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Don Lemon Tonight

Sources Say Rep. Matt Gaetz Showed Nude Photos of Women He Had Slept with to Lawmakers; Day Four of Derek Chauvin Murder Trial; Rep. Cannon Speaks out on Dramatic Arrest at Georgia State Capitol as Gov. Kemp Signed Controversial Election Law. Aired 10-11p ET

Aired April 01, 2021 - 22:00   ET

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

[22:00:00]

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST: I want to thank you for watching. I won't be with you tomorrow night. A Blessed Easter. Rebirth and renewal for those who it applies, and you know what, no matter what you believe, it applies to all of us. We could all use rebirth and renewal right now. CNN TONIGHT with the big star, D. Lemon.

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: Well, you would think like during, you know, this Holiday season, the news would get slow with this. Listen, we're dealing with what's coming out of Minneapolis, and also what's coming out of Washington, D.C. allegations at this point.

But to have a sitting Congressman, entwined and entangled in this, it's -- it's really, really something

CUOMO: We have another chapter in your next book called, "I've never seen anything like it in my lifetime." We have it with the voter suppression. You and I didn't live through Jim Crow.

We have it with what we're seeing about the push against systemic inequality. We've never seen anything like this in our lifetime.

LEMON: Right.

CUOMO: And now on the political side, we've never seen anything like Trump and the reduction of the standards that his party supposedly held, dear. And this could be the apogee of it.

Absolutely. It's good to hear the lawmakers say, hey, we should wait for the investigation before we proclaim what to do with them. That's nice. It's nice that they are respecting due process all of a sudden.

But I'm saying, I've never heard of a sitting Member of Congress ever having these questions asked. This is heavy duty stuff.

LEMON: It is heavy duty. And you're right on, as I was watching, because I was preparing the same thing. If what is alleged is true, really serious. The first part of it, right?

And then the second part that came out today, if that's alleged, if what's alleged is true showing pictures.

CUOMO: That's a political problem.

LEMON: That's a political problem. One is a legal problem, the other one is a political problem.

CUOMO: And that could be a scapegoat for getting rid of Gaetz.

LEMON: Or it could see -- if the deny, deny, deny, shiny object that worked during Trump, if that still works. If that still -- if that strategy still holds up.

CUOMO: I would be shocked if he resigns, and if they say, hey, you can't be showing naked pictures or whoever on -- I think, you're like, yes, okay, I'm sorry. But I'm not resigning. Vote me out.

And I don't know. Yes, it is an allegation. If he didn't show the pictures, he should be saying that right now. But you've got to be careful. Because if you really push the limit with other Members of Congress, and they go bad on you, which I've never seen on the right, I haven't seen in this modern era.

We know it has to be coming for the right, because if you showed pictures like that to members of the left, they would have said it right away. So his own are going bad on him. They didn't even do that with the QAnon lady.

LEMON: No, not at all. So she's still standing by him. So is Jim Jordan, so --

CUOMO: You know, and I'm getting some heat from people saying, well, wait a minute, you're not talking about the extortion scheme enough. It doesn't make sense to me.

I know it's being investigated. But even if everything Gaetz says about these people trying to extort his dad, it has nothing to do with the other investigation.

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: So, it doesn't matter to me. It doesn't make any sense. I don't even understand how it is extortion based on their own reckoning of the situation.

Extortion has to have a threat and a demand. I don't know that it exists on their own facts.

LEMON: It doesn't have either, at least -- at least what he is claiming because that's not what is alleged. That's what he is alleging he is not alleging --

CUOMO: I'm just saying. If I am going to give you a cover story, Don --

LEMON: He is alleging the extortion part.

CUOMO: And I say it is extortion. It's going to sound like extortion, I promise you that. LEMON: Well, we'll see if he -- you know, he's been on your show.

Let's see, you know, picks up the phone and comes back. Thank you.

CUOMO: I tried to call the number I have, and it said --

LEMON: "The number you have dialed is not in service."

