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Historic Week For U.S. As Trump Presidency Ends, Biden Era Begins; D.C. Becomes Fortress For Biden Inauguration After Capitol Siege; National Guard Members In D.C. Vetted Over Fears Of Insider Attack; Interview With Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY). Aired 11-11:30a ET

Aired January 18, 2021 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:28]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Kate Bolduan. Welcome to a special edition of the show on this holiday marking Martin Luther King's life and legacy. Thank you so much for joining me.

So, there are 48 hours left of the Trump presidency. 48 hours until Joe Biden takes over and what he takes over and must take on is a fractured and divided country. Very clearly. And with just two days until the inauguration and the nation bracing for the possibility of more deadly violence, Washington, D.C. is essentially a fortress.

Look at these pictures. From the air on Sunday. You could just see the quiet all across the district. Security there incredibly tight with barricades around the Capitol. The National Mall closed to the public.

About 25,000 National Guard troops will be in place by the inauguration. And we are now learning all of those troops are facing new background vetting before they land in D.C. because of the concerns now of a possible insider threat.

And new video out also with a new perspective on this the siege of the U.S. Capitol that left five people dead. The video shot by a journalist with "The New Yorker."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: Defend your Constitution! Defend your liberty!

Defend your Constitution! Defend your liberty!

Defend your Constitution! Defend your liberty!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: This morning, there is new details on how President Trump plans to spend his final hours in the White House. Just think pardons, pardons and more pardons. We're going to get all of that.

We do want to start with a security situation in D.C. And also, new arrests coming in of people involved with the attack on the Capitol. CNN's Shimon Prokupecz is live in D.C. for us. Joining us also is CNN's Josh Campbell. Shimon, if I could start with you, what are you seeing in D.C. right now?

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kate, really unprecedented security for any event in the United States, probably ever. As you said, all of the National Guard troops on the ground. But I wanted to take you outside some of the inner perimeter of the Capitol to show you even what is going on at the outside, and try to get anywhere around D.C.

There is fencing like this almost everywhere you go at every intersection in Washington, D.C. There is more fencing over here across the road here and what is happening here is that officials are really at this point right now blocking all vehicle traffic to anywhere inside of Washington, D.C. They are letting people walk through these areas, they are questioning people, what they're doing here, if you try to walk through some of these areas.

But right now, the point of all of this, as security gets tighter and tighter, the ring of steel around the Capitol, the White House starts to grow out. The one thing officials are concerned is about vehicles. And so, they're trying to keep as many cars out of the area as possible.

Also, of course, concern is over some of the insider threats, perhaps from some of the National Guard troops this morning on "Good Morning America," the head of the National Guard here in Washington, D.C. Addressed that issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM WALKER, COMMANDING GENERAL, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NATIONAL GUARD: They're screened and then repeatedly screened until they are actually put on the street. A regular background check is enhanced, with more screening, more details, and it is layered, so the FBI is part of it, the Secret Service is part of it. And once they are certain that there is no insider threat, then that soldier or guardsman or airman is given a credential.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PROKUPECZ: And one of the things, Kate, is that there are layers and layers of security. So, to even get through one checkpoint, to get to a second checkpoint and even a third and a fourth, there are Secret Service agents and law enforcement officials asking questions, checking I.D.

Also, to note, this morning there was a brief scare at the Capitol after a fire at a homeless encampment. The Capitol was placed on a brief lockdown and the inauguration rehearsal today was briefly evacuated as well.

BOLDUAN: Just showing how alert they are in this moment.

Shimon, thank you. Josh, to the arrest. The FBI has announced more arrests in connection with the insurrection at the Capitol. Some of them charged have connections to right wing extremist groups. What are you learning about these arrests?

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: My friend at the FBI is casting this wide net, trying to identify and locate those who took part in that domestic terrorist attack at the Capitol on January 6th.

[11:05:06]

And we're learning some new details about some of those who have been charged. One person, this man named Jon Schaffer, authorities say is a heavy metal guitarist from Indiana. Now, he was, according to court documents, wearing an Oath Keepers' hat.

For those of our viewers who don't know the Oath Keepers are one of these right-wing militias that sprung up in the wake of the presidency of Barack Obama. These folks claiming that the government is out to get them. This person reportedly a member based on his hat. He faces six charges including violent entry.

