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New York City Preps For Full Capacity Crowd At Times Square; Suspect In Idaho Killing Arrested In Pennsylvania; Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Dies At Age 95; Brazil's Bolsonaro Heads To Florida On Successor's Inauguration; Ukrainian Cities Pounded By More Russian Aerial Attacks; NY's Santos Facing Investigations, Backlash From Voters Back Home; Interview With Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ); The Top- 10 Stories Of The Year In Space. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired December 31, 2022 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:04]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: This is Sydney, Australia, one of the first major cities to cross into the New Year. And taking a look at these spectacular images, it is no surprise that this is also considered one of the world's greatest fireworks displays each New Year's Eve.

This is Dubai in the United Arab Emirates where the city's skyscrapers serve as the centerpiece.

And this was the scene in Taipei, Taiwan where the celebration features fireworks being shot from the tallest high-rise.

And over in New York crowds are already forming in Times Square. The celebration is returning to full capacity after two years of scaled back celebrations.

CNN's Gloria Pazmino joins us now with the latest. So how is it looking over there, Gloria?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the rain just let up for a minute and people here are excited. They're trying to get their hands on one of these free hats. We have this family here from Erie, Pennsylvania, who is in town to celebrate the New Year.

Tell me how long you've been standing here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We got here about 10:00 this morning.

PAZMINO: Why do you want to do this?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: First in a lifetime experience. First and last time for sure.

(LAUGHTER)

PAZMINO: How is it going with the little guy? He's going to hold up?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's doing good. He's doing really good, huh, Jeremy? You're doing good? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're excited for the New Year?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

PAZMINO: So, listen, it is a big crowd here of people, people are getting their hats on. I've seen people wearing their ponchos, people are well prepared. People have their coats on because it is a little bit chilly but it is still several hours until we ring in the New Year. But people are ready, right? You told me you're ready.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I am ready. All the way from Kansas City. Go chiefs.

PAZMINO: Why did you want to come on to New York to celebrate?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I grew up seeing the ball drop my entire life, gathered as a family around the living room, and this was like a bucket list item. I just want to see in person.

PAZMINO: You're ready for the long stretch ahead?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Long stretch. Yes. I'm here for the long haul, probably 10, 12 hours or so. But --

PAZMINO: There you go. Like I said, it's going to be several hours but people are ready. They're packed into this fence. Security very tight. Everyone has been screened for security. Their bags. Look at these folks, they're, you know, taking a little bit of a rest sitting down here on the floor while they wait. But people already -- are you guys excited for the New Year? 16th birthday, 16th birthday ringing in the New Year in Times Square. You can't get any better than that. So, excited?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, so excited.

PAZMINO: Where are you guys from?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Arizona.

PAZMINO: Arizona. Are you ready? It's going to be a couple of hours.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. We're so ready.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're here for it.

PAZMINO: OK. You're ready.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

PAZMINO: Very exciting. So that's what it's all about here. That's the spirit of the New Year, it's the spirit of New York. It's about being here and enjoying the crowd, enjoying the energy. The performances are about to start in a little bit while, and that will certainly keep the crowd going. BROWN: But they seem to be revved up, raring to go. I'm impressed by

their enthusiasm and patience given how long they have to stand there.

Gloria Pazmino, thank you so much.

And new reporting this hour in the University of Idaho murder investigation. Sources tell me new information about the tracking of the suspect, 28-year-old Bryan Kohberger. The source who asked not to be identified said that they did not know the Kohbergers but engaged in friendly conversation with Bryan and his father at a store on December 16th in Pennsylvania. The father told the source that he flew out to Washington state and made the cross-country trip with his son and that Bryan would be traveling back to the West Coast alone after the holidays.

Now police have not indicated the suspect's father is in any way connected to the November college student murders. But this source saying it was chilling thinking back on that conversation and the fact that it occurred after the murders of those students in Idaho.

And we're also hearing from the chief of police in Moscow, Idaho, today, too. CNN's Veronica Miracle joins us now.

So, Veronica, police have been so tightlipped, but you just spoke last hour to the police chief there, James Fry. What more did you learn?

VERONICA MIRACLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pamela, we learned that within an hour of that press conference ending, the police department had 400 calls into their tip line about Bryan Kohberger. That is critical information that they asked the nation not just this community but anybody who has been in contact with Bryan Kohberger to call them and those calls came in flooding. They haven't gone through those calls yet so they couldn't tell me exactly the contents of that. But they say that it is really critical for this next phase of this investigation.

