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Three NYPD Officers Injured In Machete Attack Near Times Square; Drenching Storm Causes Flooding, Power Outages In California; Rep.-Elect George Santos (R-NY) Facing Federal, State Investigations After Web Of Lies; Sources Say, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) Still Has Not Secured Votes To Be Speaker; SNL Alum Cheri Oteri Pays Tribute To Barbara Walters. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired January 01, 2023 - 11:00   ET

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

BILLY JOEL, MUSICIAN: I'm going to do it in a different way.

[11:00:004]

I'm going to just write music. So, I've recognized what does the clinic would say, a man has got to know its limitations. I recognized mine.

PAULA REID, CNN ANCHOR: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Paula Reid in Washington in for Fredricka Whitfield on this New Year's Day.

We begin with the terrifying machete attack on three police officers assigned to protect crowds celebrating New Year's Eve in Times Square. The attack unfolded outside a security screening zone set up for last night's festivities. Now, police say the man wielding the machete was just 19 years old. Fortunately, all three officers injured are in stable condition.

CNN's Gloria Pazmino is following the story for us from New York City. Gloria, what else do we know about this violent attack?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: While certainly a terrifying attack for these three officers, Paula, and one of the three officers just graduating the police academy just last week. He was just fresh, a few days on the job.

This happened, as you mentioned, outside of a security zone because everyone who goes to Times Square to watch the New Year's Eve ball drop has to go through these screening points exactly for this reason. They are being checked for weapons, for items that are not permitted into this event.

And that is where police say a 19-year-old male approached these officers completely unprovoked and attempted to strike one of them over the head with that machete we're seeing there on the screen. He then proceeded to strike another officer, and that's when another officer discharged his service weapon, striking the suspect in his shoulder.

Now, these three officers were transported to the hospital last night. The three of them are in stable condition. Mayor Eric Adams visited them in the hospital last night and held an early morning press conference to talk about this incident, also commending the way these officers responded to this attack, to the fact that they were working on one of the most important days of the year, security-wise, for the city of New York.

Thousands of people crowd the area around Times Square hoping to get a peek at the ball drop. And he commended their actions the way they responded, and how they proceeded to work even after the incident took place.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS (D-NEW YORK CITY, NY): One of the officers heard from the police commissioner and I just a few days ago at his graduation, which just goes to show you if it's not the first day or could be your last day, the actions that police officers must take every day are life-threatening situations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: Now, we are waiting to learn more about that 19-year-old subject -- suspect, I should say. This is an ongoing investigation. Both the FBI and the joint terrorism task force are involved in the investigation. And I should say that last night, both the mayor and the police commissioner stressed that there is no credible threat to the city of New York at this time. Paula?

REID: Gloria Pazmino, thank you.

And new details about the suspect charged in the deaths of four University of Idaho students seven weeks ago. CNN's has learned that Bryan Kohberger's father was with him as he drove cross country from Washington State to Pennsylvania. Police were tracking him the entire time. The suspect's lawyer is speaking to CNN about the four murder counts his client is facing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JASON LABAR, MONROE COUNTY CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER: He's doing okay. He is shocked a little bit. Obviously, he's calm right now. We don't really know much about the case.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now, your client is highly educated, very intelligent. He has to appreciate the seriousness of what is happening right now.

LABAR: Oh, absolutely. He is very intelligent. In my hour conversation with him, that comes off. I can tell that. And he understands where we are right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

REID: investigators honed in on Kohberger by tracking his car and through DNA evidence, according to law enforcement sources.

CNN's Veronica Miracle has more on the relief that many are feeling in Idaho.

VERONICA MIRACLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There has been such a sense of relief in the community now that the suspect has been arrested. Of course, it doesn't change the fact that four gruesome murders took place in this seemingly safe town, in this rural college community. But now that there has been an arrest, we have heard from people that feel such relief. In fact, one business owner came by here to the Moscow Police Department to drop off a gift. He was so grateful.

He says this community, of course, has been impacted emotionally.

