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Washington, D.C. Security Increases for Inauguration; President Trump Refusing Rudy Giuliani's Legal Fees; Comparing Trump and Nixon's Final Days in Office. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired January 14, 2021 - 14:00   ET

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

BARBARA RES, AUTHOR, "TOWER OF LIES: WHAT MY 18 YEARS OF WORKING WITH TRUMP REVEALS ABOUT HIM": I think that there are people who (ph) just aren't going to be able to take what's going on and go along with his lies about (INAUDIBLE) happening, it was a setup (ph) (INAUDIBLE) people there from Antifa and all the other nonsense that he said.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST, NEWSROOM: Yes, and time will certainly tell us if your assessment, there, Barbara is correct. We know you'll be watching that, as we will. Barbara Res, thank you so much for being with us.

RES: My pleasure.

KEILAR: It's the top of the hour, I am Brianna Keilar. And right now, Capitol Hill looks like a fortress. There are 20,000 National Guard troops expected to be in place for Joe Biden's inauguration. The National Mall has been closed down, the huge National Mall.

Law enforcement and those National Guard troops are on alert for the possibility of another insurrection, for more violence, this time potentially with more firepower behind it.

CNN has learned that authorities have arrested the man seen in this picture here, carrying a Confederate flag through the halls of the Capitol during last week's riot. He has been identified as Kevin Seefried of Delaware.

And in the meantime, police have also arrested a man accused of striking a U.S. Capitol Police officer with a fire extinguisher during the January 6th riots. The criminal complaint identifies the man in this video as Robert Sanford, and he is a retired Chester, Pennsylvania firefighter.

In this, Sanford is seen wearing a dark plaid shirt and a backpack. He picks up what appears to be a fire extinguisher off the ground. Then, moments later, he throws it at a group of police officers who are nearby. It hits one of the officers square in the back of their helmet with such force that it actually bounces off the helmet and over other officers standing near him.

There are warnings now from federal officials that extremists are now more emboldened to carry out attacks after what happened at the Capitol last week. All 50 states are being told to be on alert for possible armed protests. One official is telling CNN that the chatter is off the charts.

Let's bring in CNN crime and justice correspondent Shimon Prokupecz. And Shimon, what more can you tell us about these warnings and about these fears of more violence?

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's certainly a lot of fear and there's a lot of concern for what could happen because of the amount of people that are basically talking on social media about doing harm. And this is what has authorities very concerned.

The head of the NYPD Counterterrorism Division, John Miller, said that the temperature is high right now. But they do think that because of what they're doing -- law enforcement all across the country, rounding up some of these individuals, making arrests -- is helping to bring some of the temperature down. He's saying that they have never seen anything like this before, the level of threat that is facing this country right now.

And I just want to show you, we're at the National Mall here, and kind of just give you some perspective about some of the fencing here that has gone up all around. If you look through, the reflective pool here, this is all now fenced off. This is a very big part, during normal times, of an inauguration; this is now all fenced off.

Of course, because of the pandemic, the city, Washington, D.C. has told people to stay away, they were not going to allow people to congregate here. But certainly with the level of threat, that has increased and there's fending all around here now, Brianna.

So we're supposed to get more fencing here, more security in the days to come. As you said, some of those National Guard troops are going to be placed around here as well.

KEILAR: All right, Shimon, it is quite the security scene here in the nation's capital. Shimon Prokupecz, live for us here in Washington, D.C.

Federal investigators are looking into the possibility that the rioters at the Capitol may have had help to pull of their siege. It's a serious accusation, so we want to lay out where these concerns are coming from.

They started with one of the leaders of a Stop the Steal group publicly claiming that he coordinated with three Republican lawmakers to plan the rally right before the attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALI ALEXANDER, PROTEST ORGANIZER: I'm the guy who came up with the idea of January 6th when I was talking with Congressman Gosar, Congressman Andy Biggs and Congressman Mo Brooks. It was to build momentum and pressure, and then on the day, change hearts and minds of congresspeoples who weren't yet decided or saw everyone outside and said, I can't be on the other side of that mob.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Now, a spokesman for Congressman Biggs told CNN that he hasn't ever met or worked with Alexander. Congressman Brooks says he's not apologizing for inspiring patriotic Americans. And Congressman Gosar would not comment. But during the riot, he did tweet for those involved to come back if they were beyond the line.

