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Don Lemon Tonight

DOJ Released Horrific Videos Of The January 6 Insurrection; NFL's Carl Nassib Admits He Is Gay; Sen. Mitch McConnell Guarantees Voting Rights To Be Dead On Arrival; Former President Obama Slams The Republican Party; Bipartisanship On Voting Rights Is Far From Reality; New York City Mayoral Candidate Kathryn Garcia Wants To Restore Peace In New York; Black Votes Matter Group Protects Voting Rights. Aired 10-11p ET

Aired June 21, 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]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST (on camera): He also had a surprise guest. Comedian Dave Chappelle join the band on stage, led the crowd in the cover of "Creep" by Radiohead. It looks a great time.

The news continues. I wat to turn things over now to Don Lemon and CNN Tonight. Don?

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: Thank you, Anderson. Happy belated Father's Day. I hope it was a really good one. I can't sing as well as Dave Chappelle, I can do a lot of things as well as Dave Chappelle. It's good to see you my friend, have a good one.

COOPER: You, too.

LEMON: Thank you.

This is DON LEMON TONIGHT. Thank you so much for joining us.

We're going to begin tonight with some breaking news. The Justice Department releasing three videos used in a federal court case against a capitol riot defendant, his name is Charles Donohoe. He's accused of leading the Proud Boys in the insurrection on January 6th.

The video shows him among the riders and other Proud Boys, preparing their moves then pushing into the capitol with makeshift weapons and a warning, that we haven't bleep the language, OK? We haven't bleeped the language. You want to slow down a little bit just in case we want to get some kids out of the room or what have you.

Because we didn't do it because we want to give you full context. This is the reality, this is news, OK? This one apparently is from before that violent push that capture the group of armor-clad men milling outside the capitol, here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: Come on. Tighten up. Tighten up.

UNKNOWN: Let's not fucking yelled at. All right?

UNKNOWN: Just a milk shake, man. Yes.

UNKNOWN: Yell it.

UNKNOWN: Proud Boys!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): OK, that was one, and here's another video. It appears to show Donahoe with his face covered with a red and white bandana, looking on as others in the crowd takedown four police officers blocking a stairwell into the capitol. We are going to have more on this in just a moment, OK? So, make sure you stay tuned, there's much more to come.

But listen to the former president, this is the former President Barack Obama warning today that what happened on January 6th is proof of what can happen if we take democracy for granted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The violence that occurred on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, just a few months ago should remind us that we can't take our democracy for granted. Around the world, we've seen once vibrant democracies go into reverse, locking in power for a small group of powerful autocrats and business interests and locking out of the political process, dissidents, and protesters and opposition parties and the voices of ordinary people.

It is happening in other places around the world and these impulses have crept into the United States. We are not immune from some of these efforts to weaken our democracy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): The former president of the United States Barack Obama, but Republicans you know, they showed us who they are just last month when they refused to allow debate on the January 6th commission. When they sided with the big lie and the disgraced twice-impeached, one-term, former president who spread that lie. And they're poised to do to it again tomorrow.

That's when the debate for -- the debate for the For the People Act comes up as the assault on voting rights. The new Jim Crow spreads all across this country. An angry majority leader, Chuck Schumer calling out cowardly Republicans who won't stand up for what maybe our most cherished right, and that's the right to vote.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: Are you afraid to debate it? Do you not have any good arguments? You lose an election, you're not supposed to stop people from voting even if they didn't vote for you, that's not democracy my Republican friends.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): While Mitch McConnell who let's remember, said he's one under percent focused on stopping President Joe Biden's agenda, doubling down today vowing to guess what, kill the bill.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MINORITY LEADER: They made it abundantly clear that the real driving force behind S1 is the desire to rig the rules of the American elections permanently. Permanently in Democrats favor. That's why the Senate will give this disastrous proposal no quarter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): He kind of said it in Democrats favor, but does that really mean in fairness? Is that what's in Democrats Well somebody sure months to rig the rules, right? Fourteen states have already passed at least 22 new laws restricting voting and there are more in the works.

