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NYPD Officer Fatally Shot, Another injured On Domestic Dispute Call; Arnold Schwarzenegger Involved In Multi-Vehicle Crash In L.A.; FBI: Brian Laundrie Claimed Responsibility For Gabby Petito's Death; National Archive Releases Trump White House Records to Jan. 6th Panel; Jan. 6th Panel Asks Ivanka Trump to Voluntarily Talk to Them; Sources: Giuliani Led Plot to Install Fake Electors in 7 States; How the Election Lies Lead to Threats, Poll Workers Quitting in Droves; CDC Studies: Boosters Provide Best Protection Against Omicron. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired January 22, 2022 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:00]

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RENE MARSH, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (VOICE OVER): Countries, militaries and private entities like oil and gas companies map areas central to their work at sea, but are not always willing to share the data. The leaders of the Seabed 2030 mission are now calling on everyday citizens.

JAMIE MCMICHAEL-PHILLIPS, PROJECT DIRECTOR, SEABED 2030: Whether you're a master of a bulk carrier, whether you're a yacht skipper, whether you're a ferry boat captain, then you're in a position to gather data to help us chart the Seabed.

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FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. All right. President Biden is responding to the shooting that left one New York City police officer killed and another seriously injured tweeting in part, Jill and I are saddened to hear two NYPD officers were shot last night, one fatally. We're keeping them and their families in our prayers. The officers were shot while responding to a domestic dispute call.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS (D-NY): It is our city against the killers. This is just not an attack on three brave offices, this was an attack for the city of New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN's Polo Sandoval is live for us in New York. He's joining me right now. Polo, what more you're learning?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Fred, we hear time and time again that these kinds of domestic dispute calls are perhaps the most dangerous and this is just sad. The sad reality and a reminder that that is the case. In this particular case Jason Rivera, that 22- year-old (INAUDIBLE) police officer who was one of three who responded to this apartment in Harlem yet -- late yesterday evening to report from a mother that she was having some kind of argument with a 47- year-old son where Rivera and a fellow officer by the name of Wilbert Mora then made their way according to detectives to a backroom in that apartment.

And that's when investigators say the doors swung open and Lashawn McNeil inside, according to investigators and open fire with a Glock pistol. And if you look at the weapon in an image that was released by the NYPD, you can actually see that high capacity magazine, a drum magazine that's attached to the pistol itself. And we don't know whether or not the officers knew that this individual was armed.

But what we do know is that he opened fire, fatally wounding officer Rivera and critically wounded officer Mora who was currently fighting first life. There was a third officer who was in the living room with the mother of the suspect here that open fire, critically wounding the suspect we're told is hospitalized at this -- at this moment. Now, when it comes to what is going to happen next, we have heard from officials all across the board, you just mentioned a tweet from the commander-in-chief himself.

We also heard from the chiefs -- the Chief Executive of the State of New York, of course, Governor Kathy Hochul is not just expressing condolences over the death of this officer, and obviously well wishes for the recovery of the second officer, but also sharing what she hopes to do at the state level to try to address this issue of illegal guns that has really become a problem, a deadly problem on the streets of New York.

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GOV. KATHY HOCHUL (D-NY): They're coming in from other states, they're flooding our streets. And I have pledged the resources, the New York State Police to become embedded with NYPD and others to help them. In fact, we've tripled just a week ago in our budget.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: So you heard from the federal level, the state level, how about the local in terms of Eric Adams now just three weeks into his administration, this is certainly going to put more pressure on him to make good on his vow to try to improve this issue of public safety in certain neighborhoods here in New York City where we've seen the issue of street violence, specifically, gun violence.

In fact, he spent the day in that same precinct today, actually walking to the precinct where these officers were assigned to, show solidarity for those officers that are currently grieving the loss of one of their colleagues and praying for the recovery of that second officer.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Lots of prayers going for the recovery of that other officer. And of course, our hearts go out to the families -- family members of Officer Rivera. Thank you so much. Polo Sandoval. Appreciate that.

