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House Ethics Committee Releases Report Stating Former Congressman Matt Gaetz Paid Tens of Thousands of Dollars to Women for Sex or Drugs on At Least 20 Occasions; Man Accused of Killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson to be Arraigned in New York City; Trump Floats Possible Putin Meeting, Calls for End to War in Ukraine; Drivers can Expect Cheapest Christmas Gas Since COVID. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired December 23, 2024 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: People were injured and taken to the hospital. One other person went to the hospital on their own. And authorities saying the victims' range in ages from six to 75. It's unclear what the status of those injuries is right now, but authorities describing the chaos and describing how this ended. Take a listen to what the DPS sergeant said about this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SGT. BRYAN WASHKO, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY: Trooper and the Killeen police officer continued on foot after this vehicle, which was driving through the store, actively running people over. He traveled several hundred yards. And there's officers from DPS, the Killeen Police Department, and three other agencies that engaged in gunfire to eliminate this threat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERNAL: And after the suspect was killed, authorities asked people to stay away from the mall. That mall has since reopened. And authorities also identifying the suspect as 53-year-old John Darrel Schultz. In terms of witnesses who were there that spoke to CNN, they not only described the chaos that was happening and the broken glass and the injured, but they also said that it was people at the mall who then ran to help some of those injured. The sergeant asking for prayers for everyone that was at the mall, especially during this holiday season.

Camila Bernal CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Today, the man accused of gunning down a health care CEO on the streets of New York back in court, set to be arraigned on state murder and terrorism charges. We are following all of that.

And breaking news. The House Ethics Committee has just released a report on former Congressman Matt Gaetz, something Gaetz never wanted the public to see. What we are learning about numerous allegations, including illicit drug use and sexual misconduct.

And with record-breaking travel numbers this holiday, drivers are getting a little gift -- the cheapest gas prices in years.

I'm Sara Sidner with Kate Bolduan and John Berman. John Berman is off today. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

All right, we've got some breaking news to begin with. The House Ethics Committee found evidence that former Congressman Matt Gaetz paid tens of thousands of dollars to women for sex or drugs on at least 20 occasions. CNN's Lauren fox is live in D.C. Lauren, this is according to a final draft of the panel's report that CNN has obtained. What more can you tell us about what is in this report?

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, like you said, Sara, these this effort by the House Ethics Committee spanned years. And I want to read just a part of the committee's finding. They say, quote, "The committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Matt Gaetz violated House rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress."

Now, this report, like you noted, alleges that former Representative Matt Gaetz paid tens of thousands of dollars to women for either sex or drugs over the course of years, and on at least 20 different occasions. This report, which is obtained by CNN, also says that Gaetz paid a 17-year-old for sex in 2017.

Now, Gaetz has not responded to CNN's outreach for comment since we have published this latest story, but I do want to point out a tweet that he sent last week. When CNN reported that this final report was going to be released after Congress took its final votes, he tweeted, quote, "In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated, even some I never dated, but who asked. I dated several of these women for years. I never had sexual conduct with someone under 18. Any claim that I have would be destroyed in court, which is why no such claim was ever made in court."

Gaetz has also repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. We should also note that Gaetz regularly points out that back in 2023, the Justice Department declined to press charges against him. Sara?

SIDNER: Those are explosive details, though, coming out of that report. Lauren Fox, thank you so much for bringing it to us.

Kate?

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: So right now, we are standing by for the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson to be back in a Manhattan courtroom. You're looking at live pictures outside court. We will see when and when and if things are getting underway, possibly as soon as this morning. This time, Luigi Mangione is expected to appear at a hearing to address the state charges that he faces. These are the 11 counts we've talked so much about he was indicted on, including murder as an act of terrorism.

Let's talk about what today means in the scope of everything that this man is facing.

[08:05:02]

Joining us right now is CNN chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst John Miller, and CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney Joey Jackson. Guys, thanks for being here. Mr. Miller, what are we going to see this morning?

JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: We're going to see the defendant produced. The Feds, who have him in custody, are going to hand him over to the New York City Police Department and the court there. He's going to go into a courtroom with Judge Gregory Carro on the 13th floor, and they're going to have an arraignment. Usually, at an arraignment, as Joey will tell us, the key factor is going to be what are the conditions or possibilities of bail. That is not a factor here. It's not even going to be a question.

So they'll read the charges, and basically, the horse trading is going to be over managing the schedules of, how do we get this prisoner back from federal custody into state custody? How do we get this trial schedule underway? And when does the federal government get him back?