[11:05:02]

Everyone has been on edge for the last seven weeks, but it's also impacted the economy. He's a business owner, and his employees are students, as are most of the businesses in this town. There's other businesses who have been impacted where students have left because they just don't feel safe being in this city, and so they have been studying virtually. And so now so many people are hoping that this community comes back together when students come back to class in the next couple of weeks.

In terms of the Moscow Police Department, there's been a lot of criticism over the last seven weeks because they did not release hardly any information. And every time we would ask why that was, they said they wanted to protect the integrity of the investigation. There were no leaks from this small department and they kept all of their information close. They say that they are glad that they did that. The police chief saying he wouldn't change a thing. And, in fact, he is receiving apologies now. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF JAMES FRY, MOSCOW, IDAHO POLICE: People sent me emails, some apologizing. You know, we're a pretty humble group here, and we know that people are going to be watching what we're doing. And some of that is criticism. We have a job to do and we continue to do it, and it does feel good to -- we held everything close for a long time, and we did it for the reason that we have stated, and I think the end result here proves to a lot of people that maybe it was done exactly right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MIRACLE: Bryan Kohberger remains in Pennsylvania right now, but he has an extradition hearing coming this Tuesday. His public defender has told CNN that he is going to waive his right to that extradition hearing. And so he could be back in the state as early as Tuesday. I asked the police chief how long that process will take. He says it could be a couple of days. It could be as early as Tuesday when he arrives back here. He will go to the Latah County Jail.

Veronica Miracle, CNN, Moscow, Idaho.

REID: Joining me now, Mary Ellen O'Toole, a former senior FBI profiler and former FBI special agent. All right, Mary Ellen, we learned that the suspect traveled with his father cross country from Washington State, the Washington State/Idaho border, to Pennsylvania after the crime happened. So, hearing that, what is the first question that you have here?

MARY ELLEN O'TOOLE, FORMER SENIOR FBI PROFILER: Well, obviously the first question is, did the father know anything? And at this point, we don't know. The father certainly could be in a position where he just wanted to help his son travel 2,500 miles, thought it would be easier to have company in the car and knew nothing about what happened. So, that still remains to be seen, what, if anything, the dad knew.

REID: And the suspect is a graduate student in criminology has apparently been doing a lot of research into criminal behavior, specifically the role of, quote, emotions and psychological traits when committing a crime.

Now, this has been out there for a few days. What did you think when you first heard that?

O'TOOLE: Well, I thought it was very interesting that his course of study is in criminology. But we have had other cases where offenders have been in areas of study that more or less prepare them to commit a crime. So, Ted Bundy was an example. Dennis Rader is another example.

But I will say this, because I think it's really important. His area of study is not a result of cause and effect, in other words, got into criminology, the study of the criminal mind, and that caused him to do this. That's certainly not, in my opinion, going to be the outcome. He's interested in this, but the ideation of committing a violent crime had to be already there in order to motivate him to commit the crime. So this was kind of a conduit to explore what he was already interested in doing.

REID: And police don't have a murder weapon yet in this case. And how often in this type of crime there's a suspect actually keep the weapon versus disposing of it?

O'TOOLE: I don't have any numbers for you on that. It's certainly interesting. But I still feel like that weapon is important to this suspect. And if that remains the case, I think he would have wanted to hold on to that weapon and not dispose of it.

So, again, I think that weapon was carefully chosen and it was chosen for a very specific reason. So, to discard it would have been very difficult. That's why I'm thinking at this point, it's likely that's it's someplace and only the suspect knows where it is.

REID: And Police have been very tight-lipped about whether this alleged criminal knew the victims. So, what would you be looking into to start to dig into that question?

O'TOOLE: I would start to look at -- and I know that they are looking at this, from social media to casual contacts, that the offender in this case, the suspect had with these victims.

[11:10:02]

And it could be very minor. It doesn't have to be an ongoing contact, where they meet for coffee or they go out to dinner. And it doesn't have to be anything that formal. It can be a very casual contact that is made. And to the victims, it would have been like, yes, I think I saw them walking down the street.

But to the offender, in this case, the suspect, it could have been far more significant to include developing what we call intelligence on the victim, finding out what they're about, how they walk, what they say, what their voice sounds like. So, investigators are going to be looking for formal contacts, but also very, very informal contacts.

