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Police Response To Texas Shooting An Abject Failure; State Officials Say Trump Pressured Them On Election; Russian Forces Take Frontline Village Near Severodonetsk; Afghanistan Hit with 5.9 Magnitude Earthquake; White House: Putin is Weaponizing Food; Russia's War on Ukraine; Interview with Assistant Professor, Kyiv School of Economy Oleg Nivievskyi; Red Air Commercial Plane's Landing Gear Collapses; January 6 Hearings; Cipollone Believes He's Cooperated Enough; Uvalde Mayor: I'm Going to be Throwing People Under the Bus Tonight. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired June 22, 2022 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[02:00:10]
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to have you is joining us from all around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Just ahead. Stamping out former U.S. President Donald Trump's election lies. Republican officials testify about fake electors scheme and the death threats they face because they told the truth.
The war on weight. How Russia's war in Ukraine is triggering a global food crisis.
Plus, a disturbing new timeline emerges in last month's Texas school shooting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's compelling evidence that the law enforcement response to the attack at Robb Elementary was an abject failure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: How officials say the massacre that lasted more than an hour could have been over in minutes.
We begin in Afghanistan where state media is reporting that a deadly earthquake has killed at least 255 people, wounding more than 500 others. The U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude 5.9 earthquake hit the south eastern province of Khost near the country's border with Pakistan. CNN has been unable to independently confirm the death toll so far. We'll bring you more updates as they become available.
Well, U.S. lawmakers and the American public are hearing dramatic testimony about Donald Trump's pressure campaign to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Republican officials and poll workers are telling stories of harassment, racism, even death threats from supporters of former President Trump. All of that as Trump's own inner circle of advisers told him repeatedly that the election was not stolen. CNN's Pamela Brown reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY BOWERS, SPEAKER, ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: You're asking me to do something against my oath and I will not break my oath.
PAMELA BROWN, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Rusty Bowers, the Republican House Speaker in Arizona offering powerful testimony about the pressure he faced from former President Trump and his legal team to decertify Arizona's legitimate election results showing Joe Biden as the winner.
BROWN: He said, just do it and let the court sorted out. And I said you're asking me to do something that's never been done in history, the history of the United States? No, sir. He said well, that's -- my suggestion would be just do it and let the courts figure it all out.
BROWN: Bowers also telling the committee Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani acknowledged they didn't have any proof of fraud. Bower is even disputing a claim Trump made about him shortly before the hearing.
BROWN: Anywhere, anyone anytime has said that I said the election was rigged. That would not be true.
BROWN: The committee demonstrating how state officials remain steadfast in the face of a constant barrage of calls.
RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ATTORNEY: Mr. Speaker, this is Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis. We're calling you together because we'd like to discuss obviously the election.
JENNA ELLILS, FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ATTORNEY: Hello, Mr. Speaker. This is Jenna Ellis and I'm here with Mayor Giuliani.
BROWN: The committee revealing how Trump aligned members of Congress like Arizona Republican Andy Biggs urged Bowers to throw out Biden electors and detailing how Trump's election lies inspired many of his supporters around the country.
PROTESTERS: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The punishment for treason is death.
BROWN: Some supporters even threatening election workers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We started to hear the noises outside my home and that's -- my stomach sunk and I thought it's me. That was the scariest moment just not knowing what was going to happen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't go to the grocery store at all. I haven't been anywhere. This affect my life in a -- in a major way. In every way.
BROWN: The committee use Trump's own words to make its case playing audio of an hour long phone call, he made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more that we have.
BROWN: Raffensperger who was Republican insisted Georgia's election results were accurate.
BRAD RAFFENSPERGER, GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE: Every single allegation. We checked, we ran down the rabbit trail to make sure that our numbers were accurate.
BROWN: Trump's top two officials in the Justice Department also testifying.
WILLIAM BARR, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: We didn't see any evidence of fraud in the in the Fulton County episode.
RICHARD DONOGHUE, FORMER DEPUTY ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL: The major allegations are not supported by the evidence developed.
BROWN: State officials are already investigating Trump's pressure campaign in Georgia and that call specifically for any criminal wrongdoing.
FANI WILLIS, FULTON COUNTY, GEORGIA DISTRICT ATTORNEY: If there's ever a crime and it is ongoing we are going to look at everything.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[02:05:01]
BROWN: Vice Chair Liz Cheney put public pressure on the former White House Counsel under Trump Pat Cipollone to testify publicly saying the American people deserve to hear from him personally. But a source close to Pat Cipollone says he has resisted those invitations to testify publicly because he feels like he has already been cooperating with the committee. He sat down with a committee for an interview behind closed doors.
