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Supreme Court Overturns Roe, Leaving States Free To Ban Abortion; Some U.S. Companies To Offer Abortion Travel Benefits; Testimony Suggests Trump Pressured DOJ Over Election Results. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired June 25, 2022 - 11:00   ET

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

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[11:00:44]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone, thank you so much for joining me this Saturday from New York. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

We begin this hour with a split U.S. Supreme Court ruling revealing the massive divide in our country. Outrage over the High Court's 5 to 4 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade spilling out into the streets. Abortion rights advocates holding protests in cities across the nation.

But for antiabortion supporters, jubilation after five decades of activism. The Supreme Court ruling saying there is no constitutional right for women to have an abortion and allowing states to decide whether the procedure is legal. At least 26 states are either poised to or have already banned abortion.

CNN has reporters covering this massive shift in laws across the country. Alexandra field is in Missouri. Nadia Romero is in Mississippi -- the state which brought the case that ultimately ended federal abortion protections.

Nadia, what's the reaction there and where are you exactly?

NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Fred, we are in Jackson, Mississippi, outside of the last abortion clinic in the state. For some people this is a place of refuge. For others, this is a site of pure evil where evil things take place.

That's what we're hearing. And you hear those two sides of the Roe v. Wade thing being played out right here on the street corner, you see these two gentlemen having a heated conversation. This is mild compared to what we saw earlier this morning at 4:00 a.m. local time with emotions running high from yesterday spilling over into today.

Now, the clinic is open, Fred. Women are here right now. The abortion provider inside, I spoke exclusively with him. He told me that he will be performing abortions all day.

They let women inside of the facility hours before they technically opened because there was so much chaos going on outside. Listen to one of the volunteers speak about what this means for women and why she says they have to come first.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Diane DERZIS, OWNER, JACKSON WOMEN'S HEALTH ORGANIZATION: There's funding all over the country. We know how to put her in touch with those individuals and figure out which is the closest one. You know, there will be women who are able to afford a plane ticket. And if they can hop a plane and get into Las Cruces or Baltimore, Maryland or wherever, Chicago, Illinois -- they're the easiest to get her in because her needs has to come first.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMERO: So abortion here is still legal in the state of Mississippi at least for the next ten days or so until the attorney general certifies this into law. That's why the clinic is still open. After that, you heard there, one of the main directors of the abortion clinic here saying that they're going to help women get to other states, other cities where they can have access to that care. And that means coming from a fund of money to help women make it to those states.

But when you come out to this facility you just see the raw emotion, Fredricka, from people who have been, they say fighting for decades to get Roe versus Wade overturned. And for the women and men who have been volunteering and working at this clinic, who have been fighting for women to have access to health care. You see them just come together and sometimes it is a very ugly, ugly interaction, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Nadia in Jackson, Mississippi.

Now to Alexandra in Missouri, that state declaring itself the first state in the country to effectively end abortion. So what happens now?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. and it stands in very good company Fredricka. Within minutes, hours, just a day of the Supreme Court issuing its seismic decision, a total of ten states across the country effectively banning abortion. Missouri among them. Some states as we all know not making any exceptions for things like rape or incest or even in some cases the life and health of the mother.

Those ten states put the bans in place in a single day, including Missouri. But it was a long time coming in this state where women have seen their access to abortion continue to be curtailed, so much so that the state had just one remaining abortion provider, a Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis. It had to cease performing abortions right after that decision came down.

[11:04:55]

FIELD: Hundreds of people turned out to protest against the Supreme Court's decision, against the state's ban. We spoke to women who expressed their grief, their despair, and also their resolve.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JANELLE CARRON, MISSOURI RESIDENT: I want to support the progress of women. Abortion is health care. You know, it's going to be a domino effect. If we don't stop it now, reverse it now, everything else is going to fall like dominos.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FIELD: With the limited access that women were already seeing to abortion in Missouri, many were already traveling over state lines like to neighboring Illinois for abortion care. The pressure on clinics in places like Illinois will only intensify now. they'll be seeing more patients coming from Missouri, other places like Texas.

