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Capitol Police Request National Guard Help ahead of Right-Wing Rally; FDA Vaccine Advisers Meet Tomorrow to Debate COVID Vaccine Boosters; Trump's High-Pressure Campaign to Steal the Election. Aired 10-10:30a ET
Aired September 16, 2021 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
ERICA HILL, CNN NEWSROOM: A good Thursday morning to you. I'm Erica Hill.
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN NEWSROOM: And I'm Jim Sciutto.
Two days out from a right-wing rally on Capitol Hill and authorities are determined to prevent a repeat of January 6. Right now, U.S. Capitol Police are taking action to protect the building ahead of the planned protests in support of those insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol nine months ago. 500 of them more have been charged with crimes. They've asked the Pentagon for additional support from the National Guard ahead of Saturday's rally.
Overnight, temporary fencing was reinstalled around Capitol Square, what we saw months ago during the worst of January 6, Erica.
HILL: Now, this rally, of course, isn't getting the same kind of major support from GOP lawmakers as we saw on January 6. In fact, new CNN reporting reveals Republicans are really trying to distance themselves from the event. No sitting member of Congress is scheduled to appear.
A former Trump campaign staffer organized the event and despite authorities' concerns and expectations that some of attendees could be armed, he says that will not be the case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT BRAYNARD, ORGANIZER OF RALLY SUPPORTING INSURRECTIONISTS: We've got a largely peaceful crowd. We've had two events in Washington, D.C. so far at the Department of Justice and at the prison, and there have been to incidents so far.
No one is going to be bringing a weapon that is going to be part of our crowd. I can assure the police that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: CNN Law Enforcement Correspondent Whitney Wild joining us live from Washington this morning. So, Whitney, we do know security has been increased ahead in advance of this weekend. They're not giving all the details for obvious reasons. But we can see some of it out there.
WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, that is right, Erica. So, we're here at Constitution and Delaware Northeast, right outside of the Capitol. Here is this fencing, that familiar site here in Washington, D.C. after the insurrection on January 6th.
In addition to the fencing, there is a security camera up here on the corner. Even though rally organizers say that this is going to be a peaceful event, that there have been no issues in the past, something, Erica and Jim, I think it is important to note, law enforcement has noted in intelligence assessments, they know the past events surrounding this justice for January 6 issue, have been peaceful, they are not taking the risk.
So they've asked local law enforcement to be on standby. We know the Metropolitan Police Department has already said they canceled days off, that they're going to have full staffing on Saturday. In addition, they've asked the Department of Defense if they could have the National Guard ready.
The details of that we don't know because know no one is giving up any details, they say, because they don't want to basically give away the playbook to anybody who might want to come to Washington, D.C. and cause harm.
The little we do know though from the Department of Defense is that this is mostly a manpower ask, that it wasn't an enormous ask but there are still two days, Erica and Jim, anything can change.
But I do want to go back to what rally organizers say is going to be the reality here on the ground. We know that law enforcement is prepared for hundreds of people to ascend here to Washington, D.C. Here are the rules according to the rally organizers for this day, for everybody who is coming. They say travel in group, they say be respectful of the security team and of law enforcement.
Here is an interesting thing that they're telling people to do. Do not wear or bring political paraphernalia, apparently trying to distance themselves from the politics and instead focus on the people who are charged in this insurrection.
They also say wear red, white and blue, bring American flags and signs to show support. They say if you see trouble, record it. Signal for help. The hope here is that with the rally organizer says happens, that it will be peaceful, that there will be no trouble. Erica and Jim, if that happens, the Capitol Police chief says this fence will come down in short order following this rally. Back to you.
SCIUTTO: Whitney Wild, thanks so much.
Well, Republican lawmakers are trying at least put some distance between themselves and that planned protest, they're not explicitly criticizing is, hoping to avoid being associated with the rally supporting the Capitol insurrectionists.
HILL: CNN's Melanie Zanona joining now from Washington with more on that. Of course, the question, Melanie, is this working?
MELANIE ZANONA, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: Well that is to be determined. There are no Republican members who are scheduled to speak at the event. They haven't been promoting the event. And some on the far right have even discouraged people from attending, warnings it is a false flag operation designed to trap them.
Look, there is clearly a lot of concern in the GOP about the potential political fallout. They don't want to have this weaponized against them by Democrats. At the same time, Republicans aren't condemning the rally or its causes. In fact, there have been multiple members of Congress who expressed support and sympathy for the jailed insurrectionist. There are two congressional candidates who are speaking at the rally on Saturday and there are a number of local Justice for J6 rallies planned over the next month or so at state capitols.