And this source says that he has institutional and privilege concerns, but we heard Congresswoman Cheney say that they are still working on it. So we'll have to wait and see what happens. Pamela Brown, CNN, Capitol Hill.
KINKADE: Michael Genovese is the president of the Global Policy Institute at Loyola Marymount University, as well as the author of the Modern Presidency: Six Debates That Define the Institution. He joins us now from Los Angeles. Good to see you.
MICHAEL GENOVESE, PRESIDENT OF THE GLOBAL POLICY INSTITUTE, LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY: My pleasure. KINKADE: So we heard from a number of former election workers today here in Georgia, who described how they and their families have been attacked saying that Trump's election lies have turned their life upside down. I just want to play a little bit of sound from today's hearing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WANDREA "SHAYE" MOSS, FORMER GEORGIA ELECTION WORKER: I no longer give out my business card. I don't transfer calls. I don't want anyone knowing my name. I don't want to go anywhere with my mom because she might yell my name out over the grocery aisle or something. I don't go to the grocery store at all. I haven't been anywhere at all. I've gained about 60 pounds. I just don't do nothing anymore. I don't want to go anywhere. I second guess everything that I do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Pretty powerful testimony. And until now, we hadn't heard the personal toll that these lies by the former U.S. president have taken on regular American workers who were simply trying to uphold us democracy.
GENOVESE: And this is what happens when the president of the United States targets an average citizen and her mother. I thought that testimony of Shaye Moss, the young lady we just had on and her mother referred to as Lady Ruby, in which she said I was targeted by the President. You know what that's like. And the answer is I don't. Very few people know, but we know that those lives have been devastated.
They've been crushed. You know, someone who won't even give their business card out doesn't want to go to the supermarket. It feels like they're a prisoner in their own home. These are the consequences of a president who singled you out, target you and basically signals to his people go on the attack. And they did. They even went after their grandmother going to her house pressing to get in, threatening to make a citizen's arrest. This doesn't happen in America, at least not the America that I grew up in.
KINKADE: Yes. Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump's daughter told her documentary filmmaker that Trump should pursue every avenue to challenge the election. That's in contrast to what she told the January 6 Committee under oath when she said that she believed the attorney general when he said there was no evidence of widespread fraud. The odd thing is the attorney general made that statement nine days before her filmmaker interview.
What do you make of those two different stances, one to a filmmaker making a documentary on her family and the other under oath?
GENOVESE: I think the president of the United States, now the former president has every right to pursue the legal avenues that are open to him. But there is an end game when over 60 cases in the courts turned against you. When your campaign manager, when you were attorney general, and I could go down the list with all the Republicans whose testimony we've heard tell you you lost, tell you you need to stop and move on. You should -- you should stop and move on.
Ivanka Trump is obviously his father's daughter. And, you know, she grew up in that same family. And I think it's hard for her to give up because the privileged position that she's been in, and from which he is taking great advantage. She's losing it. And that's got to be pretty devastating personally for her.
KINKADE: Yes. And these hearings, of course, coincide with the 50th anniversary of Watergate, the last time a U.S. president attempted to hold on to power through a coordinated campaign. Michael, what do we learn from Watergate and how should it be applied here as these hearings continue in the Justice Department ways prosecution?
GENOVESE: You know, there are 500 different lessons we could learn but the ones that seem most appropriate are number one, that the party who's president hasn't done these dirty deeds needs to own up. That's what happened eventually in Watergate when Republican senators led by Barry Goldwater went to the White House until President Nixon it's over. And the president realized that it was, had no support.
[02:10:06]
GENOVESE: So, one of the things that we need to do is ask the Republicans to step up to do the right thing. To take your president on because what he's done is so wrong. There is no longer a case to defend Donald Trump, that case has been shattered. And that being the case, they need to find a way to put him in the rearview mirror and say it's over. We need to move on.
KINKADE: And looking ahead, it certainly is a high bar for the Justice Department to prosecute a sitting or a former U.S. president. But it is possible. Do you see that happening? And how was this all playing out in the court of public opinion?
GENOVESE: Two months ago I would have said it's probably not going to happen. Today I think it's a 50/50 chance, in part because the committee has made such a devastating overwhelming case against the president revealed to the general public and demonstrated in very detailed form, just what the president did, why it was illegal. And so, the question is, is the president above the law? And the answer is no, of course not.
