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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees
Major Winter Storm Clobbers Northeast; Black Widow Terror Threat; Ex-Virginia Governor Indicted; Payback Politics?; Can Chris Christie Weather Political Storms? Governor Sworn In for Second Term; Controversial Crack Smoking Toronto Mayor Admits to Drinking in New Video Posted Online; Texas Gubernatorial Candidate Admits to Fudging Some Details of Her Inspiring Bio; "The Killing Cove," Dozens of Dolphins Killed in Japan's Annual Hunt, According to Reports
Aired January 21, 2014 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening, everyone. Here's all you need to know about the storm that is hammering the country. They are cancelling ice hockey games.
That's right, it is too snowy and too cold for winter sports. The Flyers game cancelled in Philadelphia. About 3,000 flights cancelled nationwide. And schools and the federal government and just about every state in local government function, except plowing streets and emergency services.
There are weather warnings in effect all across the northeast and mid- Atlantic states. As the snow rises and the temperatures plunge.
We've got correspondents out in the middle of all of it tonight. Some in blizzard conditions, covering the punishing and potentially very dangerous winter one-two punch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER (voice-over): Dangerous driving conditions around D.C. send this car spinning out of control on the beltway. Federal officials were taking no chances. The nation's capital closed for business. Federal offices shuttered. And the president's schedule scaled back as the city braces for accumulations of up to 10 inches of snow.
As far west as Iowa, winter weather plagued commuters. Traffic on I- 80 was backed up for hours after this tractor-trailer jack-knifed, leading to multiple collisions of cars crashing into this ditch.
Lake-effect snow continues to wallop the Midwest with parts of Indiana in near whiteout conditions. Snow was falling up to two inches per hour. Chicago also hit with lake-effect snow, more than eight inches overnight. And today massive winds swept into the Windy City, shown here in this time lapse photography, bringing with them even more frigid air.
GARY SCHENKEL, CHICAGO OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Wind chill factors will be dragging temperatures into the negative teens. These are extremely dangerous conditions that we expect to continue through tomorrow, and strongly urge residents to exercise caution over the next few days.
COOPER: In Ohio, the governor has declared a statewide energy emergency due to subzero temperatures and a propane and heating oil shortage. States of emergency, too, for Delaware and New York and nearly the entire eastern seaboard braces for a very long, snowy and cold night.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, the big picture is, it is a mess. Now some winter postcard starting with Chad Myers in Plymouth, Massachusetts, which is a lot colder, windier and snowier than it was when the pilgrims first hit town back in 1620.
Chad, what's the latest?
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, the pilgrims didn't have these fancy CNN jackets. So I'm sure they weren't as warm as we are.
But this is Plymouth Harbor. This is where you'd come and order up on any day a cruise in the summer.
Here are the cruises, you can go on a pirate cruise, a lobster excursion, an ice cream Sunday cruise or a sunset evening cruise, if you like, for $16. But that, that right there is what we have tonight. Absolutely wind picking up, snow picking up now. This is the hardest we've seen the snow, the hardest we've seen the wind.
And, Anderson, you and I have spent enough nights in hurricanes to know that things starting to go bump in the night, and that's what I'm hearing behind me. Things are starting to blow armed. Starting to blow down for the first time. That's how we know the storm is getting as close to us as we think it's going to get tonight and then finally exit tomorrow. But at least another 12 hours of snow.
Earlier today, I could see those restaurants across very well. Right now the snow picking up, the wind picking up, the visibility going down. And one of the parameters of a blizzard, so you can't see a quarter mile for three hours straight. And right now I think we're down less than a quarter mile. We are now blizzard conditions here in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
COOPER: And to go on this much longer. I mean, Chad, in terms of where you are on the south shore of Massachusetts, as you said, I mean, this is going on overnight into tomorrow.
MYERS: There's no question that this -- I just love this shot. Look at the snow blowing around here. And then all of a sudden you can see the pavement. But right beyond the pavement -- and I'm going to walk over real quick. Up behind the pavement, you have 10 inches of snow. You're all the way up to your knees here, where just back there you can still see the pavement, you can still see the concrete.
The drifting is going to be the big deal. You may -- you know, sometimes we'll say six to 12 inches of snow. Today we're going to say zero to 24 inches of snow, because some people are going to get three feet, two feet of a drift, and some people are going to be able to see the ground, depending on where you are in the wind.
COOPER: Wow. Long night ahead. Chad, appreciate it. Thanks.
Next stop, New York's Long Island. Poppy Harlow in the north shore town of Port Washington.
So what's it like where you are?
POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's beautiful, Anderson. But it is frigid here. This is the main street. Not a single soul. There were a few brave souls an hour ago. They're all done. What we're dealing with here is about four to five inches on the ground. But what we're looking towards is eight to 12 inches.
The story here is the snow, but even more it is the absolute freezing cold. It's going to feel overnight like negative 10. And the real story for us and our crew getting out here is the roads. It was a complete nightmare. We left New York City 12:30 in the afternoon, not in rush hour, took us four hours to get to where it should have taken us less than an hour.
