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GOP Congressman Threatened After Voting For Infrastructure Bill; Trump Lashes Out At GOP House Members Who Backed Infrastructure Bill; GOP's Gosar Tweets Doctored Clip Depicting Him Killing AOC; California Couple Sues Fertility Clinic After IVF Mix Up. Aired 3:30- 4p ET

Aired November 09, 2021 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: GOP Congressman Fred Upton, he's one of 13 Republicans who voted in favor of President Biden's bipartisan infrastructure bill. He's sharing this disgusting phone message that he received following that yes vote. Here is a bleeped version.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: F***ing traitor. That is what you are. You are a f***ing piece of s**t traitor. Hope you die. Hope everybody in your f***ing family dies. You f***ing piece of shit trash mother***er. Voted for dumba** f***ing Biden? You are stupider than he is. He can't even complete a f***ing sentence, you dumb mother***r, traitor, piece of s**t, mother***, piece of trash. Hope you f***ing die. I hope your f***ing family dies. I hope everybody in your f***ing staff dies, you f***ing piece of f***ing s**t. Traitor!

(END AUDIO CLIP)

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Well, Upton tells CNN that the hateful calls started pouring in after his fellow House colleague Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted the phone numbers of those who had voted for the bill. And if that is not enough, former President Trump is also criticizing the 13 Republicans.

CNN chief Congressional correspondent Manu Raju is on Capitol Hill. So what did the former president say?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is at a fundraising dinner last night in Florida in which he criticized those 13 Republicans saying that they should not have voted for that and saying that he was perplexed in a lot of ways that they would give Joe Biden a victory at a time where he was low in the polls, this according to a person who heard his remarks.

Now he had also made that clear in a statement over the weekend calling those Republicans R.I.N.O.s, and saying that they are pushing for quote, Democrat longevity and should be ashamed of themselves.

But in talking to those Republican members, they are defending their votes. Including Congressman Don Bacon from Nebraska who told me this shortly after the vote.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAJU: Was it the wrong decision of the leadership to whip against this?

REP. DON BACON (R-NE): You know, I don't want to criticize. I'll just say I wouldn't have done it. It shouldn't have been this toxic or this divisive. People should be able to vote their conscience on it.

RAJU: Yes, politically though, I mean you are giving -- they may argue, the Republicans may argue, you are giving the president a win when he is at a very low point. What do you say to that?

BACON: But to vote against it because of that? I don't think that is right. Was it good for the district, was it good for the country to vote on something just because it hurts the president? It's not the right lens I think to see this through. So, I just tried do the right thing and I think that it is very popular in our district.

[15:35:00]

So, I want to go back home and say, hey, I know y'all like it and it is good for the district, but it's going to hurt my opponent. That is not the right thing to do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RAJU (on camera): Now, Republican leader Kevin McCarthy and his leadership team tried to persuade Republicans not to vote yes until the Democrats themselves got to that majority number of 218 votes on Friday night.

But what angered a number of Republicans, was that some Republicans voted yes before the Democrats reached that threshold by themselves, and that included John Katko, a Republican of New York. Who has faced a lot of criticism from his fellow Republicans for voting for this bill, ultimately, they needed those 13 Republicans to vote yes, because six Democrats voted no.

There is a push by some rank-and-file members to potentially strip those 13 Republicans from their committee assignments. But in talking to senior Republican leadership sources, there is not much appetite here to get into a divisive intra-party affair. So, despite what the president is pushing, the leadership at the moment is not going along with any efforts to retaliate against them -- guys.

BLACKWELL: Manu Raju, on Capitol Hill, thank you, Manu.

CAMEROTA: Now to a lawmaker with fantasies about political violence. Republican Congressman Paul Gosar, he posted a disturbing Photoshopped anime video to social media that depicts him killing Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attacking President Biden with two swords.

We're only showing some screen shots because it is so vile. So, we don't want to show it in its entirety.

Let's bring in now, Jennifer Gosar, she is the sister of Congressman Paul Gosar. Jennifer, nice to see you again. Thanks for being here. I know that days like there are hard for you and your siblings. And I know that you have spent a couple years now, a few years speaking out about your brother and the threat that you think that he poses. Do you think that it is getting worse?

JENNIFER GOSAR, SISTER OF REP. PAUL GOSAR: Yes, Alisyn, it definitely is getting worse. Because no one, no one holds him accountable. Not Kevin McCarthy, not Senate leader Mitch McConnell, not Senate leader Chuck Schumer, not Speaker Nancy Pelosi, not Attorney General Merrick Garland. No one holds him accountable. And then this is something that I have to openly wonder, does he have to act on it himself before we believe that he is an absolute -- he's a sociopath.

And what is more, we know from everything that we have seen and certainly Attorney General Garland has seen much more of it than I, that there is evidence to show he was in a conspiracy to commit treason against the United States of America. Where is the accountability?