But does that mean you indicted a president, put him on trial and make them face legal consequences? The answer should be yes. But I think the Department of Justice and the attorney general are trying to also weigh that against or maybe even balanced it against the question of what would actually happen on the ground if they brought the president to court? What would his base do? We already saw what they would do on January 6.
And so the potential for violence and tremendous disruption does exist. So, what are we better off doing? Ensuring that the president is not above the law or caving in to bullies and thugs who might end up engaging in violence? This is not an easy question.
KINKADE: Yes, it certainly isn't. We will see how this plays out. We will continue to follow this testimony and this committee hearing closely. Michael Genovese, thanks so much for your time. We appreciate it.
GENOVESE: Thank you.
KINKADE: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pleading with the world not to forget about his country, seeing an end to the war in Ukraine depends on keeping the attention of the entire world. That message coming as Russian troops seized another village on the outskirts of Severodonetsk. Brutal fighting has raged there for weeks as Russian forces pushed to topple one of the last Ukrainian strongholds in the Luhansk region.
Part of a campaign to seize control of the wider Donbas which of the north Russia is intensifying its attacks near Kharkiv. Ukrainian officials said Tuesday at least 15 people were killed and 16 wounded in shelling around that city. They're saying an eight-year-old girl is among the victims. Ukraine's president has accused Russian troops of attacking Kharkiv for no reason just to show they're doing something.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): In the Kharkiv region there is brutal and cynical Russian artillery shelling. It will not give anything to the occupiers. But the Russian army is deaf to any rationality. It simply destroys, simply kills. In this way. It shows us command that it is not standing still.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: While allies continue to funnel aid and equipment into Ukraine, troops there remain vastly outgunned compared to the Russian military. But more supplies have started arriving. Ukraine's defense minister tweeted Tuesday that a shipment of powerful German howitzers, which are long-range weapons have now arrived in Ukraine. Germany's chancellor has also vowed to continue supporting Ukraine as long as needed.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland became the latest top ranking American official to visit Ukraine on Tuesday. Garland met with his Ukrainian counterpart to discuss efforts by the U.S. and others to hold those committing war crimes accountable for their actions. The U.S. Department of Justice has tapped a team of experts to identify and prosecute anyone committing war crimes in Ukraine.
It'll be headed by Ellie Rosenbaum, a Jewish American who led efforts to identify and deport Nazi war criminals. Here's Attorney General Garland's warning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MERRICK GARLAND, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: The United States is sending an unmistakable message. There is no place to hide. We will we and our partners will pursue every avenue available to make sure that those who are responsible for these atrocities are held accountable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: For more let's bring in CNN's Salma Abdelaziz who joins us live from Kyiv. And Salma, as the E.U. weighs Ukraine's candidate status, Ukraine's president is calling on Europe to issue another round of sanctions. This would be the seventh round.
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Absolutely, Lynda. President Zelenskyy in his nightly address describing a marathon of diplomatic phone call speaking to multiple European leaders. And this is a continuation of his strategy.
[02:15:05]
ABDELAZIZ: He has been an ever present leader constantly putting pressure on Europe to not only talk about supporting Ukraine but to actually support Ukraine with more weapons. And also, of course, by increasing that stranglehold on Moscow. He wants to see those sanctions tightened even more on President Putin's government. Take a listen to what he said.
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ZELENSKYY: In all negotiations, I always emphasize that the seventh package of the European Union sanctions is needed as soon as possible. Russia must feel a constant increase in pressure for the war and for its aggressive anti-European policy. Another Russian threat to Lithuania, another wave of energy pressure, another batch of lies from Russian officials about the food crisis are all arguments to agree on the seventh package of sanctions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABDELAZIZ: You hear him they're really putting European leaders' feet to the fire. They're pushing for further sanctions. Just last week, we saw the leaders of Italy, Germany, France, who were here trying to heal divisions, trying to heal fractures in this western alliance. For President Zelenskyy, the motivation here is absolutely clear. He wants to increase that stranglehold on Moscow. He wants to cut off any supplies that they can potentially obtain.
And he is looking here at a week that's very important for Ukraine of course. The European Union will be considering the candidacy status of Ukraine. That's a major step towards potentially joining the European Union, although that could take many years, if not decades, before it happens. And it comes as Ukrainians are on the backfoot on the front lines, particularly in the city of Severodonetsk, the main flashpoint right now where Ukrainian officials tell us the sister city of Lysychansk is also heavily being shelled by Russian forces now.
