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Some Governors Offer Residents A Break Amid Inflation; NATO Chief: Putin Wants Whole Of Ukraine; U.S. Imposes New Sanctions On Russia, Including Putin's Daughters; Oklahoma Legislature Passes Near- Total Ban On Abortion; Forty-Two Million People At Some Level Of Threat From Storm System. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired April 06, 2022 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: This just into CNN. Attorney General Merrick Garland has tested positive for COVID-19. This is just hours after announcing new moves against Russia alongside other Justice Department officials here. We're told the 69-year-old is not experiencing any symptoms and is fully vaccinate and boosted. In a statement the DOJ says Garland plans to isolate at home for at least five days per CDC guidelines.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: AAA says the national average for a gallon of gas is $4.16 -- down from recent highs. Governors in several states say that they found a way to try to ease the pain. They are using state surpluses to cut prices, offers of free transit rides and give tax breaks. CNN's Eva McKend has more on these plans. Many are applauding them but some call them political posturing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER (voice over): Across the country, governors from both parties scrambling to address the high cost of gas amid soaring inflation.

ROLVIN LENTSCH, DRIVER: Social Security payments aren't going up like my gas and fuel prices are.

MCKEND (voice over): States flush with cash from solid economic growth and federal COVID relief funds flowing to them, fueling tax revenues that have left many states with big surpluses. In California, where gas prices are the highest in the nation, Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom facing re-election this year, proposing $11 billion in relief by way of $400 debit cards and free rides on public transit.

In Maryland, Republican Governor Larry Hogan signed legislation enacting a 30-day suspension of the state's gas tax and has said he supports extending it to 90 days.

In Georgia, Republican Governor Brian Kemp signing an income tax refund bill into law. More than a billion dollars in refunds to eligible Georgians in the coming weeks. That's relief for one Georgia driver. SHARI THWAITES, DRIVER: I was one of the people that was out of work for 15 months. I work in hospitality. So, I just got back to work in January. So, you know, every little bit helps.

MCKEND (voice over): But Governor Kemp's Trump-backed Republican challenger, David Perdue, calls the refund an election year giveaway, a desperate attempt to get votes.

Kemp's 2018 opponent and likely Democratic nominee in this year's race, Stacey Abrams, argues states are generally doing so well because of additional funds that were sent to them by the federal government.

STACEY ABRAMS (D), CANDIDATE FOR GEORGIA GOVERNOR: I want us to remember, it's not who put their name on the card, it's who bought the gift. And while there might be a "K" name on the card, it's Biden and Warnock who got the money here.

GOV. NED LAMONT (D-CT): And I hear wherever I go, what can you do to help? We tried to do something.

MCKEND (voice over): In Connecticut, Democratic Governor Ned Lamont, who is also up for reelection this year, says the bipartisan legislation he signed into law to halt the gas tax for three months and suspend bus fares will make a difference.

LAMONT: If you're a single mom, it costs you $3 each way to go get groceries. Make life a little more affordable for you as well.

MCKEND (voice over): University of New Haven Political Science Professor Chris Haynes says for Democrats who are already facing a tough midterm environment, these mitigation strategies may not do much to change their electoral prospects.

CHRIS HAYNES, POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN: What Americans care about in terms of elections are broader perceptions of the economy, how they think the economy is doing, not necessarily how they're doing individually, economically. And so even if they do get these benefits and they feel these benefits, it may not go down to the benefit of the politicians that are passing them.

MCKEND: Should Democrats be concerned?

GOV. NED LAMONT (D-CT): Well, look, you should always be concerned. You always run scared if it's a political year. Look, I come out of the business world. In our world, if you don't listen to consumer, you're dead. Now, I'm in the political world. If you don't listen to voters and at least try and address their concerns and explain what you are doing and why you're doing it and how you can ease their pain a little bit, you pay a price.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCKEND (on camera): In reporting this story, this is an issue that is top of mind for so many. I get the sense the politics of gas prices will be an area where we see Democrats and Republicans continuing to point fingers at each other right up until November. Today on Capitol Hill lawmakers grilled oil company executives about their role in all of this. That hearing entitled, gouged at the gas station -- Alisyn, Victor.

BLACKWELL: All right, Eva McKend, thank you.

At a high stakes NATO meeting today, foreign ministers are considering whether to increase military assistance to Ukraine.

CAMEROTA: This is happening as officials warn that Russia's war may be entering a protracted phase. We discuss with the former deputy secretary general of NATO.