CAMEROTA: Before we get to what you want to see happen and your conversations that I know you've had with some lawmakers. I just want to get a little bit more into your brother's psyche because it is so baffling that this is one of our elected leaders.

He in the past has talked about -- before he posted this video, you know, they wanted --- some of the Democrats wanted him brought up on ethics charges. I think about January 6. And he put out this 30-page response part of which said.

Know this, I have never instigated violence, I have never aided or abetted violence, I have not urged or supported violence.

What's your response to that?

GOSAR: I mean, it's an expletive and it's complete crap. That's an absolute complete lie. I mean, we'll take The Hill. You're going to have to sacrifice for your country and take back the White House? That is not inciting violence.

It is different when you say I'm fighting for you on an issue. But when you say, come to Washington and we'll take back The Hill, and you can honestly with some sort of straight face, and I don't care how much text is on that 30 pages, it is utter garbage. It means nothing.

CAMEROTA: You have wanted your brother held responsible to be censured, to be expelled from Congress. I remember you and your siblings calling for it. So, I know you've spoken to some lawmakers. What have they told you?

GOSAR: You know what is funny, they don't actually call me. It is the press that calls me. And we have marched out again and again and I would invite you to have one of those lawmakers on the program with me because what I am is a common person. I have proximity to this sociopath who has been elected from a very gerrymandered district. There is no other way that someone like Paul wins without that. He is incompetent. It is obvious.

I'm not speaking in sort of like half nuances here. The dude is obviously incompetent. But I challenge those members to come on the air with me to call me because they don't. Because you know why? They are very concerned about their offices. They are very concerned about election. And they are not concerned about the American people of which I am one.

And furthermore, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez deserves systemic protection. And in fact, look at her tweets, she said another day at work because, you know, the system doesn't protect women of color.

Can we look at that for just a second, can we unpack that for a second?

[15:40:00]

Because of course she's right. Of course, she's right.

CAMEROTA: So just to be clear, when you've reached out to your Arizona representatives, so Congressman Raul Grijalva, you have spoken to him or never spoken to him?

GOSAR: No, and he is not my representative. I don't live in Arizona. I live in Washington state. I'm represented by Pramila Jayapal. And I actually -- Pramila Jayapal has acted on my behalf. She called for an ethics investigation. That was not followed through. And why?

Because there is evidence there. On more than one occasion, in fact, when Paul went to the U.K. to stump speech for Tommy Robinson who by the way was a felon, a felon in the United States for illegal immigration, right? Isn't that lovely and ironic, but of course that is what these people are. But when he went there, there were questions about the time he spent with Steve Bannon, Filip Dewinter and other right-wing extremists.

Nobody followed through. And what they followed through on this, there is evidence, Alisyn, I don't mean to be yell at you, but I'm at my wit's end with these people. Where is the character of our elected leaders?

CAMEROTA: Jennifer, I hear you, I mean hear you and I don't blame you for -- because you have tried to get everyone's attention, tried to grab everybody by the collar and say that it is only getting more dangerous. It does seem to be escalating in terms of not only his rhetoric but now putting out images and things like that.

What I've heard some Democrats say about this is, you know, censoring him would only give him more notoriety.

GOSAR: That's crap, that's absolute crap. It starts with censure. It works for expulsion. He has forfeited -- he does not deserve the right to serve in this Congress. And in fact, if you look at the 14th amendment -- and I've had legal

scholars talk with me about this. It has been not interpreted this way, but it can be interpreted such that Nancy Pelosi, Speaker Nancy Pelosi can say, no, sir, you have forfeited your right to your seat in Congress. Take me to court and get back in.

Do you understand what I'm saying? She does not have to have everyone's vote on that. He has demonstrated by his treasonous plot that he has conspired against the United States government. I think that that is merited a forfeiture of his seat. Now if he can get a two thirds vote to get back in, well, then bully

for Paul.

Look at the election he actually won. But honestly, there are ways do this and they are not doing it, and I wonder where are they? Who are they working with to get the justice for the people done?

CAMEROTA: Jennifer Gosar, we really appreciate your time. Thank you very much. Obviously, we'll have you back and we'll see if they do anything this time.

GOSAR: Well, thank you, Alisyn, I'm so sorry to be so upset, but I'm so worried about what this means. I'm really concerned because Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is somebody that I hold in the highest of esteem and she is doing great work, innovative, inciteful. She actually speaks to policies. Cori Bush -- but she doesn't lead -- Representative Ilhan Omar, these people must be taken care of. They are there for you and me and everyone else.

CAMEROTA: And Jennifer, let me just be clear also that in the real world, if somebody posted and broadcast their desire to do violence to a colleague in a real workplace or at a high school, there would be a duty to report that person. That's how it works in the real world. So, I don't think that your outrage is at all irrational. That these are different rules for some reason apply. So, I appreciate everything that you've said.

