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Case Surge, Omicron Fears Lead to Long Test Lines Across U.S.; Closures, Cancellations And New Concerns as COVID Surges in NY; New Study: No Evidence Omicron Less Severe than Delta; Southwest Airlines CEO Walks Back Statement that Masks Don't Do Much; Sources: J6 Committee Members Believe Rick Perry Sent Test to Meadows Pushing States to Overturn Legal Votes; Closing Arguments Begin Monday in Trial of Officer Who Shot Daunte Wright. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired December 18, 2021 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:00:41]
JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington.
New spikes in COVID cases, deaths, hospitalization, and anxiety as the pandemic threatens to send the country into another bleak winter.
President Joe Biden plans a speech on Tuesday that focuses on the Omicron variant.
A new U.K. study warns there's no evidence that Omicron is any less severe than Delta. And it haven't heard, Omicron makes it five times more likely you'll be infected again
Across the U.S., COVID testing lines just keep growing and so does the list of cancelled events.
"Saturday Night Live" has just announced tonight's show will be scaled back, no live audience and a limited cast and crew.
A string of games in the NBA, NFL and college basketball are canceled or rescheduled. A number of NHL teams are shut down at least until December 26th.
In New York City, the Rockettes' Christmas spectacular is closed for the rest of the season.
Polo Sandoval has the latest from New York.
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jim, New York State reported the highest case count so far earlier this week, about 21,000 cases in New York City alone.
The health commissioner saying they've seen a nearly tripling of the daily case of what they're seeing here.
When you look at national indicators, there are two that are alarming for health officials. The first is the seven-day average has topped about 120,000 cases. And also total number of hospitalizations across the country exceeding 68,000.
That's really why authorities are stressing that people take those steps to protect themselves and others to keep those numbers down in the hospitals and lighten the strain on so many health care workers that have been at it for so long here.
That also includes getting tested ahead of Christmas weekend. In fact, here in New York City, we saw a high interest of people who are getting tested in long lines early this morning.
Those folks lining up outside this urgent care clinic to make sure they have an appointment to come back to get tested.
Here are some folks we had the opportunity to speak to today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAISSA DORFF, NEW YORK CITY RESIDENT: Because I've been potentially exposed, I've had friends -- or I had a niece that was going to come up here to visit and we canceled that. I have friends that were like, let's have a little gathering, and I already got texts saying maybe next year.
BRIAN MOSLEY, NEW YORK CITY RESIDENT: I'm not too worried because I got the booster shot. Just about the travel, so it's a requirement to get the test.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: There's certainly the disruptions we have seen here in New York City along with sporadic cancellations on Broadway. Of course, the big Radio City Christmas spectacular cancelling their performances for the rest of the season.
When hear from people here in New York City, there's a feeling of deja vu, but this time so many counting on the added protect that the vaccine will bring -- Jim?
ACOSTA: Polo Sandoval, thank you so much.
New York isn't the only place experiencing a rise in cases. Fourteen states are seeing a jump in infections. And this is just ahead of the holiday season.
With me now is emergency room physician, Dr. Rob Davidson, who is also the executive director of the Committee to Protect Health Care. And Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at Johns Hopkins University for Health Security.
Dr. Davidson, you're an emergency room physician in Michigan. I can't imagine what you're going through right now. What are you seeing these days?
DR. ROB DAVIDSON, EMERGENCY ROOM PHYSICIAN & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COMMITTEE TO PROTECT HEALTH CARE: Well, we are in the midst of a pretty critical Delta surge right now. We are looking at the numbers.
We've been at it about six weeks with the hospitals completely full or nearly full. ICU capacity at about 140 percent of the previous max. Just expanded into the other units to accommodate the people.
And it's 98 percent or so unvaccinated in the ICU, nearly 90 percent unvaccinated in the hospital all together.
Part of the problem is we're seeing the test-positive rate go down a bit. It means just under 20 percent, but still coming down a bit. People stay in the hospital so long that the inpatient is the highest ever.
We're still struggling. So if Omicron can hold off a few weeks and help us catch our breath, we certainly would appreciate it.
ACOSTA: Dr. Adalja, a new study in the U.K. finds there's no evidence that Omicron causes less severe disease than the Delta variant.
[17:05:02]
But the risk of getting infected is five times higher than Delta, and Omicron cases have been doubling in under two and a half days.
