coming as we learn of deeply serious threats facing our nation.
The FBI tonight issuing a chilling bulletin warning of armed protests planned at all 50 state capitols starting just five days from now. They're giving a timeframe for some initial issues here, January 16th to January 20th. January 20th is, of course, Inauguration Day. They also say arm protests planned for Washington, D.C. January 17th to the inauguration.
And the FBI is also tracking reports of threats to harm Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi and threats of an uprising should Trump be removed before Inauguration Day. Terrifying and aimed at every single state in this country.
And yet, as Americans face a grave and imminent threat of domestic terror, the country's federal government has been MIA. We really haven't heard much from them at all. We have not seen the men and women who are still there, who are leading the federal agencies on camera since the Capitol riots five days ago. We have not seen the Director of the FBI.
And consider this, we now have no Acting Department Secretary of Homeland Security. We have an acting Attorney General, Acting Defense Secretary, Acting Capitol Police Chief, all while facing this imminent threat. As for the President, he is holed up inside the White House, hasn't spoken live, bitter, showing no remorse for what has happened.
In fact, over the weekend we've learned that Trump told Republican allies he was speaking to that it's unfair to blame him for the riot, that he never intended for his supporters to turn violent. Well, that is a really, really hard thing to stomach if he says that to you, because unfortunately the facts are there.
I mean, first of all, let's just take him on the actual day of the insurrection itself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mike Pence, I hope you're going to stand up for the good of our Constitution and for the good of our country. And if you're not, I'm going to be very disappointed in you. I will tell you right now. I'm not hearing good stories.
We're going to walk down to the Capitol. You'll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: And Trump supporters after that speech went to the Capitol, marched on the Capitol, stormed the Capitol and they went after Mike Pence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CROWD: We want Pence. We want Pence. We want Pence. We want Pence. We want Pence. We want Pence. We want Pence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: I mean, every time you hear that you think this happened. And it wasn't just Trump who was whipping up the crowd, listen to his own family and his closest allies. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUDY GIULIANI, ATTORNEY FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP: If we're wrong, we will be made fools of, but if we are right, a lot of them will go to jail. So let's have trial by combat.
DONALD TRUMP, JR., SON OF DONALD TRUMP: We're coming for you and we're going to have a good time doing it.
KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE, AMERICAN ATTORNEY: Have the courage to do the right thing. Fight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Trial by combat. Fight. Trump supporters took their orders from Trump and his lackeys just like they've been doing for months, because just listen to the President over the past few months. Here he is on September 23rd.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, real quickly, win, lose or draw in this election, will you commit here today for a peaceful transferal of power after the election?
TRUMP: Well, we're going to have to see what happens.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[19:05:06]
BURNETT: Six days later, he was asked again about urging his supporters to remain peaceful during the campaign. Here's what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS WALLACE, HOST, FOX NEWS: Will you urge your supporters to stay calm during this extended period, not to engage in any civil unrest? You go first.
TRUMP: I am urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Refused to answer the question. And then, in that same debate, remember this, listen to the exchange when Chris Wallace asked Trump if he would condemn white supremacists and militia groups.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: What do you want to call them? Give me a name. Give me a name.
WALLACE: White supremacist and right-wing militia.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Proud Boys.
WALLACE: White supremacist and right-wing militia.
TRUMP: Proud Boys, stand back and stand by.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: And that's what they did. They did until they were called to action. And they were at Trump's rally. They were seen storming the Capitol and it's not the only incident involving Trump supporters, it's like a butterfly flapping its wing. It starts small and then reverberates.
Remember this in October, a caravan of cars and trucks with Trump flags surrounding a Biden campaign bus in Texas. The Biden campaign at the time cancelled an event out of safety concerns. The President's response, "They did nothing wrong." And so it built, and it built, and it built.
So the President continued to act that way, emboldened his supporters and domestic terrorists then stormed the U.S. Capitol last Wednesday, an insurrection that given these warnings from the FBI is looking like it could be the beginning, not the end of the domestic terror threat America now faces.
Kaitlan Collins is OUTFRONT at the White House. And Kaitlan, tonight another resignation on the Trump cabinet. This one coming from an Acting Secretary who four days ago vowed to remain in office until January 20th citing serious threats facing our country. What happened and how is the President handling this development?
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. There's so much going on but it is still stunning to see the Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary step down amid what is going on. And, of course, as he said he wanted to stay on because of the importance of transitioning to the Biden administration.
But this also comes after the White House withdrew his nomination to Capitol Hill, which wasn't going to go anywhere with the Senate given there is such a short time left. But it does speak to the precarious legal nature of whether or not he could be serving in that job. And so now he is stepping down today. There is going to be a vacancy there with the FEMA administrator taking over.
And it really just adds to the chaos of what we are seeing in this final full week of the Donald Trump presidency. And, of course, on top of that is what's been going on in the aftermath of this riot and the President's response.
