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Senators to be Sworn in for Trump's Second Impeachment Trial; Senate Power-Sharing Agreement Clears Path for Biden Agenda; New Reports Show Billionaires' Wealth Grew since Start of Pandemic While Millions of Americans Fell into Poverty. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired January 26, 2021 - 10:00   ET

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

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Oath as jurors in this Senate impeachment trial.

[10:00:02]

You will the president pro tempore, Senator Pat Leahy, presiding over this swearing. That, of course, different than what you saw a year ago when Chief Justice John Roberts was presiding over this process. So that is what we'll see today.

Then there is basically going to be a two-week pause. There is going to be a lot of activity behind the scenes that you're not going to be able watch on the Senate floor. One of those things, of course, will be more meetings, more discussions among House managers on how they want to proceed with this case.

We're getting new reporting this morning from our colleagues, Manu Raju and Jeremy Herb, who are reporting that those impeachment managers are looking at potentially using video, which, of course, would be a powerful tool in an impeachment trial in the Senate given the pictures that we saw nearly three weeks ago at that scene at the U.S. Capitol, as rioters made their way into the building, where many lawmakers were in their chambers debating the outcome of the election. So that is one thing that they're going to be talking about.

Then we are also going to be watching very closely to see what the new Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, thinks about the idea of having witnesses. We know that Democrats have wanted to make this an expedited trial, they want to move quickly, they don't want this to take up so much time that it really hinders the new president's legislative agenda.

But it is an open question right now whether or not they're going to have witnesses. It is ultimately going to be the decision of Schumer's although we could see some kind of an agreement worked out on the front end between McConnell and Schumer to try to get some bipartisanship going into the trial. Jim and Poppy.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN NEWSROOM: Yes. I mean, it would be interesting if they didn't get in a fight to call witnesses, blocked in the last trial. While I have you, Lauren Fox, because stimulus plan clearly priority number one for President Biden, without getting too deep into details or reconciliation, et cetera, but if 60 votes looks outside the realm of possibility here, how likely is it now that Democrats proceed via reconciliation, which would mean they would only need 51, or 50, really? Yes.

FOX: Yes. This is a 50/50 Senate. You would just need the vice president to break the tie. But this is really a rare budget tool. If you remember, Republicans did use it to pass their tax reform legislation, they also used it and try to overturn Obamacare.

But, look, it's something Democrats are seriously looking at. They are talking about it. You heard John Yarmuth yesterday say on our air, it's something could move to as soon as next week.

We should say it is a lengthy process. Just because you pass a budget bill doesn't mean you could turn around the next day and pass this massive COVID relief package. Jim and Poppy?

POPPY HARLOW, CNN NEWSROOM: Okay. Lauren, thank you for all of that.

Let's turn now to our Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju with more on this power-sharing agreement between McConnell and the Democrats. I mean, it is so typical that both McConnell and Schumer claim victory in this. They each won and then like nothing changed.

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is basically status quo. What Mitch McConnell was trying to do was exert his rights as minority leader. It was a power play by the Republican leader to try to make it clear, have the Democrats commit to never touching the filibuster, which requires 60 votes in the Senate to overcome in the Senate on legislation.

So that is a very powerful tool, long used by the minority. Mitch McConnell is the new minority leader, said he would not agree to a power sharing deal until that actually -- agreement came from the Democrats.

But the Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, never made that commitment. In fact, he said he would not agree to what McConnell was saying. There were two Democratic senators, moderate Democratic senators, Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin, who reiterated their longstanding view that they've had for months that they oppose moving forward to gut the filibuster and McConnell used that as a way to say, okay, that is good enough for me.

That is significant because, well, first of all, they don't even have the votes to overcome to change the filibuster rule. That's been clear for some time. But also there is nothing written in stone. There are no written assurances that they would never change the rights of the minority to derail legislation. So, possibly, Democrats could change their mind down the road as we see majorities in both parties do on this very potent issue that makes the Senate unique, the power of the Senate to derail, stall and frustrate the majority. So, in the end, Mitch McConnell agreed to let this go forward and now the end result here, as the Senate can organize, the committees can run. In the last week, the Republicans still controlled the committees because they were operating under last year's rules. Now, they have got (INAUDIBLE) under the new rules in the Senate majority, Democrats could assume the chairmanships, things could function after the stalemate has been clearly resolved, guys.

SCIUTTO: Well, as they say, a good compromise is when no one is satisfied, right? Manu Raju, thanks very much.