What do you think -- how concerned should Americans be right now? Do we take some comfort in the fact that a lot of us are vaccinated so that's going to limit the number of severe illnesses, for at least the vaccinated?
What do you think?
DR. AMESH ADALJA, SENIOR SCHOLAR, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY FOR HEALTH SECURITY: I do think that if you're vaccinated, you can take comfort you'll be protected against serious illness, hospitalization and death. That's the most important thing.
For the unvaccinated, make no mistake, Omicron is going to infect them and some will be severe. Especially if they have high risk factors.
It's hard to know where severity will fall. The data from South Africa and the U.K. is all limited. We haven't seen enough patients to see how severe it may be and how severe it is with people with risk factors for severe disease.
But we know that the vaccine is what is going to protect us against the worst consequences.
ACOSTA: Dr. Davidson, this week Southwest Airlines' CEO says he doesn't think wearing masks on planes does much to limit the spread of COVID, pointing to the air quality inside planes.
But Delta's CEO said, quote, "Masks are going to be important as a safeguard for a while."
We should note, the Southwest CEO walked back his comments after he tested positive for COVID this week. He was famously caught during his testimony with a bit of a coughing fit.
This comes as millions will be get on planes for the holidays. What do you make of this contradictory messaging? I mean, it's unhelpful.
DAVIDSON: The reason so many of us are in this mess, the reason our hospitals are so full stems from misinformation.
That may have been somewhat innocuous attempt and not intended to create, you know, disinformation. You know, a lot of it out there's exactly that, tries to sow discord between groups in this country.
People stake their identify around masks or vaccines. That is the root of all of this.
If more people were vaccinated, I wouldn't be sitting here with nowhere to put my patients and concerned about Omicron bringing another wave, or somewhere else in this country. It's going to keep happening, in these unvaccinated pockets.
More people will probably catch Omicron because it's more contagious. Even vaccinated people.
But like your other guest said, this is going to not cause though people to end up in the hospital. Again, the stream of misinformation/disinformation is just killing us.
ACOSTA: Dr. Adalja, I want to ask about the outbreaks we're seeing in professional sports lesion.
The NFL has more than a 94 percent vaccination rate. Around 96 percent are vaccinated. Both much higher than the general public. The difference is they get tested regularly in those professional sports leagues.
Though we just learned they are limiting testing for fully vaccinated, asymptomatic players.
Are they continuing to send the right message if they're going to cut back on some of the precaution they've had in place?
ADALJA: It's sort of a mixed picture. The sports leagues have been innovative, showing how a bubble can be done safely in the pre-vaccine era.
If they're going to be coming up with testing protocols, treat the unvaccinated different. But if you've got a positive test, you have to adjudicate that and see if that person is contagious.
There may be some room to change protocols to test to see if somebody who is asymptomatic is contagious.
The fact is, with Omicron, vaccinations are not enough to stop infections. The current vaccines aren't going to do that.
I think what's happening in sports is a microcosm of what's going to happen to all of us, that this variant has immune-evasive properties. It's going to get around the protections that vaccines give us against infection.
I think we have to think about, how do we think about breakthrough infections? If it's mild, not landing people in the hospital, they're of a different caliber than someone who doesn't have a vaccination and ends up in the hospital.
I think we're going to get that way as we start to realize this virus isn't going anywhere. We just have to get more people vaccinated so our hospitals aren't worried about capacity on a day-to-day basis.
ACOSTA: Dr. Davidson -- both doctors, if you can answer this - what should people do right now? Should they go to a crowded restaurant or a holiday party?
Dr. Davidson, you first, just a quick answer. What do you think, yes or no?
DAVIDSON: Crowded restaurants would concern me very much. I wouldn't do it.
A holiday party where you know everyone there, everyone is vaccinated, I think that's safe as long as you can trust the people who are symptomatic are staying home. I think that should be fine.
[17:10:02]
ACOSTA: And what do you think Dr. Adalja?
ADALJA: It's all going to depend on the person's risk tolerance. It's not a one-size-fits-all answer. We know there's always going to be a COVID-19. The best way to prevent yourself from having severe infections is to be vaccinated when partake of these things.
ACOSTA: All right, Dr. Davidson, Dr. Adalja, we're still muddling our way through this.
Thanks so much for your time and expertise. We appreciate it.
DAVIDSON: Thanks.
ADALJA: Thanks.