And Erin, we just learned a few moments ago that the President and the Vice President have just spoken for the first time since last Wednesday, when Mike Pence left the White House to go up to Capitol Hill. Of course, the President, one of his last words to Mike Pence was a vulgarity because he was obsessed that Pence wasn't going to do his bidding up there while he was going through this constitutional process to certify Biden's win. But we are told they have now spoken in the Oval Office just a few
moments ago. It's notable because this is probably the longest stretch they've ever gone without actually speaking to one another. And there are a few things to glean from what we were being told by a senior administration official about how that conversation went.
They said it was a good conversation. But, Erin, they also said they are going to serve out the remainder of their term. That means the President is not going to be stepping down from his role, despite some Republican calls for him to do so.
And it also means that it's incredibly, incredibly unlikely the Vice President is going to move to invoke the 25th Amendment as Democrats have pushed for him to do and we know what that means, Democrats are going to move forward with impeachment as they've said they will within 48 hours from now.
BURNETT: Well, a very significant development. All right. And Kaitlan, as you hear more about that conversation, I know you'll coming back on, it is obviously very significant. They hadn't spoken since the riots, hang Mike Pence, all of those things. The President didn't call Pence when he was sequestered at the Capitol. But now this conversation and what Kaitlan is saying, essentially, getting on the same page about staying in office, extremely significant.
So as we wait for maybe some more details there, I want to go to Evan Perez at the Justice Department for more on that FBI bulletin about a possible violence in all 50 states as well as the U.S. Capitol coming into the inauguration.
Evan, tell us what you know and have we heard directly from the leadership of the FBI. I mean, this is huge. It affects every single state in this nation.
EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Look, I think the big question has been where is Chris Wray been. He hasn't done any kind of public statement before the cameras. He's issued a paper statement so has the Acting Attorney General. And we are still waiting to hear whether or not they're going to do, they're going to dress the public, obviously.
As you mentioned, the FBI is concerned about these protests, not only here in Washington surrounding the inauguration.
[19:10:02]
There's another one having to do with 2nd Amendment on the 17th. And if the Democrats go through with trying to remove the President before then, you can bet that the FBI believes that some of his supporters will turn out again and the concern is for a repeat of what happened.
And one of the interesting things about issuing this bulletin is that none of this stuff happened before the Wednesday rally, Erin. There were some regional bulletins that were put out. A lot of this stuff is stuff from off the internet. This is stuff that they're talking about on Parlour and on Twitter. And the FBI knew that some people who might be violent might be
attending the Trump rally. And the question is why wasn't more done by the Capitol Police to protect the building before the mobs came in.
BURNETT: Still those huge questions as we learn more and more about the warnings that were there. There are questions we need answers to. All right. Evan, thank you very much.
I want to go to Phil Mudd. He's a former FBI Senior Intelligence Adviser, also former CIA counterterror. Abby Phillip is our Political Correspondent and David Gregory, our Political Analyst.
So, Phil, in light of what Evan is reporting there, armed protests for FBI warning coming for all 50 state capitols and the Capitol in Washington. All 50 states 1910 [00:01:22] on the internet, how concerning is this?
PHIL MUDD, CNN COUNTERTERRORISM ANALYST: Well, I'll tell you there's questions that you just heard about the FBI, those would not be the questions I would raise. Look, there are fewer than 15,000 FBI agents across 50 states. The concern I would have is a facility that has the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Capitol that has its own police force, that had warning of a threat couldn't manage the mob of people who overwhelm the Capitol police. Multiply that by 50 times.
You're telling 50 states, sheriffs and local police because the FBI can't secure this. Look, there's a chance that people, not only people, but armed people will show up at your Capitol and try to overrun your capital as the U.S. Capitol was overrun. The problem I see Erin is a problem of numbers. You cannot coordinate a national response to secure 50 state locations simultaneously. That's too many spaces simultaneously. You can't do it, Erin, you just can't.
BURNETT: Which is pretty sobering here. I mean, in terms of - and you don't know where it's going to happen or if it's going to happen and I think that's pretty terrifying for people to hear.
David, it also comes in light of what Kaitlan just reporting, which is that the President and the Vice President have now spoken for the first time since all this happened. The President said how upset he was at Pence and they said hang Pence and the President did nothing and he never didn't call them for days, and days and days.
And now they finally spoken and the initial gauge of that conversation and we're waiting to learn more, but the initial gauge is that they're going to stay in office. So what does the world see when they see this. The President holed up, finally speaks to his Vice President today and that's the outcome.
DAVID GREGORY, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Look, people have rendered judgment about Donald Trump on the world stage. That's not the immediate issue right now. The immediate issue is who's running our government and whether there is enough maturity and sobriety in the government to function properly. That's something that people around Mike Pence are telling our own correspondence, the message they want to get out to the world and how they're seen. It's quite clear that Pence has an important role to play here. If he
felt the President was disqualified from serving, he does have the authority to try to lead the cabinet to disqualify him. It's clear, he's not going to do that. He has shown no inclination that he would want to do it. It's good that they're talking. It's good that there's as much calm there can possibly be right now between the two of them and we have to see.
I mean, there's no indication that we have to believe that Trump is going to listen to Pence now or anybody else for that matter. We shouldn't place our trust in that. What I do think is significant about what Phil was talking about and the threat that the FBI is identifying is, number one, it's very important that we know.