Here's what the chief had to say about that.

[16:05:02]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIRACLE: Tell us more about why you want tips. Why you're still keeping that line open and you're asking for information.

CHIEF JAMES FRY, MOSCOW POLICE CHIEF: Because now we're at a new point. Now we know who we're looking at. We want information on that individual. We want that updated information so that we could start building that picture now. Every tip matters. Everything -- every piece matters. So we just want, you know, our community and the nation to continue to send us that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MIRACLE: Pamela, you mentioned that police have been so tightlipped throughout this entire investigation and that really continues now. We asked a lot of questions today about the investigation, about why this could have happened and legally now the chief says he can't answer those questions because the probable cause affidavit that is sealed right now and it can only be unsealed until Kohberger comes back to the state of Idaho and that's when we should learn a lot more about what exactly happened and how this unfolded -- Pamela.

BROWN: Which brings me to my next question. Kohberger's attorney says his client will waive extradition to Idaho to face these charges. How soon will he back there?

MIRACLE: Yes, I asked the chief what the process would be like, and they said it could be a day or two. It's really going to be playing out in the court system. So he'll have his hearing on Tuesday, as far as how quickly he's going to be getting back here to Latah County where he will be in the jail here. It could be a couple of days -- Pamela.

BROWN: All right. Veronica Miracle, thank you so much.

And joining us now with more CNN law enforcement contributor Steve Moore, a retired supervisory special agent with the FBI.

So, Steve, a law enforcement source tells me that the suspect was under surveillance in the days before his arrest in Pennsylvania. Tell us what that might have looked like and why would it take law enforcement several days to make that arrest?

STEVE MOORE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTRIBUTOR: Well, what you want to do is make sure that you've got all of the T's crossed, all of the I's dotted before you arrest. And this is not uncommon. The FBI does this a lot. And when you go on these surveillances, what you're doing is basically keeping a lid on the person, and make sure they don't escape, don't do any more violence and it's a 24-hour affair. You'll have eight or nine cars, airplanes up, the whole bit.

This is a large, large event. And this is what the FBI can do. And this is how the FBI can help local police departments. But for about four days, the agents kept an eye on this guy to where he would not commit violence and he would not escape.

BROWN: It's interesting, too, because I spoke to a source today who claimed to have talked to Kohberger and his dad in Pennsylvania on December 16th at an auto maintenance shop and this source said that they were just sitting there, Kohberger was awkward, but the source didn't suspect anything more. But that, of course, is so chilling to think now that he is the suspect in a quadruple murder.

What do you make of the fact the suspect was out and about in Pennsylvania with his white Elantra getting it serviced up the shop in the weeks before his arrest?

MOORE: This is something that they're going to have to dissect as we go forward. But here's the thing. People tend to ascribe to multiple murderers and serial killers and people like that, normal human emotion, which is not an appropriate thing. We used to talk in our squad bay, if you're thinking like a normal person you're not thinking like the person who did this crime. And so I have some thoughts that I'll just -- this person probably has had homicidal ideations for a long time.

I mean, he went into law enforcement, he went into forensics, and his fascination is finding out why people commit crimes. I think that this is just one more symptom of whatever it is inside of him that allowed him to kill four human beings in cold blood. He may lack the -- the feeling, the emotion, the care for these people.

BROWN: It's interesting because the source also said that Kohberger had mentioned to him that he was specifically interested in behavioral criminal justice and wanted to become a professor. We should note of course he is just a suspect, he is innocent until proven guilty. But Kohberger's family is said to be very shocked over these charges. What has your experience taught you -- tell us a little bit more about the personality of someone who might commit this kind of crime, being able to hide their tendencies from others.

Because like I said and sort of like you pointed out, look, this is -- you can't look at someone who would do something like this, expect them to have the same emotion that perhaps you would, a normal person, would.

MOORE: Right. And what I would say -- what I would say about the parents is they're not trained psychologists. They're not trained law enforcement people.

[16:10:00]

But I would say that there are a lot of people who go -- who have -- who deal with mental illness who are fascinated by the reasons for it and for the ways they can help themselves. And many of them actually study psychology for the same reason. This person may have studied criminal justice to understand better why he felt the way he felt. And so the parents -- the parents may not have understood that what they were seeing was actual what we call leakage, the inability to hide certain things.

