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Don Lemon Tonight

Trump Telling Allies He Expects To Be Reinstated By August; Hero Officer Fanone On GOP Calls To Move Past January 6; Biden And GOP Miles Apart On Infrastructure; Sinema Reiterates Support Of Filibuster; Law Enforcement Concerned Pro-Trump Conspiracy Theories Spread On Telegram App Could Incite More Violence; Twelve-Year-Old Boy And 14-Year-Old Girl Break Into Florida Home And Open Fires On Deputies; President Biden Launches National Month Of Action To Get More Americans Vaccinated By July 4th. Aired 11p-12a ET

Aired June 02, 2021 - 23:00   ET

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

[23:00:00]

DON LEMON, CNN HOST (on camera): They fear it could lead to more violence. We have a special report.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden meeting today with Republican Senators who are leading negotiations on infrastructure as the talks reach a critical point. More than the infrastructure bill is at stake here. We're talking about the president, excuse me, his entire governing philosophy.

I want to bring in now CNN political commentator Charlie Dent, a former Republican Congressman and Brian Fallon, the executive director of Demand Justice. He was press secretary for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. I still want to call him vice president sometimes. Because I called him vice president so much for eight years. But now he is the president. So my apologies to the president of the United States.

Good evening, gentlemen. Charlie, CNN has new reporting that the former president is more obsessed than ever with the 2020 election. According to one adviser, he is listening to quote, the bottom of the bottom of the crazies in the barrel. What does that say to you about his state of mind right now, it's hard to believe but you know it's true.

FMR. REP. CHARLIE DENT (R-PA), CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR (on camera): Well, it's clearly he's delusional. I mean, no serious person could possibly think that Donald Trump is going to be reinstated, as you said in August. I mean, we're just kind of moved on to the -- into the twilight zone here. There is simply no basis in truth or fact to what the former president is saying.

And I think most people, I would argue that virtually every member of Congress knows that that is insane, what he's talking about. It seems like he's just down there talking to his friends at the country club. And you know, I guess, I'm not sure who is listening to him other than his most devoted followers. But it is this nonsense and I think more Republican members need to

call this kind of stuff out. Because that's part of the reason why the base is believing a lot of this nonsense, because they're not hearing an alternative point of view.

LEMON: You know, Brian, this falls in line with The New York Times reporting that the former guys telling people that he expects to be reinstated by August. I mean, we all know, there is no mechanism for that to actually happen. But how worried are you that people are going to listen to it, and look, people listen to it, listened to it, and then we had January 6th. That's my concern here. People want to believe the B.S., that's for business, but I think it is quite dangerous.

BRIAN FALLON, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Yes, and Don, we're still seeing that national Republicans are still very much hearing themselves as wanting to appeal to Trump voters. And viewing this as Donald Trump's Party. The Republican Party today even in the aftermath of Donald Trump's defeat in the election last fall has not moved back to the Party that Mr. Dent belonged to when he joined Congress.

You're seeing Republican candidates that are running in open primaries in states like Ohio where there is an open Senate seat because of Ron Portman's retirement. They're tripping over themselves, trying to be in the Trump lane. And I think that's all the more reason why we can't expect that the current Republican leadership is going to be willing to strike any deals with Joe Biden.

You heard last month, Mitch McConnell say to reporters in his home state of Kentucky that his goal, his number one goal, he reacted to the news about Liz Cheney by saying his number one goal is blocking Joe Biden on everything that he does. It's the same thing he said in 2009 about President Obama.

And so I just hope that the Biden administration heard that and they don't you know, extend this negotiations on this critical infrastructure package for very much longer.

LEMON (on camera): Yes. Well listen. Speaking of that, I just spoke to Officer Michael Fanone and I asked him about Mitch McConnell getting GOP Senators to block that January 6th commission as a favor to him. This is his response. And then we'll talk about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL FANONE, MPD OFFICER: I mean, I, well, I was absolutely sickened. You know, here I am, escorting the mother of a dead policeman while she and myself advocate for, you know, the formation of a commission to investigate the circumstances which resulted in her son's death. And you have, you know, a leader on Capitol Hill who is making phone calls, asking for personal favors, and doling out political capital to push for, you know, a no vote on that commission is absolutely disgraceful.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON (on camera): Charlie, what McConnell did, was that a slap in the

face to these officers?