We tried all three major highways out eastbound to Long Island. We did not go over 10 miles an hour the entire way here. That is the story. The roads are treacherous, the wind gusts are between 20 and 35 miles per hour.
This story here is also the fact that it's not going to get much warmer. So this -- the roads are going to get worse, they're going to get more icy. Hundreds and hundreds of schools closed here, telling people not to go to work.
All that I found open on this main street was a pizza shop, the drugstore which was closing early, and the wine store, which the guy said business is good, because everyone is getting wine to stay in tonight, and that's about it.
(LAUGHTER)
COOPER: Pizza and wine. That doesn't sound too bad right now.
So what about the rest of the night and tomorrow?
HARLOW: I know.
COOPER: I mean is it -- is the snow going to continue?
HARLOW: It's going to continue until 6:00 a.m. We've got a state of emergency here Governor Cuomo issuing for the entire state. You've got -- get this number, Anderson -- 107,000 tons of salt. That's how much this state has, including 30,000 here on Long Island, to deal with the roads.
I mean, they're awful. The driving is awful. They've had twice as many accidents recorded in this county so far, just tonight alone. And you know, we're just past the rush hour. It's taken a lot of people -- I talked to our colleagues back in the bureau waiting for their spouses out here, four or five hours to get home.
Driving is bad. Do not go to work if you don't have to go to work. Stay off the roads. Because these are better than what they're going to be in the morning as it gets colder overnight, this snow turns into ice. It's going to be a very bad situation for anyone.
I'm telling you from personal experience, stay off the roads. And I think most kids are going to get a snow day tomorrow.
COOPER: All right. Well, Poppy, I hope you get some pizza and maybe some wine, too.
Down in Washington, they traditionally freak out at the first snowflake. Today in the face of a whole lot more, as we told you at the top of the broadcast, they pretty much shut the joint down. Schools, colleges, the Smithsonian closed early.
Right on the snow-covered National Mall where Athena Jones is standing by.
This could be the most snow, I understand, D.C. has seen since 2011. What's it like tonight?
ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Anderson. Well, it's freezing tonight. You can see the snow falling now. It's been falling pretty steadily since 10:00 a.m. It stopped briefly a couple of hours ago but now it's back in full force and it's been blowing in all sorts of different directions.
We expect it to continue to snow here until about 10:00 p.m., so that'll be 12 hours of snow total and bring the snow total, the accumulation to it around as many as eight inches or 10 inches of snow.
Let me just show you what the snow is like, though. It's pretty light. Easy to blow around. People around here on the National Mall were spending the day trying to build snowmen. They were making snow angels. A little while ago, I saw someone trying to do cross-country skiing. But, of course, this is also dangerous. We're talking about dangerous temperatures.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm advisory -- winter storm warning, saying that the -- and a wind chill advisory, saying that the temperatures could go down to negative 5 to negative 15 because of the wind chill tonight. And we're going to see icy conditions on the roads. And so, of course, they are also telling everyone to stay home, only travel in an emergency -- Anderson.
COOPER: A lot of kids are going to be bummed. It's not good snow for making snowmen and snow balls and stuff like that, the way you were just able to blow it around.
The federal government closed its offices last night. Has that -- I mean, has that helped keep -- you know, kept people off the roads?
JONES: It absolutely has helped get people off the roads. The federal government shut down, many schools shut down, certainly the ones right here in D.C. and others in surrounding areas. And that has helped keep traffic to a minimum.
We've been here all day, Anderson. We haven't seen more than a few cars go by at a time. Mostly what we have seen is the snowplows. The D.C. government has had about 200 snowplows out on the roads available since 8:00 a.m., making multiple passes, laying down salt to try to keep these roads passable. But, of course, with these wind chills and these cold temperatures and this snow, which could turn to ice, they're still advising people to be very, very, very careful.
And if you do decide that you need to get in your car, make sure you pack a blanket, food, water, a flashlight, in case of an emergency -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right. Good advice. Athena, appreciate it. Thanks. Get warm, I hope.
At Washington National fill up the international. Three airports in New York, massive flight cancellations, as you can imagine. If you're watching from an airport right now, I'm sorry.
Here with that and details of the storm, Jennifer Gray in the Weather Center.
So who's getting hit the hardest right now and how much more snow can we expect?
JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, we're seeing the hardest hit areas anywhere from D.C., New York and Boston. I would say Boston area is probably the hardest hit right now. D.C. saw more snow today than they normally see the entire month of January. If that puts it in perspective at all. But still snowing in D.C., Baltimore, as we travel up 95.
You can see Philly, New York, still in the mix. And Boston, you can see those brighter bands right there. That's continuing to push to the northeast with very gusty winds. You'll see the blowing snow and that will create blizzard-like conditions for a lot of areas.
As far as snow totals, we're seeing anywhere from 8 to 10 inches of snow anywhere from Philly to New York. Some isolated amounts even higher. And some areas close to where Chad Myers is could see more than a foot of snow.