But this is a GOP that really doesn't seem to care about the issues, they don't seem to care about what's good for America, what's good for our democracy. This is a GOP that only cares about one thing, and that's winning at all costs. Win, win, win.

[22:05:04]

Why else would they support the big lie, even after the insurrection that could have killed them? Why else would they whitewashed what happened on January 6th, where we all saw with our own eyes? Why?

Why else will they play see no evil, when police who were trying to defend them from -- trying to defend them from being brutally attacked? Why would they do that? The former President Barack Obama also blasting Republicans for refusing to even talk about voting rights.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: Right now, at least, Republicans in the Senate are lining up to try to use the filibuster to stop the For the People Act from even being debated. Think about this, in the aftermath of an insurrection, with our democracy on the line and many of the same Republican senators going along with the notion that somehow there were irregularities and problems with legitimacy in our most recent election.

They are suddenly afraid to even talk about these issues and figure out solutions on the floor of the Senate. They don't even want to talk about voting. And it's not acceptable.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON (on camera): So, and we know what these efforts to suppress the

vote are all about. It's about making it harder for Black and Brown people, many of whom will vote for Democrats to cast their ballots. Like I said, it is a new Jim Crow.

Here's the thing, I just want you to listen to me, OK? People like to think we have made a lot of progress in this country on race, some people thought once we elected a black president that racism would somehow magically disappear. Just like that? Well, it didn't, it did not.

There was the Trump backlash, the election of a man who started his political career with the racist birther lie that Barack Obama was not born in this country. Then we got the big lie, and now the assault on voting rights. We haven't made as much progress as you would think, as people like to think. And what progress we have made? We have made some. That's not -- don't get me wrong, but the progress we've made is really fragile.

A new study from the University of California Berkeley finds that most major metropolitan areas across this country have become more racially segregated in the last 30 years. More segregated, not less. Eighty-one percent of regions with more than 200,000 residents were more segregated in 2019 than they were in 1990. And that's in spite of fair housing laws and policies to promote integration.

So, take a look at the math, some of the most segregated areas include as I have said, one of the most segregated places are polarized places I've ever lived in my entire life was Chicago. Milwaukee and Detroit in the Midwest, and Philadelphia, I live there too, New York, and northern New Jersey in the east.

Lived in New York and New Jersey as well, but Chicago by far, was the most segregated place I've ever lived in. Even more so, in my estimation of Birmingham, Alabama, I live there as well or St. Louis, Missouri.

So, like I said, we haven't made as much progress as you might think. Sure, Juneteenth is a now a federal holiday, 156 years after the Emancipation Proclamation was read out in Galveston, Texas. There were celebrations across the country this weekend including in Milwaukee, where Senator Ron Johnson did not get the reception that he seemed to expect.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CROWD: Nobody loves you here!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): So, the senator who apparently had his nose out of joint, saying this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI): This is not how you heal this nation, you come down here and you're trying to interact with people and you'd be nice to people, this is a very nice, is it?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): Well, and then there's this, uncovered by CNN's K- File. Ron Johnson telling a radio interviewer that he wants to celebrate Juneteenth because it's a Republican holiday. No, senator, it's an American holiday. He went on to say that he doesn't want to give federal workers another day off, like I said, we haven't made as much progress as you'd like to think.

But we have made some, we really have and it's really something to celebrate especially during pride month. I want to say a big congratulations to Carl Nassib, a defensive lineman with the Las Vegas Raiders. The first active NFL player in the league history, in league history to announce that he is gay.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARL NASSIB, DEFENSIVE END, LAS VEGAS RAIDERS: What's up people? I'm Carl Nassib. I'm in my house here in West Chester in Pennsylvania. I just want to I take a quick moment to say that I'm gay. I've been meaning to do this for a while now, but I finally feel comfortable enough to get it off my chest, I really have the best life.