DENT: Well, I completely disagree with Senator McConnell did here. I mean, to seek a personal favor on a vote like this, I think it's just simply wrong. You know, members would ask me for a personal favor but it usually had to do with something in their district.

Would you vote for my amendment because this will impact my district in this way? OK, I understand that. But one should never ask a personal favor of a member on a matter of conscience or consequential policy where they have strong views.

[23:05:05]

I think this is really, you know, a black mark for Republicans that they failed to adopt this bipartisan independent commission. I think that would be the best way to find the truth rather than what is going to happen now, more likely a select committee that will be very partisan in nature.

And they'll still going to have to talk about this issue. Republicans are not going to be able to avoid talking about January 6th going forward. I mean, I think that's calculations. There's no independent commission. You know, we can move on but that is not what is going to happen.

LEMON (on camera): Brian, I also asked Officer Fanone what he thinks about efforts to restrict voting rights. This is what he told me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FANONE: A little outside my wheel House. But I mean, hell, I'm an American so I'll chime in. I think it took us a long time to get to a place in the country where, you know, we respected the ideal that, you know, one man, one vote. And the idea that you would want to restrict anybody's ability to you know, to live that or to cast that vote is the most un-American thing imaginable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): I mean, this is what it is all about. It doesn't get more American than this, right?

FALLON: Right, Don. And these two issues are connected, because one of the big reasons why you're seeing this wave of you know, over 400 voter suppression bills introduce in states across the country is in support of the big lie. It is in response to Donald Trump's theory that the election was stolen. That he should have won the election. And that voter fraud was committed in a massive way.

And so the conspiracy theories that were in the minds of those insurrectionists on January 6th is the very same thinking that is propelling all these voter suppression measures in the states. And so that's why when Liz Cheney made her, you know, media tour after she was ousted from the Republican leadership and she was asked for her position now on these voter suppression bills. And she acted like these were two different issues.

And they're not. They're fully connected. And that's why, you know, Democrats need to see this through. Not just in the form of making sure that a commission gets stood up but in making sure that time is spent on the Senate floor taking up this measure for the people act that Chuck Schumer says will be voted on the last week of June.

The John Lewis voting rights act. These are critical measures and this delayed negotiation around the infrastructure package is really creating a choke point where all other business including these voting rights bills are sort of behind it in the cue. The longer that these negotiations drag out on infrastructure, the less likely we are to have the needed debate around these voting rights measures.

LEMON (on camera): Let's talk a little bit more about that. You're calling for the end of the filibuster, you know, or making changes to it. Progressives, they want it gone. Moderates, Joe Manchin, Kirsten Sinema, don't want to touch it. This is Kyrsten Sinema.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. KYRSTEN SINEMA (D-AZ): The idea of the filibuster was created by those White House came before us in the United States Senate to create comedy and to encourage senators to find bipartisanship and work together. To those who say we must make a choice between the filibuster and x, I say this is a false choice.

The reality is that when you have a system that's not working effectively, and I would think that most would agree that the Senate is not a particularly well-oiled machine, right? The way to fix that is to change your behavior. Not to eliminate the rules or change the rules but to change your behavior.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): OK. Brian, the filibuster has been used for a lot of things and I don't think maybe she should, you know, research the history of the filibuster. But change their behavior? How is that possible when Republicans are using the filibuster to exercise minority role and block an investigation into an attack on our democracy.

FALLON: You know, with all due respect to Senator Sinema, she got here history completely wrong on the filibuster there. I think, she was standing next to John Cornyn at the time that she was delivering that and I think the visual of standing next to one of the top Republicans in the Senate, and this sort of gibberish about the filibuster and paying, you know, (inaudible) to bipartisanship is just a matter of posturing right now to seem like a reasonable centrist figure in her home state of Arizona, which is all well and good.

Right now, this discussion is happening in the abstract, Don. We've really only had one effort so far, one major bill in the Senate that has sort of been derailed by the filibuster. It was the vote last week on the commission. What we need is a ramp-up. We need all these measures like the for the people act, like the voting rights act to come up in quick succession. So that a narrative takes shape about the consistent and repeated obstruction of measures that are critical to restoring democracy in this country.