SANDOVAL: Thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is said to be fine after being in a car accident with three other vehicles in Los Angeles Friday. CNN's Natasha Chen is live for us in Los Angeles. Natasha, do we learn -- have we learn anything more about what happened?

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fred, we haven't gotten any updates from LAPD. They did say in a statement though, that they do not believe alcohol or drugs were factors here in this collision. Now a representative for Arnold Schwarzenegger told People Magazine that he is fine but he's very concerned for the woman who was injured yesterday. This happened about 4:35 In the afternoon local time on busy Sunset Boulevard in the Brentwood area of L.A. on the west side.

And there were four vehicles involved according to police. Everyone stayed on the scene. And if you look at this nighttime aerial video from our affiliate KABC, you can see just how dramatic that crash was with the Yukon, the SUV on top of another car that is believed to have been -- the SUV believed to have been driven by Schwarzenegger.

[13:05:15]

CHEN: Again, we do not believe that Schwarzenegger himself is injured in any way. His representative said that he's mainly concerned about the woman who was taken to the hospital. Police didn't confirm that she was taken to a hospital with a -- an abrasion to her head. Schwarzenegger is 74 years old. The former governor has not said anything publicly about this crash thus far.

And again, police say they do not believe that alcohol or drugs were involved in this collision, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Frightening moments. Thank you so much, Natasha Chen. All right. CNN has learned new details about the death of 22- year-old Gabby Petito. The FBI says her fiance Brian Laundrie claimed responsibility in written statements last year. CNN's Randy Kaye has the latest.

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The FBI announced that before Brian Laundrie took his own life he admitted that he was responsible for the death of Gabby Petito. He apparently admitted this in a notebook that was found alongside his remains. FBI Denver releasing a statement saying a review of the notebook revealed written statements by Mr. Laundrie claiming responsibility for Ms. Petito's death.

The FBI also announcing some new information that a revolver was found near Brian Laundrie's body. We knew last fall that he had taken his own life in that reserve near his family home, but now we have learned that a revolver was found nearby. But regarding the notebook, we also knew last fall that it was in decent condition, but the question was what was inside it? Certainly, the Petito family was hoping for some answers inside that notebook about what happened to their daughter.

But the question is, what are those details? We don't know what Brian Laundrie wrote besides taking responsibility. Did he say it was an accident or intentional? Did he say why or where this happened? Also, it's important to note that the coroner last fall when he found the cause of death for Gabby Petito, the Teton County Coroner in Wyoming. He said that it was a homicide by manual strangulation.

He also said it was likely somebody use their hands. Now in terms of reaction from the families in this case, Gabby Petito's family releasing a statement through their attorney saying thank you to the FBI but also noting the quality and quantity of the facts and information collected by the FBI leave no doubt Brian Laundrie murdered Gabby Petito. Steve Bertolino, the attorney for the Laundrie family also releasing a statement after learning more about this case, saying this tragedy has caused enormous emotional pain and suffering to all who loved either or both of them.

We can only hope that with today's closure of the case each family can begin to heal and move forward and find peace in and with the memories of their children. Make Gabby and Brian both rest in peace. Randi Kaye, CNN, Palm Beach County, Florida.

WHITFIELD: And this just in. A 20-plus mile portion of the scenic highway one along the California coast is currently closed because of a fast moving wildfire.

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WHITFIELD: The so called Colorado fire started in Big Sur and has already for some residents to evacuate. Cal Fire says 1500 acres have already burned and the fire is only five percent contained.

All right. Still ahead. Multiple rallies and protests are happening in D.C. this weekend triggering concerns of potential unrest and violence in the nation's Capitol. How law enforcement is preparing straight ahead.

Plus, tens of thousands of Russian troops remain on the border of Ukraine and the Pentagon is weighing options for more military supportive Russia does invade. Details next.