They may not have realized they were seeing leakage because they're not trained. But I think if you go back and, you know, do the five- yard look -- five-year lookback you're going to see things that could have been indicators.

BROWN: Right. Once you look back in hindsight and put it all together certainly.

Steve Moore, just fascinating analysis. So much more to learn about this case and about this suspect. Thank you.

And coming up tonight, examining the complicated legacy of Pope Emeritus Benedict after his passing. A defender of doctrine to supporters but his critics see a Pope who failed the church.

While most of the world celebrates New Year's Eve, Kyiv is recovering after a barrage of aerial attacks by Russia. And the pressure is growing on Congressman-elect George Santos. A web

of lies exposed and a problem for Republicans ahead of the new Congress.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Today the world is mourning two iconic figures. Barbara Walters, the pioneering TV journalist, has died at the age of 93. She was known for her tough but fair interviewing skills. And she influenced a generation of women, like myself, who entered the TV news business and beyond.

And the Vatican announced today that former Pope Benedict XVI passed away at the age of 95. Benedict was a powerful intellectual force who shaped Catholic doctrine. He resigned in 2013 and his legacy as a church figure was tarnished by allegations that he failed to stop predatory priests during his tenure as archbishop of Munich.

[16:15:02]

Former Pope Benedict's funeral is scheduled for Thursday, January 5th. And live pictures this evening from St. Peter's Square. That is where the funeral will be held. Pope Francis will lead the ceremonies and Benedict's body will lie in state in St. Peter's Basilica, the papal enclave, beginning Monday.

Father James Martin, editor-at-large, "America Media," and author of "A Jesuit Guy to Almost Everything," joins us now.

Hi, Father Martin. How are you remembering Pope Benedict today?

REV. JAMES MARTIN, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, AMERICA MEDIA: Well, this is a very talented and brilliant theologian who was active in the church and theological circles in the 1960s. Obviously as the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, as Pope of course, but I think his most historic act was his resignation, a great act of humility and a really historic move that I think could change the papacy going forward.

BROWN: Tell us a little bit more about the significance of him resigning, why that was such a big deal.

MARTIN: Well, for one thing it hadn't happened for 600 years and I think many people thought it was simply off the table. You know, his predecessor, St. John Paul, continued on during his Parkinson's disease and continued even when he was very ill. But I think Pope Benedict there showed great humility and also great freedom, and as a result you have Pope Francis now saying that, you know, he's not going to resign any time soon but that certainly could be in the cards if he doesn't feel, like Benedict, that he can really carry out the office as he should.

BROWN: Benedict shaped Catholic doctrine but faced criticism for handling the sexual abuse crisis. What was his record on dealing with the abuse crisis in the Catholic Church for which he asked for forgiveness for but denied wrongdoing? MARTIN: Yes. As you said, you know, there were those reports when he

was archbishop. By the same token, he was the first Pope ever to meet with sex abuse victims and he confronted a very powerful priest named Fr. Maciel who was the founder of Catholic Religious Order called the Legionaries of Christ, who had sort of gotten away with it and removed him from ministry. So I guess we could say mixed.

BROWN: You flagged one of Benedict's quotes from 2008 at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. "Yet the word of God reminds us that in faith we see the heavens open and the grace of the Holy Spirit lighting up the church and bringing sure hope to our world." How does that resonate with you?

MARTIN: I think that homily that I heard him give at St. Patrick's Cathedral was beautiful. He really is a great, as I said, theologian but also a wonderful writer and stylist. When he was Pope he published three books, all called "Jesus of Nazareth: The Series." They were just beautiful. And so, you know, I think at heart he was always a theologian.

BROWN: Father James Martin, thank you so much for your time tonight. Happy New Year. We appreciate it.

MARTIN: Same to you.

BROWN: Coming on, on the holiday weekend.

Well, as we mentioned the world of broadcast journalism is mourning the death of one of its pioneers. Barbara Walters, the legendary news anchor, reporter and talk show host, died at the age of 93. A family spokesperson told CNN she passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by loved ones. The statement goes on to say she lived her life with no regrets.

