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Don Lemon Tonight

Bill Cosby Released From Jail; Sources: Manhattan Grand Jury Indicting The Trump Organization And Its CFO, Allen Weisselberg; Cosby Accusers Shocked By The Court's Decision; Michael Fanone Attends House Vote For January 6 Select Committee, Representatives Cheney and Kinzinger Voted With Democrats. Aired 10-11p ET

Aired June 30, 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)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST (on camera): Boy, you talk to people who have faith and they always say, you know, religion doesn't keep bad things from happening in your life but faith can often help you get through what does happen. That's certainly the case for the Monte Agudo (Ph) family.

Thank you for watching. D. Lemon, "DON LEMON TONIGHT" right now.

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: There are some beautiful families there. And the stories that they're telling about their loved ones, heart wrenching and much needed. We need to hear about the lives of the folks.

But I have some breaking handoff news that I want to talk to you about because you're an attorney. Talk to me about what's happening with Weisselberg and the Trump Org. Because supposedly this is over tax crimes in connection with an array of perks and benefits awarded to employees.

CUOMO: Right.

LEMON: So Weisselberg is supposedly charged now, indicted, I should say, and the Trump Organization. What gives? What's going on?

CUOMO: Indicted, charged, same thing. He's in the same position.

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: He's supposed to surrender himself tomorrow is our reporting. Now, let me give you the plus minus on this, OK? Here's the bad news for Trump people, OK. We've never seen a former president connected to this kind of criminal prosecution. This is his company. It was just indicted for alleged criminal behavior.

More troubling is, the man that they have fingered for this, Weisselberg, now is in a jam because the only way out of it, he obviously couldn't convince them that they had the wrong guy or it wasn't worth what they think, he may be able to convince a jury otherwise. But if these benefits, ill-gotten gains, as prosecutors will call

them, extended to his kids, and they can say to him, we're going to charge your kids, Mr. Weisselberg, and you're going to go away and so might they, unless somebody else knew.

Somebody told you do this. Then you need to tell us. That can be very powerful medicine. What's the minus? These charges any day in prison is a bad day, don't get me wrong. But these are not heavyweight charges.

LEMON: That's where I was going. Aren't they going to say that most companies, most people do this, it's not a chargeable offense, why are you charging the former president's company and the person who ran or signed the checks? Are you treating him any differently than you would treat anyone else if you look at any company and their perks?

CUOMO: They can, they can, but I don't think that gets you very far in a court of law. You don't like the president. You only know what you show. And if they show that the tax code was violated or that any statutes were violated, it doesn't matter how you feel about the violator, they violated the law.

And now it's up to the jury to decide whether it meets the burden and to a judge to figure out what the punishment is. So, I don't think that argument is very strong. The problem for prosecutors will be, you know, one, can they make the case against these people?

You know, we're put an expectation that they want to get Trump. That's politics, that's media. We don't know that. They just want to go with the evidence lies.

LEMON: Right.

CUOMO: But if Weisselberg, as Barbara Res, a long time Trump employee said on the show tonight, he knew, he knew. They only did what he told them to do. If that's the case, we could see a former president of the United States indicted.

LEMON: I think that's the last word on that. We have lots of breaking news. I wanted to clarify that with you because we're going to be talking about that and other things as well. I shall see you tomorrow. Thank you, my friend.

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: Don Lemon, I'm give you my legal advice for free because I love you.

LEMON: I appreciate your perspective and your legal advice and that goes double. Thank you, sir. All right. I'll see you soon. So that's the breaking news.

This is Don Lemon Tonight. Obviously, I'm Don Lemon.

But there is -- that's one bit of our breaking news. We have other breaking news as it comes to this, as it comes to the insurrection and so on and so forth. We're going to talk about Bill Cosby tonight.

Bill Cosby is a free man and the women who accuse him who spoke out about what they say the star who was once known as America's dad did to them, many of whom I have spoken with over the years, well, they are shocked tonight wondering how this could happen. He is back at his Pennsylvania home thanks to a surprise ruling from Pennsylvania Supreme Court vacating his 2018 conviction for sexual assault.

Cosby had been sentenced to up to 10 years in a state prison for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his home 14 years ago.