That civilians that are pinned down in Severodonetsk can't be evacuated, that they're running out of food, they're running out of water. The main flashpoint in Severodonetsk is a chemical plant. There there's hundreds of civilians that are sheltering, pinned down in the fighting but fighters as well, Ukrainian defenders trying to hold out that last bit of resistance in Severodonetsk. It's been two months now. And what Russia's strategy here is almost no strategy at all. It's simply just throwing sheer firepower at Severodonetsk in an attempt to make it kneel so far. Of course, that hasn't happened. But it's hard to imagine how much longer Ukrainian forces can hold out there, Lynda.
KINKADE: All right. Salma Abdelaziz for us in Kyiv, Ukraine. Our thanks to you.
In Washington, the U.S. Senate has now taken a key step to advance a bipartisan gun safety bill after a group of senators released the legislative texts. While the procedural vote moved the bill forward, it still faces two more critical votes. One to break a filibuster and then one on the final passage. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says he expects the bill to pass the Senate by the week's end.
Legislation on gun safety will include money for mental health at school safety and crisis intervention programs.
This action meant to help counter gun violence comes nearly a month after the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. And as we're learning more unsettling details about the police response or lack thereof. CNN's Shimon Prokupecz reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COL. STEVEN MCCRAW, DIRECTOR, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY: The law enforcement response to the attack and Rob Elementary was an abject failure.
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Tonight new information detailing a law enforcement response gone horribly wrong. The head of the Texas Department of Public Safety showing a damning and detailed minute by minute timeline, chronicling the deadly attack that killed 19 children and two adults and laying the blame on Pete Aredondo, the school district's police chief for the failed response.
MCCRAW: Three minutes over the subject under the west building. There was sufficient number of armed officers wearing body armor to isolate, distract and neutralize the subject.
PROKUPECZ: Colonel Steve McGraw telling Texas lawmakers that 11 officers responded to the shooting and were inside the school by 11:36 within three minutes of the gunman entering the school, including school district police chief Pete Aredondo. Yet according to McCraw, they didn't do anything for over an hour at the guidance of Aredondo.
MCCRAW: The only thing stopping a hallway of dedicated officers from any room 111 and 112 was the on-scene commander who decided to place the lives of officers before the lives of children.
PROKUPECZ: Initially authority said the gunman entered two adjacent classrooms and barricaded himself behind locked doors. However, McCraw video from the scene indicates not one of the initial responding officers tried to open either of those doors until moments before they took the gunman down, and it had been unlocked the entire time.
MCCRAW: There's no way to lock the door from the inside and there's no way for the subject to lock the door from the inside.
PROKUPECZ: McCraw revealed the strike plate on the door had been malfunctioning and wouldn't hold it lock.
[02:20:01]
PROKUPECZ: A new image from surveillance footage obtained by the Austin-American statement shows the halls of Robb Elementary at 11:52. At least three officers were in the hallway, two with rifles and one who appears to have a tactical shield. Just 19 minutes after the gunman entered the school.
MCCRAW: The doctrine for active shooters is clear. You stop the killing, you stopped the dying.
PROKUPECZ: Despite this, they waited in the hallway outside the classrooms and did an attempt to enter until 12:50 p.m. at the direction of Aredondo according to McGraw. Aredondo was facing harsh criticism for his alleged lack of action.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were failed by Pete Aredondo. We failed out our kids, teachers, parents and city.
JOSE FLORES, FATHER OF UVALDE SHOOTING VICTIM: Standing back a whole hour, leaving them inside with that gunman, is not right. It's cowardly, cowardly, cowardly stuff.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PROKUPECZ: Now CNN has reached out to Aredondo's attorney, he has not returned our calls. Interestingly enough, Aredondo was actually in the building today testifying before a House committee which is conducting its own investigation. The difference is so that's not in the public view, that's being conducted behind closed doors. So, we don't know what's being said there. And also, interestingly enough that Aredondo has denied being the on-scene commander in statements that he made in an interview to the Texas tribune.
Of course, the families, many of them telling us yesterday we were at a hearing with them. A school board hearing and the outrage and certainly the concern that they have with the chief. Chief aredondo still being employed by the town, many of them saying that they wanted Aredondo fired. Shimon Prokupecz, CNN Austin
KINKADE: Still to come. Turkey's president is set to welcome Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince. How the two nations planted man relations after the journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder.
