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The Lead with Jake Tapper

Border Challenge; Interview With New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio; Cuomo Under Fire; Trump Faces Five Separate Investigations in New York, Georgia & DC. Aired 4:30-5p ET

Aired March 01, 2021 - 16:30   ET

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

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The most recent accusation first reported by "The New York Times," 25-year-old Charlotte Bennett, a former aide telling the paper the governor asked her personal questions in a one-on-one setting last year, like had she been with an older man or if she had been monogamous in her relationships.

[16:30:12]

Quote: "I understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me and felt horribly uncomfortable and scared," she said.

JESSE MCKINLEY, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": She had actually gone to Governor Cuomo's chief of staff, had lodged a complaint. So this was documented and known inside of the Cuomo administration.

GINGRAS: In a statement late last night, the second one issued since Bennett came forward, Cuomo apologized for what he perceived as -- quote -- "playful comments."

"I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal and that some of my comments, given my position, made others feel in ways I never intended. I acknowledge some of the things I have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation. To the extent anyone felt that way, I am truly sorry about that."

Cuomo's words also in response to accusations made last week by a different former aide, Lindsey Boylan, who in a Medium post said she received an unwanted kiss from the governor in 2018, which Cuomo has denied multiple times. Boylan and Bennett did not discuss their claims with CNN.

The governor is now asking the New York attorney general to hire a private lawyer to investigate, but that was only after relenting to pressure from the A.G. and lawmakers, who said his earlier proposals of who would investigate weren't acceptable because none of them allowed subpoena powers.

REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-NY): If these investigations bear out, it really starts to, I think, call into question the leadership that we currently have. GINGRAS: For the governor once praised and admired globally for his pandemic response, mounting pressure and an increasingly uncertain political future.

MCKINLEY: The condemnation of these remarks has been bipartisan. Democrats are very upset. Republicans were upset even before this with the nursing home scandal. So, Governor Cuomo is in a very precarious political position at this hour.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GINGRAS: Yes, and just as he mentioned, the governor now facing investigations on really two fronts here, one, the sexual harassment claims and the other having to do with his administration's handling of nursing home death data during the pandemic.

That's an initial inquiry right now being conducted by the U.S. attorney's office right here in Brooklyn and the FBI. And we have just learned, Jake, defending Cuomo on the nursing home issue, at least, is white-collar crime attorney Elkan Abramowitz -- Jake.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: All right, Brynn Gingras, excellent reporting. Thank you so much.

Joining us now to discuss is New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Mr. Mayor, thanks so much for joining us.

You said this morning -- quote -- "What these two women went through is absolutely unacceptable" -- unquote.

We should note Governor Cuomo has denied the first accuser's allegations. He has not denied the second accuser's. To be clear, you believe both women?

BILL DE BLASIO (D), MAYOR OF NEW YORK: Yes, Jake. And we have to. We have to believe women who come forward and fully investigate.

And the governor issued the total non-apology earlier, and, in effect, treated sexual harassment as some kind of laughing matter. It's not a laughing matter. It's not a joke. It's very, very serious stuff. And we need a full investigation.

If it proves that these allegations are true, how can someone lead a state if they have done these kinds of things?

TAPPER: One of Governor Cuomo, his accuser, Charlotte Bennett, said in a statement today that Governor Cuomo -- quote -- "has refused to acknowledge or take responsibility for his predatory behavior" -- unquote.

I suppose that gets into what you just said, where he was basically saying in his statement: Hey, I joke around a lot. I'm sorry if it was misinterpreted.

I have to say, as -- I'm not a governor or a mayor, but I have a staff. I have never made any jokes anything like that, strip poker, or anything like that. I mean, it's -- I don't even understand how anybody could claim -- could say something like that.

DE BLASIO: Yes, Jake, when I read the account of what Charlotte Bennett went through, I cringed. I just -- I had a feeling of, like, the pain, the terror she must have been going through.

Here's someone who could determine whether she has a job or not, whether she has a career or not, literally suggesting in front of her all sorts of perverse sexual possibilities, and she's alone in a room with him?

I mean, think about how grotesque that is. And you're right. I don't know anyone who would do that. This is not acceptable. It wasn't acceptable ever. It's especially not acceptable in 2021 in the United States of America. So, it cannot be laughed off. It cannot be minimized. We need to follow the facts on this case.