I do think a lot of the security lapse was surprised. The fact that they were not better prepared. Well, now you have a lot more awareness about what could happen here in D.C. but around the country. And I think from a law enforcement perspective, I think Phil would agree, that's very important to raise awareness, to mobilize the response that you need and to calm fears and that sense of alarm that people will feel.
BURNETT: Abby, the thing is, though, is what we saw on Wednesday on the day of the riot. It was a president who was enthusiastic and excited about what he was seeing until he decided to sort of didn't like the look of people who resisted calling up the National Guard, slow walk that entire process. Pence tried to push the other way.
[19:15:03]
And now you have something like this happening in 50 states. By the way, several of those states have sent National Guard contingents already to the Capitol that are now already gone there. I mean, is the President even equipped to handle this?
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: No. I think it's unquestionably he is not. I mean, in addition to what you just said, Erin, remember, during the assault on the Capitol while Mike Pence was being hidden away, frankly, from this mob, President Trump was tweeting attacks on Pence.
BURNETT: Yes.
PHILLIP: And not only that but he was also tweeting, he sent out a tweet that basically said this is what you get when you steal the election, continuing to falsely claim that the election was stolen and also giving cover for the people doing this incredibly violent act against the United States government.
So President Trump is not in a good position here to deal with this, because if he were he would have already said something about this alleged plot that the FBI is tracking. He would have sent a message to his supporters stand down, do not do this, we will respond with force.
President Trump knows how to say that. He said it over the summer multiple times, threatening protesters in Portland and elsewhere with violence. He has not said that, it's incredibly telling. And the idea that Mike Pence wants to smooth things over until next Tuesday is - or next Wednesday is typical for Mike Pence, but it's not going to work. President Trump is not going to be reasoned with when it comes to this issue, because he doesn't want to be.
BURNETT: And in fact even, Phil, when he was forced to put out a video, his third video, but finally forced to put out one where he sort of condemn this, he ended it by saying this is just the beginning. OK. And now we see that there are many across this country who want this just to be the beginning.
You worked for the CIA. You were working with the White House on 9/11. How does this threat, this warning compare?
MUDD: Well, you're making me uncomfortable. Let me give you a snapshot. On 9/11, I was evacuated from the White House. I was on loan from the CIA to the White House, which is common in U.S. government. But over time after the initial shock, you realized it was them and is people overseas in places like Afghanistan and Pakistan who are plotting to come into this country to threaten us.
I never thought that they could threaten our politics and I never imagined they could threaten our culture, and they never did. They could threaten our security, our airlines, for example, but they couldn't threaten us. It was them.
Erin, it's us. Now it's us. It is us, my neighbor, someone down the street, someone in the same state who's looking at my country and saying I'd like to use violence to threaten the Congress of the United States and to say that I don't respect the law of this country. It was them 20 years ago, it's us now.
And for me that's, especially living with young people in this Household, that's more concerning. It's us.
BURNETT: Final word, David.
GREGORY: Well, I think it is concerning. We've also been here before domestically. In the '90s, it wasn't at this level, but there was a lot of internal division, a lot of anger and rancor directed toward the federal government. There was the Oklahoma City bombing, which was a heinous act of domestic terror. So we have been here before and people need to be watchful.
But I also want to sound a note of optimism and the strength of our institutions, and the strength of our political system, and in each other that we're strong enough to withstand this and put up some guardrails against the excesses that we've already seen.
BURNETT: Thank you.
PHILLIP: Erin, could I just add?
BURNETT: Yes. Go ahead, Abby. Yes.
PHILLIP: I do think it's important what happens from here. One of the things Congress is dealing with is what is the message that's going to be sent. It's not just about the partisan rancor in the rank and file, it's about what our leaders do and what the role of the President is.
And so I think that that is the big question that hangs over the situation. We've never had a president who's done this before and that's what makes this very different.
BURNETT: Yes. Thank you all very much. And we do have more breaking news on the impeachment, though, we now know it is set for Wednesday in the House as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is looking at using a rare technique that would basically reconvene the Senate and so that they could hold the formal impeachment trial to convict before President Trump leaves office in nine days.
Manu Raju is OUTFRONT on Capitol Hill. Manu, that obviously would be very significant because the House is barreling towards an impeachment vote. But everyone has sort of said, well, if you do that then you got to wait until Biden takes office and then the Senate has to decide when Schumer is in the majority. So what could happen here that would get that done before Inauguration Day?
MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they would need support from Mitch McConnell as the current Senate Majority Leader. But McConnell is not indicating that he would get behind and ever for a quick trial. So as a result, we're very likely looking at a trial that would begin when Joe Biden becomes president for the outgoing and former President Donald Trump.
[19:20:06]
At that point, the Senate will have to vote to convict by a two-thirds majority Donald Trump. And if they were successful in voting, that also could prevent him from holding office ever again.
But this is moving very quickly in the House. There is expected to be a vote on Wednesday to impeach Donald Trump on the charge of inciting insurrection. Democrats believe that they have the votes. They are confident tonight that they do.
