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New Day

Calls for Cuomo To Resign Grow; Biden And Senators Discuss Relief Bill; Texans Still Without Safe Drinking Water; Trump Facing Five Investigations. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired March 02, 2021 - 06:30   ET

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

[06:30:00]

ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Members of the media and so forth and people didn't like that and they -- they really didn't like it and those resentments have been building for over a decade now. And a lot of it is starting to come out.

But, again, that question is still out there, is bad behavior, is unpleasant behavior, is that the same as unlawful conduct that might force a governor to resign? And, again, we simply don't know.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, I have to say, actually, things don't have to be unlawful in the workplace. And that is the case with Charlotte Bennett and Lindsey Boylan necessarily for a workplace to take action. I mean you can work in a company and commit an act that isn't necessarily illegal and it can get you fired.

LOUIS: Oh, yes, for sure.

BERMAN: I mean certainly when you're dealing with interpersonal behavior like that, Jesse.

JESSE MCKINLEY, ALBANY BUREAU CHIEF, NEW YORK TIMES: Yes, but I will say, I think Errol's analysis is absolutely right. You know, the critics are -- now are -- are -- they have a very loud megaphone to call for Governor Cuomo's resignation. But keep in mind, you know, major leaders in the state, Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, the leaders of the state legislature here, none of them have gone that far. All of them have called for investigations and those investigations seem to be, you know, ramping up.

But in terms of the major voices in the state, the major Democratic voices in the state, they're still not at the resignation level. So I think Errol's absolutely right in that regard.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Jesse, Errol, thank you both very much for all the reporting and analysis. Obviously we will continue to follow it.

FBI Director Christopher Wray will testify this morning for the first time about the deadly Capitol insurrection. The key questions he will face, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:35:34]

CAMEROTA: President Biden will hold a virtual lunch with Senate Democrats today, continuing to push them to pass his $1.9 trillion relief bill.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond is live at the White House with more.

So what do we expect, Jeremy?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn.

Yes, President Biden dialing into that weekly Senate Democratic lunch today as the Senate is expected to begin taking up that $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill. I spoke with a senior official who told me that the president will tell these Senate Democrats, stress the urgency of passing this coronavirus relief bill, and continue to make the case about why it is so urgent as he tries to keep this Democratic caucus unified.

Keep in mind, the president can't afford to lose a single Democratic senator in trying to pass this bill given the fact that so far there is not a single Republican senator who has expressed openness to supporting this $1.9 trillion package. So today's meeting and really the meetings that we are seeing over the course of this week are really important for the president to keep that caucus unified and make sure that he's not bleeding any Democratic support.

Just yesterday you saw the president meeting with nine Democratic senators, including several moderate Democrats who are pushing for some more targeted efforts as it relates to this $1.9 trillion package. Senator Joe Manchin, for example, is one of those who has said that he would like to see a more targeted approach as it relates to those unemployment checks, reducing them from $400 to $300. There are also senators who are pushing for those $1,400 stimulus checks to also be more targeted, limiting the eligibility even further than House Democrats did when they passed their version of the bill.

So, listen, there are less than two weeks to go here and one thing that I can tell you in conversations with White House officials is very clear, is that this is the moment where the president is really going to roll up his sleeves. He is really going to get more personally involved. And this week you're seeing him especially focusing on meeting with Democratic lawmakers because, again, of the urgency of passing this and the fact that he really cannot afford to lose any support there.

Alisyn.

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

Joining us now is Anna Palmer. She's the founder of Punchbowl News.

So, Anna, it sounds like spiking that $15 minimum wage proposal from the bill did not fully nullify the objectors like Senator Manchin. He still wants more.

So now where are we?