And think about the ramification of the nursing home scandal, thousands of lives lost. We still don't know why. We still don't know how much of the truth was covered up. We still don't know how much of it might have been because of the influence of campaign contributions from the nursing home industry, a very powerful industry.

There is so much that needs to be uncovered here.

TAPPER: If an independent investigation -- the attorney general, Letitia James, is now going to going to make sure that happens into the claims about the sexual harassment, the alleged sexual harassment.

[16:35:11]

If that investigation confirms any of the women's claims, or if there is some other investigation, the FBI or whatever, into the nursing home data scandal, if any of that is confirmed, do you think Governor Cuomo needs to resign?

DE BLASIO: I don't see how anyone can function as a governor and have the trust of the people and the respect of the people if they purposefully covered up the deaths of thousands of our seniors, our elders, family members, beloved family members who have gone.

If you cover that up, or if you did things for reasons that had to do with politics or contributions, and if you have sexually harassed young women in your employment, these are disqualifying realities. How could anyone look the people in the face after that?

If these allegations, if these charges are proven, there's just no way he can govern.

TAPPER: So that's a yes. You think that he should resign if any of these are proven correct?

DE BLASIO: Of course.

TAPPER: Yes. DE BLASIO: Of course.

TAPPER: I have to note, just for viewers who are not familiar with New York politics, you have long had a contentious relationship with the governor. You guys have disagreed publicly on policy and other issues for years and years.

What do you say to a viewer who might see what you're saying and say, oh, this is just a personal vendetta?

DE BLASIO: Look, I have known the governor a long time. I used to work closely with the governor.

I became increasingly disillusioned, as have so many people who worked with him closely, by what I saw. And the abusive behavior, the threatening behavior goes way back. It's gotten worse in many ways over the years, but it's not new.

What you saw with Assemblyman Ron Kim, when he -- literally, the governor threatened his career because the assemblyman had the audacity to challenge the governor on the nursing home scandal, these are unacceptable practices.

I said years ago this had to end. It's poisoning the reality of the state. And now, unfortunately, more and more of this is coming clear to us just how pervasive it is. But it can't go on like this. It just can't.

So, I would just say the facts are increasingly clear. It's not about anybody's personal viewpoint. It's about the facts. And, Jake, these facts are overwhelming.

TAPPER: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, thank you so much. Appreciate it, sir.

DE BLASIO: Thank you.

TAPPER: The Biden administration dealing with a growing problem involving hundreds of children.

But up next: why they refuse to call it a crisis.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:42:03]

TAPPER: In our politics lead today, a blunt assessment of the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border today from President Biden's Department of Homeland Security secretary, who is now only 27 days into the job.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, U.S. SECRETARY HOMELAND SECURITY: The prior administration dismantled our nation's immigration system in its entirety. Quite frankly, the entire system was gutted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Despite the strong charge, DHS Secretary Mayorkas would not call the border situation a crisis. He said it was a challenge.

And Mayorkas noted a series of new approaches to immigration, including a new message to migrant families, as CNN's Phil Mattingly now reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For President Joe Biden's administration, alarm bells are ringing at the Southern border.

MAYORKAS: We are challenged at the border.

MATTINGLY: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas declining today to call it a crisis.

MAYORKAS: It is a stressful challenge. And we are -- that is why, quite frankly, we are working as hard as we are not only in addressing the urgency of the challenge, but also in building the capacity to manage it.

MATTINGLY: But with migrant children arriving at the U.S. border by the hundreds each day, an urgent warning from a new administration.

MAYORKAS: We are not saying, don't come. We are saying, don't come now.

MATTINGLY: The administration in a sprint to reassemble an immigration system that faced a massive overhaul under former President Trump.

MAYORKAS: The prior administration dismantled our nation's immigration system in its entirety.

MATTINGLY: But the influx of thousands of children, coupled with the pandemic, has stressed the system, officials tell CNN, with the administration forced to open a Texas overflow facility for the new arrivals.

MAYORKAS: What we are seeing now at the border is the immediate result of the dismantlement of the system and the time that it takes to rebuild it virtually from scratch.

MATTINGLY: All as Biden's cornerstone legislative proposal, a $1.9 trillion COVID relief plan, gets set for its biggest test. A victory this weekend, when House Democrats passed the bill, but now on to the Senate, with Biden said to blitz Democrats with multiple virtual meetings this week, all to maintain unity.