And I think that Chuck Schumer knows that. That is why he's teeing up the for the people act, the S1 bill to be voted on this later this month. But we need (inaudible), always measures me to come up in rapid succession. So that's it's clear that one side is in line of support for these proposals and but for the filibuster, they would be passing. The black vote on the commission was the first step.

[23:10:09]

But they really need to lay a few more bricks to be able to build the case with the public and quite frankly to build their own resolve. And I think when those actual measures come up, and this debate is not theoretical anymore, this will be an indefensible position for Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin to be taking.

LEMON (on camera): Yes. Brian, Charlie, thank you very much. I appreciate it.

So, tonight sources are telling CNN that there's growing concern among law enforcement officials over heightened chatter on right wing social media platforms about overturning the result of the 2020 election. The question that I asked him. Was he concerned about violence? Or something similar to what happened on January 6. They fear that could it lead to more violence. As a matter of fact.

Here's CNN's Donie O'Sullivan.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I'm saying before 2022, something has to be done.

DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN BUSINESS REPORTER (voice over): Former President Donald Trump may have been banned from sites like Facebook and Twitter but he's interviews with right-wing media were he continues to repeat the big lie are giving some of his supporters the false hope that the 2020 election could still be overturned.

TRUMP: Stay tuned for Arizona. And a lot of people are watching Arizona. You know, we need two states.

O'SULLIVAN: The former president pointing to a highly criticized Republican-led audit in Arizona as one way to overturn the election.

TRUMP: It's going to be a very interesting time in our country. It's going to be a very interesting time. You understand what that means, because it will be, you know, I mean, how do you govern when you lost? How do you govern when you lost?

O'SULLIVAN: On the social media sites telegram, comments like these are sparking excitement among his supporters. Trump knows what happened. Biden administration will be removed. We the people will take action. He just told us things are about to get very ugly all over America.

These thugs are not going to take this news very well. Be prepared. Telegram has become popular among some Trump supporters and QAnon followers since companies like Facebook began to crack down more on misinformation.

JOHN SCOTT RAILTON, SENIOR RESEARCHER, THE CITIZEN LAB: Telegram is both an encrypted chat app and something of a social network. It's been around for years. And more recently, MAGA, QAnon and others have gravitated towards this as a platform moving toward this as they move away from Facebook and other major platforms like Twitter.

O'SULLIVAN: And there is very little rules on Telegram, right?

RAILTON: Telegram is built around trying to resist monitoring it and censorship. Which means many that groups gravitate towards it for those very reasons.

O'SULLIVAN: There are groups on Telegram with tens of thousands of members dedicated to the QAnon conspiracy theory and a platform is now a source of concern among law enforcement to fear in the wake of January 6th, it could incite further violence. Three Congressional sources tell CNN Jamie Gangel.

TRUMP: A lot of the success of the country is going to have to, is really going to have to do with immediacy. Because by the time we get to 2022, they're going to have everything done. The way they're putting things through Congress. McConnell can't stop anybody. He can't stop anybody. If something doesn't happen fast. You know, this is before 2022.

O'SULLIVAN: The reaction on Telegram. He doesn't have to wait until 2024 people. He's coming back this year. Everything is going to be reversed, said one user. It's a great day when we start seeing evidence of the plan coming together. He just told us it won't be long now, says another.

And last weekend when Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn appeared to suggest there should be a military coup here in the United States, one prominent QAnon peddler who has more than 70,000 followers on Telegram wrote, General Flynn says the quiet part out loud. Flynn later denied he had suggested a coup.

RAILTON: It is very concerning for people who track ISIS to watch the growth and excitement around Telegram in the far and extreme right. Because a lot of us ask this question, oh, no, are we back in a situation where this is going to be a really difficult problem to address?

O'SULLIVAN: The former Republican Congressman Denver Riggleman, who has a background in the military and intelligence says he fears the conversations happening online now could lead to future violence.

FMR. REP. DENVER RIGGLEMAN (R-VA): You're saying this same thing that happened over years and years, you know, with foreign terrorist organizations. That's the same time of methodology. All the things that you see, radicalized people based on the fact that this is a war between good and evil. If there is a war between good and evil and there is no middle ground, you're willing to do things other people aren't to make sure that you win. And that is when you see radicalized violence.