[22:05:03]

He said nothing at a press conference outside his home today, just nodding his head as his publicist called his victory for Americans treated badly by the judicial system. That's how his publicist described it.

Cosby later tweeted he has always maintained his innocence and thanked his fans. Andrea Constand who had at the time work for Temple University was mentioned by Cosby, putting out a statement calling the decision not only disappointing but of concern and that it may discourage those who seek justice for sexual assault in the criminal justice system from reporting or participating in the prosecution of the assailant or may force the victim to choose between filing either a criminal or civil action. Filing either a criminal or civil action.

So, the fact is, the court didn't say Cosby's accuser weren't telling the truth. They didn't say he's innocent, despite Cosby -- Cosby's claims. This was strictly procedural. But at least so many women who publicly accused him of raping or assaulting them, at least 50 of them by CNN's count, it leaves them in shock. It does. And I with some of them back in 2014 and their stories are devastated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHELAN LASHA, COSBY VICTIM: But I could not move. I couldn't respond. And I remember feeling something warm hit the side of my leg. And when I woke up, I just had the Hilton Hotel robe on and no clothes.

LEMON: Yes.

LASHA: But before that, I had on clothes. It changed my whole life. And I got a piece of it back and the only thing that I have left is to confront him. And I would love to see you in a court of law. I want to see you in a court of law. I'd like to see you eye to eye. I want him to be the man he was when he took away my youth and accept the woman that I am now and ready to take him on.

JOAN TARSHIS, COSBY VICTIM: I remember both times. I remember having one blood Mary topped with beer, as I said, he called it a red eye. And I woke up I don't know how long later with him taking off my clothes. And you don't pass out from one small drink.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON (on camera): So, I'm going to speak with -- you're going to hear

tonight from those two women, that's going to happen in just a moment so make sure you stay tuned. So how exactly did this happen? OK? We're going to go through it for you.

According to the court, then district attorney made a deal not to prosecute Cosby for the indictment involving Constand, forcing him to testify under oath in a civil case. Years later, though, a different prosecutor used that testimony against Cosby in his criminal trial. And who was that original district attorney? A guy named Bruce Castor. Sound familiar? Wondering where you've heard that name before?

Well, this might jog your memory. He is the guy who delivered a rambling defense, heavy on the rambling, light on the defense, of then president in his second impeachment trial.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRUCE CASTOR JR., FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S LEGAL COUNSEL: When I was growing up in suburban Philadelphia, my parents were big fans of Senator Everett Dirksen from Illinois. And Senator Dirksen recorded a series of lectures that my parents had on a record. And we still know what records are, right? On the thing you put the needle down on and you play it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): OK. Well, we've got a whole lot more to come on this over the next two hours, so make sure you stay tuned.

We've also got a lot more on our breaking news tonight that I spoke with Chris just moments ago, a Manhattan grand jury indicting the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg. That according to people familiar with the matter, those charges expected to be unsealed tomorrow. We're going to be bringing you all the latest on that as well.

And there is the House -- the House that voted tonight to create a select committee to investigate the insurrection at the capital on January 6th. The vote to absolutely no one is surprise, almost entirely along party lines. Just two Republicans, Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, of course, voting with Democrats to learn the truth about what happened on one of the darkest days in American history.

The rest of the GOP trying to sweep everything under the rug as they have been doing lately, just sweeping it on to a big memory hole, just like Senate Republicans did last month, claiming the select committee would be partisan, which is garbage.

GOP deniers don't care about bipartisanship at all. If they did, they would have voted for that independent bipartisan commission last month. See that commission had the name in it, bipartisan. But they didn't vote for that.

[22:09:55] Republican sources telling CNN they were embarrassed that some of the police officers who risk their lives defending the capitol were there to see their cowardice today. One of those officers is a man that I've gotten to know very well, you've seen him on this show he is a truth teller is officer Michael Fanone. And he says that he is shocked but not surprised that 190 Republicans voted no today.

He'll be here tonight and you'll want to know what he says. You'll want to hear it, so he'll be here. We have a jam-packed two hours for you on all of this news, the breaking news on all of these subjects.

