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Tonight on CNN, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and Haley Debate One- on-One in Iowa; Hunter Biden Expected to Appear on Capitol Hill Today. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired January 10, 2024 - 10:00   ET

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

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[10:00:00]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Any moment now, House Republicans will hold the first hearing in their effort to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over the border crisis. We'll bring that to you live.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis preparing for what may be the biggest debate of their lives tonight right here on CNN. The key decisions they really have to make in the next few hours.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: A woman, a mother of eight, and now a convicted criminal for her part in the Capitol riot. Just days before she set to begin serving, her five-year prison sentence, she sat down with CNN, who she blames, who she really thinks duped her, and why it's not Donald Trump.

I'm Kate Bolduan with John Berman and Sarah Sidner. This is CNN News Central.

This morning, the stage is set for the final Republican presidential debate before the Iowa caucuses on Monday. CNN is hosting the primetime matchup between Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis. It's the first time that they're going to be face-to-face just one-on-one for this debate.

Donald Trump also qualified for debate, but once again is choosing to skip it and hold his own town hall event also in Iowa. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Vivek Ramaswamy, did not qualify.

The stakes could not be higher, really, for all involved. This is one of their final chances to make a statement, answer questions and prove that they are the best candidate, the best alternative to take on Donald Trump.

CNN's Kylie Atwood joins us from Iowa this morning. Kylie, what are you hearing? What can we expect?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kate, as you said, the timing here just incredibly critical because this debate is happening just five days before the Iowa caucuses. That is when American voters will, for the first time, cast their ballot as part of this Republican primary process.

[10:05:04]

And for Ron DeSantis, the stakes just couldn't be higher for tonight and also for the Iowa caucuses. He's recently been saying that he likes to be underestimated, that he likes to be considered the underdog. But the reality is that him and his team have put a tremendous amount of resources into Iowa. If he doesn't do well here, his campaign could be in real jeopardy.

Then you have Nikki Haley, who has some growing momentum. She's been campaigning in Iowa, but particularly in New Hampshire with that new CNN/University of New Hampshire poll out just yesterday showing that she's gaining on the former president, former President Donald Trump, now behind him by just seven points in New Hampshire.

So, if she does well tonight, if she does well in the Iowa caucuses, that could build that momentum. If she doesn't, there could be questions about how much momentum she actually has.

Now, one thing that we'll be watching for tonight is both of these candidates want to make it a one-on-one competition with former President Trump. Do they try and do that by going after one another, taking out the other guy on the stage, or do they try and go after the former president more aggressively? We've seen them do some of that, but really haven't seen an all out assault on Trump from either of these candidates.

Now, today, the DeSantis super PAC is out with a new ad here in Iowa going after Nikki Haley for comments she recently made in New Hampshire saying that New Hampshire voters correct the decisions that are cast, the ballots that are cast here in Iowa.

Listen to what that super PAC is saying.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIKKI HALEY, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Iowa starts it. You change personalities. You go into New Hampshire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why should Iowans support another fake politician who disrespects them?

HALEY: Iowa starts it, you know that you correct it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How can you trust Nikki Haley when she doesn't trust you?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ATWOOD: Now, obviously, one thing that we're watching for tonight is if Nikki Haley needs to explain herself again on the debate stage. She was saying that she was trying to have a good time playing around a little bit. That's one thing we'll be watching for.

The former president won't be on the debate stage, counterprogramming with a Fox News Town Hall.

BOLDUAN: Counterprogramming again. CNN's debate is tonight. Good to see you, Kylie. Thank you. Sara?

SIDNER: All right, we have some breaking news for you at this hour. The president's son, Hunter Biden, is now expected to make an appearance on Capitol Hill at the House Oversight contempt proceedings.

CNN Capitol Hill Reporter Melanie Zanona joining us now. Melanie, you just got this news in. What are you hearing?

MELANIE ZANONA, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: Yes. I am standing outside the House Oversight Committee right now. They are moments away from beginning this markup to hold the President Biden son in content of Congress for refusing to sit for a closed door deposition. But we just got reporting from my colleague, Annie Grayer, that Hunter Biden himself is expected to show up today in front of this hearing in some capacity.

Now, it's all fluid right now, but this is the expectation that he is going to show up. And it is similar to what he did when he was scheduled to appear for a closed door deposition in December. He has said all along that he doesn't want to appear for a closed door deposition. He only wants to testify in a public setting. He's worried about Republicans selectively leaking his testimony. And instead, he did a press conference in front of the Capitol.