CUOMO: It says, this person is not taking the calls at this time.

LEMON: Yes, well, again, and we're having fun here, but it is innocent until proven guilty. So we shall see.

Thank you, my brother.

CUOMO: Oh, absolutely. Due process all the way.

LEMON: Yes, due process.

CUOMO: D. Lemon, I know. I'll see you this weekend. But I love you. And rebirth and renewal to me means recommitment to what matters, family that I choose matters to me, as much as my own. That's you, brother. I love you.

LEMON: I'm going to come and we've got some palm fronds for you, all kinds, you know, because you need -- lay hands, all kinds of stuff, whatever we can do to help you.

CUOMO: I'll lay some hands. I'll talk to you.

LEMON: Thank you, sir. I love you.

This is CNN TONIGHT. I'm Don Lemon. And as we said, we've got a lot of news to cover. We've got Minneapolis. We've got the trial going on, some very serious things happening there.

But this is a breaking news because it is coming in now. It is happening now. This is about the Florida G.O.P. Congressman Matt Gaetz facing a Justice Department investigation over allegations of sex trafficking and having a sexual relationship with an underage girl.

I mean, those are pretty serious charges for anyone, especially a sitting Congressman.

Two sources now saying investigators are also pursuing allegations that he used cash and drugs in his dealings with young women.

And tonight, sources also saying that Gaetz allegedly showed photos and videos of nude women that he said that he had slept with to other lawmakers including doing so while on the House floor.

If that is true, is nothing sacred anymore?

So, we're going to continue to follow that breaking story, get all of the developments as they come in the hours that we are on the air and beyond.

So that's all just ahead.

[22:05:12]

LEMON: Now, though, I want to turn to the other big story. Another big story and that is George Floyd. Who he really is?

George Floyd is every one of us. That's right. I just said it. And I'll say it again. George Floyd is everyone. He is all of us.

He is you. He is me. He was no different than any of us.

We, who live our lives and go about our days, right? He had highs, he had lows. He had joys, he had pains.

Did you know that George Floyd was a mama's boy? That's right. I know you probably didn't know that until today, a mama's boy who was devastated when his mom died.

We know that now because his girlfriend Courteney Batya Ross told us that when she took the stand today in a murder trial of ex-police officer Derek Chauvin accused of killing Floyd by kneeling on his neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds. Nine minutes and 29 seconds showing no empathy at all, showing no mercy for a man begging for his life, gasping for air, gasping for breath.

I'm still trying to process the sheer horror of it all. This is what this case is all about.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Relax.

VOICE OF GEORGE FLOYD, VICTIM: I can't breathe, please.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you want?

FLOYD: I can't breathe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: It is so difficult to watch. It's so gut wrenching. Sickening.

You know it goes on for nine minutes and 29 seconds; Floyd, pleading for his life, said repeatedly -- saying repeatedly that he couldn't breathe. "I can't breathe."

Many people probably dismissed George Floyd as a big, you know, bad black dude. Right? Who may have been high when Minneapolis Police arrested him for trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill.

But he was a man, he was a human being. He was a mama's boy who stumbled, as have so many of us. Honestly, who among us is perfect?

If you think you are then you should probably call your mama or go see a therapist. I know my mom would knock me down a few pegs if I said, I am perfect,

mom. She is like, really? Let me tell you how imperfect you are. I bore you. I raised you. You're not perfect.

George Floyd was all of us. He had a job. He went to work as a security guard. But you can relate to this, right, because he lost his job when the pandemic hit, so many millions and millions of people did as well.

Millions are still out of work because of COVID, and like so many of us, George Floyd fell in love. Courteney Ross said that they met in August 2017 at a Salvation Army shelter in Minneapolis where she had gone to meet up with the father of her son who did not come down to see her.

She said she was upset and George Floyd who was the security guard on duty that night came over to comfort her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COURTENEY BATYA ROSS, GEORGE FLOYD'S GIRLFRIEND: With his great deep Southern voice, raspy, and he's like sis, you okay, sis? And I wasn't okay. I said, no, I'm just waiting for my son's father.