So, let's get straight to the Bill Cosby release from prison today. Joining me now, two of Cosby's accuser, Joan Tarshis -- Tarshis and Chelan Lasha both joins us. And with them Marc Strecker, Mrs. Lasha's attorney. Thank you all for being here. I appreciate it. Hi, Joanie, how are you?

TARSHIS: Hi, Donny, I'm fine. How are you?

LEMON: Full transparency, Joanie and I have become friends over the years and I'm so happy to have her here to discuss this. So, Joanie, thank you.

To see this conviction thrown out, I know it's devastating to you, but how are you feeling?

TARSHIS: A friend of mine called me from Italy this morning and said, did you hear the Bill Cosby news? And I said what? And then The New York Times came in over my phone. And I was shocked. I mean, you know, I don't think prison helps anybody. I would have liked to have seen him in a group therapy session with men that have done the same thing. That's what I think might have helped him. Maybe.

You know, he's in such -- he's going to say I didn't do it. I didn't do it, I didn't do it. You know, until his dying days, which probably is sooner than you might think. He didn't look good.

So, I mean this was horrible what happened to me. I'm writing about it in my book. It was really horrific. But it was a long time ago. When I was writing about it, it brought feelings up. And when I go back and do the rewrites, it will bring feelings up. But it was like 1970, 1969. I mean, I moved forward (Inaudible).

I mean, you can't -- I mean, I feel that you can't keep living in the past because you have to move forward, that you have to exercise things from your life. And you can't stay there. You can't stay in the grief. You can't stay in the horror of things that happen to you in your past.

A lot of other ugly things happened to me in my past. But I'm not there anymore. I don't know whether that makes sense. People are probably going to say, no, no, no, he should be in jail. He should be -- you know, strung up by his thumbs. What good is that going to do me?

LEMON: Well, I got to tell you, Joan, I know that Chelan feels differently than that. Chelan, this has very emotional. We saw, you know, we remember the emotional testimony that you described what you say happened to you when you were 17. You know, you said that you were drugged and assaulted. How do you feel?

LASHA: Yes.

LEMON: What do you think about that?

LASHA: I -- I'm overwhelmed.

LEMON: Go ahead, Chelan.

LASHA: I'm totally overwhelmed. When I got the call this morning, I felt like I was hit by a train. You know, he deserved to get what he did because what was unjust. He's out on a technicality, but that doesn't change the fact that he is a predator. All of us girls are still suffering, some more than others, but it's a travesty to justice to me.

LEMON: Yes. Joanie says -- Joan says she's moved beyond it. It's been tougher for you?

LASHA: It's been tougher for me. I go to counseling. I see psychiatrists. I've been seeing them for years. And it's hard for me every day. It's even hard even being married and being awoke, I'm just sleeping and I have nightmares of him to this very day. And it's hard on me.

LEMON: When, Chelan, when you address the court, you directly addressed Bill Cosby from the stand. And you said, you remember, don't you, Mr. Cosby. Do you still believe he remembers?

LASHA: Yes, I do. He looked directly at me. When I said my grandparent's names, he looked directly at me and it just came out as if they were saying it themselves.

[22:15:03]

And I knew he did and he smiled at me. So I know he recognized me.

LEMON: Listen --

(CROSSTALK)

TARSHIS: Don, I can say something?

LEMON: Go ahead, Joan.

TARSHIS: I think -- I don't know how many women he remembers because he's done this to so many people. I mean, I was in my 1970. One woman came up that was earlier than that. I mean, he's probably been doing this since he was on "I Spy". And that's my --

(CROSSTALK)

LASHA: Well, I personally say he was a visitor in my home. My grandmother used to cook meals for him when he came to Vegas. So I know he remembers me. When I said my grandparents' name, I knew he remembered me. When he looked at me for a woman whose house that you came to, you had all the children in my neighborhood enamored with him. Yes, he remembered me.

LEMON: Yes.

TARSHIS: That's a -- you know, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about those that he didn't just slipped off like a flip card (Inaudible). You were slight -- you are different.

LEMON: Yes.

LASHA: Yes.