O'SULLIVAN (on camera): And Telegram did not respond to CNN's request for comments. And also, our colleagues and friends who has been speaking to law enforcement officials said that the concerns, don't just -- they're not just all about Telegram.

There is concern about Chatter across the internet and also off-line. And Don, one final and important point I want to make, I don't think -- not to be overly alarmist, but you know, QAnon, those forums, we've seen them believe in B.S. all the time, right. They tosh on inauguration day, Martial law would be declared and Biden wouldn't be inaugurated.

[23:15:12]

They thought Trump would come back on March 4th. But neither of those conspiracy theories were endorsed by Trump. We're starting to see here now is Trump talking about coming back in the summer. He's talking about this Arizona audit and potentially that being the first domino to fall. Stars are aligning in a way that is similar to how they began to align in the weeks and months leading up to January 6th as we go into the summer and I think that's particularly concerning.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

LEMON (on camera): Yes. Absolutely. Donie, thank you so much. I appreciate it.

I want to bring in now, CNN counterterrorism analyst, Mr. Philip Mudd. Phil, thank you. I'm sure you listened. You know, just with enthusiasm with that. I'm fascinated by his reporting. When you hear the former president keeping up his big lie, saying things like, you know, before 2022, something needs to be done. Do you worry that there could be more violence like we saw on January 6th?

PHILIP MUDD, CNN COUNTERTERRORISM ANALYST (on camera): Boy, I'm glad I'm not in the business anymore, Don. Yes, I would. Let's go forward, let's say to a couple of years, to the mid-terms and think about the contested elections in a place like Georgia. Let's make yourself an investigator for a second, Don. Assuming, this is a really conservative estimate. Assume that one tenth of 1 percent of Americans really believe what the president says and think maybe -- sort of maybe protests and violence might be OK.

That's hundreds of thousands of people, Don. They're going on telegram. As you just heard reported. That's a problem for investigators. A lot of that stuff is encrypted. Let me give you one more fact. If you go after post-January 6th, anybody with a brain is going to read the newspapers if they're sympathetic to the president, and say what were the mistakes of the January 6th organizers and how do I avoid that on telegram? You have got the potential for a tinder box in 2022 and people who can

use encrypted communications and learn from January 6th. I don't want to be in the business anymore, Don. I'm glad I'm on CNN. Not really.

(LAUGHTER)

Actually I was -- actually not really.

LEMON: You said that with such like, you know, you had the head and everything.

So, listen, when Trump is saying things like, you know, everything is going to be reversed, or they see signs of a plan coming together. What is the best way to push back against this?

MUDD: There is only one way to do that and that is leadership. If you encourage people to believe that the election was stolen, I mean, go back seven years. If someone has said and told you, Don, there's going to be a huge conspiracy that says an election was stolen and hundreds of millions of Americans, tens of millions of Americans would believe this including a significant percentage of one of the major parties, you would have said, I mean, is this like Hollywood? What is that?

You have to have leadership say no. Because what we're realizing, even in the age of social media, is that leadership has the power to persuade people to say no. Right now leadership is persuading people to say yes. This happen and people believe it or not are buying it. I personally as a home grown American, I can't believe this. But people buy it.

LEMON: Phil Mudd, I'm with you. Again, thank you sir.

MURRAY: Thanks.

LEMON (on camera): I appreciate it. I'll see you soon.

So this story, I mean, out of Florida. Deputies in Florida under fire from intruders who broke into a house. Those intruders, a 12-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl. The boy reportedly telling detectives that he knew they were police and that he wanted to harm them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF MIKE CHITWOOD, VOLUSIA COUNTY: My deputies showed more restraint than I'm showing now because I am furious that we could be burying somebody tonight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:20:00]

LEMON (on camera): OK. I want you guys, to watch this story. Because the epidemic of gun violence so out of control in America. Now children, and I mean children, are armed. Deputies in Volusia County, Florida, involved in a shoot-out last night with a 14-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy.