So, look, this is all putting GOP leaders in a tough spot, because, on the one hand, they don't want to be seen as pro-insurrectionist, they want to move on from January 6th, but they are also contending with a base that increasingly believes the big lie about the election and is increasingly sympathetic towards the rioters and believe the attack on the Capitol was justified.
[10:05:07]
Adam Kinzinger, a Republican who voted to impeach Trump and serves on the select committee investigating the attacks, was asked about all of this earlier on New Day. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ADAM KINZINGER (R-IL): If we have to have this fence put up every time somebody that hates the federal government goes in rallies, it is time for the Republican Party to denounce militia-ism, and to just say, we are country that takes our disagreements and we discuss them in Congress. We don't do this violently.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZANONA: So, look, even if Republicans aren't physically attending the rally on Saturday, this is promising to be a huge optics problems for the GOP and present all new sets of headaches for them.
HILL: Yes. We will be watching to see what transpires there. Melanie Zanona, I appreciate it.
Well, tomorrow, FDA vaccine advisers set to meet. They'll consider a request from Pfizer to approve a booster shot. And this morning, we're learning some new details about those boosters. There is data from three separate reports now that support the need for a third dose. All of them noting those extra shots would be safe.
CNN Health Reporter Jacqueline Howard following it for us.
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Yes, Erica, we expect some of these reports to be discussed in the meeting tomorrow among the vaccine advisers to the FDA. Among the reports is a study from Israel that has some interesting data here. Researchers looked at adults who received a booster and who did not. And among these older adults ages 60 and older, 12 days after boosters, were administered to some of them. Researchers found that among those who received a booster, rates of breakthrough infections were lower by a factor of 11.3 and then the rate of severe illness was lower by a factor of 19.5 among those who received a booster.
And then Pfizer also has released data showing waning immunity as it tracked those who received its vaccine and we anticipate this study will be discussed as well tomorrow. Among the Pfizer data shows that about a week to two months after receiving a vaccine, efficacy was 96.2 percent among those fully vaccinated. And you see here on this chart, it waned, and by four months, it was at an efficacy of 83.7 percent. And this is evidence just again of that waning immunity.
And, of course, Erica and Jim, I mean, there are arguments really on all sides when it comes to boosters. Some say that we do need boosters because of the waning immunity, some argue against it and say our vaccines are still working at a effective level, and then there are some who say we still need more data. So these studies are just part of those ongoing arguments.
SCIUTTO: Yes. It is a hung jury on that, it seems.
So, Moderna says they're also developing a new booster to fight COVID- 19 variants. Where does that stand?
HOWARD: That is right. Moderna has initiated the submission of data to the FDA on its booster. And so we do anticipate that we could have the same discussion about Moderna's vaccine next. And when it comes to the boosters, I guess the next steps are similar to what we saw in December when vaccines were authorized. Data first goes to the FDA, the FDA makes a decision then the CDC signs off on recommending the vaccine or not. So we'll see those same steps with boosters.
And it is interesting, Jim, we do again anticipate this meeting among FDA's vaccine advisers tomorrow and then we just saw this news or this announcement that the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices will be meeting next week. So that could be again the next step possibly if boosters move forward. But, overall, Jim, we, again, are keeping eyes on Pfizer and Moderna could be next.
SCIUTTO: Yes.
HILL: All right. Jacqueline Howard, I appreciate it. Thank you.
Still to come, new details on former President Donald Trump's pressure campaign to overturn the 2020 election.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT (voice over): Hello, frances, how are you?
Hello, Brad and Ryan and everybody.
RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER TRUMP PERSONAL ATTORNEY: Bill, it is Rudy Giuliani.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: CNN has obtained the calls, the text, the voicemails you will hear from the local election officials who were on the receiving end.
SCIUTTO: You really want to watch this, folks. It is alarming.
Plus, the clock is ticking on raising the debt ceiling. Can Democrats and Republicans agree? Could the economy be at risk? We're going to speak with GOP Senator John Barrasso, he's number three in the Senate Republican leadership, later this hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:10:00]
HILL: Republicans in the Pennsylvania senate just voted to subpoena the state for millions of voters' personal information and voting histories. This is as they launch a review that appears designed to re-litigate the 2020 presidential election.
Now, just to say it one more time, there has been no indication of significant voter fraud in Pennsylvania or in any other state.
SCIUTTO: And yet it goes on. It just goes on. Just one more piece of the fallout from former President Trump's continuing big lie. He continues to spread it. He not only insisted he won, his lies made millions of Americans doubt the U.S. election system, most Republicans. He relentlessly pressured local election officials throughout and the Department of Justice to help reverse the election loss, his loss.
