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Netanyahu Requests Immunity in Corruption Cases; Chief Justice Roberts Warns Not to "Take Democracy for Granted"; Family of Stabbing Victim Says His Condition is "Dire"; Trump Hints at Pulling Some E- Cigarette Flavors Off the Market. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired January 01, 2020 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:02]

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Netanyahu said he is making the request so he can carry out the will of the people, and that is how he played this when he made his statement a short time ago. He said: What's being done to me is a field court-martial by misleading the public. The immunity law is intended to protect elected officials from fabricated legal proceedings from political indictment intended to damage the will of the people.

Well, the opposition led by Blue and White chair Benny Gantz immediately blasted Netanyahu's decision, saying the choice is now clear in the March elections. Voters can either pick an immunity government for Netanyahu or a broad unity government led by the Blue and White. It's either the kingdom of Bibi, Netanyahu's nickname, or the interest of the state of Israel.

Alex, how this proceeds is now quite tricky because the committee that's supposed to hear Netanyahu's request hasn't been formed, because of Israel's political deadlock.

So, the legal situation is just as stuck as the political situation now.

ALEXANDER MARQUARDT, CNN HOST: Yes. Israeli politics, nothing if not tricky.

Oren Liebermann, thanks for breaking that all down. Thanks very much.

All right. Back here in the States, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is speaking out, saying that he fears that Americans are taking democracy for granted.

Now, this was said in his annual report on the state of the judiciary. Roberts also worrying that education and civics has, quote, "fallen by the wayside" and he adds, quote: In our age, when social media can instantly spread rumor and false information on a grand scale, the public's need to understand our government and the protections it provides is ever more vital.

CNN's Supreme Court reporter Ariane de Vogue joins me now.

Ariane, Roberts clearly worried about the judicial system losing the public trust, and saying that people just don't understand the role of his branch of government. How notable is this message from John Roberts?

ARIANE DE VOGUE, CNN SUPREME COURT REPORTER: Well, you know, it was an interesting and unusual report with a lot of veiled messages. For sure, he is using civics to bring a bigger message. He is worried it's not being taught enough in schools anymore. It comes at a time when social media is exploding and he basically wants people to understand how institutions, government institutions, work.

And he also had some words for judges in this report. He said, look, it's up to the judicial branch to help maintain the public trust here. He's worried about what has happened to the other two branches of government and wants his branch of government, with the judiciary, to be something that the public can trust.

So, very interesting that he really targets judges in this -- in this report.

MARQUARDT: You mentioned veiled messages there. The chief justice is going to be the judge in the Senate impeachment trial of the president. Those comments that you mentioned about social media, does it sound like they were directed at the president?

DE VOGUE: There's no doubt. Again, he does not bring up the impeachment in this report nor bring up the president and the frictions that these two men have had in the past. But those comments on social media seem to be directed at the president.

For instance, just a few weeks ago the president tweeted something like, he wondered if he could go to the Supreme Court to stop impeachment. And that's a puzzler, right, because civics teaches you that impeachment proceedings are political. They're not the role of the judicial branch.

So, clearly, he is looking at social media. This president has used it more than any other. And he's worried about it. But the two men have had a fraught relationship. A year ago, after Trump spent time criticizing judges on Twitter, the chief justice did an unusual thing, he actually issued a statement defending judiciary.

In this report last night, he doesn't name the president, but clearly, he is looking here and he's looking at the big picture and he's worried. He's worried about the American public not understanding at this fraught time how these institutions work, Alex.

MARQUARDT: And, John Roberts will be very much in the spotlight when that Senate trial begins.

Ariane de Vogue, thanks very much.

DE VOGUE: Thanks.

MARQUARDT: Now, coming up next, the family of a man who was seriously injured in that stabbing attack at a rabbi's home, he's speaking out about his condition. This as the New York Police Department is releasing disturbing video of a separate attack on a Hasidic Jew and they are asking for the public's help to solve it.

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MARQUARDT: Local officials are beefing up security at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and at Barkley Center in Brooklyn, New York, ahead of an annual Jewish celebration at both of those arenas. Some 90,000 people are expected to attend and the move comes after a violent attack during Hanukkah that left five people wounded during a celebration at a rabbi's home.

And then there's this newly released image from a surveillance camera outside showing the moment the suspect, whose name is Grafton Thomas, entered the rabbi's house. Thomas is currently facing federal hate crime charges.

CNN's Brynn Gingras is in Monsey, New York, where that attack took place over the weekend. Three victims released from the hospital and the family of another speaking out?

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the family of Josef Neumann, Alex, who was the most seriously injured in this attack, his family really giving an update on this condition and is really is not good at all.

