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Former White House Counsel Pat Cipollone Testified For More Than Seven Hours; January 6 Panelist: Cipollone "Did Not Contradict" Other Testimony; Protesters Hold Abortion Rights Rally And March In D.C.; Highland Park Residents Search For Answers After Mass Shooting; Growing Fears Of A Summer Surge In United States COVID Cases; New Omicron Subvariants On The Rise In The U.S.; Musk Wants Out Of Twitter Purchase, Twitter Says Not So Fast; Japanese Police Find Homemade Guns In Suspect's Home. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired July 09, 2022 - 12:00   ET

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

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[12:00:23]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST (on camera): Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Saturday. I'm Fredericka Whitfield.

All right. We begin this hour with key testimony from one of the most important witnesses in the January 6th investigation.

WHITFIELD: Former White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, testified before the panel for more than seven hours on Friday. And a source says Cipollone provided a great deal of new information.

Cipollone was among a handful of people who spent time with then- President Donald Trump, as the riot at the U.S. Capitol unfolded.

The committee is trying to determine what Trump was doing and how he reacted to the violence in real time. For more now, let's bring in CNN reporter Marshall Cohen.

WHITFIELD (on camera): Marshall, what more can you tell us about what Cipollone did and did not say behind closed doors?

MARSHALL COHEN, CNN REPORTER (on camera): Fredricka, how are you? This is a big win. It was a real breakthrough for the committee. They had been pushing for months to get Pat Cipollone to just come in and give a deposition. They finally clinched that yesterday, as you mentioned more than seven hours behind closed doors.

So, what did they possibly ask him about? Well, he was there when Donald Trump's allies were thinking about declaring martial law. He was there when Donald Trump's allies were considering sending in the military to cease voting machines, and Pat Cipollone was there on January 6th, while Donald Trump sat back, watch T.V. and did not intervene while his supporters ransacked and raided the Capitol.

Now, this is critical because the committee has been focusing on what they say is a supreme dereliction of duty by Donald Trump during the events of January 6th. And before that, fueling the violence, fueling conspiracies, and the carnage.

So, Pat Cipollone, seven hours behind closed doors. I can't wait to hear what he said. The committee has indicated that they're going to be playing some of those clips. It was a videotaped deposition. Their first opportunity to do so will be on Tuesday. That's their next public hearing.

So, we're all here waiting to see what did he say? Some of the members have said it was fruitful, and we'll find out hopefully soon enough, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yes, I'm with you. I can't wait to hear it.

All right. So, the Justice Department now has also dropped some chilling details on allegations against members of the Oath Keepers, an extremist group charged in the January 6th riot.

So, what can you tell us about these new court filings?

COHEN: Yes.

WHITFIELD: How it might play a role in Tuesday's hearing?

COHEN: Well, the Tuesday hearing is all about these right wing far right extremist groups, the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, the Three Percenters, these paramilitary groups are militias that were really at the tip of the spear on January 6, in terms of getting into the building and causing all kinds of havoc.

This new filing from the Justice Department is in the seditious conspiracy case against several of the Oath Keepers.

COHEN (voice-over): It's probably the most important case that has been brought so far related to January 6th. You see the defendants on your screen, they have all pleaded not guilty.

But these new allegations from the Justice Department are stunning. Talking about how right after the election, some of these guys are accused of having training sessions for what they called unconventional warfare, ambush tactics, stockpiling ammunition and guns.

One man is accused of having grenades and bringing explosives to D.C. There was a bomb making recipe that was found at one of these people's homes after a search warrant.

Goodness, gracious, so much stuffy. We're lucky Fredricka that it didn't get worse. That they didn't carry out some of this.

COHEN (on camera): But it's all about the plan for violence. That's what the sedition cases is really all about. Did they have a plan? And the DOJ says they sure did, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yes. It was a frightening day already and even hearing details like that. What was averted, making it that much more frightening.

All right. Marshall Cohen, thank you so much.

All right, joining me right now to talk more about this is Michael Zeldin. He is a former federal prosecutor and the host of the podcast, "That Said with Michael Zeldin".