Two law enforcement officials told CNN that this doesn't mean members of Congress and staff are under investigation, but the FBI is checking the veracity of the claims along with over 125,000 tips that have come in.

In the meantime, 34 Democratic lawmakers have signed a letter raising concerns about several groups that they saw getting tours of the Capitol building the day before the attack. And this letter says that the groups, quote, "appeared to be associated with the rally at the White House the following day." These tours, mind you, have not been allowed for anyone for months because of COVID protocol.

TEXT: "-- witnessed an extremely high number of outside groups in the complex on Tuesday, January 5." "-- a noticeable and concerning departure from the procedures in place as of March 2020 that limited the number of visitors to the Capitol."

[14:05:15]

KEILAR: And Democratic Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, who is a former Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor, went as far as calling them reconnaissance tours.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKIE SHERRILL (D-NJ): Those members of Congress who had groups coming through the Capitol that I saw on January 5th, reconnaissance for the next day. I'm going to see that they're held accountable. And, if necessary, ensure that they don't serve in Congress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: And then there is this new video that indicates just how determined some of the rioters were to penetrate the Capitol. Listen to how some of the insurrectionists were communicating with one another during the attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey guys, I've been in the other room, listen to me. In the other room on the other side of this door, right here where these feet are standing, there is a glass that if somebody -- if it's broken you can drop down into a room underneath it.

There's also two doors in the other room, one in the rear, and one to the right when you go in. So people should probably coordinate together if you're going to take this building. We're (ph) in (ph), we've got another window to break to make in and

out easy. And this window here needs (INAUDIBLE) go (ph) through (ph), needs to be broken.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: As that was taking place, one of the members of the so-called Squad, Democratic Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, says her staff noticed that the panic buttons in her office had been torn out.

Her chief of staff says the buttons were installed because of threats that Pressley had received in the past, and they had been tested during drills. But then, when they went to press them in the midst of the riot, they were gone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. AYANNA PRESSLEY (D-MA): Learning that those panic alarms, those panic buttons had been removed from my office was certainly unnerving. There is an investigation under way, and so I can't say much more about that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Now, more than 70 people have already been charged with federal crimes related to the attack. So far, none have been accused of coordinating with Republican lawmakers or sympathetic police officers.

But two Capitol Police officers have been suspended, and at least 10 more are under investigation for allegedly playing some sort of role in the insurrection. And the Justice Department and the FBI says that the massive investigation is still in its early stages.

(BEGIN VDIEO CLIP)

MICHAEL SHERWIN, ACTING D.C. U.S. ATTORNEY: We're looking at significant felony cases tied to sedition and conspiracy. Just yesterday, our office organized a strike force of very senior national security prosecutors and public corruption prosecutors. Their only marching orders from me are to build seditious and conspiracy charges related to the most heinous acts that occurred in the Capitol. And these are significant charges that have felonies with prison terms of up to 20 years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: The alarms over possible armed protests over the next few days are being sounded in all 50 states right now. Maura Healey is the attorney general for Massachusetts and she joins us now.

I wish you could tell us, what are you hearing from federal officials, what are you being told about the threat that your state may be facing?

MAURA HEALEY (D), MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL: Well, I think, Brianna, we know that what happened last week has reverberations. And you know, there's a lot that we don't know right now, but here's what we do know. We know that state, local and federal law enforcement across this country are in regular communications. I know I am here in Massachusetts, with my counterparts.

We are watching closely and vigilantly for any activity, and I can assure you that anyone who attempts in our states to breach the security of state assets or our people, will be held accountable. Just as those who may have traveled from our states to the United States Capitol last week and engaged in criminal or unlawful acts will also be held accountable.

KEILAR: The election, of course, in Massachusetts was not even close, Joe Biden got more than 65 percent of the vote. And I wonder if you think that makes your state more or less of a target to extremists?

HEALEY: You know, unfortunately, no, I don't. While we haven't had particular threats made here, I think that we have all seen the threats that have gone out and the communication online. I know in law enforcement we're watching it very closely, about activities contemplated for January 17th through the 20th at the United States Capitol -- excuse me, at state capital buildings and state governmental buildings next week.

And so all of us across our states are on high alert, in regular communication and taking steps necessary to protect and defend the safety and wellbeing of those in our states and our state assets.