He said, can I pray with you? I thought, I was so tired. It meant so much. My sons and I, and this kind person just to come up to me and say, can I pray with you?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: You've been in love before, haven't you? You never know where it's going to come from and which form. You just don't know when it shows up, though. You know it. You love it. You feel it.

You know, Ross said that they had their first kiss that night, right there in the lobby and their three-year relationship began, and she was honest with the Court testifying that both she and Floyd suffered from opioid addiction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROSS: It's -- it's a classic story of how many people get addicted to opioids. We both suffered from chronic pain. Mine was in my neck and his was in his back.

We both had prescriptions, but after prescriptions got refilled and we -- we got addicted and -- and tried really hard to break that addiction many times.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[22:10:27]

LEMON: We've talked about it over the last couple years, at length, about addiction. She and George Floyd, no different than millions of Americans who suffer from drug addiction, struggling between using drugs, trying to stay clean, right? That you get a prescription for opioid or a painkiller because you have some sort of pain, something happened, a back problem, something, a spasm, something and then all of a sudden, before you know it, you're addicted.

It shouldn't happen, but it does. It has happened to millions of Americans.

They were like so many couples as well. Their relationship had its ups and downs. But in her testimony, she talked about a loving man who loved food, loved to work out and loved his children.

The good days, and the not so good days.

George Floyd just like every one of us. But when he ran into trouble with Minneapolis Police last Memorial Day, they didn't respect him as a human being, they didn't see him that way.

After his encounter in Cup Foods, a police officer ordered him out of his car while pointing a gun at him for a counterfeit twenty -- come on, you all.

Floyd was clearly in distress, clearly frightened, begging the officer not to shoot him, fearful. Just like you would be, just like any of us would be, pleading for his life repeatedly telling ex-officer Chauvin, who was kneeling on his neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds, that he could not breathe.

Neither Chauvin nor any of the other officers showing any empathy to a dying man. No mercy. No mercy.

Think about this before we get to the testimony today. Everyone who was out there on the street; everybody, off duty EMT, everybody. Hey, what are you doing with him? Get off of his neck. Let him breathe. Come on, you all. That's enough.

Except for the people who were supposed to protect and serve. Where's the breakdown? Why is that?

Everybody else showed empathy. Everybody else saying, hey, let the guy breathe. Let him live. Is it that serious? Except for the people who were supposed to protect and serve? Why is that?

Shouldn't we be talking about that and wondering that as a society, who did that protect? Who did it serve? It certainly didn't protect George Floyd's life and it didn't serve any of the members of the community in that moment, including the people at Cup Foods, because there was a man that died right there on the pavement, in front of the store and for everyone in that community to witness and see. Who did it protect and serve? No one.

One of the paramedics who arrived at the scene in testimony today couldn't have been more blunt.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEREK SMITH, PARAMEDIC: I arrived on scene. There was no medical services being provided to the patient. In lay terms, I thought he was dead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Even after George Floyd's body was taken away, Derek Chauvin showed no remorse for what had just taken place. He called his supervisor. This is newly released audio that was played in court just today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOICE OF DEREK CHAUVIN, FORMER MINNESOTA POLICE OFFICER: But we just had to -- I had to hold the guy down. He was -- was going crazy -- wouldn't -- he wouldn't go on the back of the squad --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So the supervisor testifying today that Chauvin should have ended his use of force when George Floyd stopped resisting, he did not and Floyd stopped breathing.

We're going to have a lot more today on Day Four of Chauvin's murder trial, and I just want to point out that this is important right now. This is really important right now.

There is someone who is a hero to all of us who believe in free and fair elections. Someone who believes in democracy. You know who that is? That's Georgia State Representative Park Cannon. Arrested and charged with obstruction for knocking on Governor Brian Kemp's door just last week as he was signing into law in private -- in private and behind closed doors, the bill restricting voting access in Georgia, a bill that does a lot of harm to black voters and other voters of color.

