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More than One Million People are Without Power in Eastern United States Due to Storm System; Some People Stranded in San Bernardino Mountains Due to Heavy Snow; Alex Murdaugh Sentenced to Life in Prison for Killing His Wife and Son; Russian and Ukrainian Forces Battle for Ukrainian City of Bakhmut. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired March 04, 2023 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[10:00:30]
AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. It is Saturday, March 4th. I'm Amara Walker.
PAULA REID, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Paula Reid in for Boris Sanchez. Amara, so great to be with you this morning.
WALKER: Good to be with you, as well.
And you are live in the CNN Newsroom. This morning, more than a million people are without power in the eastern United States as a deadly storm system continues to move north. In the last 24 hours, at least 12 people were killed in multiple states due to the severe weather that brought tornadoes and major flooding to parts of the south.
REID: The majority of those deaths were in Kentucky where hurricane force winds toppled trees and even toppled tractor-trailer trucks. In Indiana, the high winds tore the roof off of a church. And in one town, a man says God saved his life after a tornado swept through his property but left him and his home untouched.
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JOE HURST, STORM SURVIVOR: The backdoor started shaking. The house started shaking. And then I couldn't see nothing but white. We didn't even have time to get anywhere. It was right on top of us, the house was shaking, we were all close together in the middle room of the house, still. But wow, this is the craziest thing I've ever been involved in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: I bet it is. That powerful storm is dumping heavy snowfall now across portions of New England.
WALKER: And CBS's Allison Chinchar joins us now. Allison, some places have already seen a foot of snow powder. How much more snowfall could there be?
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it is a really good point. At least three states have actually had locations picking up over a foot, and the snow is still coming down. Most of these areas likely to pick up an additional two to five inches on top of what they have already had. The concern here is how heavy some of these snow bans are, especially across areas of New England. So New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, stretching down into Massachusetts still dealing with that snow. The concern is mixing in the wind, with that wind and the blowing snow is reducing visibility and making it very difficult to drive. But even farther south away from the snow, you still have that wind component. A lot of these areas looking at winds around 40 to 50 miles per hour, gusting even as high as 60 to 70 miles per hour. That could bring more trees down, which could lead to more power outages, and we already have over a million people without power stretching across numerous states here. So the last you want is for that number to tick up even more.
The good news is this system is finally going to end tonight. The vast majority of folks will see an end to the precipitation once we get to around dinner time tonight, winds also starting to calm down a little bit, but certainly by the time you go to bed this evening, the bulk of that storm now pushes offshore, finally making an end to it there.
Other than the wind, that's the only component that's going to linger across the east. The next system is actually taking shape out into the west coast which will start to bring us additional areas of rain and snow across the west coast, especially to California. But it will begin, ladies, across Washington and Oregon as we go through the day today.
REID: Allison Chinchar, thank you.
And right now, the California National Guard is in the San Bernardino mountains to help dig out from the epic amounts of snowfall.
REID: Yes, once again we are talking about the San Bernardino mountains, not exactly a common place to see this at all. We're seeing more than seven feet of snow in some places, and there have been reports of people trapped in their homes with snow piled as high as the second story window. CNN's Camila Bernal with more.
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DEREK HAYES, STRANDED IN SNOW: At first it was really frustrated, but now it's to the point where we're somewhat scared.
CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Derek Hayes trapped in mountains of southern California after an epic winter storm.
HAYES: There is nowhere to put the snow. There is no way to walk around it. It is up to my neck in a lot of places. You take a step, you sink all the way down and you have to crawl yourself back out of the snow to try to get on top of it to even move around.
BERNAL: Derek just one of many who are stranded. HANNAH WHITEOAK, STRANDED IN SNOW: It's pretty unfathomable.
BERNAL: The only thing they can do is just wait for help.
CHARLENE BERMUDEZ, STRANDED IN SNOW: It's just crazy. There's no way to get out anywhere.