Another person we're learning about, this man named Robert Gieswein called the Three Percenters. Now, authorities say that he runs a private paramilitary training group. He faces five charges including spraying a substance from a canister at police officers.

The two things we're learning, Kate, from these court documents is one of the FBI is taking this very seriously, trying to find and hold accountable those who were at the Capitol storming the building.

But secondly and troubling for our viewers and those around the world, we're learning more about this dark undercurrent that has been there in the United States. This anti-government right-wing militia groups according to these court documents we're also seeing just how potentially violent they can be.

Of course, we know based on our own reporting that experts and intelligence sources tell us what is motivating so much of this violence is Donald Trump's ongoing lie about the 2020 election fueling so much of these grievances and obviously the future for potential violence. Kate?

BOLDUAN: Josh, the FBI is investigating a tip about a woman possibly stealing a laptop from the speaker's office during the insurrection and trying to sell it to Russia. What are you hear being that?

CAMPBELL: This is one of the more bizarre aspects of this ongoing investigation and it is worth pointing out that authorities didn't provide any evidence. This is coming from a charging document that says that this woman Riley Williams, who is arrested for unlawful entry into the Capitol. One of her former romantic partners came to authorities and said that this person believed that she had stolen a laptop from Speaker Nancy Pelosi with the intent to sell it to a friend in Russia in order for that to then be transferred to the Russian Intelligence Service. Now, again, there is no -- nothing beyond that that we're hearing. Authorities say that they continue to investigate that. But that really shows us the broad scope of the investigation, not only looking at physical threats but also the potential for digital threats. Kate?

BOLDUAN: Josh, thank you. Shimon, thank you as well.

So over at the White House, there are new details about what Donald Trump is doing in the final hours of his presidency. He hasn't been seen in public in six days.

CNN's John Harwood, he is live at the White House joining us as always. John, the focus seems to be all about pardons right now. What are you hearing?

JOHN HARWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well what we're hearing is that between now and noon Wednesday, when the president is - becomes an ex-president, we expect about a hundred pardons to come. Don't know who is going to be on that list. There will be some non- controversial ones, people for whom President Trump is doing a favor as a result of lobbying and more controversial ones perhaps, for example, Steve Bannon, his former campaign strategist who's facing fraud charges, Rudy Giuliani.

We just don't know because the president has been so out of sight. We are currently advised by aides that we do not expect him to pardon his children or himself. Pardoning on himself would be illegally dubious step, never been tested before.

But there's a lot of mystery in this process, Kate, because this president unlike previous presidents has not followed the pardon process that is established at the Department of Justice. And we also know that he's completely transactional.

He will do what he thinks benefits him and how he makes those calculations is something that we're going to find out when he issues those pardons within the next 48 hours.

BODLUAN: And John, the president seems to have some pretty big wishes or maybe demands for what his sendoff will look like. What are you hearing about his departure?

HARWOOD: Well, Kate, just like he has tried to present a fantasy that he won the election, both to himself and to others, he is also nurturing the fantasy that he's going to be leaving the presidency with honor. And he's trying to stage a pomp and circumstance sendoff at Andrew's Air Force Base perhaps with a military honor guard, perhaps with a 21-gun salute.

Certainly, he can get some supporters there, invitations have gone out. We don't know how grand that is going to end up being. It could end up being more talk than actually a huge pomp and circumstance ceremony.

But certainly, that is what he wants. He wants to leave before he is the ex-president. So, his last flight is on Air Force One. Not a plane that is like Air Force One but of course Air Force One is only Air Force One when the president is on it and under customary circumstances you go as an ex-president. He's going to go as president.

BOLDUAN: Shows you where the priorities lie in this moment. Thank you, John.

So as Donald Trump is leaving the office with disgrace, the focus then turns to the monumental task ahead for President-elect Joe Biden as he takes over. That includes a flurry of executive actions he has planned in his very first days.

[11:10:10]

CNN's Jessica Dean, she's joining me now. She is covering all this. So, Jessica, what are you hearing about this huge burden that is about to land on Biden's shoulders and what he plans in the first days?