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WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. Thousands of anti-vaxxers are expected to descend on Washington, D.C. tomorrow for a major rally. But that's just one demonstration with a potential for conflict that has law enforcement in the nation's capitol on alert. CNN National Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joining us now with more on this. Suzanne, how are authorities preparing for this?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Fred. Well, D.C. is bustling with activity this weekend. And we're talking about hot topic emotional issues that impact us all. So today the focus is on abortion around the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Former Vice President Mike Pence speaking at the National Pro-Life Summit earlier today joining anti-choice activists while you have counter protesters advocating for abortion rights while they are rallying outside the Supreme Court.

All eyes however, are on tomorrow. That is the fight over vaccine mandates which will play out on the National Mall. Now the National Park Service says that various groups opposing vaccine mandates, vaccines and mask, it could draw up to 20,000 people at this event that is being called Defeat The Mandates: American Homecoming Event. Now there has been extensive planning among the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, Metropolitan Police, U.S. Park Police and others to help local businesses prepare for the crowds that they're expecting and possibly face down any protesters who might refuse to wear masks or comply with D.C. rules.

Now these protests coincide with this new proof of vaccine requirements for restaurants, bars, gyms, other private businesses here in Washington. So U.S. Capitol Police with the assistance in Montgomery County Police Department, they are moving. All hands on deck, staffing over the weekend. They've already held a conference call with business leaders to prepare. U.S. Capitol police chief saying I am confident in our preparation for this weekend.

And Fred these security preparations come following an incident just yesterday where there more than 20 men who appear to be tied to the Patriot front. It's an American nationalist white supremacist group. They showed up outside the National Archives surrounded by D.C. police to ensure that they were no confrontations. Fred?

[13:15:07]

WHITFIELD: Still the stage is set for yet a lot of tension -- a lot more attention. All right, Suzanne Malveaux, thank you so much in the nation's Capitol.

All right. In the Carolinas, the system that brought snow and ice to the region is moving out today. Much of the Deep South had experienced frigid arctic air this week but luckily was spared from a crippling ice events. Up north, well, a stunning scene on Lake Michigan. Take a look at that. Ice pancakes? Like their namesake, they look exactly like -- you think they would round flat disks made of ice.

They're common in the Arctic but are only seen in the lower 48 states once the temperatures get below freezing for several days. We're back in a moment.

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[13:20:19]

WHITFIELD: The U.S. is stepping up its support for Ukraine as thousands of Russian soldiers remain on the Ukrainian border. As CNN's Barbara Starr explains the Pentagon is now working on new options for the Biden administration. BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The Defense Department now working on a series of military options detailing what it would do if Russian troops were to cross the border and stage an invasion of Ukraine. Diplomacy obviously still front and center sanctions still very much the first thing the U.S. might turn to. But the Pentagon has options for President Biden to consider to beef up the U.S. presence in Eastern Europe, to reassure allies there who are so concerned about what Putin might be up to.

Think Romania, Poland, the countries that are nervous right now. So what's on the table? The U.S. could move some troops and equipment that are already in Europe. It could also move troops and equipment from the U..S or outside of Europe onto the continent, all of this to give the allies reassurance and a deterrence capability against Russia. The Pentagon always likes to say it plans for everything. And this is one case when it is already doing just that, just in case. Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up. The January 6 Committee and now has all the documents from the National Archives that former President Trump spent months trying to block. What the committee is hoping to uncover from the next.

Also a quick programming note. You know her face but Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe was so much more as captured in a new CNN Original Series, Reframed Marilyn Monroe.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Her third marriage had ended in divorce and it was a very bleak period.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: After the divorce, as she has a very bad nervous breakdown and curse, psychiatrists felt that she needed to be put in a hospital to be revitalized and taken off drugs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So Marilyn voluntarily went to hospital thinking basically that she was getting some therapy and some care.

