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Momentum Builds Towards Potential Fast-Track Impeachment; Trump Faces Growing Pressure To Resign Or Face 2nd Impeachment; Legal Implications For Trump Post-Presidency; Interview With Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY); Pro-Trump Insurrection Labeled "A Dark Day For Democracy"; Riots Fueled By Conspiracy Groups, Extremists & Fringe Movements; CDC Director Warns Of Potential Case Surge After U.S. Capitol Riot. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired January 09, 2021 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:00]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I am Fredricka Whitfield. We begin this hour with breaking news police making another arrest following the riot on Capitol Hill. Florida police taking 36-year-old Adam Johnson into custody he was seen in photos here carrying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's lectern from the Capitol building.

Dozens of people have now been arrested in connection with the insurrection that left five people dead, including a Capitol Police Officer. Meanwhile, President Trump is being blamed by both Democrats and Republicans for inciting that crowd of his supporters in an effort to overturn the election results.

Democrats plan to unveil a new article of impeachment Monday which would set up a vote in the House as early as next week. This as reports surfaced that some members of Trump's own cabinet have discussed invoking the 25th amendment, removing him from power.

Vice President Pence, however, has stated he has no intention of doing so. Let's turn first to CNN's Evan Perez with breaking details on this new arrest.

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: We have another arrest. Basically become a national roundup of some of these people that have been seen on some of the social media pictures who invaded the Capitol.

The latest arrest, his name is Adam Johnson. He was picked up in his home state of Florida in Pinellas County; he was booked in Pinellas county jail. According to the officials there he was booked at the request of the Justice Department. We anticipate that he's going to face charges.

Now the pictures, I think you already have, are of him holding the speaker's podium. One of the many people who mobbed, who ransacked the Capitol and posted pictures of themselves or were captured on social media, images showing what they were doing at the Capitol. We know so far the Justice Department has announced charges against at

least 13 people. There are a number of other arrests or charges that are still under seal. We expect some more arrests over the weekend and we expect to see some more charges into the next week.

We're told, Fred, that the investigators from the FBI, the ATF, the U.S. Marshals as well as the Metropolitan Police here in Washington are working with prosecutors around the country around the clock to try to find some of these people.

Some of them, a lot of them have gone back to their home states and they are getting picked up and they'll be brought here to face these charges.

WHITFIELD: Evan Perez, thank you for that. Let's go now to the White House where threats of a new impeachment are rocking this administration CNN's Sarah Westwood joining us now. So Sarah what kind of reaction is coming from this at least one article of impeachment that has been drawn up?

SARAH WESTWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, Fred, the White House is in crisis mode dealing with the fallout from the president's incitement of violence earlier this week. And officials are taking this impeachment push seriously. Sources say that on Thursday, top aides, including White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Ivanka Trump sat the president down and explained to him that there is a serious risk of him being removed from office before January 20th.

Whether that is through impeachment or through the exercise of the 25th amendment from members of his own cabinet. Now Trump has not weighed in directly about the impeachment and it's more difficult for him to now that his Twitter has been suspended, but the White House released this statement on Friday.

As President Trump said yesterday, this is a time for healing and unity as one nation. A politically motivated impeachment against a president with 12 days remaining in his term would only serve to further divide our great country.

Now as the clock is running out on Trump's Presidency, his relationship with Vice President Pence seems to be more strained than ever. Trump did not call Pence while the chaos at the Capitol was unfolding and the Vice President was evacuated from the House floor and hiding there to continue certifying the election results.

Trump went after Pence publicly for performing his constitutional duty to do that and then perhaps the greatest demonstration of their rift, Trump has announced he will not be attending the inauguration whereas Pence's office made it known that the Vice President will accept an invitation to attend if he's invited.

Now White House aides are trying to get Trump to focus on his post Presidency on preserving what's left of his legacy, but, Fred, a lot of uncertainty as to how the president will handle the last 11 days of his term? WHITFIELD: All right, lots of details. Sarah Westwood, thank you from the White House. So even with the building momentum of second impeachment, Senator Mitch McConnell says the process is unlikely to move forward before the president was to leave office. Suzanne Malveaux is on Capitol Hill. So Suzanne, what is the latest on this timeline?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the House intelligence Chair Adam Schiff who had prosecuted the December 2019 impeachment case against the president warning democrats to slow down. That if they take it too fast it may set a dangerous precedent. Nevertheless, Fred, the time table is lightning fast here. We're talking about one article of impeachment already drawn up for incitement of insurrection.

