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Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH) Discusses Dems Falling Short On 2021 Goals; U.S. And Russia To Talk Ukraine And Security Issues Jan. 10th; Four People Killed, Officer Injured In Colorado Shooting Spree; Woman Seen Punching Man On Plane Faces Federal Charges. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired December 28, 2021 - 14:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:33:59]

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: Democrats passed two major pieces of legislation during President Biden's first year. First, that historic $1.9 trillion economic relief package in March and, then in November, President Biden signed that $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law.

But many Democrats acknowledged they fell short on efforts to improve voting rights and to expand the social safety net.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRIS VAN COLLEN (D-MD): January comes down to two issues. One, protecting our democracy. Second, the legislation that will, you know, help relieve the financial squeeze so many American families are feeling on prescription drugs, childcare, and other costs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Joining me now is Congresswoman Shontel Brown, a Democrat from Ohio. She's on the Oversight Committee and a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Congresswoman, thank you so much for your time.

Is Build Back Better in its current form dead for all intents and purposes now?

REP. SHONTEL BROWN (D-OH): Absolutely not. What I would say as it relates to Build Back Better is that we are working tirelessly and diligently to make sure that we can find common ground so we can get it across the finish line.

[14:35:02]

There are so many things that benefit the people in this country in Build Back Better.

More than anything, the expansion of the child tax credit, which has helped so many people, specifically 70,000 families in the Ohio 11th Congressional district and more than 35 million families across the country.

So, when you think about those type of improvements to our economy and being able to put people in a position to be able to get back to work, those things are critically important.

So we have to do everything that we can to make sure that Build Back Better isn't dead.

CAMEROTA: Well, I mean, my impression is that President Biden has been doing everything that he can in terms of negotiating with Senator Joe Manchin, who has not been on board fully yet.

And so, one suggestion by Senator Ben Cardin this week was to -- that it should be broken up into smaller standalone pieces.

Do you like that option?

BROWN: Listen, I'm -- every option is on the table.

Because people are hurting across the country and they need these resources to be able to get our economy back on track, we have to use every tool in the tool kit.

And so if that means breaking it down into smaller pieces, then I'm fully in support of that.

What we have to do is focus on the things that we all agree on.

And when we look at the Build Back Better package, so many people in the agree, whether they are Democrat or Republican, with the impacts and improvements that are available to us.

And again, I harken back to the child tax credit because we have that has been in place for the last six months.

It's been helping families and helping people put food on the table. And it's helped a lot of kids probably have a really good Christmas this past December 25th.

So because of those things, if it means we have to break it down into smaller packages, then, of course, I'm all for that. But we cannot leave any stone unturned.

CAMEROTA: Well, one thing that we're starting to hear many people say is that Build Back Better should not be President Biden's first priority after the new year. In fact, it should be voting rights.

Just yesterday -- or just, I should say, last week, 800 faith leaders sent a letter to the White House saying, quote:

"We cannot be clearer. You must act now to protect every American's freedom to vote without interference and with confidence that their ballot will be counted and honored."

"Passing comprehensive voting rights legislation must be the number- one priority of the administration and Congress." Should that be the top priority in the new year?

BROWN: Well, I'm of the mindset that we can walk and chew gum at the same time, Alisyn. So, yes, we can work on both those things at the same time.

Voting rights is critically important. And if we don't get voting rights passed, then this country will be in very big trouble.

When you have over more than 40 states and 400 bills that are being moved throughout legislative bodies in the state to suppress the vote, that is critically important.

And I can say the folks in Ohio's 11th congressional district, we're a part of that 800, leadership and clergy, that are fighting tirelessly and diligently to make sure we are making voting rights a high priority.

So we can do both.

CAMEROTA: Well, maybe. I mean, there's only one top priority, and there are only 24 hours in a day,

And you know, while some of the attention and resources are going to Build Back Better, it's every hour that President Biden isn't working on voting rights.

And in your state, as you know, the Supreme Court in Ohio is hearing arguments about this newly redrawn gerrymandered Ohio map, and the argument is that it's unconstitutional. That's one argument.

And if they stick with this new map that seems to favor, in many districts, Republicans, what are their repercussions of that?

BROWN: So, there are so many lawsuits that are flying around as it relates to the -- how the maps are being drawn.

But I'm a person that is cautiously optimistic, right?

And so, what I have begun to focus on as it relates to my seat, and the people of Ohio's 11th congressional district, is just making sure that we are delivering. Again, that is the key thing.

So, things that are beyond my control. I have to leave to the powers that be.

But where I have influence is in the Congress. And with 217 other folks that would agree with me, that's the issue I'm focusing on.

Congress passed the Voting Rights Act so now it's time to make sure we're focusing on getting some agreement on the Senate side. And that's where we need to be focusing our energy.

But let's be clear. These are things that we can get done. Again, I'm of the mindset that we can walk and chew gum at the same time.

So both of them are critically important to the progress and improvement of the country.

So I don't think we should leave anything off the table or just toss our hands or wash our hands away of anything that is going to improve the quality of lives for people that are trusting me to make decisions on their behalf.