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KINKADE: Welcome back. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected in Turkey in the coming hours for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The visit comes nearly four years after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh is live this hour in Istanbul and joins us now. And Jomana, this is the saudi prince's first visit to Turkey since the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. But it's not the first meeting with the president of Turkey.
The pair, of course met earlier this year in Saudi Arabia. So what can we expect from this meeting? What's the aim?
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lynda, this is a continuation of this normalization process in ties between the two countries that has been taking place over the past couple of months. You know, a year or two ago this really would have been unthinkable. These are two regional powers that have had this underlying competition and rivalry for leadership of the Islamic world for years.
But relations really were strained since 2017. With the Gulf crisis, the blockade of Qatar where Turkey really extended a lifeline to that Gulf nation in defiance of the Saudi-led coalition. And then of course, relations took a turn to the worst back in 2018 in October. As you mentioned, with the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the Saudi consulate here in Istanbul that Turkey's president and Turkish officials saw as an attack on this country's sovereignty.
And there was this real attempt by Turkey and its leadership to try and isolate Saudi Arabia and the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman while Turkey at the time never blamed him directly for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. As you know, the CIA concluded that the Crown Prince known as MBS had ordered the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. Turkey really said that it was the highest levels of Saudi leadership that was responsible for the killing of Khashoggi.
But what we've seen, Lynda over the past few months, over the past year or so is this wave of rapprochement in this region where you had former foes and rivals trying to mend ties, trying to restore relations. And when it comes to Turkey was quite a shift in its foreign policy trying to restore relations with countries including Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt to an extent that is still in the works.
And now Saudi Arabia, as you mentioned, we have seen President Erdogan visiting Saudi Arabia embracing the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and (INAUDIBLE) would tell you at the heart of all of this, this shift in the Turkish foreign policy is the state of the economy that is really, Turkey has been going through this economic crisis, inflation hitting more than 73 percent last month.
And the government's strategy, President Erdogan strategy, one of the key parts of it is to try and bring in billions of dollars of investment from rich Arab Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia in an attempt to try and turn the economy around before the elections in June 2023. So, all eyes will be on (INAUDIBLE) today to see, you know, the for -- the Saudi Crown Prince is expected to arrive at about 4:30 p.m. local time.
All eyes will be on the Capitol to see if there are any sort of deals that will be signed in what sort of agreements will come out of this meeting. But also, Lynda, while this is a really key and important day for Turkey, I can tell you a lot of people are also disappointed in this, including the fiancee of Jamal Khashoggi. There was this hope that countries like Turkey will continue to fight for justice for Jamal Khashoggi.
And whether it is the United States or Turkey. Countries are really putting their own national interests as a priority right now, Lynda.
KINKADE: Yes. That certainly seems to be the case. Jomana Karadsheh, our thanks to you in Instandbul.
Well, still to come. We're going to bring you the latest on that deadly earthquake in Afghanistan. We'll have a live report when we come back.
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[02:30:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade. You are watching CNN Newsroom. We have more breaking news this hour. State media reporting that at least 255 people have been killed by a deadly earthquake in Afghanistan. The U.S. Geological Survey says the 5.9 magnitude quake hit an area Southwest of the City of Khost in the hours -- early hours of the morning. CNN Vedika Sud joins me now from New Delhi with more.
Vedika, what else are you learning right now?
VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: Lynda, very limited information coming out and this point in time from Afghanistan. But what we do know from state media now is that the casualty figure has increased from what you just mentioned. It's at about 280 people who are feared dead and almost 600 injured. And according to the state media that have spoken to residents and local authorities on ground, this figure could go up indeed over the next few hours.
Like, I said, limited information. But this is in an area close to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The depth of the quake is about 10 kilometers. And what we do know is that there are people on the ground at this point in time that are trying to get all the medical facilities and attention to the people. But limited information at this point in time.
We also do know that there was a yellow alert indicating in this area by the USGS, which is the United States Geological Survey. Now, when it comes to a yellow alert, Lynda, what we do know is, that it usually needs a local or regional response. But given the number of casualties with this earthquake, the numbers could go up further. And as of now, the first response, and the immediate concern would be to get people to safety from this area and to give them as much medical attention as needed. We are awaiting more word from authorities in the area at this point. Lynda.
KINKADE: All right. Vedika Sud, we will stay on the story and come back to you again soon. Thanks very. And for more on this, I want to go to meteorologist Pedram Javaheri.