So as we continue to track this, hour by hour, you can see most of the big cities still affected at the 10:00, 11:00 hour tonight. But then by tomorrow morning, this should be pushing on out. So it is going to be leaving places like New York City, D.C. and Philly better by the morning commute tomorrow.
But temperatures are going to be very, very cold. Look at these wind chills. New York City will feel like 10 degrees below zero. Boston, 12 degrees below zero. As we go through the overnight hours. And then your three-day forecast, highs will only reach the teens on Wednesday and Washington, as well as New York -- Anderson. COOPER: In terms of airports, I mean, it's got to be turmoil.
GRAY: Oh, yes. It's been crazy. In fact, more than half of the delays worldwide were here in the U.S. for today. We had 2600 delays, more than 3,000 cancellations. And 1300 flights are already cancelled for tomorrow. And you can expect places like Boston, New York, Philly and D.C. to be very, very slow for tomorrow.
COOPER: All right. Jennifer, appreciate the update. Thanks. We're going to keep following storm developments throughout the hour and also tonight on 360 later at 10:00.
As always, let us know what you think. Follow me on Twitter @andersoncooper, tweet us using #ac360.
Coming up next, the growing threat to the Olympics and Sochi and a closer look at the militant women they call black widows. Three now being looked for by Russian authorities. We'll tell you what we know about them.
And later, more breaking news from rising Republican star, a criminal defendant, the corruption case against former Virginia governor, Bob McDonnell, and how he is answering the charges tonight.
Also later, Toronto's mayor, Rob Ford, the crack-smoking mayor, well, he's at it again. A new drunken rant caught on camera and Mayor Ford's late reaction tonight, caught on tape.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Well, it's hard to imagine but there are even more security concerns tonight surrounding the upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The region is already being flooded with security personnel, they're already searching for one of those so-called black widows. They're already gotten threats in the city of Volgograd, a deadly taste of what Islamic militants promise will be much more to come. Two attacks there.
Today on top of all of that, there was a shootout. A black widow danger appeared to grow. President Obama and Russian President Putin spoke by phone about security measures and we learned that top Russian and U.S. generals have been talking about sharing American technology for detecting IEDs. That certainly gets one's attention.
Phil Black is in the Russian city of Volgograd and he joins us now with the latest.
So these threats. Talk about what is the latest in terms of them because last night we talked about them searching for one so-called black widow. How big a danger these threats now posing to the Olympics?
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it now seems greater, Anderson. So we are aware of two potential, separate black widow terror threats that the Russian authorities have detected. The first we talked about, a woman who could already be in Sochi, planning an attack. A second involving a group of women, targeting the Olympic torch relay in the city of Rostov-on-Don. Rostov-on-Don is where the Olympic torch was today and will be again tomorrow. So potentially an imminent threat there.
One of the women said to be involved in this was killed by Russian security forces in an operation on the weekend. But there is still two other women. And their whereabouts is unknown.
The only reason we know about any of this, Anderson, is not because the Russian authorities are talking about it, but because they have been concerned enough in both cases to appeal for help from hotel workers on the ground to try and find, locate these women -- Anderson.
COOPER: And the Russians appear to be reaching out to U.S. officials about security. What do you know about that?
BLACK: We know that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Martin Dempsey, met with his Russian counterpart, and they talked about sharing technology. Technology -- American technology to detect and jam improvised explosive devices. And both sides are now said to be looking at whether or not that U.S. technology developed through the tough experience of the Iran and Afghan wars could be of use, is compatible with U.S. systems -- Russian systems, I should say.
But we also know that Presidents Obama and Putin spoke by phone tonight, and while the American version of that conversation mentions Sochi and the U.S. offer to help in any way it can, the Russian version of that call does not mention that. The Russians will not easily admit that they need help or they are not up to the task of securing these games -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right. Phil, appreciate it. Thanks very much.
A closer look now at the women who have -- who have terrorized Russia through the reality -- I should say though the reality of female combatants is not new to much of the world, it is to this part of the world.
Paula Newton explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There was a time when women were above suspicion in Russia. It was unthinkable, especially among Russian security forces, that mothers and daughters would resort to ruthless acts of terror.
But the mass hostage-taking at a Moscow theater in 2002 blew apart the stereotype. More than a third of the terrorists were female, and while all the attackers were killed, so were 115 hostages. Ever since, and with more cunning than ever, black widows have stalked Russia.
CHRISTOPHER SWIFT, ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: They tend to be more ruthless, they tend to be more focused and they also tend to hit civilian targets rather than security services. And that's a big change and poses a substantial risk for people at the Olympics.
NEWTON: Black widows were labeled for their motives, a determined band of women, mostly Chechen, out to avenge their husbands or relatives' deaths at the hands of the Russian government. That's still true, but they have been joined by a new wave of ideological women who see themselves as freedom fighters like the this woman who lived in Dagestan, a calculating suicide bomber who boarded a city bus in Volgograd, Russia, in October killing six people.
She lived in Dagestan. A stifling place in the Russian caucuses, childhood home of the Boston marathon bombers, where security forces imposed curfews, stop and search at will and free movement is often restricted.
