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Speaker Pelosi's Husband Attacked In Couple's San Francisco Home. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired October 28, 2022 - 09:30   ET

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

[09:30:00]

SEN. TAMMY BALDWIN (D-WI): We have seen a very ugly rhetoric that appears to incite violence and we have obviously seen political violence as we did on January 6th. It's a dangerous time. And I think that we need to see leaders act responsibly with regard to their rhetoric. And it is a very concerning time when you hear basically, characterizations of anyone who identifies with a political party that is more than a difference of how we solve challenges, how we respond to agree upon challenges that America faces. So, it's very concerning to me.

ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: How much is that impacting what you're hearing from not only constituents, but potential voters, as you're out there campaigning in your state right now? Does rhetoric, violent rhetoric, the divisive, how often does that come up?

BALDWIN: It comes up quite frequently, in conversations with voters, worried about the very status of our democracy and people who are looking at the various actions at the state level as well as at the federal level to make it more difficult, to participate. The idea of false elector slates that were passed along, actually by my senior senator on January 6th, people are worried about the linkage between this language and threats to our very democracy.

HILL: When we look at where things stand. Your home, obviously, I know you've been out there on the campaign trail, you are set to be with Secretary Buttigieg later today, former President Obama is going to be in Wisconsin, there to drum up support tomorrow.

As of now, the president is not planning as far as I know to be in Wisconsin, are there concerns that his presence would alienate voters? Would you like him there?

BALDWIN: President Biden was in Wisconsin, just a few weeks ago, and we always welcome his many visits to the state of Wisconsin. In these closing days though, really, the focus is on getting the vote out. What I'm hearing from voters in these closing days is a realization of just what it would mean if Republicans were to take over control in the Senate or the House, particularly in our Senate race, the extreme agenda of putting Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block every year, the idea that our senior Senator Ron Johnson supports a criminal ban on abortion nationwide. That - excuse me, that the agenda is quite concerning, the actions we just took to lower prescription drug prices by allowing Medicare to negotiate with the criminal - with the pharmaceutical companies. They're already talking about how to repeal that. And I think voters in Wisconsin are realizing just how extreme that agenda is. And gravitating back to Democrats and getting the vote out is our top priority in these closing days.

HILL: It's interesting you bring that up, because there was some CNN polling from earlier this week that struck me in terms of Wisconsin voters specifically when they're looking at Senate candidates there. Those who say party control as a top consideration favor Mandela Barnes 54 percent to 45 percent. But when it comes to specific issues, Ron Johnson has a much larger advantage there, 58 percent to 41 percent.

So yes, you're saying that you're hearing from voters basically, that they want to make sure they have control in Washington. But if more Republicans are motivated rather by the issues, as we saw in some of that polling specifically about the Senate race, how do you counter that?

BALDWIN: Well, right now we see a dead heat in Wisconsin. Even CNN polling shows a one-point race among likely voters and a much tighter race among registered voters. And so, it just becomes a turnout operation. And again, that's where these conversations I'm having with voters in the final days of this midterm election. They're really absorbing the consequences of what would happen if Republicans gained control in the U.S. Senate. They are increasingly favoring Mandela Barnes and coming out to the polls casting their vote, making sure their voices are heard.

Whether it is Johnson support of a criminal abortion ban or his proposal to put earned benefits of Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block literally every year or to - try to block legislation as he did to give veterans who've been exposed to toxic burn pits, the coverage and the treatment that they have earned and deserve.

[09:35:00]

All of those are sinking in. And people are realizing that the consequence of a Republican control in the Senate is an extreme agenda that we just can't afford to have.

HILL: Real quickly because we're just about out of time here. But in terms of post-election, the Senate punted on the same sex marriage legislation until after the midterm, you're a leading sponsor of that bill, are you confident that come November 9th, you've got those votes.

BALDWIN: I do believe that we have the sufficient votes, in fact, several extras. I was disappointed that the vote had to occur after the midterms. But I do believe that we have the bipartisan support on that particular measure to pass it into law.

HILL: Senator Tammy Baldwin, thanks for joining us this morning. BALDWIN: Thank you.

HILL: I want to bring you up to speed now, some new details on this breaking story that we're following out of San Francisco. Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul Pelosi attacked in his home overnight in San Francisco. And we have now learned that the - it was a male assailant, according to information shared from police who used a hammer, again a male assailant who used a hammer according to the Speaker's office, Paul Pelosi was violently assaulted, he is currently in the hospital, expected to recover. We're going to gather some more information. Stay with us. We'll keep you posted on that.