But Republicans still say that was not enough for them. They've decided to move ahead with contempt proceeding. So, we're expecting both oversight and judiciary to markup resolutions that would refer Hunter Biden to the DOJ and hold him in contempt of Congress. That would then head it to the House floor.

And it sounds like Hunter Biden right now might be showing up, if we want to start walking this way. But he could be on his way right now. As I said, this is part of the Hunter Biden's effort right now to really show that he is making every effort to comply with this subpoena to appear for a deposition.

Time and time again, he said he's willing to talk to Republicans, at least in a public setting. You can see right now we have this scrum of reporters, if you can just shoot the camera over there. We have this scrum of reporters. It looks like Hunter Biden is there.

Sir, are you worried about being held in contempt?

If you guys can see this right now, we are with Hunter Biden.

Sorry, it's a little crowded right here, guys. Hunter Biden is not talking, but he is walking in right now to the hearing.

All right, so that's it. Hunter Biden has just appeared for a closed -- for an open hearing at the House Oversight Committee. This is where, again, they're marking up proceedings to hold him in contempt of Congress. We'll see what he has to say, if Republicans are going to let him actually speak in the hearing.

He said time and time again that he would speak publicly and that he does not want to appear for a closed door deposition. So, that's where we're at right now, guys.

[10:10:00]

SIDNER: That was fascinating. You were in the right place at the right time, asking the right questions.

Melanie Zanona, did anyone on that committee expect him to show up, because as we're watching this, we all just found out about it just now? Is this the same thing with the committee?

ZANONA: Well, in the moments leading up to the hearing, we were hearing from Republican and Democratic members who were saying that they were hearing rumors that Hunter Biden might show up, again, my colleague, Annie Grayer, the one to confirm this reporting with her sources. But there were some Republicans who said, we want to see what he has to say. We have some things to say of our own. But, yes, it's another day that's shaping up to be quite amount of fireworks here on Capitol Hill, and the hearing has even gotten underway yet.

SIDNER: That was great reporting, Melanie.

We're going to go right now to the hearing. We're looking at Jamie Raskin right now making a statement. Let's listen in.

REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): -- about the violent attack on the Capitol, the Congress, and the vice president of the United States on January 6, 2021.

In any event, for the last 11 months, the chairman has repeatedly refused offers from Hunter Biden and his attorney to meet with the chairman and his staff and with members of this committee on February 9th, just one day after the chairman's first letter to Hunter Biden.

Mr. Biden's lawyer responded and offered Chairman Comer to, quote, sit with you and your staff, including the ranking member and his staff, to see whether Mr. Biden has information that may inform some legitimate legislative purpose and be helpful to the committee. The chairman never responded.

On September 13, Mr. Biden's lawyer again wrote to Chairman Comer after a Newsmax interview, in which the chairman falsely claimed that he never got a response back to his original letter. Mr. Biden's attorney explained the chairman actually never responded to his offer to sit down and discuss the committee's request, but stated that he remained available to have the discussion, but the chairman again completely failed to respond.

Two months later, on November 8th, Chairman Comer and Jordan issued subpoenas to Mr. Biden, requiring his appearance for a deposition on December 13th. In the cover letter, the chairman noted, given your client's willingness to address this investigation publicly up to this point, we would expect him to testify before Congress. Throughout the fall, the chairman urged Mr. Biden to come up here at a public committee hearing.

On September 13th, on Newsmax, the chairman stated, Hunter Biden is more than welcome to come in front of the committee. If he wants to clear his good name, if he wants to come and say, you know, there weren't 20 show companies, he's invited today, we'll drop everything.

On October 31, on a nationwide podcast, the chairman stated, we have mountains of evidence, now we're ready to bring them in. We're in the downhill phase now because we have so many documents and we can bring these people in for depositions or committee hearings, whichever they choose. For depositions or committee hearings, whichever they choose, and we can ask these questions with evidence.

On November 6th, again on Newsmax, our good chairman stated, I will extend that invitation on your show right now, Rob, if the Biden family wants to join Tony Bobulinski in an official oversight committee hearing and answer questions that the American people have, then that invitation is open right now. They can come on in and do that.

On November 28th, Hunter Biden, through his lawyer, agreed to Chairman Comer's multiple public requests. He agreed to appear precisely at a public hearing under oath to answer the committee's questions on December 13th, exactly what our good colleagues, the Republicans who had information about January 6th, never agreed to do. They never agreed to testify anywhere under oath about what they knew.