SWIFT: And because they have been so heavy-handed down there, in many respects the radicalization and the regionalization of the crisis we have seen over the space of the last few years, you know, it's a scenario where Vladimir Putin has sadly created the enemy he imagined back in 1999.
NEWTON: And that enemy has proven a formidable challenge for Russia's vast security forces. They are trained to fight rebels on mountains and streets, not black widows prowling civilian targets with clever guile and a desire for revenge.
Paula Newton, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: And the search on right now for three so-called black widows in Russia.
As always, for more on the story and others, you can go to CNN.com.
Just ahead tonight, breaking news. Former Virginia governor, Robert McDonnell, is indicted on fraud and other charges. His wife, as well. They are denying any wrongdoing. We'll tell you what they said earlier tonight and what we've learned.
Also New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was sworn in for a second term in the middle of a snowstorm, with his administration facing a blizzard of accusations and investigations, although no direct evidence of any involvement by Governor Christie. The question is, will he be able to weather it all? His friend, former New York mayor, Rudy Giuliani, joins me ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: More breaking news tonight.
Former Virginia governor, Robert McDonnell, once a leading light in the Republican Party, is facing federal charges in connection with a gift-giving scandal. He and his wife have been indicted on 14 counts, including fraud, false statements and obstruction.
Now the charges down from their relationship with a businessman who prosecutors say provided the couple with illegal gifts and loans including trips and Rolex watch and extravagant shopping spree. Tonight the former governor denied any wrongdoing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT MCDONNELL (R), FORMER VIRGINIA GOVERNOR: I am here with my wife, Maureen, and my daughter Kayla and my son-in-law Chris. And I really appreciate this opportunity to address the people of Virginia here tonight.
I come before you this evening as someone who has been falsely and wrongfully accused and his public service, has been wrongfully attacked.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Senior Washington correspondent Joe Johns is on the story, he joins us tonight.
So a 14-count federal indictment. What are -- what are they charging him with exactly? What are they saying he did?
JOE JOHNS, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is about alleged public corruption, Anderson. Wire fraud, illegal gifts. Essentially bribe-taking, along with other things like false statements, lying, in other words. It's all about the McDonnells' relationship with a CEO of a dietary supplement company named Johnny Williams.
We're talking about loans for tens of thousands of dollars, other things of value. A shopping trip in New York City at Oscar de la Renta for a designer stress. Shopping at Louis Vuitton, Bergdorf Goodman, a $15,000 check described as a wedding gift apparently for one of McDonnell's daughters. A Rolex watch with the words "71st Governor of Virginia" inscribed at the back. Golfing trips.
The list goes on and on of the things the government has searched were given to the McDonnells allegedly in exchange for their help in promoting the star scientific company and its products -- Anderson.
COOPER: The governor, I mean, says this was a case of poor judgment. He admits poor judgment in his relationship in accepting these things. But he says there is nothing illegal about it.
JOHNS: Right. Right. He's always said bad judgment. He didn't break the law. His lawyers are already making that case. One example is a big luncheon for the company at the governor's mansion in August of 2011 which has sort of been used to say the first couple was on the take. Their lawyers in court papers are blaming a staffer, who organized that luncheon, because at the time, the staffer supposedly was leaving for a PR job. And according to the (INAUDIBLE) version, trying to ingratiate herself with this guy Johnny Williams.
COOPER: So what happens next?
JOHNS: Well, apparently preparing for trial, quite frankly. Sources told me that federal prosecutors were ready to charge McDonnell weeks ago, while he was still in office. But that his lawyers made a last- minute plea to the top officials over at the main justice, and that the McDonnell argument essentially was that the government wasn't going to be able to prove up its case. So now it's sort of time for everybody to put their money where their mouth is.
But remember, this is a former governor who once may have run for national office on his radar. He just left office on January 11th. So he's not long out of public life. And the odds are he's going to fight this tooth and nail.
COOPER: All right, Joe. We'll continue to follow. Thanks very much.
True politics now, the winter storm pounding the northeast arrived in time for Chris Christie's inauguration. It was hard to miss the metaphor. Christie begins his second term with his administration and someone wrote a crisis facing state and federal investigations.
Just before Christie's inaugural speech, Democratic state lawmakers said they are merging investigations by the assembly and Senate into one panel to look into the lane closures on the George Washington Bridge that Christie's top aides allegedly ordered.
On top of the bridge scandal, Hoboken's mayor, Dawn Zimmer, has accused Christie's lieutenant governor of threatening to withhold Sandy relief funds from her city unless the mayor supported a Christie-backed redevelopment project in her town. Here's what Mayor Zimmer told me last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR DAWN ZIMMER (D), HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY: I couldn't believe it. I mean, I just couldn't believe that she was saying what she was saying. I mean, and she very clearly said, you know, if these -- things shouldn't be connected but they are. I know it's not right. And if you tell anyone, I will deny it.
COOPER: She said that?
ZIMMER: Yes.
COOPER: She said, if you tell anybody, I will deny it?
