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New Day

Impeachment Trial; Cuomo's Top Aide Apologizes To NY Lawmakers; Beyond The Call of Duty. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired February 12, 2021 - 07:30   ET

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


[07:30:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY) SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: I want to tell you Kavanaugh, you have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won't know what hit you, if you go forward with these awful decisions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Is that the same rhetoric? Do you hear that the same way? And do you wish that Senator Schumer hadn't said something like that used incendiary rhetoric like that?

REP. ABIGAIL SPANBERGER (D-VA): As I've been in elected office now for two years, and for me, I have always believed that anyone who has a position of power and elevated voice by nature of their job in particular elected office has a significant responsibility to be responsible with the words that they use.

As a former CIA officer, I worked some counter radicalization efforts. I certainly know the power of words, we've been watching foreign governments and the ways that people who would do harm can animate through their words, and the world has a long history of this. You know, I think we all have a responsibility to say what we mean, and to recognize the power and impact.

But here is what I would say about this. We have seen a president from the time that there were neo-Nazis marching in the streets of Charlottesville, we have seen a president justify that there were nice people on both sides, we have seen the downplaying of the threat that exists as we saw Jewish cemetery after Jewish cemetery desecrated, as we saw the massacre at the Tree of Life, as we saw white nationalist groups peeking up their head to see if they could come out into the open. And each time they were given a pass by this president.

And then ultimately, we saw a president who would traffic in lies about the outcome of an election would tell people who believed in him, who wanted him to remain in the presidency that in fact, he had won. And he was joined by other members of Congress and by members of the Senate and by community leaders in that idea that somehow the elections were wrong, and that idea that the very foundation of our democracy is imperiled from their opinion, because they didn't like the results of the election.

And anyone with an elevated voice, by virtue of their position has the responsibility to tell the truth and to say to his supporters, you may be disappointed our guy last. But this is the results of the election in our country. And in our country, we have a peaceful transfer of power.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

SPANBERGER: And each place along the line when they had a chance to tell the truth they push it upward, they aggress, they forward to this idea of stopping the steal. And frankly, the results of this trial it's about accountability into the future. It's about the standard that we are setting for a president of the United States. It is about what our children's children will say about this time, whether or not when a president incited an insurrection while members of Congress were conducting their constitutional duty if is the future looks back and knows that we stood up and said this is not OK and this is dangerous. And that's what this time is about.

And I would hope that into the future everyone will think about the impact of their words. But there is there is no comparison to inciting interaction and interaction to anything else that we see.

CAMEROTA: Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, thank you very much. We appreciate getting your perspective.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Our developing this morning, a top a to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is apologizing to state lawmakers after hiding data for months about the number of coronavirus deaths long term care facilities. CNN's Athena Jones live with more this is quite an admission, Athena.

ATHENA JONES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It really is, good morning, John. Governor Cuomo's top aide Melissa DeRosa apologized to lawmakers Wednesday for putting them in a tough spot over long awaited data that revealed thousands more confirmed and presumed COVID-19 deaths of long term care facility residents than previously disclosed.

According to a source who participated in the call, DeRosa said the administration essentially froze because they weren't sure what information they were going to be turning over to the Department of Justice and didn't want whatever they told lawmakers in response to state joint committee inquiries to be used against them in any way.

Now nursing home residents have been -- have accounted for a large percentage of deaths from COVID in many states, especially early in the pandemic. New York was no different. But here critics of Governor Cuomo have long pointed to a March 2020 state order that required nursing homes to admit or readmit patients infected with COVID. They argue that order led to a surge in infections and deaths in those facilities.

We now know that more than 15,000 people died in nursing homes and assisted living adult care facilities according to the Department of Health of the state of New York and we know that number because of pressure from New York Attorney General Letitia James, who issued a scathing report last month accusing the state of undercounting nursing home deaths by some 50 percent by only counting those who died on site, not counting residents who are admitted to hospitals and died there.

[07:35:02]

The Associated Press is reporting through public records. They have reviewed that more than 9,000 recovering coronavirus patients in New York State were released from hospitals into nursing homes early in the pandemic under that controversial directive that was later scrapped amid the criticism. Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Athena, thank you very much for all of that reporting.

We want to take some time right now to remember some of the more than 475,000 Americans lost a coronavirus.

75-year-old Angela Salazar taught elementary school and was a school principal in New Mexico. She enjoyed introducing students to performing arts like theater, Opera and Ballet. Her family says she was also a great cook, who enjoyed trying out new recipes.

Richard Dahetta (ph) was a welder by trade and a drummer by passion playing in many Tohono bands across Texas. He survived by three children, five grandchildren and six great grandchildren. He was 82 years old.

