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Tampa Police Chief Resigns After Asking To Be Let Go From Traffic Stop; Iran Says Hijab Law is Under Review Amid Widespread Protests; North Carolina Officials Update Investigation into Power Grid Attacks; Harry Accuses Royal Family of Leaking, But Also Planting Stories. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired December 05, 2022 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: Tampa's police chief just resigned after being accused of abusing her position during a traffic stop.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: And she was caught on body cam flashing a badge when asking a Florida deputy to overlook the fact she and her husband were driving a golf cart on a roadway without a license plate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LARRY JACOBY, DEPUTY, PINELLAS COUNTY: Good evening. Florida's deputy sheriff's office stopped you because you driving tag -- or an unregistered vehicle with no tag on it on the roadway.

MARY O'CONNOR, POLICE CHIEF, TAMPA, FLORIDA:

KEITH O'CONNOR, HUSBAND OF MARY O'CONNOR: Yes, we went to the club. It was closed, so we went over and picked up some --

MARY O'CONNOR, POLICE CHIEF, TAMPA, FLORIDA: Is your camera on?

LARRY JACOBY, DEPUTY, PINELLAS COUNTY: It is.

M. O'CONNOR: I'm the police chief in Tampa.

JACOBY: Oh, how are you doing.

M. O'CONNOR: I'm doing good.

JACOBY: OK.

M. O'CONNOR: I'm hoping that you'll let us go tonight.

JACOBY: Oh, OK. Yeah. I'll say -- not to say -- you look familiar, so.

M. O'CONNOR: Yeah. I'm sure I did.

JACOBY: Well, take care and it was nice meeting you.

M. O'CONNOR: All right.

JACOBY: Oh, all right.

M. O'CONNOR: If you ever need anything, call me.

JACOBY: OK.

M. O'CONNOR: Serious.

JACOBY: All right, appreciate that.

M. O'CONNOR: Thank you.

JACOBY: Yes, ma'am, you're welcome.

M. O'CONNOR: Thank you for your service.

JACOBY: Thank you for yours.

M. O'CONNOR: Thank you.

JACOBY: Take care.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Is your camera on? CNN's Leyla Santiago is following this for us. What more can you tell us -- Leyla?

LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, interesting you brought that point up, Victor, because that kind of speaks to what her take has been on this. She resigned this morning and says that she was not trying to do any harm or abuse power. That's why she asked him if his camera was on. She knew she was being recorded. You know, the Tampa city however has a very different take. I want to read to you what the mayor said today.

Saying: It is unacceptable for any public employee and especially the city's top law enforcement leader to ask for special treatment because of their position. Public trust in Tampa's police department is paramount to our success as a city as well as a community.

You know, in her resignation letter as well as in some documents tied to an internal affairs investigation, she apologized, called it even poor judgment to have that golf cart out there and says she doesn't want to get in the way of progress. So now what? Well, she has offered to pay any sort of fine that was a citation that could have potentially come from that traffic stop.

That traffic stop by the way from about three weeks ago, and now Tampa is looking for a new police chief. No word yet on exactly when one might be named or placed. Just the mayor saying that it will be a national search. In the meantime, though, a lot of questions as to, you know, exactly why the now former police chief said and did what she did.

CAMEROTA: OK. Leyla Santiago, thank you.

BLACKWELL: There are some mixed signals from Iran on two issues that have led to extraordinary protests there. Iran's Attorney General said the government is now reviewing the country's mandatory hijab law.

CAMEROTA: But state media is pushing back on his claim that Iran's feared morality police had been abolished. CNN's Nic Robertson is in London for us. So, Nic, what's going on here?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, it doesn't seem as if the Attorney General is hinting at some changes or this review that's under way. The State Department says this is ambiguous and vague at best. The Attorney General in Iran does have purview over the hijab laws which have been in place for the last 43 years, since the Iranian revolution.

They're totemic to the regime for the control of women, control of people, control of society, and these are partly what caused the protests in Iran three months ago. Women said they didn't want to wear the hijab. They protested. Of course, the protests have grown so much more since then.

The government's gone through all of these oppressive measures with police shooting protesters, killing protesters, and they still have not been able to stop them. In fact, the protesters have now said, you know, not just remove the hijab, but remove the leader of the country.

So, maybe this is the government trying to put a fix in there. But where the Attorney General perhaps spoke out of turn or is hinting again at this review that's under way, when he said that the morality police who enforce this law, he said that they would be abolished, and as you said, state media is rolling that back. He doesn't have purview over the morality police, but perhaps that is going to be part of this review.

However, these types of politics in Iran can really be a smoke and mirrors issue. What's in the review? Is it a binding review? Will it be rescinded? If there's a review and it comes out, will it ever be enforced? So, none of the details behind this can we really see.

All we can see is what's happening on the surface of the water, if you will, but potentially the government is rattled by the scale of the protests. But these moves, whatever they may be do seem to be shutting the barn after the horses bolted. The protests have gone so far beyond just the hijab now.