ZIMMER: Yes. So, you know, this isn't something that, you know, you forget. When the lieutenant governor of the state of New Jersey tells you in a parking lot, if you tell anyone, I will deny it, you remember it. And I -- you know, I was very upset. And I did a journal entry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: One of Christie's biggest defenders, former New York mayor, Rudy Giuliani, has downplayed Mayor Zimmer's allegations. He's also called the bridge investigation a partisan witch hunt, he joins me tonight.
Thank you very much for being with us, Mr. Mayor. So what do you make of these allegations from the mayor of Hoboken? I mean, she now says she has these letters that she sent to the governor's office before this meeting with the lieutenant governor that according to her show a pattern of pressure related to developments project and Sandy aid. Do you believe she has any credibility?
RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK: Well, look, I don't know. I don't -- I haven't seen the letters. I don't know the background of all of this. Having spent more of my time in a courtroom than I have in politics, I think there are a lot of questions about the mayor's statement. I mean, the mayor didn't make the statement until recently, until the witch hunt began, until all the other Democrats kind of weighed in.
She was saying just a few months ago that he was a great governor. She actually at one point just a short while ago denied there was any connection between pressure and endorsing the mayor. Any threats with regard to endorsing the governor, rather. So look, there are a lot of what we would call as lawyers prior contradictory statements to the statement she's now making.
COOPER: But let me ask you about that because --
GIULIANI: And the lieutenant --
(CROSSTALK)
GIULIANI: And the lieutenant governor denies it. The lieutenant governor says it's not true.
COOPER: Somebody is not telling the truth. Either -- it's either the mayor of Hoboken or the lieutenant governor.
GIULIANI: No question about that.
COOPER: Their stories are completely contradictory. But just because -- I mean, she did say prior -- previously, the mayor said that Christie was not pressuring her based on not giving an endorsement, as you said. And even last night, on my program, she said that Christie has done great things for Hoboken, that he's done great things for the state.
So the fact that she still in some way is a Christie supporter, her supporters would say that actually lends credibility to her argument, that she's not part of some sort of partisan attack.
GIULIANI: And what takes credibility from it is that she knew this for quite some time and didn't come forward with it, even though it did significant damage to her citizens. What kind of a mayor --
COOPER: She said she didn't think anybody would believe her.
(LAUGHTER)
GIULIANI: Well, I'd like to see if I wouldn't come forward with an allegation like that, if it hurt the people in the city of New York, because I was afraid people wouldn't believe me.
(LAUGHTER)
GIULIANI: That's a heck of a thing to say. These threats are made to you by a lieutenant governor. Threats that will hurt the people of your city and you're afraid to come forward with them? Until there's a whole big witch hunt that starts that you can join?\
So, come on. There are real questions about this. And the reality is; this is a witch hunt. The person who is running this investigation now joined it looks to me like every Democrat in the legislature. This person announced before it even started that Governor Christie isn't telling the truth.
How would we allow someone to run a Senate committee with an -- as an impartial arbiter who had already announced that the person that is at the top of the investigation isn't telling the truth? That person that is assemblyman, I think it's Wisniewski should recuse himself, shouldn't he?
COOPER: Well, he was on the program last night. I mean, he says, you know, he's not willing to say that he believes the mayor of Hoboken. He's now saying, look, we've got to let the investigation play out.
GIULIANI: Anderson, I'm not talking about the mayor of Hoboken. I'm saying Wisniewski announced a week ago that Chris Christie is not telling the truth. How can he be an impartial arbiter of this thing? They really should go select a more impartial person to do it, if they want to give it any sense of fairness.
COOPER: When you were here just after the bridge scandal broke, you said that the unfortunate thing for Governor Christie is that if something happens that reinforces this stereotype about you, in this case that Christie is a bully. You said that's when it becomes a big deal. Is there a danger of that now with these newest allegations?
GIULIANI: Absolutely. And that's why they're doing it. I mean, these are not ineffective politicians.
COOPER: But do you see the mayor of Hoboken as part of, you know, being promoted by the DNC? I asked her last night, has she been in contact with the DNC and she said she doesn't know who is head of the DNC and has no connections.
GIULIANI: She doesn't have to be part of it. She can see the handwriting on the wall. I would expect other mayors will now come forward, listing whatever gripe they have. What I'm saying about her allegation and I'm not saying she is telling the truth or she isn't. But if we want to use the standard test for whether someone is telling the truth, inconsistent statements, prior behaviour inconsistent with what she is saying now.
She is threatened, doesn't come forward with it until all of this comes out. So those are things that have to be taken into consideration. If you're running a fair investigation that lends a certain degree of lack of credibility to what she is saying. On the other hand, the lieutenant governor doesn't have any prior inconsistent statement, doesn't have any prior inconsistent behaviour. So you have to weigh those two things if you want to be fair. But I don't believe that this committee wants to be fair when the person running it has already announced that the governor is a liar.
COOPER: You have a close relationship with the governor, obviously. We have talked about that before on many occasions. According to one report I read, Christie has had at least think eight of your former aides working for him, including Bridget Ann Kelly who, you know, the name is the one who contacted the guy on the Port Authority and now fired by Governor Christie. What is Bridget Ann Kelly like? She worked for you. Do you know her well?