[15:35:00]

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CAMEROTA: NATO foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels today to consider an increase in military assistance to Ukraine. NATO Secretary General warns that the war on Ukraine could last for years.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: We have seen no indication that President Putin has changed his ambition to control the whole of Ukraine. But at the same time, we have to be realistic and realize that this may last for a long time, for many months or even years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Join us now is the former Secretary General of NATO and Steven C. Hazy Lecturer at Stanford, Rose Gottemoeller. Madam Secretary, thank you so much for being here. So, thus far, all of the sanctions that have been levelled by the U.S., by the EU against Russia have not stopped Vladimir Putin's atrocities that we see every day in Ukraine. Will today's round of sanctions make any difference?

ROSE GOTTEMOELLER, FORMER DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL, NATO: I think it's important to keep piling on the sanctions at this point. The Russian economy is beginning to suffer. There will have to be some reckoning with regard to the payments that Russia has to make into the international financial system to service its debts. So, this is an accumulation of pressure on Russia and from what I can see hearing from some of the manufacturing leaders in Russia, it's beginning to bite.

CAMEROTA: Let's look at some of the specifics that the U.S. levelled today. So, ban all new investments in Russia. Sanction Russia's largest financial institutions and biggest bank. Sanction Russian government officials -- and this is interesting -- including Putin's own family members, his two adult daughters. What will that mean for their lives? I mean, how will that actually affect Putin or his daughters?

GOTTEMOELLER: It's really a symbolic move but it's a clever one. Because those are two daughters who is are acknowledged from his first marriage. He's got a couple other kids out there but the interesting thing is that these daughters are ones who have been tied into the international community. One is married to a Dutch businessman, for example. So, it's really a sign that the international community is intent on delivering this message, you're not out of reach Mr. Putin. Even your daughters can get sanctioned.

CAMEROTA: And when you say that the sanctions that have been levelled before this are starting to bite, will they be a deterrent for Putin?

GOTTEMOELLER: You know, honestly, I think at the end of the day, President Putin doesn't care that much about the economy. He would be happy enough returning to the planned economy of the Soviet Union. That's what he seems to indicate.

I don't think he understands a lot about the nuance of international economic practice and what a healthy economy looks like from a Western perspective and from an international perspective. But I do know, as I said before, that some of his top manufacturers are beginning to say, now, we're in the midst of deep crisis and this is not going to get better.

CAMEROTA: You were also a chief nuclear negotiator with Russia for the Obama administration. Do you have a sense of what trigger would exist for Vladimir Putin to use a nuclear weapon?

GOTTEMOELLER: Oh, no, I wouldn't want to speculate on that at all. It has been very concerning that Vladimir Putin has been waving the nuclear saber -- rattling the nuclear saber. This is something that is irresponsible from the perspective -- even at the Soviet leadership -- it's interesting that the Politburo was very careful in Soviet times about threatening nuclear weapons used. But Vladimir Putin seems very free with this nuclear saber. So, I think we are all concerned about it that.

But honestly, I think I wouldn't speculate on what he might decide in this regard. But I will say that I've noted that there's been a drop off in these kinds of threats in recent days and I welcome that. Because Russia will end up bearing the moral burden and the complete global, you know, criticism for using a nuclear weapon if they should decide to do so.

CAMEROTA: Do you think -- I mean having been a negotiator yourself -- do you think that Vladimir Putin knows that the U.S. is just too humane and rational to go that route and he's not -- there's no disincentive for him to nuclear saber rattle?

GOTTEMOELLER: Well, the good thing about the United States is that they have been very circumspect about this nuclear threat that Putin has put out there. And Joe Biden and his whole administration have really been very, very careful not to try to up the temperature enough in any way to indicate in any direction of escalation.

For example, canceling a Minuteman III launch for a test purpose. What you would have been a very, very normal intercontinental ballistic missile test. They cancel that a couple weeks ago. This was a prudent move. It was a wise move. It's exactly what the U.S. should be doing now. Keeping the temperature down in every way possible. CAMEROTA: Rose Gottemoeller, thank you very much. Really interesting

the talk to you.

GOTTEMOELLER: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: Oklahoma lawmakers have passed one of the harshest anti- abortion laws in the country. This exposes providers to potential felony charges. We've got details, next.

[15:45:00]

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CAMEROTA: State lawmakers in Oklahoma have just passed a near total abortion ban. Women's health care rights advocates called this the most restrictive bill on abortion passed this entire legislative session.

[15:50:00]

BLACKWELL: So, it would make performing the procedure illegal exempt for medical emergencies but not in cases of rape or incest. The state's Republican governor is expected to sign it. CNN's Lucy Kafanov is here with more. So, Lucy, providers could end up in jail over this, right?

LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor, in jail and more. This legislation, this ban would make it a felony for doctors and medical professionals to perform abortions except in cases of life-threatening emergencies with punishments including fines up to $100,000 and/or imprisonment of up to ten years.