ANGELICA JADE BASTIEN, FILM CRITIC: Imagine being in the early 60s, you're a woman you're one of the most famous and recognizable people on the planet. I think her decision to ask for help shows a tremendous strength and self-awareness within her. The problem of course is sometimes the help you get is not the help you need.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. The original series airs tomorrow night at 9:00 p.m. right here on CNN.

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[13:27:48]

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. The National Archives says it has turned over all the records that former President Donald Trump tried to keep away from the January 6 Select Committee. This week, the Supreme Court, the U.S. Supreme Court clear the way for the panel to receive all 700-plus pages. The records could help answer some critical questions about what happened between Trump and other high- level officials and the days leading up to the Capitol attack and on January 6 itself.

For more on these developments, let's bring in CNN Capitol Hill Reporter Annie Grayer. Annie, Good to see you. So what more are you learning about these new documents?

ANNIE GRAYER, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: So Frederika, as you mentioned, the January 6 Committee when it started its investigation put in a request with the National Archives to get all the documents that were in the Trump White House. Now as soon as the committee did that Trump tried to intervene to prevent the Committee from getting a specific subset of those documents around 700-plus pages.

Now, both the committee and Trump are going back and forth and litigation until this week, when as you mentioned, the Supreme Court ruled the Committee could get those documents. And as of yesterday, we've learned that the Committee now has those 700-plus pages that Trump had wanted to keep secret. Now, we don't know exactly what's in these documents at this point, but based on court filings, what we can say is these documents contain call logs from the White House, they contain visitor records.

They contain handwritten notes from Trump's White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows about January 6. It's important to note that Meadows is not cooperating with the Committee. And we learned as of yesterday, Politico reported that these documents even contain a draft of a memo for how the government could seize voting machines and potentially halt the 2020 election certification process.

So that's just one example to show you of how specific these documents really go. We're definitely, you know, waiting to learn more as what comes out of these documents. But the key takeaway here is these documents fill in a lot of holes and questions that the committee is investigating into what was going on in the White House in the lead up to January 6.

[13:30:06]

GRAYER: And specifically, who the former President was talking to and meeting with on that day.

WHITFIELD: Right. It also provokes a lot of new questions.

All right. Annie, the committee also wants to hear from Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump. Why is her voluntary cooperation going to be significant?

GRAYER: Right. It's important to mention that this is a voluntary request the committee put it out to the former president's daughter. We don't know, you know, what's going to happen there, but the committee has officially made that request. Why that request is so important is, first, Ivanka is the first Trump

family member we know of for the committee to reach out to want to talk to.

And Ivanka was at the White House on January 6th. She can really speak to her father's state of mind as the attack was unfolding, as we know that she want to her father's office at least twice as the attack was happening to get him to stop the attack.

We also know, based on new testimony that's come out, that Ivanka was in the Oval Office listening to a phone conversation that her father was having with former Vice President Mike Pence.

Where Trump was trying to get his vice president to use his role in the certification process to halt the certification of the election.

So she can provide a firsthand account to that conversation, which speaks to the larger, you know, pressure campaign that Trump and his allies were trying to put on Pence to get him to stop the certification of election -- of the election.

So, you know, as this investigation is unfolding, as we're learning more and more about who the committee wants to speak to, you know, with this reach out to Ivanka, asking for her voluntary cooperation, we know she can provide a lot of firsthand accounts and a window into what Donald Trump was thinking on January 6th.

WHITFIELD: Annie Grayer, thank you so much.

Jennifer Rodgers is a CNN legal analyst and a former federal prosecutor.

Jennifer, good to see you.

So how long is it voluntary until it's not?

JENNIFER RODGERS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yes, Fred. Listen, they've made this voluntary request. They need an answer from her as to whether she'll cooperate. I'm sure they're currently trying to set a date.

And if she doesn't cooperate, the committee has to decide whether they will issue her a subpoena.