They believe they'll get at least some Republicans to be on board, but most Republicans are opposed to this idea, including Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican Leader who just had a conference call with his colleagues and said that he prefers other approaches, including a bipartisan commission to study what went wrong.
But Erin, McCarthy did acknowledge on this conference call that he spoke with President Trump and Trump himself acknowledged that he bore some of the blame for the violent riots here that killed five people, including that one U.S. Capitol police officer.
We have not heard the President say that publicly, but privately he acknowledged that to Kevin McCarthy, who just revealed that to his members. But nevertheless, impeachment for the most part will mostly be Democrats pushing forward. We'll see if any Republicans get behind it as well, Erin. BURNETT: Right. And, of course, they'll probably address the nation in
all this at the beginning would have been the right thing to do. But that isn't what he did as he continued to fanned the flames during that day and after. Thank you, Manu.
All right. So for more of the Democrats thinking in the House since that's who's going to drive this process as they ready the impeachment vote on Wednesday, I want to bring in the Assistant House Speaker, Democratic Congresswoman, Katherine Clark. Congresswoman, I appreciate your time.
So Speaker Pelosi is giving Vice President Mike Pence 24 hours to respond. So once the resolution on the 25th Amendment is voted on and that's set to happen tomorrow, so that would put you on track for the Wednesday vote. Obviously, we now know the Vice President and the President have now spoken and it was amicable, we understand. Has there been any contact that you're aware of at this point between Speaker Pelosi and Vice President Pence?
REP. KATHERINE CLARK (D-MA): None that I'm aware of, Erin, and our focus remains on the dire threat that this President poses to our democracy, to our security and the American people each day, each hour, each minute that he remains in the White House and as Commander- in-Chief. So we are going to move forward.
We will ask once again that Mike Pence step up to his constitutional duty, invoke the 25th Amendment and remove the President because that is the fastest way to expel him from the presidency. But we will also move forward on Wednesday to impeach the President, to make sure that we are living up to our oath of office to protect this democracy and the Constitution.
BURNETT: So Congresswoman, you do have enough Democratic votes, obviously. I mean, you got everything there. But have you spoken with any of your Republican colleagues who have told you directly that they will vote yes to impeach President Trump.
CLARK: I have not heard any direct confirmation of yes votes. But I hope over the next days, there will be some deep soul searching because this is the call of history. As the Speaker often quotes Thomas Paine, the time has found us and the time has found these Republicans, they have told the American public a big lie, a lie about our elections that has resulted in horrific violence and put our very democracy on the edge and so it's time.
The way to unify and move forward is to speak the truth. And it is this time where they need to tell the truth about this election and move our country forward and preserve this democracy.
BURNETT: I want to ask you one question before we go, Congressman David Cicilline, who's one of the lead authors of this impeachment article has received some pretty nasty, nasty vicious violent threats. Here some.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You poke the f**king bear this time, you little
b*tch. You've got 80 Pamela Young:**king million people coming after you, you commie little f**ks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you impeach him, civil war is on, buddy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: How concerned are you about those things happening?
CLARK: I'm very concerned. We saw it play out. This is exactly why we are doing everything we can, Erin, to remove this president. He incited this and our colleagues who helped him spread this misinformation who continue to tell this lie about our elections, they are responsible for this.
We have to make sure that we are standing up for what is right and for the Constitution.
[19:25:01]
And these are scary people and their threats are real. They erected gallows outside of the Capitol with a noose. They came to assassinate our leaders and members of Congress. And we have to take that as deadly serious as it is.
But we also can't be afraid, because this is the moment where our responsibility is to the American people. We don't just get to keep a democracy, we also have to do the right thing, even when it's scary, even when it's hard to make sure that we preserve our constitution and this great American experiment.
BURNETT: All right. I appreciate your time, Congresswoman. Thank you very much to the Assistant Speaker.
And now to a House Republican who has just come out saying he is strongly considering impeaching the President. I want to bring in now Republican Congressman Peter Meijer of Michigan. Congressman, look, this is a tough moment for a lot of people on Capitol Hill. So I know this is hard for you to think about this, to get your mind around this. I know you're strongly considering impeaching the President, why?
REP. PETER MEIJER (R-MI): Honestly, Erin, I had a break on Wednesday at around 4:17 pm after we had fled the House chambers, after we knew that at least one person had died. When we're in a secure location, we didn't know whether or not any of our colleagues were injured or killed and the one person who could tamp down the rhetoric, the one person who could have put an end to that violence, the President.
He put out that video that said, we love you, you're special, you come home. No condemnation. No urge to bring things back. To me, that was an abject failure of leadership and something just broke then, that was the one opportunity he had to try to make things right when we had the number one, two and three individuals in the Presidential line of succession under siege and he was completely missing in action. BURNETT: So what's going to determine whether you cast this vote?
MEIJER: I've had a lot of discussions with colleagues that are folks who are concerned about the process of impeachment. They're concerned about the impact and what that will mean from a public reaction. There are folks who are concerned about the timing. I have not heard anyone arguing the merits.
To me, this is not the timing that we that is ideal. I'd prefer that we have a more fulsome investigation into what happened. Most of what I know about January 6th came either from personal experience or from Twitter. But at the end of the day, I think it is obvious that the President is no longer qualified to hold that office.
