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Schumer Presses For Border Deal To Unlock Ukraine Aid; Mother Of Boy Who Shot Teacher To Be Sentenced In VA; "Homebirth Journey: Saving Black Moms" Airs Monday At 9:00 P.M. ET/PT. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired December 15, 2023 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): To talk -- you know, to run out the clock and get it done. Well, I think the best thing to do is keep talking, try to find a deal that we can all live with, that we'll get through the House, come back in January, and do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: A deal that we can all live with. What they can all live with is still a mystery or TBD at best. Here's the basics of what this is all kind of centering around at the moment.

To start, it's $60 billion in aid towards Ukraine's defenses against Russia. The key sticking point with regard to that package is the U.S. border. The initial ask from the White House, the proposal was to include nearly $14 billion to help bolster U.S. border security should go for things like thousands of new hires for Border Patrol, customs agents, asylum officers, and much-needed immigration judges.

House Republicans pushed back hard saying that they already have a border plan. It's called H.R.2 that they wanted included. It passed the House in May, but notably with only Republican votes and zero Democratic support.

Even Senate Republicans have suggested that the House Republican position on here isn't helpful. Sources say a major point of contention now in these bipartisan talks around immigration is eliminating heat the -- on the question of eliminating humanitarian parole, which allows the U.S. government to let people into the country by essentially bypassing the regular immigration process on a case-by-case basis for as it's written urgent humanitarian reasons. And has been used for years by both Democratic and Republican administrations.

Now, President Biden is signaling he's willing to negotiate further on all of this, like increasing deportations, expanding detentions, and increasing -- really kind of raising the bar that asylum seekers need to meet. But all of that, though, is frustrating Biden's progressive left, and it's still unclear how much those concessions would do to get the Republican right any closer to yes. So, we are where we are. Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: You can say that again. Kate. Republican Indiana Congresswoman Victoria Spartz is joining us now. Congresswoman Spartz, you also sit on the House Judiciary Committee.

I want to talk to you about President Biden in his signaling that he's open to making major concessions on border security to get a bill passed that would secure funding for Ukraine and Israel. Raising the standards, for example, that migrants' rights must meet for asylum. Considering a policy that would allow the rapid expulsion of migrants at the border and the expansion of the tension capacity. If the president and Democrats agree to those concessions, would you vote for a bill? What concessions would you might -- be willing to make?

REP. VICTORIA SPARTZ (R-IN): Well, I think there are two major items. And I think we'll have a serious situation on the border security. I think over 90 percent of a -- you know, asylum claims are actually legitimate. So, raising that standard will tighten the border and give more tools for the Border Patrol to deal -- to secure with the border.

But also, another items that I think it's important and that is really with a sticking point is. We're not trying to eliminate parole authority, but we want to tie it in that it's not used -- it's never meant to be used on the group basis, that you can just parole hundreds of thousands of people at a time. It can be used on an individual basis. So, president will still have parole authority, but they need to look at individual cases. And that was part of H.R.2.

There are some other parts. But I think this is where the sticking point is. And I think if the president is willing to work on that, and Senate Democrats, I think we'll get much closer.

But this is the big issues here because it's very important for us also to understand that, you know, what was sent into Ukraine also have to have a strategy. And I've been someone who was very critical of president slow walking the aid. And now we be come in a very difficult situation, but Ukraine has to hold the ground and win the war.

SIDNER: You say Ukraine has to hold the ground and win the war. We are now hearing from senior U.S. military officials who are saying if it does not get aid from the United States, in particular, and E -- and the EU, in the worst-case scenario that Ukraine could lose to Russia by this summer. Why does it seem that there are some members of your party that no matter what, regardless of whether it's paired with favorable border policies are saying they might not -- still might not vote for it? What are your thoughts?

SPARTZ: Well, I think -- listen, that there are free (ph) people with different ideas. And there are a lot of -- there's a lot of frustration in my party was, you know, was this president that are a lot of different reasons. But I wish these senior military officials would have been a little bit more vocal last year when we dealt with Ukraine and how we dealt not efficiently was providing security assistance. And I think that created now a situation where there is a stalemate. And I think it's a very difficult situation. It cost a lot of money. And it also costs a lot of lives to Ukrainians.

So, I think we need to be much tougher, and much more gentle and proactive in how we deal in most enforcement of sanctions. Russia has been avoiding sanctions. We created a lot of loopholes, and we need to start dealing with that because they're paying you know for this war, raises in a lot of blood money, and we're not really enforcing them, as well as we should in organizing Europe to do better with that, too.

[11:35:09]

SIDNER: All right. I do want to go back to the debate over the border because you did vote for your party's Secure Border Act. And in Section 801, it requires all American workers to -- whether they're going to start a job or they're going to change their jobs to get approval from the federal government via a database in order to make sure that they are eligible to be working in this country. That to anyone that looks at it, looks like government at its biggest. How do you square that with the Republican talking points that have been there for decades that they want smaller government?