Pedram, what more are you learning about just the size and scale of this earthquake?
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You know, just looking at the number, Lynda, it certainly is not a devastatingly large enough quake to, kind of, signify what is played out here. But you think about where this is located, an area that has a lot of the homes, a lot of the structures that are built via soil, via sand, via similar stone materials that are around this landscape. Very rare to find homes built from concrete here. So, extremely susceptible is what USGS tells us.
This landscape and this area is, when it comes to quakes, even this magnitude. But the depth, only 10 kilometers, very shallow, quite a bit of shaking associated with that. And what really stands out for me here is kind of covered a lot of these quakes over the last decade or so is the time this occurred. I often tell people, quakes by themselves do not kill people. It is structures that do. And this happened at 1:54 a.m. local time. So, you bet, just about everyone in this small area and this small community were sound asleep. And that's why it became such a devastating event.
But notice the amount of people who felt this, spanning about 120 million as far as 50 -- 500 kilometers away felt at least light shaking associated with this. With about one million people feeling the moderate to severe shaking associated with this quake. And again, when you have an area so susceptible to quakes, even a 5.9 could result in significant damage.
But notice, historically speaking, we expect at least one aftershock, 4.9 or greater. 10 aftershocks, 3.9 or greater. Hundreds that would exceed 2.9. And in fact, we have had at least one aftershock that is at 4.5 magnitude. There is the 5.9, the initial quake, the main shock, and then the aftershock just South of if across the border in Pakistan coming in at a 4.9.
And again, looking at data based on historical quakes of this magnitude, you'll notice the frequency of the quakes will want to drop off over the coming days. And the likelihood of getting that larger aftershock if it doesn't happen within the next 24 to 48 hours, it may not happen at all. And then we'll kind of settle for lighter aftershocks. So, that is what we are watching across this region right now with his 5.9 quake that has left behind quite a bit of damage in a remote and rugged landscape. Lynda.
KINKADE: Yes, those aftershocks certainly challenging for rescuers trying to get people out of the rubble. Pedram Javaheri, our thanks to you.
JAVAHERI: Thank you.
KINKADE: Well, still to come, a White House official says, Russia's president has essentially weaponized food by blocking exports from Ukraine. How it's feeding into a global food crisis, after the break.
[02:35:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Welcome back. Ukrainian officials say there's been a nearly 25 percent drop in the amount of fields cultivated compared with this time last year. Due to the war, multiple locations are no longer viable for crops, including sites in the Luhansk and Donestk regions, as well as areas in the Southern part of the country which are now under Russian control. The White House has this to say about Moscow's blockade of grain exports.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KIRBY, U.S. NATL. SECURITY COUN. COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS: President Putin is no kidding weaponizing food. Let's just call it what it is. He's weaponizing food. He's got an essential blockade there in the Black Sea so that nothing can leave by sea, and that's, of course, how Ukraine has historically gotten its grain to markets. And so, the president is working with leaders around the world to see if there's other overland ways we can do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: The United Nations says, 25 million tons of grain are stuck in Ukraine being held from countries relying on food imports. Ukraine's president says African countries, specifically are being held hostage by Vladimir Putin's tactics.
For more on this, I'm joined by Oleg Nivievskyi, assistant professor at the Kyiv School of Economics. Good to have you on the program.
OLEG NIVIEVSKYI, ASST. PROFESSOR, KYIV SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: Hello. Hello.
KINKADE: So, Russia and Ukraine, are often described as the breadbasket of the world, typically exporting nearly a third of the world's wheat, barley, and more than 70 percent of the world's sunflower oil. Without those exports, the warning of a global food crisis are getting louder, just explain for us how big this problem is, and how fragile is this situation is.
NIVIEVSKYI: Yes, even before the war, the world was -- the food security in the world was quite fragile because of the global stocks of grains, in particular, were at relatively low levels. And what Russia did in February, they just exacerbated the situation. So, by not allowing grain to the world market, just a few percentage of the global trade where it's missing, can make a really big thing. And this has actually happened. And, you know, this is a difficult situation in the low -- in the situation of the low world stock grains.
So, the prices increased by a factor of two, almost since February. So -- and also, the exports from Ukraine are now not available. So, this is kind of a double heat to those countries that historically depend a lot on Ukrainian grain. So, yes, we are in a situation of a food crisis. And we see that Russia is using food and availability from Ukraine as a backbone and threatening the world with the -- with basically, with the hunger.