[14:10:07]

You know, and as for last week, there are any number of individuals who left Massachusetts, who may or may not have committed illegal criminal acts here in Massachusetts with respect to activities that took place in Washington, D.C. They will be investigated, they will be held accountable.

Just as I know individuals -- as I talk to my counterparts in other states -- are being investigated and will be held accountable if they committed illegal criminal acts in their states in connection with last week's heinous insurrection.

KEILAR: Thank you so much for being with us, Madam Attorney General, we appreciate it.

HEALEY: Well, thank you for having me. Be well.

KEILAR: Be well as well, Maura Healey from Massachusetts, thank you.

And next, new details about the full-court press that it took to convince President Trump just to record his latest video about the attack.

Plus, we're learning the enraged Trump has now told his staff to stop paying Rudy Giuliani's legal fees.

And we'll break down the key senators to watch who could decide the president's fate and whether he'll ever be allowed to run for office again. You're watching CNN's live special coverage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:15:36]

KEILAR: It took a full-court press to force President Trump to make his latest video, CNN has learned. Came a week too late, but it condemns future violence as well as the attack on the Capitol, very same attack that he was just impeached for inciting.

And a source tells CNN that there was a coordinated push by allies and aides from Mark Meadows to Jared Kushner to Senator Lindsey Graham, all to convince the president that he had to come out forcefully against further violence, and that if he didn't, and another incident happened, he was told, quote, "you will own it."

Joining me now, we have CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins. And, Kaitlan, you have much more reporting on the president's mindset now that he has become the lone U.S. president to be impeached twice.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Brianna. By "own it," they basically meant that if there were future acts of violence that were spurred on by what we saw happen that Wednesday at the Capitol, they were worried -- and by "they," I mean the president's advisers -- that that would be even more backlash that he would be facing, in addition to what he's already faced so far with members of his own party voting to impeach him.

We've seen the corporate backlash as well, and threats to his post- presidency life with questions about, you know, events being held at his own properties.

And so that's part of what drove that decision, after the president had been briefed on what those attacks could look like, those potential threats of violence, by the U.S. Secret Service.

And they also encouraged the president that he needed to come out more forcefully, because every other iteration that he had put out in response to what had happened on the Hill, you know, had not obviously rang clear to people, it rang hollow. And so they had the president put out this video saying he unequivocally condemns it.

But one thing that of course was missing from the video that several people have pointed out is the president did not take any responsibility for his words that he used, before his own supporters went up to the Capitol. And we're told that's the same that's happening in private, the president has not taken any responsibility there either, in addition publicly. And so this really comes as the president is being encouraged to make that video -- that he read, of course, off of a teleprompter.

But privately, he has been much more consumed by what's been happening with impeachment, with his own party going against him including people like Kevin McCarthy, who the president has told aides he is angry at him for saying that the president does bear responsibility for what happened at the Capitol. He's also upset with his own attorney, Rudy Giuliani, who is expected

to play some kind of role in the president's impeachment trial in the Senate, but that seems unclear right now given their relationship has fractured a bit, and the president even telling people to stop paying Rudy Giuliani's legal fees.

Now, we should note that the people the president told that to were not sure if he was serious, and we have another aide to the president -- a campaign adviser, Jason Miller -- saying that the president praised Rudy today, though he did not deny that the president had told people to not pay his legal fees.

KEILAR: Did not deny it. All right, Kaitlan, thank you, great reporting for us.

Joining me now is CNN political analyst and veteran investigative journalist Carl Bernstein, who of course helped break the Watergate story that led to President Nixon's resignation, which you can read all about in "All the President's Men," which is the iconic book that he co-wrote with Bob Woodward.

Great book, Carl, always worth a re-read --

CARL BERNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Thank you.

KEILAR: -- I find inspiration in it.

You heard Kaitlan report there that we are hearing President Trump is isolated and irritated, he doesn't want to pay his attorney, Rudy Giuliani. A source tells CNN the president is in self-pity mode because he doesn't think that people are defending him enough. How do the final days of this president compare with Richard Nixon's final days?

BERNSTEIN: Well, first of all, President Trump is delusional, dangerous and he needs to be put in a constitutional straitjacket so he can do no further damage to the interests of the United States and its people. He's already responsible for, among other things, hundreds of thousands perhaps of deaths because of his homicidal negligence in COVID.