85-year-old Michael Karula (ph) was born in Ukraine, and spent years with his family in a refugee camp after World War II. Sponsors helped move the family to Iowa where he married his high school sweetheart and raised seven children. His family says he loves tinkering, gardening, music and dancing and they say he carried a harmonica everywhere as an icebreaker for conversations.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:40:46]

BERMAN: Know It's hard being a Capitol Police officer. You know what's not? Sitting and listening, unless apparently, you're a US senator. John Avlon with the Reality Check.

JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, some Republican senators seem to have trouble paying attention to the impeachment evidence. They're reportedly doodling and tweeting and reading seemingly bored about Trump's incitement of a violent mob that tried to kill their colleagues. Don't wonder cynicism often passes for wisdom in Washington. But it's worth asking whether anything could make them take these charges seriously.

So let's talk about impartial justice. That's the sworn oath that all senators took at the start of this impeachment trial. It's the opposite of three Senate jurors talking strategy with Trump's defense lawyers, but maybe everyone's moral compass is just off after the Trump years.

So here's a test of impartial justice. How would Republican senators react if a Democratic president did exactly what Donald Trump is accused of? I think we all know the answer. None of them would excuse a Democratic president refusing to recognize the results of an election, let alone inciting an attack on the Capitol.

Here's another test of impartial justice.

Look at the violent mob and tactical gear smashing the windows and doors, the Capitol. Now imagine if they were black, or Antifa. Or imagine if that confederate flag were an ISIS flag? Would Republican senators still be saying that we need to put this behind us quickly because it's divisive? Of course not. Because there's nothing less conservative than a violent mob storming the Capitol.

But let's be honest, most of these constitutional conservatives aren't aiming for impartial justice. They're trying to avoid short-term partisan pain, which brings me to another phrase worth contemplating, the vote of conscience.

This is a specific term in the Senate. Many good senators do not need to vote the party line as GOP Leader Mitch McConnell is reportedly signaling because this is much bigger than partisan politics as usual. But despite that freedom, listen to what former McConnell Adviser Scott Jennings said last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think if it were a secret ballot, he'd get convicted 90 to 10.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AVLON: 90 to 10. He's only half joking. A vote of conscience seems like a real risk to many senators, even at the expense of what they know is right. Someone should remind them when you give in to fear the terrorists win. But it's also worth asking why many are still so afraid of a disgraced former president. Can't be fear of a mean tweet because Trump's been deplatformed for his disinformation, and he's not getting his Twitter account back. Trump is also deeply unpopular.

A majority of Americans think he should be convicted and barred from office. And the attack on the Capitol is one of the major reasons that nearly 140,000 Republicans left the party in January alone. So senators look at the divides within the GOP they should remember, the history is never kind to conspiracy theorists. And doing the right thing is often revealed to be the right thing politically over time.

Over the next few days, Republicans will decide whether evidence and impartial justice and votes of conscience mean anything to them. This attack will define Donald Trump's legacy. The question for senators is whether they want excusing it to define their legacies as well. And that's your reality check.

BERMAN: That's a great point, John. Sometimes it's better to do what's right, vote your conscience, vote what you know to be true rather than trying to guess which way the political wind is blowing because.

AVLON: Absolutely.

BERMAN: You know what, you might be wrong.

AVLON: 100 percent.

BERMAN: Thanks so much. We have some live pictures, I think. No, not now? Yes? We do? That's a live picture of me.

CAMEROTA: Yes, that's good.

BERMAN: Right, there's me.

CAMEROTA: Do you know what, just keep this going.

BERMAN: I can narrate these live pictures of me.

CAMEROTA: The viewers will love this.

BERMAN: OK, there we go. There the live pictures of people besides me. This is the North Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. You can see the First Lady Jill Biden and a member of the T birds. I'm not sure if that's John Travolta.

CAMEROTA: That's Fonzie

BERMAN: That is the president of United States, Joe Biden. There and they are touring the Valentine's Day display, which I guess was the brainchild of the first lady that the dogs are there as well.

CAMEROTA: Was a surprise. Let me explain something. This was a surprise that she likes to surprise her husband the first lady on Valentine's Day. They celebrated much like you do. I know you're observant of Valentine's Day. And so he got surprised by these hearts on the lawn this morning.

BERMAN: Yes, I have to say there's no pretty high.

CAMEROTA: There are.

BERMAN: Not going to get along like, I don't have a lawn like that or the ability to make the hearts quite that big. These are live pictures right now.

[07:45:07]

CAMEROTA: Just enjoying their morning coffee. Like, you know, a president first lady would do.