And we know that this will be a compounding issue Fredricka. There are still six other states that have trigger laws on the books. Those are laws that allow states to enact their bans once that decision from the Supreme Court came down. We'll see those take effect in the next few days and in the coming weeks.

And we're also seeing states take other kinds of actions in order to implement abortion bans, states that didn't have trigger laws already on the books. Some of them sought judges' orders to lift injunctions which would allow them to implement bans. We saw that happen in states like Ohio.

We are also seeing movement toward calling back and reconvening legislators so that they can immediately take up antiabortion legislation, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. 13 states with trigger laws, Missouri one of them. Alexandra Field there in Missouri. Thank you so much, Nadia Romero in Jackson, Mississippi.

All right. So President Biden reacting immediately after the ruling, saying the health and life of women of this nation is now at risk. that's what he said yesterday.

Now this morning Mr. Biden weighing in again on the Supreme Court ruling as he signed a bipartisan gun safety law.

CNN's Arlette Saenz is at the White House for us. So Arlette, what did the president say? What further did he say?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Fred, President Biden described the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as a painful and devastating decision for so many people in this country.

And he said his administration is now focused on addressing how the states will respond and possibly place abortion restrictions into action in their states. The White House had been bracing for this moment for months, developing contingency plans that really picked up steam after that draft opinion was leaked back in May. Now, the White House has said that the president has been considering executive actions on the issue of abortion but they haven't outlined exactly what measures the president might be considering.

But yesterday, president Biden did describe some of the steps his administration will take going forward. That includes defending a woman's right to be able to cross state lines to obtain an abortion if their state outlaws abortion.

Additionally, he has directed his administration to try to expand access to abortion medication. But at the same time, President Biden has acknowledged that there is little that he can do as president to fully restore that constitutional right to an abortion that was ensured for nearly 50 years.

The president has said that legislation would need to be passed to codify that into law. And a bit earlier today, before the president departed for a trip to Germany, he offered this assessment of the Supreme Court.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: do you think the Supreme Court's broken, in your view?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think the Supreme Court has made some terrible decisions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now, the president there was not only referencing his disappointment with this abortion ruling but also a gun ruling that the Supreme Court issued earlier in the week that really expanded gun rights in this country.

Now, the president made those comments in another historic moment as he signed the first major piece of gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years.

Congress yesterday passing this measure exactly one month after that horrific shooting in Uvalde, Texas that killed 19 young children and two teachers. This bill does a number of things when it comes to gun safety and that includes enhancing background checks for those under the age of 21 trying to purchase a gun. It provides funding for states to implement red flag laws as well as other prevention programs, as well as closing the so-called boyfriend loophole.

The president has said that he wanted to see some type of action in the wake of those mass shootings that have recently happened in this country. But both on that issue of abortion and on guns, the White House is hoping that this will help galvanize voters heading into those midterm elections. Yesterday Biden saying that Roe is on the ballot in November.

WHITFIELD: All right. Arlette Saenz at the White House, thank you so much for that.

All right. Let's talk more about all of this U.S. Supreme Court decision on abortion. Joining us right now, CNN legal analyst and civil rights attorney Areva Martin.

[11:09:56] WHITFIELD: Areva, good to see you. I mean this Supreme Court ruling is very emotional for a lot of people. Immediately 13 state trigger laws banning abortion went into effect. What does the Supreme Court ruling in your view mean from a legal standpoint as some families continue to try to understand what they can and cannot do?

AREVA MARTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Fred, good morning.

Devastating decision by the Supreme Court. Can't say that any of us were surprised because we had that leaked opinion earlier of this year.

But this decision does change the game as it relates to women's rights to get an abortion. We heard the correspondent say that 26 states have already enacted some kind of ban on abortions and others are looking at how they can also restrict women's rights.