[22:10:05]

I've got the best family, friends, and job a guy could asked for. I'm a pretty private person, so I hope you guys know that I'm really not doing this for attention. I just think that representation and visibility are so important. I actually hope that one day, videos like this and the whole coming out process are just not necessary. But until then, you know, I'm going to do my best and do my part to cultivate a culture that's accepting, that's compassionate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): Bravo, Carl, bravo. Congratulations. And listen to this, he went on to say that he is donating $100,000 to the Trevor Project, the suicide prevention service for LGBTQ youth in America. And you can reach some, write it down the numbers up on your screen if you'd like to help as well, 1-866-488-7386, 1-866-488-7386, that's the Trevor Project.

Carl Nassib, congratulations and happy pride, everyone.

Now I want to turn to CNN's Paula Reid because she's got more information on our breaking news tonight. Thanks for joining us. There's newly released videos on the capitol insurrection. She is here to tell us about that. So, what are you seeing in these new videos, Paula?

PAULA REID, CNN SENIOR LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Don, what's incredible about these videos is that this is our first time we've seen evidence related to a major planning conspiracy case in the capitol riot investigation. Now Charles Donahoe is charged in a case that accuses the leaders of the Proud Boys of orchestrating breaking into the U.S. Capital on January 6th.

Now prosecutors say and Donahoe has been coordinating, was coordinating group chats and was a trusted senior lieutenant on January 6th, who gave directions to others and actually cheered on allegedly other Proud Boys. And apparently, cheer them on while obtaining a police riot shield during the siege.

Now we have a longer clip where we can see Donahoe, his face is covered with a white stripe bandana and he's looking on as others in the crowd takedown four police officers blocking a stairwell into the capitol. Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: Hold the line! Hold the line.

(CROWD SCREAMING)

UNKNOWN: Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you!

UNKNOWN: (Inaudible) your fucking house.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

REID (on camera): Incredibly disturbing video there. And Don, prosecutors have made it clear they believe that was a key moment as the pro-Trump crowd violently broke down police to move further into the building. Now Donahoe is being held in jail, but he is seeking to be released, he's pleaded not guilty.

LEMON: So, the significance is that to show the public? Is it to get new information? What's the significance of the release, Paula?

REID: Well, all of these videos have been released only after a coalition of media outlets, including CNN sought the tapes from court proceedings which just haven't been released publicly. The videos also provide one of the first sets of these up-close glimpses of exactly what the Proud Boys are doing as they move to attack the capitol.

And Don, we know these videos are coming as right-wing web sites, right-wing channels are trying to shift blame for the capitol attack away from the president and his supporters. But here you have frame by frame, an indisputable account of exactly what happened on that day.

LEMON: Paula, thank you so much with the breaking news tonight. You know, it is a big priority for President Joe Biden and it's all but certain to fail. What happens next in the battle for voting rights?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: We are going to have to be vigilant in fighting back against attempts by the few to silence the many. And that's why what is happening in the Senate this week is so important.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[22:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON (on camera): You know it's a very critical for the Biden administration. Democrats are trying to pass some of his top agenda items before the July 4th break including voting rights, infrastructure, also police reform.

So, joining me now is Matthew Dowd, the former chief strategist for President George W. Bush. Always a pleasure to have you on. Good evening, sir.

MATTHEW DOWD, FORMER CHIEF STRATEGIST FOR PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Hi, Don.

LEMON: So, let's talk about tomorrow's vote, tomorrow's vote on voting rights. Key priority for Biden, for the Biden agenda. It all destined to fail though. Republicans are against it and it's unclear if Democrats will stick together on this. Democrats know the 60 votes aren't there. So, what's this all about? What happens -- now what, as they say, Matthew?

DOWD: Well, to me, we're at a point where I mean, we can blame the Republicans as you know I have for blocking this and doing this and endangering democracy all along the way but at some point, the onus is in on the Democrats who have the 50 seats to actually do something about this to save our democracy and to, you know, revisit the idea that the republic and how we stand on voting rights and how we stand on having a majority rule actually is supposed to be the way it is in place.