LEMON: Joan, Chelan, I want you to stand by, Mark as well. I'm going to take a quick break. OK? But when we come back, I want to get your reaction to Bill Cosby tweeting today that he's always maintained his innocence. How do you feel about that? We'll talk to these two women and their attorney -- one of their attorneys tonight. We'll be right back.

[22:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON (on camera): Bill Cosby a free man tonight, released from prison after a stunning decision by Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturning his sexual assault conviction, ruling his due process rights were violated.

Back with me now, Cosby accusers, Joan Tarshis and also Chelan Lasha. Marc Strecker is with us as well, that is -- she is -- he is Ms. Lasha's attorney.

So, again, it's good to have all of you on. Chelan, let me start with you. I'm thinking back to that powerful New York magazine cover featuring 35 Cosby accusers.

LASHA: Yes.

LEMON: Do you remember that cover?

LASHA: Yes.

LEMON: So, what do you -- what does today mean for women in other cases coming out, speaking out in the future?

LASHA: I think that we opened the world for everybody. As well as this has been painful, it's been powerful. And I'm excited to be a part of all the fabulous women that I've met and how we stood strong and bonded together and how it inspired others to bond together to stand up for themselves also.

LEMON: Marc, thank you for sitting by patiently. I want to bring you in now. One thing the Pennsylvania Supreme Court makes clear is that there can be no third Cosby trial. The court says that the remedy here is to bar any further prosecution of Cosby in the Andrea Constand case. So, what is your message tonight?

MARC STRECKER, CHELAN LASHA'S ATTORNEY: Well, thank you, Don, for having me on. I would like to point out, as you pointed out at the top of the hour, that the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania did not determine that Mr. Cosby is innocent. It did not determine that Mr. Cosby did not commit this act against Andrea Constand or against any of the other accusers.

The court ruled on a procedural ground that the state of Pennsylvania is bound by the decision of a former prosecutor not to prosecute. And the court reasoned that Mr. Cosby relied to his detriment on the public statements of that prosecutor that he would not prosecute. And that Mr. Cosby, therefore, testified in civil cases in a manner that incriminated himself.

And so, the court held that it would be an injustice and a violation of his due process rights to prosecute him at this point. But that doesn't say anything about whether he is guilty or innocent. And I think that's an important fact for everyone to understand.

The silver lining, in my opinion, about this disappointing decision, is that there are a number of civil cases that have been on hold while criminal charges were pending against Mr. Cosby, including during this time that the criminal charges -- the criminal conviction was on appeal. And I believe that there is no more reason to keep those civil cases on hold anymore because Mr. Cosby is now not facing criminal charges.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Let me ask you, Marc.

STRECKER: So, I believe --

LEMON: Marc, do you think that it makes the civil cases harder or easier to prove? Because they can always say, look, my client was, you know, let out of prison or was convicted wrongfully, therefore, none of it stands. No one has said that he's -- listen, I know that you're saying it doesn't say that Cosby is not guilty or innocent, however the court decides. But also, can you say that he is -- that he has been proven in a court of law at this point?

STRECKER: Well, he was found guilty by the jury. He was found guilty. And the Supreme Court did not determine that he's not guilty. They reversed his conviction based on that reason that I was mentioning earlier, that the state of Pennsylvania is bound by the statements of the former prosecutor.

I don't think that makes it harder for the civil cases to proceed. I think that the evidence against Mr. Cosby is overwhelming. I believe my clients. I believe the other accusers. I believe that the evidence is strong against him and I think that the civil cases have every -- every chance of prevailing.

LEMON: Yes. Chelan, what do you want to say? You're having a hard time.

[22:20:06]

LASHA: It's been hard. And to see him get away like that in everything he'd done to myself, he ruined a perfect, innocent girl. I'm sorry. I apologize.

LEMON: There's no need to apologize. Go on.

LASHA: I apologize. But you know, God is on my side. It will be all right.

LEMON: Joan, what do you want to say?

TARSHIS: I just feel very sad that she is still so affected by this. And it's, you know, it's a horrible thing. And people read my book and go into what he did to me, it's going to shock some people. I can't really put it in detail and I don't want to talk about it now.