The letter that came in from Mr. Biden embraced the importance of having a public proceeding that, quote, would prevent selective leaks, manipulated transcripts, doctored exhibits, or one-sided press statements, especially in light of the committee's past use of closed- door sessions to manipulate, even distort the facts and misinform the public.

REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): Mr. Chairman, I have an inquiry.

REP. JAMES COMER (R-KY): State your point.

GREENE: Mr. Chairman, don't we have House rules and committee rules regarding subpoenas and then rules about having hearings and having questions with witnesses that must be followed?

RASKIN: Mr. Chairman, I'll actually reclaim my time.

GREENE: Please state the rules, Mr. Chairman.

COMER: Hold on. Hold on one second.

RASKIN: We can just interrupt each other with an inquiry?

COMER: Your time was extended.

GREENE: I'd like to know the rules of the House and our committee. Read them.

RASKIN: They're available to every member. COMER: The rule states for a deposition, if that's what you're asking, three days notice.

[10:15:02]

You have to have the stenographer and all of that. So that's --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman --

GREENE: Just to clarify, we can't have someone --

COMER: Mr. Raskin's time has expired. Do any other members wish to be heard?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman, point of inquiry.

RASKIN: Mr. Chairman, I did endure multiple interruptions in my opening. Could I finish with that?

COMER: Well, you went over your five minutes, but I'll give you 30 more seconds.

RASKIN: Okay. The chairman refused to take yes for an answer from Hunter Biden. Instead, on December 1, they pulled a bait and switch. They changed the terms of their request. They rejected his offer or his acceptance of their offer and insisted that he now come in and sit for a secret closed-door deposition.

On December 6, Hunter Biden's lawyer reiterated that Hunter Biden was willing to accept the chair's original request and once again offered to appear on December 13th or any other date in December to answer any question pertinent and relevant to the subject matter. He again raised concerns about closed door sessions.

That's what brings us to today, Mr. Chairman. He has materially, substantially, in good faith, complied with what your requests were.

COMER: He complied with the subpoena? I don't think so. Your time has expired.

RASKIN: We would have loved that --

COMER: Do any other members wish to be heard? Chair recognizes Ms. Mace from South Carolina.

REP. NANCY MACE (R-SC): Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Chairman Comer.

First of all, my first question is who bribed Hunter Biden to be here today? That's my first question. Second question, you are the epitome of white privilege, coming into the oversight committee, spitting in our face, ignoring a congressional subpoena to be deposed. What are you afraid of? You have no balls to come up here and --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman, point of inquiry.

MACE: Mr. Chairman -- COMER: The lady is recognized --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the gentlelady wants to hear from Hunter Biden, we can hear from him right now, Mr. Chairman. Let's take a vote and hear from Hunter Biden. What are you afraid of?

COMER: Hold on, hold on, hold on, order, order, order.

MACE: Are women allowed to speak in here or no? Are women allowed to speak in here or no, because you keep interrupting me?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll interrupt the chairman. I don't know that he's a lady.

MACE: I think that Hunter Biden should be arrested right here, right now, and go straight to jail.

Our nation is founded on the rule of law and the premise that the law applies equally to everyone, no matter what your last name is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Point of order, Mr. Chairman, point of order.

MACE: It doesn't matter who you are.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Point of order, Mr. Chairman. Biggs over here.

COMER: State your point, Mr. Biggs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My point of order is this. Are we going to continue on with this blatant interruption? This is absurd and inappropriate. I intend to give my statement. I don't intend to have anybody interrupt. I'm not going to interrupt your statements. I think you should have decorum and courtesy and don't act like a bunch of nimrod.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You just interrupted a woman.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that's -- I got permission. I agree everyone has five minutes. Can we agree?

Point of order again, the assertion that I interrupted was absolutely false. That's typical of the gentleman who spoke it. I got permission to speak from the chairman. I spoke, I was interrupted yet again by the gentleman who doesn't choose to go through the chair and follow proper order. I encourage us, I think if we're going to have any respect at all, we need to have proper decorum.

COMER: Well said. Well said.

MACE: I'd like to finish.

COMER: The rules are everyone is going to be recognized for five minutes. Anyone that wants to be recognized will be recognized for five minutes. Ms. Mace has 4 minutes and 13 seconds left.