Now let's go to CNN White House Correspondent John Harwood. All right, so, John, tell us how the Biden administration, how President Biden view this power-sharing deal when it comes to his legislative agenda?

[10:05:02]

I mean, is there basically a shelf life, right, for an attempt at a bipartisan agreement here, after which Biden says, I'm going to the reconciliation, we have got to get this stuff passed?

JOHN HARWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and it is a very short shelf life, Jim. What we're learning is that, first of all, this power-sharing agreement is going to be the starting gun for the process of moving on that legislative package that the president is pursuing. Yes, he's going to try to get the ten Republican votes he would need to make a filibuster -- to break a filibuster. But that goal is less important to the Biden White House than getting something very close to the package that they he proposed.

So what happens when you have this power-sharing agreement is Bernie Sanders takes over the chairmanship of the Budget Committee in the Senate and he and John Yarmuth are both going to start moving budget resolutions. You have to pass a budget resolution before you can go to reconciliation. That is a process, as Lauren Fox indicated a while ago, that goes on for a number of weeks. Talks will go on with Republicans during that time.

But this White House, as I learned from outside allies, people on the Hill and people within the administration, they are determined to pass a big package. They think they can hold their 50 Democratic votes together to do that, tie broken by Kamala Harris.

And not only that, they're going to turn around and do the exact same thing right after they pass the COVID relief bill on an even larger bill than $1.9 trillion for infrastructure, perhaps even for health care. The bottom line that we're learning from the first week of the Biden White House is there is going to be more change than we are used to seeing from Congress and it is going to come faster than we're used to seeing it.

SCIUTTO: Interesting.

HARLOW: Getting things done, maybe? John Harwood, thanks very much.

SCIUTTO: Well, there is new information today on the number of vaccines expected to be delivered and gotten into your arms across the country.

HARLOW: So let's get to our Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen who has more. What are you learning?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: What we're learning is that Pfizer says they're actually going to be able to deliver 200 million doses two months early and that, Poppy and Jim, is because do you remember that whole story about how there was an extra dose in many of the vials. They were supposed to get a certain number but they get actually an extra dose. These things can happen. Manufacturing is not always -- it doesn't always know exactly how much is going to end up and they ended with a little bit more. So this is good, more doses to go into arms.

Now, that brings us to the distribution issue. Are those doses getting into arms? As we all know, that has been a struggle. Poppy, Jim?

HARLOW: To say the least. Let's hope this helps. Elizabeth, thank you for that reporting.

Well, international travelers coming into the United States have to follow a significant new rule. Starting today, they need to provide a negative test within three days of even, Jim, it sounds like getting on the plane.

SCIUTTO: Yes. And this is a step a country such as China has done for a number of months now.

CNN's Pete Muntean is at Washington Dulles International Airport this morning, where many international travelers come into the U.S., they're flying these days. So what do travelers need to know, what kind of proof do they need to present before getting on plane to the U.S.?

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jim, this is where international travelers arrive here at Dulles after they clear customs, but these new restrictions actually take effect well before they even get here.

Now, all international travelers coming into the United States will have to show proof of a negative coronavirus test before they leave. They have to take the test within 72 hours of the start of their trip.

It is really politics driving the policy here. The Biden administration is also ratcheting up restrictions on non-U.S. citizens coming into the U.S. from the U.K., much of Europe and Brazil and now South Africa because of that new coronavirus strain. And it is those type of restrictions that the Trump administration wanted to do away with.

Here is what the White House press secretary said about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: With the pandemic worsening and more contagious variants spreading, this isn't the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel. And in light of the contagious variant, B-1351, South Africa has been added to the restricted list.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MUNTEAN: Now, the state department is advising U.S. citizens that they should not travel internationally at all right now. Dr. Anthony Fauci says all of these new restrictions just show how seriously this new administration is taking the pandemic. Jim and Poppy?

SCIUTTO: Pete Muntean, good to have you there, thank you.

Well, soon, senators will be sworn in as jurors for the second impeachment trial, a little over a year, of former President Trump. We're going to speak to one of the senators who will serve on that jury.

HARLOW: Also, we'll talk more about this highly contagious COVID strain now in about half of the states in this country, President Biden raising the bar when it comes to daily vaccinations during his first 100 days.

[10:10:04]

Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta is with us.