Michael, good to see you as always. So, Pat Cipollone testifying for more than seven hours yesterday. How, significant is it that he's spent that long? Seemingly answering questions, right?

I mean, you wouldn't stonewall for seven hours, so we know answers came from him.

MICHAEL ZELDIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Correct. It is clear that he did not assert executive privilege trying to claim privilege or take the Fifth Amendment. So, we answered their questions.

[12:05:05]

ZELDIN: What -- as Marshall said, we don't know what all of those questions were, but we do know that he was central in all of the seven aspects of the conspiracy that the committee has laid out.

The pressure campaign on Vice President Trump. The pressure campaign on the legislators. The connection to the Proud Boys. The efforts to get false electors. The effort to pressure state legislatures. He was there for all of that stuff. He was trying to keep the train on the tracks. And so, he should be able to say, what did he see? Who did he speak to? What did he try to prevent? What crimes was he worried about? And do so in a very full and frank way.

WHITFIELD: So, at the last blockbuster hearing, Cassidy Hutchinson testified about Cipollone's conversations with Mark Meadows, while riders -- rioters rather were storming the Capitol.

One of the committee members spoke to CNN last night and had this to say about Cipollone's testimony. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ZOE LOFGREN (D-CA): I will say, Mr. Cipollone, did appear voluntarily and answer a whole variety of questions. He did not contradict the testimony of other witnesses. And I think we did learn a few things, which we will be rolling out in the hearings to come.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So, how important is that what Congresswoman Lofgren just said that Cipollone did not contradict other testimony.

ZELDIN: I think it's always important when you have corroboration. So, Cassidy Hutchinson, for example, said she had conversations with Cipollone about the events that were going to take place on January 6. And if he confirms that conversation, that's further, you know, corroboration of the seriousness of what she testified to. And also, it's important that you have a witness who also gives their additional perspective on some of the same topics on which she spoke. Specifically, she said that they were worried about there being crimes of, you know, unimaginable quality and blood on people's hands.

What was Cipollone thinking? What were the crimes he was worried about? And why at that point, was he worried about blood on someone's hands? What did he know about the pre-planning between the White House and the Oath Keepers, and the Proud Boys who were working at the Willard Hotel, with Steve Bannon, and others?

WHITFIELD: And now, we're learning this. Sources are saying to CNN that former President Trump is considering waiving executive privilege so that Steve Bannon can testify before the committee.

So, is that something the former president still has the power to waive?

Not really -- not really, though, his supporters believe he does. And so, if the president -- former president waives it, then, they lose that excuse. Obviously, the privilege resides with Biden, and he has waived that in respect to much of what took place on January 6th.

What we don't know about Bannon is who is he when he comes in? Is he some sort of Trojan horse, who going to try to blow up what has taken place so far?

Or is he a person who was concerned about possibly going to jail for contempt, charges that are pending against him, that he's going to try to speak truthfully, about what he knows?

You know, it's very hard to think of Steve Bannon in truthfulness, in the same sentence, but we'll see.

WHITFIELD: In the case of Bannon, it would likely be something taped first, as opposed to just simply going live with his testimony, right? They want to know, ahead of time, what he would be testifying to.

ZELDIN: Absolutely. There is no way in the world you invite Steve Bannon or Navarro or any of those characters. The Proud Boy fellow that wants to testify to that you let them into the room, and say, all right, so, what are you hear? To talk about. They're going to make sure that they depose them. That they're going to make sure that they test the truthfulness of what they say.

And if they think that there's truth that's been told that's additive to what they want to present to the American people, then, they'll present that evidence but not otherwise.

WHITFIELD: Right. And people can recall. They did that with Cassidy Hutchinson, and that's why they were able to play the tape during some of that live testimony because there was that sequence.

All right, Michael Zeldin --

(CROSSTALK) ZELDIN: Exactly.

WHITFIELD: Always good to see you. Thank you so much.

ZELDIN: Thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Still to come, an abortion rights rally is underway for the third consecutive weekend in Washington, D.C. We will go there live.