REID: And if you were in a room with him, sitting across from him, what kind of questions would you be asking him at this point in the investigation?

O'TOOLE: You know what? That's such a great question. I would not be asking him any questions. I would simply be in there and I would be listening. And I would ask him to tell me about himself. Tell me about -- everything about you, tell me about what makes you tick, tell me about what you are studying. Tell me why you are interested in the criminal mind, and then I would listen. I would not be asking questions.

Mary Ellen O'Toole, great insight, thank you.

O'TOOLE: Coming up, record-breaking rain in California shuts down highways in San Francisco. It's just the latest in a string of severe weather events to hit the U.S. We'll get some perspective next from Bill Nye, the Science Guy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

REID: Parts of California are starting off the New Year getting hit by severe weather, dangerous flooding causing major disruptions across the state. Evacuation warnings issued in parts of Northern California. Heavy rain and snow melt inundating roads, even forcing the closing of some highways. Both of those highways, both 101 and Interstate-80, have been reopened. The severe storm also causing power outages for hundreds of thousands of customers across California and Nevada.

CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar joins me now. Allison, where do things stand?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's right, Paula. Because this is a system that while it's affecting the west now is going to gradually make its way across the country, impacting a lot more states in the next 24 to 48 hours.

[11:15:09]

Here is where it's raining at the moment, starting to finally see it lighten up across portions of Southern California and even around Las Vegas, although we do still have a few areas of showers there. But you notice the rain pick up in Flagstaff, Phoenix, and, again, seeing that transition in those higher elevation where you're going to have the snow.

Look at the numbers, though, of how much rain has already fallen across areas of California, Oakland picking up just under five inches, both San Francisco and South Lake Tahoe topping out above five inches. But we've had several locations that have picked up seven or even eight inches of rain in just really the last 24 to 36 hours. The winds have also been incredibly strong.

Now, even in the lower valleys, 50, 60, 70 miles per hour not out of the question. But once you started to get to some of the summits, you really see those high numbers, Heavenly Ski Summit topping out at 99 miles per hour, Mammoth Mountain topping out at 116. So, that's kind of the answers to why there were so many power outages in several different locations.

Now, as the system makes its way off to the east, it's going to take that cold air and that moisture with it. So, you have got winter weather advisories, warnings or watches in effect from California all the way over towards Wisconsin, as this system continues to progress eastward. Most of these areas in terms of snow are likely to pick up about four to circumstances inches. But once you start ticking up in elevation, now you are seeing one foot, two feet of snow in total as the makes its way across the country.

So, here's a look as we transition into Monday. You are starting to see a lot of those winter elements begin to push into the Midwest, not just the snow but also the potential for some freezing rain. So, ice on the roadway is never a good thing. So, keep that in mind tomorrow if you have travel plans into the Midwest.

The southern side of the system, the main concern here is going to be the severe storms. And it's not just for Monday but Tuesday, as well, just shifting a little further east. But the concerns of tornadoes, damaging wind and hail remain the same.

REID: Allison, thank you.

And more than 50 inches of snow, wind chills of minus 30 degrees and a death toll of at least 39 people. Those are the disturbing stats behind the once in a generation storm that pummeled Buffalo, New York around Christmas. It is one of many storms during 2022 that put the climate crisis in the spotlight.

And joining me now, a man you know very well, Bill Nye, the Science Guy. He's the host and executive producer of the Peacock original series, The End is Nye, and the author of The Great Big World of Science. Bill, thanks for being with us.

Now, we know what we saw in Buffalo. It was so severe. What does the science tell us about how much worse these storms can get?

BILL NYE, THE SCIENCE GUY: Well, you know, climate scientists have been bringing this up for 30, 40 years, that when it gets a little bit warmer in the Great Lakes, you get more moisture in the air than when it gets cold, as it does every winter, you get a lot of snow. So, you mentioned once in a generation in Buffalo. It may become more

frequent than that in the coming years. And this is the thing, everybody. It's not just about being warm. Climate change is not just about the world getting warmer, it's about weather patterns changing.