You heard that right. The sheriff says the children fled a group home, broke into a house, came upon a stash of guns, opened fire on the deputies. The girl was shot in the abdomen. The boy was not hurt. The sheriff, well, he's angry.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHITWOOD: I don't know what to say. Where have we gone wrong that 12- year-olds and 14-year-olds think it is OK to take on law enforcement? What the hell is the department of juvenile justice doing sending these kids to places that can't handle them? We talk about juvenile justice reform? Deputies did everything they could tonight to de- escalate and they almost lost their lives to a 12-year-old and a 14- year-old.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): I want to bring in now CNN law enforcement analyst, Charles Ramsey who ran the police department in both Washington, D.C. and also Philadelphia. Chief Ramsey, good evening to you. You know we are talking -- I was like, Sheriff Chitwood, I know him, I know him. We both know him from the Philadelphia police department.

CHARLES RAMSEY, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST (on camera): Right.

LEMON: Great guy. I don't often, I don't know if I ever saw him the entire time I was in Philly working with him. If I ever saw him like that. But he is rightfully furious about the situation that his officers faced. These teenagers broke into a house. Found three guns including an ak-47. 200 rounds of ammo. Police (inaudible) themselves behind a tree as shot came from the house. This could have been a much bigger disaster.

RAMSEY: It could have been a huge disaster on so many different levels. And you know, I mean, the sheriff is absolutely right. And I understand his frustration. Not just for this case but crime in general that is going in the wrong direction across the country, hving a difficult time recruiting officers and so forth and so. Everything is just kind of building up. Mike Chitwood is a very, very capable leader. I do know him from Philly. One heck of a police officer and his dad as well.

[23:25:07]

LEMON (on camera): Chief, the tensions are so high in this video. Police having to choose between defending their own lives while being shot at by two teenagers. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: 10-4, they're shooting at me. Hold it. Hold there. Don't let me do this. Don't do this.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON (on camera): Look, in this overhead video, you can see the shots

being fired. What is going on in these officers' minds? And the split seconds that this is all happening.

RAMSEY: Well, I mean, the stress is incredible. You can hear in the officer. I mean, he is under fire. He is very calm on the radio. But he also knows, you know, listen, this is a situation where I may actually have to shoot someone and you can hear him say it, you know, please don't make me do this. Don't make me do this. I mean, it is a highly stressful situation that these officers found themselves.

And even though it is a shame the young lady was shot, you know, what else are you going to do? I mean, they're between a rock and a hard place. I mean, you know, bullets will kill you whether it fired from a 14-year-old or a 40-year-old.

And so, what do you do? But it does kind of get back into this whole issue of accountability. I mean, parents, juvenile justice, all these people and places that are supposed to secure these kids. And they fail. I mean, they committed a burglary. That's how it started. They broke into a house. They find guns. They know it is police there. And they think they're in a video game, Grand Theft Auto. And they just start firing. Just lucky some innocent bystander wasn't struck.

LEMON: Yes. Chief Ramsey, I always appreciate your perspective. Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.

RAMSEY: Thank you.

LEMON: Get a vaccine, get a beer, get a donut, get a lottery ticket, get a gun. Yep, a gun. The incentive states are giving to get people vaccinated. And I don't know, are they working? Next.

[23:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON (on camera): President Biden pushing Americans to get their COVID vaccinations, launching the 'National Month of Action' to get at least one COVID shot into the arms of 70 percent of adults by July 4th. State governments are offering all sorts of incentives. In West Virginia, the vaccine lottery is offering everything from scholarships to guns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JIM JUSTICE (R-WV): We're going to give away two full four-year scholarships, two brand new custom outfitted trucks, 25 weekend getaways to our state parks, five lifetime hunting and fishing licenses, five custom hunting rifles, and five custom hunting shotguns. And also on Father's Day, we're going to make one of you a millionaire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): Can I go to West Virginia? (LAUGHTER)

LEMON: I mean I'll take the vaccine again. Let's discuss now with CNN medical analyst Dr. Jonathan Reiner. I'm fully vaccinated, but if I had the chance to win that, maybe I would do it. I'm laughing, but let's see if it's working.

Good evening, doctor. Governments around the country are essentially trying to bribe some of their constituents to take the vaccine that could save their lives. Cash, vacations, beer, guns. Do you think this is going to help Biden reach the goal of at least one COVID shot in the arms of 70 percent of adult by July 4th?

JONATHAN REINER, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST, DIRECTOR OF CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION PROGRAM AT GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: I hope so. You know, on the one hand, I'm sort of embarrassed that the United States has to resort to this.

LEMON: Yeah.