BURNETT: So it sounds like you've made your decision in terms of your vote.
MEIJER: I will wait to see the additional evidence presented. But again, this is something we're strongly considering.
BURNETT: Right. Well, I mean, as you say, timing is a crutch. I get it. This is an ideal timing for anyone. But timing is a crutch if people are going to use that, I think that someone has to call that out. It's got to be a vote on the merits, either qualified or not. You're qualified for one day or you're qualified for four years. It doesn't matter, you either are or you aren't.
Congressman, we are learning of armed protest now on all 50 state capitols in Washington, D.C. that they are planning. The FBI saying that they have evidence of this. They're worried. Yet, the Acting DHS Secretary just resigned. You remember four days ago, he said, let me just quote him because I was on the air when it happened, "I vow to remain until January 20th because of serious threats facing our country."
He by the way was imploring, he said, "I implore the President to strongly condemn the violence." The President didn't do it. But his reason for staying with serious threats facing our country, we now know of threats on 50 state capitols, what do you think is going on here?
MEIJER: It's a vacuum of leadership, plain and simple and something that deeply worries me. I served in the military in Iraq, I mean, you have the chain of command and one person steps down and somebody else steps into that breach and right now we just have silence. That's incredibly worrisome. I'm very worried about the violence, not only that's occurred already, which was horrific, it could have been far worse. But also I go forward with the expectation, there will be more violence.
I was one of nine freshmen to vote and to certify the election and not to vote to overturn it. And a lot of us are talking amongst ourselves being concerned about our security. Some have already experienced death threats have been put under armed guard.
Our expectation is that folks will try to kill us. And to me, the important thing is not to let that intimidate you, because loyalty to the Constitution should supersede everything else.
BURNETT: Yes. And I know and I think it's important you raise that, because you are saying what you're saying taking the stand you're saying in the face of that. Can I just ask you one other question? There's a lot I'd like to ask you about all those other Republicans who did not vote to certify. But of the nine who did, of which you are one, have you talked to them about their votes on this issue? Are some of them also in the position that you are in terms of this impeachment vote, do you believe?
MEIJER: I don't want to share any private discussions. This is obviously something that a lot of us are trying to understand.
[19:30:01]
If you can imagine the past week, we went from grappling with the Electoral College certification, which we knew was going to be a very severe, you know, test of whether or not we were more concerned about our political futures or kind of our moral compass, and then moving forward, we had the events of Wednesday, and we're still dealing with the aftermaths and the fallout of that.
So, you know, I can only say that this is something that we are actively discussing. As I said earlier, there are folks doubting the timing, curious about the process, concerned about the ramifications, but I've heard no doubt on the merits.
BURNETT: All right. Well, I appreciate your time. I appreciate your honesty and your willingness to speak out about it. Congressman Meijer, I think it's really important, and I thank you.
MEIJER: Thank you.
BURNETT: And after this, some more breaking news. More than a dozen Capitol police officers are now under investigation at this hour for alleged involvement in last week's riots. Two have now been suspended. We have some new details on this.
Plus, where are extremists going to spread their views now that their controversial go-to outlet has been completely snuffed out? A special report ahead.
And coronavirus overwhelming hospitals across the country. We're going to one hospital where they're treating hospitals in the hallways, in the gift shop and in the prayer room.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:35:01]
BURNETT: Breaking tonight, two Capitol police officers suspended for their behavior during the riot on Capitol Hill. This is according to Democratic Congressman Tim Ryan who says it includes this man who took a selfie with one of the rioters and another who directed people around while wearing a MAGA hat.
Alex Marquardt is OUTFRONT.
And, Alex, we know about those two, but I understand you're learning about more officers who could be facing consequences?
ALEXANDER MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Erin.
On top of these two that have been suspended, there are up to 15, Congressman Ryan said, Capitol Hill police that are under investigation. You mentioned that officer who is believed to have directed protesters. We've heard things like this, including from Congressman Jim Clyburn who said that it was very odd that rioters were able to find his office even though it was not marked. You know what a maze that building is, Erin.
And all of this comes as this city, Washington, D.C., the nation's capitol and state capitols all across the country are gearing up for more potential violence.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUARDT (voice-over): New chilling video emerging five days after the historic, violent insurrection at the Capitol. Here a police officer is being brutally assaulted by the insurrectionist mob, stomped on and hit with a flagpole as the crowd sings the national anthem and chants "USA."
When the mob tried to force their way into the Capitol, another office was caught in the crush of people, bloody, as he cries for help.
The nation and its Capitol bracing for more violence in the coming days, including around the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.
MAYOR MURIEL BOWSER (D), WASHINGTON, D.C.: Our goals right now are to encourage Americans to participate virtually.
MARQUARDT: An internal FBI bulletin obtained by CNN says that armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitols and the U.S. capitol in Washington, D.C. in the days leading up to and on the day of the inauguration.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser asked that the president declared a pre- emergency disaster, citing unprecedented challenges.
BOWSER: Further, I am requesting the secretary of the Department of Interior cancel any and all public gathering permits in the District of Columbia.
