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12 Days Before Iowa Caucuses, Trump Files Flurry of Petitions; Interview with Former Assistant Special Watergate Prosecutor and Southern District Of New York Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Akerman; Sen. Menendez Charged with Accepting Bribes from Qatar; According to New Accusation, Sen. Menendez had Connections to Qatar and Wrongdoing Persisted Until 2023; Suburban Chicagoans Decide to Limit Number of Busses that Pickup Immigrants; Uncertainty Driving Surge in Abortion Medication Requests; 16-Year-Old Luke Littler on Making World Darts Championship. Aired 10:30-11a ET
Aired January 03, 2024 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:30:00]
NICK AKERMAN, FORMER ASSISTANT SPECIAL WATERGATE PROSECUTOR AND FORMER ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK: It doesn't just relate to people that -- were confederates in the Civil War if you had that kind of argument. Then the 13th Amendment, which was passed at the same time, abolishing slavery would mean that it only applies to people who are alive at the time. That is not the way the system works and the constitution works. It has rules. These are rules that basically cut out the voters. The voters have no role in this.
RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT AND ANCHOR: Now, what do you expect to happen here in terms of, you know, if the Supreme Court picks this up, is this something that comes down as one ruling? Is this something that comes and really provides some clarity? Is this something that goes back to the states because I would imagine that the chief justice would try to, sort of, avoid the perception of a partisanship on the court as there has been in the past?
AKERMAN: Absolutely. It will have to be one ruling. The problem is you don't want a patchwork of different state rulings. You need to have one ruling on it. This has never happened before. No one has ever contested any of these prerequisites to be president. There has never been an issue as to whether someone was foreign -- you know, foreign born or whether they were actually 35 years old. This is the first time we have ever had a president that was involved in an insurrection. This has never come up before.
So, the Supreme Court has got its hands full, there's no question about it. And I think that the way to do this is, as I said before, that if the chief justice can get involved with looking at the actual underlying evidence, particularly what Donald Trump's vice president had to say to the grand jury. To me, that would be critical.
SOLOMON: Nick Akerman, the stakes could not be higher. Great to have your insights today. Thank you.
AKERMAN: Thank you. JOHN BERMAN, CNN NEWS CENTRAL CO-ANCHOR: So, new indictment and new allegations. The alleged bribes that Democratic Senator Bob Menendez received from Qatar.
And as House Speaker Mike Johnson leads the Republican delegation to the southern border today, a look at the northern cities and the situations that they are dealing with there.
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[10:35:00]
BERMAN: So, new charges this morning facing New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob Menendez in a new indictment which supersedes the previous one. Prosecutors charged him with receiving gifts from Qatar and say the Senator's alleged bribery and extortion scheme continued into 2023, which is a year longer than initially alleged. Menendez and his wife Nadine were indicted in September, accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes that included gold bars, money, a luxury vehicle. They maintain they did nothing wrong.
CNN's Kara Scannell here now with the latest on this. And they are keeping more developments here, Kara.
KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, John, this was the latest, the third superseding indictment in this case. And in these new allegations are that the senator took steps that were favorable to Qatar in order to help his friend, a New Jersey real estate developer who's a co-defendant in this case, receive a multimillion-dollar investment from the Qatari Investment Fund.
According to the indictment, Menendez made introductions between this developer and a member of the royal Qatari family, as well as the investor. He also made public statements that were favorable, praising Qatar and then told the developer he was issuing a press release so he could tell the Qataris it was coming. And the evidence in the case, according to the indictment, is that the Qataris were aware about these statements.
And in addition, when one of the Qatari investors was meeting with the developer in London, Menendez allegedly reached out to that investor saying that he hoped that they would be able to reach some deal. And prosecutors also allege that after the FBI had searched Menendez's home in 2022 and subpoenas were sent, that Menendez then took steps to try to cover up these alleged bribes of mortgage payment and payments for a luxury Mercedes-Benz convertible. Prosecutors say he tried to remake these repayments and disguise it as loan.
So, overall, in this alleged scheme involving both the Qatar actions, as well as the aid that he allegedly gave to Egypt, prosecutors say he received gold bars, cash, the luxury Mercedes-Benz convertible, tickets from the Qataris for a Formula 1 race, Grand Prix race in Miami in both 2022 and 2023. And then he was shown luxury watches, one that was worth as much as $24,000.