BOLDUAN: That's a lot of -- that's a lot to be worked out, Joey. I mean, yes, I'll call it pro forma, what is going to happen this morning, but it's a key step in trying to figure out, as John Miller has done great reporting on this tug of war going on behind the scenes.

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yes, there's no question about it, right. Both have an interest in prosecuting him, right. Just to reset that, we know that the federal government has charged him via a criminal complaint. Criminal complaint different from an indictment where you present the case to a grand jury. And there are distinctions between the federal case and the state case, Primarily, of course, we know that the state is charging terrorism, right. That's the theory. You think it'd be inverted, right?

BOLDUAN: Right.

JACKSON: But it's not. You have the state that's charging the terrorism, and that's the core that they're doing as it relates to the first-degree murder. That's how you get there in New York state. Second-degree murder with a component of terrorism for life imprisonment without parole, and related gun charges. That's what today is all about.

However, to your point, Kate, in this tug of war, the feds want him. Their theory, interestingly enough, is murder by way of stalking, right. And there will be arguments made --

BOLDUAN: It does feel inverted.

MILLER: And there's a reason for that, which is the New York state anti-terrorism law is broadly written to say that anybody who is committing an act of violence or fear to get policy change or political change is guilty of terrorism. They don't separate domestic from international and all that. The federal laws are very steeped on the domestic side about if you're not connected with a designated foreign terrorist organization, then are you using weapons of mass destruction and things like that. So interestingly, the New York state anti-terrorism law is broader than the federal set, especially on the domestic side.

BOLDUAN: So interesting.

Joey, this is this is kind of the arraignment that everyone expected to happen on Thursday that then got shocked. Everyone who was watching it closely also appears, including the defense team, when the federal charges came. What are you hearing of kind of about that now, your view on how that all played out Thursday and then what it kind of means going forward?

JACKSON: So more importantly, right, Kate, to your question, I think, and really, this whole tug of war federal state, there's the question of is it double jeopardy, is it not? They are flying him back. There was a lot of questions around that. So starting with that on Thursday, right. Many people believing it was overkill.

I have a different point of view. I think that they were sending a message, that as law enforcement, that if you commit an act, we're going to find you and get you. And were concerned at the highest levels. We don't care what social media is saying about the fact that you're a hero and you're Saint Luigi and you're whatever. You commit a crime, the mayor is going to be there to come and get you. And remember, he has a law enforcement background.

To the issue of this whole federal state and whether it's double jeopardy, I don't think so. And here's why. You have different elements that need to be proven with respect to each case. John was just talking about the terrorism and the stalking and the broad latitude of the state statute of terror, et cetera. There are different elements. So that's not going to be the case.

What is of issue to me, though, Kate, is whether you will need a state prosecution if he's prosecuted federally and convicted. You have the death penalty. What higher form of penalty would there be than the death penalty such that would necessitate a state prosecution?

Last point, the federal government is very expeditious with regard to its prosecutions. There are less litigants in federal court. There are more defined issues. And as a result of that, the cases usually go much quicker. I know there's been this discussion about, OK, the state will go, we'll wait. We'll see. When a judge is ready to go, a judge is going to say, let us go. I'm not waiting for anyone.

So what I'm looking to see is whether the feds go first before the state, right? And if so, he's convicted and gets the death penalty, right, if it's a death penalty prosecution, what the necessity would be for the state. BOLDUAN: And, John, to the point of the, we'll say, the small segment

of people, but speaking with a very loud voice of support that have been lionizing Luigi Mangione.

[08:10:00]

We saw it again even on "SNL," like, the audience outburst when his name was mentioned, applauding just his name being -- his name being mentioned in the show, which was shocking and surprising. From your law enforcement sources and intelligence sources, how much of a concern is this going forward?

MILLER: It's a big concern on a couple of levels. Number one, CEOs outside of the health care realm have doubled and tripled security or added security where there had been none before because they are latched on to this idea from a threat assessment that if someone decides that your company or your industry is the issue, that a de facto death penalty by a jury of one is now on the table.

The other thing is the factor you brought up first, which is the popularity factor. There are a lot of people looking online saying, I could be that guy. I'm isolated, I'm alone, I'm ostracized. But I could pick a popular issue and strike out and then not be a loser in my basement of my parents' home, but be this person who is lionized. And the lion to loser thing was a big asset to groups like ISIS in recruiting online. And this is now self-propelled. From the intelligence side, that's a big concern.

BOLDUAN: And how does that play in, how much can it play into the case against him, and how much will it? It's not like the judge is not aware of this.