[12:05:00]

MALVEAUX: What we expect is on Monday the house rules committee will meet. They'll set out the ground rules for the debate. It will be a privileged resolution which essentially means the time table will be expedited a two-day period in which they'll debate this article of impeachment and then could go for a vote before the House.

It just requires a majority. The Democrats are, of course, the, more than the majority. So we'll see if they have those numbers. But it could move very quickly. The next stage of this is going to the Senate, the Senate side that requires two-thirds for the conviction of the president to be removed from office.

What happens on January 20th, we know that the Biden Administration takes over and Trump essentially leaves office? Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will no longer be in charge. It will be Senator Schumer, Chuck Schumer, Democrats they will carry out this process here.

Now the last go around back in December 2019, there were no Republicans on board on the House side to impeach. One lone Senator, Mitt Romney, who had voted to convict and remove the president from office, Fred, we're seeing a very different situation this go around already some indications of Republicans who are willing to break from the president.

Representative Adam Kinzinger, Senator Ben Sasse, as well as Senator Lisa Murkowski saying this, he needs to get out. He needs to go do the good thing but I don't think he's capable of doing a good thing.

So we will see how that all plays out. If, in fact, he is removed from office, what does that mean? He's already gone. It means he'll never be able to run for another federal office or hold another federal office again. If he is not removed from office it means he makes history as the only president to be impeached twice, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Alright Suzanne Malveaux, thanks so much, on Capitol Hill. With me now, Tim Naftali, a CNN Presidential Historian also joining me Charles Ramsey, he is a Former Philadelphia Police Commissioner, Formerly Police Chief of D.C. Metro police and CNN Law Enforcement Analyst. Good to see both of you.

Tim, you first Democrats seem determined to impeach this President again. And what do you make of this second possible attempt to impeach in light of what just transpired early this week?

TIM NAFTALI, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Well, think about what happened during the week. A week ago, we learned that the president was putting pressure on the State of Georgia to commit fraud and recalculate the numbers and find 11,700 votes.

That didn't work. He invited his supporters to come rally on the day of the certification. The rally happened. He put pressure on the Vice President to do something unconstitutional. And the Vice President wouldn't do it. He then unleashed his mob and for two hours, nearly two hours, we heard nothing from him in any way suggesting that he wanted them to leave the Capitol.

And then when he did issue a statement, I think shamed to do so after President-Elect Biden issued a statement, he made it clear to the mob that he loved them. And then he said those that oppose you are evil.

So I cannot imagine a more public demonstration of a high crime. And just as it is important for us to find those people who committed acts of violence in the Capitol and arrest them, it's important to lay down a marker that when presidents act the way that President Trump did, there are real consequences.

That's why an impeachment at this moment is much more than a political - act of political theater. It's an opportunity for Republicans to show which side they are on?

WHITFIELD: What's the damage done in your view, if they don't?

NAFTALI: Well, I am saying it's an opportunity. I am hopeful that about 40 of them might join in the resolution supported and thus it's truly a bipartisan effort. I think what's important here is to think about the work to come. And that will involve the deradicalization of the Republican Party.

There are many Republicans who want to see that happen. The first step would be to go on record for history and say that the incitement of an insurrection by an American President is unacceptable and must be noted by congress.

WHITFIELD: Chief, I want to get your reaction to what transpired on Capitol Hill. I mean these horrifying new images now giving even greater detail of just how these Capitol Police, in their efforts, valiant efforts to try and hold back this mob, but they were simply overcome you know, by the number of people and what they were doing, wielding these weapons, et cetera.

[12:10:00]

WHITFIELD: Just take a quick look at this video. It is very disturbing. I do want to warn our viewers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Quarrels.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: I mean, this poor officer, we don't know his identity or we don't know how he is doing? But I mean, just the weight of this mob. That was among the weaponry used. You saw images where there are people with metal pipes. I mean, what changes have to be made now to make sure nothing like this can happen again?

CHARLES RAMSEY, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, I mean, there are a lot of changes that have to be made. First of all let me say I did check on that officer. He is a Metropolitan Police Officer. They were called in after the riots started and they were sent to that particular location to protect that door.