And what the New Jersey developer had asked him if he was interested in any of them. It's not clear in the indictment whether Menendez actually received one but, you know, this is just, kind of, growing allegations facing the Senator who has stepped down as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee but is still a member of that committee.
Now, his attorney said that all of the senator's actions were appropriate. And they said in a statement last night, the government's new allegations stink of desperation. What they have instead is a string of baseless assumptions and bizarre conjectures based on routine lawful contacts between a senator and his constituents or foreign officials. Those interactions were always based on his professional judgment as to the best interests of the United States. States because he is, and always has been, a patriot.
Now, Menendez and the others have all pleaded not guilty to these charges. John, they are expected to go to trial in just a few months from now in May.
BERMAN: All right. As I said, it keeps on developing, though, before our eyes. Kara Scannell, a lot for you to cover. Thank you so much.
Rahel.
SOLOMON: Well, John, in just a couple of hours, House Speaker Mike Johnson and a delegation of more than 60 Republicans will head to the southern border where they are expected to criticize the surge in migrants and also demand policy change.
In December alone, Border Patrol encountered some 225,000 migrants, that's according to an early number from DHS. It's an issue that's far and wide reaching. Now, sanctuary cities are overwhelmed with asylum seekers, receiving them by the busload from Texas. Now, cities like Chicago, Denver, and New York and their suburbs are working on ordinances to manage the influx.
Let's bring in CNN's Veronica Miracle. She joins us now from Chicago. So, Veronica, I mean, how are these measures going over and what would this look like?
[10:40:00]
VERONICA MIRACLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rahel, certainly a very difficult situation here. As you mentioned, cities like Chicago, Denver and New York, they have enacted measures to manage the influx of migrants coming in in order to really get a handle on this.
But what's happening is in order to bypass the restrictions of the big cities, now those bus companies, those buses are dropping off migrants in suburbs outside of the city where these cities are just unprepared. They don't have the resources to handle those migrants. Like in Hinsdale, a city 20 miles outside of Chicago, just a few days before Christmas, randomly, without any notice, received several busloads of migrants at a train station so those migrants could take the train in that last 20 miles into the city.
So, now these suburban cities are passing their own measures. City councils, several of them, on Tuesday, either unanimously passing or, on their schedule to create their own measures, requiring in some instances several days' notice for these buses to let them know that these migrants are coming or else those buses could be fined, seized, and impounded.
In Joliet, they unanimously passed an ordinance. Take a listen to what a city council member had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAN QUILLMAN, JOLIET, ILLINOIS COUNCILWOMAN AT LARGE: This was a tough one because we don't want to look like we don't care, but we have to move forward and get a handle on all of this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MIRACLE: These suburban cities, some of them saying they just do not have the resources in order to handle these migrants and the influx of migrants being dropped off. And then even here in Chicago where temperatures have hit freezing overnight, even as I was walking in here, it's been snowing. So, there have been a lot of issues housing migrants here in the city. A lot of concerns, Rahel.
SOLOMON: Veronica Miracle, live for us in Chicago. Veronica, thank you.
BERMAN: All right. New research shows how the uncertainty about access to medication abortion is driving demand for the pills.
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[10:45:00]
SOLOMON: Welcome back. A new ruling blocks the Biden administration from protecting some abortions in Texas. A federal appeals court ruled that doctors in Texas are not required to perform emergency abortions even in life-threatening situations, and that's contrary to HHS guidance. Now, that guidance instructed medical providers to provide abortion services in life-threatening or health saving situations, and that they would be protected in states where abortions violate state law. The decision comes as new research finds that the uncertainty around medication abortion has led to thousands of women preemptively requesting the pills in case they need them in the future.
Let's bring in CNN Medical Correspondent Meg Tirrell, who joins us now with more detail. So, Meg, how does the Supreme Court overturning Roe, how has that affected demand?
MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rahel, we know that medication abortion, which is when, you know, pills are used in early pregnancy up until 10 weeks to end pregnancy, that is the most common form of abortion in the United States, accounting for more than half of abortions according to the CDC and other data providers.