And later, Elon Musk tells Twitter he wants out of his deal to buy the social media giant. But the company says it plans to follow through with the deal.

[12:09:51]

WHITFIELD: Details straight ahead.

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WHITFIELD: All right. Right now, an abortion rights rally is underway in Washington, D.C. protesters are marching to the White House where they will hold a sit in. CNN's Brian Todd is there. Brian? What's it been like?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Well, Fredricka, the crowd has been building here at Franklin Square Park. They are getting ready to wrap up the speeches here in March to the White House in just a few minutes.

TODD (voice-over): The last speech is going on now. Our photojournalist John Anglin, giving you an elevated view of the crowd here, a couple 100 strong at least here. And again, they are getting ready to march to the White House.

TODD (on camera): As they get ready to do that. I can tell you that we've been talking to a lot of people in the crowd who are not only angry at the Roe v. Wade overturning by the Supreme Court, but they're trying to figure out strategies, yes, regarding where to go from here after this ruling.

How are they going to battle this? I'm here with Paris Hatcher, who's one of the organizers of this March. Harris, thanks for joining us.

You and I were speaking just a short time ago. You just gave a speech, saying that the forces who brought about this ruling were those were trying to seek to control women's reproductive rights.

PARIS HATCHER, ORGANIZERS, WOMEN'S MARCH: Right.

TODD: Justice Thomas has hinted pretty strongly that if the right case comes before them, they could target things like the Plan B pills and IUDs. What is your concern about that?

[12:15:07]

HATCHER: You know, this ban is just so far reaching, and what the court is doing is so far reaching.

It won't just stop at abortion. We will see this around who we choose to flow, who we choose to go to school. Is just so many things that are at stake right now, and so, we have to fight back.

TODD: You're angry with the conservative forces that brought this about. But there's also a lot of frustration here with President Biden and Democratic leaders.

HATCHER: Yes.

TODD: Not aggressive enough, you think?

HATCHER: Not aggressive enough. It has been years that we've been working to expand abortion access, to codify Roe.

Now, we don't have Roe anymore. It's been months since the decision was leaked. It is time for action, we need more than just some good ideas. That's a good start. But we need more. We're in a public health crisis. We're in a democracy crisis. And we're here today to say we will continue to fight to get the access, the abortion access that we need.

TODD: And, you know, the strategy to go from here, it might involve a state by state strategy. You can't really make a uniform strategy here, because so many states are handling it different ways. Right?

HATCHER: That's right. We need a state by state strategy. And we need a federal strategy. So, we're going to be really having a summer of rage for our elected officials on this local, state and federal level until we get the abortion access that our communities so desperately need.

TODD: Thank you very much for talking to us, Paris.

HATCHER: Thank you.

TODD: Good luck with the march. And, you know, we'll see you over at the White House, I guess.

HATCHER: Thank you.

TODD: All right. Thanks very much.

You know, we talked to a couple of other people here, Fredricka, who talked about this also as a safety issue. And also as a, you know, kind of an issue of what to do when things like sexual assault occur.

Will women have access to abortions then? And how is that going to play out?

I just talked to two women who were victims of sexual assault, who openly worry about that kind of thing and the access to abortions from here. So, there are so many kind of facets of this debate that, you know, have sprung up since that overturning of Roe versus Wade. And right now, this is not only about anger here, but about trying to figure out, as we just talked to Paris about, what the strategy is going to be? Because even though the executive order was signed yesterday by President Biden, there are some vagaries there and how to implement some of those plans is really kind of up for debate. And they're talking about strategies here. Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Brian Todd, in the nation's capital, thank you so much.

Well, today, members of the Highland Park community are coming together to mourn the victims killed in a vicious attack at a Fourth of July Parade.

Memorial services for some of the seven killed began yesterday. And in addition to those deaths, dozens of others were injured in the attack. Prosecutors are charging the gunman with seven counts of first degree murder. But they say they expect to press even more charges soon.

CNN is Camila Bernal is in Highland Park. Camila, good to see you again. So much loss for one community. How are they coping?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Hey, Fred, it's not easy, and it's going to take time. Everybody coping in a different way. And look, the reality is we saw crews this morning already pressure washing, preparing for what comes next.