By the way, the rioters never did get in. He was seriously injured, but nothing life threatening. But, yes, obviously this was a huge failure in terms of security, in terms of leadership. You name it and you can probably point to a failure.

So you've got two major events coming up in the future the 17th and also on the 20th. And, obviously, there's got to be a lot better preparation in order to effectively deal with the potential for violence

WHITFIELD: Do you see that it would be a different kind of collaboration between, you know, National Guard, D.C. Metro Police and D.C. Capitol Police? I mean, we're talking about a federal city and the differences of jurisdiction between what the cities you know has jurisdiction of versus you know federal law enforcement?

RAMSEY: Well, yes, it will be a kind of collaboration that it used to be. When I was Chief of the Washington, D.C. Police Department, any time we had a major event, all the Intel was pulled together. The agencies all worked together.

We were ready. I mean, so you didn't see the kind of thing that you saw last Wednesday. I don't know where the breakdown occurred. But obviously, the U.S. Capitol Police have a lot to answer for. But I do want to mention just one thing very quickly. The Capitol Police Chief has resigned, Sergeant at arms of both the House and Senate.

We've got an inauguration in two weeks. They've got to make some replacements and bring some people in to make sure that there's proper leadership in place to be able to deal effectively with what could occur on both the 17th and also the 20th?

WHITFIELD: What's the level of your concern? What's the level of your concern to be able to meet that challenge?

RAMSEY: It's high. I mean, they can bring somebody in, but I would suggest they bring somebody in like a Terry Gainer in for example he was Chief of the Capitol Police and also Sergeant at arms for the Senate somebody who already knows how things operate and the kind of security that should be in place?

There's not enough time to bring somebody new up to speed, and the people who are in the Capitol Police, for an example, that would be next in line are brand-new. They've only been in their place for about a month. This is a serious issue.

WHITFIELD: Wow! It's big. And then Tim, you know the president is in power a matter of days. And all that of course is up in the air depending on this impeachment or to any kind of possible 25th amendment and all that.

However, how concerned are you about his, the continuation of his influence where he was able to help incite what transpired on Wednesday, even after leaving office? What are your concerned about the kind of power that a Former President still wields?

And we just lost that signal of Tim Naftali. So, sorry for that. Tim Naftali, and Chief Charles Ramsey, thanks to both of you for being with us. Really appreciate it.

RAMSEY: Thank you, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, insurrection inspired by the President of the United States the sitting President, President Trump calling for a mob of his supporters to storm the Capitol. It's prompting a lot of legal questions. Is Trump culpable? We'll discuss charges if any, next.

Plus, a congressman films the moment those domestic terrorists stormed the U.S. Capitol in a deadly bid to overturn the U.S. Election. I'll speak with him live coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:15:00]

WHITFIELD: All right, even before Wednesday's attack on the Capitol, President Trump had mounting legal troubles to contend with after leaving office. The focus on his potential exposure to prosecution has only magnified since.

Former Federal Prosecutor Michael Zeldin joining me right now. So, Michael what are the legal implications for the President, especially after this Wednesday?

MICHAEL ZELDIN, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: So the president will be looked at for several things. First is inciting a riot second, maybe, sedition with respect to the Georgia phone call. There may be other legal implications.

The U.S. Attorney's office has gone back and forth on whether they want to look at the president as an inciter of a riot or not? So it's unclear, Fred, but those are the statutes that are implicated most directly.

WHITFIELD: And as it pertains with the sedition statute, you say it would make for a thin case against the president, even though, I mean we all heard that audiotape last weekend.

ZELDIN: Right. So sedition and inciting a riot are statutes which have been used in history in ways that I don't like.

[12:20:00]

ZELDIN: They prosecuted Eugene Debs, the socialist for speaking out against the draft in world war, the Chicago 7 anti-war protesters were charged under that statute. So I just don't like the statute. I don't like its political use against Puerto Rican nationalists.

So I start with that premise. But when you look at it in straight legal terms, you have to understand that inciting a riot or sedition, the language that people say about those things is generally speaking protected by the first amendment.

You can argue that force and revolution and change are all necessary and not violate those statutes because of your first amendment rights. You really need to conspire, plan, organize, take affirmative steps in order to be convicted, and I don't think there's evidence that we've seen yet. There could still be, but in the public record, I don't think there's evidence yet of that.

