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McCarthy Sworn In As House Speaker On The 15th Ballot; Interview With Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-TX); Police: Six-Year-Old In Custody After Shooting Teacher In Classroom; Bills Damar Hamlin Has Breathing Tube Removed; Idaho Student Murders; More Than 15 Million People Under Flood Alerts in California; Iran Executes Two More Men in Connection with Anti-Regime Protests. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired January 07, 2023 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[11:00:27]
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. And Happy New Year. It's my first time seeing you.
I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
It's official. After a grueling 15 rounds of voting, the House of Representatives has a new speaker.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): The gentleman from the great state of California and the next speaker of the 118th Congress, Kevin McCarthy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Newly elected speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy grabbing the gavel after four days of voting, the longest speaker contest in 164 years. Despite the sometimes contentious days of negotiations with a narrow faction of his conference, Republicans in the end rallied around McCarthy and his vision for America.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I make this promise. I'll never give up for you, the American people. And I will never give up on keeping our commitment to America.
Our nation is worth fighting for. Our rights are worth fighting for. Our dreams are worth fighting for. Our future is worth fighting for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: CNN's Eva McKend is live for us on Capitol Hill. Good to see you, Eva. Happy New Year. What a way to begin the new year, right?
I mean, how did -- you know, what's the secret behind how McCarthy eventually got the votes that he needed? EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER: Well Fred, essentially he
had to convince those hard-liners, those conservatives, those never Kevin lawmakers to vote present. That is ultimately how he got over the finish line in the 11th hour.
I don't even know if you could call it that. Probably past the 11th hour to convince those Republicans. But also it was key concessions that he had to make. You know, something that actually both Democratic and Republican rank and file members lament is that they don't have enough time to read the bills. One of the things that he agreed to was really to stick to that 72-hour rule to allow to read a bill.
He's also going to put some of his detractors, some of these hard line conservatives on the powerful House Rules Committee.
And then also important, Fred, now it just takes -- it will take just one member to call for a vote to potentially oust the speaker. You know, Matt Gaetz, one of his key detractors said that he wanted to -- if Kevin McCarthy ultimately secured the speakership he wanted him do so in a straitjacket. And you can see what these many concessions how essentially that is exactly what his tenure is going to look like.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCARTHY: Now what happened was it became a tie and I really think -- Matt had talked to me before, Matt really wanted to get everybody there. So look, through all of this, people's emotions go up and down. And at the end of the night Matt got everybody there from the point that nobody voted against the other way. So it actually helped unite people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKEND: So the next key test for this group is if they can agree on House rules. They will have to vote on House rules on Monday.
WHITFIELD: Already a lot to do right away. I mean, it's been quite the delay. So Eva, you know, there obviously was a lot of drama and tension on the House floor during the voting, in between voting. Is there a way to summarize what happened?
MCKEND: So this was a remarkable moment when Mike Rogers of Alabama essentially lunged at -- appeared to lunge at Matt Gaetz. He was restrained by Richard Hudson of North Carolina. And this was between the 14th and 15th vote.
Of course, that 15th vote the last vote that ultimately where Kevin McCarthy secured the speakership. But I think that that just speaks to the frustration here on Capitol Hill.
The vast majority of Republicans were willing to support McCarthy long ago, but these hard-liners were really sticking to their guns and not moving.
And you know, that is why we saw Rogers (ph) actually who I have seen for many years here on Capitol Hill. I believe he has been up here over 20 years. This seemed really uncharacteristic of him. But it really speaks to the frustration, I think many people were just at their boiling point, Fred.
[11:04:51]
WHITFIELD: Yes. Well, that is not a picture I'm sure that anyone will be proud of. And on the second anniversary of the January 6th insurrection. So that's a tough one to turn away from.
Eva McKend, thank you so much.
So with the House speaker now in place, the House's new members were finally sworn in overnight after days of waiting.
Joining us right now freshman Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz, the first woman and the first Republican to ever represent Texas' 15th district. Congresswoman, welcome. Good to see you. Congratulations.
REP. MONICA DE LA CRUZ (R-TX): Thank you. I am so excited to be here with you and finally get to work.