And so, my feeling is I don't think there is enough alarm among the Democrats that sit in the Senate to actually protect our democracy. I noticed that Senator Sinema has now spoken out one more time again and she doesn't want to get rid of the filibuster because she doesn't want to endanger democracy.

[22:20:01]

But what she's doing is, she's endangering democracy by sticking with the filibuster. I mean, to me, as I thought about this, it's a bit like having a passenger boat and saying it's about to sink and we're only going to make repairs when we get it to shore, because that's what we always do. We're not going to repair the boat. So, she's just going to let the boat sink, because that's not what we do.

That's a problem here. And the other part of this is that everybody that's seeking bipartisanship in those moment, as you know, Don, I'm a big believer in bipartisanship, but bipartisanship is like a healthy relationship. And a healthy relationship only works if you trust the other person, the other person tells the truth, and they share your same values. If none of that exists, you can't have a relationship, and you can't have bipartisanship.

LEMON: So, listen, every day, I'm sure somewhere in some building, people walk by this thing that says break glass in case of emergency, right? And you may walk by it for years and years and you never have to break the glass. This is a break glass moment in your estimation.

DOWD: It's a complete break glass moment. This is like one of those moments that, I think is akin to what happened in the 1860s. And obviously, none of us foresaw that in order to sort of ensure that slavery wasn't going to be spread throughout the land, we had to end up going to a civil war, and to repair the union.

That was a break glass moment in our country's history. This is one of those moments that everybody has to put all of these old traditions. They're not in the Constitution, the filibuster is not in Constitution. What is in the Constitution is that we're all supposed to be created equal in this process, and we're all supposed to have an equal vote in this. The American public is, and the Republicans want to do away with this in that moment.

And so, absolutely. I don't think, obviously, this is not something, it'll be fine, everybody after January 20th, it'll be fine because Donald Trump is going back to Florida and everything will be fine. Well, it's worse today. In my view, it is worse today than it was during the four years of President Trump's presidency. That is the problem.

LEMON: I want to share something. It's from a New York Times columnist Charles Blow, and here is what he writes. He says, Democrats, Republicans don't want you to win. It's that simple.

They want no successes on your watch. I say, dispense with the phony wish driven narrative Democrats are selling, go down screaming and fighting. Much of the Democratic agenda may be stalled, but never stop reminding voters why it is. Not because Democrats haven't compromised enough, but because they could never compromise enough.

Is he right? McConnell has previously said that a 100 percent of his focus is on stopping the Biden administration. So, you know, as you said, the onus should be on Democrats. Do they need to stop pretending like Republicans will ever going to come on board, and they need to have more urgency?

DOWD: Well, I think he is right. I think that this has been -- this has been a slow move that has gotten this over the years to this point, were basically, the American public, the majority of the American public is not getting what they want. The American -- 80 percent of the public wants gun reform, we're not getting it. Eighty percent of the public wants a raise in the minimum wage, we're not getting it.

Seventy percent of the public wants something done on climate change, and something real reform done on climate change, we're not getting it done. More -- a majority of the country wants more expansion of health care. It's not getting done.

All of those things are happening and now the most fundamental thing that exists, and it's the only thing that allows any voter to hold a politician accountable, which is your vote, and once that is compromised, which I think all of this legislation does is compromise people's ability to vote and hold somebody accountable, then people can do what they want.

And that's the situation we're in today. And I think Democrats are still operating, many Democrats are operating as if Washington, D.C. is what it was 10, or 20, or 30 years ago. It's not. The world has changed and they need to get to where the world is today with the Republican Party we are dealing with now. Not the Republican Party of Reagan or Eisenhower, or Teddy Roosevelt. That is gone.

LEMON: Or even of Obama, quite frankly. I mean, you know, this is, I think this is we've gone even beyond that. It was bad enough then, you know, with Mitch McConnell said I want to make him a one-term president.

Listen, Matthew, I mean, I've been sort of saying the same sentiment that you have from, that this is just from my point of view, and what the evidence shows is that, quite frankly, Republicans are better at politics, especially when it comes to these issues. I don't -- I'm not saying that that's good than Democrats.