At this point, they've been really aggressive with all the folks in the inner circle. And I think that they will proceed to a subpoena if she doesn't come in voluntarily.

WHITFIELD: Help us understand the significance of obtaining these White House documents. The National Archives said, here you go, you've got 700-plus pages. And I'm sure they're pouring through it.

But based on what we are hearing reportedly about what's in them, how much of a turning point do you believe these documents make this entire case now?

RODGERS: I think it's huge because, you know, things like this draft executive memo for the military to seize voting machines, I mean, it's outrageous the stuff that was going on.

And I think that it's going to do a couple of things. First of all, it gives them actual substantive evidence, gives them a timeline, gives them a roadmap for who to speak to next.

And I think also the publication of what's coming out will start to jar people. There have to be people who know what happened that day who are on the fence about whether to go and tell the committee what they know.

When they see the things that were going on that maybe they didn't know about, it might prompt those people to voluntarily cooperate.

I think it's an enormous, enormous break.

WHITFIELD: You say it gives them evidence, as a prelude to what? I mean, the committee has its investigation, but then is it the case that the committee could potentially then make its recommendations to DOJ?

Or is DOJ already simultaneously pouring through this, looking at what kind of case can be built simultaneous to what the committee's mission is?

RODGERS: I wish we knew. I wish we knew.

You know, I think DOJ should be investigating, but that's the big question. No one really knows. They haven't said.

Surely, the Select Committee, of course, is investigating. They're going to write a huge report. They may make criminal referrals.

I do hope that DOJ is already on top of this investigation. Maybe they're waiting and letting the Select Committee go first. But that's not how they usually operate.

I do hope that there's a simultaneous investigation going on already at DOJ and that they are not waiting for a referral.

WHITFIELD: I also want to ask you about this whole Rudy Giuliani now thing involving, you know, fake electors, seven states. I mean, this is tremendous as well.

I mean, on the surface, it's a violation of any kind of federal law, right? But where do you see this information going and what it can potentially lead to?

RODGERS: This was another block-buster revelation this week.

[13:35:00]

It's a violation of state law in at least five of those seven states where they set forth this fake elector slate thing. It's also a violation of federal law.

It gives them another avenue to get to a charge of conspiring to interfere with a congressional act.

Previously, you know, folks thought they were going through the insurrection itself.

You know, did people in the White House and DOJ know -- in the White House and the campaign know that there was going to be violence? Did they intend for them to disrupt Congress?

Now they have another avenue. There's no question by coordinating a plan for these fake elector slates that they intended for that to interrupt Congress' duties.

I think it gives them another avenue to a serious federal charge. So it's really an enormous thing.

WHITFIELD: I keep hearing how incriminating all of these details are for Rudy Giuliani, perhaps even for the attorneys who may have been in the room during the drafting of this executive order.

But nowhere am I hearing how potentially incriminating this is for the former president himself. I mean, he allegedly is very complicit or eyewitness to, if not actually, you know, offering a signature here and there.

So where is he in this mix?

RODGERS: Well, he's at the top. The question is can you get to the top?

You know, when you work your way up you have to know what the people at the top of a conspiracy know. That's always the toughest thing to prove.

So as they go up the chain and hear about these meetings, these conversations, these planning sessions, that's the question, what was in his mind? What did he know? What was he directing others to do?

So that really kind of comes at the end of the investigation as you move up the chain.

But I assure you that folks are thinking about that a lot and that's what they're working towards with all of this investigation.

WHITFIELD: What concerns, if any, do you have about just how quickly anything goes from here?

I mean, we're learning this information, but then what? Do you feel like there's a timetable before it actually leads to something more concrete in the form of accusations or charges?

RODGERS: Well, we know there's a timetable for the Select Committee because they are going to want to get their work done before the midterm elections.