Barbara Walters became the first to co-anchor an evening TV newscast at a time when women were rarely if ever seen as serious journalists in the U.S. Blazing a decades long trail as a world renowned interviewer of the famous and powerful who learned to embrace parity along the way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY KING, TV HOST: When Gilda Radner did you with Baba Wawa, you didn't like it at first, right?

BARBARA WALTERS, LEGENDARY JOURNALIST: I didn't at all. I mean, it was when I first left NBC where I was very happy and went to ABC to be the first female co-anchor of the network news program and (INAUDIBLE).

KING: Sad days for you.

WALTERS: And she did "Baba Wawa." And it really bothered me being made fun of until I walked into my little girl's room. She shouldn't have been watching television but she was, and she said, oh, mommy, she's so cool. And I thought, I've got to learn to laugh at myself. And after she died, I wrote a letter to her wonderful husband and said, how sad I was, because she died much too young, and I signed it "Baba Wawa."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: And in her final years, she was the sharp and witty creator and co-host of the talk show "The View" before retiring in 2014. Her fight, her determination helped turn her into a world class journalist and in the process inspired countless others to be like her.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. On this Saturday night, New Year's Eve, Brazil's president takes a page out of former President Trump's playbook. The latest on where Bolsonaro is and what he'll missed tomorrow in Brazil.

But first the ball drop in Times Square is still more than seven hours away but they're having a great time right now from Moscow to Mombasa where 2023 has begun and the party is underway.

[16:20:02]

Here's some more of those extraordinary fireworks this time from Kenya. And stay with CNN all night for our coverage of New Year's Eve live from Times Square.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Well, when Brazil's new president is inaugurated on Sunday his predecessor won't be there, taking a page right out of Donald Trump's playbook. Outgoing president Bolsonaro is skipping the ceremony and has left the country for Florida.

CNN's Julia Vargas joins us now from Sao Paolo, Brazil.

So, Julia, why isn't Brazil's outgoing president hanging around for his successor's inauguration?

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN FIELD PRODUCER: Well, Pamela, no official reason was given but it's not surprising that Bolsonaro would opt out of this special moment for democracy. The peaceful transition of power. He never actually conceded or congratulated his opponent Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva, now the president-elect.

In fact he went in the other direction, even throughout his government questioning the integrity of voting machines in Brazil which Brazil has used for decades, and eventually even filing a lawsuit where he wanted hundreds of thousands of votes to be thrown out. Meanwhile, his supporters were blocking off highways and marching to military barracks asking for a military intervention.

[16:25:05]

This all culminated on Christmas Eve when a man was arrested in Brasilia where the inauguration will be held tomorrow for planting an explosive, saying that he was inspired by Bolsonaro to do so, saying he wanted to create chaos ahead of the inauguration.

Now, none of this matters at this point because tomorrow Lula will be taking office. There's a massive party planned in Brasilia with many of Brazil's top pop stars obviously with bolstered security. There were security concerns now being addressed but the new president, Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva, will be going up the ramp of the palace and being welcomed by the cream of Brazilian artist class.

The question that remains, Pamela, is who from Bolsonaro's camp will be present there to pass him the torch since the president has left the country?

BROWN: Remaining question tonight. All right, Julia Jones, thank you so much.

Well, in Ukraine, 2022 will not end with any sort of lull in Russia's attacks on civilian targets. It has seen a barrage of missile attacks on this New Year's Eve, including in the capital.

CNN's Ben Wedeman was on a rooftop in Kyiv as the city came under attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: OK, there have been several explosions. We see three points of impact, the air defenses are working. We've also seen puffs of smoke in here where they've gone. This is an ongoing barrage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Ben Wedeman joins us now from Kyiv, which by the way will be marking a somber new year next hour at midnight local time.

Ben, just how much damage has been done by today's attacks?

WEDEMAN: Well, we understand from the military here, Pamela, that 20, about 20 Russian missiles were fired from Russia itself but also from Russian warships in the Black Sea. 12 of them were intercepted, obviously around eight made it through. Now it's not clear, we saw -- there has been damage in Kyiv. One person was killed and 16 others were injured. Two hotels were hit. Residential areas were hit as well. As well as cities elsewhere in Ukraine, including Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia.

So in terms of the damage wrought, apart from human life, it was not significant. In fact, the Ukrainian prime minister in a statement said that the attacks today, unlike many attacks going back to September, did not seem to be targeted at the infrastructure, the energy infrastructure. But rather, almost randomly aimed at civilian areas.