JACKSON: So Kate, I think it could be huge, right. Remember who the public is. The public are potential jurors that get impaneled to hear a case. Now we have something in law called jury nullification. What does that mean? It means you're guilty of the offense, but the jury excuses it. Now many people say, are you kidding? He's guilty. They've got all the evidence. Its compelling, et cetera. Many people are relating to him in a way that I have never seen before. John, I have not seen this ever where social media, Saint Luigi, selling trinkets, saying, I should have done this before. The health care industry is corrupt.

Now, you have when you're picking a jury challenges for cause. What does that mean? If someone says, I hate the health care industry, you're out of here. I hate government, you're out of here. I can't be fair, you're out of here.

What about those where it's not particularly apparent that you have a bias? You get on that jury. Do you hang up the jury, meaning, do you hang the jury such that there's a mistrial? Do you convince other people that this needed to be done? I'm really concerned because were in some bizarre and trying times.

BOLDUAN: It seems. Also, it's growing, not dissipating, right? There was this fascination when there's a manhunt always that we often see around one person being able to evade law enforcement, yada, yada, yada. But since the evidence against him has been, what we know so far has been made public, and then the charges that he now faces, it doesn't seem to be quieting that support.

MILLER: No. And I mean, as Joey has teed up, we are at some kind of human point of inflection here as a populace, because what we're going to be asked to define is, is murder OK if I agree with him on the issue. Had this been a foreign country's ambassador or somebody on behalf of ISIS, it wouldn't be OK. But because there is a groundswell of support on the issue, is murder OK? We have to come up with the right answer to that or we're in big trouble.

BOLDUAN: This this is why this is not only, was not only a shocking murder on the streets of New York, it really speaks to something larger that however this plays out in court is going to be important for everyone to see. And we're looking at live pictures right there outside of court. We're going to be following that all for you throughout the morning. Guys, thank you so very much.

President-elect Donald Trump says Vladimir Putin wants to meet with him as soon as possible. What does that mean, and what could that mean for the war in Ukraine in his first days in office?

And President Biden has just this morning announced that he is commuting the death sentences for nearly every federal inmate on death row. Why? He says he's showing mercy to convicted murderers.

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[08:18:15]

BOLDUAN: In his first rally-esque speech as president-elect, Donald Trump offered what he called a small preview of his second term agenda to an audience of supporters this weekend, including that his goal of ending the war in Ukraine.

During his remarks at the conservative convention Sunday, Trump suggested that meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin may be one of the first things that he does after returning to office.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R) PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: One of the things I want to do and quickly and President Putin said that he wants to meet with me as soon as possible. So, we have to wait for this, but we have to end that war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: So you have that. Add it all together. Let's bring in CNN's Jim Sciutto.

What did you think when you heard that and how that reflects kind of -- how that fits into what we've heard of Trump's views on the war in Ukraine and how quickly he wants to end it, and how? JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Kate, it's going to be different. I mean, there's a lot of talk in Washington. You'll hear this from the Trump camp that on some of these international issues, Trump won't be that dramatic a departure from previous US positions. I hear it all the time from some folks. But when you listen to the way Trump talks, he is already different. He has a fundamentally different view of the war.

When he describes the war, he describes it as a bad thing that happened, right. Soldiers are being killed. Even in those comments over the weekend. He doesn't say Russia invaded Ukraine illegally, started this war and led to all this bloodshed, right? It's a sort of both sides, both sides-ing of a horrible invasion of a sovereign country, right?

And when he talks about it as well, he states as fact the war has to end. This language we heard for the last several years of whatever it takes, the US will back it. It has to be up to Ukraine. What the conditions are that ends this war. It's a choice -- that's gone.

He has stated that "I'm going to end this and I'll figure out a way to do it and it's got to be something that makes me happy," right, not necessarily the people of Ukraine.

That's a fundamental change in the way the US approaches this war. And he thinks, as he often does, that by pure force of personality and negotiations he can move Vladimir Putin of what is a fundamental decision of his own, right, strategic interest in weakening Ukraine or taking over Ukraine.

[08:20:33]

BOLDUAN: And how does that -- when you add that together then, what are you hearing in terms of, you know, from all -- everyone -- it's all a bit of a guessing game, right, in terms of what this does look like. So, what could Donald Trump decide to do when he does get into office? What are you hearing from people?

SCIUTTO: So he has said publicly, and he said recently in an interview on NBC that possibly the US will give less aid to Ukraine, reduce it. He hasn't said, take it all away, but reduce it. And you've often heard him say he exaggerates the numbers, frankly, as to how much the US gives versus how much Europe, because Europe has together, European nations have come up to just about match where the US is in terms of how much aid goes in. But Trump will often fudge those numbers, as you've heard him do before.