ANNA PALMER, FOUNDER, PUNCHBOWL NEWS: Listen, senators never love to take a bill that Democrats in the House have passed and just, you know, pass it themselves. So I think we're going to see a little bit of belly aching, a little bit of negotiates. But at the end of the day, the White House is going to push Democrats to vote for this. They still seem to be on track for that very aggressive March 13th deadline. This next week is going to be super crucial. They're going to have to draft a substitute bill that's going to have to see if all of the provisions make it through the rules, the Byrd rules, with reconciliation that are kind of arcane and whether or not it can be attached or not.

But I do think you're going to start to see some of the friction with the moderates and the progressives that is really going to be part of Joe Biden's entire administration.

BERMAN: Go a little deeper into this if you can because some of the changes that we know Joe Manchin and maybe others want is, number one, as Jeremy's saying, reducing the weekly unemployment benefit from $400 to $300, targeting even more the $1,400 stimulus check to those making less than $75,000, and perhaps even limiting the aid to state and local governments.

If he doesn't get everything, do you think his vote is in serious jeopardy at this moment?

PALMER: It doesn't appear to be at this moment that he's saying, if this doesn't happen, I'm not going to vote for it. He was caught after that meeting last night and reporters saying, you know, it may be changed a little bit, I'm paraphrasing here. But it's not as if he expects to have -- you know, to force dramatic changes here. There might be some small changes in the margin, but so far he's not saying, I'm going to withhold. It's not like what he said when it was related to the $15 minimum wage where it was very clear that he was willing to potentially hold up this entire package just on that issue.

CAMEROTA: I mean can they target this bill more or is the argument today at this virtual lunch, which doesn't sound as satisfying as a real lunch, by the way, at -- is Joe Biden going to say, we've already done the math. We've looked into this. Like, is he going to lay out his case for why this is the right -- these aren't arbitrary numbers?

PALMER: I think the president wants to get the deal done.

[06:40:00]

He's more in the weeds certainly than President Donald Trump. But if something changes on the margin in the Senate and then that goes back to the House and they're able to pass it, that's why this is the tricky negotiation. What passes the Senate also has to then go back to the House to be the final version of the legislation.

And so there's a lot of different, you know, kind of care -- things that they're going to have to think about, whether it's Joe Manchin, but then they're also going to have to think about Nancy Pelosi and her very small majority and, you know, being able to keep all of her Democrats together. So it's kind of a one-two game here and the president is really, as Jeremy pointed out, playing, you know, coach. I mean he's really putting himself into the mix here and making sure that Democrats stick together on this.

And that was really one of the selling points of his campaign, bring me to Washington, I know these people, I know how the institutions work and I'm going to get things done.

BERMAN: So, FBI Director Christopher Wray is testifying today before the Senate Judiciary Committee and I think Democrats have been looking at this. They've circled this date on the calendar some time ago.

What do you think they want to get out of this? They have told us they want to put the focus on white supremacists and what the FBI is doing there.

PALMER: I think that's certainly top of mind for Democrats. How is this, you know, FBI going to operate differently than maybe under the Trump administration when it comes to white supremacy?

I also think there's going to be a big pressure point in terms of, what did the FBI know and when, because in the hearings that we've already had, there's been clearly an intelligence failure in terms of sharing information, in terms of making sure the right people knew what the FBI in Norfolk, Virginia, knew and some of these real threats that potentially could have helped fortify the Capitol in a way that didn't happen.

And I think the third thing I'm really looking for is where these senators press Christopher Wray on this fence, this, you know, kind of massive fence that is surrounding the Capitol complex. A lot of senators want it to be removed. They don't think it is appropriate. They feel like the whole complex looks like it's a militarized zone. It's not sending the right signal to the country.

And so I think getting his read on, is this necessary, are there steps that could be taken to make sure that, yes, the Capitol is safe, but that they don't need to maybe have all of this security and these thousands and thousands of National Guard troops that remain in the Capitol.

BERMAN: Anna Palmer, always a pleasure to have you on. Thanks so much for being with us.

PALMER: Thanks.