REINER: We take our democracy for granted. We take our affluence for granted. Now, we're taking our brilliant science for granted. I never thought we would have to bribe people to take a vaccine that will literally save their life and save the life of their -- of their grandmother or their mother. But here we are.

So, look, I think Governor Justice has actually done a good job in his state with promoting vaccines and, look, if this is what it takes, I mean, raffling off of a gun, are we going to call it the gunshot lottery or are we going to call it the shotgun lottery? It is all good.

I think the president is going to get there. We have to vaccinate about 17 million more people between now and July 4th. We're getting about 600,000 shots into new arms every day and the math works out. So I think right around the 1st of July, we'll get to 70 percent of adults in the United States vaccinated. And that's a big number because above that number, what we've seen in places like the U.K. and Israel, deaths fall to almost zero.

LEMON (on camera): Hmm. Wow! Look, apparently, the governor knows his constituents, right? Because you said he's had great success with getting things under control in West Virginia. This is the Jim Justice we're talking about and the push to get people vaccinated. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUSTICE: If you just step back and think, why in the world would you have to give away something to get somebody vaccinated? Well, unfortunately, it is way in the world in a lot of situations. The faster we get them across the finish line, the more lives we save.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): So, you know, I hear on the streets, the barber shop, wherever I go these nonsensical reasons why people don't want to get the vaccine.

[23:35:05]

What is the resistance about getting this vaccine?

REINER: Well, it's different for different communities. You know, in some communities, people are concerned about the safety of the vaccine. I've heard people wonder -- even though these vaccines are absolutely free, I've heard people, you know, wonder about -- about the cost. In other communities, people think the whole pandemic has been a hoax or that they're young and strong and the virus can't hurt them.

So, you know, we need to basically bring different messages, all true, to different communities. Reach out to them in whatever means we can. Look, 15 percent of the United States is under the age of 12.

LEMON: Hmm.

REINER: So, that means we have 85 percent of the country left to vaccinate and to get to, you know, what we're calling community immunity. We need between 70 and 75 percent of the population vaccinated.

LEMON: Yeah.

REINER: So if we want the country vaccinated and immune -- relatively immune by fall, we need to basically get to everyone. So --

LEMON: I got to --

REINER: -- I'm with Governor Justice on this.

LEMON: I got a quick question for 15 to 20 seconds, if you will.

REINER: Yeah.

LEMON: I have to ask you, you know, we've got a pandemic. We also have an epidemic of gun violence from public -- from a public health perspective, is it a good idea to be giving guns away for vaccines?

REINER: No. I mean, I hear what you're saying, and I wouldn't be happy if, you know, one of the inducements to get vaccinated was, you know, a truckload of cigarettes. That would seem to be counter to public health. I hear what you're saying, Don, but I do want to get shots into these arms.

LEMON: Yeah. Listen, and if it is a responsible gun owner, hopefully that receives those guns.

REINER: Right.

LEMON: Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

REINER: My pleasure. LEMON: It is not just Marjorie Taylor Greene. Political candidates spouting QAnon conspiracies are popping up all across the country and some of them are actually doing well in their races.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON (on camera): It is alarming that there are members of the United States Congress spouting the dangers of QAnon conspiracy theory. But it doesn't stop there. Candidates who embrace the QAnon tenets are also running for and winning local state and national racist around the country. But there is encouraging news. Some Americans are pushing back.

More tonight from CNN's Sara Sidner.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

UNKNOWN: I'll keep speaking on Q. I'll keep speaking on the truth.

SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From a world champion ultimate fighter turned mayor pro tem --

TITO ORTIZ, FORMER CALIFORNIA MAYOR PRO TEM: Let's hang all these mother (bleep). That's what I'm talking about.

SIDNER (voice-over): -- to a school board member with a curious take on climate science --

UNKNOWN: This adherence that you have to believe scientists is more of like a religious cult.

SIDNER (voice-over): -- to a state representative pushing a deep state conspiracy.

MARK FINCHEM, MEMBER, ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: There are a lot of people involved in a pedophile network and the distribution of children.

SIDNER (voice-over): QAnon conspiracy embracing candidates are now making headway in local state and national races across America.

(On camera) Are there more candidates or fewer candidates that have latched on to the QAnon conspiracy theories?