WHITFIELD: And then on the issue of impeachment, we've said the House is you know has already drawn up one article of impeachment. Some are saying they could vote on it as early as next week but then the Senate wouldn't get its portion of it until January 19th, 20th coincides with the inauguration.

So if the president is impeached, even if the Senate were not to convict him or perhaps even if they were to convict him, would the president does he have leeway to legally challenge this because he will have left office, come January 20th?

ZELDIN: Right. So the way the process looks like it could play out is the House impeaches which means essentially, we remember the last one, indicts him, and charges him in this case, they charging him largely with inciting a riot and interfering with the Georgia election.

So they charge him in those articles of impeachment. Then it makes its way over to the Senate. And in the Senate, the president has a right to defend himself. And so he would bring forth, just as he did in the Ukraine telephone call impeachment, his lawyers who will argue that he did not incite a riot.

He did not violate the terms of any of these statutes. He did not abuse his office and we'll have a full-blown trial. And the Senate will have to vote to acquit or convict. If they convict, they remove him. He's already out of office, but what it means in this case is that it would bar him from running for office in the future, which is the most important component of the Democrats' thinking, is to prevent him from running for president in 2024.

WHITFIELD: OK. And then back to that audiotape of the president coercing, threatening the Georgia Secretary of State about finding more than 11,000 votes to overturn, you know, the election for Georgia, might the president be looking at charges that could come from the Attorney General for the state? And if so, does that have to be revealed now?

ZELDIN: It does not have to be revealed now, and it is surely possible that both federal and state prosecutors could look at that phone call. There are statutes both federal and in the state, which say it is legal to interfere with the rights of the people of the State of Georgia or any other state to have a free and fair election.

One can argue that the president's phone call to the Secretary of State of Georgia, where he said, I want you to find me 11,000-plus votes so I win the state is an effort to interfere with the people's right to a free and fair election.

And so the State Attorney General and federal prosecutors could be looking at both of those statutes. Of course, we remember that were there a pardon, it would not apply to the state charges if they were brought.

WHITFIELD: And that's, of course, if the president preemptively were to pardon himself before leaving office, which also consequently is an admission of guilt, right? Because, if you didn't do anything wrong, why would you be pardoning yourself?

ZELDIN: That's right. The Supreme Court has said the acceptance of a pardon is an admission of that which is being pardoned for, which is why you can be offered a pardon and refuses to accept it. You can say, I did nothing wrong.

I did not commit that crime and though I would not like to be charged with it or convicted of it. I maintain my innocence so I do not accept that pardon. If you accept it, you overtly accept that you did something wrong and that you're being pardoned for it. I don't know that President Trump will go there, but that's what it would be for him.

WHITFIELD: All right. Some ten days to see what happens the next ten days. All right Michael Zeldin.

ZELDIN: It's going to be quite a ride, Fred.

WHITFIELD: It's already a bumpy ride.

ZELDIN: Yes, exactly.

WHITFIELD: Thank you so much. Good to see you. Happy New Year!

ZELDIN: Happy New Year!

WHITFIELD: Join CNN's Wolf Blitzer for the "Trump Insurrection: 24 Hours that Shook America." A look at what happened at the U.S. Capitol and what happens next, this new CNN special report airing tomorrow night at 10:00.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: It was disturbing, it was traumatic and the insurrection on Capitol Hill that unfolded Wednesday will live in infamy. The eyes of the world watched as thousands of Trump supporters pushed and clawed their way into our most sacred bastion of democracy, all in a failed attempt to overturn an election President Trump lost.

Lawmakers were rightly terrified as the masses violently forced their way inside the Capitol. Here's Congressman Tom Suozzi's account as the ordeal played out.

[12:30:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. TOM SUOZZI (D), NEW YORK: I'm in the Capitol chamber, we're being evacuated. People are being asked to put on to make sure it's -- being evacuated, being asked to put on masks. Check the door to make sure it's locked. OK.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Joining me right now, the man behind that video, Congressman Tom Suozzi who represents the great state of New York. Congressman, good to see you. Wow, that you had the instinct, the wherewithal to say, I'm going to videotape this moment, as I'm also listening to instruction trying to figure out what is going on and put this mask on. Take me back to that moment how, you know, how you were processing all that was unfolding all at once.

SUOZZI: You know, it was obviously a shocking day for all of us. And earlier that day, my wife had said, you know, this is going to be a very important day in history, make sure you keep track of everything that's going on because you sometimes forget what happened.