And this decision basically throws the decision making about women's reproductive health into the hands of each state. And we know each state has the now legal authority, the constitutional authority to decide how it will allow or not allow women to go forward with respect to abortions.

And we can expect there to be a wide range of decisions made by state legislatures -- some restricting abortion outright, others giving women the rights to abortions but under some limited circumstances.

So in many ways, Fred, the court's decision has created total chaos as it relates to how women, particularly in different states, can proceed in terms of getting what we know is reproductive health as it relates to abortions.

President Biden says he is against this decision but really has no executive agreement -- you know, avenues. He says it's up to Congress to codify a woman's right to choose. Is that how you see it?

MARTIN: Oh, absolutely. The Supreme Court in its decision made it pretty clear that it was overturning nearly 50 years of precedent. And we know the Supreme Court is the final arbiter of laws in this country. And unless there is some federal legislation, I don't expect us to see anything different, other than these states having the right to proceed and to enact their own laws.

One thing, Fred, we should talk about is, this decision doesn't necessarily end with abortion rights. We saw that concurring opinion by Justice Thomas where he talked about other rights that are enshrined in law by the 14th amendment that protects gay marriages, that protect the rights to contraceptives by married couples, the right to engage in certain sexual acts.

Justice Thomas said those rights should also be reconsidered in light of the majority opinion in Dobbs.

WHITFIELD: And in the opinion written by Justice Alito, he said this: "Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. It's reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have inflamed debate and deepened division."

If the decision had been egregiously wrong from the start, why had it been reaffirmed by the court up to a dozen times previously?

MARTIN: Well, Fred, as you know, the dissenting judges -- the three liberal judges on the court vigorously disagreed with that conclusion by Justice Alito. They said, to the contrary, that the Roe decision and the Planned Parenthood versus Casey decision were absolutely correct and that they codified those decisions, basically codified a right to abortion that is understood and protected by the 14th amendment.

And we saw those dissenting judges say that this is a dangerous decision because, as I said, it does open the door perhaps to other rights that have been recognized in this country for decades and that have been protected by the 14th amendment, it opens the doors to those rights also being rolled back.

And that's what I think, Fred. When you talk about -- it's so funny that Justice Alito says that the Roe decision created division in the country. Look at the division that has already ensued as a result of the Dobbs decision, overturning of Roe.

Now, you know, so many millions of people across this country have taken to the streets. There's massive confusion about what women can do, can their conduct be criminalized. If it's criminalized in one state what does that mean for women that travel to another state, are women going to be able to get a prescription for an abortion pill in one state, particularly if they live in a state where abortion has been determined to be illegal?

So there's so much chaos and confusion by the overturning of Roe that the majority opinion completely failed to acknowledge.

WHITFIELD: Areva Martin, we'll leave it there for now. Thank you so much.

MARTIN: Thank you, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Still ahead, this reversal has left millions of women in red states unsure of their options right now, as Areva was explaining.

[11:14:55]

WHITFIELD: Straight ahead, I'll talk with a representative from Georgia and Florida where lawmakers are pushing to reinstate abortion restrictions in the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling.

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WHITFIELD: All right. Shortly after yesterday's Supreme Court ruling on abortion, the state of Georgia asked a federal appeals court to reinstate its so-called heartbeat abortion law. The bill would essentially ban abortion starting at six weeks. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed the bill in 2019 but it was challenged immediately and has been sitting in legal limbo ever since. But when the bill was signed, state senator Jen Jordan gave an impassioned speech on the Senate floor. Here is some of what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEN JORDAN (D), GEORGIA STATE SENATOR: You see, I've been pregnant ten times. I have seen what many of you in here have called a heartbeat ten times. But I have only given birth twice.

[11:19:50]

JORDAN: I have lost seven pregnancies in varying points of time before 20 weeks and one after five months. Her name was Juliette.