Now the government has cut the electricity in 30 percent of Kyiv, trying to prevent problems if there are further attacks. In fact, we are getting information that Russian drones have been launched just a few minutes ago towards southern Ukraine -- Pamela.

BROWN: All right, Ben Wedeman, thank you for the latest there on the ground in Ukraine on this, as we said, somber New Year's Eve there. And coming up, are his days numbered? George Santos is refusing to

give up the seat he won with a campaign based on lies. But new information is adding to the pressure for him to step aside.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:31:50]

BROWN: Troubles are piling up for incoming Republican Congressman George Santos. He is facing state and federal investigations into his finances and relentless questions about the lies he told during his campaign.

As CNN's Eva McKend shows us, many voters in Santos' own district are simply fed up.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TEODORA CHOOLFAIAN, VOTED FOR GEORGE SANTOS (ph): I am completely betrayed.

EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER (voice-over): In George Santos's Long Island district the outrage is palpable.

CHOOLFAIAN: George Santos is a fraud. I no longer supported him.

(SHOUTING)

MCKEND: Democrats and Republicans angry in the wake of revelations, Santos lied extensively about his personal background and credentials.

Teodora Choolfaian voted for Santos was drawn to his positions on pushing back on COVID-19 measures in school.

(CHANTING)

CHOOLFAIAN: My time, my choice.

MCKEND: But the Nassau County mom showed up at a rally this week, organized by state Democrats to call on him to resign.

CHOOLFAIAN: The whole persona that he created in the ability to deceive us is just so troubling. This man should not be allowed to be in office and we all know it. I wanted to show you the Republicans not to.

MCKEND: Among a slew of fabrications --

REP.-ELECT GEORGE SANTOS (R-NY): Shabot Shalom to everybody.

MCKEND: -- Santos also misrepresented himself as Jewish and claimed his grandparents were Holocaust survivors, something genealogists say there is no record of.

JACK MANDEL, JEWISH COMMUNITY LEADER: He is a make-believe person. He's a person that's really not there. MCKEND: Jack Mandel is a Jewish community leader who met Santos twice and thought he was the kind of fresh face, the district needed, but now?

(on camera): Given what you know, now, if the election was tomorrow, and you had to do it all again, would you vote for George Santos?

MANDEL: Absolutely not. I couldn't good conscience. Once someone lies to me, I can never trust that individual again.

The Holocaust is something that touches the heart of every Jew, and someone that would use that as a talking point as a vote getter, I think he is wrong.

MCKEND (voice-over): But some say he shouldn't have the opportunity to further explain himself.

HENRY GOLIS, SUPPORTED SANTOS CAMPAIGN (ph): The man deserves his say and he has to answer to a lot of personal questions. Why we're at the situation.

The bottom line, at the end of the day, he has to own up to everything.

REP. TOM ZMICH (R-NY): He hasn't done anything wrong. As far as legality wise. He admitted he lied and most Christian people believe in forgiveness. Maybe not forget, but move on. Let's see what happens.

MCKEND: And disappointed voters are not the only concern for Santos. Federal and local prosecutors now investigating the incoming congressman who was set to be sworn in next week.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCKEND: Some of the responses we receive were somewhat varied. Even that Jewish leader we spoke to in the synagogue, even though he told us he wouldn't vote for Santos again if given the opportunity, he didn't call for him to outright resign.

[16:35:03]

What we know, what seems consistent in communities like Manhattan, Great Neck, Oyster Bay, there seems to be wide-spread disappointment. This is a wealthy district but maybe one that doesn't receive a lot of national attention.

It's because of the lies of this congressman-elect that are bringing these communities into the spotlight.

I should note, the third district also includes parts of Queens as well.

Eva McKend, CNN, Manhattan, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: Our thanks to Eva.

Let's continue this discussion. Joining us is Congressman Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat representing New Jersey.

Congressman, let's talk about Eva's reporting here, including Santos' false claims of being Jewish.

I want to play a speech you delivered on the House floor almost three years ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOSH GOTTHEIMER (D-NJ): This day is significant to my family and me. I'm the grandson of a World War II veterans who fought the Nazi's. And my wife's grandparents lost their entire family in the Holocaust.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: How does it make you feel that an incoming member of Congress would lie about his heritage?