So I was making a point of writing notes to myself before that about what was going on inside the chamber where people were debating which is, you know, I disagree very strongly with my colleagues who are objecting to the electoral process, but they were debating. And what was going on juxtaposed with outside where they were being violent, and people were getting more and more violent.

So, I just wanted to make sure I kept track of what was going on that day. And it just ended up being something much more dramatic than I thought it would be.

WHITFIELD: Right. When your wife was talking about that, she was really making reference to the fact that this was going to be the day that, you know, you actually certify the vote, but you and your wife, no one really could have known that it was going to be, I mean, this kind of history that was being made.

So, you know, were you thinking about your safety? Were you thinking about, you know, whether following the instructions and, you know, going to this place of safety was going to be the, you know, priority here? Was it, you know, survival instincts kicking in? Was it the disbelief that these Americans, you know, were coming into this Capitol and threatening your lives and threatening the very institution of democracy and Capitol Hill?

SUOZZI: I think it's all those things, Fredricka. I think that I was feeling all -- you know, I talked to some people afterwards because I said one of the videos that I felt remarkably calm, and they talked about how your adrenaline starts pumping during fight and flight. And, you know, there were guns drawn all around us.

We heard a pop, pop, pop, pop. We thought that was guns. That was probably when they were breaking through the door with -- through the glass in the door where the President walks through. They said, ladies and gentlemen, the President of United States of America, the protesters were breaking through that with steel pipes.

Later on, we did hear gunshots and the Capitol Police you can hear on the radio saying shots fired in the Capitol, shots fired in the Capitol. That was probably when the woman was killed in the speaker's lobby afterwards. I was one of the last people to leave the chamber because we were up in the gallery and my seat was the furthest away from the exit point. And we actually got delayed because we weren't sure it was safe to go out into the hallway.

Finally, when we did get out of the hallway, into the hallway, we saw people on the ground protesters surrounded by Capitol Police. So it was really a harrowing experience I'm sure for a lot of people. I was very worried about some of my colleagues who were really very nervous and was certainly worried about my family and was texting them and saying everything's OK, everything's OK.

WHITFIELD: Wow. You've so aptly described that among your emotions, you know, fear and calm. Now, you know, three days later, are you feeling angry that this has happened or describe for me what you're feeling? And what's the resolve now?

SUOZZI: You know, there's a lot of different -- first, my first strongest instinct is we have to get back in the chamber. That was the most important thing I felt that day is we have to get back and we have to certify this election. We cannot let this drift and we can't let them feel that they won by delaying the process. And I was relieved when we did go back. I didn't go to bed at 5:00 in the morning that day. I stayed on the floor the entire time until the vote was done, until the process was done, I should say, the certification.

Then I get back to New York and, you know, exhausted, really had a very bad night's sleep Thursday night. All kinds of work to do on Friday. We had a big conference call, three-hour conference call with the Democrats about what we're going to do regarding impeachment. And today, I'm just -- I'd say I'm -- I went through my anger. I still have a touch of anger because I'm so angry at the President for his irresponsible and reprehensible behavior and the people that collaborated with him.

[12:35:06] Now I'm exhausted and I'm also looking ahead like what do we need to do to move forward? I was just in press conference where --

WHITFIELD: And is Monday -- the introduction of that article of impeachment on Monday, is that the moving forward, impeaching him this week is, is that your kind of plan of attack and moving forward?

SUOZZI: Right now, that's the plan of attack. I really would like to hear more from President-elect Biden as to what he'd like us to do. One of my colleagues at a press conference, Hakeem Jeffries just said, President Trump is a clear and present danger.

So we certainly need to hold him accountable for his reprehensible behavior. But now he's saying a clear and present danger. This is a next 11 days, it's very dangerous with him in office. What if he calls on his supporters to do something like this again? What if he starts pardoning people that participated in this insurrection?

So we have to push for resignation, we have to push for the 25th Amendment. And if that's not -- it doesn't happen, we need to push for impeachment. Because the next 11 days, he's a very dangerous character and he's behaved so recklessly up until this point, that we all have to be prepared to address how he will behave again. When Vice -- when President-elect Biden becomes President of the United States of America on the 20th, we can start the healing process and coming together.