I have laid on the cold examination table while a doctor desperately looked for a heartbeat. I have been escorted out the back door of my physician's office so as not to upset the other pregnant women in the waiting area. My grief on full display and uncontainable.

I have been on my knees time after time in prayer to my God about my losses. I have loved each and every single one of those potential lives and my husband and I have grieved each passing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: State Senator Jen Jordan is also running for Georgia attorney general and she is now with us.

I mean, that was so impactful. And I wonder if you are reflecting now and thinking about how many more times women are going to be experiencing what you did as a result of the Supreme Court's decision.

JORDAN: Look, I think what is so awful is that everything that I talked about in that speech in terms of the consequences and the impact of women in this state, the awful consequences of being investigated if you have a miscarriage, being prosecuted if you're a physician just by providing care. All of those consequences are now -- they are coming to fruition. They're coming to bear because of what the Supreme Court did yesterday in the Dobbs decision. And it is a very, very sad -- it's a very sad day.

WHITFIELD: What did you feel when you heard the decision yesterday, and how differently do you feel today, a day later?

JORDAN: You know, what was interesting is, I think I had some hope that it wouldn't be as bad as it was. But then after reading the decision, it was so much worse than I could have ever imagined, specifically because in Georgia and specifically with respect to HB 481, I think we are the only state thus far that has a law on the books that has personhood language in it.

And what personhood language is, it says that under Georgia law, a fertilized egg is a person. And because of that, you know, they have all of the rights and privileges that anybody else does. And so if you think about that in terms of the complications and the legal challenges that are going to ensue, I mean, a fertilized egg is a person now, right? And so, you know, it's just stunning to me, because I can't even imagine, you know, the impact that's going to have on women and their ability just to make some really simple choices in their lives.

WHITFIELD: So in your view now, what option do you see women in Georgia who want an abortion might have right now or in the near future?

Right now, you know, the law is still enjoined so there is a small window of time. Obviously, Chris Carr, the current AG, has already asked the 11th circuit to vacate the trial court's opinion so that it can go into effect.

But for right now, you know, women can access abortion care in Georgia. Now, going forward, what the Supreme Court said in Dobbs was that it's all about women voting. Women make up 50 percent of the population or more of the voting population. And so if they've got a problem with the decision, then basically they need to go out and vote and change the people who are making the laws.

So right now, that's what I'm telling women, that this really is about the future. It is -- we can't think about yesterday, it's about starting the fight today and we have to do it at the ballot box in November. And that's why I'm running for attorney general.

WHITFIELD: And as you run for Georgia attorney general, I wonder if yesterday's decision now has altered the way in which you will be campaigning from this point forward.

JORDAN: Look, I don't think it's going to alter necessarily the way I'm going to be campaigning. But I can tell you that it absolutely gives clarity.

Women need to really understand the implications of the laws that have been passed by the Republicans in the general assembly, and that the fact that the leaders of our state don't even want exceptions for rape or incest or the life of the mother. I mean, that is just stunning, right?

So I'm going to be talking about that. I'm going to be making sure that women understand the consequences of what these men have done, because it is the men, right? And I want anyone who wants to join this fight, check out my Web site, jenforga.com. It's going to be a fight, but I think we're going to able to win it in November but it's going to take everybody.

[11:24:54]

WHITFIELD: Georgia state senator Jen Jordan, thank you so much.

And I should point out, we did reach out to Georgia attorney general Chris Carr to join us but we have not heard back. All right. Coming up, after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe

versus Wade, a number of states instantly banned abortions. We'll break down which states are impacted and which are likely to take action in the coming days, next.

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WHITFIELD: All right. Norway is raising its terror threat level following a shooting at an Oslo gay bar overnight. Authorities say two people were killed and eight others were hospitalized after shots rang out at a bar that advertises itself as the largest gay and lesbian venue in Oslo.

[11:29:59]

WHITFIELD: Officials say the suspect who is a Norwegian citizen originally from Iran, has been charged with terrorism. The suspect was also known to police according to investigators but only had minor convictions.

