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Divide Grows in the GOP; Former Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-VA) is Interviewed about the Republican Party; Cover-up Allegations Hit Andrew Cuomo; Air Travel Surges over Holiday Weekend; Winter Storm Grips U.S. Aired 9:30-10a ET.

Aired February 15, 2021 - 09:30   ET

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

[09:30:00]

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: CNN's Lauren Fox is on Capitol Hill with more.

And so, Lauren, look, you have Burr, whose retiring, who's not running for re-elected, and Cassidy, who's just been re-elected and is safe for six years. But this is about symbolism. The Republican Party is sending a message here.

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's exactly right. And this is always part of the challenge for the Republicans as they are trying to move beyond former President Donald Trump, right? You still have to win his voters, you still have to win support from the party, the state parties, that really still believe in the former president's message. And I think that's part of the challenge you are seeing and why you are starting to be able to look at these state parties and what they're doing to these members and it's pretty interesting.

And I think Burr is an interesting example because he is someone who is retiring. Pat Toomey, a Republican from the state of Pennsylvania, also retiring. Bill Cassidy, like you mentioned, he was just up for re-election. He has a six-year term. The politics could look very different in six years.

I do think it's interesting to look at someone like Lisa Murkowski. She is up for re-election in the state of Alaska. She voted to convict Trump. And I do wonder what impact this will have on her. Reporters did talk to her after her vote on Saturday night and she said, look, this was just what I thought was the right thing to do. This was a vote of conscience. I was there on January 6th.

But she potentially is the one who could face the most immediate consequences. Yes, it is a political message to send to Burr, to send to Cassidy for their state parties to censure them. And you also saw that from some House members who voted to impeach Trump as well. The Wyoming Republican Party censured Liz Cheney. But I think that the bigger impact is going to be, what do voters do when these members are on the ballot in just a couple of years.

Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: You mentioned Senator Murkowski. Up until now she has remained very popular in her state of Alaska. We'll see if this changes that at all.

Lauren Fox, thank you so much.

And let's keep this conversation going with former GOP congressman from Virginia, Denver Riggleman.

Thank you so much for joining us.

So you have Republican Senator Lindsey Graham telling Fox News that he spoke with former President Trump after his acquittal, saying that Trump is excited for 2022. You have Lindsey Graham, on the one hand, saying Republicans can't take back the Senate without Trump. Then you've got Senator Cassidy on the other who voted to convict Trump Saturday, saying that the party is much more than one person.

So who is right here?

DENVER RIGGLEMAN (R), FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: Sadly, I think Lindsay probably has his finger on the pulse a little bit more than Senator Cassidy. And it's a sad thing to say but if you look at the committees across the country, these votes aren't even close for censorship.

And I was also looking at some of the polls and I think something that you were talking about, when you look at the poll, I think the latest was the AEI (ph) poll when it talked about 27 or 29 percent of Republicans believe somewhat or all in the QAnon theory. The number that scared me was 40 percent. Forty-three percent who said they didn't know. You put those numbers together, it's pretty much the number of Republicans who believe that the election was stolen and that the Capitol seizure was a false flag.

So when you look at those numbers at the 70 to 75 percent level, I have a real tough time thinking that Lindsay isn't correct, that the party still belongs to President Trump in a lot of these areas.

GOLODRYGA: So let's talk about the future of the Republican Party. I'm glad you brought those polls up because Ron Brownstein has an incredible piece that he's written for CNN talking about just that and how the constituency within the Republican Party seems to be growing ever so more extreme. You look at another statistic and poll, one- sixth to nearly one-fifth of Republicans have praised the January 6th attack in polling from "PBS News Hour" and Marist and Quinnipiac.

With these kind of figures and what you have said as well, what does that say about the future of the Republican Party? Can it survive in a democracy?