[15:40:00]

They basically said that he was stabbed multiple times in that House before behind me. He has stab wounds obviously to his head, but also he shattered his arm. Doctors telling the family he may not regain consciousness. He is still unconscious from this attack over the weekend and he may not regain consciousness. And even if he did, he may suffer from severe brain damage.

So, really just a horrific outcome and this family, rather this community, is certainly well aware of how he is doing and even raising funds. They're trying to get about $100,000 just from the community alone to help not only him but all of the families who faced injuries in this attack.

MARQUARDT: Our thoughts are certainly with Josef Neumann and his family.

Brynn, I want to ask you about something the NYPD is doing. They've released video of one of two recent separate attacks on Hasidic Jews and now, NYPD is asking for help?

GINGRAS: Yes, that's right. They released two videos of attacks that happened on two different Hasidic men on Christmas Eve. Both attacks happening in Brooklyn, just 30 minutes apart from each other. Pretty vicious attacks on both of these men and police releasing at least one video trying to find the suspects and multiple suspects we're talking about in both cases.

But this, again, goes to show you how police are trying to step up the urgency to try to solve these crimes and really protect these communities. We just learned that Governor Cuomo was asking the state police to also step up their presence along, around Hasidic communities around the state as well -- Alex.

MARQUARDT: Part of a horrifying rise in anti-Semitic attacks.

Brynn Gingras in Monsey, New York -- thanks very much.

GINGRAS: Right.

MARQUARDT: Now, next, President Trump is expected to announce a ban on most flavored e-cigarette cartridges. We'll break down how it would work and why it could only be temporary. That's coming up.

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MARQUARDT: It's been more than three months since President Donald Trump first announced he would take action to keep children safe from dangers of vaping. And now, two officials are telling CNN that the Trump administration is expected to announce a ban on flavored cartridges for e-cigarettes, including sweeter flavors that appeal to children.

CNN's senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins me now.

Elizabeth, what do we -- what do we know about this policy that officials are expected to announce?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: So what we know is that President Trump says that this policy is going to protect children and protect families, but there is a whole lot of wiggle room here. A ban is not always a ban.

And so, we're going to listen right now to what he had to say last night and pay particular attention to what he says at the end.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: For the flavors will come off. They're going to be checked. We want to make it -- people have died from this. They've died from vaping. We think we understand why.

But we're doing a very exhaustive examination and hopefully everything will be back on the market very, very shortly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: So at the end he says, things will be back on the market very, very shortly.

Why in the world would he want to put products back on the market that doctors say are hurting children? Doctors say this simply doesn't make sense. But here's where it might make sense. Maybe President Trump has

allegiances other than to children ask maybe just not about protecting children but about protecting somebody else? Let's take a listen to another thing he had to say last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We have to protect the children. We have to protect the families. The same time, we have a very big industry that's become a very big industry. We're going to take care of the industry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: So there you have it. President Trump said, we are going to take care of the vaping industry. The group Tobacco-Free Kids came out saying the president has capitulated to industry, given a green light for kids to become addicted.

MARQUARDT: All right. Well, a lot of very concerned parties, advocates and parents out there.

Elizabeth Cohen, thanks very much.

Now, the markets are closed today for the new year holiday. But if you're looking to improve your financial situation in 2020, CNN business correspondent Alison Kosik has a bit of advice.

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ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: The three most popular financial resolutions this year are saving more money, paying down debt and spending less. Following through on those is the only protection against the top money concerns -- unexpected expenses, personal debt and not saving enough.

The good news, the economy remains solid ten years into its recovery. It's not as super charged as the president promised, but 2 percent growth is fine. Investors made a killing in the stock market last year. The S&P 500 ended up more than 25 percent higher in 2019, and the Federal Reserve cut interest rates three times in 2019, great for those of you buying or refinancing a home.

The challenges: global growth is slowing and a symbolic trade deal with China still leaves billions of tariffs in effect.

While you can't control a trade war, the Fed or the stock market, here's what you can control: check your 401(k), put money into 529 college savings plans if you have kids, have six months of expenses saved for an emergency.

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And, of course, live below your means and invest the rest.

There's nothing wrong with a boring S&P 500 index fund.

In New York, I'm Alison Kosik.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUARDT: Some great tips from Alison there.

Now, the much anticipated on life of legendary singer Linda Ronstadt premieres tonight. We'll have her exclusive interview with Anderson Cooper coming up next.

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[15:55:08]

MARQUARDT: Devastating wildfires in Australia have killed seven people in just the past 24 hours. Crews are fighting the worst wildfires the country has seen in decades. Persistent heat and dry winds are stoking those flames. Channel: 100 date: 01/01/2020 time started: 15:55 time ended: 16:00 comments: Conditions are expected to worsen by the weekend. About a thousand homes have already been destroyed in 100 different brush fires all across the country.