More than a dozen states were ready to ban abortion if and when the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade. And in some of those states it has already happened.

CNN's Tom Foreman breaks down which states have already enacted their bans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: 13 states had so-called trigger laws in place for this day, meaning abortion bans that would go into effect very quickly according to the abortion rights group, the Guttmacher Institute. In Kentucky and Louisiana and South Dakota, for example, the law said it would happen immediately. So barring some issue, it's already illegal there.

The next level were the states where abortion bans are to be enforced 30 days from now. In Idaho, Tennessee, and Texas -- although there is a push in Texas to bypass that delay and have it in place even sooner.

We should note all these maps are in flux because this is moving so quickly this weekend. Then we have a half dozen states where officials need to certify their legislation is legally valid before their bans kick in -- Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming. And again, they're moving so fast to get this done, they may all be done by the time you hear this. And we know that those that aren't, it could still just be a matter of hours or days until they're done.

So then we have all of these with trigger laws in place and then we add to that states that have old, unenforced abortion bans which now can be enforced and states that passed bans under Roe which were blocked by the courts which now would be unblocked.

All together, you've got a whopping 26 states certain or likely to ban abortion. We say "likely" because there are places such as Montana where a state Supreme Court ruling is for now still in the way.

We talk about a lot of laws in this country that may or may not be felt by people everywhere. These laws are really going to reverberate all across the country through the actions of these states.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Tom Foreman, thank you so much.

So as Tom just explained, among those states is Florida which will restrict abortion and allow for some exceptions, not including rape or incest.

For more on the impact on the state of Florida I want to bring in Anna Eskamani, she is Democratic state representative for Florida, and she's joining me right now.

Representative Eskamani, good to see you. So your reaction to yesterday's ruling?

ANNA ESKAMANI (D), FLORIDA STATE REPRESENTATIVE: Absolutely devastating and horrifying. It's the first time in modern history we've seen women's rights actually go backwards. And here in Florida, we are fighting unapologetically to protect abortion access.

And they'll also support our southern district states as we know there will be women and pregnant people who need access to support as their states work to ban abortion.

WHITFIELD: So I wonder how you feel you'll be able to support other states, because abortion is currently legal in Florida up to 24 weeks of pregnancy but a new law set to take effect next week potentially will restrict abortions at 15 weeks with no exceptions for rape or incest.

So Florida has the third highest rate of abortion in the country. How do you see it impacting your constituents and those women and families of neighboring states that you say you would want to be able to help?

ESKAMANI: Absolutely. Florida's right to privacy in our state constitution is actually uniquely strong compared to other to other states, even compared to the federal privacy protections that were granted to us under Roe v. Wade.

Two lawsuits have been filed challenging House Bill 5. We're hopeful for an injunctive relief to at least delay the implementation of this horrific 15-week abortion ban signed by our governor. And so we're keeping our hope that perhaps we can at least delay implementation of 15 weeks.

But candidly, what I find the most resilient then is the fact that majority of Floridians support access to a safe, legal abortion. And with this November coming quickly, we are fighting to ensure that Floridians understand that Governor Ron DeSantis intends to ban abortion if re-elected. And perhaps that can be a rallying cry to get those registered and ready to vote. WHITFIELD: So this Supreme Court ruling essentially sends a message that even though 80 percent of Americans say they do believe in a woman's right to choose, the public opinion doesn't matter.

Is it your feeling that if this new Florida law goes into effect, the 56 percent of Floridians who believe in a woman's right to choose, your constituents will walk away feeling the same way, that public opinion doesn't seem to matter?

[11:34:49]

ESKAMANI: That is a very real concern, that voters would lose a sense of their personal power in this process. But last night we hosted an emergency rally in Orlando that had over 200 people attend. We've hosted other types of protests to afford abortion access across the state with thousands showing up.