So one, he's saying less is going. He has said quite publicly he does not like Ukraine, using US supplied weapons to strike inside Russia, which the Biden administration gave them the, okay, to do, only recently.

I'll tell you this when I talked to Republicans on the Hill, pro- Ukrainian Republicans and I asked them, is Trump going to abandon Ukraine? They don't know, right? They don't know for sure. They hope. And the argument they go to him with and his team with is that if he abandons Ukraine, he will be the guy who lost Ukraine, and they will even phrase it in this way that you don't want Ukraine to become your Afghanistan, because Trump looks at the US withdrawal from Afghanistan as a lot of Americans do as a weak point for US foreign policy, the US abandoning an ally.

And in those terms, Republicans hope that Trump looks at Ukraine and says, you know, as much as I want that war to end, I don't want to be seen as getting a bad deal, right?

Now, we don't know if that's going to move him, because you and I have heard him speak for the last four years about how that -- last three years close, about how that war has to end, you know, virtually at any cost. That's an open question. We don't know.

BOLDUAN: Yes, so interesting. It's good to see you, Jim. Thank you so much.

SCIUTTO: Good to see you.

BOLDUAN: See you soon. Coming up for us, a frightening end to a holiday event in Florida. A young boy now needing heart surgery after being hit in the chest by a drone that fell from the sky during a light show.

And also, why drivers could be seeing some relief at the gas pump this week.

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[08:27:14]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right. It's beginning to look a lot like gridlock out there. Sorry, guys, the Holiday travel rush is in full swing, and it is shaping up to be a record breaking week, 119 million people expected to fly or drive out of town through January 1st.

And those driving can expect an extra little gift, a Christmas gift, a Hanukkah gift. Analysts with GasBuddy say these are the lowest Christmas day gas prices since the 2020 COVID pandemic.

Joining me now is Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.

Hey, so with gas prices this low, I mean, that is a silver lining, but does it actually make a difference in the amount of travel on the roads for the holiday?

PATRICK DE HAAN, SENIOR PETROLEUM ANALYST, GASBUDDY.COM: You know, not a whole lot. It's certainly great news for many Americans who are traveling, but it doesn't make a huge dent or increase in the amount of Americans traveling. Of course, a lot of folks have very traditional holiday plans, and regardless of gas prices, they're going to get to grandma's house.

A few anecdotally, there is a small percentage of Americans that may stay closer to home, but still, millions of Americans hitting the road and 32 states now where you can find average gas prices below $3.00. In fact, some areas of the Deep South, you'll find average gas prices even below $2.50 a gallon.

SIDNER: What were they like? Give us some sense of the difference between 2020 and what we are seeing now. Below $2.50 sounds good any time.

DE HAAN: Yes, it certainly does. You know, back in 2020, gas prices were almost $0.70 a gallon lower than today. Of course, that was the height of the pandemic, and millions of Americans were staying far closer to home back in December of 2020, vaccines had only been released for a month. That was to top emergency responders only, and so many of us were staying far closer to home.

So the fact that we are only $0.70 kind of above that milestone, as we are talking about record travel, is rather astounding, and it's taken us a long time to get here. The national average hitting $5.00 a gallon in 2022.

But now all the way back down below $3.00 a gallon is what we expect this Christmas. So, a big turn of events over the last couple of years.

SIDNER: And what about the skies? Is there a particular day that people should expect it to be extra busy? I'm assuming like today is probably that day or Sunday, might have been that day.

DE HAAN: Well, you know, a lot of Americans now with COVID, the work from home flexibility has put a lot of Americans in a completely different place.

So last Friday is one of the busiest days in TSA. Also expecting this Friday is going to be really busy. And of course, ahead of New Years' Eve on the 30th as well. The TSA expecting 40 million travelers over that two-week window that averages out to about three million fliers per day.

We're already, as of the 19th, looking at about 2.65 million that were screened. So, it's going to be very busy whether on the nation's interstates or flying the friendly skies.

SIDNER: I forgot about the work-at-home thing. That does make a difference. If you can do some work when you get there, just bring your computer along.

Patrick De Haan, thank you so much for bringing that to us and have a great holiday. Appreciate it.

DE HAAN: Thanks, Sara.

SIDNER: All right, a major merger of automakers. How a deal between Honda and Nissan could shake up the car industry?

And we are following the breaking news about the House Ethics report on former Congressman Matt Gaetz. CNN has the final draft, what it says about allegations that he paid for sex with women and used illegal drugs while in office.

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