JESSICA DEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The president-elect and his team know exactly what they're staring down, Kate. There is a crisis almost everywhere they turn. And to that end, we're learning more about the executive orders he plans to sign on day one of his presidency. These are a lot of campaign promises.

These are things that he promised to do out on the campaign trail that will sound familiar. One of them is to rejoin the Paris climate accords. Another is to roll back President Trump's ban on travel from predominantly Muslim countries. They're also going to be - he's also going to be signing different executive orders to get their arms around the COVID crisis. So, a federal mask mandate for where they have jurisdiction on federal property. Also extending that pause on student loan payments. And also extending the pause or the moratorium on evictions for so many people and Americans who are suffering from financial problems right now because of this crisis.

So that is the executive order. They want to telegraph that Biden is getting in office and taking action that he promised to take with that. They also are hoping for what they call robust congressional action. Biden has time and time again said that he hopes that they can find bipartisan agreement on all of the things he's going to be sending to Congress. Chiefly among them and first will be that COVID relief bill that he laid out last week, some $1.9 trillion bill that he laid out. That he's hoping they could get through in Congress.

But Kate, it is going to be very interesting over there. They have the 50/50 split in the Senate. The Democrats have a very slim majority in the House. So, there is going to be a lot of negotiating, a lot of back and forth over what exactly they could get passed.

And you have to remember as well, Biden also wants to get as many of his cabinet nominees passed as quickly as possible. That hasn't happened yet. And then, of course, the impeachment trial.

So, there is just a lot of moving parts. The Biden team trying to focus on what they can control and what they could do to take action as soon as they get into office. Kate? BOLDUAN: All right. Jessica, thank you so much.

Coming up still for us, new video we're getting take you deeper into this new video inside of the Capitol as rioters take over the Senate chamber.

Now lawmakers are launching investigations, demanding answers on what went wrong. One of the lawmakers joins me next.

And the United States is close to crossing a horrible marker in this pandemic. 400,000 coronavirus deaths and incoming Biden officials say that we should brace for more dark days ahead.

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[11:17:05]

BOLDUAN: It is a new perspective and a new look inside the insurrection on the Capitol, capturing the moment that rioters broke into the Senate chamber. The violence that they brought on police defending the Capitol and the hate and threats that they spewed as they roamed and ransacked the Capitol.

Before we play this, a reminder that it is disturbing and we're not editing out the explicit language in the video because it is important you hear the full context of what they're doing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're outnumbered.

There's a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) million of us out there.

And we are listening to Trump - your boss.

Knock, knock.

We're here.

Is this the Senate?

Where the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) are they? Where are they?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's take a seat, people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where is Nancy Pelosi?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) is Nancy? We pay for it. This is our House.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, this is our chair.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, this is our chair. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I agree with you brother, but not ours. It belongs to the vice president of the United States. When he's in here, it is not our chair. Look, I love you guys, your brothers but we can't be disrespectful.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't disrespect -

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They can steal an election, but we can't sit in their chairs?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's got to be something in here we can They could steal an election and we can't sit in their chairs?

No.

There has to be something we could use against these (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Four House committees, they are now launching investigations into that attack. How did it happen? And what went so wrong? Democratic Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, she is the chair of the House Oversight Committee, one of the committees investigating and she joins me right now.

Congresswoman, thank you for being here. So, that was just a minute plus of 12 minutes of video from this one reporter's perspective. Terrifying seeing it all. What did you think when - what do you think this video shows?

REP. CAROLYN MALONEY (D-NY): Well, I think it is shocking beyond belief. It is an attack on our Democracy, our institutions, it is an attack on all of us. It is never happened in history before. This will go down as one of the darkest days if the history of our great country. And we have to get an understanding of what happened and make sure that this doesn't happen again.

BOLDUAN: And part of that is that your committee has opened an investigation into what happened on January 6th. Other committees are doing the same thing as well. What specifically do you want to find out?

MALONEY: Well, we're looking at the intelligence part of it. We're looking at the FBI and the Homeland Security and the Intelligence Office on when were they notified.

[11:20:04]

There are some reports in the press that there were warnings that were coming in of violence on the Capitol, of riots on the Capitol. Did they get that information? When did they get it? Who did they talk to about it? What did they do about it? How did they plan to protect people and to protect our Capitol and our institutions?