And there are folks who are waking up to this news, realizing that the rights they had fought for are no longer available to their daughters, to their sisters, to the next generation of Floridians and Americans. And that is enraging to people across the state, and not just the women but men as well, who realize that their peers are not being treated the same and that's unacceptable.

WHITFIELD: Governor Ron DeSantis respond on Twitter yesterday, saying the court, I'm quoting now, "answered the prayers of millions of Americans."

What is the message that you believe the governor is sending to Floridians and Americans as a whole with that opinion?

ESKAMANI: Well, I find it ironic that despite the fact governor DeSantis wants to run for president in 2024 and has continued to carry antiabortion tropes throughout his rhetoric and policy agenda, that his statement stops short of saying he would call for a special session to ban abortion or that he would fully support an abortion ban. He's clearly scared to talk about this subject because he knows that popular opinion, especially in Florida, is oppositional to him.

We want folks to understand if governor DeSantis is reelected, he has every intention to ban abortion even if he tries to act coy about it like he did yesterday.

WHITFIELD: Florida state representative Anna Eskamani, thank you so much for your time. Appreciate it.

ESKAMANI: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Still ahead, some companies are pledging to provide support in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, offering to cover travel costs for employees who need an abortion. More on that, next.

But first, this quick programming note. You may know Arthur Ashe as a legendary tennis champion, the first black man to win the singles in Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the Australian open. But his legacy goes far beyond the court.

In addition to his athletic achievements, Ashe used his public platform to condemn apartheid in SOUTH AFRICA, speak out about the AIDS crisis and so much more. Watch "CITIZEN ASHE", a new CNN film when it premieres tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. right here on CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything is (INAUDIBLE) on the way to this. And you forget the score. You forget where you are. I feel like my body is exploding win myself.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Arthur Ashe, bright young member of the United States Davis Cup team.

ARTHUR ASHE, FORMER TENNIS PLAYER: And people think we are all brawn and no brain. And I like to fight the myth.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He started become a citizen of the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Arthur Ashe, the first black player to win the men's Wimbledon singles title.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have evolved from someone who was analytical to someone who became more about direct action.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It became another fight for Arthur and he picked it up like he did every other cause.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He never forgot about his race. And when I say his race, I'm talking about the human race.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "CITIZEN ASHE" premiers tomorrow at 9:00 on CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[11:38:25]

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WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back.

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has left the nation reeling. But American companies are quickly coming to the defense of their female employees and providing reimbursement for abortion-related travel.

CNN's Alison Kosik has more from New York.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi Fred. Just hours after the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe versus Wade some companies are vowing to stand by their employees who seek an abortion. Tech firms including Microsoft giving financial support for what it calls critical health care including abortions.

Meta, formerly known as Facebook, offering abortion-related travel expenses to employees who need to cross state lines for the procedure. The company says it already protects employees as part of its health care plan.

And Netflix providing up to $10,000 for travel reimbursement to each full-time U.S. employee as a lifetime maximum.

And it's not just the tech industry.

JPMorgan chase, one of the biggest employers in the financial industry, telling workers in an internal memo in June obtained by CNN that the company will pay for travel to states that allow legal abortions, this beginning on July 1st. JPMorgan Chase said abortion had long been covered under its health plan.

Disney, Nike, Yelp, dating app Bumble, and Levi Strauss are other examples of companies offering financial support for abortions.

With this issue, some companies are doing more than just making statements, they're taking action to help employees. Corporate America is increasingly being drawn from the political sidelines on the abortion issue in response to pressure from investors, customers, and employees.

Companies are also struggling to find workers amid a tight labor market. Many worry about the impact antiabortion laws could have on their ability to attract and retain talent, Fred.

[11:44:58]

WHITFIELD: Alison Kosik, thank you so much.

All right. Coming up, damning testimony from the January 6th hearing this week about how Donald Trump tried to weaponize the U.S. Justice Department. We'll discussion the latest revelations, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The January 6 committee investigating the insurrection now plans to hold its next round of hearings in July. This week the panel shed new light on former President Donald Trump's attempts to weaponize the Justice Department in the final months of his term as part of his plot to overturn the 2020 election.