[10:15:02]
And when that didn't work, his supporters turned to changing voting laws across the country.
HILL: And to understand how dangerous this is, for our democracy, you really need to look at the entire scope of the actions by not only Trump but his inner circle and Republican politicians who are clinging to his lies.
Here is CNN Senior Investigative Correspondent Drew Griffin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER (voice over): Donald Trump's attempt to subvert the election started long before anyone voted --
TRUMP: We're not going to lose this, except if they cheat.
GRIFFIN: -- continued on election night --
TRUMP: We want all voting to stop.
GRIFFIN: -- sparked and attempted insurrection.
TRUMP: We fight like hell.
GRIFFIN: As disgraceful as Trump's public words were, behind the scenes, Trump and his inner circle were using all the powers of the presidential office to cheat, not to stop the steal, but to start it.
RICHARD L. HASEN, LAW PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE: It was an attempt to undermine the will of the people. It was profoundly anti-democratic, and potentially criminal.
GRIFFIN: The 45th president of the United States tried to coerce the Department of Justice to lie on his behalf while also strong arming state and local election officials to overthrow the election.
MATT MASTERSON, FORMER SENIOR CYBERSECURITY ADVISER/CISA: There's no question that our democracy is at a breaking point.
GRIFFIN: In the weeks following the election, Trump and his inner circle would wage a high pressure campaign.
TRUMP (voice over): Hello, Frances, how are you?
Hello, Brad and Ryan and everybody.
GIULIANI (voice over): Bill, it's Rudy Giuliani.
GRIFFIN: At least 30 contacts between Trump and Republican officials in crucial states, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Arizona.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the White House operator.
CLINT L. HICKMAN, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA: I was out to dinner with friends, and a phone call came in from Washington, D.C. of a number I did not recognize.
GRIFFIN: Clint Hickman, a Trump supporter who was then the chair of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors couldn't believe it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was calling to let you know that the president is available to take your call if you're free.
GRIFFIN: Hickman let the call go to voice mail. Days later, the White House operator called back. Hickman, again, refused to pick it up.
HICKMAN: Obviously, I thought it was going to be something to do about election and operations and I was not prepared to talk about that. The governor of Arizona had already certified it, the attorney general of Arizona, the secretary of state had certify it.
GRIFFIN: Records now revealed dozens of text messages and multiple phone calls from the White House, from Rudy Giuliani, and also the head of Arizona's Republican Party.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just talked to President Trump and he would like me to talk to you.
GRIFFIN: Trying to put pressure on the Maricopa County Republican supervisors to intervene in a free and fair election that Joe Biden won. Supervisor Bill Gates believes it was an attack on the Constitution.
BILL GATES, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA: I saw that a voice mail had popped up. It was just unbelievable to hear, you know, instantly I knew who it was. I knew that voice, you know, Rudy Giuliani, America's mayor.
GIULIANI (voice over): Bill, it's Rudy Giuliani, President Trump's lawyer. I have a few things I would like to talk over with you. Maybe we can get this thing fixed up.
GRIFFIN: The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors had just received this subpoena demanding election officials hand over millions of ballots to state Republican politicians who were launching fraud investigations.
GATES: He wanted us to turn over the ballots as soon as possible, so that the state senate could get to work.
GRIFFIN: Get to work doing?
GATES: One of the objectives was to get their hands on the ballot before the January 6th hearing in the Capitol. They wanted evidence to support decertifying the election.
GRIFFIN: It's Constitution be damned, really?
GATES: Right. One of the main reasons I became Republican in 1980s was I thought the Republican Party was the party of the rule of law, the party of the Constitution.
GRIFFIN: In Michigan, a Wayne County Republican official voted to certify the election then changed her mind after a call from Donald Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have provided them with a copy of my affidavit rescinding my vote.
GRIFFIN: In Georgia, Trump not only called the state's top elections investigator --
TRUMP (voice over): But whatever you can do, Frances.
GRIFFIN: -- but in what now is being investigated as a possible crime. Trump tried to convince Georgia's Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to change the vote count.
TRUMP (voice over): And there's nothing wrong with saying that, you know, that you've recalculated. HASEN: It seems clearer and clearer that Trump was actually trying to steal the election. He was actually trying to create conditions where he would be declared the winner even though he actually lost the election. It is incredibly dangerous and destabilizing.