I talked to a business owner who told me, look, a lot of people might not be willing to come back here. But when they do, this business owner telling me that she wants it to be a place where people can come together for support.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BERNAL (voice-over): As a way to heal, Steve Tilken visits this makeshift memorial, takes pictures, and talks.

STEVE TILKEN, WITNESS, HIGHLAND PARK SHOOTING: I just want to confront this demon of carnage if you want to call it that. And for me to do it, I have to come here.

BERNAL: He's lived in Highland Park for 26 years. And on July 4th, went to the parade with his wife and grandchildren.

TILKEN: We are 50 feet from the shooter. And the easiest targets possible and why we weren't shot, I can't figure out.

BERNAL: He heard the shots and ran. Then, saw the injuries and one of the dead.

Here he is on surveillance video.

TILKEN: I just couldn't wrap my head around what it just happened. And I kept trying to figure it out. And I guess I'm still trying to figure out what makes somebody who is this evil.

BERNAL: It's the question this entire community is trying to answer.

ALY PEDOWIITZ, BUSINESS OWNER AT HIGHLAND PARK: For the first two days. I would say am I still sleeping? is this a nightmare? Like, wake me up, because it cannot feel real. And you go through these waves where you're like numb for a little bit, and you're just -- and then you get angry, and then you feel guilty, and then, overwhelming sadness, and then you go back to feeling numb, and like this isn't what happened.

BERNAL: Aly Pedowitz co-owns seven businesses in the middle of the crime scene. All her stores are closed.

PEDOWITZ: Before this all happened, our street was meant to be a place that provided a safe and fun loving space for families, for kids.

[12:20:03]

BERNAL: Healing for her, she says, will come when she's allowed to reopen.

PEDOWITZ: We will be able to reclaim it as this place of where we can all be together and be happy and heal together, and just support one another.

BERNAL: And little by little, in a business in a neighborhood, and in a makeshift memorial, members of this community showing their strength.

TILKEN: I will heal, I will absolutely heal.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERNAL (on camera): And there are still a lot of questions when it comes to motive. And also the role that the father of the shooter played in all of this. We know he sponsored his gun license, and we also know that there were more than 20 incidents over the years where police officers were called to the shooter's home. A lot of them involving domestic disputes between the parents. But some of them talking and including the shooter himself, who made threats, including suicide threats.

So, of course, the people here that I've talked to are telling me that they want answers and they want change. Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Camila Bernal, thanks so much.

All right, still to come, COVID infections surging across much of the U.S. this summer.

The CDC now says nearly a third of the U.S. population lives in a county with a high level of COVID in the community. We'll bring you the latest on the coronavirus pandemic right after this.

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[12:25:54] WHITFIELD: All right, there are growing concerns over a surge of COVID infections across much of the U.S. this summer. The CDC says nearly a third of Americans are living in a county with a high COVID-19 community level. And that means people in those areas of high spread should be wearing masks indoors to slow the spread, according to the CDC.

There is also a warning from the agency that the official case counts are no longer representing the true level of transmission.

CNN's Polo Sandoval is here with more on all of this. Polo, do we know what's driving the surge?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Well, Fred, you hit on a really, really important point here, which is the stats that we usually see may not necessarily be a clear picture of transmission happening across the country because of course you have people who are still testing. And even treat -- self-treating at home.

So, there is that. But at the same time, you do see a so -- a significant increase in various parts of the country. Call it the summer of these sub variances. Specifically, the BA.4 and the BA.5 Omicron subvariant that is to blame for many of the new infections in this country.

Now, though, it's important to point out that still, vaccination is the best way of continuing to protect yourself. At least one of these continues to be fairly vaccine evasive.

Now, in terms of the numbers, just look at the map, because it's like what we used to do back in 20 and -- 2020 and 2021, right? When you see a community transmission throughout various parts of the country. Not sure we actually have some of those statistics there. What we are currently seeing in terms of COVID infections. But you do have various places like New York City, for example. Here we do have roughly 14 percent test positivity.