ANGELO CARUSONE, FOUNDER AND CEO, MEDIA MATTERS: There is a higher rate of candidates embracing QAnon and its tenets now than there was last cycle, at least at this point.

SIDNER (voice-over): Angelo Carusone with the liberal watchdog group, Media Matters, tracks Qanon's political clout. He says their research shows the January 6th insurrection didn't kill the Q conspiracy. It has emboldened it by broadening the movement. So far, the group says, for the 2022 races, 19 congressional candidates, 18 of whom are Republicans, have shown support for QAnon conspiracies.

CARUSONE: We're at the beginning of this. Not the end. A large reason why it has such political power is not just because QAnon adherents are very energizes and so they're good go to for politics, but they donate. They give money.

SIDNER (voice-over): QAnon's core outlandish tenet is President Trump is the chosen one to save America from a shadowy group of politicians, media members, and Hollywood stars who run a worldwide child sex trafficking ring, so they can drink the children's blood for energy.

CARUSONE: So the real threat of all of this isn't so much, you know, that it is some wacky ideas. It is that it is a call to arms.

SIDNER (voice-over): Case in point, listen to Arizona State Representative Mark Finchem.

FINCHEM: There are a lot of people involved in a pedophile network and the distribution of children. And unfortunately, there are a whole lot of elected officials that are involved in that.

UNKNOWN: But I shouldn't be shocked at that, but that is shocking.

SIDNER (voice-over): The conservative news anchor may not have challenged him, but some of his constituents have. They were also shocked by this tweet he sent on January 6th while he was outside the Capitol showing support for the big lie, the claim the 2020 election was stolen from Trump. Unlike hundreds of others, he says, he never entered the building.

MANUEL GALDAMEZ, RECALL FINCHEM VOLUNTEER: I remember calling my mom, who is Salvadoran immigrant, and basically asking her, like, isn't this why you left that country, to come to this country, and she was, like, of course, isn't this supposed to happen in the United States of America?

SIDNER (voice-over): Young Democrat Manuel Galdamez is working alongside a young Republican, joining forces to help Recall Finchem.

UNKNOWN: We have a ton of people who need help, need laws passed, and he is out there focusing on conspiracy theories, which is honestly disgusting.

[23:45:03]

SIDNER (voice-over): But Finchem is undeterred. He is now running to become Arizona's top election official, the secretary of state. Some voters are all for it.

UNKNOWN: The term conspiracy theory is used to ridicule some good ideas.

SIDNER (voice-over): Others dead set against it.

NATALI FIERROS BOCK, RECALL FINCHEM ORGANIZER: Somebody like Rep. Mark Finchem being in charge of elections, holding a seat like secretary of state, is one of the most dangerous things that could happen to democracy.

SIDNER (voice-over): We wanted to give Finchem a chance to explain his beliefs, but our calls and e-mails weren't returned, so we waited outside the state house.

(On camera): Mr. Finchem, can you tell me a little about whether or not you believe in QAnon conspiracy theories, sir?

(Voice-over): Day one, he dodged us. Day two, we waited for 12 hours.

(On camera): He's one of the last cars in the parking lot. Now, the security for the legislature is now driving Finchem's car away.

(Voice-over): Two thousand miles away in the small Michigan town of Grand Blanc, a first time school board member is under fire for social media posts saying things like, QAnon confirmed by Trump and they can delete our social media but they'll never break our spirit or stop what is coming. God wins, posted over a flaming "Q" with we the people are pissed off, emblazoned over it.

LUCAS HARTWELL, GRAND BLANC HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE: I think she was elected because she refused to genuinely expose what she believes in.

SIDNER (voice-over): As a high school student and first time voter, Lucas Hartwell did his homework and discovered Amy Facchinello's now deleted post.

HARTWELL: If we cannot have an education system that is run by people who care about the truth, what is education? It is hard to follow what she really does believe. It is hard to separate truth from fiction.

CROWD: Get her out!

SIDNER (voice-over): He and others want her to resign. But some of his high school friends and their parents support her 100 percent.

CARA MCALISTER, AMY FACCHINELLO SUPPORTER: She is a conservative, so they're attacking her.

SIDNER (voice-over): Do you think this is purely along political lines, not having anything to do with Qanon?

MCALISTER: Exactly.