Also, the January 6th committee we're learning could soon speak with some top agents and officials in the Secret Service. That's ahead.

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[09:40:00]

HILL: Turning now to former President Donald Trump and his legal woes. Trump's defense team and federal prosecutors we've learned met in a sealed court hearing on Thursday in Washington, DC. Now CNN has learned this was related, at least in part to the Justice Department's ongoing demand that all documents marked classified be returned to the federal government. As we know this is just one of several developments that we're following in different legal issues involving the former president.

CNN Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig is here. So, Elie, specifically looking at this meeting? What is it to tell you that this meeting happened in DC and that it was a sealed hearing?

ELIE HONIG, FORMER ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK: Erica, so sealed means that it was confidential that it was not open to the public. All trials and court proceedings typically are open to the public, you can go watch, we can sometimes broadcast them on TV. The fact that this was done under seal tells me that it was very likely connected to a grand jury, because grand jury proceedings by law are conducted confidentially, secretly under seal.

And I think if you look at the fact that this happened in DC, that further suggests that it could be related to a grand jury. We know there is a grand jury seated in Washington, DC looking at this case, and it went in front of Chief Judge Howell who is the judge in DC who oversees grand jury proceeding. So, it looks like this was likely connected to grand jury, could be a dispute about a subpoena or the scope of somebody's testimony.

HILL: When we lay all this out. And if we look specifically now at those documents that were seized from Mar-a-Lago, there's a lot of back and forth happening there. There is also a November 30th deadline for the special master. When could we hear from the DOJ in that matter?

HONIG: So, that's always up to the Justice Department itself, for the most part, but we know we won't hear anything of substance between now and midterms, which are now about 10 days away. We also know as you point out, Erica, the special master is still going through these documents is supposed to be done with that by the end of November, perhaps into early December.

But once we get there, I think and I hope the Justice Department understands that they need to move quickly, one way or the other. This has already dragged out for well over a year. DOJ has been negotiating, going back and forth subpoenas, search warrant to try to get these documents, one way or another DOJ has to bring this thing to a conclusion either they have to conclude there's no criminal charges to be had here and put an end to it. Or if they're going to bring criminal charges, they need to do it quickly, because once these midterms are over, we're going to be heading into 2024 season, Donald Trump may announce his candidacy and things just get more complex for DOJ at that point.

HILL: I also just want to quickly get your take on federal appeals court declined the former president's request to hold up the release of his tax returns to the House Ways and Means Committee. Said that he had to turn him over, but this is not the end of the road here. He could go to the Supreme Court.

HONIG: Yes, he could and I'm sure he will try to - in all likelihood, Erica, Donald Trump will lose this case. He has lost so far at every level of the federal courts. Because the law is quite clear. It says that if the House Ways and Means Committee requests an individual's tax returns, then the IRS shall furnish them and all the courts so far, the trial court, the Court of Appeals have said shall furnish means shall furnish, you have to.

So, Trump has lost so far, he's likely to lose again. But if he tries to get it to the Supreme Court, and he has the right to ask the Supreme Court to take this case, then you're looking at the calendar because on January 3, 2023, a new Congress takes over, that subpoena will lose its effect, and certainly if Republicans take Congress, they will withdraw that subpoena.

So, as often happens with Donald Trump, Erica, this will be really a game of delay and a race against the calendar.

HILL: Elie Honig, good to see you, my friend. Thank you.

HONIG: Thanks, Erica.

HILL: Well, maybe you first heard the rally cry stop this deal in 2020.

[09:45:00]

Now that message is shifting. A new message from extreme Right-wing groups watched the polls. We'll take a look at the intimidation factor just ahead of the midterms.

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HILL: The New York Police Department out with a sharp warning to watch out for violence ahead of the midterms. Officials advising elevated vigilance in these final days leading up to Election Day on November 8th, they say political events and polling sites could be targets for extremists. Jiore Craig is the Head of the Digital - Head of Digital Integrity at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.

[09:50:00]

It's good to have you with us this morning. We look at that warning. Here in New York, we also look at what we've seen even in the last - the last few days Arizona's Maricopa county, officials there say, men wearing tactical gear and masks are observed at a ballot drop box. How concerned are you about threats, about intimidation as we ramp up to the election?