[22:15:17]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PARK CANNON, MEMBER OF THE GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: As horrible as that experience was, and as difficult as it is to acknowledge that I am facing eight years in prison on unfounded charges, I believe the Governor's signing into law the most comprehensive voter suppression bill in the country is a far more serious crime.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That is her speaking broadly to the media today, but she is going to sit down with me in just a few minutes and I'm so excited to speak with her. Stay tuned.

Cash and drug questions. Nude pictures on Capitol Hill. More and more details coming out about the investigation into Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz. We'll take a look, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[22:20:11]

LEMON: So we have to do the breaking news now, okay. The developments surrounding G.O.P. Congressman and big Trump ally, Matt Gaetz getting more serious really by the hour. Here's what CNN is learning that investigators looking into whether he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old are also examining whether he broke sex trafficking and prostitution laws.

Two sources saying the investigators are pursuing allegations that he used cash and drugs in his dealings with young women and Gaetz, facing another major issue separate from the D.O.J. investigation. Sources are telling CNN that he bragged about his sexual escapades to other lawmakers, showed them nude photos of women that he said that he slept with. That's a lot. So we need to discuss.

Let's bring in now CNN senior justice correspondent, Evan Perez, and also S.E. Cupp, CNN political commentator, two people perfectly, perfectly adept at talking about this.

I'm just trying to get the information on exactly what is alleged here, because I want to get it right. Thank you, S.E., thank you, Evan, for joining tonight.

Evan, let's start with you. You know, this story just keeps getting more disturbing and really more confusing. You have been learning a lot about the investigation into Gaetz through your sources.

What are they telling you?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR U.S. JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well Don, you know, some of this stuff, as you said, it's getting a little bit more -- a lot more sordid as time goes on, and it appears of witnesses have been talking to investigators about some of Gaetz's activities, and a lot of it is tied into a friend of his that he was associated in Florida, another Florida politician named Joel Greenberg, who is indicted. He is set to go on trial later this year. He is facing charges that include sex trafficking, and a lot of these allegations appear to involve both men.

And according to what these witnesses are telling investigators, that Gaetz, not only was he involved with an underage girl who was 17 at the time, but he was using -- he was involved with prostitutes and was, you know, using cash and drugs.

You know, and perhaps at least some of the allegations involved, perhaps the use of campaign funds or at least, that's what investigators are checking into to see whether any of his campaign funds were used to help pay for the expenses or the travel for some of these women.

And of course, this implicates, as you mentioned, the trafficking -- sex trafficking laws and prostitution laws. And so there's a whole lot of trouble here that surrounds the Congressman.

And as I mentioned, his friend in Florida is facing separate problems, but the investigation are now running at pace. They're all very, very well connected.

LEMON: So, I need to say, an attorney for Gaetz had no comment. He's denied all the allegations.

PEREZ: He has denied everything, correct.

LEMON: Right. And all of the other things when it comes to the pictures, Gaetz and a spokesperson for Gaetz did not respond to requests for comment on the images and videos he allegedly showed to lawmakers.

Again, he's denied all wrongdoings. He's made claims about extortion plot against him, but that alleged extortion relates to a completely separate investigation. Right?

PEREZ: Right. Exactly. And right -- he has tried to confuse the two things. But, you know, keep in mind, this is a very serious investigation, and it's being run completely separately.

And at this point, you know, we're not even sure. It is not clear to us that there is -- that there was an extortion. That's the claim he is making and he is showing these documents, but again, it's not been -- it's not been proved.

LEMON: S.E., I'm glad you're here to talk about the politics of it. Let's talk about what is alleged to have happened in Congress on the floor facing, you know, allegedly showing -- allegations allegedly showing off these nude photos and sources are saying that he showed off some of them while on the House floor. D.O.J. investigation aside, this is incredibly serious.