That Fred, is one of the highest transmission numbers that we have seen really in months, so much so that city officials here in New York City are basically reissuing the recommendation and advisory that if you can to wear high grade masks indoors, in public spaces, and in crowded outdoor spaces.

New York City, Eric Adams -- Mayor Eric Adams says that we are in a good and stable place. But nonetheless, with these numbers showing a significant increase, it's important to take these steps again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC ADAMS (D), MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY: Our goal is to make sure whatever we put in place is going to stem the infections, keep down our hospitalization, and most importantly, keep down those who are -- who died from COVID.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SANDOVAL: Now, infections right now are not overwhelming hospitals, deaths, as well. Those remain relatively steady. And the mayor, really, what he's done is he's again, not only putting that message out there, but also revisiting this alert system that's in place here in New York City to continue to keep people informed.

Fred, back to you.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Right, can't be too careful anywhere right now.

SANDOVAL: Right.

WHITFIELD: Polo Sandoval, thank you so much.

All right. Let's bring in a Dr. Rob Davidson. He is an Emergency Room physician and the executive director of the Committee to Protect Health Care.

So good to see you, Doctor. So, how dangerous in your view is this surge that we are seeing?

DR. ROB DAVIDSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COMMITTEE TO PROTECT HEALTH CARE: Listen, it depends on where you live in. It depends on who you are.

You know, if you're someone who isn't vaccinated, it's potentially quite dangerous. If you live in an area with a lot of people who are unvaccinated.

If you have particular health conditions that put you at higher risk or if you're immunocompromised, you're -- you know, it's just rolling the dice. And when you're vaccinated, you're rolling loaded dice, you know, your chance of getting very sick.

While you still may get COVID, you may test positive. Your chance of getting very sick if you're vaccinated is extremely low. If you're unvaccinated, you know, we know -- we know by now. We know the answer.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

DAVIDSON: Unfortunately, a lot of people about 50 percent in my county still haven't taken that advice.

WHITFIELD: My goodness. Yes, a big gamble, as you say. So, you know, while the CDC says you know, the numbers of our community spread are no longer accurate. What do you believe is behind that?

DAVIIDSON: Well, a lot more home testing. You know, this administration has gotten free tests out to families. I know we've availed ourselves to that many times.

But just the availability of tests in stores where you can go pick them up and test yourself at home. I know we use those, I know friends who have events and ask people to use those. I've been to events where we've used them beforehand.

[12:30:03]

WHITFIELD: Yes.

DAVIDSON: And on the honor system, if you test positive, you don't show up. And so that's not showing up in the data. So there's certainly more out there. Again, those are likely extremely, people who are well, people who aren't being hospitalized.

WHITFIELD: So is the hospitalization rate, you know, the new metric for measuring the severity of a COVID wave or surge?

DAVIDSON: Well, I think that it is only on that people have the option to be vaccinated and many times to get boosted. I've had two boosters, because I'm over 50. And so you have that option. You have that option now for your kid down to six months. And so in that vein, this has become more of a personal choice by individuals. I think we should still be putting the data out there.

So people know, I know when transmission is high in my community, I still wear a mask at the grocery store, because why not, it's easy. It's simple. And I think people should get that data. But it has become more of a sort of protect yourself, protect your family kind of mentality. And I think with vaccines, that's probably OK.

WHITFIELD: So in the roughly three weeks since the FDA gave emergency authorization for the COVID vaccine to be used for children under five, this number is incredible. Only 2 percent of kids have actually been vaccinated. How worrisome is that to you?

DAVIDSON: I think it's very worrisome because I think if you look at overall vaccination rates and kids for other vaccine preventable diseases like chickenpox, like measles, rubella, those are also down. And I think this effect of anti-vax, political interjection into public health of the previous administration, we still have a governor in Florida and DeSantis, who hasn't ordered vaccine doses for those kids and will not administer them in state facilities. I mean, it's just crazy.