BLACKWELL: Nic Robertson for us. Thank you, Nic.

CAMEROTA: So, concerning news for parents. A surge in respiratory illnesses making over the counter children's painkillers harder to find. What pharmacies are doing next.

[15:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: The CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky says that her agency is aware of reports of shortages of antivirals and antibiotics across the country. And Kroger, one of the largest pharmacy chains says that it's seeing constrained inventories of acetamidine and ibuprofen, two popular fever and pain treatments.

CNN senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is here with us. So, Elizabeth, how big of a problem is this?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Alisyn, this could become a big problem. It is already problematic we're hearing in some areas. It's really hard to tell how widespread these shortages are, but it's not good. And hopefully unlike the infant formula shortage which kind of went on and on, hopefully they will nip this in the bud.

Let's take a look at the flu situation in the U.S. which is the reason behind a lot of this. Those red states, those are states are high or very high flu activity. It's almost the entire United States.

Only six states are not seeing high or very high activity, and even, I'm sorry to say, COVID is making a bit of a comeback if you take a look at the week of November 26th. 33,000 people admitted to U.S. hospitals because of COVID. That's up 27 percent from the week before.

Now the Biden administration says they're monitoring this. But the FDA says, look, we can't command companies to make more of certain kinds of drugs -- Victor, Alisyn.

BLACKWELL: So those are the overall numbers for flu. Are we seeing comparable numbers for children when it comes to the flu?

COHEN: Yes, children's flu hospitalizations are actually, you know, relatively high. Let's take a look at this graph. If you see that red line, that's hospitalization rates for elderly people 65 and up, right below it is ages 0 to 4. So, they are the age group with the second highest hospitalization rate. And I think sometimes people forget that.

So, what you do want to do is get your child vaccinated against the flu. What you don't want to do is hoard flu medications or things like children's Advil, children's Tylenol because if you hoard them, you're going to get some bad mommy and daddy karma coming at you. It will never leave you. You don't want to do that to other parents. So, buy only what you need -- Victor, Alisyn.

BLACKWELL: All right, bad mommy and daddy karma.

I'm scared.

BLACKWELL: I got it. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you.

CAMEROTA: All right, this is just into our NEWSROOM. Nike has officially cut ties with Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving.

BLACKWELL: Now this comes after Irving posted a Twitter link to a documentary containing antisemitic messages and initially refused to apologize. Last month Nike suspended its relationship with Irving and canceled its launch of the Kyrie-H shoe, a deal worth millions. And Nike cofounder Phil Knight said that Kyrie stepped over the line.

The Royal feud continues with a new bombshell trailer teasing the Harry and Meghan documentary. The shocking allegation that the Royal family was planting stories.

[15:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROY COOPER (D) NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR: The emergency management effort here to support those --

BLACKWELL: That is North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper giving an update on the power grid attack and the outages there. Let's listen.

COOPER: ... one of the substations that was attacked, and I want to thank the people who are working so hard to restore power. It's very complex what they are doing, and they have been working around the clock to do that.

I've met with the emergency management team here in Moore County, and I've met with local, state, and federal law enforcement to get updated on the investigation.

Helping the vulnerable people and the places where they live, including adult care homes, is a priority. Making sure that people are warm as the night approaches, making sure people are cared for, making sure that critical services at hospitals and law enforcement, at emergency management services are supported and available. All of that is crucial.

Now while we are determined to keep people safe, we're also deeply concerned about the small businesses that are losing out on valuable retail time right here before the holidays as well as our school students who are missing valuable class time because of closure of schools. Local and the state response to all of this has been swift and strong, and I know that we'll all keep working until the power is restored, and to do whatever we need to do afterward as well will be important.

Protecting critical infrastructure like our power system must be a top priority. This kind of attack raises a new level of threat. We will be evaluating ways to work with our utility providers and our state and federal officials to make sure that we harden our infrastructure where that's necessary, and work to prevent future damage.

I will continue to get briefed on this investigation as it continues, and I'm sure that we will learn more about motives of this intentional attack, an attack that damaged an entire community. Regardless of motive, violence and sabotage will not be tolerated.

In the meantime, I have been impressed with the resilience and the community spirit of the people of Moore County. I'm grateful for their public spirit and their help for each other, helping to serve meals to the people down at the substation who were working on making repairs.

Helping each other in the community. And I'm team deeply appreciative of the first responders, the 911 operators, the good work that they were doing today in Moore County making sure they had all of those positions filled with personnel who were handling the load. The law enforcement, the people who are helping with traffic, with

traffic lights being out, the health care providers, the emergency personnel, and others who are doing their very best to get us past this. We have a number of people who are here with me working from the state perspective. Secretary Eddie Buffalo who is the secretary of our department of public safety.

[15:50:03]

I also have Will Ray who is our emergency management director for North Carolina.

CAMEROTA: OK, we've been listening there to the North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper give us an update on what he and all the investigators thus far have called this intentional attack on these electrical substations there that have knocked out power.