WHITFIELD: Well, fantastic. Well, finally because boy, you were an eyewitness, up close and personal, to something the entire world was engaged in. There was a lot of drama over the last four days.
So tell me what it was like for you. Here you were waiting to be sworn in, but never could you have imagined that you would have to see 15 votes happen, lots of tumult on Capitol Hill before a House speaker would be selected and before you would be sworn in.
So what were your expectations of what it would be like to be on Capitol Hill?
DE LA CRUZ: Well, look, of course we wanted to be sworn in on January 3rd. And there was a lot of excitement surrounding that date with family and friends around.
But look, we live in a democracy. This is not Cuba or China where there is a dictatorship. In fact, this is a democracy where we can have open discussion, praise God, and discuss what's on our mind, finally come to consensus and move forward.
And you saw democracy play out over the last week and come to a consensus in the wee hours of the morning. And now we are ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work.
WHITFIELD: So was it consensus or was it arm twisting? I mean how do you describe what you witnessed?
DE LA CRUZ: Well look, we have to compromise and hear each other's thoughts and concerns, and then come together with that. This is not a dictatorship where one person gets to decide everything for the entire conference.
So I'm glad that there was robust conversation. I'm glad that there was difference of thought. That's what America's all about. Coming together with different thoughts and backgrounds and ideas of what works for the 118th Congress. So we saw it play out just as it should.
WHITFIELD: And you were onboard with a House speaker McCarthy, but clearly you had to have heard a lot of conversations, you had to have witnessed what seemed like a lot of anxiety and angst and a lot of persuasion taking place.
Did any of what you experienced color or prepare you for what's ahead or perhaps even was it just overall an eye-opening experience for you? Are you ready for this?
DE LA CRUZ: I am a small business owner and so I come from an area that you have to have thoughtfulness in coming to conclusion. And I think that is what happened yesterday.
You know, of course, I am now inside the game and seeing the different personalities, the different thought processes and what should and should not happen.
I like -- I was in the front row of this. And so I believe that yesterday was eye-opening. I'm glad we were finally able to elect a speaker together and move forward because really that's what the country wants. They want change.
They don't want 4,000-page bills where we don't have time to read it. They want to change in this process. And I think we saw that actually happen yesterday. And I'm excited about getting started on Monday.
WHITFIELD: Does this exemplify, the process, what the world just witnessed the last four days, does it in any way, exemplify what governing is going to be like for you, a new lawmaker, and for the vets who remain?
DE LA CRUZ: Well, what this shows us that each individual voice is important and every vote is important. So as a representative of my community, even being a freshman, we have a powerful voice when it comes to legislation and bills that are coming across the table and in front of Congress.
And I think that just goes to show it doesn't matter if you are a freshman or a vet, as you said, a mature congressman who has done this many years. Our voice and our vote counts.
[11:09:59]
DE LA CRUZ: And I think you saw the power of that yesterday and throughout the week where we had five freshmen who were standing against McCarthy, but eventually came over.
So what we're going to see is the power of our vote in the 118.
WHITFIELD: The 118. That must feel really good to be a part of that. It makes history in a lot of ways. This Congress is the most diverse in history. It includes a record number of women and Latino members. So what -- and Latinas -- what does it mean for you to be a part of that? DE LA CRUZ: Well, as the granddaughter of a farmworker, a small
business owner and a single mom, I am just so honored to represent my community. And I look forward to showing my community what we together can do and working in a bipartisan manner to get legislation through that will impact our community, our farmworkers, our small business owners, and our border patrol agents. And I look forward to getting to work on Monday.
WHITFIELD: President Biden is taking a trip to the southern border tomorrow. His first stop there since taking office. Your district encompasses some of the Rio Grande Valley.
So what do you hope the president learns? What do you hope he sees? How influential are you hoping it might be on any decisions or agenda that he has?
DE LA CRUZ: Well, I welcome President Biden to the Lone Star State and could not be more pleased that he is coming. In fact, just two weeks ago I sent the president a letter and I urged him to come to Texas and see what was happening in our border.