So, we had very cold weather in Louisiana. Now, we have a lot of rain in California. And then we had this huge hurricane in Florida that made its all the way to Canada. Then we had this flooding in Kentucky. These are all symptoms, or they're all consistent with climate models (ph). So, we've got to change the way we do business in a lot of places.

REID: Yes. It seemed like we were constantly getting reminders in 2022 about how much work is left to do to address climate change. I mean, there were ferocious hurricanes in Florida, there's a heat wave in Europe, a mega drought in the Western U.S., a monsoon in Pakistan. What stands out to you as you look back in the last year?

NYE: Well, how unprepared we are worldwide. Bangladesh -- Pakistan, rather, was a catastrophic situation. And it's still going on. And people have talked for decades about climate refugees, people moving on account of changing weather. Well, we have climate refugees here in the U.S. now, people leaving Florida, or they're going to have to leave Florida, leave Houston and places like that, where the weather has gotten too unstable for this infrastructure we have right now.

So, what I would like the lesson to be learned from 2022 is that we need to make big changes. We need to prepare ourselves in big ways. You know, we talk all the time. We expect power outages to affect people. Well, let's make the infrastructure, the electrical infrastructure so that we don't have power outages.

[11:20:02]

Let's fix that. This is going to take investment. So, one of the big -- the big stories from 2022 is the -- what's called Inflation Reduction Act, which included a lot of climate measures for the future. And I'm hopeful that once people see the benefits of investing in infrastructure that is the modern word is resilient, ready to deal with climate change, then people will want to make more investments and be more resilient. And the longest journey begins with a single step.

And the other big news this year, Paula, is this thing where fusion worked for the first time. I took physics many years ago. People talked about fusion in the 1950s. And now we pulled it off in an extraordinary and very limited way. But if this turns out to work or some form of it, about a dozen companies are working on fusion, if this becomes possible on the Earth's surface, it will change the world. But it's going to take investment.

REID: That was a huge science story this past year.

Now, for anybody contemplating a New Year's resolution and want to do something that is climate-themed, would you have any recommendations for what they could do this year? NYE: Yes, yes. So, there is a movement, there is a common sense thing where individual action is what we need. If you just recycle your paper, recycle your plastic bottles, then everything is going to be great. That's not a bad thing, to recycle paper and plastic and so on and take steps to separate trash. But we need big ideas. We need big things.

So, how about this, everybody, if you're an adult out there watching this, think about what it would take for your household to use an electric vehicle. Think about what it would take for your household to weatherize where you live. You know, I say all the time, the big investment you can make to address energy use is your windows.

If you invest in modern double or triple-pane windows, you can greatly reduce your energy costs the first year. But over the course of 20 years reduce your energy costs a lot. And I mention this because I hope -- I believe, rather, it will help us think big. We need big changes. So, let's make them. Happy New Year.

REID: Happy new year to you, too. Bill Nye, the Science Guy, thank you.

And still ahead, as mourners continue to gather in St. Peters Square following the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict, the Vatican releasing his final message to the world. What he said, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:25:00]

REID: Millions are offering prayers around the world today to honor the life and legacy of Pope Emeritus Benedict, who passed away at the age of 95 at the Vatican monastery Saturday. His coffin will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica, where public viewing begins Monday. Pope Francis marked the start of the New Year by praying for his predecessor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POPE FRANCIS: In particular, this salute is to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI who yesterday morning passed away. We salute him as a faithful servant of the gospel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

REID: CNN's Frederik Pleitgen joins me live from St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. So, of course, a solemn occasion but also a day to celebrate new beginnings in the New Year. So, what is the mood there in Vatican City right now?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there Paula. While, I would certainly say that it is definitely still very solemn, but you're absolutely right, of course, people are ringing in the New Year here in the Vatican, and, in general, in Rome, as well.

One of the interesting things that happened today is that the Vatican today put out pictures, the first images we saw of Pope Benedict after his death, still dressed in his papal robe. They also said that Pope Francis was actually one of the first who rushed to his side after he passed away.