Chair recognizes Ms. Mace. MACE: It does not matter who you are, where you come from, or who your father is, or your last name. Yes, I'm looking at you, Hunter Biden, as I'm speaking to you. You are not above the law at all.

The facts in this case are crystal clear. This committee used and issued a law for subpoena to Hunter Biden, a critical witness in this committee's investigation into Biden family corruption. Hunter Biden's lawyers did not claim privilege of any kind because, clearly, he has none. They didn't contest the legitimacy of our reasons for issuing this subpoena, no reasons, because they clearly are legitimate. And yet, he refused to comply.

Trump's family members, Don Trump Jr., he did not defy a congressional subpoena. He showed up multiple times for multiple depositions for several hours.

In doing so, Hunter Biden broke the law. He did so deliberately. You did so flagrantly. You showed up on the Hill, on the Senate side, the day of that Congressional subpoena, to defy it and spit in the face of this committee. That's what you did.

The question the American people are asking us is, what is Hunter Biden so afraid of? Why can't you show up for a congressional deposition? You're here for a political stunt. This is just a P.R. stunt to you. This is just a game that you are playing with the American people.

[10:20:01]

You're playing with the truth. Hunter Biden wasn't afraid to sell access to Joe Biden to the highest bidder when he was in elected office. He wasn't afraid to trade on the Biden brand, pedal influence and share those ill-gotten gains with members of his family, including Joe Biden. And he wasn't afraid to compromise the integrity of the presidency and vice presidency by involving Joe Biden's shady business deals with our foreign adversaries. But, Hunter Biden, you were too afraid to show up for a deposition. And you still can't today.

I believe that Hunter Biden should be held completely in contempt. I think he should be hauled off to jail right now because it wasn't long ago, two of my friends on the other side of the aisle, that you also believed in the power of a congressional subpoena not long ago at all. You believed in holding those who refuse to comply with congressional subpoena accountable. And I stood with each and every one of you.

I am the only member in this room today who has held a member of my own party in contempt of Congress for not showing up for a subpoena. And I see nothing but complete hypocrisy on the other side of the aisle. The ranking member of this committee, even so eloquently put it, the lesson is, please tell your children out there in America, if you get a subpoena to go before Congress, go. You have a legal responsibility to do so.

So, the hypocrisy is stunning. What are we to tell our children today? There's nothing the other side can say with a straight face. As the only member of this committee to vote to hold a member of contempt of my own party, let me be clear, this should not be a partisan issue. If Congress issues a subpoena, you show up, period.

This is not a responsibility we take lightly. It brings no joy for us to do this, but the president's son broke the law and must be held accountable in the same way anybody else would. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do so.

And my last message to you, Hunter Biden, you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes.

RASKIN: Will the gentlelady yield for a question? Will the gentlelady yield? Will my friend yield from South Carolina?

MACE: Sure.

RASKIN: I do want to commend the gentlelady who was the only Republican who stood up and voted to hold in contempt the Republican members of the House who blatantly and categorically refused to comply with subpoenas that came from the bipartisan January 6th committee.

I would like to ask my friend, Ms. Mace from South Carolina, whether she's aware of all the case law which says that the committee has to engage in good faith interaction with the witnesses they've called and they're supposed to arrive at a solution. And what do you think about the fact that the chairman, on multiple occasions, gave this witness the opportunity to come before the full committee and he agreed to that?

MACE: We issued a congressional subpoena, and I know with your constitutional law background, you know exactly what that means, and he should have showed up. And because of your vote and because of your statements, you should be voting to hold this man in contempt of Congress today right now, if you're going to be consistent on your own policies and your own words.

COMER: Gentlelady's time has expired. Chair, recognize Mr. Moskowitz for five minutes.

REP. JARED MOSKOWITZ (D-FL): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It's good to see you after a long break.

So, I'm listening to the gentlelady from South Carolina about the witness being afraid to come in front of the committee. It's interesting. He's here. He doesn't seem to be too afraid. In fact, for some reason, the chairman, who, on multiple occasions, invited the witness to come on T.V., apparently, the chairman wants to pretend like his statements on television or in interviews don't matter. But it didn't happen once. It didn't happen twice. It happened multiple times. The chairman said the witness can choose whether to come to a deposition or to a public hearing, in front of the committee.

The witness accepted the chairman's invitation. It just so happens the witness is here. If the committee wants to hear from the witness and the chairman gave the witness that option, then the only folks that are afraid to hear from the witness with the American people watching are my friends on the other side of the aisle. I don't know if there's a proper motion, Mr. Chairman, but I'll make a motion. Let's vote. Let's take a vote. Who wants to hear from Hunter right now today? Anyone? Come on. Who wants to hear from Hunter? No one?