MARQUARDT: The Pentagon announcing today it has more than doubling the number of National Guard troops already mobilized to 15,000 for the inauguration. The head of the Capitol Police who has stepped down told "The Washington Post" before the riot, his bosses didn't want him to request to have the National Guard on stand-by.
The Pentagon confirmed that the Capitol Police made no requests before Wednesday's events. JONATHAN RATH HOFFMAN, PENTAGON SPOKESPERSON: Based on that assessment
that they had, they believed they had sufficient personnel and did not make a request.
MARQUARDT: When the insurrection was underway, former Capitol Police chief Steven Sund told "The Washington Post" that he pleaded five more times for help amid the chaos. The Pentagon responded, according to Sund, that they didn't like the idea of a National Guard in a police line. The general on the phone now denies that, but the decision was made to send the guard shortly after by acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller.
Now, the hunt is on for many of the rioters. The FBI and D.C. police asking the public for help identifying them, like this man carrying the Confederate flag through the halls of Congress. Others have been named.
The bearded man wearing the Camp Auschwitz shirt is Robert Keith Packer from Virginia. The man in all black with a holster seen carrying plastic restraints is Eric Munchel from Nashville. He was charged with two federal crimes.
Also charged with federal offenses was a retired reservist Air Force lieutenant colonel, his name is Larry Brock who also had flexible handcuffs.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUARDT (on camera): Erin, one thing investigators are looking into is to what extent the rioters included active duty law enforcement and military. We are told there are at least seven officers across the country who are under investigation by their departments from New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, Virginia and Texas. So, of course, very troubling to think that there could have been law enforcement and military among those rioters.
Erin, one more thing we should note is that the president has just agreed to that emergency declaration that had been requested by the mayor of Washington, D.C. -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Alex, thank you very much.
I want to go OUTFRONT now to John Scott-Railton. He's been assisting the FBI and identified one of the rioters who's a retired Air Force reserve officer before he was even arrested and he tracks extremist groups for the University of Toronto Citizen Lab.
John, I appreciate your time.
So, the warning tonight from the FBI, armed protest planned in all 50 states leading into inauguration day. How concerned are you that this is the beginning, right? As the president indicated, at the end of his last taped commentary, and not the end?
JOHN SCOTT-RAILTON, SENIOR RESEARCHER, CITIZEN LAB: Well, Erin, first of all, thanks for having me and I'm glad to be here. I want to just clarify, I'm still a civilian just working on the research with a lot of people and we find things that are credible, we forward them to the FBI.
[19:40:04]
I am very concerned, which is what keeps me up at night and what is keeping I think many of us trying to understand who is there that day. I think part of what's so concerning is the vision of men like Eric Munchel and Lt. Colonel Brock there with handcuffs, there with military bearing and equipment. We really need to understand who these men were and what their plans were on that day. And I'm just very concerned that they had plans for the future.
BURNETT: So, you know, you mentioned Larry Brock, you know, who was the white flex class and wore a hand, a helmet on the Senate floor. Alex showed his picture, we'll show it again. There are those cuffs. He's a retired Air Force reserve officers.
The man with the horns that everybody knows, everybody's seen that picture. Horns and face paint, he's a Navy veteran.
Do you think we're going to see more people who fit those profiles?
SCOTT-RAILTON: Yeah, I'm up to my eyeballs in footage and photos, and I know a lot of us are. And what we are seeing again and again is men and some women with a military bearing who are wearing the right gear carrying in the right ways. And this really concerns me.
Part of what's so concerning I think is that many of them have come from the moment of the 6th, not worried about this dishonored, but rather thinking, you know what, this worked, we should come back again this time with weapons.
BURNETT: Wow, and that's your perception of what they're thinking?
SCOTT-RAILTON: Well, I think that that's not just my perception. I think if you go to places where conservatives on the extreme are talking, it's hard to even describe them as conservatives, you see calls for armed violence, you see calls for the execution of Nancy Pelosi. You see graphics of Washington D.C. ringed by rifles, with calls to bring weapons to D.C. in the coming weeks.
It's not just a hypothetical. It isn't a supposition. This is the messaging that we're seeing out there. What concerns me is that very quickly we've seen a whole set of conservative sites like Parler effectively turned off. And one hand that's going to reduce some of the enthusiasm, but I'm very concerned about the lone wolves and militia types who already know each other and who may already have a plan. There's still going to be communicating, it's just going to be hard for researchers like me to find them.
BURNETT: John, thank you very much, and for that warning as well.
I want everyone to know, in just a couple of minutes, we have a piece exactly to your point when Parler shutdown, where have these voices gone? I want everyone to stay for that, because it is such a crucial question. All of this comes of course the threats, as the Department of Homeland Security has lost its acting chief he's stepping down. The third member of President Trump's cabinet to step down following the insurrection that Trump helped incite last week.
OUTFRONT now, Laurence Tribe, constitutional law professor at Harvard Law School, who has advised House Democrats on President Trump's impeachment probe, the author of "To End the Presidency: The Power of Impeachment".