[02:40:00]
KINKADE: And, of course, weeks of negotiations on safe corridors to get grain out of Ukraine's Black Sea ports have made little progress. Why not? And what needs to happen?
NIVIEVSKYI: Yes, well, see one -- I mean, one of the reasons why it's not successful because Russia, I think, deliberately uses this situation to weaken sanctions and to trade, you know, something in -- something for, you know, for getting grain out of our ports. What could be done, I think -- I think the G7 has to be more proactive in terms of organizing humanitarian convoys, special convoys, from the port, Ukrainian ports.
I mean, historically, there were cases, for instance, back in the '80s when U.S. organized convoys of oil tankers from Iraq because of the Iran-Iraq wars. And that was quite successful, you know. I don't see the reason why this couldn't be successful this time. So, there should be a coalition, I think, of U.S., UK, Turkey, of course, France and to do this humanitarian convoy from Ukraine.
KINKADE: So, how much grain, barley, sunflower oil, et cetera is in Ukraine right now ready to be exported? And apart from the sea, are there other realistic options to get that out of Ukraine?
NIVIEVSKYI: Yes, so, approximately right now, we have about 20 million tons of exportable grains in the country waiting to be exported. And in terms of alternative routes, there are no really, you know, enough capacity to get grain out of the country by railways, by tracks, by river. Approximately 20 percent of the exportable surpluses right now can be exported by alternative roads. But there is no, actually, substitution by other alternative routes than the sea.
We need the sea to export all the stuff that we have. And on top of that, this season we have 30 million tons of more grains to be exported. So, that means the problem will be even exacerbated. So, we do have this season core -- grain and we have about $30 million tons of the next season grain to be exported. So, you know, the ports have to be unblocked, you know, to get this stuff out.
KINKADE: We hope that we can see some progress soon. Oleg Nivievskyi from the Kyiv School of Economics, we appreciate your time. Thank you very much.
NIVIEVSKYI: Thank you. Bye.
KINKADE: Well, three people have been hospitalized in the U.S. after a commercial plane landing gear collapsed flying into Miami International Airport. 140 passengers and crew were on board that flight, which was coming from the Dominican Republic. Both U.S. and Dominican officials are investigating. The Red Air airline has released few details of the incident, saying the plane had technical difficulties.
Well, thanks so much for joining me. I'm Lynda Kinkade. World Sport is coming up next. And I'll be back with much more news from around the world in about 15 minutes. You are watching CNN, stay with us.
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[02:45:00]
REP. LIZ CHENEY (R-WY), VICE CHAIR, JANUARY 6 SELECT COMMITTEE: We think the American people deserve to hear from Mr. Cipollone personally. He should appear before this committee. And we are working to secure his testimony.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: A source telling CNN, Cipollone believes he has already cooperated enough with the committee. So, back with me now Astead Herndon, Elie Honig, S.E. Cupp, Alice Stewart.
Mr. Honig, the committee clearly wants the White House -- the Former White House Counsel, Pat Cipollone, to testify. He is a critical figure here. Do you think he'll do it?
ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST AND FORMER FEDERAL AND STATE PROSECUTOR: I don't think so. First of all, Pat Cipollone believes he's already cooperated enough. Well, excuse me. You don't get to --
LEMON: I've cooperated enough. I'm sorry.
HONIG: I'm done with you. Thank you.
LEMON: Yes.
HONIG: I mean, that's not how it works, right? Of course, Liz Cheney is exactly right. He could be a crucial witness. The problem is, the committee is entirely at Cipollone's mercy now because of where we are on the calendar. If Cipollone were to say, I'm out. I'm not testifying. The only remedy the Committee would have would be to go to court. They don't have the time for that. These hearings are going to be over soon. So, it's really just all based on his goodwill, and I wouldn't bank on that.
LEMON: So, he already sat down with the Committee closed interview along with his deputy, it is -- Pat Philbin is his name. Why do you think it's so important to -- for him to -- for the American people to hear from Pat Cipollone?
S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I mean, all of the reasons, right? I mean, there's -- anyone --
LEMON: All the feels, as they say.
CUPP: All the reasons.
LEMON: Yes.
CUPP: Anyone that was that close to these moments should have to talk. What I don't like though is this public airing during the hearing of what we want, what we're not getting. It makes me feel like anxious. Like, I want to feel like they've got this. They know exactly what's about to happen. They've got everyone lined up that they need. It reeks of, kind of, insecurity. I don't like it.