RIGGLEMAN: I think, you know, sadly, I think it's going to survive but also thrive in '22 in a lot of these districts. And I'm on the ground here, Bianna, right? I'm here. And what I'm seeing is I'm still getting private FaceBook messages every day that are espousing more and more conspiracy theories. It's every day. These are from people who know me and things like that, to the point that I'm trying to stay off FaceBook because FaceBook seems to be a cesspool of these conspiracy theories right now with the age group and demographic of the people that are on there.

So as I'm looking around and I'm on the ground here in Virginia, in the Fifth District, I would still say a majority of the individuals believe that President Trump was completely exonerated, that he shouldn't have been impeached, that there was a false flag operation at the Capitol and that stop the steal was real. And all that is based on conspiracy theories.

So, right now, I think the Republicans are looking at running on election integrity and pro-Trump messaging throughout the entire '22 cycle and they might even pick up seats. And that means that people that want to deal in facts and truth, they have to attack right now, but you can't attack at the level we're at right now talking. You've got to go to the committee level and have people brave enough to walk in there and say, this is what it is. And I did that.

[09:35:00]

I paid the price for that. But people have to be willing to pay the price and lose for truth for our country rather than kowtowing to a party or individual. And if we can do that, we might have a chance. But, right now, I think '22 looks like Republicans are going to do well in some of these districts that believe in conspiracy theories.

GOLODRYGA: It is stunning to hear every single word that you just said there, especially given that you have proof from what you're hearing from your constituents, from folks in your area, and what you're projecting for 2022 because that doesn't seem to square with what we're hearing, even from "The Wall Street Journal" editorial board, which this morning, as we talk about censuring certain senators that voted to convict the president, "The Wall Street Journal" board -- editorial board suggests that the president -- the former president himself should have been censored and that many Republicans would have gone along with that if they took out the stipulation that he can't run for re-election again, saying that the American public is smart enough to know that he shouldn't be re-elected. You're suggesting that's not the case?

RIGGLEMAN: That's not the case at all. "The Wall Street Journal" is wrong. Even if they would have censured, these individuals would have said that was completely against what the Republican Party and these committees believe. And here's what I want to tell people, yes, the committees are more ideologically to the right than the general population because they're-- I would say the majority of normal people do not want to get involved in committee politics, right? That's like a "Star Wars" bar scene in there sometimes.

And that's -- that's the issue that you have is you want normal people, Republicans, I think you go over the committees, you know, ignore them and you go straight to the Republicans that are center right, that believe in rule of law, but also think these conspiracy theories are poppycock. And if you can do that, we have a real chance.

But, again, "The Wall Street Journal" is wrong, a censure wouldn't -- wouldn't have done anything, it would have just gotten more people censured.

GOLODRYGA: So how do we do that? Look, I came from a former Soviet Union where you had the government dictating propaganda and lies to you left, right, and center to the point where constituents didn't know fact from fiction. It sounds like that may be the direction at least one party is headed in this country.

What can be done to fix that? We do need more than one party in this country to succeed.

RIGGLEMAN: It has to start from the bottom up. You know, there's a top down, bottom up squeeze with conspiracy theories, where the bottom up sort of propagates it but the top down, they spread it, right? And that's the issue that you have.

So you have to have people willing to go to the community level, the grass roots level, go in front of 70 people who are going to scream at you and say you're a traitor and try to present facts. And I know that sounds, you know, almost like you're spitting in the wind, right? But at some point somebody has to do that.

I've been trying. There's other people, but only a few.

And let me give you an example. How many Republicans have come out for Jamie Butler Hererra. How many -- how many are coming out against Marjorie Taylor Green's tweets about her? How many have come out about these ridiculous things that are being said on social media and in press releases or people that are saying they'll still going to run on stop the steal and election integrity? Not that many. Adam Kinzinger, me, a few others. That's it. And that's all you need to know. It's much more than anecdotal. So I think people need to look at the data.

But you've also go to fight at the grassroots level in your own community and say, this is ridiculous. This isn't true. And until people are brave enough to face the masses like that, we're still going to have a tough time because, again, us talking, the committees just don't care that me and you are having this discussion. They just don't care.