But it was horrific. You know, I was unconscious for a day, I don't know, from like midnight one day to noon the next day. And in that time, he brutalized me. And I was covered with black and blue marks. They hear my -- they hear cat.

LASHA: They probably do.

TARSHIS: Anyway yes, it's like, you know, more come back to me as I delved into writing my book. So, he did some pretty nasty stuff. What can I say? He's really a sick -- you know, I don't know whether he's a sick man. I don't want to analyze him. But I just think that therapy for people who have issues, whatever they are, helps. As she can testify to.

You know, I'm in therapy now. I mean, I didn't even know that I had PTSD until five years ago. So, you know, I'm afraid of shadows and walking in (Inaudible) and get scared. So, I understand what you're saying. I really understand what you're saying. But, you know, I cannot judge my fellow man even though my fellow man, you know, allegedly did things to me.

LEMON: Well, Joan, I appreciate you joining us and sharing your feelings today. Chelan, I appreciate you sharing your feelings. Marc as well. You guys --

STRECKER: Thank you, Don.

LEMON: This is -- we'll continue to discuss this. Obviously, this is just -- it just happened, the breaking news today. I'm sure there will be much more discussion. Take care. Joan --

LASHA: Thank you.

LEMON: I'll text you or call you later, Joan. Thank you. Be well.

LASHA: Thank you so much.

TARSHIS: Thank you.

LEMON: OK. Bye-bye to the cats and dogs too as well in the background. That's -- everyone is -- everyone is working from home. Everyone is Zooming or Skyping, or what have you, and that's what happens, real life. I appreciate all of them sharing how they feel this evening.

So, another question for you. Is Bill Cosby free all because of a procedural issue, right? Laura is here. She's going to break down everything for us, was it the right decision? Was it the wrong decision? What this all means. There's Laura after the break.

[22:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON (on camera): OK, so we're back now. Pennsylvania Supreme Court throwing out Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction ruling that prosecutors violated his due process rights. The state's highest court ordering his immediate release from prison and barring any future prosecution on the particular charges involved in this case.

Lot to discuss now. CNN senior legal analyst Laura Coates is here, former federal prosecutor by the way.

Laura, thank you very much. What did you -- explain this to us. Supreme Court came to this decision saying that Bill Cosby -- they didn't say that he was innocent, did they?

LAURA COATES, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: No, they didn't. In fact, they didn't reach, no, they did not. They didn't reach that conclusion at all. They didn't say they thought he should be acquitted. They said that this trial never should have gone on because there was an earlier agreement not to prosecute.

And that earlier prosecutor, Bruce Castor, he didn't make it in his own personal capacity. He essentially foreclosed it because he was doing it on behalf of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

And in doing so, it was the government that agreed not to prosecute Bill Cosby, and the court found that the later prosecutor could not simply undo what the government already agreed not do because Bill Cosby had relied to his detriment and actually made statements that they were able to use as incriminating against him later.

It is a procedurally correct result, but naturally you can imagine the emotion and seeing the guests that you had on the show are but a drop in the bucket of all of the emotion that we're seeing come out and the visceral reaction because it had nothing to do with the actual trial and what the jury found for guilt.

LEMON: That's what I wanted to ask you. You can make a distinction, right? There is a distinction. There is nuance, Laura, that what you -- what people believe Cosby did was horrible. You can feel for the victims and understand how emotional, how they would feel about this.

[22:35:03] But then also agree that procedurally it was the correct thing to do. Am I wrong with that?

COATES: No, you're right. And that really is the moral conundrum for so many people. The idea of how and what happens in a system of justice doesn't always have what feels like just results. And that's really the problem here.

Because, again, it had nothing to do with what the jury found. The court, Supreme Court did not say that there was somehow some procedural error in the trial, an issue with juror misconduct. They did not say that the government failed to even meet their burden of proof. What they said was it never should have gotten there because a prosecutor's agreement should have been ironclad enough.

It essentially enticed Bill Cosby not to -- or to speak against his -- his due process interests, against his right against self- incrimination and it was used against him later as expected.

LEMON: Got it.

COATES: But this was not the Supreme Court saying this man is innocent.