GIULIANI: I don't know her at all.
COOPER: You don't know her.
GIULIANI: I don't know her.
COOPER: She worked for your presidential campaign but a low level.
GIULIANI: She worked somewhere in my presidential campaign. I don't remember what she did or coming into contact with her there. I did come into contact with her since she has been working with Governor Christie, however. She seemed like a very fine person to me, but I really have very little knowledge about her.
COOPER: What happens now? I mean, there is not just you know, you say this is a political witch hunt, the legislature investigation, but there is also a prosecutor looking into it, a state Attorney looking into this.
GIULIANI: There is. There is a prosecutor looking into this. And, you know, that, I think, is a different story. The United State Attorney Office in New Jersey! Although the prosecutor is appointed by President Obama and it's a Democratic administration. The prosecutor who I know somewhat about, I know his reputation, as a very, very fine reputation. I think that's a very different kind of situation.
And where you're more likely to get a much more impartial inquiry, as opposed to the entire Democrat's, both Houses now seeing plenty of television time. And I do Anderson, I hate to keep repeating, but I do find as a former associate attorney general and United States attorney, I find it really strange that the person in charge comes out and announces his conclusion before the investigation even begins. I think that's very, very strange.
COOPER: Let me ask you, as a former prosecutor, what would you had the mayor of Hoboken, you know, back when she said she had this conversation with the lieutenant governor, gone to legal authorities and said, look, I'm being strong-armed, I mean, what do you think she should have done as mayor? If, in fact, that conversation took place?
GIULIANI: She should have reported it then. She is reporting it now. She should have reported it then, and she could have possibly freed up the money for the people of her city that she felt they were entitled to. She almost had a fiduciary obligation to come forward with it at that point, rather than sitting on it because she alleges she was afraid.
So you have either one of two things could have happened. This happened, she was afraid, she didn't come forward. Kind of strange that she wouldn't. Doesn't seem like a very strong mayor that wouldn't come forward and fight for the people of her city. Gosh, I fought for the people of my city when people thought I wouldn't tell the truth.
COOPER: She basically said she was intimidated. She is a former stay-at-home mom who got involved in politics to build a park in her enabled. That's what she said last night.
GIULIANI: Gosh, she doesn't look too intimidated right now. Something happened. Something happened to her. Something happened to her. I don't know, she might have been had a conversion of some kind. She doesn't look too intimidated to me when I see her on TV. She looks pretty determined.
COOPER: The former GOP candidate, Ken Cuccinelli, said Christie should step down as head of the Republican Governors' Association. Do you agree with that?
GIULIANI: I don't agree with that. I think this is part of what happens with the snowball effect. I think we are where we were when we first talked about this, Anderson. And is he telling the truth or isn't he telling the truth? If he is telling the truth, then I think this is a situation where something bad happened, but he handled it correctly. He held people accountable. We don't have to repeat it.
But there are a lot of situations in which bad things happen and nobody took accountability. The President and the secretary of state! Nobody was held accountable. Nobody fired. I think if he's telling the truth, and he handled it that way, this thing turns out to be a problem, but one that has another side to it.
If he's not telling the truth and particularly with the U.S! Attorney's investigation, I think we'll find that out. Then, of course, his political career is in grave jeopardy and all these bad things will happen.
COOPER: Mayor Giuliani --
GIULIANI: I think we have to give it time, calm it down, and give it time. We're going to find out the truth here. It might take six months, but we'll find it out.
COOPER: Mayor Giuliani, it's good to have you on the program. Appreciate it.
GIULIANI: Thank you, Anderson. And bear up well under the snow there. COOPER: All right, I'm not going to ask you about the Toronto mayor, by the way. That's our next story. I'm going to let you off the hook on that one. Probably don't want to comment on that.
GIULIANI: That's for a psychiatrist. That's for a psychiatrist.
COOPER: We'll hand it over to Dr. Drew or something. Mayor, thank you very much.
Coming up, as I said, Toronto's Mayor Rob Ford is back just as bizarre as ever in a new YouTube video that has surfaced. We are going to show you the video. He admits he was drinking when the camera is rolling. It's pretty obvious he was.
Also a Texas Democrat is running for governor admits that the life story she has been campaigning on, well, it's factually incorrect. We're going to keep her honest, ahead.
Plus worldwide outrage couldn't save dozens of dolphins slaughtered today in Japan. We'll talk with a long-time dolphin activist, who is part of a documentary, which exposed the controversial practice.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Perhaps this shouldn't be a surprise, but Toronto's mayor, Rob Ford, is back in the headlines after weeks of attention surrounding his admission that he smoked crack, probably while in a drunken stupor, according to him. It got quiet for a while, and now this --
That was posted on YouTube today. If you can make out even a quarter of what he is saying, you're doing better than I am. Mayor Rob Ford did speak to reporters about this today. He appeared to be speaking in sort of a Jamaican accent. He admitted basically that he was drinking last night. Here's what he said. It's an audio-only interview. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Were you drinking?