DOJ is not on that timetable so they may take a little longer. They really want to be right and have a strong case. On the other hand, these things coming out in the public eye, that

doesn't mean that they didn't know about them already. There were apparently referrals to federal authorities by state election authorities previously.

So what we are all learning about and is new to us isn't necessarily new to them. They may be further along than we might think. But, again, they are not on the same timetable as the Select Committee.

So I wouldn't expect charges against inner circle folks probably this year. Probably, maybe next year, if they are going to happen at all.

WHITFIELD: It's as crazy as it is all fascinating and perplexing as well, all rolled up into one.

All right. Jennifer Rodgers, thank you so much.

RODGERS: Thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Still ahead, it shouldn't be a life-threatening job to help run our elections, but some election workers say they are victim to very dangerous and very real threats as election lies continue to infiltrate the country. Details straight ahead.

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[13:42:49]

WHITFIELD: All right. The Big Lie that former President Trump had the 2020 election stolen from him is leading to very real and very scary consequences. Election workers are quitting in droves, worried about their own safety.

CNN's Kyung Lah spoke to some of them about their experiences as the Big Lie carries on.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANICE WINFREY, DETROIT CITY CLERK: This is a .22 automatic. I have a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You are a legal gun owner?

WINFREY: I'm a legal gun owner a legal gun carrier.

LAH (voice-over): This is not a remarkable admission until Janice Winfrey explains why.

WINFREY: I'm Detroit city clerk. I have been the clerk for 16 years. At most, I thought I would get writer's cramp from signing my name in 2005.

LAH: Fast forward to the 2020 election, the 63-year-old grandmother had received threats on her social media accounts and phone, at public events and protests outside of her home, but it was a moment weeks after the 2020 election --

WINFREY: About right here, and this guy -- I saw him coming out of the car.

LAH: As she walked near her home, Winfrey whose job is nonpartisan, says the man began yelling.

WINFREY: Why did you cheat? And I'm like, what are you talking about? And I said, I need you to get back. He said, I need you to tell me why Trump lost.

LAH: Her neighbor chased off the man. Police say, shortly after this encounter, a bomb threat was then called to her home.

WINFREY: When somebody is at my house, when somebody is looking at my come from my porch, when somebody knows my routine, when they know I have a dog, and they don't live around here, that makes me think I need protection.

(CHANTING)

LAH: America's democracy is now a hazardous workplace, from voice mails left on this Wisconsin election worker's phone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You rigged my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) election, you (EXPLETIVE DELETED) peace of (EXPLETIVE DELETED). We're going to try you and we're going to hang you.

LAH: To this to a former Michigan election administrator.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We will (EXPLETIVE DELETED) take you out. (EXPLETIVE DELETED) your family. (EXPLETIVE DELETED) your life.

LAH: Messages like these are what election workers fear will only intensify with the 2020 midterms.

DAVID BECKER, FOUNDER, CENTER FOR ELECTION INNOVATION AND RESEARCH: This is domestic terrorism. Let's call it what it is. These are designed to terrify the officials.

Whether they actually result in the violence that's promised or not, it's designed to make these officials' lives unbearable and chase them out of office.

[13:45:11]

LAH: David Becker is the founder of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research working with election administrators across the country.

(SHOUTING)

LAH: After the 2020 election --

(CHANTING) LAH: -- where the country witnessed local election offices become targets of rage and protest, the left-leaning Brennan Center for Justice says Ohio and Pennsylvania lost around 30 percent of county election workers. And Michigan and Wisconsin also saw workers quit.

COVID, retirements and threats all leading to a critical shortage of workers.

BECKER: If we lose all of this election administration experience, what's it going to be replaced by?

Because the passion right now is amongst those who have been lied to, who have been told that someone stole their democracy, which did not happen.

And they are now seeking out some of these positions and they think their job is to deliver an election to the candidate they prefer. And that's exactly the opposite of the professional election administrator.