LEMON: I have a short time here left. I just want to ask you, is this the end of the road? Can -- can they overturn this or is this the end of the road for Andrea Constand and can this be appealed and so on?

COATES: Unfortunately, the only people to appeal it to is the United States Supreme Court, and it's unlikely they would take a case like this because the underlying facts of the case, the legal arguments, frankly are not that complicated.

But I will say, remember, other cases might not be time barred, it might be able to bring cases against Bill Cosby. But this one, the facts of this case, the Supreme Court said it is the end of the road here.

LEMON: And for other accusers, you said -- that it may not be time barred. And so, there may be --

(CROSSTALK)

COATES: If they're not -- if they're not time barred, they could, if they're not time barred. But again, this, a lot of the cases that have come up, the allegations are things that predated even the allegations of Andrea Constand.

LEMON: Got it.

COATES: And it's really can have a chilling effect, frankly, on other victims of sexual assault.

LEMON: Thank you, Laura, it needed explaining. You did it perfectly. We appreciate it. Thanks so much.

COATES: Thank you.

LEMON: So, he defended the capital on January 6th and today he was there again watching the House vote to investigate the insurrection. Officer Michael Fanone, there he is. He tells us about it, he's next.

[22:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON (on camera): Well, just two House Republicans, Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger joining Democrats today and approving a select committee to investigate the January 6th attack after the Senate GOP blocked a bipartisan commission.

Cheney releasing a statement saying in part, here it is in a quote, "since January 6th, the courage of my party's leaders has faded. But the threat to our republic has not. Our nation and the families of the brave law enforcement officers who were injured defending us or died following the attack deserve answers. I believe the select committee is our only remaining option."

She's talking about heroes like D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer -- Officer Michael Fanone who was brutally attacked, assaulted and tased while protecting our capitol on January 6th.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: I got one.

UNKNOWN: Easy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): Officer Fanone suffered brain injury and a heart attack. He was invited by the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to attend today's vote on Capitol Hill. And he joins me now. Mike, thank you, sir. How are you?

MICHAEL FANONE, D.C. METROPOLITAN POLICE OFFICER: I'm hanging in there. Thanks for having me on.

LEMON: Only two Republicans, just two, some of your colleagues who also defended the capitol on the sixth joined you back at the scene of the crime. And that's what it is, a scene of the crime, to witness the vote today. GOP sources tell our Jamie Gangel our correspondent here that they were embarrassed to see officers like you today. What were you thinking watching all of this unfold?

FANONE: I mean, I was -- I was shocked but not surprised.

LEMON: That simple?

FANONE: That simple. I mean, I'm done, like, I don't know whatever excuses could be made for -- for the Republican Party at this point. They've been given ample opportunities to, you know, to have an exit ramp from the previous administration and they've chose to embrace that administration and doing so on the backs of hundreds of police officers that responded to the insurrection which was incited by that president and his supporters on January 6th.

LEMON: This is a party of supporting law enforcement, supposedly. Did it feel that way today? Has it felt that way over the last weeks or months?

FANONE: Yes, no. I mean, it's been an eye-opening experience for me. We've come a long way from the, you know, political rhetoric of the previous administration saying that the Republican Party is the party of law and order and of supporting law enforcement. Not to say that, you know, any particular political party embraces law enforcement or is supportive of law and order unequivocally.

But it's clear to me now that, you know, the Republican Party as a whole is not that. I've got to look to individual members to earn that -- the right to say that they're supportive of law enforcement. And right now, 190 Republicans did not earn that right.

LEMON: Listen, you -- were you -- were you able to talk to politicians who voted against this committee?

[22:45:02]

FANONE: I mean, I had a meeting last week with --

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: But not today.

FANONE: -- Kevin McCarthy. Today? No, I did not have that opportunity.

LEMON: Yes. But you spoke with Kevin McCarthy last week. And tell us about that.

FANONE: I mean, I don't know, like, he was cordial. But he's -- you know, he's a good politician. He was very noncommittal as to some of the specific demands that I had or requests. I asked that he denounce the 21 House Republicans that voted against the gold medal bill, to acknowledge and honor my coworkers who responded to the January 6th insurrection.