We still need to hold people accountable. We need to consider prosecution of whoever we can. But we can't talk about reconciliation until we get through this very difficult time between now and the 20th.

WHITFIELD: And then quickly, despite all of your efforts, what if he's not held accountable?

SUOZZI: Well, I'm going to make sure he's held accountable. I'm going to do everything I can to hold him accountable. This is -- this cannot stand. We cannot let people in America think that this is OK to behave this way, and that you're not going to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

Now, we don't all know what those answers are, what the best process is, the procedure. We're all processing that right now. But this cannot be held as being, oh, this is politics. This is political behavior. This is insurrection. This is violence. And this is -- cannot happen in the United States of America and it can't happen for the people who watch us throughout the rest of the world. So we have to do everything we can to hold him and his collaborators accountable.

WHITFIELD: Congressman Tom Suozzi, thank you so much for your time and your point of view on this.

SUOZZI: Thank you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:41:26]

WHITFIELD: As rioters laid siege to the U.S. Capitol and everyone in it, the world watched the events in shock. Reaction was swift as newspapers across the globe showed stunned reaction, including from U.S. allies in Canada where one front page and that nation's capitol called the attack anarchy. In Italy, another paper declared its disbelief this was happening in America. And a tabloid, The Times of India, with this eye-catching headline, Coup Klux Klan: Don triggers rob and mob bid.

CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson is in London for us. So Nick, what could be the consequences of this level of outrage and shock around the globe directed at the U.S.?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDICTOR: There has been criticism of President Trump from his allies. And so they recognize this is him and not necessarily -- this doesn't stand for the United States. We've heard that from Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, we've heard that from Emmanuel Macron, the French President, you know, both saying that this is not American democracy. We believe in American democracy.

The United States allies and enemies, on the other hand, Russia, China, Turkey, even throwing its hat in the ring here saying, you know, this is a disgrace for democracy, that was President Erdogan in Turkey. Russian lawmakers saying, you know, the United States cannot be held up as a beacon of democracy. This is problematic for the United States, many levels. One, you get attacked directly by your enemies.

But what you really need and what Joe Biden needs going forward with this biggest foreign policy issue, which is over China, and he said this, he's going to have a summit on democracy and it's going to bring the United States allies together to have a firm, coherent position about how to try to curtail China's, you know, growth and China's expansionism. So, President Biden, when he becomes President, President-elect right now, really needs that solid, strong support from his allies.

And actions, as we've seen on Capitol Hill, will undermine that, will undermine it because the enemies will criticize it. That makes it harder for the United States allies to have that strong trust in the United States, to know that these leaders at home whether it's Boris Johnson here or Angela Merkel in Germany, are not going to be criticized by their own populace for supporting the United States and for supporting Joe Biden. It's very complicated, very damaging, and it's far reaching. This isn't at an international level going away quickly.

WHITFIELD: Fascinating. All right, Nic Robertson, in London. Thank you so much.

All right, in the hours before law enforcement was able to take full control of the U.S. Capitol, was a scene of violence and anger. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are we supposed to do? OK. Supreme Court's not helping us. No one's helping us. Only us can help us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Next, CNN takes you inside the siege.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:48:51]

WHITFIELD: The first federal charges had been filed in the U.S. Capitol siege, and they revealed that the rioters were both armed and dangerous. Dozens have been charged so far. But this is just the beginning. There is now a federal murder probe underway for the death of a U.S. Capitol Police officer and investigators are looking into everyone involved in the riot including President Donald J. Trump.

As prosecutors ensure that many more charges are still to come, the actions were lawless, the domestic terrorists fueled by conspiracy groups and fringe movements. CNN's Elle Reeve was inside the mob that overtook the Capitol. She spoke to some as the insurrection was happening.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're just standing here doing some -- doing some -- before.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are we supposed to do? OK. The Supreme Court's not helping us. No one's helping us. Only us can help us. Only we can do it.

[12:50:04]

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS (in unison): USA! USA!

ELLE REEVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A mass group of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday to stop the certification of what they believe was a fraudulent election.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unquestionable that our votes were stolen. It's unquestionable There are so -- there's so much proof.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) here for nothing. (INAUDIBLE) until Nancy Pelosi what to say.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want our representatives to do the right thing and decertified like the seven swing states.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS (in unison): USA! USA! USA!