And I think Democrats are operating with an old playbook, an old narrative, so to speak. This is the urgency is just not there. We beat up on the Democrats enough on this or at least challenge them enough for this segment.

But what incentive does the GOP really have to protect voting rights for all people, particularly black and brown communities, Matthew? When the GOP is showing that they don't believe that they can win with an expanded electorate, and they're moving so quickly to restrict these rights in states all across this country.

[22:25:05]

DOWD: Well, you know, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence where moral documents, fundamentally there were moral documents that express what people's rights are in this country. It's a moral. And so, the only appeal you can have is doing the Republicans do what is morally right, which is giving people access and giving people the vote and not trying to nullify elections.

That to me, the Republicans, there is no longer an ability to morally shame the Republicans today, and I think that's the difference between Democrats and Republicans and I've noticed this over the years but it's very true today is Republicans have no shame. Zero shame. Zero shame. Zero shame.

Democrats, I think, feel shame way too much whenever somebody criticizes them, they back off too quickly on this. And I'm not advocating that the Democrats go beyond the law or do anything but they need to bring every tool to bear. They need to follow what the Texas Democrats did in the legislature who walked out and now whose budget has been defunded by the governor but they thought it was an important moment to do that and to make that stand.

And I don't think and believe me, Don, I think the Democratic Party is the only vehicle today to protect our republic. It the only vehicle today and I think Republicans need to suffer devastating losses because that's the only way they're going to learn. But Democrats have to really stand up and speak clearly and be strong about this and not go back into the sort of I'm on x subcommittee and I have a meeting today. They need to understand the house is on fire and they got to put the house, the fire --

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Break the glass.

DOWD: -- and do anything else.

LEMON: Break the glass. Break the glass. Listen, I've been saying that, you know, bipartisanship for the sake of bipartisan is really just empty. It's just performative. And it doesn't, what does it accomplish? It doesn't accomplish anything. It doesn't save the democracy. It doesn't help the democracy nor does it help the republic and it's time for -- you're right. Someone -- this is a break glass moment.

As someone who comes from the background that I come from and the ancestors that I have and what they had to go in order to get the right to vote, that right should be preserved at all cost, not just for black people or people of African descent but for people in this country. Last word.

DOWD: And Don, think of the blood and the lives that have been lost to defend our democracy over the years, whether it's in the wars, World War II. Today is the anniversary of the three civil rights workers who were trying to get voting rights in Mississippi who were kidnapped and killed today, Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner --

LEMON: Right.

DOWD: -- were all killed on this day in 1964 with the Mississippi burning movie was made about. That's what -- how do we honor their legacy? We honor their legacy not by going to a movie or putting up a quote of Martin Luther King on the wall. We honor their legacy by fighting for it today.

LEMON: Amen. That's, again, not performative. They actually did and they died. They put their lives on the line and paid the ultimate price to help to protect, to get people the right to vote.

Thank you, Matthew. I appreciate -- I appreciate your strong stance and I like having you on. So, thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

DOWD: Thanks, Don. Take care.

LEMON: New York City mayoral candidates in a campaign blitz before tomorrow's Democratic primary focusing on rise in crime all across the city. And 11th hour alliances are adding all kinds of complications to how the race will play out. And check it out, we have another candidate for you here this evening. There she is. Candidate Kathryn Garcia joins me next.

[22:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON (on camera): So, we've been reporting on this and you know in just a few hours New York City voters will head to the polls to choose the Democratic and Republican nominees for mayor. With COVID infection rates plummeting, a surge though and violent crime in the city has become the key issue in the campaign.

So, joining me now to discuss on New York City mayoral candidate Kathryn Garcia. Glad to have you on. Thank you so much for joining.

KATHRYN GARCIA (D), NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL CANDIDATE: I'm thrilled to be with you.

LEMON: So, let's talk about the issues, crimes, like murders, shooting, hate crimes. We're seeing a sharp increase from last year. Look, crime is still down from its high in the 80s but we're seeing a sharp increase in many areas that people are concerned about and they should be. Why are you a better choice to tackle this problem than someone like an Eric Adams who has spent his career in law enforcement, Kathryn?