GOTTHEIMER: I mean, it's inexcusable, as the rabbi said, to use the Holocaust as some form of political gain is nothing short of shameless.

He said his grandparents survived the Holocaust. They were in Ukraine. And it appears from all accounts that they were not there at all. They were in Brazil, his maternal grandparents.

So the question is, what part of what he has told the voters is actually true, on anything?

From where he's worked to where he lives, to how he made an income. It's one giant catch me if you can episode.

And, you know, this is -- you know, he's got to be held responsible and accountable to the voters. And let's see what he does.

But so far, in my opinion, he's fallen far short of taking responsibility and the full responsibility for his many, many lies.

BROWN: Do you think he should resign?

GOTTHEIMER: You know, I think obviously that's up to him.

You know, I personally think he should resign, he should take responsibility for his actions.

Obviously, he'll be seated next week. He'll be in -- I believe, based on the investigations already going on in New York and what I heard from what's been reported on DOJ, I presume, given his financial disclosures, that the Ethics Committee will investigate and obviously hold him accountable.

But the bottom line is, I don't know how you look the voters in the eye after literally everything you ran on is a giant fabrication. So the people who voted for you, voted for basically a fictitious character.

BROWN: How do you think he'll be received when he becomes a congressman next week? Under this cloud of investigations and these massive credibility issues?

GOTTHEIMER: Part of that is going to be, obviously, up to his party and to see how they receive him.

But listen, I think these are one of these issues where it's tough to have a lot of credibility in a town where it's really important that you stand by your word and -- with your colleagues.

Listen, from -- as we've seen from where he claimed to work to how he -- you know, on all aspects of how he made a living to 9/11 and his family's ties to 9/11,.

And being there, you know, the -- the fact that he would lie about things like 9/11 and the Holocaust just to get ahead for personal gain.

You know, I don't know how you look this guy in the eye and, frankly, believe anything he has to say.

BROWN: I want to show you something right here. Records from the Federal Election Commission showing the Santos campaign filed for 37 expenditures, expenses like office supplies, ride shares, hotels, and more.

If not suspicious, all 37 fall just one penny short of the FEC requirement of a receipt. What does that tell you?

GOTTHEIMER: Tells you that obviously the FEC or others will be investigating, as it appears they are already, his financial disclosures. Both his holdings, his income, and obviously his filings.

And so, you know, we'll see what that investigation bears.

But the bottom line is this. Every aspect, starting with his claims about his grandparents surviving the Holocaust to his mother being sick from exposure on 9/11, all these things have question marks next to them.

[16:40:11]

And I think as we heard from voters, you might imagine that they made a decision based on certain facts.

And I'm sure -- you know, he is to really answer to the voters and I hope he takes responsibility for this web of lies that he has sown over the last couple of years.

BROWN: House minority leader, Kevin McCarthy, is trying to lock down the votes to become speaker still. How much do you think that factors into his silence on this scandal?

GOTTHEIMER: Well, you know, I don't pretend to speak for other members, so I'll leave that to --

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: But would you like to hear from him? Would you like to hear from him right now on this?

GOTTHEIMER: I think, given what's -- given Mr. Santos' own claims for his lies, you know, the -- the admissions that he has made about where he has lied, at least that we know about so far, you would hope that all members would say it's unacceptable.

But, you know, we'll see next week what happens when we're back in Washington.

BROWN: All right. We shall see.

Congressman Josh Gottheimer, thank you for coming on. Happy New Year to you.

GOTTHEIMER: Happy New Year to you. Thanks for having me.

BROWN: And you're in the CNN NEWSROOM. NASA had a year for the record books, including an ambition mission that could bring astronauts back to the moon. We'll count down the top-10 stories in space, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:45:08]

BROWN: From crashing a satellite into an asteroid to not crashing a critical mission that could pave the way for astronauts to return to the moon, 2022 was a banner year for space stories.

CNN's Kristin Fisher runs down the top-10 stories of the year in space.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE & DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: I'm Kristin Fisher with the top-10 space stories of 2022.

(voice-over): Coming in at number 10.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Three, two, one.

FISHER: The first private mission to the International Space Station.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go Dragon, God speed. Axiom One.

FISHER: Texas based startup Axiom Space, brokered the trip for four private citizens not affiliated with any government space program to launch on top of a SpaceX rocket.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything is looking good on Falcon Nine.