A.J. SMITH, GRAND BLANC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: Well, I think, personally, QAnon, parts of it are real. I mean, people say it is just conspiracy, but some of it is pretty real, some of it is ridiculous, obviously. But I think that is a real thing that we should be concerned about.

SIDNER (voice-over): One of the things is pedophilia. They're saying children are being -- do you believe that?

SMITH: Yes, I do. I belie that there are some -- I think there's some pedophilia going on back down there. SIDNER (voice-over): We wanted to ask Facchinello what she believed. She did not respond to our request for an interview. But she was at the school board meeting.

(On camera): Do you believe in the QAnon theories that you've posted?

AMY FACCHINELLO, GRAND BLANC SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER: No. I posted -- I've posted where we go, when we go all. Basically, they're complaining about a false narrative, and I think it is the false narrative to try to cancel Trump supporters.

SIDNER (on camera): You posted some other things. You have a big "Q" that was burning on fire and it says we are pissed. Was that something that you believed in when you posted it?

FACCHINELLO: I don't even remember that tweet.

SIDNER (on camera): There are several others. There are also things about science. That you don't believe in human cause of climate change. Is that also true?

FACCHINELLO: I -- I believe that science is a method and it is not a belief system. And that this adherence that you have to believe scientists is more of like a religious cult.

ORTIZ: You don't mask the health. You mask the sick.

SIDNER (voice-over): In Huntington Beach, California, it is the science surrounding COVID that has been called the conspiracy by the man elected mayor pro tem.

(APPLAUSE)

UNKNOWN: Are you thinking that COVID-19 was a little bit of a conspiracy theory?

ORTIZ: Hundred percent.

SIDNER (voice-over): That's former UFC champion Tito Ortiz, a Trump supporter. Ortiz is like many of the candidates we followed, getting widespread support for being a political disruptor.

UNKNOWN: He seemed to me to be somebody who I thought might mix things up for us and change things around. I knew that he was a conservative voice, so I prefer that, personally.

ORTIZ: I'm not wearing mask.

SIDNER (voice-over): He is mixing things up by spending lots of time spewing and posting conspiracy theories.

ORTIZ: Say this right, plandemic or pandemic (ph).

(LAUGHTER)

SIDNER (voice-over): And less time dealing in policy and council business. His critics, both Democrat and Republican say.

MIKE POSEY, REPUBLICAN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER: Well, the first day when he was sworn in, he referred to the pandemic as a plandemic, and that sort of set the tone.

SIDNER (voice-over): Plandemic, the conspiracy theory circulating that the government planned the current pandemic. He also refused to wear a mask at council meetings at the height of the deadly pandemic in California nor did he want his children to wear masks to school.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): The boys are not going to be wearing their masks today. Let's see what they say.

GINA CLAYTONO TARVIN, TEACHER, SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE: He started pushing conspiracies. I mean really outlandish kind of accusations that, you know, kids were being abused by our public school system just because we were mandating that kids wear masks in school, to attend school.

[23:50:02]

SIDNER (voice-over): It all came to ahead just this week at the first in-person council meeting since January.

ORTIZ: From day one I was sworn in and I was met with hostility and judgement --

SIDNER (voice-over): After just five months on the city council, Tito Ortiz resigned effective immediately.

ORTIZ: As of recently, the attacks against me have moved to involve my family. I now feel their safety is in danger. To put it simply, this job isn't working for me.

SIDNER (voice-over): Sara Sidner, CNN, Huntington Beach, California.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

LEMON (on camera): Sara Sidner, thank you very much.

Brood X is here. Swarms of cicadas coming out this year and the FDA is feeling the need to warn people about eating them. Why is that? Stay with us.

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[23:55:00]

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LEMON: Billions of cicadas have been swarming around for weeks, and if you are in the D.C. area, they're likely everywhere you turn. I thought the ugly critters were just a pain. But apparently, some think of them as a gourmet treat. There are recipes popping up for cicada cookies. Others are putting them in tacos or wrapping them in rice- like sushi. But the FDA has a warning. They tweeted it today. Yep, we have to say it. Don't eat cicadas, if you are allergic to seafood, as these insects share a family relationship to shrimp and lobster. There you have it. Some news you can use.

Thanks for watching. Our coverage continues.

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