JIORE CRAIG, HEAD OF DIGITAL INTEGRITY, INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC DIALOGUE: Thanks so much for having me, Erica. We are concerned about threats to election workers. We are concerned about what we're seeing around calls for vigilance, watching drop boxes watching the polls, but I think vigilance is really the keyword. Folks should exercise vigilance, but they shouldn't feel paranoid. Because what social media does is show us a lot of the vitriol and a lot of what we do need to worry about. But at the same time, that doesn't show us all the people who are passing those things up and are really turned off by it.

So, it's important to try and remain vigilant but not let this have a suppression effect by - and not have people go out to the polls as a result of this.

HILL: Keep it on perspective with Elon Musk now taking control of Twitter, are you concerned that misinformation could be amplified?

CRAIG: Yes, I mean, with Elon Musk taking over Twitter, I think all of us researchers are concerned that we will continue to see social media platforms fail even more in having the right policies to stop some of the hate, division and threats of violence. And I think with Elon Musk in particular, while he talks a big game, we don't have any evidence that he really knows what goes into keeping a platform like Twitter safe.

HILL: In 2016, a lot of the focus was on foreign actors when we're talking about, attempts to meddle in the elections here in the U.S. It seems that conversation has changed in 2022. And it's more domestic. Would you agree with that?

CRAIG: Absolutely. And in fact, actually, the domestic disinformation and the domestic organizing and manipulation of social media product features was very present in the past, while there was an outsized focus on foreign actors, because we were more ready to look at that. And that was more readily available. This has been going on for a while. And for years, some of the bad actors and extremists on the Right have been spending time seeding the same disinformation narratives that are currently why people are activating and exercising some of this extreme behavior around the polls in the midterms.

HILL: Jiore Craig, we're going to have to leave it there, but appreciate your insight this morning. Thank you. CRAIG: Thank you.

HILL: Also, an important programming note for you, this Sunday, be sure to join us for a CNN special report, as Kyung Lah speaks to elected officials who fear violence in their communities, Perilous Politics, America's dangerous divide airs right here on CNN Sunday night at 8 Eastern.

Still to come this morning history being made on the side of El Capitan and Yosemite National Park. We are so excited about this segment. We are working to speak live with eight-year-old Sam currently mid climb, trying to become the youngest person ever to reach the summit. Be sure to join us for that.

Also ahead here, terrifying moments inside a plane that had - look at that a large chunk of the nose torn off in rough weather. We'll take a look at what was happening inside before that emergency landing.

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[09:55:00]

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HILL: I mean, you can just feel the anxiety when you watch that video. Intense frightening moments aboard this flight headed from Chile to Paraguay when it flew through severe weather. That is what led to this and also caused some pretty serious damage to the plane's nose and windshield. CNN Aviation Correspondent Pete Munstean is with me now. So, pilots had to make an emergency landing. Those pictures from both inside and then the damage outside the plane are really something, Pete.

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: You know, you mentioned anxiety Erica, more than anxiety here I think for the passengers, terror. I think that was probably going through their head on LATAM flight 1325 between Chile and Paraguay. Now think of this in two episodes. The flight actually hit bad weather going to Paraguay, but then diverted to Brazil. There on the ground, the crew decided to wait it out for about three hours, 48 passengers on board then took off again trying to complete the flight. And that is when they went through this monster of a thunderstorm.

Look at the video from inside the plane, the lightning so bright, it lit up the inside bright as day in some instances, you can see the bumps so severe there that bags, things on people's laps going up to the ceiling. Also, if you listen closely, you can hear what sounds like hail hitting the airplane. That is what I think explains this really severe damage to the outside of the plane. You can see the nose cone caved in there of this Airbus A320. The windshield shattered. This was so incredible, because not only - from this turn from a severe weather event into an emergency landing after this, but you have to question the judgment of the pilots here. Why did they decide to go into this weather when they have so much data about what is in front of them, not only onboard the airplane, but also from air traffic control.

Now we have heard from LATAM, the airline here, they say they're supporting these passengers and they'll comply with this investigation by civil aviation authorities in Paraguay Of course, they will look into why the pilots made this call. There's some conjecture out there that says they didn't want to deal with the bureaucratic mess of emptying the airplane out in Brazil. They also were maybe running up against their duty time, how much time they could stay on the clock. It'd be a really interesting investigation here, Erica, about why these passengers were put through such a horrible experience.

HILL: Yes, it is such an interesting point that you make there, Pete. Given the information that is available. Always appreciate it. Thank you. Top of the hour.