I hope that President Biden takes the opportunity to meet with border patrol agents, families that are affected by this crisis, ranch or small business owners, and that he really hears from the people that are most impacted by the crisis and really the catastrophe that is happening by his open borders plan.
WHITFIELD: Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz, congratulations again. Great to see you. Thanks for joining us. Appreciate it.
DE LA CRUZ: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: Something else very shocking happened late yesterday. A 6- year-old boy is now in custody after police say he shot a teacher at an elementary school in Newport News, Virginia. According to authorities, the student and teacher were involved in an altercation when the 6-year-old, who had a firearm, fired a single round hitting her.
CNN's Gloria Pazmino is following this story for us.
So Gloria, investigators say this was not an accidental shooting, but are there explanations as to how this 6-year-old had a gun in the first place?
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fred. Shocking, disturbing and many questions still unanswered about exactly what led to this incident.
I want to just start out with what we know as of right now. It started shortly after 2:00 yesterday during the school session. Police say that there was an altercation, as you mentioned, between this teacher and this 6-year-old student. That means it was happening inside a first grade classroom, Fred.
Police tell us that there was the argument and then that student pulled out a gun, fired a single shot into this teacher, a woman who was immediately transported to the hospital in critical condition. Last we heard she was making some positive recovery. And as you said, that student is in custody.
Now, we are also hearing from local officials who said that the shooting was contained to the inside of that classroom and that immediately after it happened the rest of the school went into lockdown and the rest of the staff made sure that everybody was safe. Eventually, students were reunited with their parents.
This community going through a shocking series of events yesterday. Parents were concerned about the safety of their children. I want to just play a little bit of sound from one of the local school officials describing the aftermath of this incident.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. GEORGE PARKER III, NEWPORT NEWS PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT: I'm in awe and I'm in shock. And I'm disheartened. And I really feel that we need to educate our children and we need to keep them safe and that's what our school division is about and that's the whole mission of our school division.
[11:14:50]
PARKER III: So today did not -- was really a breakdown in what our values are as a community, what our values are as a city and what our values are as a school division. And we need to make sure we never see instances like this to happen again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAZMINO: We are waiting to learn more about how that teacher is recovering, but also Fred, the main question here, how that 6-year-old student got his hands on a hand gun, why they brought it to school, how they were able to do this. of course, what, if any, role the parents of this child played.
Much more to come on that part of the investigation, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Yes. It's just so sad no matter which way you look at it. All right. Gloria Pazmino, thank you so much.
Still ahead, unbelievable strides from Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin. We'll bring you the latest on his condition next.
Plus, stunning new details in the case of the Idaho college murders. Unsealed court documents reveal shocking testimony from a roommate who survived the night of the stabbings. And what police knew about the suspect as they tracked him down. Details straight ahead.
[11:15:55]
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WHITFIELD: Welcome back. Authorities have identified the suspect wanted for the shooting of a
Scottsdale, Arizona police officer. 37-year-old Kenneth Hern allegedly shot the detective when police were attempting to execute a search warrant at a Phoenix apartment last night.
Police describe Hern as a violent criminal who should be considered armed and dangerous. They say the wounded officer is expected to survive his injuries.
And the Buffalo Bills and the NFL will feature tributes for Damar Hamlin during the weekend games, which kick off in just the next few hours. This comes as the Bills' safety continues to make a remarkable recovery after suffering a cardiac arrest on the field during Monday's game.
Hamlin is now breathing on his own after having a breathing tube removed late Thursday. The 24-year-old also surprised his teammates in Buffalo yesterday facetiming with them on a phone from his hospital bed in Cincinnati.
And we've got a team of reporters covering these developments for us. It's so great to be able to smile about everything involving Damar.
Adrienne Broaddus is standing by live at the hospital in Cincinnati. And Coy Wire is a former Buffalo Bill. I guess always a Buffalo Bill. But he is at the Buffalo Bills stadium. And we are going to go to you first, Coy. What are you hearing? And you are smiling, too, and I love that.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes. Once a Bill, always a Bill. That's what we say -- thank you for that, Fred.
Yesterday was a really good day, surprised with that video message from the hospital that you talked about. He was flexing, he was holding up heart hands.