BERMAN: So nearly 400,000 Texans still don't have safe drinking water two weeks after the crippling winter storm. What is being done about that this morning, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[0:46:40] BERMAN: Developing this morning, security forces in Myanmar again opening fire on pro-democracy protesters. At least four people were injured as police deployed tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd. Overnight, a reporter for a local news outlet there was arrested at his home. According to an activist group, at least 21 journalists have been arrested since the military coup began last month.

CAMEROTA: This morning, nearly 400,000 Texans still do not have clean drinking water. It's been more than two weeks. It's been two weeks, I should say, since winter storms shut down the state's power grid and water services there.

CNN's Ed Lavandera is live in Edinburg, Texas, with more.

What's the situation, Ed?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn.

Well, this really speaks to the crippling nature of that unprecedented winter storm that rocked the entire state of Texas. As you mentioned, about 385,000 people are still under notices that they have to boil the water coming into their homes, this because the water is not yet deemed perfectly safe in many of these locations. And, essentially, you know, the water systems here in this state is run and operated under a patchwork of different water utilities all across the state. And if you look at the list of these water systems that are still under these boil water notices, there are affected in about 115 different counties across the state.

And many of these water systems really service maybe a few dozen people to a few thousand people at a time. So it's a lot of the smaller water systems you're seeing here in the state.

And because of that, there are still -- and there still is a need for water distribution sites all across the state in Houston. You saw long lines and about 10,000 people showing up at one water distribution. And volunteers talked about the need that is still needed for this water two weeks after the winter storm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PASTOR MARILYN DAVIS, DELIVERING WATER TO PEOPLE IN NEED: Well, actually, it's been very, very hard. I live in the apartment complex. When we didn't have any water. So it's very difficult for us to make it with so many people in one place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: And the fallout also from the problems with the electrical grid system here in Texas, which caused so much havoc, the chairwoman of the Public Utility Commission, which is the state agency that oversees the organization that runs the state power grid system turned in her resignation yesterday, John.

BERMAN: Ed Lavandera, thank you so much for keeping us posted on this important story. Four hundred thousand American, a lot of people affected by this.

So this morning, Republican Senator Mitt Romney recovering from a nasty fall over the weekend. NBC reporter Frank Thorp tweeted this photo of the senator with a black eye and stitches above his eyebrow. Now, Romney says he was visiting his grandchildren in Boston when he fell. He was knocked unconscious. He told reporters he's feeling better now. He actually joked, the injury occurred at the CPAC conference, which he did not attend. We send our best to the senator and wish him a speedy recovery.

CAMEROTA: So this morning we are hearing from Lady Gaga's dog walker for the first time since he was shot in a robbery last week and the singer's two French bulldogs were stolen. In an Instagram post Ryan Fisher says he is still recovering from a, quote, very close call with death and says he is humbled and grateful for the support he's received.

[06:50:01]

The two stolen dogs were safely returned on Friday. Lady Gaga had offered a $500,000 reward for them. But police are still searching for two male suspects who opened fire on Fisher and stole those dogs.

Well, former President Trump's legal issues are growing. He faces five separate investigations now. We break them down, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: The former president's legal problems are mounting this morning. He is now facing five separate independent investigations.

CNN's Sara Murray live in Washington with the details.

Sara.

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.

Well, look, we know that the president has his eye on his political future, but with the number of ongoing investigations, a lot of his time post-presidency could be tied up in potential legal woes.

[06:55:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MURRAY (voice over): Five elected investigators from both parties spanning New York to Washington, D.C., to Georgia all turning their attention to Donald Trump.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: And there's a fishing expedition.

MURRAY: The former president's legal woes mounting as investigators dig into everything from his efforts to influence the election to his finances.

CY VANCE, MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY: It's not unusual for us to investigate a business in Manhattan.

MURRAY: And the probes are picking up. New York prosecutors now have Trump's federal tax returns and subpoenas could start coming in Georgia as soon as this week.