They literally disrupted the constitutionally required work of the Congress. It is unheard of and shocking and terrible.

BOLDUAN: This weekend you and Congressman Jamie Raskin also wrote to the chiefs and sheriffs of the largest kind of law enforcement agencies in the country asking them to look into their own ranks as part of investigation into the riots. What do you want them to do?

MALONEY: Well, there were several police officers that were involved, we know. 12 have been identified, maybe more will be identified. We're asking them to look into their ranks and see if they know of anyone, Acevedo, who is the head of the organization. He is the head of a large police department in Houston has been speaking out because some of his members were part of this violent mob.

We need to understand systemic white supremacist that may be in these police departments. We'd like them to speak out with a unified voice. For example, the day after January 6th, the Joint Chiefs of Staff came together. They sent out a memo to every person in the armed forces talking about how we are united in protecting our Constitution and our institutions and our form of government. We are on one page. We would like the police to have the same.

But kind of remember, Kate, the heroic acts that CNN has played also during this time of officers like Eugene Goodman who risked his life leading the rioters away from the Senate chambers that was not protected, away from Vice President Pence and other legislators that could have been harmed. We wanted to give him the congressional gold medal, the highest award to be given to anyone. But it is very disturbing that police were part of this effort.

BOLDUAN: And those two things can be, and it seems very clearly are true at the same time. That you're thankful for the courageous acts of the police officers, no question about that. But it is very disturbing where we have seen since the attack, two Rocky Mount Virginia police officers arrested and charged for breaching the Capitol. There are images inside of the Capitol. An army reservist with security level clearance charged this weekend.

And now, we're learning the FBI is vetting all 25,000 National Guard troops coming to D.C. amid concerns of an insider threat. This is clearly a deeper problem than law enforcement would like to admit or have come to acknowledge in recent years. What can you do about this?

MALONEY: Well, we have held hearings on it. We will be holding more hearings on it. And investigating the depth of systemic actions by police officers, supporting this type of activity. It is outrageous.

You take the oath of office to preserve the law and then on your time off, off time duty, you come and be part of a riot, it is -- it has to stop those that participated, you have to be held accountable. That is part of our investigation with the intelligence communities, what are they doing to arrest and hold these people accountable.

The FBI has arrested well over 100 people and they're investigating another 230 is under investigation, and they have literally hundreds of thousands of tips that looking into. So, we need to find where this came from, identify it and make sure it never happens again. So that is part of what this investigation is about --

BOLDUAN: Really quickly --

MALONEY: -- and the intelligence department.

BOLDUAN: Sorry, chairwoman. On impeachment, really quickly. When do you think the speaker is going to send the article of impeachment over to the Senate?

MALONEY: I haven't talked to her today. So, I don't really know her timing. I do know that my colleague Jamie Raskin who is a member of the committee that I chair is going to be leading the whole trial team on that. And we have had a series of hearings on all kinds of items that are related to what they're talking about in the impeachment.

We did our job. We impeached him. It is now in the Senate. McConnell has said he will not move forward until after President Biden is sworn in and will follow it there.

Kate, I do want to mention that today is Martin Luther King Day. And as we remember his legacy, we have to applaud the fact that we elected the very first woman vice president in history and she is a woman of color.

[11:25:11]

We could all applaud this advancement in our country. She'll lift up the aspirations of women in America, probably around the world. But also, we're confronting what I never believed I would ever see a domestic terrorism led by the president of the United States in an attack against our nation.

And I think the impeachment, he deserved it. He led it. He planned it. He instigated it for months. He spoke about organizing around the country and in state Capitols and coming to our Capitol.

He spoke on the Capitol grounds that day. And you could hear the people say, and many of your clips that you're showing, that they're there for Donald Trump. So, this trial will go forward. And I believe he will be convicted.

BOLDUAN: Congresswoman, thank you for coming in.

MALONEY: Thank you.

BOLDUAN: Coming up for us. The incoming head of the CDC with a tragic forecast. 500,000 Americans could be dead from COVID by end of next month. Is there any way to avert this disaster? A member of Joe Biden's COVID advisory board joins me next.

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