GOSAR: Thank you, and when I've received hate calls, Alisyn. I have called the Seattle Police Department to report them. Right. This is what we do. We take action to hold people accountable for criminal acts and I hope and pray that at least at this point people can find it in their character that they have some to step up.

CAMEROTA: Jennifer Gosar, thank you very much for your time. Really appreciate it.

GOSAR: Thank you very much, Alisyn.

BLACKWELL: That was a really important conversation. It is how long can they allow this to go on?

CAMEROTA: I'm going to take her up on that offer to book her with --

BLACKWELL: Have a lawmaker on, yes, to explain why they are not taking any steps to move forward. Yes, that is an important conversation to have as well. CAMEROTA: OK, meanwhile, two California couples are living out a real

life mix up that is really kind of devastating their families. Their fertility clinic implanted the wrong embryos into the mothers during IVF. We'll tell you what happened next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:45:00]

CAMEROTA: Here's a shocking story. A California couple is suing a Los Angeles fertility clinic after the wrong embryos were implanted in two women during IVF procedures. The switch resulted in the two families unknowingly giving birth to children that were not biologically theirs.

BLACKWELL: Now this mix up wasn't cleared up for several months and the parents understandably were devastated when they realized what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEXANDER CARDINALE, FATHER OF CHILD SWAPPED DURING IVF: Losing the birth child that you know for the genetic child that you don't even know yet. It's a truly impossible nightmare.

DAPHNA CARDINALE, MOTHER OF CHILD SWAPPED DURING IVF: Instead of breastfeeding my own child, I breastfed and bonded with a child I was later forced to give away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: CNN's Stephanie Elam is with us now. So, I mean how did they discover that something had -- something was wrong?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's a heartbreaking situation because there really are no winners, Victor and Alisyn.

[15:50:00]

And it was just a gut feeling, the husband there, Alexander Cardinale, said he felt. He said he was looking to see a baby that looked like their eldest daughter, and when the baby came out it looked to be of a different race. He said that the baby came out with jet black hair and had darker skin than the fair baby that they had given birth to previously.

And so just was a gut feeling and they eventually, eight weeks later, did a DNA test and that is how they were able to determine that the baby that they had been caring for, that she brought to term, was not related to either Daphna or Alexander.

And at that point, that's when they started asking more questions. And it turns out that another couple got their embryo and brought that baby to term and eventually now these couples have switched the babies back but think about what this means. And in fact, take a listen to Alexander and Daphna explain what this has been like for them. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

D. CARDINALE: My memories of childbirth will always be tainted by the sick reality that our biological child was given to someone else and the baby that I thought to bring into this world was not mine to keep.

A. CARDINALE: Constantly fighting nagging questions and pushing down dark thoughts of doubt. It was truly my hell.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: So, the lawsuit names California Center for Reproductive Health and Dr. Eliran Mor in the lawsuit. We should note that we've reached out to the doctor and to the company as well. It also names In Vitrotech Labs, which is a third-party embryology lab that, according to the lawsuit they say is also owned by Dr. Mor. We will reach out to them as well to get comment but they have not responded back to CNN about this.

But obviously, when you look at what this means and you look at the lawsuit and what the couple says in there saying that they didn't even know about their biological daughter's existence until she was 3 months old. So, all of that time that you would look to experience with a baby and all of those feelings, all of that now, they're working through while they are now, think about it with their elder daughter as well, bringing this new baby into the fold.

Just a really difficult situation. They are gaining a baby but they've also lost a baby, too.

CAMEROTA: I mean just total unnecessary trauma. Just total epic carelessness that thrust these families into trauma.

BLACKWELL: Stephanie Elam, thank you for that report.

CAMEROTA: So, we continue to follow the breaking news that we just got, the committee investigating the insurrection just issued new subpoenas for ten former Trump officials. We have new details coming up for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:55:00]

CAMEROTA: OK, a couple of stories we want to update you on now.

Trevor Reed, he's the former U.S. Marine held by Russia for more than two years. He's now on a hunger strike. According to his family, he's protesting his arbitrary detention and numerous and flagrant violations of his basic human rights.

BLACKWELL: In a statement his parents said, while we are immensely proud of our son's strength of character, we are also extremely worried about his health.

Reed is serving nine years for a conviction of endangering Russian police. The U.S. embassy called the trial absurd.

CAMEROTA: OK, let's end on a happy note. Much happier news. Malala Yousafzai is now married. The 24-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner -- laureate, I should say -- announced the news on social media. She posted these pictures of herself and her groom. He's an operations manager for the Pakistani Cricket Board.

BLACKWELL: You remember when she was 15 years old, she was shot in the head by the Taliban in Pakistan for going to school. Thanks so much for being with us.

"THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts now.