REEVE (voice-over): The rally started peacefully as tens of thousands gathered outside the White House. They cheered Donald Trump and his allies as they continued to lie that the election was stolen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's have trial by combat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He just said trial by combat. I'm ready. I'm ready.

REEVE (voice-over): People marched down to avenues to the Capitol. And once they got there, some broke through barricades. Once a few rioters broke into the building, the mob followed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was actually where this guy have started breaking in with a cane. Obviously, there's a power struggle. There's a peaceful guys that were like, no, no, we don't want to do that. Then there was that guy, you know, he just said, well, oh, well, I'm breaking it in.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We broke down the barriers and we rushed them. We charged them. We got all the way to the steps and made a line. So we stood there and we tried to push them back a little bit until finally they started getting rough with us. So we kind of push them back. So that's what we did, we pushed them back. We tried to get up the steps. They wouldn't let us up. So then they started pepper spray and mace on everybody.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you OK?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's some milk in your eyes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They mace me, it happened. They push me out and they mace me.

REEVE (voice-over): We spoke to some people who broke into the Capitol.

(on-camera): What happened in there? Tell us what happened.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we went in there. And then I walked in and there's just a whole bunch of people lining up in some Oregon room. I don't know if it's an -- there's tons of Oregon paintings, but they were smoking a bunch of wheat in there, and then moved it down. SONA statues. Cops are very cool. They're like, hey, guys have a good night. Some of them, it's just crazy. It's really weird. You can see that some of them are on our side.

REEVE (voice-over): We've reached out to the Capitol Hill Police for comment but have not yet heard back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've had your back for a long time now. Long time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A huge group of a disturbing (ph) side. And as it surge, we were basically shouting like cops. And there are people arguing, there's some trying to get on our side basically.

REEVE (voice-over): Clashes with police happens sporadically throughout the day, and waves of tear gas wafted over the crowd. They said they felt like they were doing something good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, there was a bunch of really, really pissed off regular folks. I got a job. This is Wednesday. I was supposed to be at work. Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's what we're doing, fighting back.

REEVE (on-camera): And what's the point? What's the ending?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's the point?

REEVE (on-camera): Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're losing our freedom. What do you mean what's the point?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Taking our freedoms, locking us down and turning this country into a blasted, socialist republic and that is not right. That's what am doing here.

Elle Reeve, CNN, Washington, D.C.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Straight ahead, the former CDC Director warning this week's riot on the U.S. Capitol will likely be the next coronavirus super spreader event. Details next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:57:53]

WHITFIELD: Dr. Robert Redfield is warning that the Capitol Hill riot that left five people dead will likely become a significant coronavirus spreading event. Joining me right now discuss Dr. Elizabeth Clayborne, an emergency physician and adjunct professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Doctor, so good to see you. So, how concerned are you about the fact that so many people who converged on Capitol Hill came from a lot of different places, and now they've all gone back home? Do you believe that super spreader event is endangering a lot of communities?

DR. ELIZABETH CLAYBORNE, EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN: Absolutely, Fred. You have to remember we are already still concerned about the surge that is going to be a result of the holiday travel that just took place at the end of December and into January. So, on top of that, having a large event like this where people came from multiple states, and we're in a, you know, close proximity to others sometimes not mass, it is a huge concern that they are going to return to their homes and take the COVID virus with them. And our hospitals are extremely stretched thin.

So right now is one of the most dangerous times for you to become sick, which is why it's important for everyone to really be buckling down and listening to their health officials, making sure that they're wearing masks, that they're socially distancing and continuing to be vigilant to protect themselves and their families because we are becoming overwhelmed in our hospital systems.

WHITFIELD: And then you just received your second dose, right, of the coronavirus vaccine Thursday morning. How are you feeling? And what is that experience been like?

CLAYBORNE: Yes, so I was a little more nervous since I had heard a lot of my colleagues had somewhat of a more, you know, severe reaction as far as side effects. But I'm happy to say I actually just had arm soreness and I was slightly achy, maybe 12 hours after the shot, and then it resolved.

So, I still want to encourage everyone, especially those who are skeptical of this vaccine, to understand that you should look at the data, understand that this is the only way out. This is the only way to protect ourselves and get back to any sense of normalcy, and so it's important for you to vaccinate when it becomes available.

And we are always working hard to, you know, get these vaccines to everyone. In fact, the University of Maryland right now has a new trial for an upcoming vaccine with Novavax.