ACOSTA: Coming up, a text to Mark Meadows about a strategy to throw out the electoral votes in the 2020 election. What we are now learning about who wrote that text.
You are live in CNN NEWSROOM.
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ACOSTA: CNN has exclusive reporting about a text message sent to former President Trump's chief of staff about a, quote, "aggressive strategy" to throw out electoral votes.
House investigators believe former energy secretary, Rick Perry, was the author of that text. Perry denies it. CNN's Whitney Wild is following this for us.
[17:15:00]
Whitney, take us through what we're learning right now.
WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: This is a text message read aloud by Jamie Raskin earlier in the week from a tranche of documents that Meadows handed off, one of just around 6,000 records that he gave the House Select Committee investigators.
However, let's get to the details. This text messages says: "Here's an aggressive strategy: Why can't the states have G.A., N.C., Penn, and other Republican-controlled statehouses declare this is B.S. where complex and election not called that night and just send their own electors to vote and have it go to the SCOTUS."
So what we're learning, Jim, is, one, it's just a wealth of information the committee investigators are working with. And, two, efforts extended beyond Republicans in Washington to try to overturn the election, but this effort spread throughout the Republican Party.
Now we understand that House Select Committee investigators believe it was Rick Perry who was the author. It is ironic coming from someone who said this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICK PERRY, FORMER ENERGY SECRETARY: Let no one be mistaken, Donald Trump's candidacy is a cancer on conservatism and it must be clearly diagnosed, excised and discarded. It cannot be pacified or ignored, for it will destroy a set of principles.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WILD: Quite an about-face in 2021 -- Jim?
ACOSTA: No question about it. We're still waiting to see if Rick Perry will come out and talk about this. So far, not very much.
Whitney Wild, thank you so much for that report. We appreciate it.
Let's bring in former Nixon White House counsel, John Dean.
John, let's talk about this text.
It appears to be from the former energy secretary, sent after the day after the election when votes were still being counted.
That suggests the plan to overturn the election may have been happened ahead of time, I suppose.
We were reporting at the time, during the month of November, that there were discussions at the White House about, could electors be tossed out or could electors go rogue? They were obviously plotting all this stuff. Where do you place this text in the significance of what occurred on
January 6th, and how significant is that text in and of itself?
JOHN DEAN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I suppose it could be seen as somebody entering into part of a conspiracy. You don't have to know all of the other co-conspirators in a conspiracy.
But if you have a common, improper, illegal goal, and you're undertaking it, a text is a pretty good indication. That certainly happened in a number of criminal cases.
What is striking to me, Jim, the fact that all of these arguments they were making, constitutional lawyer, Jim Jordan's argument that got written down somewhere along the line.
Now this text, they wouldn't pass a first-year law school test of how to deal with these issues. They're pathetic. They're just grasping. So the level is very unsophisticated.
ACOSTA: You worked in the White House many years ago and was at the center of the Watergate scandal, obviously.
The fact that all these people sent Meadows texts about overturning the elections and to get Meadows to get Trump to take action as the capitol was under attack, what does that say about their role in all of this?
(CROSSTALK)
ACOSTA: And Mark Meadows' role, I suppose, chiefly, no pun intended.
(LAUGHTER)
DEAN: What it shows is how unsophisticated these kinds of conspiracies are, and the entire effort was. They were all just in there trying to lift weight for the president, who couldn't begin to carry the assignment he had taken on, which was to overturn the election.
They have not let up. This is an ongoing effort. That's probably one of the more distressing things.
Now they're doing very openly what they did quietly before it all erupted on January 6th.
As I said earlier, it's just nots sophisticated. The crudity of it, and the effort to blatantly disrupt democracy is really quite striking and upsetting.
They once claimed they were the great patriots, and today, they certainly don't show themselves as that.
[17:19:58]
ACOSTA: Many of the Meadows' texts were people outside the administration, on personal devices, accounts he voluntarily gave, but he won't answer questions about them. How criminally exposed is Meadows, in your mind?
DEAN: I think he's very exposed. The report sent to the House, then forwarded down to the Department of Justice, when they resolve to hold him in criminal contempt is overwhelming.
Now he's made a broad kind of, well, this is executive privilege. That isn't what they were really getting to.
As you said, the text he sent to people who were not part of the executive branch, were not working on this, but rather outsiders, just to get general non-privileged matter, which could have been very enlightening as well.