CAMEROTA: Well, Congresswoman Shontel Brown, thanks for your time. And we'll be watching what happens in January.

[14:39:51]

OK, so, we'll take you to the not so friendly skies next. There was this ugly incident aboard a domestic flight captured on video. Wait until you see what the flight attendants had to do.

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CAMEROTA: The U.S. and Russia have agreed to sit down for security talks next month amid rising tensions over Ukraine.

Ukraine says Russia has thousands of troops at the border preparing for an invasion, but the Russian defense ministry said more than 10,000 of those have left and gone back to their permanent bases.

CNN's Nic Robertson is live in Moscow for us.

Nic, do we know what the truth is?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: We don't know if these Russian troops have gone back to their base with their military equipment, because we know that some military equipment have been left stationed there from earlier in the year. So that's an open question.

[14:45:02]

We haven't seen verifiable proof that the troops have gone back. Russia says this was their preplanned training. It was motorized combat units, Special Forces units.

They've done what was allocated to them and have now returned to their bases. It's not clear how many tens of thousands remain, tens of thousands of troops still going through that training.

And it's not clear if the Kremlin plans to put more troops back in their stead to do their planned winter training.

So there are a lot of questions and ambiguities about exactly what's happening close to the border with Ukraine.

What seems to be set right now are these talks between the U.S. and Russia to begin on January 10th.

Putin's been very clear in what he wants, legal guarantees that NATO won't expand eastwards toward Russia. That's a security concern, he says, for Russia.

And the United States has said very clearly, OK, you can put your concerns on the table, we'll put our concerns on the table.

But we're not going to be negotiating about our allies and partners without our allies and partners being there at the table, meaning NATO and Ukraine.

Putin's looking for clarity on Ukraine. U.S. officials are saying, look, we might agree on some things, not on others.

All of this -- all of this, the ambiguities of what's happening on the border and what could happen in the talks, it's all still in play -- Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: Nic Robertson, thank you for explaining all of that to us.

Back here, the parents of a 14-year-old girl who was shot and killed by L.A. police are speaking publicly.

Newly released body cam and surveillance footage show officers responding to a suspect who had already assaulted several customers.

And when they tried to shoot him, a bullet pierced the dressing room where Valentina Orellana-Peralta was trying on clothes with her mother.

Her grieving parents spoke through a translator last hour.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SOLEDAD PERALTA, MOTHER OF VALENTINA ORELLANA-PERALTA (through translation): We heard some screams. We sat down and hugged and started praying.

When something impacted my daughter, Valentina, it threw us on the floor, and she died in my arms, and there was nothing I could do.

To see a son or daughter die in your arms is one of the pains -- the greatest pains and most profound pains that any human being can imagine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Now to Denver where at least four people are dead and several others are injured after a gunman went on a shooting spree last night. Police say the gunman wounded an officer before he was shot and killed.

CNN's Lucy Kafanov is in Denver for us.

Do we know anything more about the motive here, the gunman?

LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Alisyn. Denver police don't expect to update us today. This is an ongoing investigation. So many different locations covered in the shooting. And, at this point, more questions than answers.

Police say the first shots were fired just after 5:00 p.m. local time in central Denver where two women were killed and a man was injured near a local tattoo shop.

The suspect then killed another man several blocks away. And at a third location, a gun was fired but no injuries were reported at the time.

Denver police then spotted what they believed to be the suspect's vehicle. They tried to pull him over. A gunfight ensued in which the police vehicle was disabled.

The suspect then fled to the nearby city of Lakewood. Police spokespeople there said they got reports of shots fired about an hour later at a local business just before 6:00 p.m. local time. A gunshot victim was found and pronounced dead at the scene there.

When police found the car and the suspect, they say he opened fire. The officers shot back. He then fled on foot to a Hyatt Hotel, where he is believed to have shot a clerk and also shot and wounded a Lakewood police officer.

We don't know any updates about his condition but we know that he was undergoing surgery late yesterday evening.

More gunfire was exchanged and the suspect was killed at the scene.

The Denver police chief says they're just starting to piece together what happened.

Witnesses, however, describing what they saw.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNIE WILSON, WITNESS: We were just inside the store and heard, like, one gunshot and then like a whole rain, it sounded like they hit the side of the building.

And then, obviously, a bunch of cop cars and they came back and swooped us out into the back.

PAUL PAZEN, CHIEF, DENVER POLICE DEPARTMENT: This is the holiday season. To have this type of spree take place is not normal for our community.

We cannot lose sight of the victims in this, the people that are still fighting for their lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAFANOV: The authorities were seeking a motive.

As the Denver police chief told reporters last night, Alisyn, this is the holiday season, and to have this kind of shooting spree take place is not normal for this community. That's the word from the police chief -- Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: Just horrible.

Lucy Kafanov, thank you.

[14:50:00]

Well, a Los Angeles woman is facing federal assault charges after she allegedly hit and spat on another passenger last week during a Delta flight.