GRIFFIN: And perhaps most dangerous of all, President Trump even tried to use the United States Department of Justice to pull off his attempted coup. In the notes of a December 27 phone call now handed over to congressional investigators, Trump told his acting attorney general, Jeffrey Rosen, and his deputy, Richard Donoghue, just say that the election was corrupt, leave the rest to me and the R congressmen.
[10:20:14]
Both men refused Trump's request, and both have testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee chaired by Senator Dick Durbin.
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: What was the most shocking to you?
SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): Just how directly personally involved the president was, the pressure he was putting on Jeffrey Rosen. It was real, very real. And it was very specific.
GRIFFIN: Trump tried to pressure Rosen to file a lawsuit in the Supreme Court, to declare that the Electoral College votes cast cannot be counted. His chief of staff was repeatedly emailing top DOJ officials at least five times asking they investigate conspiracy theories about voter fraud.
MASTERSON: It's an attempt to use the Department of Justice in order to influence the election that's run at the state and local level. So, it's dangerous, it's inappropriate and it should be unacceptable.
GRIFFIN: And Trump had been secretly working with someone inside the Department of Justice. An official from the environmental division named Jeffrey Clark who was pushing allegations of voter fraud despite all the evidence against it. Clark urged his bosses to sign a letter to Georgia's governor containing a lie. It falsely claimed the Justice Department identified significant concerns that may have impacted the outcome of the election and advised the governor to convene in special session. Acting Attorney General Rosen and the deputy A.G., Donoghue, said no.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The country came very close to a coup.
GRIFFIN: It was the violence of the insurrection on January 6th that finally ended Trump's plans to prevent the certification of Joe Biden as president. Yet, with no proof, with no facts, with no evidence at all that fraud played any role in his defeat, Trump has convinced his base of support that the electoral system of the United States is corrupt.
Former Republican New Jersey Oregon Christine Todd Whitman, who started a group to safeguard U.S. democracy, says this is a threat to the country.
CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN, CO-FOUNDER, STATES UNITED DEMOCRACY CENTER: Abraham Lincoln said if this government falls, it will fall from within, and we have to remember those things because it can. It could happen.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: Drew Griffin reporting there. Now, one thing that Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates told CNN is that if it were not for Republicans who were willing to risk their careers for standing up for what is right, there may have been a very different outcome.
Across the country, some of those election officials, including Republicans, are dealing with threats to their lives.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: How many threats do you think you have gotten?
CLAIRE WOODALL-VOGG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MILWAUKEE ELECTION COMMISSION: I think over 150.
GRIFFIN: 150 threats?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: You will hear some of those chilling voicemails, some of the physical threats to election officials, the threats to American democracy. More when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:25:00]
SCIUTTO: One, just one of the dangerous consequences of Donald Trump's continuing big lie is that tens of millions of Americans mistakenly believe that Trump won the 2020 election. Some of them are threatening violence against election officials for simply doing their jobs.
HILL: And we do want to warn you, some of the language you're about to hear is graphic. But it also really paints the picture. Once again, here is CNN Senior Investigative Correspondent Drew Griffin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN (voice over): In Milwaukee, Elections Executive Director Claire Woodall-Vogg has been bombarded by hate ever since an extremist right wing web site, Gateway Pundit, published lies about her.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You rigged my fucking election you fucking piece of shit. We're going to try you and we're going to hang you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're coming for you Claire.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I really sincerely hope you get what's coming to you, you fraudulent fuck.
GRIFFIN: What was your immediate reaction to what was on that machine?
WOODALL-VOGG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MILWAUKEE ELECTION COMMISSION: It's frightening because there are crazy people out there. And while it might just be them blowing off steam, I think it's clear that they believe it. And I think only someone who truly believed it would act on it.
GRIFFIN: How many threats do you think you have gotten?
WOODALL-VOGG: I think over 150.
GRIFFIN: 150 threats?
WOODALL-VOGG: Yes. I received a letter, very colorful language to my home, which did make me very frightened in that I have a three-month- old and a four-year-old to think about, and all because I did my job, and made sure that all of the city of Milwaukee's ballots were counted.
GRIFFIN: What did that letter say?
WOODALL-VOGG: Am I allowed to tell you the swear words on camera?
GRIFFIN: Sure.
WOODALL-VOGG: It said, you are a fraudulent (BLEEP). A lot of the emails called me (BLEEP) bitch, a whore. The common thread was that no one also has any respect for women in the world.
GRIFFIN: What happened in Milwaukee is happening all across the country. In Phoenix, Republican Bill Gates and his fellow county supervisors faced their own threats every single day.
[10:30:00]