GOLODRYGA: Well, look, it cost you your seat but your voice is still valuable here and continuing to spread this message to the country.

RIGGLEMAN: Thank you.

GOLODRYGA: And the truth matters, right? And dispelling these rumors and lies.

RIGGLEMAN: Yes, ma'am. (INAUDIBLE).

GOLODRYGA: Thank you -- thank you so much, Congressman Denver Riggleman. We appreciate it.

RIGGLEMAN: Thank you.

GOLODRYGA: Well, Republicans in New York state are calling for the impeachment of Governor Andrew Cuomo amid allegations of a cover-up over the scale of coronavirus deaths at nursing homes. We'll have more coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:43:03]

GOLODRYGA: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is facing intense criticism this morning and even calls for impeachment following a damming new report. One of his top aides now saying that the administration delayed critical data on COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes because of a concern about a possible federal investigation.

CNN's Athena Jones has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

EMILLE MUNSON, ALBANY TIMES UNION/WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, HEARST NEWSPAPERS: This is a very big deal.

ATHENA JONES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is facing calls he'd be investigated. State Republicans going so far as to say he should be impeached.

NICK LANGWORTHY, NY GOP CHAIRMAN: The gravity of this cover-up cannot be overstated.

JONES: This after his top aide admitted to withholding data for months that revealed thousands more confirmed and presumed COVID-19 deaths of long-term care facility residents than previously disclosed.

MUNSON: Throughout the pandemic you know between his Emmy for his coronavirus press briefing, to Governor Cuomo's book, to his speech at the Democratic National Convention, Governor Cuomo has been held up as the model governor in his coronavirus response, even though New York was so hard-hit by the virus early on.

JONES: But now, according to a transcript of a private video call, Melissa DeRosa told Democratic state lawmakers that in response to questions, basically we froze because then we were in a position where we weren't sure if what we were going to give to the Department of Justice or what we give to you guys, what we start saying, was going to be used against us.

Fourteen Democratic state senators saying in a statement, Cuomo should be stripped of his emergency powers. State Republicans echoing their call and going further.

LANGWORTHY: The Cuomo administration purposely lied and withheld evidence and information to avoid prosecution.

Andrew Cuomo must be prosecuted and Andrew Cuomo must be impeached if this evidence exists. JONES: Some 15,000 residents of facilities like nursing homes died

according to the Department of Health.

[09:45:04]

About a third of all COVID deaths statewide. The true death toll was revealed after New York Attorney General, and Cuomo ally, Letitia James issued a scathing report last month accusing the states of undercounting deaths in these facilities by some 50 percent, by only publically reporting those who died on site, not residents who were admitted to hospitals and died there or elsewhere.

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D-NY): Whether a person died in a hospital or died in a nursing home, it's -- the people died. I wish none of it happened. I wish there was no COVID. I wish no old people died.

JONES: Cuomo has faced criticism over a March 2020 state health department advisory that required nursing homes to admit and readmit patients with COVID, something critics say may have further fueled the outbreak in those facilities. Cuomo has said the policy was in line with federal guidance.

DANIEL ARBEENY, FATHER DIED OF COVID-19 AFTER STAYING IN NY NURSING HOME: It was the absolute worst decision anybody could make in a time of a pandemic.

JONES: The controversial directive was scrapped in May.

The Associated Press reporting more than 9,000 recovering coronavirus patients in New York were transferred to nursing homes from hospitals early in the pandemic.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JONES: Now, this controversy is not something the governor is going to be able to shake off easily or quickly. The New York assembly Republican leader is now calling on this assembly's Democratic leadership to call a special session this week to discuss ending the governor's expansive emergency powers that were granted to him during the pandemic. This is something that members of both parties have said they would support.

Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: And, Athena, this is just horrific, some of these details coming out here. It must be so painful for so many of these families to relive this nightmare that they've lost loved ones in these nursing homes.

Thank you so much. I know you'll stay on top of this story.

JONES: Thanks.