And so I think it's worrisome for COVID but worrisome for so many other diseases that we are going to see pop up again. And you know, people have told us with abortion, they don't want politicians making decisions. They want it for doctors, and really with public health with health care in general, this should be between doctors, public health officials, and patients and their families, not people in politics.

WHITFIELD: There certainly have been a lot of people who've expressed being frightened about getting COVID once but then now this study, released just this week finds that catching COVID-19 a second or third time can raise your chances of new health problems. And it can also contribute to long lasting health issues. Like what?

DAVIDSON: Well, I see many people with chronic fatigue, people with chronic headaches, people with emotional issues, people with that code -- they call it COVID fog, just not sort of meditating or processing as well as they normally would. We've seen it in kids. We've seen in elderly folks. And so yes, again, you're rolling the dice every time you get infected. I've seen people talk about natural immunity.

And while it is true, if you get infected, you do have some natural immunity, but you're presupposing infection, you're taking the risk of those long COVID symptoms. None of us want that for their family that's why again, vaccination, kind of keep saying it and keep beating the drum.

WHITFIELD: Wow. Well, Dr. Davidson, we're going to leave it there for now, very sobering, but I hope people are paying attention. I mean, we're not quite out of the woods yet. Dr. Rob Davidson, thank you so much.

DAVIDSON: Yes. Thanks, Fred.

[12:33:37]

WHITFIELD: All right, still ahead, Elon Musk tells Twitter he wants out of his deal to buy the social media giant, but the company says nope, it's planning to follow through with the deal anyway, details straight ahead.

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WHITFIELD: All right, a new twist in the $44 billion deal to buy Twitter. Tesla CEO Elon Musk's lawyer put the social media company on notice that the billionaire is ending the deal over a breach of the original agreement. CNN chief media correspondent Brian Stelter has the latest. So Brian, break this down for us what is going on with this deal or not going on?

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Fred, yes, as Elon Musk says this deal is off. But this is the ultimate example of easier said than done. Musk agreed in writing, he signed a contract to take over Twitter, that was back several months ago, market conditions have changed. A lot has changed. Maybe Musk's point of view about Twitter has changed.

And he is now trying to back out of the deal. But Twitter is not going to make it easy for him. And the stakes are so high here because we're talking about one of the most important communications platforms in the world. Whether you love Twitter or hate Twitter, you're somewhere in between, it is an incredibly influential platform.

And Elon Musk, the richest man in the world had lots of ideas about how to change the platform. He wanted to loosen up the rules on Twitter, make it what he says a better place for freedom of expression. Some politicians, especially Republican politicians in the United States have been cheering him on. There have been many around the world watching to see what would happen.

So Musk now saying he wants out of the deal is a very big deal, but it's really only the beginning of a process. Here's what the Twitter board chair is saying about this. Quote, the Twitter board is committed to closing the transaction on the price and terms agreed upon with Mr. Musk and plans to pursue legal action to enforce the merger agreement. In other words, show us the money, pay up. You agreed to buy Twitter, Mr. Musk, so we expect you to follow through. The Twitter board clearly believes it can't get a better offer, a higher bid from elsewhere. The Twitter board and shareholders are trying to cash out by taking Twitter private and putting it in Musk's hands.

But Musk claims in a lengthy filing on Friday night that Twitter has misrepresented itself has basically misled him about the company. He has many complaints about the proliferation of spam and bots on the platform.

[12:40:05]

But he had lots of time to look into that before agreeing to buy Twitter. So that's why this battle is now heading to the courts. And there's going to be a lot of uncertainty about the future of the social network. Fred, back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right, Brian Stelter, some buyer's remorse before the actual buy toward the purchase. All right, thank you so much.

All right, let's go to the nation's Capitol right now, live pictures out of Washington, D.C. where a major abortion rights rally is underway. They're making their way a few blocks from Freedom Plaza there, marching to the White House where they will plan to hold a sit in. We'll keep tabs on that.