BERNAL: Their concerns -- food, heat, medical emergencies or medicine, and food for their pets just to name a few.
The San Bernardino mountains do get plenty of snow in the winter, but the past few weeks have been unprecedented, with the National Weather Service issuing its first-ever blizzard warning.
[10:05:07]
ROMAN DURAN, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL: Our main concern right now is to try to get the infrastructure up the mountain to be able to clear some of these roadways so that we can essentially get the people that live up there back to their houses, and the people that are stuck up there, back down.
BERNAL: Emergency crews so far carrying out roughly 100 rescues. Governor Gavin Newsom also declaring a state of emergency for San Bernardino County and 12 others, activating the National Guard. Residents say lives are in danger.
BERMUDEZ: We're actually going to be getting a neighbor out of his house. He's a cancer patient who is elderly, and he has a doctor's appointment that he is going to try and get to.
BERNAL: Some have been shoveling nonstop.
WHITEOAK: We got in the truck for the fourth time.
BERNAL: But not all are able to do so.
WHITEOAK: It's one of the roughest, roughest experiences, and you go into survival mode. And you just keep pushing through. I feel incredibly bad for anyone that hasn't got that physical presence.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
BERNAL (on camera): And we know that members of the National Guard are already up in the mountains. They're trying to clear the roads. That is the biggest priority, getting people in and out of the mountains. We have also heard from authorities that it is still going to take some time, they say it could take about a week to completely clear everything out. They are apologizing for not being quicker, but they're asking for patience and say that they are making progress. Amara, Paula?
REID: Our thanks to Camila Bernal for that report.
And joining me now, California assemblyman who represents San Bernardino County, Tom Lackey. Assemblyman Lackey, thank you so much for joining us. We know you've been speaking with residents, who are trapped inside their homes. What are you hearing?
ASSEMBLYMAN TOM LACKEY, SAN BERNARDINO AND LOS ANGELES COUNTY: Well, you hear a lot of frustration, quite honestly, and you can sympathize with them and just imagine the enormity of the challenge that is associated with feeling very cold and feeling very trapped. And unless you've prepared for being isolated for a period of time, it's a very, very difficult set of circumstances. And you think help is on the way, and you wait for a couple of day, and help has not arrived. And so it's a very frustrating set of circumstances.
REID: Absolutely. And a lot of concerns this morning that people are running out of food, water, medicine, and gas. So how are authorities helping people get what they need?
LACKEY: Well, the first thing we need to do is clear roadways. And the enormity of this storm is highly, highly unusual. You've got to remember, we're in southern California, and we're used to a little bit of snow, but 10 feet of snow in a short period of time creates quite a calamity. And there's only just a few arteries that allow access to this region.
You've got to remember, this is about 75 miles directly east of Los Angeles, and so the weather is usually quite tempered. But you're also talking about elevations now from five to almost 10,000 feet. And so it's a highly unusual set of circumstances there, and the storm really exposed a situation that we're just not used to.
REID: Absolutely. As Camila just reported, it could take weeks to clear the roadways. How are you doing that? Are you having to borrowing plows from neighboring counties? It takes a lot of equipment to clear these roads. How are you going about this?
LACKEY: Yes, there is a great cooperative effort that is being organized by -- we got Chief Munsey from the San Bernardino County Fire Department. You've got Sheriff Shannon Dicus who are organizing a unified command that are addressing these needs in a very systematic manner, and they're also working with state resources, the Cal Guard, the California National Guard, the Office of Emergency Services, and there's quite a coordinated effort, Cal Trans, California Highway Patrol, and there is just a lot of activity going on and they're working feverishly. You got some professional personnel that have gone days without sleep that are just working just a lot of hours together, and it is very vigorous work.
REID: Absolutely. Now, before you were an assemblyman, you were with the California Highway Patrol for nearly 30 years. Have you ever experienced a storm like this in your time of service as a first responder?