[11:49:55]

WHITFIELD: The committee also revealing new details on Trump's efforts to get former justice official Jeffrey Clark, who played a central role in pushing Trump's election fraud claims, installed as acting attorney general.

Joining us now to discuss these developments is Michael Zeldin. He's a former federal prosecutor and host of the podcast, "That said with Michael Zeldin". Michael, good to see you.

MICHAEL ZELDIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hi, Fred.

WHITFIELD: So the panel has now held five hearings. How would you assess the job they have done?

ZELDIN: You could assess it in two ways. One, was it good television. And I think the answer to that is yes. It was very gripping and people should have wanted to turn in episode by episode to see what was happening next.

In a legal setting, I think they have made a very strong case that all the people under their analysis -- Trump and Giuliani and the other lawyer Eastman, have engaged in a conspiracy to interfere with the orderly transition of power, obstruct justice from going forward and to defraud the United States.

I think that they've made a compelling case for criminal liability.

WHITFIELD: And then as we heard from the Justice Department's former attorney general, Jeffrey Rosen, in very specific terms, perhaps underscoring some of the potential charges that you talked about, does it also lead to the former president potentially facing any criminal action as a result of breaking any laws?

ZELDIN: I think so. I think that when you analyze the conversations between Trump and the Justice Department, where he said to them a couple of things. One, he said, I don't expect you to be able to snap your fingers and change the election results but I need you all to say it was corrupt, knowing that that is not true. And I'll do the rest with my congressional Republican allies.

So that speaks to knowledge and intent of criminal wrongdoing. Similarly, when Rosen says to him look, I'm not going to do what you asked me to do because it is illegal, and then what he does in response is he engages in an effort to replace Rosen with a puppet, Clark, who will do these illegal acts.

That speaks to knowledge and intent, to violate the law, obstruct the orderly transition of power and to defraud the United States.

WHITFIELD: And that puppet that you're referring to, the DOJ's environmental attorney Jeffrey Clark. Coincidentally, I mean his home was raided on the very same day as Rosen and Donoghue's testimony. How big a trouble do you see Clark likely in right now? I mean, that they obviously had enough evidence to get a search warrant. What kind of potential charges could he be facing?

ZELDIN: Well, he is in trouble. When you have your house searched, you have to convince a judge that there is evidence of a crime that you can't get otherwise because it may likely be removed or destroyed (INAUDIBLE) and that criminal activity is there.

So a judge believes that Clark has evidence of a criminal activity. That criminal activity could be obstructing the orderly transition of power just like we talked about. It could be also part of this false electors scheme, making false statements to the government that these were real electors when they weren't.

So he's got issues that sort of run the gamut of all of the activity that we've been watching over these five days of testimony. He's got to get himself a good lawyer.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Well when hearings resume next month, what is it -- what picture do you need painted? We know that they have delayed these hearings largely because of this documentary and looking at new videotapes of some of the very people who testified already. Or at least gave depositions.

What do you expect this commission, what do they need to do or establish when hearings resume?

ZELDIN: So, Liz Cheney said at the outset, we have a conspiracy here that has seven parts to it. And where we're up to in the episode next to be aired is I think the connection between a greater evidence of the connection between Trump and Eastman and Giuliani and the insurrection on January 6.

I think they need to tie that relationship a little bit more tightly. And I think that they will try to do that.

[11:54:57]

WHITFIELD: All right. Michael Zeldin, always good to see you. Thanks so much.

ZELDIN: Thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Still ahead, the seismic U.S. Supreme Court ruling, fueling protests overnight and expected to ramp up again today as the nation continues to face the fallout from the reversal of Roe versus Wade.

We'll bring you the latest next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:00:02]

WHITFIELD: Hello, again everyone. Thank you so much for joining me from New York. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

All right.