So, Professor Tribe, another cabinet member is now gone in Chad Wolf, even though he had vowed, of course, to stay on to the 20th citing domestic security threats.
So, Vice President Pence has given no indication, now, he's met with the president, that he's going to move forward at the 25th Amendment. But if he were to do so, now you've had three secretaries leave including Wolf. How does that impact?
LAURENCE TRIBE, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW PROFESSOR, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL: Basically, it reduces the requisite number both on the numerator and the denominator. It just needs a majority of the heads of the departments and if they're less heads of departments, less are needed.
But if Pence continues to say he's not going to do anything, then the 25th Amendment off ramp doesn't work and impeachment on Wednesday is the only solution. I think that's going to go forward and it's overwhelmingly clear from your coverage so far that we have a president who has fomented revolution, incited insurrection and basically begun a violent process that is affecting all of us. And the sooner he is gone, the better.
BURNETT: So, that was the argument actually, I don't know if you just heard Republican Congressman Meijer from Michigan. He was saying, as a Republican, he hasn't heard anyone argue the merits and to him --
TRIBE: Right.
BURNETT: -- the argument of well is only nine days, why do this now? It doesn't add up at all, because there's the demand so there's. Not either qualified to be president or you're not. He says this president is not.
Okay, he is only one of two, though, House Republicans who have indicated that they likely vote yes, haven't even said for sure but likely. This as you say, it affects us all.
How bipartisan does the impeachment vote need to be, professor?
TRIBE: Well, the more bipartisan the better, I think the congressman is to be commended but it's clear that many of his colleagues agree that there is no question that this man Donald J. Trump is a danger, not qualified to remain president.
[19:45:03]
That he has committed insurrection and incitement of insurrection. Given that that is their view, if they take their oath to the
Constitution seriously, there is only one correct way for them to proceed, and that is to vote to impeach and hopefully in the Senate convict this president. And that can happen, there is a 2004 agreement in the senate, under which if both McConnell and Schumer agree, that the circumstances weren't moving forward quickly, that's exactly what would happen.
It is McConnell's stubbornness that prevents it from happening. But it's going to happen anyway, in the new administration, after a period of time. And in the meantime, even though it's only 9 days, only 8 days, the amount of damage that this president can do in just a few days is incalculable.
We've seen people die already. He's essentially sitting back while the people who have basically taste the Kool-Aid are planning violent insurrection in all 50 states and again the capital. The sooner he is gone, the sooner the general of that Army is gone, the sooner the rest will succeed into the basically, the woodwork.
BURNETT: All right. Well, Professor Tribe, I appreciate your time. Thank you very much and again so viewers know, you've been advising on the impeachment process to the House.
OUTFRONT next, far-right extremists. You know, you just heard John talk about this, they've been kicked off, Parler has been effectively shut down. They can't go into Twitter, they can't go on Facebook. That doesn't mean that they're not there, so where are they and what they are they saying and planning?
And President-elect Joe Biden tonight on the roughly 3,000 Americans, who are now dying every day from coronavirus.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Tonight, Parler, the social media site that has grown in popularity among fringe conservatives, suing Amazon, saying it's effectively been shut down because Amazon has kicked off its platforms. Without Parler, those in the far right have to find somewhere else to show their views, which may disperse many of them, but will force those underground to the dark corners of the Internet that are too dark for many law enforcement to see.
Donie O'Sullivan is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We had an election that was stolen from us.
DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Some of the biggest peddlers of the conspiracy theory that Trump didn't lose the election, including the president himself, have been purged from major social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter since last week's insurrection.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president's Twitter account has been suspended.
O'SULLIVAN: But they and their followers have been finding new homes online, platforms Parler or messaging app that have few rules and where hate and misinformation fester.
SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS HOST: I'm moving from Twitter to Parler.
[19:50:00]
I'm moving to Parler, I'm moving to Parler. I have a Parler account.
BEN DECKER, CEO, MEMETICA: When people push disinformation or conspiracy theories, those conspiracy theories are just further reinforced. There is no counter-rebuttal like there might be on Facebook or Twitter, where you have a fact checkers and people who have different views that offers a civic debate.
O'SULLIVAN: Weeks ago, we spoke to Parler users that explained why they preferred it.
What is something you can say on Parler that you wouldn't be able to say on Facebook?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That the coronavirus is not as deadly as everybody says it is.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You could literally post that on Twitter and get in Twitter jail for that.
O'SULLIVAN: But you can post it on Parler?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, no problem.
O'SULLIVAN: Financially backed by prominent conservative donor, Rebekah Mercer, Parler is a social media app with an interface similar to Twitter, that was increasingly popular and reached number one in the Apple Store from time before being taken off line overnight Sunday after Amazon which hosted the site pulled support for it. Parler is suing the tech giant in a bid to get back up and running.
But Parler did at least remove this post from supporter Attorney Lin Wood who seemed to call for Vice President Mike Pence to objected by firing squad, but Wood later told CNN he meant no threats and believes in the rule of law.
The controversial far right group the Proud Boys is urging followers to welcome new users to the Telegram app, where its channel has seen a surge in new followers over the past few days. We found this post on a Telegram channels, summing up the potential influx of users. Parler being shut down has sent tens of thousands or more, of people to Telegram. Now is our opportunity to grab them by the hand and leave them toward ideological truth.