We know that the pope emeritus, that he died at 9:34 A.M. yesterday. And the Vatican says that Pope Francis was by his side until well after 10:00 A.M. at that same day. So, he certainly spent a while there. And you already pointed out that today at the Angelus prayer, once again, Pope Francis also praising the life and legacy of Pope Benedict once again, as well.

Now, the next couple of days are basically going to gear up towards the funeral of Pope Benedict. You might hear some hammering in the background right now here at St. Peter's Square. They're already setting up scaffolding. The body will lie in state until Thursday. And that's when the funeral is planned to happen.

Now, the way that Pope Benedict wanted all that to happen is a fairly small funeral. You'll recall when we covered the funeral of Pope John Paul II, that was a really big event with a lot of state leaders coming here to Rome. It's going to be a lot smaller for Pope Benedict, but that certainly was the wish that he had, Paula.

REID: Now, in one of the final letters that he published, the former pope also asked for forgiveness from those he, quote, wronged. What can you tell us about that?

PLEITGEN: Yes, that was really an interesting passage. And the pope left behind that final letter, that sort of testament that he wanted to leave behind for his followers in the Catholic Church and elsewhere as well. There were a lot of interesting points where is he praised his family, he thanked his family, his thanked his homeland of Bavaria and Germany and, of course, also Rome as well, and all the folks that he worked with at the Catholic Church over the many decades that he was active. And he was one of the most influential figures here in the Vatican really since the early '80s.

I want to read that passage because it was certainly something that stood out. He said, quote, to all those I have wronged in any way, I sincerely ask for forgiveness. What I said before to my compatriots I now say to those in the church who have been entrusted to my service remain in the faith, don't get confused. So, he said despite the failings that he may have had, he still urges people to keep the faith and to remain in the faith.

Of course, there are some who are interpreting that to mean some of the scandals that happened in the Catholic Church while he was not only pope but also some of the things that he admitted to while he was in the archbishop in Munich and (INAUDIBLE) before that. So, that could be what he was talking about.

[11:30:02]

But, in general, begging for forgiveness, asking for forgiveness.

And at the end of that letter, he also said that he humbly requests to be taken by God into heaven despite all the shortcomings that he had, Paula.

REID: Lots of construction underway clearly behind you, as you noted. Fred Pleitgen, thank you so much.

And still ahead, as the list of George Santos' lies continues to grow, so is the backlash he is facing. Now, both his voters and campaign donors say they feel betrayed. The details, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

REID: New details on incoming Congressman George Santos' campaign finances, records that his campaign filed with the FEX show 37 expenses that were just one penny below the threshold to show receipts, $199.99. The filing also has several unusual expenses, including exorbitant amounts spent on air travel and hotels, and more than $10,000 in what are listed as rent payments to the company, Cleaner 123. The company's address, though, is a house on Long Island where Santos' district is located.

Now, Santos is also facing more trouble over his rampant lies. Several of his campaign donors tell CNN they feel betrayed. But it's not just his donors. Voters in his district are also outraged. Some even want him to resign.

CNN's Eva McKend has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[11:35:00]

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

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

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

MCKEND: Democrats and Republicans angry in the wake of revelations Santos lied extensively about his personal background and credentials. Teodora Choolfaian voted for Santos and was drawn to his positions on pushing back COVID-19 measures in schools. 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 and 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 want to show you Republicans know it too.

MCKEND: Along a slew of fabrications, 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's a make believe person. He's a person that is 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 -- 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, would not, I couldn't, I couldn't in 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, is wrong.

MCKEND: But some say he should have the opportunity to further explain himself.

HENRY GOLIS, SUPPORTED SANTOS CAMPAIGN: The man deserves his say and he has to answer to a lot of personal questions of why we're at this situation. The bottom line, at the end of the day, he has to own up to everything.

TOM ZMICH, SANTOS SUPPORTER: 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 is set to be sworn in next week.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

REID: Joining me now, Republican Strategist and former RNC Communications Director Doug Heye and Scott Jennings, CNN Senior Political Commentator and former Special Assistant to President George W. Bush.

All right, Doug, in your professional opinion, politically, can Santos survive this or would you be advising him to step down?