We also will take a closer look at the president's new executive action focusing on police reform, prison reform and public housing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: In the coming hours, senators will be sworn in as jurors for the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.

With me now is one of those senators, one of those jurors, Democratic Senator Bob Menendez. He will also soon become chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. Thanks so much, Senator, for taking the time this morning.

SEN. BOB MENENDEZ (D-NJ): Good to be with you, Jim.

SCIUTTO: So a lot of open questions about how this trial will play out. The first one on witnesses, will you call witnesses, will the House managers call witnesses in the Senate trial?

[10:15:04]

Do you believe they should?

MENENDEZ: Well, that will be up to the House managers. But I would assume that they would call some witnesses. At the end of the day, there are many elements to what is being alleged that would have to be proven. I know that many people say, well, we were all here, we were all eyewitnesses, so to speak, to what happened. But what preceded that day in terms of the attack on Capitol, what was said, what was done, what was the organizing, those are all elements that I think may be very well worthy of witnesses as well as other information that has come out. So I will assume those managers will call some witnesses.

SCIUTTO: How long should this trial be, in your view? What is sufficient? What is too short, what is too long?

MENENDEZ: I wouldn't put a numerical number of days on it, Jim. I think that it must be a trial that ultimately provides justice, justice both to the defendant, in this case, President Trump, justice to the American people in terms of what they suffered on that day. And the ultimate question, is Donald Trump guilty of inciting an insurrection against the United States.

SCIUTTO: As you're speaking, I should note to viewers, the Senate majority leader, new Senate majority leader, speaking on the Senate floor, Chuck Schumer.

Our colleague, Kaitlan Collins, had a moment with the president yesterday, asked him about the trial. He said the trial does have to go forward but he does not believe that 17 Republicans will vote to convict. You've heard a number of Republicans say similar publicly.

I wonder, you speak to your Republican colleagues, do you agree that that is a closed issue?

MENENDEZ: Well, it remains to be seen. I would just simply say that if the loyalty is to a party or an individual versus to the Constitution, then, yes, the answer then will be no 17 Republicans to join us with Democrats on the question of impeachment.

If the question is loyalty to the Constitution and the oath that is taken, and you come to the determination that there was an incitement against the United States and, therefore, the president would be guilty, then there should be more than 17 Republicans.

And this is really beyond President Trump. This goes to the question of any president can simply usurp the powers that we have in our checks and balances of government and ultimately could incite an insurrection against the United States and get away with it. And that is the thing my Republican colleagues will have to decide on.

SCIUTTO: Have you spoken to Republican colleagues privately without breaking confidence who have told you they are open to voting to convict?

MENENDEZ: Yes, there have been some who have said they're open to convict. We'll see. I mean, even the Republican leader, Senator McConnell has said the president has actually incited what happened on Capitol. So if that is the case, then I assume that his comments would flow to a conviction.

SCIUTTO: The president is eager to move forward with his proposed stimulus -- economic stimulus, plan as is the Senate leadership, the Senate Democratic leadership here. It does not appear you'll get to 60 votes necessary. If not, do you support moving the reconciliation where you would only need 50 votes plus the vice president to break the tie to pass major stimulus legislation? MENENDEZ: Look, there is an absolute crying need in the country for the type of stimulus that President Biden is speaking of. I have too many New Jerseyans, too many New Jerseyans feel like the knock on the door is their landlord trying to evict them. Too many New Jerseyans who, for the first time in their life are on a food line at a pantry, too New Jerseyans who has consider about getting their kids to school, and that is replicated throughout the country. So we will need to do what is necessary in order to get that relief to the states, to our people and to the country.

SCIUTTO: I wonder if that were to happen, of course, President Biden spoke very highly of bipartisanship here. If stimulus cannot get through with a bipartisan vote, does reconciliation, do 50 votes become the norm for other parts of Biden's agenda, including on immigration, for instance, which one that is very high on your own list of priorities?

MENENDEZ: Well, look, reconciliation is not something that can be used all of the time and it has its rules. So at the end of the day, the question of stimulus, of trying to overcome COVID, to get the vaccinations out there, and to get the economic relief out there, it is an imperative. My hope would be that there could be a negotiation. I've negotiated deals with Republicans both national security, foreign policy and even domestic issues.

[10:20:03]

But if they are unwilling to, if they question is not see the president succeed, the cost of the American people, then reconciliation needs to be seriously considered as the path way forward.