DECKER: The further migration towards more secure fringe platforms, it's going to create a bigger blind spot for researchers and law enforcement. There's absolutely no doubt about that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'SULLIVAN (on camera): This, Erin is a whole new challenge facing the United States. These platforms with no rules can be hubs of radicalization. They're going to need to be watched very closely as we hear plants for more potential violent demonstrations in the coming weeks. The problem is, of course, that these apps can be much more difficult for law enforcement to monitor than open platforms like Facebook or Twitter.
BURNETT: All right, thank you so much, Donnie.
And OUTFRONT next, the United States now averaging 3000 COVID deaths a day. That is a first, the president has not said a word. Btu those who have lost their parents, their brothers, their sisters, have a warning for the rest of us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you truly love your loved ones, don't let this be you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:55:18]
BURNETT: For the first time ever tonight, the United States is averaging more than 3,000 coronavirus deaths a day. That is more lives lost than on 9/11 and it is happening every single day.
President-elect Biden calling it wrong after receiving the second dose of his Pfizer vaccine today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: Nearly 4,000 people a day dying is beyond the pail. It is just wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Sara Sidner taking us inside the grueling toll it is taking on one hospital in Los Angeles.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(SINGING)
SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mariachi music slices through the silence. The melody is meant to soothe the family's sorrow. The cruelness of COVID-19 on display. This is a funeral in a parking lot.
JULIANA JIMENEZ SESMA, MOTHER & STEPFATHER PASSED AWAY FROM COVID-19: My mother was a very strong woman, and she fought to the very last breath.
SIDNER: Juliana Jimenez Sesma says these are the last words they exchanged.
SESMA: I told her, mom, do not be afraid, for the Lord is with us. I love and may God bless you. Keep strong for me, mom. And all she answered me was, yes, mija. Yes, mija, with that -- with that voice -- with fear.
SIDNER: Sesma lived with and cared for her mom who had a lung condition. Her stepdad had asthma and diabetes. Her brother lives right next door with his young family.
How many people ended up getting it? Everyone --
SESMA: All of us.
SIDNER: Her stepfather and then mother ended up here, Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital. They fought to live like those filling all the ICU beds now, but they died within 11 days of each other. Dr. Jason Prasso treated both of Sesma's parents.
DR. JASON PRASSO, PULMONARY & CRITICAL CARE PHYSICIAN, MLK JR. COMMUNITY HOSPITAL: I just want her to know that we here tried our hardest, and, you know, we're really sorry that things went the way that they did.
SIDNER: The terrible scenario was not unusual, as COVID ensnares those who live in multigenerational families and are part of the essential workforce.
PRASSO: We have had the misfortune of seeing this disease run through families and all too frequently take multiple members of a single family.
SIDNER: The state of the art hospital is an oasis of care in the health care desert of south Los Angeles. It is no wonder the heavily black and Latino neighborhood is suffering disproportionately. The inequities in health care invites death.
DR. ELAINE BATCHLOR, CEO, MLK JR. COMMUNITY HOSPITAL: Diabetes is three times more prevalent here than in the rest of California. Diabetes mortality is 72 percent higher. The life expectancy is ten years shorter here than in the rest of the state. And all of that is related to this being an under-resourced and underserved community.
SIDNER: That was before coronavirus arrived.
PRASSO: We're running like well over 100 percent capacity.
SIDNER: The 131-bed facility is suddenly treating more than 200 patients, 60 percent of them are COVID patients. They've made space everywhere, tents outside, inside hallways, the prayer room, a former gift shop -- the battle to save a life physically and mentally exhausting.
But on this day, a surprise reminder of why they fight.
ELAINE STEVENS, COVID-19 SURVIVOR: I'm here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my goodness. You look amazing!
STEVENS: I'm back.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, let me see, let me see, you got dancing moves. Oh, yeah!
(LAUGHTER)
SIDNER: Seventy-four-year-old Elaine Stevens returns to thank her doctor and nurses. She spent more than 40 days in this ICU before walking out alive.
STEVENS: I made it. A lot of days, I didn't want to make it. But I did it.
SIDNER: As she celebrated a second chance at life, the ceremony for death was still playing out in the parking lot for the Sesma family.
SESMA: Don't let this be you. If you truly love your loved ones, don't let this be you. Continue to, you know, take all the cautions. Take all extra precautions, exaggerate if you have to.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SIDNER: Don't let this be you. Don't let this be your family. And we are watching families suffer so excruciatingly. They're still coming up here. There are one, two, three, five, six ambulances who are waiting here to take patients into this hospital here at MLK Jr. Community hospital here in South L.A.
And I do want to mention a couple of things. One, I want to name the two people, the two family members that Juliana Jimenez Sesma lost. She lost her mother Maria Guadalupe Sesma, and her father, Alberto Reyes Gonzalez, she was able to bury her mom. She is still waiting to cremate her stepdad -- Erin.
BURNETT: Thank you, Sara.
And thanks to all of you.
I hand it off now to Anderson.