MAYOR ROB FORD, TORONTO: Yes, I was.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You were drinking last night?
FORD: A little bit, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think that was offensive to people?
FORD: No, I was with some friends and what I do with my personal life and my personal friends.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Ford, you said something about the police chief.
FORD: It has nothing to do with you guys. It's my own time, with my own friends.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you use drugs last night?
FORD: No.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Just for the record, he was holding court in a fast food restaurant, it looked like. Paula Newton joins me live from Toronto. So Rob Ford, I mean, this thing is just a week ago he told a reporter that he doesn't drink. Didn't he?
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And probably more than that, Anderson, because his brother was asked just a few hours ago, was that your brother on the tape. And he said nah, it couldn't have been. I talked to him at 10:30, everything is fine. So clearly he's not just telling me and everyone else he's not drinking. He's telling his family he's not drinking.
And then he comes out and says yes, I had a few drinks, I was talking to friends. Really, Anderson, trying to put it in a box, his own unfortunately very confusing right's now personal box. That is just not going to wash with many people. I've been speaking to counsellors for weeks now, and, you know, Anderson, they had a terrible ice storm in Toronto. It could be upwards of a quarter billion dollars in damage. They want someone who is going to run this city that can show they're competent enough to run the city.
Rob Ford is hanging on. I spoke to his lawyer. He says there is nothing in that video that would indicate that he's in any legal trouble, no trouble with his job, at least more than he already has been. And that, yes, it's obvious he's fallen off the wagon and that he's facing some hurdles in trying to deal with what is dearly substance abuse.
COOPER: People make fun all of the time, but obviously this is a real issue that clearly he is dealing with something very serious here. It's hard to understand exactly what he is saying in this video. Can you explain any of what he is talking about? It's because he does seem to be using a Jamaican accent.
NEWTON: You know; I wish I could explain it, but in fact I can. What he is talking about very clearly is the fact that the police were in a surveillance operation, an intensive surveillance operation that did cost millions of dollars, 24/7 to find out if the mayor was doing anything illegal.
Extraordinary, because then he goes on to criticize the police chief that he employs. It is an incredible set of events that he would be going on in this video about legal issues that are still before the courts. As I said, his lawyer says he didn't do anything illegal. But people in Toronto have got to be shaking their heads, especially after what they have gone through in the last few weeks and months.
COOPER: It's also pathetic him saying he's hanging out with his friends and this is his private time. If these are his friends, he needs to get a better group of friends that can tell him a drunken rant in a fast food restaurant late at night is just not a good idea. And obviously someone was secret videotaping. Paula, appreciate the update.
Keeping them honest tonight, an aspiring governor under fire for allegedly blurring the facts of her life story, stretching the truth to the point where some say misled or worse. Texas gubernatorial candidate, Wendy Davis, became a Democratic superstar last summer with her marathon filibuster on abortion regulations and made her story part of her campaign.
A teenage single mom who pulled herself out of a trailer park and into a better life through grit, gumption and financial aid. Keeping them hones, though, that story as compelling as it doesn't stand up to the facts. Here is Ed Lavandera.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sporting pink tennis shoes, Wendy Davis, spent around 11 hours last summer filibustering a controversial abortion bill in the Texas legislature. It was a wild, rowdy night inside the Texas capitol. She emerged as the great hope of Texas Democrats to reclaim the governor's seat, which Republicans have controlled since 1994.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was raised by a single mom.
LAVANDERA: Davis' personal journey of struggle and hard work seems tailor-made for an inspirational political campaign, a young divorced single mother, a meteoric rise out of the trailer park to Harvard law school and on to a legal and political career. But then some discrepancies in the story uncovered this week by the "Dallas Morning News."
While the basics are true, Davis, a poor single mother, working multiple jobs, graduates from college and Harvard law school. But a closer look suggests the exact details are more elusive. For example --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My mom started out like many folks do in a very tough spot. She was raised by a single mother with a sixth grade education.
LAVANDERA: Now Davis says her mother dropped out in ninth grade.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: By the time I was 19, I was a single parent. And I was living in a mobile home in southeast Fort Worth.
LAVANDERA: It turns out Davis separated from her husband at age 19, but didn't divorce until she was 21. And the trailer park, which has gotten top billing in her bio, the reality is she may have only lived there for a few months.
(on camera): Because of the scrutiny surrounding Wendy Davis' story, her campaign put out a two-page biography of her early life. It says she was married at 18, and she and her husband had their first child at 19, and lived here. At some point they were separated and Wendy Davis and her daughter remained here. But it's not exactly clear just how long that was. The biography says they struggled to make ends meet and it does say that by age 20, she spent a short time living with her mother.
(voice-over): Bud Kennedy is a veteran columnist for the "Fort Worth Star Telegram" and has seen Wendy Davis sky rocket to the top of the Texas political scene and he says the trailer play a minor in her story until recently.