(SHOUTING)

LAH: That passion is palpable. At a recent rally for Donald Trump in Arizona, thousands gathered, fed lies about the 2020 election.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The same people who have been lying about everything for four years claim 2020 was the most secure election in history.

Give me a break. Give me a break.

(LAUGHTER)

TRUMP: Those are bad people.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Her shirt says, "We the people know Trump won."

LAH (on camera): Do you blame the election workers?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Some of them. Absolutely. Some of them. Some of them were caught cheating.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're very involved, my wife and I.

LAH: So you called to complain?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

LAH: Why did you call?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because it's like the one movie once said, I'm as mad as hell and I can't take it anymore.

LAH: This is a midterm election year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's going to be crazy. LAH: What's going to happen to some of these election offices across

the country?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think you are going to have a lot more Republicans and a lot more conservative people standing up to make sure the elections -- nothing happens like what happened, you know, a year ago.

LAH (voice-over): In the battleground state of Wisconsin, where Joe Biden edged out Trump by roughly 20,000 votes, Madison city clerk, Maribeth WitzelBehl, is bracing for what lies ahead this year.

MARIBETH WITZELBEHL, MADISON CITY CLERK: You question is it taking a toll on me that I can't even see? Am I going to drive myself into having a stroke and then not be able to do anything at all?

LAH: WitzelBehl loved the relative anonymity of being a nonpartisan city clerk and helping her community until a right-wing Web site posted her name as an election worker.

WITZELBEHL: In the comments, there was types of ammunition to use on me, types of guns, talk of lynching.

Just the other day I got a message somebody sent me an article about a shooting and said, coming soon to a home near you.

LAH (on camera): How long do you think you can keep doing this?

WITZELBEHL: My answer to that question would probably change every day. I try to stay busy to I'm not ruminating over everything.

LAH: What do you mean you is that try to stay busy?

WITZELBEHL: I got the mayor's position to take a second job and work retail so I'm not sitting at home at night or on a weekend just thinking about all the hatred being sent my way.

LAH: Is that how you're coping?

WITZELBEHL: Yes. Definitely.

LAH (voice-over): With many of these threats being anonymous or protected under free speech, many are never prosecuted.

Police are still looking for the man who threatened Janice Winfrey. Election workers are left to take their own safety into their own hands.

WINFREY: I like to call myself the keeper of democracy.

LAH (on camera): Is that what has kept you on the job?

WINFREY: Absolutely.

LAH: What do you want to tell the public about how hard your job is right now? WINFREY: My job is so hard that one would think it's not worth it and

why are you doing it? It's intrinsic for me, right?

We have to protect democracy. I can't say it enough, you know? One person, one vote. Is it worth it? Is it worth my life? Apparently, it is. Because I'm continuing on that path.

LAH: The U.S. Department of Justice says historically these cases have fallen to state and leek al jurisdictions but not anymore as these cases have grown across the country.

Just six months ago the DOJ formed a multidivisional task force. It's designed to train election workers, but also to find and prosecute those making threats against them.

Kyung Lah, CNN, Reno, Nevada.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And all this, all this week, CNN's Jim Acosta takes a deeper look at the ongoing threats to our democracy. "DEMOCRACY IN PERIL" starts Monday at 9:00 Eastern, right here on CNN.

[13:50:05]

All right. Coming up, why the CDC is not changing the definition of fully vaccinated from two shots to three.

But first, this week's "THINK SMALL, THINK BIG."

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KAREN GONZALEZ, OWNER, SIMPLY MEXICANA: Simply Mexicana is a small business with hand-painted goods, like hats, handbags, canvass inspired by the Mexican culture.

My name is Karen Gonzalez, and I am the owner of Simply Mexicana.

It's very important for me to connect with the Mexican culture because I am a DACA recipient. I was 8 months old and my mom was carrying me in her arms.

Being inspired by the patterns Mexico has to offer is very important.