The players jumped out of their seats, they were hooting and hollering and they were able to go out to do a full practice yesterday. They were hugging and smiling on the practice field.
But as our Sanjay Gupta has noted, when someone is critically ill or injured there can be good days and there can be some not so good days. And the team is well aware of that. Here is Dion Dawkins, star offensive lineman though talking about welcoming a day of really good news.
DION DAWKINS, BUFFALO BILLS: It's a positive energy right now for whatever roller coaster you want to call it. We are on a positive ride right now where we got to see our guy and we got to see smile and that's literally all we wanted, you know? Like he is here with us and that's all that we can ask for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Just over 24 hours from now those players are going to step out on that field, Fred, for the first time since that haunting scene. There will be uncertainty. There will be doubt. There will be fears or tears coming from players. And including two games (INAUDIBLE) today, any sign of injury that we see, it's going to be met by bated breath from fans and players alike.
This has been an emotional roller coaster, Fred. But as sports so often reminds us, through adversity we often see the best in humanity. There has been so much compassion, empathy, grace, and strength. And these players will continue to bring everyone a little closer, especially Number 3, Damar Hamlin. We will welcome the continued good news.
WHITFIELD: And that's so great. And I love the 3, the reference to 3. I mean, you know, his number. But I love that people, you know, Dion was even calling him just 3. And we're going to see that number 3 in a whole lot of places today throughout the weekend at many games, right, Coy?
I mean, already even in Atlanta you see the 3 up at State Farm Arena, you know, right outside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. So tributes far and wide for him.
WIRE: Absolutely. They painted the 30 yard line. You'll see the 3 highlighted even on those fields today that you will see. The players will walk in with love for Damar, the number 3 on shirts and the Bills will wear right on their hearts a patch on game day with the number 3.
WHITFIELD: I love that. Thank you, Coy.
All right. Let's go now to Adrienne Broaddus in Cincinnati where 3 is, you know, being celebrated there too. And of course all of the medical team members, I mean, the whole city is coming out to celebrate him. What are you learning about his condition?
ADRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Fred. Number 3 is number one in the hearts of so many, especially his family who has been at his side here at the hospital every step of the way. His Uncle Dorian sending me a text saying his nephew is truly blessed. He is still under intensive care. However, he will have a remarkable testimony now that the breathing tube has been removed and he is talking and communicating.
Magnificent milestones this week and doctors treating him here at the hospital say it all goes back to what happened on that field Monday night. The quick response by the medical team, who was there at the game, recognizing that something was seriously wrong, so quickly is rare, but that led to Hamlin's survival according to his doctors here.
Let's hear some of those moments.
[11:25:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go ahead and go over to the cot. I don't like how he went down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to need everybody. All call. All call.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need airway.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come bring everybody. We need everyone out, everybody.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bring the cot with the medics, all of you, and get wheeled out here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Field medic.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go ahead for field medic.
(INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need another medic in the back, please. Need a medic in the back of the bus.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Affirmative, we are right outside the gate.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm on my way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROADDUS: And you hear in that audio that was captured those first responders, despite the chaos, remained calm. Doctors saying had the response taken any longer, if it had been seconds longer, the outcome could have been different, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Wow. Yes, that quick thinking, critical quick thinking and that everybody remained calm and seemed like they knew exactly what to do. Thank goodness for all that.
Adrienne Broaddus, Coy Wire -- thanks so much. Going to check back with you all.
So what happened to Damar Hamlin? Well, it's not the only tragedy Buffalo has faced in recent months. Maybe tragedy is not the right word, but a lot has happened to Buffalo recently.
CNN's Brian Todd takes a look at the hard times the city has endured and the resilience of its residents.
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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Damar Hamlin's injury once again uniting a city facing adversity.
DAWKINS: It's a dramatically unique thing that has happened and we're all going through it together and honestly the entire world is.
TODD: many Buffalonians, normally a stoic, tough group could be forgiven for asking why us? A feeling Hamlin's teammate Dion Dawkins seemed to reflect in an interview with Wolf Blitzer. DAWKINS: All of the things that we have gone through this entire year
from the start to now, it has been just constant, you know, beating for Buffalo.