ALICE STEWART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I -- I've worked on a campaign with Cipollone before. He is a man of the utmost integrity. A brilliant legal mind. And, look, he's done all the right things in terms of advice to the former president and has provided information.
Yes, it would be nice if there was more information. But in his mind, he's done what he needs to do. And look, we can all acknowledge what we've seen on videotape testimony from Bill Barr, from Jason Miller, from Ivanka Trump, from Bill Stepien. Look, this information has been pretty darn damning. And that, in and of itself, just hearing from Cipollone, whether it's videotape or if he comes forth, which I wouldn't expect him to do. And I'm sure if he was your client, you would advise him not to do.
So, look, what he's provided so far, I'm sure -- I'm not -- I'm pretty sure that it's going to be --
HONIG: But here's my question though, if --
CUPP: Filling on the hot seat.
HONIG: Yes. No, but if he is a man of integrity, I'd certainly take your word.
LEMON: Then, why not do it?
HONIG: Why not do it?
LEMON: That's what I was going to say.
CUPP: Right.
LEMON: That's my question to you, Astead.
ASTEAD HERNDON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST AND NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORT, NEW YORK TIMES: I mean, yes, it can't be that -- I feel as if there's so much pressure on this hearing than I -- I imagine there is a lot of different factors going into it. But at the same time there shouldn't be, right? Like, there's -- this also, as we talked about, a first track of history, a question of truth. That is the pitch the Committee is trying to deal with them.
Can I say one thing that I meant to say earlier about election workers, though? If we are -- if you are looking at that and saying, how does someone like Shaye sign up again? That's actually the point of that harassment, right? It is not only about right now. It's about the future and about in making it -- in putting up higher and higher barriers for regular people to stand up for our democracy.
Like the -- and so, the -- as we talk about the conspiracy or the harassment, the intention is ongoing. And so, that is going to -- and so, that isn't going to not only be a present for now but also for the future.
LEMON: That's why people like Shaye.
HERNDON: Right. Exactly.
LEMON: Because she protected it --
HERNDON: Exactly.
LEMON: -- at all cost.
HERNDON: Exactly.
LEMON: Thank you all. I appreciate it.
We're going to have much more on today's hearing on the Hill. But we have big developments on another hearing. One about the Robb Elementary School shooting in Texas. Has Uvalde mayor thrown people under the bus? That is next.
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[02:50:00]
Tonight, the mayor of Uvalde, Texas angrily lashing out at the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Mayor Don McLaughlin, accusing Colonel Steven McCraw of giving officials and the public contradictory information about the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 24th that killed 19 children and two of their teachers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DON MCLAUGHLIN, MAYOR OF UVALDE: Since that day Colonel McCraw has continued to -- whether you want to call it a lie, leak -- excuse me, again, lie, leak, mislead, or misstate the information in order to distance his own troopers and rangers from the response. Every briefing he leaves out the number of his own officers and rangers that were on scene that day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, earlier today, Colonel McCraw, himself, slammed the response by law enforcement to the mass shooting as an abject failure. Much, much more on these late developments in our next hour when we're live in Texas.
Also ahead, today was January 6th Committee's fourth public hearing on the Hill. How does it fit into the big picture of what we've learned so far? We will lay it out for you, next.
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[02:55:00]
The January 6th Committee today laying out in point-by-point detail. The intense campaign by the then president and his allies to get State officials to overturn election results. A top Arizona State GOP official testifying that he would not violate his oath to the constitution. Georgia's Secretary of State, also a Republican, testifying he fought back against attempts to get him to change the results. Saying Trump lost the election in his State. Those officials and two Georgia election workers testifying, they and their families faced threats because of Trump's tactics. More tonight from CNN's Manu Raju.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're a tyrant, you're a felon, and you must turn yourself in to the authorities immediately.
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Tonight, the January 6th Committee laying out in stark terms, the intimidation and pressure campaign from then-president Donald Trump and his allies against State officials who were attempting to uphold democracy in States where Joe Biden won.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are we going to do? What can you and I do to a State legislature besides kill them?
RAJU (voiceover): Trump urging them to reverse the election results, even though he was told repeatedly it was illegal.
RICHARD DONOGHUE, FORMER ACTING DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL: And I said something to the effect of, sir, we've done dozens of investigations, hundreds of interviews. The major allegations are not supported by the evidence developed.
RAJU (voiceover): Rusty Bowers the Republican Arizona State House Speaker testified that Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Andy Biggs, and others --
[03:00:00]