CNN's Ryan Young joins me now.

Ryan, these poor flight attendants who have to subdue passengers like this.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's getting kind of strange during the holidays, Alisyn.

When you think of all the things that go on at airports these days, people are sort of high in terms of tension, long lines, to get through the pre-check, or to go through TSA.

The next thing they do, you're getting all of these viral videos. We see them almost every week in terms of some of these fights.

This woman now faces a federal assault charge because of that charge.

In that complaint, it talked about a video that surfaced and has gone viral on the Internet.

In that video, it talks about one passenger taking video of a woman and a man getting into a fight. It was posted into an Instagram site.

The flight was from Tampa to Atlanta.

Alisyn, take a watch of this. We had to bleep out some of the audio because it was so vulgar what was going on, on that flight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATRICIA CORNWALL, FACING FEDERAL CHARGES FOR FIGHT ON PLANE: (INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sit down, Karen!

CORNWALL: (EXPLETIVE DELETED)

(SHOUTING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As soon as we get into Atlanta, you're going to jail. (EXPLETIVE DELETED)

Karen.

(CROSSTALK)

CORNWALL: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) (CROSSTALK)

CORNWALL: (EXPLETIVE DELETED)

(EXPLETIVE DELETED)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She scratched my face. I want her (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

CORNWALL: Put a mask on! Put your (EXPLETIVE DELETED) mask on!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Put yours on (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: I'm sure flight attendants are thinking we don't get paid enough to deal with some of this stuff in the air.

Patricia Cornwall is the woman seen in the video. She now faces that assault charge.

And apparently, according to this complaint, she came out of the bathroom. That beverage cart was in the center lane. She wanted to get back to her seat.

The flight attendants asked her to sit down until they moved past her seat. And then she said, "What am I, Rosa Parks or something?"

Apparently, this man who is in his 80s stepped in and said, "You're not Rosa Parks." And she started going at him with all of that vulgarity back and forth.

And at some point, she spit on him, apparently, according to the complaint. And then she took a swing at him.

Of course, you can see other passengers and those flight attendants sort of coming to that man's rescue.

He never got out of the seat. Besides calling her a Karen a couple of times, he maintained his calm in that sense.

But look at this graphic we have about all of the incidents that have happened in terms of the airways.

You think of the stories we get over and over again about flight attendants having to deal with some of this. We know, for instance, the mask debate has created some of these issues.

But now it seems like just emotions are frayed, especially with this pandemic. And now it's spilling into what used to be the friendly skies. I guess now you can call them the unfriendly skies.

But once again, Alisyn, this woman faces one federal assault charge for what happened on that plane -- Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: Ryan, it's just horrible. We're asking flight attendants to turn into bouncers, you know, at the worst bar ever. At a flying bar.

YOUNG: Right.

CAMEROTA: Ryan Young, thank you so much for that horrible bit.

OK, so COVID cases are climbing and more children are now in hospitals. Ahead, what parents need to know.

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[14:57:55]

CAMEROTA: The Omicron surge has people getting creative as they try to include COVID-positive loved ones in their holiday celebrations.

CNN's Jeanne Moos shows us how going home for the holidays ain't what it used to be.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Santa isn't the only one who got decked out for the holidays.

(SINGING)

MOOS: Nothing shameful about the COVID Christmas hut of shame, unless you're a brother teasing your sister while making it possible for her to join in the festivities.

"Best brothers ever," someone posted.

"Y'all still going to get it," commented someone else.

But the Griswold's weren't the only ones not letting a positive COVID test turn things negative.

MADDIE HAYNES, WEARS UNDER-THE-WEATHER SHIELD AT CHRISTMAS: Let me in!

CARLY HAYNES, SISTER OF MADDIE: Oh, my god, no. Don't let her in.

MOOS: Even the dad got into the teasing as Maddie Haynes donned something called the Under-the-Weather shield that her mom bought on Amazon at the beginning of the pandemic.

C. HAYNES: Some people were like, can you breath?

MOOS: The Texas family had Christmas dinner outdoors.

C. HAYNES: It was my sister's idea. She wanted to be in the shield.

Hey, guys, look what I found, you know? Why don't I put this on and we just stay outside?

MOOS: And this guy --

(MUSIC) MOOS: -- Anthony Herda (ph), just stayed outside the window at his Michigan family's home. Cake and presents were left outside for him like cookies for Santa.

In Ireland, Thomas Rike (ph) posted this photo of his brother, Peter, in a van outfitted with a table and lights.

Peter had a close COVID contact so he just pulled the van up to the window and dined alongside the others gathered inside.

(SINGING)

MOOS: It's a weird holiday, being handed presents using a Grab-It --

AD ANNOUNCER: Grabs where you can't reach.

MOOS: -- in the hope that COVID can't reach the rest of the family.

[14:59:56]

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(SINGING)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: That is all awesome and slightly creepy.

Our thanks to Jeanne Moos for that.

All right, how about ringing in the new year safely in the comfort of your own home with Anderson Cooper and Anthony Cohen?