BERMAN: Again, sharing coffee with reporters, talking to reporters. This is interesting. All right. Well, look, this is something that I imagine can be turned around. Maybe we'll get some sound of what the President is saying the Valentine's Day greetings from the President and First Lady. CAMEROTA: That is romantic, John. They are still surprising each other you know, I'm sure that's harder to pull off a surprise in the White House. You know, their security stuff like that.

BERMAN: I don't know what goes on at your house. We still surprise each other all the time. I don't know. Is this about them? Or --

CAMEROTA: I Mean do you have security detail around you all the time? So I think my hat is off to her that she has set up these hearts on the front lawn.

BERMAN: Very cool. And Happy Valentine's Day.

CAMEROTA: Thank you.

BERMAN: For one and all.

CAMEROTA: Just taking in.

BERMAN: Yes, both dogs are there. Again, the dogs by the way who have injured the President of the United States. I hope he does keep a distance for him.

CAMEROTA: He's forgiven them. You can tell --

BERMAN: And I say pardon of both.

CAMEROTA: OK, hi. Hello, Mr. President. Hi. OK, I guess that was it.

All right. Enough said you know what I'm saying. OK, now to this. A mother and her young child are thanking a police chief for saving their lives after they both fell into a frozen New Jersey river. CNN's Jason Carroll tells us how the chief went beyond the call of duty.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 911, where is your emergency?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Somebody is drowning in the river.

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As soon as the call went out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A woman a child.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A woman and a child?

CARROLL: Elmwood Park New Jersey police and fire new time was not on their side.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please hurry up!

CARROLL: Police body camera footage capturing first responders arriving at the then frozen Passaic River last Thursday, a woman and her two-year-old child had fallen through the ice after police say they were playing with ducks. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got to get out there. Does somebody got life

jacket?

CARROLL: Elmwood Park Police Chief Michael Foligno was one of the first at the scene.

CHIEF MICHAEL FOLIGNO, ELMWOOD PARK, NEW JERSEY POLICE DEPT.: I said something's got to be done now. Otherwise, I'm going to witness to people die right in front of me.

CARROLL: The chief moved into action, body cameras show as he headed out across the ice in a small kayak wearing just a jacket on his back.

FOLIGNO: It was directly in the middle about 100 to 125 feet out.

CARROLL: As he struggled to make headway he soon realized the paddle was of little use.

(on camera): The chief says it was so difficult to get to the woman and her child. At one point he literally had to use his hands and claw his way across the frozen river.

FOLIGNO: I would like almost like thrust my knees forward to try to get the boat to move forward. And you know it was going very slowly.

CARROLL: It must have felt like an eternity between you and getting to that woman and her child.

FOLIGNO: It felt like I was literally going an inch an hour.

CARROLL (voice-over): After more than 20 minutes of being on the icy Passaic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's moving.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's moving.

CARROLL: Did she finally we just the woman and her child.

FOLIGNO: I reached in and grabbed the baby by the jacket and pulled the baby into the kayak. And then the mom was in a panic and she was pulling out the kayak. I finally reached in and, you know, slowly pulled her into the kayak. And then at that point, adrenaline wears off. I'm freezing. I'm starting to get scared. I'm figuring how are we getting out of here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give me some line.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This all I got.

CARROLL: Enter fire Captain Tyler Lewinsky who had put on a protective suit and was breaking through the ice to reach them with a rope.

TYLER LEWINSKY, FIREFIGHTER: Once I made my way to the chief, I yelled to the members on shore and they were the ones that pulled us out. Now when I got there, I was exhausted and I just held on to them. Without everybody on shore, I was never getting back.

CARROLL: Once everyone was back on shore, a rush to check on the mother and the child's condition.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, two, three.

FOLIGNO: First thing I said was get this kid warm. So I wrapped around my coat and I started to lay my body on her and just give her body heat. And then she started to perk up a little.

CARROLL: Police say the mother was traumatized but said she was grateful for the heroic actions of Chief Foligno and the other first responders. But the chief says there's no need for thanks.

FOLIGNO: I mean, it's my job. This is what I signed up for. I did my job.

CARROLL: Jason Carroll, CNN, Elmwood Park, New Jersey.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:53:57]

CAMEROTA: The CDC will release guidance today on how to safely reopen schools. CNN has learned that guidance is not expected to require vaccinating teachers. Joining us now is Alberto Carvalho. He is the superintendent of Miami Dade County Public Schools. That's the largest school district in the country to fully reopen.

Mr. Carvalho, it's great to have you here. How did you do this? How were you able to fully reopen public schools when so many other big cities are really struggling with this?