So, I'm a visual learner. And the visual is clear. Nobody over there wants to hear from the witness. Oh, there's one. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Will you yield for a question?

MOSKOWITZ: I'm not there yet, but I will eventually.

[10:25:01]

So, there's no one, well, other than one or two, that want to hear from the witness. So, the majority of my colleagues over there, including the chairman, don't want to hear from the witness with the American people watching.

So, Mr. Chairman, I just want to hear from you. Will you acknowledge that you invited the witness on television to choose whether he could come to a public hearing? And do you stand by your words, or do you renege that invitation to the witness?

COMER: To answer the question, I've said repeatedly after the deposition, Mr. Biden can come in front of a public hearing.

MOSKOWITZ: Mr. Chairman, I don't want to play the video, but that is not what you said on television multiple times. And we have the quotes. We can put them up. You said the witness can choose between a deposition or --

COMER: Listen, Mr. Moskowitz, Mr. Biden doesn't make the rules. We make the rules.

MOSKOWITZ: Mr. Chairman, you make the rules and the rule you made is that he can choose.

COMER: The rule is --

MOSKOWITZ: Those were your words, reclaiming my time.

COMER: He was issued two lawful subpoenas.

MOSKOWITZ: Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman. No, you issued those subpoenas after he took you up on your invitation to come. And then you were like, no, no, oh my God, what did I do? I invited him to come so the American people can hear his side of the story. I put my foot in my mouth, so now I must bury him in the basement where we can decide what we're going to release to the public so that we can continue to tell that story.

Mr. Chairman, you have said multiple times that this is not about Hunter. It's about Joe Biden. And even this morning on Mornings with Maria, she asked another simple question. The question you have been asked multiple times, which is, do you have evidence to impeach the president of the United States? Before you said, I hope so. Today you said, I think so. And the answer is, you don't. And you still don't. And so we continue to be here and have these charades.

To my colleagues who talk about lawful subpoenas, I appreciate the gentlelady from South Carolina who voted to hold people in contempt. Listen, I'll make this bipartisan. I'll vote for the Hunter contempt today. You can get my vote. You can get my vote. But I want you to show the American people that you're serious.

Here is the subpoena to Representative Scott Perry, who did not comply. I'd like to enter this into the record. Here is the subpoena to Mark Meadows, I'd like to enter this into the record, who did not comply. Here is the subpoena to Jim Jordan, who did not comply with a lawful subpoena. I'd like to enter that into the record. Here is the subpoena to Mo Brooks, who did not comply. I'd like to enter that into the record. Here is the subpoena to Mr. Biggs, who did not comply. I'd like to enter that into the record. And here's the subpoena to Mr. McCarthy, who did not comply. I'd like to enter that into the record.

There's an amendment coming to add some of those names into the contempt order. You vote to add those names and show the American people that we apply the law equally, not just when it's Democrats, right? It's a crime when it's Democrats, but when it's Trump and there's Republicans, it's just fine. No, show that you're serious and that everyone is not above the law. Vote for that amendment and I'll vote for the Hunter Biden contempt.

I yield back.

COMER: The gentleman's time has expired. Chair Recognize Ms. Greene from Georgia for five minutes.

GREENE: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Excuse me, Hunter, apparently you're afraid of my words.

I'd like to reclaim my time, Mr. Chairman.

Wow, that's too bad.

I think it's clear and obvious for everyone watching this hearing today that Hunter Biden is terrified of strong conservative Republican women because he can't even face my words as I was about to speak to him. What a coward.

And this is also a coward that's set right here in front of Mickey Babbit, Ashley Babbit's mother who was --

REPORTER: What kind of crack do you normally smoke, Mr. Biden?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let me start again. Hunter Biden was and is a private citizen. Despite this, Republicans have sought to use him as a surrogate to attack his father. And despite their improper partisan motives on six different occasions since February of 2023, we have offered to work with the House committees to see what and how relevant information to any legitimate in the country could be provided. Our first five offers were ignored. And then in November, they issued a subpoena for a behind closed doors deposition, a tactic that the Republicans have repeatedly misused in their political crusade to selectively leak and mischaracterize what witnesses have said.

[10:30:03]

Last fall, Chairman Comer made an explicit offer that people like.