I think he's very exposed. I would be shocked if the Department of Justice doesn't fairly quickly hold him and decide to prosecutor and take him to a grand jury and come up with an indictment.
ACOSTA: Do you subscribe to the view that it's taking the Department of Justice long to go about the business of putting together a case, taking too long
(CROSSTALK)
ACOSTA: -- to look at the former president?
DEAN: You know, the process doesn't move swiftly. It never has, never will, and probably never should. They have to be careful when you put the entire weight of the U.S. government behind somebody in a criminal case.
I think that care is always appropriate.
Now what we don't know is what they are or are not doing with Donald Trump.
Is there an investigation going on? Is a grand jury looking at him? Is somebody in the Department of Justice, is there a task force trying to decide should this press forward and a president be prosecuted?
We don't have an answer to that, and it's not something they'll ever put a press release out on.
But there will come a time when Merrick Garland will have to say, yes, I'm doing this, or no, I'm not doing this, and this is why.
I'm one that happens to think the case is so overwhelming against Trump, I don't see how the department cannot be looking at a criminal prosecution of this former president.
ACOSTA: Congresswoman Liz Cheney asked a pointed legal question, which I think goes to the heart of this. Let's watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. LIZ CHENEY (R-WY): This brings up another point. Mr. Meadows' testimony will bear on a key question in front of these committee: Did Donald Trump, through action or inaction, corruptly seek to obstruct oar impede Congress's official proceeding to count electoral votes?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: What Liz Cheney was doing there, John, is essentially reading from U.S. criminal code.
You can't just -- you know, you can't interrupt congressional proceedings with a violent mob. You just can't. Even if you don't like what they're doing, you can't do it.
DEAN: She's reading from 18 USC 15:12, possibly also 15:05. Both could be applicable here.
But there were other statutes that could have been violated also, and that are bread-and-butter conspiracies to defraud the government.
That's the big one that got everybody in Watergate, was 18 USC 371, which is a conspiracy to defraud the government. It also has an obstruction clause in it.
So there are a number of statutes that Trump may have and probably, in my view, has violated.
And if the Justice Department doesn't move, it will be another stunning setback for the way the process should work.
ACOSTA: All right. John Dean, thanks so much. We appreciate those insights.
DEAN: Thank you.
ACOSTA: Thank you, sir.
Coming up, raw emotion as the former police officers at the center of a deadly taser mix-up takes the stand.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIMBERLY POTTER, FORMER POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER: I am sorry it happened.
(CRYING)
[17:24:29]
POTTER: I'm so sorry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: Closing arguments begin Monday in the manslaughter trial of former Minneapolis police officer, Kim Potter, who shot and killed 20- year-old Daunte Wright during a traffic stop back in April. Weeping on the stand yesterday, she told the jury she mistook her gun
for her taser.
More now from CNN's Adrienne Broaddus.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
POTTER: I'm sorry it happened.
(CRYING)
ERIN ELDRIDGE, HENNEPIN COUNTY ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY: You didn't plan to use deadly force that day, did you?
POTTER: No.
ELDRIDGE: Because you knew that deadly force was unreasonable and unwarranted in this circumstance.
POTTER: I didn't want to hurt anybody.
(CRYING)
ADRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Under cross- examination by the prosecution, former Minnesota police officer, Kim Potter, wept.
ELDRIDGE: You quit doing your job completely, right? You didn't contact anybody on the radio, right?
POTTER: No.
ELDRIDGE: You didn't make sure any officers knew what you had just done, right?
POTTER: No.
[17:29:57]
ELDRIDGE: You didn't run down the street and try to same Daunte Wright's life, did you?
POTTER: No.
ELDRIDGE: You didn't check on the other car that had been hit, did you?
POTTER: No.
[17:30:00]
ELDRIDGE: You were focused on what you had done because you had just killed somebody.
POTTER: I'm sorry it happened. ADDRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Breaking down on
the stand while testifying in her own defense about the day she shot and killed Daunte Wright?
POTTER: We're struggling. We're trying to keep him from driving away. It's just, it just went chaotic. And then I remember yelling, taser, taser, taser, and nothing happened. And then he told me I shot him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POTTER: Taser, taser, taser!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROADDUS: Back in April, life shifted in seconds.
POTTER: I just shot him.
EARL GRAY, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Do you actually remember what you said, I guess is my question, not withheld from a video?