And before we go, we also want to remind you about a new CNN film premiering tonight. It gives you the inside story of Linda Ronstadt's incredible rise to fame. Now, she has 10 Grammys, 11 platinum albums and was the first artist to simultaneously top the pop, country and R&B charts.

Our Anderson Cooper recently sat down with Linda Ronstadt here in Washington, D.C. And here's part of their conversation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "AC360": I hadn't realized how early you started singing. I mean, it seems like music from the earliest memories were part of your life (ph).

LINDA RONSTADT, GRAMMY-WINNING SINGER: Two, I remember trying to write a song when I was two on the piano.

COOPER: When you were two?

RONSTADT: Yes, it was called tweet, tweet, tweet. It was about a bird.

(LAUGHTER)

COOPER: Do you ever plan on, I mean, becoming a superstar? Or was it --

RONSTADT: I never thought about that. I thought I wanted to sing. And I thought it would be nice if I could make my living singing, that meant (ph) paying the rent and groceries, I wouldn't have to go work in a bank or something else.

But -- and I always managed to do that. I never have to get a different job. But, you know, when I was getting paid $30 a week to sing, I thought I was doing fine. I thought that was really success.

COOPER: What did you feel when you were singing, especially early on?

RONSTADT: I just felt like I wanted to make myself feel like music that I'd like made me feel. You know, I hear a little bit of (INAUDIBLE) -- Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald and I go on to do that, I want to feel that way.

COOPER: The act of singing, was it -- was it joyful?

RONSTADT: Well, it was something because people used to turn around when I sing (ph), and, I -- you know, in school, you're supposed to pretend to sing kind of la la la, but I was going, let's sing, you know? Because my family sang. So, I sing with my older brother who was in the Tucson, Arizona boys choir, one of the solos. He was wonderful.

COOPER: And he taught you about bravado and --

RONSTADT: Yes, he did, he did.

And we learned harmonies. So, we just didn't have to be taught. We just knew how to sing harmony.

We used to sing in the back of the car. We sing with our hands in the dishwater.

I think everybody should do their own singing. You don't have to be a professional. You don't have to delegate your sorrows to professionals.

COOPER: You don't have to delegate your sorrows --

RONSTADT: Some music is just for privacy, you know? Some you sing in your bedroom and some music is something you play at the piano maybe to just a select group of friends. Not everything is meant for the big world.

COOPER: Were you confident as a singer? I mean, did you know how good you -- you are?

RONSTADT: I never thought I was good.

COOPER: You didn't?

RONSTADT: I always thought I might get a little better tomorrow. But I also felt that my phrasing was kind of hope -- hopeless.

COOPER: In the documentary, somebody says about you that when you would be on stage, if you saw people in the front row, two people sort of whispering to each other, that you assumed they were saying bad things about you.

RONSTADT: Yes, poor Linda. She can't sing.

COOPER: And you really felt that? Even -- I mean, you're on a stage in front of a thousands of people --

RONSTADT: I try to keep my eyes closed because you don't see the audience very much, because they're not lit, but you are. So, you can pretend you're all by yourself.

And so, when I see the audience, I go, why are all those people staring at me, because in the animal kingdom, when something -- another animal is staring at you, they probably want to eat you.

COOPER: It's a hostile gesture.

RONSTADT: Yes, it's just deep -- deep-rooted instinct, you know?

COOPER: Was there even a point when you were satisfied with it, with the quality of it?

RONSTADT: In the '90s, I sang better than I sang in the '80s. In the '80s, I sing better than I sang in the '70s. That's the only thing. It's always a work in progress.

It's very weird (ph) to hear a recording because it's frozen in time and we need to -- and I go, I sang it better in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1978, you know? You remember the moment that you really achieved something, but it's not the whole song even. It's just a phrase or a note. You go, oh, that -- that was the gold standard, you know?

COOPER: So, it's just a little -- a little piece of a song that you feel, OK, that meets my standard.

RONSTADT: Yes, when I hear records, I go that phrase was nice, that measure was nice. That song sucked, you know? That song proves I never could sing my whole life anyway.

COOPER: You weren't a songwriter but you picked songs and you made them your own and -- I mean -- in such an extraordinary way. How do you know what songs to --

RONSTADT: Well, I --

COOPER: Because it seems like a number of them, you heard on a radio or you heard somewhere.

RONSTADT: Well, I'd hear something and it would speak to me urgently, that that was like something I felt in my life. Sometimes, it was only a phrase, you know? And then I figure out how to make the rest of the song fit.

And sometimes, it was not musically terribly well-suited to my style, but I'd have to make it that way.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUARDT: So don't miss "LINDA RONSTADT: THE SOUND OF MY VOICE". That premieres tonight at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time and Pacific, only on CNN.

Thanks so much for joining us. Wishing you all a happy New Year.

Coming up next is the CNN original series, "THE SIXTIES."

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