TODD: Three traumatic events in the span of less than eight months have staggered what's known as the city of good neighbors. In May, a racist gunman killed ten people and wounded three others in a mass shooting at the Top's friendly market in east Buffalo.
The city rallied, including Buffalo Bills players, who visited the site and delivered food to residents in need near the shuttered store.
Seven plus months after the shooting, another blow to the city. A crippling winter storm killed more than 40 people in Buffalo and the surrounding county. As residents started to dig out, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown reflected.
MAYOR BYRON BROWN, BUFFALO, NEW YORK: It was a painful year for all of us and we move forward into 2023 as a resilient community, as a strong community, as a community that has lifted itself up through all of these challenges.
TODD: Buffalo residents were still dealing with the aftereffects of that storm when Hamlin's injury occurred on Monday night football. And as Geneva Smith-Johnson who knew five of the Tops Supermarket shooting victims notes, all these traumas were beyond the control of Buffalonians.
GENEVA SMITH-JOHNSON, BUFFALO, NEW YORK RESIDENT: You can't control the weather. So it happened. Unfortunately, we can't control people. I'm referring about the May 14th incident. There was no way to control or stop that from happening.
And then with the injury, I don't know how you can prepare for something that's unexpected, how can you control things that's like beyond your control.
TODD: But church deacon Jeffrey Peace, who worked with one of the shooting victims, says the city will rebound.
JEFFREY PEACE, CHURCH DEACON: We bounce back. We continue. We don't stop functioning. We don't shut down. We get together. We put a plan together. And what do we have to do to put things back to normal.
TODD: Buffalo Bills fans themselves are known for their compassion and their charity towards others, even rivals in times of need.
In 2021, they donated money to the favorite charity of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson after he was injured in a game against the Bills.
Damar Hamlin himself had started a GoFundMe toy drive campaign in 2020. Since his injury Monday night, several million dollars have poured into it.
Brian Todd, CNN -- Washington. (END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Yes, that city going through a lot of trauma. A lot of pain in such a short amount of time especially.
All right. We're leading new details, meantime, about the suspect in the Idaho murders. Up next, what investigators are saying about his actions in the days leading up to the stabbings and how they narrowed their sights on him.
[11:29:48]
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WHITFIELD: All right. New details are emerging on what suspect Bryan Kohberger was doing after allegedly stabbing to death four University of Idaho students. Sources tell CNN that he was seen thoroughly cleaning his car, inside and out, wearing surgical gloves outside his family's Pennsylvania home as well as putting garbage in the neighbors' trash bins.
Court documents are also giving us some insight into the evidence investigators have discovered. An affidavit shows police found DNA on a knife sheath at the crime scene that matched DNA found in trash at Kohberger's family home.
In addition, a roommate told officers that she saw a masked figure with bushy eyebrows on the night of the attack.
And phone records showed the suspect was near the victim's home at least a dozen times.
[11:34:49]
WHITFIELD: Let's bring in now Tracy Walder. She is a former CIA officer and a former FBI special agent. Tracy so good to see you.
So I want to ask you about all of the things that we have been learning about the suspect. But I do want to caution viewers that there are some graphic details that could come up in our conversation. So I do want you to be braced for that.
So Tracy, what does it tell you that the suspect was allegedly around the house multiple times before the killings?
TRACY WALDER, FORMER FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Well, thank you so much for having me, Fredricka. So, what that does tell me is that he was indeed, unfortunately, stalking these victims. Because what's also important is the absence of cellular information during that timeframe of the killings that you mentioned. So to have your cellphone ping around that area when you don't live in that vicinity, his vicinity at WSU would have hit on a different cellphone tower.
12 pings in the timeframe leading up to the killings, in the months leading up to the killings, that's significant. So what's also significant is that there was no cellphone activity for two hours. WHITFIELD: Is it your suspicion that there was some sort of
interaction? I mean, you are, you know, using the word "stalking". There was some interest that he allegedly had in these victims.
Do you feel like it may have been precipitated by some interaction? I mean how would you examine the evidence to discern that?