ALBERTO CARVALHO, SUPERINTENDENT, MIAMI DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Well, first of all, good morning, Alisyn, thank you so much for the opportunity. We were able to do it because number one, we had a collaboration of our teachers, we had set in place specific protocols and mitigation strategies. We laid out specific policy approved by the board that spoke to the necessary social distancing in schools that were prepared for, the mandatory wearing of masks, the designation of single direction hallways, the capping of water fountains and having kids bring water bottles to fill them.

In addition to that, we partnered with the University of Miami to bring mobile testing units for the purpose of students.

[07:55:06]

And going back to March of last year, we began a process of actually testing our own employees at no cost to them. And today, we continue to enable partnerships, including a partnership with our safety hospital, Jackson health, to vaccinate exclusively, our 65 and older teachers as we continue to advocate for the vaccination, the essential vaccination of all of our school site direct contact employees. CAMEROTA: You know, Mr. Carvalho, you make it sound easy, but it's not easy. I mean, we've been doing stories for the past couple of weeks on why -- how Chicago, you know, struggled with this. I mean, the teachers there, the teachers union, pushed back so hard on the mayor because they weren't vaccinated. They wanted to wait until they were vaccinated.

But I think that in Miami Dade, correct me if I'm wrong, I think only 5 percent of your teachers have been vaccinated. So how did they get comfortable going back into the classroom?

CARVALHO: You know, I wouldn't say that anyone was comfortable. Because we were doing this at a time when quite frankly, there was conflicting information coming at us from different research angles. But look, we did this through collaboration, negotiation, rather than imposition. And we develop protocols and develop manuals approved by the board that laid out to our community inclusive, our community of employees, all of the guidelines that we would be following.

In addition to that, we created a dashboard, the transparency tool that told our employees and the community at large where cases were appearing, we were able to very quickly determine and this is critically important and was recently certified by the CDC. That schools in fact we're not super spreaders and that activities in schools to the extent that schools follow the guidelines, and the protocols did not significantly in any way contribute to the community spread of COVID-19.

The conclusion is that schools are safe. We don't have a COVID-19 school problem. We continue to have across our country, a COVID-19 community problem. I think that dashboards truth and telling transparency has gone a long way in terms of projecting to our workforce where the cases are.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

CARVALHO: And since we have airtight quarantine processes, it continues to work.

CAMEROTA: Here's the problem as I understand that I have a friend who's a public school teacher in New Jersey, who says the protocols in schools are great. They make teachers feel comfortable. It's what the kids and the families do after outside of school.

You know, the kids in high school are still getting together, there's parties, families may be traveling, they may not be as conscientious about mask wearing. And so how do you ensure that there's still good behavior outside of your classrooms?

CARVALHO: Alisyn, your friend, and you are absolutely right. So out of the 400 schools that we manage, we have had two incidents involving two schools, one a senior high school, the other one and an elementary school, where student behavior was responsible for the quarantining, the total quarantining of the entire school.

Due to the late notification of parents based on information coming to us on the weekend, the reason parties, kids were having parties, parents were having parties with their kids, social gatherings that quite frankly, exceed the recommendations of the CDC.

So yes, one of our strategies is actually to collaborate with community leaders via social media, with mayors of cities of municipalities, to sensitize our communities about the appropriate behavior, they must continue to demonstrate if in fact, our schools are to be kept open and viable for the benefit of our community.

Look, we understand if schools close the deleterious impact on kids short term and long term, overtime is terrible. We see the academic regression happening as we're working every single day. But the economic implications are also serious. So the partnership with the community in terms of appropriate behaviors and the enforcement of those behaviors, quite frankly, it's by credit.

CAMEROTA: I mean, I only have 10 seconds left, but have kids stopped having parties? Has it worked?

CARVALHO: We have seen a reduction in the number of social events that bring large congregations of students are concerned. Much like we had a concern during the winter break and the New Year parting is that spring break is approaching.

So, for us here in Miami Dade and across the country, we are urging parents and students not to travel internationally. Secondly, we are urging parents and students to avoid parties, congregation of individuals because this will have no doubt the negative impact on the positivity rate in our community.

CAMEROTA: Alberto Carvalho, thank you very much for explaining how you have been able to do it. They're obviously a model for other big cities. Thanks a lot.

CARVALHO: Thank you, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: New Day continues right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is new day with Alison Camerota and john Berman.

CAMEROTA: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is New Day.

We begin with a developing story on the day that Donald Trump's impeachment lawyers will defend him on the floor of the U.S. Senate a prominent Republican who served in presidential.