BUD KENNEDY, "FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM": The trailer was never a big deal until this year she has gone through bitter campaigns for city council where she won and lost. She has gone through two very bitter campaigns for State Senate. The trailer was never a big deal. It was always something she said in passing.
LAVANDERA: And then the issue of how she paid for several years of college and law school. A topic often featured in her campaign ads.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She could have buckled under but instead she buckled down and enrolled into community college, graduated from TCU while raising my sister and me. She got herself into Harvard law school.
LAVANDERA: She got herself into Harvard, but she had help along the way. Davis had been remarried by then and her second husband tells CNN he paid for her last two years of college and cashed in his 401(k) to pay for law school. The Davis campaign says she also relied on financial aid and scholarships.
A spokesman for Republican gubernatorial candidate, Greg Abbott, says that Davis has systematically, intentionally and repeatedly deceived Texans, and calls her personal story a fanciful narrative.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: And Ed Lavandera joins you live from Dallas. What is Wendy Davis saying about all this?
LAVANDERA: We spent the last two days trying to get an interview with her and that request has been denied for the last two days. But she did post a letter to her supporters on her campaign's web site this afternoon saying that the Abbott campaign has stooped to a new low here.
That she is not surprised that they would resort to attacking the story of a single mother who worked hard to get ahead. Now in that "Dallas Morning News" interview, Anderson, Wendy Davis did acknowledged that she should, quote, "be tighter with her language." But she says she will keep on talking about her story, because, quote, "you're damn right it's a true story" -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right, Ed Lavandera, appreciate it. Thanks.
Up next, it's happening again hundreds of dolphins rounded up off the coast of Jap, some slaughtered, others captured. The hunt used to be a secret until exposed in a powerful documentary "The Cove." Rick Obari joins us next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Today in Japan, fishermen carried out an annual tradition, which they hid from cameras with the tarp. They don't want the world to see them slaughter defenseless dolphins captured several days ago in Japanese waters. The tarps shielded the slaughter. Some cameras captured blood in the water.
Over the weekend, Caroline Kennedy, the newly installed U.S. ambassador to Japan tweeted, "Deeply concerned by inhumanness of hunt dolphin killing. U.S. government opposes drive hunt fisheries."
Her tweet triggered a backlash with some in Japan blasting Kennedy for criticizing what they considered tradition. What happened used to be a well-kept secret until an Oscar documentary "The Cove" exposed in 2009?
Rick O'Barry is one of the activists featured in "The Cove." He is the director of the Earth Island Institute Dolphin Project. He joins me now. So the fact this happens every year, people in Japan say this is a tradition that dates back hundreds of years. That's not true, though, correct?
RIC O'BARRY, DIRECTOR, EARTH ISLAND INSTITUTE'S DOLPHIN PROJECT: That's a lie. That's a deliberate lie. Anybody can research this and learn that it actually started in 1969. So it's not traditional. It's not cultural and it's time to end this barbaric practice.
COOPER: And they're killing dolphins, what, for meat and also some of the dolphins are captured. What happens to those captured dolphins?
O'BARRY: They end up in tanks so people can swim with them. They're going to china, they're going to Dubai, and they're going to Russia. Many years ago, they went to the Miami sea aquarium right here. They went to Sea world.
COOPER: So when people go swimming at hotels in Dubai with dolphins and stuff, that's where these dolphins are coming from, they're being taken from their families from the wild?
O'BARRY: That's correct, yes, and it's based on supply and demand. So the solution is doing buy a ticket for a dolphin show. It's that simple. And people can do that. They can the industry itself doesn't police itself. The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums can stop this any time they want to. And if people want to urge them to do that, please, go to our web site, dolphinproject.org and look for take action. Hit that and take action. If we can get enough people to force the world association of zoos and aquariums to take action, we can end it.
COOPER: Let me ask quickly, the Japanese government says look, slaughtering these dolphins, it's like killing animals, you know killing pigs or cows for food in the west. Do they have a point there? O'BARRY: No. They're comparing domesticated farm animals with wildlife. No, that's not true. And by the way, they're doing this in a national park and the legality of it is highly questionable. That needs to be questioned in court by Japanese people. And we have had a team on the ground there, dolphin project, for 11 years now. And we're starting to have Japanese people join us. And hopefully they will take over and we'll step out and let them because only the Japanese people can solve this problem.
COOPER: Yes.
O'BARRY: It's starting to happen. Yoko Uno, wherever you are, thank you, I love you. She is doing the same thing Caroline Kennedy is doing, speaking out, and it's starting to happen now. I'm very excited.
COOPER: The documentary "The Cove" certainly was a big boon to stop this. Ric O'Barry, I do appreciate your time tonight. Thank you. We'll continue to follow this. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Quick programming note, his post-game rant set off a storm of comments and controversies, ugly comments online. Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman is obviously never shy. But did he cross the line? Rachel Nichols will ask him in her exclusive interview next on "PIERS MORGAN LIVE."
That does it for us. We'll see you again one hour from now at 10:00 p.m. Eastern for a special edition of "AC360 LATER." Hope you join us. "PIERS MORGAN LIVE" starts now.