FISHER: And spend 15 days conducting experiments alongside professional NASA astronauts and Russian cosmonauts, ushering in a new era for commercial spaceflight.

(voice-over): Number nine may look and sound like basic boot camp for soldiers or sailors --

UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SPACE FORCE GUARDIAN: (INAUDIBLE)

FISHER: -- but these are Guardians in the U.S. Space Force.

UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SPACE FORCE GUARDIAN: This is still the United States Military. This is not Space Camp.

FISHER: 2022 marked the first ever Guardian-only basic training, led entirely by Space Force instructors, a major milestone for the first new branch of the armed services in more than 70 years.

(on camera): Coming in at number eight, the United States becoming the first country to announce a ban on antisatellite weapons tests.

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: These tests are dangerous, and we will not conduct them.

FISHER: The U.S., China, Russia, and India have all carried out these types of tests in the past, which involves firing a missile from Earth and striking a satellite in space, creating massive debris fields.

(voice-over): This year, astronauts aboard the International Space Station repeatedly dodged debris from Russia's most recent test of this type of weapon.

The truth is out there for our seventh space story of the year. And in 2022, Congress pushed for answers. For the first time in more than 50 years, a public hearing on Capitol Hill about UFOs or UAPs.

REP. ANDRE CARSON (D-IN): UAPs are unexplained, it's true, but they are real. They need to be investigated, and many threats they pose need to be mitigated.

FISHER (on camera): Though the hearing did not answer if these UAPs are classified U.S. technology, the work of a foreign adversary, or extraterrestrial life.

The Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence did confirm the authenticity of two videos taken by Navy pilots.

And he described the UAPs in them as some kind of real physical object that gets very close to military pilots and bases.

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): Is this one of the phenomena that we can't explain?

SCOTT BRAY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF NAVY INTELLIGENCE: I do not have an explanation for what this specific object is.

FISHER (voice-over): At number six, Moscow threatening to pull out of the International Space Station after the U.S. sanctioned Russia for invading Ukraine. Dmitry Rogozin, the now former head of Russia's space agency,

Roscosmos, threatening to end its nearly three decades- long partnership with NASA.

Even going so far as to release a video implying that Moscow might abandon a NASA astronaut that Russia was responsible for bringing back to Earth.

The bluster prompted a bitter Twitter war between Rogozin and one of NASA's most famous former astronauts, Scott Kelly, who later this year celebrated Rogozin's ouster and the space station's ability to survive despite the conflict roughly 250 miles below.

SEN. SCOTT KELLY (D-AZ) & FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT: When you have a guy like him that, you know, behaves like a child on Twitter and threatens nuclear war, I was really, really happy to see him go.

FISHER (on camera): Our fifth space story of the year also came to the aid of Ukraine, SpaceX's Starlink satellites.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ignition and lift up, Starlink.

FISHER: When Russia knocked out cellphone and Internet service to much of the country, a Ukrainian government official begged SpaceX's Elon Musk for help.

And Musk responded with a tweet that would forever change the battlefield. "Starlink service is now active in Ukraine, more terminals en route."

(voice-over): Well, since then, Starlink has become an indispensable tool for both Ukrainian civilians and the Ukrainian military.

But after months of providing the lifesaving Internet service for free, documents obtained by CNN showed that SpaceX told the Pentagon that it can no longer continue to fund Starlink terminals in Ukraine indefinitely.

Now, Musk later backtracked, saying that his company will continue to fund Starlink service in Ukraine.

[16:50:00]

(on camera): But the debate laid bare the dangers of an entire country being too dependent one billionaire.

Coming in at number four.

(NOISE)

FISHER: Hear that? That is what the black hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy sounds like. And in 2022, scientists were able to capture an image of it for the very first time.

(voice-over): The image, which was captured by the Event Horizon Telescope, which is a global network of synchronized radio observatories, confirmed the presence of a supermassive black hole known as Sagittarius A, some 27,000 light years away from Earth.

(on camera): Number three is the world's first planetary defense mission. After billions of years of being at the mercy of killer asteroids and comets, in 2022, Earthlings struck back.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For the first time, our technology allows us to actually do something about it.

FISHER: NASA's plan was to try to ram a refrigerator sized spacecraft called DART into an asteroid named Dimorphous to see if the impact would push the asteroid slightly off course.