Now, researchers looked at the impact of the overturning of Roe v. Wade through the Dobbs decision on orders of this medication through advanced provision, essentially just in case somebody might need it. They looked at data from a company called AidAccess, this is a group that is a telehealth provider of medication abortion. And they found in the two months following the leak of the Dobbs decision in May of 2022, you saw a real spike in this advanced provision ordering by 10 times.
It went from about 25 average orders per day, to almost 250 in those two months following. They saw that did come down after the actual decision was released. But then again in April of 2023, when this sort of legal uncertainty around one of the medications, Mifepristone, came about, they saw another spike. And so, you're really seeing this sort of legal uncertainty leading folks to try to stockpile this medication. Overall, they say since September of 2021, they have had 48,000 orders for advanced provision of medication abortion pills. Rahel.
SOLOMON: Meg, was it clear in the data where the demand has been highest?
TIRRELL: Yes, you know, they looked at it by state and by states with different access to abortion, and they found the states where there was uncertainty about potential future bans. That is where they saw the highest rates of this advanced provision. And so, you're really seeing the impacts here of that legal uncertainty and people trying to access this even when they don't necessarily need it as a precautionary.
SOLOMON: Meg Tirrell. Thank you, Meg.
BERMAN: So, the 16-year-old who is making history as the youngest person ever to make the final of the World Darts Championship, which is a thing.
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[10:50:00]
BERMAN: Dart history is about to be made. So, Luke Littler, which is sort of the ultimate dart name, is just a few weeks shy of his 17th birthday, and he's doing something that no one else his age has ever done. He's made the final round of the World Darts Championship.
CNN's Andy Scholes is with us now. And Andy, I know all the dart reporters are talking about this.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, yes. In my vast dart reporting, I mean, this is the most excited I've ever been, John. But, you know, Luke Littler, what a story, though. He started playing darts when he was 18 months old, you know, you fast forward 15 years later and he's on the brink of becoming the world champion. And he's doing it by just having incredible composure in front of thousands of people.
Littler already knocked out the reigning champ, 33-year-old Rob Cross, in impressive fashion. He did that last night. He's now knocked out actually two former champions on his way to becoming the youngest to ever make the final. Littler, he now faces the number one player in the world, 28-year-old Luke Humphries, who he lost to at a competition when he was 12 years old, four years ago. Littler has won $250,000 thus far. He could walk away with another $630,000 if he wins it all tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUKE LITTLE, 16-YEAR-OLD DARTS PLAYER: It's crazy. Crazy to even think I'm in a world championship final on my debut. I was happy winning one game, but I could go -- I could nearly go all the way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does the approach change tomorrow night? You're in a world final. Is that the biggest game in the sport or is it just do what you've been doing?
LITTLE: Do what I've been doing. In the morning, I'll be going for my ham and cheese omelet. Coming here, having my pizza and then on and on the board. That's what I've done every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: So, there you go. Ham and cheese omelet for breakfast, pizza for lunch, and he actually celebrates wins with a kebab. But you know, John, win or lose the world -- at the world championships, Littler, he already has the title for the oldest looking 16-year-old I've ever seen.
BERMAN: Well, that's what I was going to say. I was going to get Daniel Dale on this to fact check it to begin with because we say he's not 17 yet. I'm like, really? Really? But, Andy, I will say one thing. You said he started with the dart stuff when he was 18 months old. You've got some young kids. How do you feel about 18-month-old kids chucking darts?
[10:55:00]
SCHOLES: Yes, I think he had the ones with the magnets. I'm not sure he had the sharp edges at that point. We have an electronic dart board at our house and I could tell you what, my nine-year-old, seven-year- old, five-year-old, they are not very accurate. Holes all in the wall.
BERMAN: Well look, 10,000 hours, that's what Malcolm Gladwell says. Get them practicing and then maybe one day --
SCHOLES: 10,000.
BERMAN: -- they can be at the World Dart Championship. Andy Scholes, great to see you.
SCHOLES: All right.
BERMAN: Thank you very much.
SOLOMON: At the world championship and at 16 years old.
BERMAN: Not bad. SOLOMON: All right. Coming up, we are staying on this breaking news this morning out of Iran. At least 103 people killed in two explosions that happened near the grave of Former Military Commander Qasem Soleimani. How this could play out into the wider conflict in the Middle East. We'll be right back.
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