SCIUTTO: Final question. Seven of your Senate Democratic colleagues who are calling for an ethics probe into two of your Republican colleagues, Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, for their role in the insurrection, they're alleged role in inciting the insurrection.

Do you support that ethics probe?

MENENDEZ: Well, that is a question for the Ethics Committee to take up. Several of my colleagues have made the decision to use that vehicle as a way to express their deep concerns about what Senator Cruz and Hawley did. We'll see how even this process plays out.

SCIUTTO: But do you have deep concerns about what Cruz and Hawley did? And do you believe that they should be sanctioned for it?

MENENDEZ: Well, I do have deep concerns about what they did. The process as to how that should be dealt with may not necessarily be the ethics committee.

SCIUTTO: Understood. Senator Menendez, we appreciate you taking the time this morning. Wish you the best of luck.

MENENDEZ: All the best. HARLOW: We're going to talk ahead about this new much more contagious coronavirus variant that is now in about half of U.S. states, this time from Brazil. How concerned should you be? Can vaccines completely protect against these variants? We'll talk to our Dr. Sanjay Gupta ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:24:00]

SCIUTTO: Well, millions Americans lost their livelihoods during the pandemic, many more added every day. But a new report says billionaires, however, are thriving. It says that the richest of the rich have seen their wealth grow by more than a trillion dollars During this period.

HARLOW: CNN Business Lead Writer Matt Egan joins us with more.

How is it possible that billionaires have gained that much wealth during this once in a century pandemic? I mean, I get people keeping their jobs and they can work virtually. But it is a staggering divide right now.

MATT EGAN, CNN BUSINESS LEAD WRITER: Yes, Poppy and Jim. it really is absolutely remarkable and I think it speaks to the unprecedented nature of this crisis. While workers in restaurants and airlines and countless other industries are suffering, the housing market is booming and the stock market is on fire. In fact, the S&P 500 is flirting with record highs as we speak.

U.S. billionaires are $1.1 trillion richer since mid-March. That is according to this new report published today by the Institute for Policy Studies and Americans for Tax Fairness.

Now, there have been 46 newly minted billionaires during that timeframe and this is a crazy stat, billionaires now hold two-thirds more in wealth than the bottom half of the U.S. population. Let that sink in for a moment. As I mentioned, the surging stock market is definitely playing a role here. Just look at these extraordinary wealth gains for the likes of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, all of those companies have seen their stock prices surge.

Meanwhile, lower income Americans are definitely worse off. Economists are calculated that about 8 million Americans have fallen into poverty since June. The poverty rate is up 2.4 percentage points over that timeframe. For some context, that is nearly twice the largest annual increase in poverty since the 1960s. Minorities are getting hit particularly hard. The poverty rate for black Americans is 5.4 percentage points higher than in June. That is 2.4 million people who have fallen into poverty.

So, Poppy and Jim, clearly, this pandemic is worsening what was an already alarming inequality problem.

SCIUTTO: I mean, it's amazing. It is amazing, something I'm sure you'll keep following. Matt Egan, thanks very much.

HARLOW: Thank you, Matt.

Well, potentially, big news on the vaccine front. Pfizer CEO this morning just said because of those extra vaccine doses that were found in the vials, they'll be able to deliver their promise of 200 million doses to the United States two months earlier than previously expected.

SCIUTTO: This is as Johnson & Johnson says it will release data on phase three of its COVID-19 vaccine by next week, to give a third option for vaccinations. And President Biden is setting a new goal, saying he hopes the U.S. will soon be able to vaccinate 1.5 million people per day soon.

Joining us now to discuss these and other headlines, CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

So, give us a reality check here. I mean, it was a million a day to get 100 million in the first hundred says, now 1.5 million. Is it doable?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I think it is doable. I mean, there is always caveats that come with this. Will manufacturing capacity keep up? Will you have enough on just the basic ingredients, like syringes and enough people to vaccinate? But these are all things that are being addressed now.

And we've been reporting on this for some time, looking at all the various chains of distribution, including national retail pharmacies if they have the support they need and the resources and all the things I just mentioned, their capacity is potentially 100 million doses a month. That's just the national retail pharmacies. That is close to 3 million doses a day. So we will see.

But there is clearly places around the country that are doing a pretty good job of this. West Virginia, for example, has administered 80 percent of the vaccines that they have received but, nationally, the average is around 55 percent.

[10:30:03]

So they've got to make up that short gap by addressing those specific things. If they do, we should be able to.