Before starting Simply Mexicana, painting was a hobby for me. The first time I painted, I was surprised how easy it was to flow my flowers and being able to see other people was very exciting. That's when I decided to start my own business.

The hats are imported from Mexico and we hand pick them and then I decide what I'm going to paint on them and it makes a beautiful creation.

I love sunflowers. You'll see that in a lot of my hats. It's something unique that comes from somebody's hands.

It's been a little more than a year that I decided that I can take my hats to market and then from markets, the idea of a Web site came up.

Now I'm able to call it my full-time small business and ship my hats all over the U.S.

I hope that anybody that buys a hat is able to appreciate the inspiration that comes behind the Mexican culture.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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[13:56:02]

WHITFIELD: Growing hope this afternoon that the Omicron surge may be on the decline. New cases are trending down in the U.S. And hospitalizations are dropping rapidly in some parts of the country.

And there's even more research about the effectiveness of the coronavirus boosters.

New studies show that the shots are 90 percent effective against hospitalizations from Omicron, while providing the best protection against the variant.

Here to talk about all of this, associate dean of public health at Brown University, Dr. Megan Ranney.

Doctor, so good to see you.

DR. MEGAN RANNEY, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF PUBLIC HEALTH, BROWN UNIVERSITY: It's a joy to be here with you today.

WHITFIELD: So let's start with the new CDC study. It is pretty compelling evidence, right, of the booster effectiveness. What's your take-away?

RANNEY: So the big take-away here is, first, show up and get your first doses of vaccines if you haven't, because those are still quite effective to get the first two shots.

And if you are eligible for a booster, if you're more than five months out from the primary series of vaccines, now is the time to get boosted.

I will say the CDC data backs up what I am seeing clinically in the Emergency Department. I worked last night. I admitted virtually no one who wasn't vaccinated and admitted zero folks who were not vaccinated and boosted.

So those people who are vaccinated and boosted get to go home. They do OK.

It's the folks that are older and haven't gotten boosted or never got vaccinated in the first place are ending up sick enough to be in the hospital.

WHITFIELD: That's pretty encouraging, what you witnessed and observed last night.

However, the CDC is still not updating the guidance on what it means to be fully vaccinated, despite a study showing the drastic difference between two shots versus three.

This is what Dr. Fauci said about that right here on CNN Friday.

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DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES: It is obviously confusing people.

But one of the things that we're talking about, from a purely public health standpoint, is how well you are protected rather than what a definition is to get someone to be required or not required.

That's what we're talking about. There really is a difference there.

And that's the point that was made by Dr. Walensky today, that when you went to be up to date, to be optimally protected, that's where the booster comes in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So what do you see is at the core as to why so many people remain confused?

RANNEY: So I'm going to reframe this. I actually don't think that it should be confusion at all.

What I would like the American public to take away is that there's a primary vaccine series. Those first two shots.

Just like we do for almost every kind of vaccine out there that we get, there's the first set of shots that you get and then you do need boosters.

Tetanus is a great example. You get your first series of shots when you're a kid and then you have to get boosted every 10 years.

Same thing is going to be true for COVID. You do the first shots. As of right now, we know you need a booster five months after that first set of shots. It's possible that may change again in the future.

But for now, get vaccinated, get your booster if you're eligible. And of course, keep all those other precautions in place during a surge, masking, ventilation, testing, et cetera.

WHITFIELD: Are you concerned people are learning that, OK, there are fewer hospitalizations in some places, there are real distinctions about the numbers that are going down, particularly with Omicron cases.

So now are you concerned when you have that, those who have not received the booster are saying, well, looks like we're almost out of the woods, what's the point? RANNEY: I want to caution folks that this surge is still ongoing.

Yes, the overall number of cases might be going down, but I think that the narrative of "Omicron is mild" has done a disservice to our country, particularly to those who are unvaccinated.

[13:59:59]

Because let me be clear, for folks who have not gotten their vaccines yet, this is still not a mild disease.