DOUG HEYE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, if we were talking five years ago, I would say there's absolutely no way that he could survive anything like this. But what we have seen over the last several years, Donald Trump being the most prominent example, is you're allowed to get away with a lot more.

The question seems to be here, and this is what one of the people in the package emphasized, isn't the lies, as awful as they are. It's whether or not he broke the law. So, these $199.99 itemized expenditures and so forth on things where it's not clear where that money went, and I can tell you Scott knows this as well, when you work on congressional campaigns, spending any money on a hotel is frowned upon if it is at all avoidable, you don't spend that money. You want to put it on resources on the ground or on the air. If he broke the law, he's gone. Lies, you are allowed to get away with a little bit more in 2023 now than you were in 2015. REID: Federal prosecutors looking into his financial disclosures. Of course, Scott, Democrats, not surprisingly, have seized on this. New York Congressman Ritchie Torres tweeting, I'm introducing a bill to require candidates to disclose under oath their employment, educational and military history so we can punish candidates who lie to voters about their qualifications. It will be called the Stop another Non-Truthful Office Seeker Santos Act. What's your reaction?

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Oh, gosh, well, I would like to see an act like that applied to quite a few officeholders out there. I wonder if he had conversations with the White House about that, actually. But, look, the point is, Doug is right, you can survive some falsehoods. It's the potential criminal infractions that you cannot survive.

And the Republican leadership in the House ought to just put this guy in time-out until all the investigations get sorted out, whether that's via the ethics committee or the criminal investigations that are going on in New York. You can't lie on your financial disclosure reports. You can't lie on your FEC reports. And there are actual criminal laws that underpin these things and there's a reason we have these disclosures.

[11:40:04]

So, I think the lying about his background is extremely distasteful but what ultimately may bring him down will be if broke any laws. And the Republicans ought to recognize that the likelihood of that appears to be growing every day.

REID: That's right, not a crime to lie on Twitter, possibly a crime to lie in your FEC forms, depending on what he said.

Now, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has been silent on this. Obviously, Doug, he has his own issues trying to become speaker. Is that why he hasn't said anything about Santos?

HEYE: Sure. Anything that isn't about the speaker's vote, Kevin McCarthy, and, frankly, Republican leadership is not going to talk about. They are solely focused on what's going to happen Tuesday and hoping that that process begins and ends on Tuesday. Anything else is a distraction.

We have to be mindful here that regardless of what happens with George Santos, he's going to have a vote for speaker. He was duly elected regardless of the terrible lies and another shoe dropping every day, it seems, he will be in the House chamber, unless he decides not to, he will have a vote for speaker. And you'd better believe that plays a role in this as well.

REID: And, Scott, McCarthy held a conference call as the tries to secure the votes for speaker. CNN has learned that he's already made one key concession, and that is reducing the threshold required to force a floor vote on ousting a sitting speaker. So, how do you see this playing out? JENNINGS: Yes. I'm not a fan of making concessions. I think it looks weak. And I think going from down to, say, five people that can essentially go down to the floor and oust you, I mean, that's really no different than one person. I mean, there's always going to be a handful of folks that don't like what you're doing and there's always going to be a handful of folks who love the self-aggrandizement of having that power and being able to exercise it over you.

So, I hate these concessions. I don't think it's going to help him. I think the people who really support Kevin McCarthy, and, by the way, for the few who don't, there's a lot more who really do support him, I don't think they want to be held hostage by five people. Remember, McCarthy had a vote in the House Republican conference.

Over 85 percent support him to be the speaker. So, you're basically saying massive numbers want McCarthy, five people don't, and we're going to let those five people essentially hang a piano by a wire over all of our heads? It's crazy and it's anti-democratic, which goes against the fundamental tenets of how the House is normally run.

So, I hate these concessions. It's not going to help him. And the fact that he's trying to make them, to me, portends some sign of weakness here ahead of next week's vote.

REID: Well, Dough -- yes, go ahead.

HEYE: If I can say very quickly on that, there is a difference -- and Scott gets to this. There's a difference between, say, being the Senate majority or minority leader and being the speaker of the House. This is a constitutional office. So, any move to vacate the chair, and John Boehner certainly has dealt with this, Paul Ryan had to deal with it, any even threat of this, which started with Mark Meadows not that long ago, really puts us in a constitutional crisis.