Now, Dimorphous posed no threat to planet earth. But if the test worked, it would mean that this type of technique could maybe be used to deflect a future killer asteroid that is headed for earth.

(voice-over): After spending six months barreling through space --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have impact.

FISHER: -- the bullseye hit was captured by telescopes all over the world, which later confirmed that the tiny DART spacecraft was successful in bumping that asteroid off course.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I think the Earthlings should sleep better. Definitely, I will.

FISHER: Coming in at number two, the James Webb Space Telescope finally delivering on its decades long promise by beaming back its first images to Earth.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Tomorrow, when this image is shared with the world, it'll be a historic moment for science and technology, for astronomy and space exploration, for America and all of humanity.

FISHER: It's the culmination of more than 30 years' worth of work, carrying the hopes and dreams of astronomers all over the world, seeking answers to some of humanity's most existential questions.

Are we alone in the universe? And where did that first light in the cosmos come from, some 13 billion years ago?

NASA leadership describing the moment they first saw the kinds of images that Webb was capable of producing from its perch about a million miles away from earth.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A sense of awe, and frankly, got emotional.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just moved me as a scientist, as an engineer, and as a human being.

FISHER: And this is it, the first image taken by the telescope released by NASA. It's called Webb's first deep field.

(on camera): And all of these lights, they're not individual stars. Each one is an entire galaxy. And each galaxy is filled with billions of stars.

If you zoom in on some of them, you can even see that distinctive spiral shape.

Webb also took some spectacular images of planets a little bit closer to home. Here's Jupiter and Neptune as you've never seen her.

(voice-over): Finally, the Pillars of Creation, where baby stars are born. It's part of the Eagle Nebula, some 6,500 light years away. And it was first made famous by Webb's predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope, in 1995.

(on camera): Finally, our number one space story of 2022.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 10 --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hydrogen burn off, igniters initiate.

FISHER (voice-over): For the first time in more than 50 years, NASA launching a rocket capable of carrying astronauts back to the moon.

The Artemis rocket is NASA's first spacecraft since the space shuttle designed to launch people into orbit, years overdue, billions over budget.

It was rolled back from the launch pad to the safety of its hanger to escape Hurricane Ian, only to be rolled back out to the launch pad just in time to take a direct hit from Hurricane Nicole.

But just five days later, NASA making the gutsy call to give the third launch attempt a go.

The Orion spacecraft then separated from the Artemis, or SLS rocket, beginning a nearly 26 day, 1.4-million-mile odyssey to the moon and back.

The spacecraft traveled further into space than any spacecraft designed to carry humans had ever flown, while beaming back spectacular images of the moon and our home.

Orion's final test, its heat shield successfully protecting the mannequins on board the Artemis One mission from the blistering temperatures of reentry into the Earth's atmosphere and blazing the way for Artemis Two, when four real astronauts will be on board.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Splashdown. The latest chapter of NASA's journey to the moon comes to a close. Orion back on Earth.

BILL NELSON, NASA ADMINISTRATOR: What a year for exploration and innovation and discovery for all of humanity.

[16:55:06]

FISHER (on camera): Kristin Fisher, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BROWN: And coming up next hour, it took weeks but police have a suspect in custody in the Idaho murder investigation. But with no murder weapon, do they have enough to prosecute the case?

We'll look at the case police are building against the man now facing four counts of first-degree murder.

And a programming note for you, Dionne Warwick is a music icon with 56 worldwide hits, six Grammy Awards and one extraordinary legacy. She brings her exclusive story to CNN in the new film "DON'T MAKE ME OVER" premiering tomorrow, New Year's Day, at 9:00 p.m..

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dionne Warwick, one of the great female singers of all time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dionne was the first African-American woman to win a Grammy in the pop category.

(SINGING)

DIONNE WARWICK, SINGER: The music I was singing was nothing like anything like any of them were singing.

(SINGING)

WARWICK: You wanted to sing in my family, music. Pure and simple, music.

ANNOUNCER: DIONNE WARWICK, DON'T MAKE ME OVER" premieres New Year's Day at 9:00 on CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: I'm Pamela Brown in Washington. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM on this New Year's Eve.

[16:59:49]

Just seven hours left in 2022 for us here on the east coast. And in Times Square the crowds are already gathering for one of the country's oldest New Year day traditions.

Meantime, much of the world has already rung in the New Year and welcomed 2023.