I asked him to take this special committee seriously and to appoint serious participants, not obstructionists. I also asked him to denounce Andrew Clyde's statements regarding January 6th as being a normal tourist day.

And also, to denounce the baseless theory or conspiracy theory that somehow the FBI, the premier investigative law enforcement agency in this country was responsible for the January 6th insurrection. Which was inspired by and, you know, by the former president.

LEMON: Yes. Listen, were there people there who surprised you today? I understand you had some interesting encounters.

FANONE: Yes, no. I mean, obviously all my interactions with -- with Speaker Pelosi have been wonderful. She's been incredibly supportive of me and my family. I also had the opportunity to meet with Ilhan Omar which was an interesting interaction. I think she went there initially to speak with one of my colleagues from the Metropolitan Police Department who was from the same area that she grew up. Which I found to be, like, incredibly genuine and meaningful for me.

It was a big deal for me to be able to bring those officers up on the Hill and have lawmakers express their appreciation to them and show them how supportive they are.

But my interaction with her was very unique. I think when -- when I asked to shake her hand and she shook my hand, I told the press there that, you know, if they published this photo, they need to put the headline up that hell has frozen over. Which was obviously just a poking fun at the fact that she's gotten a reputation, I think, of being anti-law enforcement, which from some of the conversation I had with her, I found to be untrue. And that's been true really across the board.

I think a lot of people who, you know, a lot of our lawmakers who are covered by certain media outlets are given a reputation or a moniker that they're anti-American or anti-law enforcement. Again, like, I found that, you know, with my personal intersections not to be the case.

LEMON: Yes. We're going to talk to officer Michael Fanone more about his meetings today. About what he's trying to do, also if he's possibly concerned about more violence with the big lie and the lie about the insurrection. Back in a moment with Michael Fanone. We'll be right back.

[22:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON (on camera): Back with me, D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone who defended the capitol on January 6. So, like, would you like that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to appoint Representatives Cheney and Kinzinger to the committee?

FANONE: I mean, to be honest with you, like, I wouldn't make recommendations to Speaker Pelosi as to how to conduct the special committee. I don't think that's my place, but I do feel like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger would be well suited for that recommendation.

LEMON: Yes. Well, not a recommendation, would you like to see that? Do you think that would be helpful in your estimation?

FANONE: I do.

LEMON: So, we're hearing the homeland security officials are worried about more violence this summer. They warn that right wing conspiracy theorists think that the former president is going to be reinstated in August? Do you think people understand January 6 could happen again, there's a possibility with all these conspiracy theories that people could be angry if in fact or when that does not happen?

FANONE: Yes. I mean, it doesn't surprise me. Again, you know, I feel like the Republican Party has been given ample opportunities to put this, you know, the rhetoric which led to the January 6 insurrection to bed, and they have deviated from that.

You know, what I saw today was a lot of argument being made against the special committee, and the reason behind it was that, you know, we had already had multiple investigations into the January 6 investigation, including the criminal investigations.

Well, you know, I've talked about that before. I think when you had Senator Klobuchar on that -- those investigations were, you know, looked into, the security failures and some of the, you know, forced mobilization that day.

[22:55:07]

I see that as a Band-Aid on a gunshot wound. If we don't address the root causes of the January 6 insurrection, that is to say that it was a political, politically motivated event inspired by and incited by the former president and his supporters, directing Americans to attack the capitol building. If we don't address that, absolutely, there's, you know, room for more political violence.

LEMON: Yes. Hey, Mike, I know that you're tired. You know, as they say down but not out. I think that your -- you should continue to fight for what you want. You're the leading voice on this, quite frankly, so I know that you're tired. I know that you're weary, just because I know you. But continue on. Soldier on, OK?

FANONE: Yes, I mean, I'm not going anywhere. If you ask my bosses at MPD they'll tell you I'm a persistent MF-er. So, you know, I'm not going anywhere.

LEMON: Yes. Well, that's why your initials are M.F. Thanks, Mike. I'll see you soon.

FANONE: Thanks, buddy.

LEMON: Thank you. Bill Cosby out of prison after serving only three years of his 10-year sentence. And we'll hear from another of his accusers and one of his former lawyers. That's next.

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