Still to some, like, 33,000 people in Moore County, and we should also say -- I'm not sure if he mentioned it -- but the Moore County school system will be closed again tomorrow. It was closed today, it will be closed again tomorrow. This is according to their website. And as we just heard, Victor, he said that they'll learn more about the motive of this attack in the days to come.

BLACKWELL: Yes, we've learned from the sheriff that he says that it was intentional. He's not calling it domestic terrorism, but of course it investigation now supported by state officials, the FBI involved as well. Duke energy says that it will take until at least Thursday to get power back to all of those customers who are without it.

CAMEROTA: OK, in the meantime, the Royal drama continues. In this new trailer for the Netflix docuseries, "Harry and Meghan," the Duke and Duchess of Sussex offer more insight on their life inside Britain's Royal family.

BLACKWELL: Harry also makes important allegations against the Royal family. CNN's Royal correspondent Max Foster joins us from London. So, in the trailer, Prince Harry says that they knew the truth.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so we're expecting a bombshell documentary. It certainly feels like that from the trailers. No one has seen all six parts apart from the people closely involved. No one in London, no one at the palaces, not in wider world either. So, we're just basing this on this trailer. But it certainly seems dramatic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PRINCE HARRY: There's a hierarchy of the family. You now, there's leaking but there's also planting stories.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There was a war against Meghan to suit other people's genders.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's about hatred. It's about race.

PRINCE HARRY: It's a dirty game.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: In the description, they do talk about discrimination as being one of the elements here. But essentially what we get from this trailer is core allegation that parts of the palace system were planting stories that worked against Meghan and that Meghan feels that she wasn't protected from all of that harassment she received from the media and online.

CAMEROTA: OK, Max, thank you very much. Obviously keep an eye and bring us back any new developments there. I must admit it does look juicy.

BLACKWELL: I'll watch it.

CAMEROTA: Me too.

So, as winter quickly approaches, some Ukrainians are volunteering to fight against Russia amid a new wave of bombing on the energy infrastructure. So, we have a report from Ukraine ahead.

[15:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: Paul Pelosi made his first public appearance since he was beaten with a hammer at his home in October. The husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi received -- as you saw there -- a standing ovation at the Kennedy Center honors in Washington Sunday. Pelosi is visible there in that black hat, you see him.

Now ahead of the event, President Biden welcomed the 45th group of honorees to the White House. They included, George Clooney, Amy Grant, Gladys Knight and U2. Each year honorees are selected for their lifetime of contributions to American culture.

BLACKWELL: Let's go to Illinois now where an eighth grade basketball player made a game-winning shot of a lifetime.

CAMEROTA: With just three seconds left, Cooper Thorson's team was down by one point, then Cooper nabs the ball and just really wings it virtually the entire length of the court and sinks it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER THORSON, MILTON POPE 8TH GRADER: I was just in complete shock and I just threw myself on the ground. Oh, like, I just started in my step bumping everybody and I just started taking my victory lap around the gym. It was crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: That was awesome. The distance from Cooper to that basket was about 75 feet. He calls it the best night of his life.

BLACKWELL: You know the best night about this is that angle is fantastic.

CAMEROTA: It is fantastic.

BLACKWELL: But it's not like some off shot camera like a cell phone camera. You get the full length of the court there.

CAMEROTA: Yes, the enormity of what just happened. That is -- look at that. He put his body into it.

All right, go to this if you must.

BLACKWELL: So. first, it was Pepsi. You know, they asked us to add milk to Pepsi so we could have Pilk and cookies. We weren't doing that.

CAMEROTA: No, I'm not doing this either. Helman's wants us to add mayonnaise to our eggnog. The company posted a recipe of what they call a frozen "Mayonog" -- I don't even like the name -- on Instagram. It includes rum, cognac and a quarter cup of mayo.

BLACKWELL: No.

CAMEROTA: If you excuse me, I have to throw up now.

BLACKWELL: OK, so this is the thing. First, you've asked my heart to withstand eggnog, right, and that's a challenge. Now you want me to put a quarter cup of mayo in it on top of it. I can only handle so much.

CAMEROTA: Keep it away from my beverages.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

CAMEROTA: I mean, I don't like it with anything. I know you actually do like to eat it from time to time.

BLACKWELL: I like mayo on my fries.

CAMEROTA: I mean, I'll allow that, I'm not happy about it --

BLACKWELL: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: but I'll allow that but this, I will not allow.

[16:00:00]

BLACKWELL: The cognac, rum, there's actually one where they put fiver liquors in, that is glorious.

CAMEROTA: The liquor part is fine.

BLACKWELL: Mayo, can't do it.

CAMEROTA: Just stop.

BLACKWELL: Why do we have to mix things in these classic drinks? Pepsi was fine as Pepsi.

CAMEROTA: Thank you, yes.

BLACKWELL: Eggnog is great as eggnog.

CAMEROTA: All right, I think we're finally in agreement about all of this.

BLACKWELL: "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.