This isn't political parlor games when you talk about vacating the chair. This gets serious in a constitutional way that those people who talk about the Constitution the most and the loudest should actually be mindful of.

REID: All right. So, I see some consensus across the panel with that.

But, Doug, on Friday, we finally got to see Trump's tax returns after years' long fight. And one of the revelations is that during his years in office, he paid more in foreign taxes than he did U.S. taxes. And in the final year of his term, he paid zero income taxes. What do you think of that?

HEYE: Well, look, Donald Trump is going to do whatever he thinks is best for him financially. We know that. He has always presented himself as saying he's smarter than everybody else and he wants to pay as little as possible. It turns out some of that was true.

To me, I think the question on this isn't what Trump paid or did not, it's why the IRS didn't audit Donald Trump, as they had every year with previous presidents. That gets to a political corruption question that has nothing to do with what Donald Trump deducted or carried forward or anything like that. That's a very different issue that speaks to the Trump White House, not Donald Trump's taxes personally.

REID: Likely the subject of yet another investigation. Scott, I want to let you in.

JENNINGS: Yes. On this tax issue, I candidly think it's old news. I do think it seems a little vindictive by the Democrats without much legislative purpose. I mean, he's a rich guy, he's in real estate. I have assumed for many years his tax returns are going to look a lot different than the average Americans.

To me, the most germane thing politically about his future is do you believe he violated his oath of office on January 6th and in the aftermath and do you believe he's fit to hold that office again. I doubt very many Republican voters are going to take the tax returns into account, but they are going to have to reconcile whether you want o put him, knowing what we know now, back in the Oval Office given his performance as president.

REID: Well, a legislative purpose that was put forward was to see if the audit program was working, and one thing we've learned is that it was not. So, Scott Jennings and Doug Heye, thank you so much.

HEYE: Thank you. Happy New Year.

JENNIGNS: Thank you.

REID: Likewise.

[11:45:00]

Looking to cash in this New Year? The mega millions jackpot is still up for grabs after Friday's drawing failed to produce a winner. The jackpot stands at an estimated $785 million. That's the fourth largest pot in the game's history. Your next chance to win is Tuesday.

Now, coming up, an SNL alum pays tribute to the T.V. legend that she famously impersonated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHERI OTERI, FORMER CAST MEMBER, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE: I watched Barbara Walters' belly laugh. Like this woman was all business, and to see her belly laugh was one of the best moments of my life. And I was honored that it was at my expense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

REID: That is, of course, Anita Pointer leading the Pointer sisters in their 1982 hit, I'm So Excited. Anita's publicist told CNN that the singer died Saturday night in her Los Angeles home after a very heroic battle with cancer. Pointer was 74 years old and was surrounded by family when she passed. They released a statement saying, heaven is a more loving, beautiful place with Anita there.

She was one of the founding members of the Grammy-winning R&B group, remembered for other hits, such as Jump and Neutron Dance.

And Brazil is making preparations for the public wake for football legend Pele.

[11:50:00]

The ceremony will begin Monday at his stadium in Sao Paulo. State organizers have been setting up tents, chairs and banners across the field where Pele's body will be placed. Thousands of people are expected to show up and say their goodbyes.

Pele died last week after a battle with cancer. He scored more than 1,200 goals in his career and won three World Cup titles.

And the late Barbara Walters, frequently impersonated for her iconic interviewing skills and forthright demeanor, but some of the most notable portrayals belong to Saturday Night Live's Cheri Oteri. The former SNL cast member recounted her memories of the legendary T.V. journalist to CNN's Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OTERI: She just broke every journalistic barrier for women, and here she is asking me, Cheri, how do you do me? And I wasn't ready for that question. And I was like, uh -- and I just kind of blurted out, I go, well, um, usually, Barbara, when you give an interview, you do an interview, you usually give three compliments and then go in for the kill. You're a New York Times best-selling author, you are an accomplished and a celebrated concert pianist and a three-time Academy Award-winning actor, why the porn?