In New York, Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance tweeting, the work continues after winning a Supreme Court fight to access a trove of Trump's financial records. Vance beefing up his office with a prosecutor whose expertise is complex financial cases.

After two years investigating Trump, Vance is set to leave office in 10 months, setting a clock, some say, if he plans to bring charges.

LETITIA JAMES, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF NEW YORK: New Yorkers, we can spot a con man.

MURRAY: Then there's Letitia James, the New York attorney general who ran on taking on Trump.

JAMES: And tonight we celebrate. And tomorrow, my friends, we get back to work and we sue the hell out of them.

MURRAY: Her investigation into Trump's business and personal finances is plowing ahead with a judge recently ordering Trump's tax firm to turn over documents.

JAMES: The fact that he is now a private citizen is really of no moment. We will continue our investigation.

MURRAY: Over in Georgia, newly elected Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis made a national splash when she fired off letters in February to Georgia officials asking them to preserve documents related to attempts to influence the election.

FANI WILLIS, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, FULTON COUNTY, GEORGIA: Should we find that anyone violated the law, then we're going to make a charging decision.

MURRAY: After Trump's infamous phone call to Georgia's secretary of state.

TRUMP (January 2, 2021): All I want to do is this, I just want to find 11,780 votes.

MURRAY: Willis is investigating potential crimes, such as solicitation of election fraud and racketeering.

Also investigating that call, Georgia Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's office.

TRUMP: He's an enemy of the people, the secretary of state.

MURRAY: Though he voted for Trump, Raffensperger came under fire from Trump and state Republican officials for refusing to overturn the election in the former president's favor. BRAD RAFFENSPERGER, SECRETARY OF STATE: I never believed it was

appropriate to speak to the president. I guess he had his staff push us and they wanted a call.

MURRAY: And in Washington, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine is taking a look at the former president for whipping up the violent mob that stormed the Capitol January 6th.

TRUMP: We fight. We fight like hell.

KARL RACINE, DC ATTORNEY GENERAL: At the very least, his comments were absolutely reckless. Whether they rise to the level of incitement, we're going to look at all of our law books and the facts.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MURRAY: Now, Trump's team didn't comment for this story. In the past, Donald Trump has said these investigations are politically motivated. And his advisers have insisted there was nothing improper, nothing wrong with that call in Georgia.

John.

BERMAN: Sara Murray, really interesting.

You know, Maggie Haberman pointed out yesterday, one of the reason he may be floating a possible 2024 run is so he can continue to use the, oh, it's all political defense here, try to make it about politics and not the law. But with five investigations going on right now, for him it may very soon be about the law.

Terrific reporting. Thank you very much.

MURRAY: Thanks.

BERMAN: NEW DAY continues right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The first doses of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine have shipped.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Biden intensifying his efforts to push his COVID relief bill through Congress.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All three vaccines are safe and highly effective. Get vaccinated with the first vaccine available to you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo trying to stem the fallout after a new sexual harassment allegation surfaced.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor Cuomo issued a statement acknowledging his past comments may have been inappropriate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a very big difference between saying to someone, I'm sorry if you're offended by what I did, and saying, I'm sorry for what I did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.

BERMAN: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY.

So, more than 77 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in the United States. The daily rate keeps on rising. More people are getting vaccinated. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine could go into arms as soon as today.

So, this morning, why is the CDC director issuing this dire warning?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ROCHELLE WALENSKY, CDC DIRECTOR: Please hear me clearly. At this level of cases with variants spreading, we stand to completely lose the hard-earned ground we have gained. Now is not the time to relax.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: So this really gets to the tension that there is this morning. There is absolute reason for optimism. Hospitalizations are dropping precipitously. But the daily case rate has stopped dropping. And as you heard there from the CDC director, there is concern about the new variants and there is fear that states and cities are racing to ease restrictions too soon, like lifting limits on restaurant capacity.

[07:00:02]

CAMEROTA: And there are also new developments in the misconduct allegations facing New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. A third woman now telling "The New York Times".