S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: It is. It's gross. I'll say as a woman, I've -- you know, this has happened to most women I know in in a workplace, sadly. I've known men and by the way, women who have shown sexual exploits on their phones to other people, unsolicited in very inappropriate ways. It's not appropriate, of course, it's definitely not appropriate on the floor of Congress.

But this is what happens when you don't have a lot of friends, Don. You know, there are not a lot of Republicans rushing to Matt Gaetz's defense, and I think you're going to maybe even hear more of those kinds of lurid stories leaking out from even Republican corners because for too long, Republicans have found Matt Gaetz to be a nuisance.

LEMON: Yes, you know, I was going to make this point earlier when I was talking to Chris about it, because it appears right now, S.E., that you're right, that he is that -- he hasn't really built up any political goodwill, you know, on his behalf because there would be people, you know more people standing by him or at least saying listen, we don't know, let's just let it play out.

But there would be -- you know, it would be much more I think of a kinder sort of sentiment.

[22:25:16] LEMON: The House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy has said that he's

going to deal with it. And then I quote here, "If anything turns out to be true." Now that we're learning about these photos, is that alone, something the Majority Leader -- Minority Leader, excuse me, should do something about?

CUPP: He certainly can. And look, I've spoken to Republicans both in the House and the Senate, both in Florida and elsewhere over the past few years, who have really been kind of waiting for a moment where they could do something about Matt Gaetz.

While he enjoyed Trump's loyalty while Trump was President, that was really tough to do. But now that Trump is out, and these sorts of things are coming out, and again, there's just allegations at this point, I think a lot of Republicans are relieved and they're going to jump on this opportunity.

And, you know, look, we've seen this -- we've seen this before. When you don't have friends in your own party, and you're, you know, crime- ing on the side or there's something scandalous or a skeleton like in your closet, don't be surprised when they don't run to circle the wagons.

You know, look at Anthony Weiner, Eliot Spitzer. I mean, even you know, Governor Cuomo, who cultivated a reputation for being a bully in his own party.

LEMON: A strong man.

CUPP: You're not finding too many people running to his defense, and that's certainly the case with Matt Gaetz.

LEMON: Hey, before we run, one more question, S.E., if you will, do you -- you know, I think if people didn't -- they would accept things from Trump that they wouldn't accept from Matt Gaetz. You know, when someone tries to out trump Trump or whatever, it's not. Is that going to play in the future, these days? Does that play now? Especially if you're not Trump -- you know what? I mean, is that like a worn out thing? Is that going to happen anymore?

CUPP: We'll see. Look, I don't know, Republicans let Republicans get away with a lot over the past few years, not just Trump. Republicans were defensive of Roy Moore, for crying out loud. So, you know, an accused alleged trial predator.

So I don't know. We'll see. Matt Gaetz does not have fans. He does not have friends.

PEREZ: But this is the playbook. This is the Trump playbook he was trying to play, right? He was trying to use this distraction of this alleged extortion to cover up this -- he knew what this -- that this was about to come out.

CUPP: It usually only works when Trump does it, though. Right? And so I mean, I guess we'll see. It would help Matt Gaetz if he had friends and family, you know, in his party who wanted to come to his defense, he doesn't, so I don't know that he withstands this.

LEMON: Perfectly said, both of you. Thank you, S.E. Thank you, Evan. I appreciate it. Good to see both of you.

You know, it's a damning trope put on black people and damaging, right, all the time anger, anger. You saw it in the courtroom, like were you angry? You're so angry. Why was that? Like, what was that all about? Right?

Okay, it's being used right now in the trial and defense of Officer Chauvin and we'll talk about that. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[22:32:04]

LEMON: Testimony from Derek Chauvin's supervisor painting a damning picture of how Chauvin didn't need to use force once George Floyd stopped resisting officers. Prosecutors say that the former Minneapolis police officer knelt on Floyd's neck for nearly four minutes after he became non-responsive, four minutes after he became nonresponsive.