POTTER: I don't remember what I said.
BROADDUS: But in officer's body camera capturing her response.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POTTER: No, just let me kill myself, please.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROADDUS: Potter testifying today she never fired her gun or taser in the field before this incident.
ELDRIDGE: You have drawn your taser and not fired it in your 26-year career?
POTTER: Yes.
BROADDUS: The prosecution continuing to challenge.
ELDRIDGE: You never saw a weapon on Mr. Wright, did you?
POTTER: No.
ELDRIDGE: Never saw gun?
POTTER: No.
ELDRIDGE: He never threw a punch?
POTTER: No.
BROADDUS: The prosecutor also focusing in on her taser training and decades of experience.
ELDRIDGE: These items look different, don't they?
POTTER: Yes.
ELDRIDGE: The taser is yellow, right?
POTTER: Yes.
ELDRIDGE: The firearm is black, correct?
POTTER: Yes.
ELDRIDGE: And you've been trained on taser since 2002, correct?
POTTER: Yes.
BROADDUS: Potter's defense attorney asking about the aftermath of the shooting. Potter testified she'd sold her family home and moved out of the state.
GRAY: Have you been in therapy?
POTTER: Yes.
GRAY: You still work as a police officer there?
POTTER: No.
GRAY: Why did you quit?
POTTER: There was so much bad things happening, I didn't want my coworkers and I didn't want anything bad to happen to the city.
BROADDUS: Potter is facing first- and second-degree manslaughter charges. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: And joining me now, criminal defense attorney, Sara Azari.
Many legal experts will say, Sara, how risky it is when a defense takes the stand in their own defense.
In this case, we had a former police officer sobbing on the stand uncontrollably and saying I'm sorry.
What do you think? Do you think it was the right move by the defense?
SARA AZARI, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I mean, Jim, it's very consistent with the strategy here because it's obvious the prosecution has a solid case in terms of having proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt on the two counts of manslaughter.
The defense, what they're going for is a jury nullification or some straggling juror that might hang this jury based on this raw emotion. We have to remember there's 12 hearts on this jury. Of course, they're
impacted by the emotions, by the sympathy they have towards this woman.
But at the end of the day, they're supposed to apply the law to the facts, not their hearts to the facts.
So the strategy here for the defense was to put her up, let the jury see that she's so incredibly agonized and traumatized, it was life- changing for her. She testified she had to move.
But the question is, will it impact their deliberations? Will they be able to set that aside and still apply the law to the facts? I think the defense took that risk. And it was worth taking that risk.
ACOSTA: Potter said she was distraught and doesn't remember everything from immediately after the shooting.
But did you hear any contradictions in her testimony that might become problematic?
AZARI: I think, Jim, the meat of her testimony, aside from the humanizing, which is one reason she testified, explanation. The other reason she testified was terrible for her.
She compared the two weapons, the stark differences between the two. She confirmed everything, the yellow versus black, the weight, the size, the trigger, the side of the body they were holstered, and how incredibly more different it is to pull the taser versus the Glock. That's horrible for her.
She went on further to say, Jim, she had never actually deployed her taser. And she randomly, on certain occasions, may have drawn it. That is -- she's supposed to test-fire her taser every time she signs on to her shift.
So that goes to the heart of the prosecution's case, that she breached her oath of office and her badge in doing so.
So, you know, she sounds like a complete mess on the stand. I think as a prosecutor, I would argue she was the same mess on the streets, that perhaps she had no business being out there to protect the public and to serve, and that she should have had a desk job.
[17:35:09]
Because, frankly, she had no experience with these weapons that were deadly.
ACOSTA: The prosecution showed Potter's tasers and guns side by side and walked through the extensive training she had on not mistakenly grabbing the wrong weapon.
I mean, that, I thought was a compelling part of the testimony. I mean, she was trained to know better.
AZARI: She was trained to know better. So the idea that the defense argues this was an action error, something that a human being can do.
She's not an average citizen. She's an officer with training. And a reasonable officer, in these circumstances, would not have made that mistake. That's really the argument.
Yes, I thought that was very effective. You know what, you've had certification, recertifications, 26 years of experience, so too bad that you didn't know, but you should have known.
ACOSTA: Right. The defense rested its case after Potter's testimony.
Who do you think has the upper hand heading into the closing arguments? It's hard to think that the prosecution is not feeling, you know, pretty positive about where things stand right now.