GARCIA: Yes, I've actually run an agency that had law enforcement in it and I have a strong plan for not only dealing with the crime that we're seeing today, getting guns off the street. I've committed to get 10,000 guns off the street. We've seen some really horrifying videos of kids caught in crossfire, but also making the investment in communities so that you have a guaranteed job if you're 16 to 24. We have to make sure that we're doing the reform required and getting the culture changed in the NYPD.

So, it's not a warrior class. It's a guardian class for all of our communities. And I know that I'm the one to put that in place. I mean, let's be honest, his union didn't even endorse him. They don't have confidence that he can get crime under control.

LEMON: So, you know and, so you and Andrew Yang have campaigned together tonight. You were out together this weekend. He's endorsing you, telling his voters to rank you on their ballots but you're declining to co-endorse him. What is that, why are you joining forces? What's going on?

GARCIA: You know actually, we're saying the same thing we've been saying for months now. Andrew has always been a fan and I've always been respectful of him and this is part of what this election can be about. How do you --

LEMON: I think her -- her signal froze, if you think you can get it back, let me know. Otherwise, I'm going to continue on and I'll move forward.

[22:34:59]

So anyways listen, she might be back. So, I said that the -- they're voting this week. Are you there, Kathryn? GARCIA: Yes, I'm here.

LEMON: You froze. But we're good. OK, I'm glad you're back. All right. So, listen, let's go back to this crime thing and I'll talk to you and I have another sound I want to play of Eric Adams. But I want to go back to this crime thing. You do understand that again, that's the number one issue and you said we need the reforms that we need in police departments, and so on.

But that's a big challenge now because people in New York City whether people want to hear that or not, the reform the police folks or what have you. The people want more police officers, better policing. They want to be safe. They don't want to have to look over their shoulder. That video that you mentioned of the guy being shot at with the kids, you know, falling to the ground and the kids, you know, could have been shot. That is frightening for a lot of New Yorkers.

The city can recover economically. Don't bet against New York City. Chances are New York City is going to be just fine. But you cannot bring back a life. You can bring -- you can, look, I can sell an apartment. You can find another apartment.

You can buy a stock, sell a stock, that's all well and good but you can't bring a life back. And when people are concerned about their safety and the safety of their loved ones, that's a whole other level. So, what is your plan? That is the number one issue I'm telling you that's all people talk to me about, Kathryn.

GARCIA: It's the only thing that people are talking to me about, as well, and I lived through the '70s and '80s. We cannot go back to those times. That's why we need to make sure that we are doubling the size of the NYPD's gun suppression unit.

These are the folks who do the hard investigative work that we have real neighborhood policing where we are making it so that there is trust with community because you can't clear crimes, solve them if you don't have trust with communities and that we needed gun buy-back program.

And that is part of my plan to make sure that we are dealing with that specific issue of the rise in gun violence because any gun we can get off the street is a gun that might be one that had been used to hurt someone. And we have to make it so that we are stopping the iron pipeline. There are no gunman manufacturer in the city of New York.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: One quick thing.

GARCIA: Either it's coming from --

LEMON: One quick thing before -- two quick things. If you can answer quickly for me. I have the former police commissioner Bill Bratton on last week and he says that everything is -- that the narrative out there what's happening with police reform that's hurting. I'm not saying it's true or not but that's what the former police commissioner is saying.

He's also saying that the reforms that have happened especially like bail reform, it's really hurting the crime rate and it's causing crime rates to spike. He said some people should be in jail at this point. What do you make of what the former police commissioner said?

GARCIA: Look, I've run a uniform agency. I understand what it takes to motivate people who are part of the uniformed services in the city of New York. I've done that. I actually got endorsed by my union which is unusual for labor and management to get along that well, but it's about trusting them so that they can trust you and making sure that we are holding everyone accountable.

LEMON: OK.

GARCIA: No good cop wants a bad cop getting away with something because it tarnishes everyone and I know how to get that done.