But if we look to his final days, we see that it is all about himself, vengeance for his enemies, continuing to urge -- in private, especially -- sedition, more sedition. That's what this is about, the president of the United States willing to undermine the interests of the United States through sedition, something no president has done.

What Nixon did in his final days is that he came to a point of introspection, finally. He realized that his really horrible crimes, including undermining the American electoral system, and including especially vengeance on his political enemies, like Trump. But Nixon came to recognize that.

[14:20:20]

And in his farewell in the East Room, a very emotional speech, he said, "I gave them a sword" -- meaning his enemies -- in which to bring him down. It was the press, he was the same, had the same attitudes toward the press as Trump did. It was politicians in the other party, he blamed them, "I gave them a sword."

And the night before he resigned, he got down on his knees with Henry Kissinger, his national security adviser, and urged Kissinger to pray with him for forgiveness, for peace. And he started banging the carpet with his fists, saying, what have I done, what have I done to the country, what have I done. Big difference.

KEILAR: That is certainly not playing out at the White House, I don't think I'm going out on a limb to say that.

Let's tick through some of the events of President Trump's final week, shall we? He had Congress override his veto of a national defense bill; he demanded Georgia's election chief find votes; his party lost majority control of the Senate; he incited the uprising on the Capitol; he was banned from Twitter; and then, finally, he was impeached a second time, which makes him the first president to be in that position.

Could you ever have imagined -- and I know that, you know, we've spoken over the years, here, Carl, over recent years, and rarely are you surprised. I think sometimes were a little shocked, but were also not really surprised. In the end, does it surprise you how the president outdid himself with how he's ending here?

BERNSTEIN: No. The only surprise is that finally, what he has done has been so heinous and so shameful and so undermining the interests of the United States through sedition and worse -- close to treasonous, if you really look at it and it's up to others to define what is treason and what is not.

But the whole idea that any president of the United States would come close to treason and be outright seditious? That's a little hard to have imagined. And at the same time, it's really important that we realize that his crimes, even in his last days, continue to put the interests of the country at great risk.

For most of his presidency -- and you cannot say this about Nixon -- the gravest danger to the United States and our national security interests have been the president of the United States himself.

And the real difference -- in Watergate, in Nixon and Trump, is the Republican Party. The Republicans on Capitol Hill especially, from McConnell on down, who enabled him and coddled him for four years. And even yesterday, almost 200 Republican members of the House refused to vote for impeachment.

In Nixon's case, there were perhaps 50 Republicans who would have voted for impeachment, as opposed to 200, imagine that. And of course it was the Republican leadership who marched to the White House, told Richard Nixon he had to resign otherwise they would convict him in the Senate of the United States.

That indeed is what should have been happening for weeks here, and the Republican leadership really has a lot to answer for because of what this country has been put through through this seditious president and his unpatriotic, damaging behavior that has harmed our people and our national interests and our Constitution as no other president in our history has.

KEILAR: Carl, it is always great to see you. Carl Bernstein, thank you.

BERNSTEIN: Good to see you.

KEILAR: Next, new details about the relationship between President- elect Biden and Mitch McConnell, a source saying that they talk more often than people realize.

[14:24:18]

Plus, the majority leader, one of a few dozen Republican senators who has not ruled out the possibility of convicting President Trump in an impeachment trial. We are going to break down who to keep an eye on.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Now that the House has voted to impeach President Trump for a second time, the process moves over to the Senate. And this impeachment, unlike his first, was bipartisan. Now the question is, will Republicans in the Senate follow that track, will they vote to convict? CNN's political director David Chalian is here with us.

And you know, David, we're not going to know until we know, but there are some signs here. So give us a breakdown of who the Republicans are who are most likely to convict.

DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Now remember, the number is 17, Brianna, that's what, if every Democrat were to vote to convict, once the Democrats were in charge, they would need 17 Republicans to come over and join them to actually have the conviction stick with two thirds. Take a look, these are the five most likely that you could imagine would be on the watch list of people likely to vote to convict.

Lisa Murkowski already called for Trump's resignation; Susan Collins expressed reservations; Mitt Romney, the only one to vote to convict a year ago in the president's first impeachment trial on one of the articles of impeachment; Ben Sasse, you remember that long Facebook post really critiquing the entire sort of lie about the election; Pat Toomey has also called for his resignation, and he's retiring so freed up of some political pressure.

[14:30:09]