AZARI: I think, you know, again, when you're looking at the law and the facts, it's completely on the prosecution's side.
I think they're going to argue that not only was she justified in deadly force. That's one of the things -- they're going to argue that her mistake, given that she's an officer, has a badge, has training, was completely unreasonable.
She acted with criminal negligence and manhandled her weapon, which is first-degree manslaughter.
The defense, of course, is going to say, good on her for pulling the wrong weapon, because she actually saved as officer's life, so she was justified in using deadly force. Who cares if this mistake was reasonable or not, it was actually necessary, so she did what she had to do.
It will be interesting to see how this, you know, extreme emotion is going to impact this jury, and if they're going to set that aside and do their job, which is to apply the law to the facts.
ACOSTA: All right. Sarah Azari, thank you very much. We appreciate it.
AZARI: Thanks, Jim.
ACOSTA: Coming up, the controversial moms groups bringing the mask wars to communities across the country. Are they fighting for liberty or spreading lies?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:42:16]
ACOSTA: A look now at a nationally organized group of parents, deeply concerned about what they see as unhealthy mandates at public schools, not just about COVID but also what they believe is being taught in classrooms.
Moms for Liberty claim to be nonpartisan. But their mission checks off a lot of conservative talking points. The moms, as an organization, are growing. Leyla Santiago met the moms who started it all.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Paper and cloth masks do not work.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Parents beware of terms like social justice, diversity, equity, inclusion.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If they ignore our input, we will vote them out.
(SHOUTING)
LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): At rallies in school board meetings across the country, heated debates on everything from masks to Critical Race Theory, to book banning of being hashed out.
TIFFANY JUSTICE, CO-FOUNDER MOMS FOR LIBERTY: I think COVID has allowed all of America to see behind the education curtain.
SANTIAGO: It turns out one of the driving forces behind many of those debates stems from a group founded by these two Florida moms. Tiffany Justice and Tina Descovich, they launched Moms For Liberty in January, a group they say is designed to fight for parental rights in schools and on government.
JUSTICE: We just thought we could take the skills that we had learned in the inside information that we had learned about the public education system to help parents advocate more effectively.
SANTIAGO: The founders say the group is conservative but nonpartisan. Yet many of the issues they are fighting for align with the leaves of Republican lawmakers.
Like Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, including eliminating mask mandates in schools.
(CROSSTALK)
SANTIAGO (on camera): They looked at schools they had mask mandates and didn't and it showed that the masks did work. There are multiple studies that show this. Happy to let you look at them if you would like. They are right here.
But when Moms For Liberty are going to the school board meetings and to voice their frustration in citing things like masks don't work.
JUSTICE: Because they don't.
SANTIAGO: That's not what the science shows.
JUSTICE: OK. I'm going to have to disagree with you on that. Masks are not source control. They do not stop transmission.
SANTIAGO (voice-over): But later, Descovich do acknowledge that certain masks do work to a degree. TINA DESCOVICH, CO-FOUNDER MOMS FOR LIBERTY: I mean, we all know that
N-95 masks do have a level of protection.
SANTIAGO: Another CDC study in Arizona shows schools without mask mandates were about 3.5 times more likely to have a COVID-19 outbreak over schools with a mask mandate.
Another big concern one for Moms For Liberty, Critical Race Theory, a concept typically taught in law school that seeks to understand and address inequality and racism in the U.S.
The Moms For Liberty, New Hampshire chapter, offering a $500 bounty for anyone who turns in a teacher using CRT in the classroom.
[17:45:07]
The Governor of New Hampshire signed a law in June, banning CRT in the K-12 curriculum.
(on camera): Do you support or do not support the $500 reward?
JUSTICE: Do think it was the best way to handle the situation? Personally, probably not.
SANTIAGO (voice-over): But ultimately, they say they stand by the moms fighting against CRT.
(on camera): Where is this actually being taught?
JUSTICE: Mecklenburg, North Carolina.
DESCOVICH: I think -- I hear in the news all the time, it's not being taught. It's not in K-12 schools.
SANTIAGO: I had a hard time finding it. Did you --
(CROSSTALK)
JUSTICE: I will help you after this interview.
SANTIAGO (voice-over): After the interview, they provided us with reports from conservative media outlets. They also pointed to this mom, appearing at a Charlotte-Mecklenburg School board meeting discussing a lesson plan.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That requires my son to examine his white privilege and male privilege.