SPARTZ: Well, actually, there were some other members of the committee who had amendments on that issue. Thomas Massie and I supported the amendment, but the agreement was to move the bill forward. And if we want to adjust some things, the data -- the databases are not abused, we're going to go to fix it eventually when we have a debate with the Senate.

Unfortunately, debate with the Senate never happened. Senate really doesn't want to deal with border security. And I think that was just kind of a consensus that came with the majority of people, you know.

And sometimes the language can be worked out too. But I actually was a supporter of adjusting some of the language because I actually very concerned with government databases, and I'm very concerned how this database is abused in some ways. And you know, there is probably more that could be done.

And as I said, you know, Republicans are not saying that a hundred percent of H.R.2 should be taken. We understand it's a negotiation. But there are two material issues that now create enormous border insecurity, enormous risks that we have now where our border patrol is overwhelmed. And we have to stop it because we benefitting cartels and -- you know, and they -- you know, killing American lives.

SIDNER: Congresswoman --

SPARTZ: You know, it was drug trafficking and human trafficking really getting a lot of these asylum seekers, you know, and slavery.

SIDNER: Congresswoman Victoria Spartz, thank you so much for coming on and talking through these issues with me.

SPARTZ: Thank you. SIDNER: John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: So, a major win for Prince Harry. A judge rules that are British tabloid group hacked his phones. We are getting a fresh reaction from the prince.

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[11:41:42]

BERMAN: All right, very shortly. The mother of a 6-year-old who shot and killed -- sorry, just shot his teacher in Virginia will be sentenced on state charges of child neglect. Deja Taylor had already been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison. She pleaded guilty in June. Taylor's 6-year-old son used her gun to shoot Abigail Zwerner, his first-grade teacher in the classroom, injuring her hand and chest.

CNN's Brian Todd has been covering this story from the very beginning. He joins us with the details of what we're going to see here. Brian?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, John. Deja Taylor in just moments is looking at the possibility of getting six more months in jail. That's the recommendation from prosecutors. It'll be clarified at this hearing whether whatever sentence she gets today will be tacked on to the 21 months she received on the federal charges or will run concurrently.

Now, a representative for the teacher who was shot, Abigail Zwerner told me a short time ago that Zwerner is going to be at this state hearing today at noon. And will give an impact statement -- a victim impact statement, similar to the one that she gave at Taylor's Federal sentencing, which was very moving. I'm going to tell you more about that in just a second.

But last month, Taylor received a sentence of 21 years in federal prison on the charges of unlawful use of a controlled substance while possessing a firearm and making a false statement while purchasing of the firearm which she had pleaded guilty to. At that sentencing last month, the judge ordered Taylor to report to jail immediately because she had failed several drug tests while she was going through pretrial services. That's according to her attorney, James Ellenson.

We also have an update on the young man, the 6-year-old -- who was then-6 years old when he shot Abigail Zwerner on January 6 of this year. James Ellenson, the attorney, told us the boy is now living with his grandfather in Newport News, Virginia. The grandfather has custody of the boy that appears to be an indefinite arrangement.

John, just very quickly. The victim impact statement, I've got some of the text here from the statement that she read, that Abigail Zwerner read last month. It's really riveting. Just a couple of quick excerpts here.

She said, "I lost myself following the shooting. I could barely communicate with my friends and family. The shooting has instilled many fears in me that will remain with me forever. My life and once cherished career have been completely turned upside down. I feel as if I have lost my purpose. I loved children, and now I'm scared to have a job involving them."

And then quickly, she said sadly, my life will never be close to the same again. And, John, again we're told that she is going to give a statement very similar to that in just moments.

BERMAN: OK. All right, Brian Todd covering this for us, keep us posted when that does happen. Thank you very much. Sara?

SIDNER: All right. A great day for truth as well as accountability. That's Prince Harry describing his legal victory today over Mirror Group Newspapers in the U.K. A judge ruled the company illegally intercepted his voicemails for years playing with the prince called a destructive role in his youth.

CNN's Max Foster explains how the prince's fight for a free and honest pressed isn't over yet.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: A clear victory in 15 cases of shocking invasions into Prince Harry's privacy, which he says blighted his younger years and left him paranoid and depressed. The court ruled voicemails intercepted and personal information stolen through deception.

FOSTER (voiceover): His lawyer gave a statement on Harry's behalf.

[11:45:02]

DAVID SHERBORNE, PRINCE HARRY'S LAWYER: Today's ruling is vindicating and affirming. I've been told that slaying dragons will get you burned. But in light of today's victory and the importance of what is doing what is needed for a free and honest press, it is a worthwhile price to pay. The mission continues.

FOSTER (voiceover): That's the mission now by Prince Harry's team, to encourage the British authorities to press charges as Harry continues with his cases against other British tabloids. This is one battle in his wider war against the so-called Red Tops. This case hinged on stories published in the 1990s and 2000s by Mirror Group Newspapers, MGN.

MGN responded today by saying "Where historical wrongdoing took place, we apologize unreservedly, have taken full responsibility and paid appropriate compensation." Harry became the first British royal in about 130 years to give evidence in a court of law when he faced two days of questioning by the High Court in June.