WALDER: So one of the best ways to get information to discern that would actually be social media. You know, had he had any interactions just in terms of liking things on their social media or vice versa.
I do believe, and I have always kind of aspired to this theory and agreed with this theory, that he came into contact, but it was most likely brief. It may not have even piqued the radar of the victims. And I believe that's probably how he selected one, two, or all of them as his targets.
So social media would really come into play there as well as witness testimony of any interactions.
WHITFIELD: And then investigators clearly are probably still poring over all the social media, you know, presence of any and all of the victims. And I recall hearing from many who have looked at a lot of the Instagram, there was a lot of information there. There is a lot of activity that has been posted by these victims.
So police say Kohberger, he also cleaned his car very carefully and also took care of disposing of trash at his parents' house.
So we know that he had been studying criminology. What does all of this tell you about his awareness, you know, perhaps using information he has learned as a student, I mean, preparing himself for not just the crime allegedly, but for afterwards?
WALDER: You know what's fascinating about that, Fredricka is, I'm actually an adjunct faculty of criminal justice at Texas Christian University. And it's surprising to me how much he didn't learn necessarily.
The reality is, and we teach all students, trash becomes public property once it's out there on the street because the fact that he was trying to circumnavigate that and place it into neighbors' trash cans is a bit shocking to me, quite frankly.
And then also the fact that he was doing so in the reports I read on CNN, you know, at 4:00 a.m., you know, FBI, myself included, we run surveillance all hours of the day. So he had to have known or suspected that he would have been watched had he done something like that.
I do believe that he is arrogant and has an ego big enough to think that he is smarter than everyone else and that he had outsmarted the system.
WHITFIELD: Yes. And as you really paint the picture on that it makes me rethink the cellphone pings. Obviously, that is something that you would learn, too, as a student of criminology, all of the things that would be indicators that eventually can be evidence of your whereabouts and how he probably should have known that but I guess didn't.
So a roommate in the house identified by the document as DM said a masked person walked right past her. She opened up the door and, you know, she recalls the bushy eyebrows, but that he didn't harm her but that it was described that she kind of froze.
I mean, what does that moment tell you about maybe is it the element of surprise or is there anything about familiarity or what do you dissect from that moment?
WALDER: So I dissect a couple things from that moment. First of all, a lot of people are being quite harsh to that young lady. And we don't know what we would do in a situation like that.
I truly think that he probably didn't see her. I believe that she saw him. I looked at the floor plan of the house again just to kind of figure out what that angle would have looked like.
[11:40:00]
WALDER: I believe that after he most likely killed Xana (ph) and Ethan (ph), he was just looking to get straight out of that house. And if she just had her door cracked a little bit, he very well may not have seen her. And I think that she completely froze at that point. So in my opinion, that's what happened there.
But I do believe Kohberger was probably familiar with the house in that he had to go all the way to up the third floor for two of the victims.
WHITFIELD: Yes. All fascinating and just so unsettling and sad.
All right. Tracy Walder, thanks for your insight. Really appreciate it.
WALDER: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Welcome back.
The West Coast is gearing up to be battered again this weekend. More than 15 million people across the state are under flood alert as heavy rainfall and storms are expected to hit the area.
[11:44:59]
WHITFIELD: CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar is live for us from the Weather Center. Oh, boy, here we go again. Or here they go again, Allison. ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And it's going to be and again
and again and again because you've got multiple rounds over the next five to seven days of different storm systems that will be pushing in to pretty much the same spots.
Right now we've got the rain, it's across areas of northern and central California but also some portions of Oregon and Washington also getting some rain and yes, some heavy snow.
The long-term concern is, obviously, going to be flooding because not only have we had a tremendous amount of rain the last two weeks, but now we are adding more to it. So that ground is already saturated.
We've got this red area here indicating a moderate threat and the yellow area a slight threat for excessive rainfall not just today but likely for the next several days. That first system pushing into the area today. The focus here is going to be Oregon, northern and central California.
That system begins to exit a tiny little bit of a break in the first half of the day Sunday. But by the time we get to Sunday night the secondary system now begins to move in and the focus there is going to be across northern and central California.