In a call captured on body camera footage, Chauvin toll supervisor -- told his supervisor shortly after the encounter that Floyd was combative and had a medical emergency after a struggle. He did not mention that he used his knee on Floyd's neck.

I am about to speak now with "Washington Post" senior critic-at-large Robin Givhan. Robin, thank you so much.

I know you know, this was another intense day. It's been an intense time for the entire country. I appreciate you joining us here.

You've been writing about the defensive strategy in this trial playing up the stereotype of angry black men and women and how threatening they are. What are you seeing play out? What are we watching play out here?

ROBIN GIVHAN, SENIOR CRITIC-AT-LARGE, "THE WASHINGTON POST": Well, I feel like I'm watching sort of multiple strands of sort of the culture and action. On the one hand there is absolutely playing into this idea of, you know, angry black people, in particular angry black men, and also the use of anger as a way of sort of saying that, you know, if people should not have been angry at what they saw unfolding on that May day with George Floyd, that somehow George Floyd wasn't worthy of their anger, that he didn't have the full breadth of humanity that was deserving of that anger.

So I feel like it's playing out in multiple ways.

LEMON: I just want to play this. There's an exchange between the defense attorney Eric Nelson and the witness, Donald Williams that I want to play. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ERIC NELSON, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: So again, sir, it's fair to say that

you grew angrier and angrier.

DONALD WILLIAMS, WITNESS: No. I grew professional and professional. I stayed in my body. You can't paint me out to be angry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: He was right on with that moment. I'm sure he has experienced it before, but Donald Williams is not going to be another angry black man. But really, what are he and all these witnesses supposed to be? As you said, are they supposed to be silent and indifferent when they see someone with a knee on someone's neck for that long?

GIVHAN: Yes, I mean, I thought that Mr. Williams' testimony was incredibly powerful because he was so -- he was so still, he was such a still and solid presence.

And each time the defense attorney tried to push him into this sort of box of being an angry black man, this sort of two dimensional stereotype, he very calmly pushed back and refused to step into that.

But I also thought that it was a really painful moment because in that instance, it seemed that he fully understood that even if he was angry, even if his anger was absolutely justified, that he wasn't allowed to show it, because showing it could only, you know, work against him and work against what I'm -- what I presume is his sense of justice in what happened that day.

[22:35:32]

LEMON: And actually, the professionals who were on the scene, the people who were taught how to supposedly deescalate a situation or how to react in that situation were the officers and they were -- and they were behaving badly. Why would you expect the bystanders to be more professional than the actual police officers on the scene?

Listen, George Floyd, he begs for his life. He calls for his mother. He tells police that he has been shot before. He says at one point, "I'm not a bad guy." But still all these officers see this big black guys as in the quote, "He is a sizable guy." I mean, Chauvin said that he had to be controlled. They don't see his humanity.

GIVHAN: I don't think they do, or at least they have not offered any evidence that they do. And from what we've been able to see whether it's the videotape from inside, the little grocery store, you see this, yes, a very tall, very muscular man standing there. But you also don't see any of the members of his community flinching or appearing to be intimidated by his presence.

But then, when you see the police approaching his car, very quickly, you know, they approach it with an incredible amount of force and rudeness and vulgarity. And, you know, I don't think that in looking at him, people saw fear and panic coming from, you know, this human being. Instead, all they could sort of see where the stereotypes that are

sort of baked into the system, and I think those are so many -- I think that just keeps coming up again and again as each witness talks about what they've seen the way that they reacted, and the way that they saw humanity there, and the way in which it was -- it's being forced to be denied in the courtroom.

LEMON: Yes. Robin, thank you so much. I appreciate it. It's good, -- and you should read Robin's piece in "The Washington Post" about this.

Thank you so much -- and she has been reporting on it throughout and she will continue to. Thank you, we appreciate it. We'll see you soon.