LEMON: So, this is what Eric Adams, I said I want to play this for you. He's calling your alliance racially motivated and he told my colleague John Berman this earlier today. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC ADAMS (D), NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL CANDIDATE: It just sends the wrong message. It was on June 19th. Juneteenth a federal holiday that was just signed into law. They sent a signal as you have all of the African-American and Hispanic candidates in the race. What message were you sending during this time that we're talking about how do you empower various ethnic groups in politics?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): He's a leading Democratic contender. What's he talking about? What's your response?

GARCIA: Look, my response is my message. it's been I want everyone to go out there and vote. I want them to use their rank choice vote. Seventy-three percent of New York City voted for rank choice. I am very pro making sure every community has the right to vote. You know, this is personal for me. I come from an adopted family. I was adopted as two were my siblings who were black. Having the right is critical. And we have to also be advocating across the federal level to make sure that we're not losing voting rights elsewhere.

LEMON: Yes.

GARCIA: But go out tomorrow, please go out and make your voice heard.

LEMON: All right. Let me tell you this. We also going to -- we need some infrastructure change here especially when it comes to Wi-Fi in the city. We have -- we tried to have Eric Adams on, we lost him one night because we couldn't get an internet connection. We had an internet problem with Maya Wiley and we have an internet problem with you.

[22:40:01]

So, we hope that's also part of your priority to make sure you fix the infrastructure as it relates to wireless and, you know, making sure people have connectivity in the city. It's important. It's important for kids who were in school. It's important for a lot of us. Thank you very much, Kathryn Garcia.

GARCIA: Thank you so much. I look forward to seeing you again.

LEMON: Good luck. Thank you very much. I appreciate the conversation. Sorry about the technical issue.

So, the battle for voting rights in this country about to heat up. Former President Barack Obama says democracy is on the line. We'll talk.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON (on camera): President Barack Obama makes a major push for voting rights legislation saying our democracy is on the line.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: The violence that occurred in the U.S. Capitol on January 6th just a few months ago should remind us that we can't take our democracy for granted.

[22:45:06]

Around the world, we've seen once vibrant democracies go into reverse, locking in power for a small group of powerful autocrats and business interests and locking out of the political process, dissidents, and protesters and opposition parties and the voices of ordinary people. It is happening in other places around the world and these impulses have crept into the United States. We are not immune from some of these efforts to weaken our democracy.

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LEMON (on camera): Someone who has done the work on all of this right after the break LaTosha Brown, Black Voters Matter next.

[22:50:00]

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LEMON (on camera): President Obama is making a big push for voting rights legislation. So, joining me now LaTosha Brown, she is the co- founder of Black Voters Matter.

LaTosha, I'm so happy that you're here. And I know it's very busy since you started off your campaign. We'll talk about that in a moment. But first, good evening.

First, let me get your reaction to what we're wearing from former President Barack Obama. Because you're one of the people on the battle lines, fighting against these attempts to suppress the vote.

LATOSHA BROWN, CO-FOUNDER, BLACK VOTERS MATTER: You know, I am, I think he's absolutely right. You know, I think that we all know that the Republicans are -- you know, the fact that they would even use the filibuster to stop debate really talks about that there is no interest in passing voting rights or even being supportive of voting rights.

They've taken the role of just being obstructionists. That fundamentally when you're talking about the principle of democracy while they throw that word around and they don't even do that very often. They don't fundamentally believe in the value and the principle of democracy.

And so, right now, I think the biggest fight that we've had in our lifetime is really now. Like, really is around how are we going to -- who is going to have the courage to stand in the space and fight for democracy, expanding democracy in this country.

And so I don't even think that this is an issue that should be a partisan issue. I think this is a people issue. This is really around, you know, at certain times in our nation's history, that you set the course, you set the tone of what is the character of a nation. Right? And are we still, here we are in 2021, you know, 37 years passed when there were three young men who were killed just for trying to registers people to vote.