There are no exceptions in cases rape and incest -- as you point out. And the Republican governor promising to sign this bill into law. When he does, if there's no judicial intervention, abortion rights will effectively end in Oklahoma over the summer. Here's the reaction from the Oklahoma House Democratic minority leader. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMILY VIRGIN (D) OKLAHOMA STATE HOUSE: We have very few abortion providers right now and this would literally criminalize them for doing their jobs, for providing a procedure that is constitutionally protected.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAFANOV: And, Victor, Alisyn, Oklahoma's ban could cut off access to abortion services in a region where laws such as the one in Texas. Which prohibits abortions as early as six weeks into a pregnancy have already forced women to seek treatment across state borders -- women who can afford to do so. Nearly half the patients Oklahoma providers are currently seeing are medical refugees from Texas. And all of this part of a broader push by Republican-led states to curtail abortion rights in anticipation of a pending Supreme Court decision on a Mississippi law that bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Now if the conservative majority on the Supreme Court uphold that's

law, it could result in Roe versus Wade being overturned or substantially weakened. That has in turn prompted some blue states like Colorado to enact laws enshrining the right of women to have an abortion regardless of what happens at the federal level -- Victor, Alisyn.

BLACKWELL: Lucy Kafanov, thank you.

BLACKWELL: Florida's so-called don't say gay law is inspiring some company cat legislation. Two Republican state lawmakers in Ohio have now introduced a similar bill.

CAMEROTA: This bans teaching or providing instructional materials on sexual orientation or gender identity in grades K-3. It also forbids public schools from teaching or using instructional materials on sexual orientation or gender identity in any manner that is, quote, not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate, end quote, in grades 4-12. So, critics accuse lawmaker of trying to instill fear and dismantle diversity for political gain.

BLACKWELL: Russian forces are leashing on eastern Ukraine. But some officials warn Putin has not given up on trying to capture the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Will bring you the latest ahead.

[15:55:00]

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BLACKWELL: More than 42 million people are under some level of threat for severe weather today. Damaging winds, tornadoes, large hail, flooding, all possible across much of the southeast.

At least two people were killed. One in Texas, one in Georgia in weather-related incidents yesterday. CNN's Tom Sater has the latest on today's storms. Where are they?

TOM SATER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, once again, Victor and Alisyn, is the southeastern U.S. but a snap shot of our country right now is extremely dry. It's too dry out West. There's still snow to the north and this is going to be the leading edge of a shock to the system with more cold air.

But for the third day in a row, it's severe weather. When you look at average tornadoes in the U.S., March '80, we had 219 last month, an all-time record. Now we're looking at an uptick for the last couple months. Just for this week alone and the first week of April. Let's go back to Monday. Mississippi, Alabama, over 80 tornado warnings -- over 40 yesterday. They really picked up in intensity in Georgia and South Carolina.

The line moved through Dallas. A couple tornadoes there after severe flooding on Monday. But now the threat, severe thunderstorm watch in yellow. That's Alabama, that's Birmingham, Montgomery, surrounding areas. Tornado watch south of Atlanta, really, along I-20. That doesn't mean you can't have a tornado north and south of the region. But already they're firing up. I can hear the thunder outside of the headquarters here in Atlanta.

We have a tornado. This one's been on the ground for a while. This one's headed toward I-75 and there will be more. Most of these are severe thunderstorm warnings which means winds in excess of 70, maybe 75 miles per hour. That alone will do some damage. All of this on top of a flood watch.

We had a flood warning in the Atlanta metro area. Here's the bull's- eye in Georgia but I fear tonight it's going to be its way into South Carolina. Again yesterday, tremendous damage near Savannah, Columbia, and then Friday, the mid-Atlantic and central Florida. And by the way, a little snow for Chicago down toward St. Louis in the days ahead.

BLACKWELL: Oh, by the way.

SATER: Yes, that's spring.

CAMEROTA: OK, it all sounds worrisome. Tom Sater, thank you.

All right, we have an important update on the fox news alert we brought you yesterday. California Congressman Ami Bera is back at work after being attacked by a fox on Capitol Hill.

BLACKWELL: I should report this. Bera is one of six people who were either bitten or nipped. He tweeted that he's healthy. Hold no grudge or ill will --

CAMEROTA: Against the fox.

BLACKWELL: That's good. Yes, against the fox. Animal control caught one fox on the grounds yesterday.

CAMEROTA: OK, it's unclear if the same fox is behind all the attacks.

BLACKWELL: There are two foxes?

CAMEROTA: Maybe more. The Capitol Police have said that there may have been several fox dens on Capitol grounds.

[16:00:00]

They've urged people against approaching any fox. Yes, just hands off the fox. Stay away from the fox.

BLACKWELL: Yes. It seems to be no fear here.

CAMEROTA: That's a brazen fox right there.

BLACKWELL: Brazen fox.

All right, "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.