So the right to vote being restricted by Republican state lawmakers around the country. Georgia State Rep Park Cannon fighting back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why are you arresting her?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why are you arresting her?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's what I am asking?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop arresting her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why are you arresting her?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So getting arrested for it -- you won't believe what else she has to say. She is going to join me, next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is she in violation of?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[22:42:12]

LEMON: Jim Crow 2.0. This crisis is escalating all across the country. A new tally by the Brennan Center for Justice finds there have been 361 bills introduced in 47 states trying to make it harder to vote. That is a 43 percent rise from just last month.

The fight for voting rights summed up in these images. Georgia's Governor surrounded by white men signing a bill that is nothing less than an assault on the right to vote, while a black woman, an elected representative is arrested for knocking on the door. Georgia State Representative Park Cannon was literally locked out

while the bill that is designed to restrict ballot access to people of color was signed into law. She joins me now for her first interview since that dramatic arrest, and her attorney Gerald Griggs is here as well.

Thank you both for joining. I really appreciate it.

CANNON: Thank you for having us and thank you for getting the information out to all of America about what's happening in Georgia.

LEMON: Representative, first of all, I just have to ask you, how's your arm before you walk us through what happened? How's your arm? I see you're in a sling.

CANNON: Yes, we do not have a full diagnosis yet. But I am looking forward to being healed and restored so I can continue to stand with the people.

LEMON: And this happened during the arrest?

CANNON: You know, it did.

LEMON: Yes. So, let's -- we'll talk more about this. So, take us back to that day, if you will, of your arrest. Walk us through what you were trying to do and what happened, Representative?

CANNON: So, I'm 29 years old, and I happen to be elected to the district that Dr. King's birth home is in. Ebenezer Baptist Church, the Carter Center, the King Center, and even the State Capitol building.

Additionally, I am internally elected as the Caucus Secretary, just like Rosa Parks was with the NAACP, which means that it has always been my job to take minutes and to be present to witness bill signings. I have the pins to prove it.

So when we learned late in the hour, all of a sudden that this bill, Senate Bill 202 was being passed, it was important to be there to witness it and to get the information out just like I always would.

LEMON: You were trying to do your job. Listen, I want to quote you with something that you said. You said, you were afraid what might happen during your arrest. What were you afraid of?

CANNON: I was afraid just like many Americans are when they come into contact with law enforcement that there would be a need for me to protect myself. But instead, I was able to just continue to think about the world was watching, people could see. And it was still very terrifying in that moment.

I was hopeful that people would see that I was being nonviolent, and even as we speak right now, the legislative session is over. The pen strokes have been made, but the people's voices have not been heard.

[22:45:33] LEMON: The video is up now of you being arrested as you were knocking

on the door there. There are two Troopers there, one now and then another one walks in. Have you had a chance to look at that video? And if you have, what do you think when you see it?

CANNON: Yes. And it makes me wonder why. Why were they arresting me? Why were they doing this? Why did the world have to experience another traumatizing arrest?

LEMON: Attorney Griggs, let me bring you in now. Thank you for waiting patiently here. Let's talk about the charges against the Representative here, two felonies. How could knocking on a door at a place that you work resulted in a potential eight years in prison? It's just unfathomable to think about?

GERALD GRIGGS, ATTORNEY FOR PARK CANNON: Yes, definitely unconscionable. And I mean, to merely be asking for transparency and to be present in the moment when this bill was being signed, so you can witness it on behalf of 4.5 million Georgians that will be affected, and so that you can report back.

As Representative Cannon has said, for the last five years, she's always been present to witness the bills, and that's all she wanted to do that day. And I think it's horrendous that an individual will be subjected to the potential of being incarcerated for over eight years for something that she has routinely done for many years and just demanded transparency in this moment.

LEMON: Is it now -- is this a lawful arrest? Or is it your intention to at least litigate this or try to get this removed? Because, as I understand, you're saying that this was unlawful. It was unlawful for her to be arrested, because she was actually at her place of work and it should not have happened. She cannot be arrested at her place of work. Am I correct?