All right, and the body of the former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is back in Tokyo following his assassination in western Japan while police investigate the killing. And they're searching the home of the suspected gunman. We'll have a live report from Tokyo next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:45:30]

WHITFIELD: Slain Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is back in Tokyo following his assassination in the western city of Nara, while he was making a campaign speech on Friday. Today, Abe's body arrived in his hometown accompanied by his wife who will be hosting his funeral on Monday and Tuesday in a Tokyo temple.

On Friday, police searched the home of the confessed shooter, a 41- year-old unemployed Nara resident. CNN Paula Hancocks joining me now from Tokyo. Paula, what did they find when they searched the home of the alleged shooter?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, we find (INAUDIBLE) iron tubes in use. Now we did (INAUDIBLE) incident on the gun.

WHITFIELD: All right, Paula, Paula, we apologize to you and our viewers, we're going to have to take a short break, try and work out the technical problems there and resume and catch up with that report. We'll be right back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [12:51:18]

WHITFIELD: All right, now back to Tokyo and Paula Hancocks there on the funeral arrangements for Shinzo Abe and the ongoing investigation of his alleged assassin, Paula?

HANCOCKS: Well, Fredricka, first of all, with the funeral arrangements, we know that there will be a wake for the former Prime Minister on Monday. And then there will be a memorial service on Tuesday, which will be led by his widow, Akie. And as far as we know from broadcaster, NHK, at this point, it appears as though it will be a private affair that there'll be family and close friends of Abe that will be involved in this.

Now when it also comes to the investigation which is clearly ongoing as to how this was able to happen, the suspect himself was using a homemade gun according to investigators. There are some 90 investigators on this case according to police.

They say that when they searched his house on Friday afternoon, they found multiple handmade guns. They say that there were iron pipes effectively used as the barrels of the gun, some with three, five, or six iron pipes. And they believe that most of the parts that he used to make these guns he bought online believing also that he had used the most powerful of his collection of handmade guns in this attack against the former prime minister.

Now he didn't run away after the attack. He has admitted to the shooting. And it is a murder case at this point. And also interestingly, he did tell investigators that he had a hatred towards a certain group, which he believed that Shinzo Abe was affiliated with. Now police have not clarified what that group is at this point. But that is the closest we have come yet to understanding a motive for what happened on Friday. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: And then Paula, parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place tomorrow. Will it still go on as planned?

HANCOCKS: This is in a matter of hours. It's 2:00 a.m. here. And in just five hours, the polls open. They will go ahead. We heard from current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, a good friend of Shinzo Abe, that they had to continue with the democratic process that these elections had to happen and there had to be a free and fair process no matter what was happening elsewhere.

Now, clearly it does have seen and feel as though it's an odd time to hold elections. But this is the democratic process he says that should be going ahead. It was during an election campaign. Remember on Friday that Shinzo Abe was attacked.

WHITFIELD: All right, Paula Hancocks, thank you so much in Tokyo.

All right, Patagonia, remote, harsh, stunning, it's one of the last untouched places on earth. And now the new CNN Original Series Patagonia: Life on the Edge of the World takes viewers on an immersive journey to the breathtaking and varied region, revealing people, places, and animals that you simply won't see anywhere else. Here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is Patagonia. See this land of extremes like never before, where animals and humans once enemies now fight together against new challenges. What does it take to live in one of the most wild and isolated places on earth?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[12:55:25]

WHITFIELD: Oh my gosh, stunning indeed. Joining us right now James Smith. He's the executive producer of Patagonia: Life on the Edge of the World. James, so good to see you. So how do you answer that question that's in your promo, which is, you know, what is it like to live in such isolation?

JAMES SMITH, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "PATAGONIA: LIFE ON THE EDGE OF THE WORLD": Well, it's an amazing -- amazingly challenging place to live for both people and wildlife. But it's also extraordinarily beautiful. I mean, it is one of the last true great wildernesses. And yes, people and animals face many different challenges.

But you know, they get through and they're getting through together as that little promo said, you know, that wildlife from people that used to be in conflict, they're now kind of fighting together. So it's a very positive story that we're telling.

WHITFIELD: Oh, that's extraordinary, just looking at these very dramatic images. So was it an issue of, you know, necessity, and that what -- we're nemeses, you know, humans in a lot of this, you know, wildlife, that we're enemies, now coexisting, or learning how to work together simply, you know, because of evolution and the demands on from the environment or what?