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We have reserved time in his schedule to ensure that he can be engaged, roll up his sleeves, and be personally involved and making phone calls, having more Zoom meetings, potentially having people here to the Oval Office to get this across the finish line.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MATTINGLY: And, Jake, in just moments, we're expecting to start President Biden's second bilateral meeting, virtual bilateral meeting, this time with Mexican President Lopez Obrador, obviously a series of issues, wide-ranging conversations expected, but top on the priority list, no question about it, it's immigration, Jake.

TAPPER: And, Phil, the Biden White House is doing something not unlike what the Trump administration did.

They're making excuses about why they are not directly holding the Saudi crown prince, MBS, directly responsible for the murder of "Washington Post" journalist Jamal Khashoggi, despite the fact that it was Biden's administration that released this declassified intelligence, showing that MBS, in their view, approved the operation.

[16:45:13]

Take a listen to Press Secretary Jen Psaki today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Our national security team believes that going after the network responsible for these actions is the best way to prevent a crime like this from ever happening again. Even prior to the release of this report, have recalibrated the relationship, have made clear that is going to be a shift from how it was approached over the last four years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Just to be clear, as a candidate, Biden said that he would punish Saudi leaders, not just henchmen, for Khashoggi's killing. Has the Biden White House ruled out any direct punishment of MBS in the future?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Jake, they may not have explicitly said it, but the short answer I'm being told right now is yes. U.S. officials I've spoken to said there was no effort to sanction Mohammed bin Salman. Ands there's a recognition, as the State Department spokesman Ned Price said just a short while ago, their goal is recalibration, not a rupture in the relationship, also citing precedent from the U.S., not generally sanctioning world leaders.

But the reality right now on the ground is the Biden administration has made the calculation that Saudi Arabia is a crucial geopolitical ally and therefore they're not willing to take that step despite what President Biden said on the campaign trail, Jake.

TAPPER: Such an ally, maybe they should stop killing our journalists.

Phil Mattingly, thanks so much. Appreciate your time. Not one, not two, not even three, the number of investigations former

President Trump is dealing with from both political parties. That's next.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:50:44]

TAPPER: In the politics lead, Donald Trump may be calculating his possible return to politics, but mounting legal trouble from five separate investigations may put a hold on his plans in reality, as CNN's Sara Murray now reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (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, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It'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 to investigate a business in Manhattan.

MURRAY: And the probes are picking up, New York prosecutors of now of Trump's 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 two months, setting a clock some say if he plans to bring charges.

LETITIA JAMES, NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL: We can spot a con man.

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

JAMES: 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 the judge recently ordering Trump's tax firm to turn over documents.

JAMES: The fact that he's 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 WILLIAMS, FULTON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: 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.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT: 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 is 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 (R), GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE: I never thought it was appropriate to speak to the president. I guess he had his staff pushed that they wanted to 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 6.

TRUMP: We fight. We fight like hell.

KARL RACINE, D.C. 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 (on camera): Now, a spokesman for the president didn't respond to requests for comment for this story. But in the past, the president has said these investigations are politically motivated and his staff has insisted there was nothing wrong with that phone call he made in Georgia -- Jake.

TAPPER: All right. Sara Murray, thanks so much.

While former President Trump is facing multiple investigations, would another ex-world leader sentenced to prison actually go to prison?

Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:58:45]

TAPPER: In our world lead today a former president guilty of corruption. Today, Nicolas Sarkozy became the first French president to be sentenced to prison in the country's modern history.

Sarkozy was sentenced to three years in prison for corruption and influence peddling for trying to illegally obtain information about an investigation into his campaign finances. The court suspended two years of Sarkozy sentence so he will not actually have to spend any time behind bars. He can serve the rest of his time by wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet at home.

And finally, today, we would like to take a moment to remember just one of the hundreds of thousands of lives lost to this pandemic in the U.S. -- Antoine Hodge.

Antoine Hodge was a 38-year-old rising star in the world of opera. A Georgia native, Hodge sang across the country, never missing an opportunity to perform. Here he is, singing just last year.

Hodge made his debut with the Metropolitan Opera in 2019 in "Porgy & Bess." he wrote about his passion for singing, quote, it never mattered to me whether I was a principal artist or ensemble member as long as I got to do it. The Met announced it would dedicate opening night to him.

May his memory be a blessing. Our deepest sympathies to his family and friends.

Our coverage on CNN continues right now.

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