He said he was targeted by MGN for 15 years, though the judge said Friday he only found evidence of phone hacking for the period 2003 to 2009. The judge awarded Harry damages of around $180,000. Not a big financial win, but a hugely symbolic victory. GODWIN BUSUTTIL, MEDIA LAWYER: It's a major victory. It's a major battle which he has won. And I say that because there has been a trial where he gave evidence, and he has largely -- his claims largely been upheld.

FOSTER: In Harry's words, A great day for truth and accountability. Max Foster, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SIDNER: And our thanks to Max Foster. Kate?

BOLDUAN: Coming up for us. Maternal mortality rates in the United States are getting not better but worse. As the American Middle -- Medical Association puts it, the U.S. stands out among high-income nations for its alarming incidence of maternal deaths despite substantial healthcare spending. And for black women, the situation is especially dire. CNN's Abby Phillip takes a hard look at why and what women are doing about it. We'll be back.

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[11:51:37]

SIDNER: In the United States, black women are two to three times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related complications according to the CDC. In light of that, many black women are choosing to opt out of hospital births. On "The Whole Story With Anderson Cooper," CNN anchor and new mom, Abby Phillip goes on a personal journey to understand why so many black women like herself are afraid to go to hospitals and looking for alternatives.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANGEL SHIRLEY, EXPECTANT MOTHER: I was scared. I had like -- I was crying.

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN ANCHOR & SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Angel is in labor with her sixth child.

PHILLIP: What were you afraid of?

SHIRLEY: Coming in and not coming out.

PHILLIP (voiceover): Ashleigh is having her second child in one month.

ASHLEIGH BARNES, EXPECTANT MOTHER: You know, moms are supposed to have this wonderful moment. They just weren't making it out, you know alive at the hospital.

PHILLIP (voiceover): Elaine (PH) gave birth nearly two years ago.

ELAINE: We're preparing for the worst at the best time in our lives.

PHILLIP (voiceover): Three women, three pregnancies, one journey to understand exactly what scares them about hospitals, and why some black women like me, are now redefining the oldest act in human history, childbirth. A few years ago, I was pregnant with my first daughter. I knew the black maternal mortality statistics and I didn't want to take any chances. So, I decided to skip the doctor and the hospital.

And with the help of a midwife, I gave birth in my own home. It may sound crazy, but it felt so much safer. And honestly, since then, I've been surprised to meet a number of black women who decided to go down the same path that I did.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SIDNER: Joining us now, is CNN anchor Abby Phillip. I am owing and awing. OK. So, let's start there.

But for you, it's a -- it's a really important story. How did you decide, hey, I'm going to do a home birth, I'm not going to do this in a hospital.?

PHILLIP (on camera): Yes. Well, first of all, it started with just simply wanting to be --- and feel safe. And I thought it was important for me to have -- as someone who had a low-risk pregnancy to have a low intervention birth. And I started looking around how can I do this.

And it got harder and harder to see myself being able to do that in a hospital. And one of the interesting things that happened was that I started asking my friends, all of my girlfriends, what did you do? What did you do?

I learned that some of them ended up having homebirths. I had no idea. And we were -- I went down that path. But for me -- and I just want to emphasize that this is not for everyone, not for every woman -- not every woman wants what I wanted. But for me, it was something that met my needs, and gave me the support that I was looking for.

And no, I am not someone who ever thought that I would have a home birth, trust me. But I did. And it was one of the -- honestly, one of the best experiences of my life.

BOLDUAN: But, Abby, one thing that every woman is up against are the horrible statistics.

SIDNER: Yes.

BOLDUAN: The fact that the United States is such -- has such a horrible status for maternal mortality. And for black women, it's even more dire. It's been like this.

PHILLIP: Yes.

BOLDUAN: And it's not getting better. It's getting worse.

PHILLIP: It's not -- it's not.

BOLDUAN: Which I'm really curious as to how the statistics on home birth and midwife-led birth are actually showing.

[11:55:18]

PHILLIP: Yes. Look, it is -- it is so surprising to people. Everyone thinks that the United States were the best at everything in the world. Not in this way.

And those bad statistics are being driven by the really terrible numbers in specific communities, particularly among black women. But for all women, it should be safer. And one of the things as we talk to experts, doctors and midwives, and nurses about this, it takes holistic solutions.

Looking at the hospital and not just saying, well, the hospital is safe, but saying how can we make it safer for women, and how can we draw from practices of other parts of the world where midwives, for example, in other parts of the world are more common, including in Europe, to make it more safe? So, that's where I think this documentary really sheds some interesting light. I think people will really be surprised by some of the solutions that we show them that are out there that are working for women.

BERMAN: Abby Phillip, thank you so much for being willing to share this with everyone.

PHILLIP: Thank you all so much.

BERMAN: It airs Sunday night right here on CNN. Thank you so much for joining us. "INSIDE POLITICS" is up next.

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