SMITH: I think it's a change in mindset from the people of Patagonia really, and Patagonia was a place of pioneers. And, you know, people push there and explore there, and wildlife was something to be tamed or to be fought. But in the last few years, people have just kind of realized that there's enough space for both people and wildlife. So there's this brilliant new kind of ethos running through the entire region where people are learning to live side by side. And we focus on fantastic stories.

There's one story about a gaucho, a gaucho the kind of the sheep herders who ride on horseback, the Cowboys, if you like of Patagonia. And he used to kill cougars, he used to kill pumas, you know, that was his job. And now actually, he's kind of dedicated his life to protecting them. He goes out tracking and learning their secrets, and helping to protect them. So there's brilliant stories like that, that we featured throughout the whole series.

WHITFIELD: Oh, I cannot wait to see it. I'm wondering if that was the man on the horseback who was just, I mean, going up that hill that the horse could get up that incline, like that was just extraordinary. OK, you're nodding on the agreement. I just think that's so killer. I cannot wait to see it. Oh, I shouldn't use the word killer. It's extraordinary. I can't wait to see that.

OK, so now tell me how you were able to get these images. This was a mostly local crew. They were so thoroughly embedded in these communities and environments, and they were able to capture, I mean, just breathtaking images, over what span of time and how were they able to do that?

SMITH: Well, we filmed over a year. So we filmed for 12 months. And you're right, we had mostly filmmakers from Chile and Argentina. And that was something, you know, our execs at CNN said from the start, we want to tell the truth about this region, we want to get into the heart of the story. So let's work with local filmmakers. And we had an extraordinarily talented team.

And because they knew that the landscape and the sciences and the animals better than anyone, we got unique footage. So we filmed an insect that's never been filmed before. It's only new to science. It was only discovered recently by a scientist that we that we filmed with. And it actually lives on a glassier.

It's extraordinary. You go to a glassier and you think nothing could survive there. And yet this tiny insect makes its home there. And those kinds of stories, you know, we were able to access just because we had the brilliant local knowledge.

WHITFIELD: Wow, there's a crevasse you're talking about, right, and an insect that can survive on that ice there?

SMITH: Yes, that insect. Yes, totally. It's amazing. You know what, it has anti-freeze, natural anti-freeze in its blood. That's how it can survive and those kinds of subzero temperatures by having, you know, anti-freeze in his veins, it's extraordinary.

WHITFIELD: Oh my gosh. OK, so what do you want viewers to most appreciate about this?

SMITH: Well, I want them to learn about some of the extraordinary behavior. I mean, I think we, you know, there's another story, which is in the premiere episode going out tomorrow night of orcas. So these are killer whales that are extraordinarily intelligent. And we were able to film them doing this amazing hunting, where they basically run up the beach and they grab seals from the beach. I mean, it's for a whale, it's the last thing they want to do because beaches are death zones, they can get stranded and perish, but these animals have learned how to do it.

And, you know, I want the viewers to understand how extraordinarily intelligently as animals are because this is a skill that's passed down from generation to generation. And we filmed with a scientist who's been watching these whales, these killer whales for 30 years, and she's seen the grandmothers teaching this extraordinary hunting technique to their grandchildren, and on and on and on.

[13:00:16] So I think I want viewers to see wildlife in a different light, but also ultimately, I think, to care about Patagonia because even though it's extraordinarily wild and beautiful, one of the last great pristine wildernesses on earth, it's under threat. You know, there are climate change, there's pollution, there's overfishing, there's salmon farming, there's all these different threats. And we kind of need to care and cherish these last while basis more than ever.

WHITFIELD: Oh my gosh, and total agreement. That is really beautiful. I cannot wait to watch. I will be at the edge of my seat the whole time, top to bottom through every piece. All right, James Smith, pleasure talking to you. Thank you so much.

And be sure to tune in to the all-new CNN Original Series Patagonia: Life on the edge of the World premieres tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. only on CNN.