GOLODRYGA: Well, this weekend has been one of the busiest for pandemic air travel in more than one month. More than 4 million people have flown since Thursday, despite the CDC warnings not to travel. Still, the CDC said that it is not recommending coronavirus tests be required before domestic travel. And that's a relief for major airlines.

CNN's Pete Muntean is at Reagan National following this travel surge.

What more are you learning about travel this weekend, Pete?

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bianna, this is actually the busiest air travel has been since the holidays. And now we will have to see if these numbers will last. The TSA just said 900,000 people passed through security at America's airports yesterday, more than 900,000 people on Saturday, more than a million people on Friday, more than 1.1 million people on Thursday.

That means about 4 million people have flown in the last four days, numbers that airlines say we would not be seeing if the CDC mandated that domestic travelers get tested for coronavirus at the start of their trip.

That whole idea really thrust into the limelight last week by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. He said in multiple interviews that the Biden administration was consulting with the CDC on that. Airlines pushed back against that and met with the Biden administration on Friday. And only a few hours after, the CDC and the White House said it was not considering a domestic travel testing requirement at this time.

The CDC, right now, only recommending that passengers get tested one to three days before their trip and then again three to five days after their trip. We will see if all of the people traveling this weekend follow through with that guidance.

At least some people are following through with another part of guidance. The CDC, frankly, just telling people not to travel and these numbers really do show that. There are only about 45 percent of what they were a year ago.

Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: It is incredible, Pete, to see these images of empty airports behind you. That is the world we are living in now. Thank you so much.

Well, millions are without power this morning as frigid temperatures paralyze parts of the south. We'll have an update coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:53:25]

GOLODRYGA: Well, half of the country is currently under winter weather advisories this morning and around 2.5 million Americans, most of them in Texas, are waking up without power as freezing or below freezing temperatures grip the country from coast to coast.

Houston's mayor, Sylvester Turner, warning resident this morning that power could be out a lot longer than expected. A dangerous situation during this brutal winter weather. For more on this let's go to CNN meteorologist Chad Myers.

Chad, this is record-breaking cold.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It is.

GOLODRYGA: And my parents are there in Houston, Texas, with snow outside their door.

MYERS: Yes.

GOLODRYGA: And without any heat.

MYERS: Oh, wow.

GOLODRYGA: This is a devastating situation for so many in Texas.

MYERS: It is. And let me get to why we don't have power outages like this in the heat of the summer. Let's say all of Texas gets to be 105. And you try to get your house down to 78. Well, the different between 105 and 78 is 27 degrees. If you're ten degrees outside and you're trying to warm it to 70 degrees inside, the difference is 60 degrees. So your delta, your difference between trying to get the house cool and trying to keep it warm is taxing the system. And 2.5 million customers, about 12.5 million total customers that are being reported. So that's 20 percent of the state.

Windchill factors as low as 30 to 40 degrees below zero. One million square miles of the country is under a windchill warning. Look at the temperature departure from normal. It's going to be 42 degrees below normal in Kansas City. And that's not windchill, that's the air temperature itself.

[09:55:03]

You add in the wind and it feels colder. So widespread outages here in Texas, widespread outages in parts of Oregon and also into Virginia.

And there's probably more widespread outages to come because there's an ice storm developing over Mississippi and Louisiana. A snow event that's going to be just to the northwest of there. Now snow doesn't typically bring down power lines but this much ice, absolutely. Right through Jackson, right through Nashville, all the way up even toward London, Kentucky, and then on up to the northeast from there.

This is only the first storm of two. Another one will follow right on this storm's heels. And even though the precip is over by tomorrow night, ice here, snow to the north of there and this is ending on Tuesday and this is ending on Saturday. That purple, Bianna, that's 18 inches of snow and that is a big area of that much snow.

GOLODRYGA: Incredible. Well, we are thinking of everybody without power right now going through these blistering cold temperatures.

MYERS: Yes. GOLODRYGA: And call your loved ones, call your parents. I called mine.

Chad Myers, thank you so much. We appreciate it.

MYERS: You're welcome, Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)