I feel like when she was leaving The View, the producers asked me if there was something that I would like to do. And I said, well, my dream would be to interview her as her. And they said that's not going to happen. And then like a week goes by and they called me, they go, she's in, she's going to do it. And I was just like, oh my gosh.

So, I'm sitting there, she's sitting across to me, we look exactly alike, we're just exactly alike, right? And she's making small talk with me and then she looks at her monitor and she goes, my hair, my hair, my hair, somebody, and then her hair and makeup people come in, and (INAUDIBLE) her up. They leave. And she's made some small talk with me again and then she looks at her monitor, she goes, my hair, why won't someone fix my hair? And I'm like sitting there, like, fix her hair.

And then, anyway -- and then they come in, (INAUDIBLE) up, leave again, and then we're getting our mics put on, and she says looks at her monitor, what the -- I'm a mess. Would someone fix my hair? Look at me. I'm a mess. And then they come in and then they lean in and go, Barbara, you're looking at Cheri's monitor.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: That's great.

OTERI: And, well, she just -- I watched Barbara Walter's belly laugh. Like this woman was all business, and to see her belly laugh was like one of the best moments of my life. And I was honored that it was at my expense.

ANDY COHEN, CNN HOST: We have a clip of the interview. Let's take a look.

BARBARA WALTERS, FORMER T.V. HOST: How do you think you will spend your time after leaving The View?

OTERI: Well, I've accomplished so much in my career, but there are certain things that I feel like I've missed out on, ordinary things, like -- I'd like to get a Costco card. I'd also like to visit the theme park, Magic Mountain, with my beloved, entrusted companion, Cha- Cha.

WALTERS: Thank you, Barbara. I'm so touched.

OTERI: Barbara, I have loved doing you. Uh-oh, it sounds like someone owes me dinner.

COOPER: That's incredible.

COHEN: You know, she didn't love the Gilda Radner impersonation. So, I think it was -- I mean, you should consider it --

OTERI: Honey, when I got her blessing, it just meant the world. You want to be respectful. And I thought I need to have like a totally different take on it. And so, you know, I studied how she was ability to let people take the walls down. And it was really giving them compliments, honest compliments, like what they have accomplished.

COOPER: Well, also, I mean, the crap that she had to deal with early in her career to get where she was, and persevered and just outworked, outlasted all these men -- I mean, she was in an old boys' network, not just one network, but, I mean, like in the entire business.

COHEN: Yes. You look at the clips of Harry Reasoner when she was his co-anchor, he was terrible to her.

COOPER: Yes.

COHEN: But watching the clips of all of her interviews, they were just watching them all last night, I mean, it really showed -- the Barbara Walters interviews were all -- they felt so big and important. And she just went in for the kill every time. It's just a joy to watch. I think anyone who interviews for a living can learn so much from looking at those --

[11:55:03]

OTERI: She had that ability to peel back the layers, the walls that people had up by making sure that they were seen, and their accomplishments were seen. And then that's why she could go in for the kill, you know what I mean, the uppercut? But they just trusted her because she had such integrity and character. She was a professional.

(END VIDEOTAPE) REID: A spokesperson tells CNN that Barbara Walters passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by her loved ones. She was 93 years old.

And Dionne Warwick is a musical 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 tonight at 9:00 P.M. Here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I met Dionne, we're going to record Mexican Divorce with the drifters, wanted to have a girl group in the background. And these four ladies came in. They were pretty awesome. I mean, the way they sounded, you couldn't tell who was the best singer. Dionne stood out. She sort of looked like could be a star.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They'd approached me and asked if I would be interested in doing my demonstration records of songs that he would be writing with Howell David (ph), a new songwriting partner. And I said, yes, well, I guess as long as it doesn't interfere with my education, because my mother will kill you and me too.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dionne came in to sing (INAUDIBLE) and myself, and we signed her right away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

REID: Make sure you tune in. Don't Make Me Over premiers in tonight at 9:00.

I'm Paula Reid. Thanks for joining us. I'll be back here at 10:00 P.M. Eastern.

State of the Union is next.

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