Overall, when we talk about rain amounts, a lot of these areas widespread 4 to 6 inches of rainfall. That is on top of in some areas 10 to 12 inches of what they have had in just the last two weeks. Snowfall amounts even higher. We're going to be measuring in the Sierras of 1 to 3 feet total.
So that's why you've got these winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories. This is going to make travel incredibly difficult if not impossible if you were going say between San Francisco and Reno.
But the long-term concern is certainly just going to be all of the rain. Not just today, but also Sunday and Monday. We have additional excessive rainfall threats across many of the same areas. The thing to note, too, is when that ground is already saturated it doesn't take a very strong wind to bring down trees or knock down power lines.
So Fred, that's the thing. The winds may only be 40 to 60 miles per hour, but with that ground already saturated that is plenty to bring down additional trees and cause additional power outages.
WHITFIELD: Yes. Big problems. All right. Allison Chinchar, thanks so much.
Iran has executed two more people in connection with protests that spread across the country. We'll hear why they, unfortunately, may not be the last as the regime cracks down -- crackdown continues, rather.
[11:47:17]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: All right. This is very unsettling information. Iran has hung two more men, both in their 20s, in connection with the anti- regime protests that have swept across the country. As many as 41 more protesters have been sentenced to death in Iran according to statements from both Iranian officials and Iranian media. But that number could be much higher.
CNN's Nada Bashir is with us right now. Sorry about that, Nada. So what do we know about these two men?
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Fredricka, yet more tragic news coming out of Iran as you laid out there. Two individuals now executed by hanging earlier this morning -- young men.
We had Mohammad Mahdi Karami, a 21-year-old Iranian-Kurdish karate champion, and Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini, just 22 years old, a volunteer coach for children. Both are said to have taken part in the ongoing protest movement which has swept the country since September and they were convicted in November by the Iranian judiciary for allegedly killing a member of the Basij, that is Iran's paramilitary force.
Now we have heard from rights groups and legal advocates who say that the Iranian authorities used forced confessions as evidence against these two individuals and have reported of course mistreatment and torture faced by these two individuals while in detention.
We heard from one lawyer who has been advocating on behalf of one of those who was executed today saying that he was on a hunger strike from Wednesday, a dry-food hunger strike, rather, in protest against the Iranian authorities' refusal of legal representation and that he had been denied the final rights of speaking with his family.
We heard from Karami's parents back in December in a video message pleading for their son's life. They have reported according to Amnesty that he faced torture while in detention. But as you laid out, the concern now is that there are dozens more as CNN understands it who could be facing execution by the Iranian authorities for their participation in this protest movement.
The U.N., E.U. and other international bodies calling on the Iranian regime urgently, to bring an end to these executions, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Nada, at the center of many of the protests is women wearing the hijab and many women saying they don't want to be forced to wear the hijab. So has there been any shift, any messaging coming from Iranian leaders on any potential shift?
BASHIR: Look, we've heard mixed messaging coming from the Iranian authorities around potential shifts in the policy, around potential relaxations of the (INAUDIBLE). But at this stage, I think pressure (ph) is continuing.
What we do continue to see is that evidence of the regime continuing its violent crackdown, particularly against women who choose to remove their hijab. Many women of course still at the forefront of this movement, playing a key role in spearheading their call for further rights not only for women and young girls but for the Iranian people in general.
That demand continues and as we continue to see this crackdown intensifying further, executions, we are still seeing Iranian people taking to the streets protesting, Fredricka.
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WHITFIELD: Nada Bashir, thank you so much.
And this quick programming note. "WHO'S TALKING TO CHRIS WALLACE" returns for a new season of conversation with newsmakers, luminaries, and Hollywood legends. Hugh Jackman and James Cameron join Chris for the season premiere tomorrow night at 7:00 right here on CNN.
And we'll be right back.
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WHITFIELD: Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano is erupting again. Scientists say the volcano is showing activity after a brief pause last month for the first time since September 2021.
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WHITFIELD: The ongoing eruption remains confined to a crater within the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and officials say there is no threat to communities nearby.