But it's that same kind of energy that we see right now that the Republicans are literally holding up to really stop - stop voting rights in this country and really lead in the voter suppression.

LEMON: I'm glad you say that because voting rights is not about ideology, it's not about left and right. This is -- this is a fundamental American right, the right to vote. There is nothing that's more patriotic and nothing that says America than more than -- than giving everyone as much access, equal access to the voting box and as much access as possible.

I think it should be a national holiday so people could get have a day off and be able to vote. But that's a whole -- that's a whole another show that we can talk about. A little bit more about the former president, he talked about the Republicans using the filibuster, LaTosha, to stop the voting rights legislation.

What does it say to you that Republicans are using the filibuster, a Senate tool, quite frankly, with a racist history to stop legislation that would protect voting rights for black and brown communities?

BROWN: It says that they are using the filibuster for the same reason that it was designed and it was to stop progress in this country. That the filibuster was actually was created to stop civil rights legislation. And here -- civil rights legislation. And here we are again in 2021 at the same place.

The question is are the Democrats going to end the filibuster so that we can move forward in this nation? Are we going to have the courage to do the right thing? Are we going to have the courage to make sure that we're supporting democracy? Are we going to show up for black voters like black voters showed up in this last election cycle?

And so, I think that we are at a critical moment. I do believe that this is a defining moment. This is a defining moment of what it is that we really believe and what we stand for as a nation. Why are we even having a conversation around where we are literally engaged in. We need bipartisanship.

When we know at the end of the day any person of reasonable has any integrity, right, knows what is happening. That this is quite frankly a party that has been corrupt, you know, a party that is basing all of this on a big lie that essentially it is a punitive measure to punish folks for participating in the political process.

And so, in a democracy why we not want to do everything in our power to make it stronger so people have equal access? But now we're going to obstruct?

LEMON: Amen. Amen to you. How long were you on the bus for the 2020 election? How long were you out and about?

BROWN: No. Technically, we were actually on a bus for four years.

LEMON: All right. So, listen.

BROWN: We are standing on the bus for four years. We had a little break because of COVID and then we jumped right in it back in June. And June and we have been nonstop since June of last year once the world opened back up, we've been nonstop.

Because listen, there are people who fought and died for the right to vote. We fundamentally believe in democracy. If I was at a polling site and there was a Republican that someone was trying to stop voting, or a Democrat or a libertarian, I would fight as ferociously for them because I believe that as a human being that I should have agency that my agency that I should be able to make an impact and influence any decision that is going to be about me and my family.

And I actually share that belief around every single human being -- LEMON: OK.

BROWN: -- whether I agree with them or not.

LEMON: All right.

BROWN: It is about for me.

LEMON: All right. All right. I'm going to let you continue on here. Don't -- listen, I'm not cutting you off. But let me say, listen, you were in Atlanta tonight for voting rights, your bus tour.

[22:55:01]

We remember the Fulton County absentee ballots being counted late into the night there on camera and all those things that we saw, the efforts around suppression. What is it going to take to stop these endless audits, fraud-its, the election fraud, to have a free and fair election? What does it take to do that? And I got to go because I got some breaking news by the way. But go on.

BROWN: Don, it hasn't stopped. So, I think what is going to take is we need federal legislation. We need the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Advancement Act. There is no way around it. We are going to have federal legislation to actually protect the right to vote in this nation.

LEMON: Listen, let me tell everyone. I'm just going to be transparent. LaTosha is all dressed up and she's looks amazing now. Not that she doesn't look amazing in a t-shirt, but she's out in a t-shirt and, listen, her bus tour has started already and she's out working for you. This is someone who is actually doing the work.

LaTosha, I love having you on, I love what you're doing, it's so patriotic and it's so American. Thanks for standing up for all people, Republicans and Democrats, and the right to vote. OK? Thank you so much.

BROWN: Thank you for having me, Don.

LEMON: Absolutely. So here is the breaking news that I've mentioned just moments ago that I have to tell you about. The DOJ is releasing videos from the capitol riot and we have them, we're going to go through them. Don't go anywhere. That's next.

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