SANTIAGO: But in a statement to CNN, the superintendent of Charlotte- Mecklenburg School told us, quote, "Our schools do not teach and do not promote a doctrine for Critical Race Theory."
So what is Moms For Liberty's goal? A chapter in every school district showing up at every school board meeting across the country.
And in 11 short months, they are on their way. They say they are now in more than 30 states with more than 160 chapter, mobilizing 70,000- plus members.
(on camera): Do you consider your organization a force to be reckoned with for the next election?
JUSTICE: Yes.
DESCOVICH: Yes.
SANTIAGO: Would you consider yourself a political machine?
DESCOVICH: No.
SANTIAGO (voice-over): As for funding, they will tell you T-shirt sales --
(CROSSTALK)
SANTIAGO: -- and small donations. Because their organization is so new, tax records are still not available.
DESCOVICH: It's truly just organic word of mouth and some gentle marketing with the T-shirts.
SANTIAGO (on camera): Word of mouth will only get you so far. I mean, this does take money. Where does the money come from?
JUSTICE: What do you think we are spending money on?
SANTIAGO: You tell me.
JUSTICE: I mean, you are saying this takes money, we are telling you that this is word of mouth.
SANTIAGO (voice-over): To meet the financial needs, the organization has been open about its need to raise money. They established three political action committees.
And at one of their major fundraising events, sponsors included Florida Republicans running for office.
Still, they insist they are not pushing the Republican agenda, rather, a parent agenda, one that is against mask and vaccine mandates, as well as CRT.
CAPRI CAFARO, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: I liken it back to the growth of the Tea Party movement.
SANTIAGO: Political commentator, Capri Cafaro.
CAFARO: It is possible that an organization like Moms For Liberty could have an impact on the midterm elections and maybe even going in to 2024, particularly because it is encapsulating in a very important demographic in the electorate, which you know are women and mothers.
SANTIAGO: Support Our Schools, a new group of parents in Florida, calls Moms For Liberty a danger to democracy. JULES SCHOLLES, CO-FOUNDER, SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS: The disinformation
that they have been putting out and the vitriol towards marginalized groups is a true danger to society, because we need to -- we need to work together.
SANTIAGO: The Moms For Liberty arguing they are not alone. It's an entire movement of parent organizing with eyes on Election Day.
JUSTICE: 2022 is going to be the year at the parent at the ballot box. So if legislators are watching this, hopefuls are watching this, start paying attention to parents.
SANTIAGO: Leyla Santiago, CNN, Brevard County, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[17:48:42]
ACOSTA: And now to another hot-button issue. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta introduces us to the parents taking a risk to treat their autistic kids with cannabis. The new CNN special, "WEED 6, MARIJUANA AND AUTISM," airs tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:53:41]
ACOSTA: It is not quite how the Grinch stole Christmas but it might be close. Either mad or just playing, this bear cub in a suburb north of Los Angeles was caught attacking an inflatable Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
The woman that recorded it said she was out for a walk, heard a scratching noise, saw the bear mauling Rudolph. She said it's not uncommon to see bears in the neighborhood.
But who knows? Maybe the bear was looking for decorations for the den.
In the season of giving, we want to show you how to help our 2021 top- 10 "CNN Heroes" continue important work and have your donations matched dollar for dollar.
Here's Anderson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: I'm Anderson Cooper. Each of the top-10 "CNN Heroes" proves one person can really make a difference. This year, we make it easy to support their great work.
Go to CNNheroes.com, click donate between any 2021 top-10 CNN hero to make a direct contribution to that hero's fundraiser. It is tax deductible in the United States.
No matter the amount, you can make a difference helping our heroes continue their life changing work. Right now, through January 3rd, donations will be matched dollar for dollar up to a total of $500,000.
[17:55:05]
CNN is proud to offer you this simple way to support each cause and celebrate these everyday people changing the world. Donate from your laptop, tablet, or phone. Go to CNNheroes.com. Your donation in any amount will help them help others.
Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: If you know someone great who deserves to be a CNN hero, tell us about them at CNNheroes.com.
That's the news. Reporting from Atlanta, I'm Jim Acosta. Great to be here in Atlanta. I'll see you back here tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. Eastern.
Pamela Brown takes over the CNN NEWSROOM, live, after a quick break.
Have a good night, everybody.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