GRIGGS: Yes, the Constitution says she can't be arrested while she is a sitting Member of the Legislature, unless there are three exceptions one is a felony; two is treason, and the other is breach of the peace. And we believe, based on the facts and evidence that none of those exceptions apply and she was free from arrest under the Constitution of the State of Georgia.

So, we plan to litigate to the fullest extent of the law. We are hopeful that the sitting District Attorney will review the evidence, listen to the witnesses, watch the video footage and dismiss this case, and hopefully will not have to proceed to a trial. But we are more than willing and ready to do that if necessary.

LEMON: Representative Cannon, let me -- I just want to read this. This is from the arresting officers' incident report about what you were doing. It says, "I felt that if I did not take action, the other protesters would have been emboldened to commit similar acts. The events of January 6, 2021 at the U.S. Capitol were in the back of my mind. I didn't want the protesters to attempt to gain entry to a secure part of the Capitol." When you see him compare you and the protesters to the violent angry

mob that stormed the Capitol, to the mob that chanted "Hang Mike Pence," what are you thinking?

CANNON: I've been thinking about January 6th since the day that it happened as well. I think it's important that we remember what actually happened on that day.

There were law enforcement officers who were injured. There were Georgians who went there, acted out, flew back home, and then came back to their communities like nothing happened.

LEMON: I've just got one more thing because I promised to talk about your arm, either you can answer it or Attorney Griggs. Officer Langford says that you resisted arrest. He says you stomped on his right foot several times. He says you stomped on the other officer's foot, too. Is that true? And also, what happened during the arrest that resulted in the injury of your arm?

GRIGGS: Well, she's not going to comment on what the officers have alleged. They have alleged a lot of things that they will have to prove those in a court of law.

We believe that the facts and evidence as we know them are inconsistent with what the allegations are in that report. We also are in the process of getting her medical treatment and the doctor will determine the extent of her injuries.

But what we can say is that the facts and the evidence from witnesses and video will show that she did nothing felonious in this incident.

LEMON: Attorney Griggs, Representative Cannon, thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate it. Be well.

GRIGGS: Thank you, Don.

CANNON: You, too.

[22:50:07]

LEMON: D.C. Police Officer Michael Fanone was Tased and beaten during the Capitol riot, then he suffered a heart attack and take this, a second insurrectionist is now being charged.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: So take this, another capital rioter charged for allegedly attacking D.C. Police Officer Michael Fanone. Now, I've been speaking with Officer Fanone for the past few months about what happened to him on January 6th.

He was dragged and beaten by the mob during the attack, Tasered in the back of the neck, left injured and on the ground surrounded by rioters.

Investigators indicting Daniel Rodriguez for allegedly using an electroshock weapon and a flagpole to attack Fanone. Officials previously charged Thomas Sibick for attacking Fanone saying that he took the officer's badge and radio.

Here's how Officer Fanone says he defended himself from the mob.

[22:55:16]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL FANONE, WASHINGTON D.C., METROPOLITAN POLICE OFFICER: I just remember yelling out that I have kids. And it seemed to work. Some people in the crowd started to encircle me and tried to offer me some level of protection.

A lot of people have asked me, you know, my thoughts on the individuals in the crowd that, you know, that helped me or tried to offer some assistance, and I think, kind of the conclusion I've come to is like, you know, thank you, but [bleep] you for being there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, Fanone suffered heart attack and concussion. He is now dealing with a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.

I spoke to his mother earlier this week about the rioters being held accountable for their actions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERRY FANONE, MOTHER OF OFFICE MICHAEL FANONE: You know, whatever, fine these people or whatever jail sentence somebody might incur, it doesn't even begin -- it doesn't begin to repair the damage that has been done to not only Michael, but all these other people who really were, they were the ones that were persecuted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: You heard his mom, Miss Terry there. This does not even begin to repair the damage done to him and almost 140 other officers on that horrific day.

You know, also happening in court, George Floyd's girlfriend taking the stand today. You're going to want to hear her testimony. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)