LACKEY: The only thing close to this, we do have a lot of fires that we've had to manage. But we've never dealt with snow. So this is a new challenge that we've had snowstorms that we've managed to some degree, but nothing like this. This is -- the enormity of this thing is pretty overwhelming, and it is probably going to be at least a week before a lot of these people get the relief that they deserve.
[10:10:00]
REID: Now, as we talked about, this is a novelty in this area, and some people may be thinking, all this snow fell, what a perfect time to go to the mountains. What is your message to anyone thinking like that?
LACKEY: Yes, well, I would certainly discourage anybody that thinks that snow play is an option. A lot of times we have people that come -- are fascinating by snow because we don't get it that routinely, and they run up there with their trash bags and they get in the way. And so we would ask all people to stay out of the interference, and please be respectful of the challenges that's before all the personnel that are addressing these issues.
REID: I hope people heed that warning. Tom Lackey, thank you so much.
LACKEY: All right, thank you for paying attention.
WALKER: Well, former South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh will spend the rest of his life behind bars. He was given two consecutive life sentences with no possibility of parole at a hearing yesterday. Murdaugh was taken for processing immediately after the sentence was handed down, and he will undergo medical tests and mental assessments before being sent to a maximum security prison. CNN's Dianne Gallagher has more.
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JUDGE CLIFTON NEWMAN, SOUTH CAROLINA CIRCUIT COURT: I sentence you for the term of the rest of your natural life.
DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Two consecutive life sentences for disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh for the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul, the end of a dramatic six-week trial.
NEWMAN: Mr. Murdaugh --
GALLAGHER: Murdaugh spoke in court, again saying he did not kill his wife and son.
ALEX MURDAUGH, CONVICTED OF MURDERING WIFE AND SON: I'm innocent, I would never hurt my wife Maggie, and I would never hurt my son Paul Paul.
GALLAGHER: But Judge Clifton Newman offered a different take.
NEWMAN: It might not have been you. It might have been the monster you've become. When you take 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 opioid pills, maybe you become another person.
GALLAGHER: Judge Newman saying this trial was, quote, one of the most troubling cases of his career.
NEWMAN: I know you have to see Paul and Maggie during the nighttime when you're attempting to go to sleep. I'm sure they come and visit you. I'm sure. MURDAUGH: All day and every night.
NEWMAN: I'm sure.
GALLAGHER: The prosecutor again pointing out Murdaugh's lies.
CREIGHTON WATERS, LEAD PROSECUTOR: The lack of remorse and the Effortless way in which he lies, including here sitting right over there in this witness stand.
GALLAGHER: Friday's sentencing comes just one day after the jury found Murdaugh guilty of two counts of murder and two weapons charges.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Guilty verdict.
GALLAGHER: One juror spoke to ABC News about the jury's decision, saying the cell phone video placing him at the scene sealed Murdaugh's fate.
CRAIG MOYER, JUROR: The evidence was clear. You hear his voice clearly, and everybody else could too.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So it took basically 45 minutes for you guys to come to a decision.
MOYER: Probably about 45, maybe an hour.
GALLAGHER: Craig Moyer also saying Murdaugh's reactions during the trial were not convincing.
MOYER: His responses, how quick he was with the defense, and his lies, steady lies, I didn't see any true remorse or any compassion or anything.
GALLAGHER: Murdaugh's defense team spoke to CNN Friday about their decision to put their client on the stand.
JIM GRIFFIN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: By putting him on the stand, I think the jury also got to see his emotions about Maggie and Paul, which were very raw and real. But then, the next day on cross-examination, I've got to give credit where credit is due, they clearly painted Alex as a liar.
GALLAGHER: Vowing their fight is not over.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're appealing and we feel good about an appeal. He's a liar and he's a thief, and he admitted that. He's not a murderer.
GALLAGHER: Now the defense team says they believe that the fact that the judge allowed the inclusion of the financial crimes that Alex Murdaugh is accused of to be used as evidence in his murder trial, it tainted the jury's perception of their client. And if they weren't included, the defense team says maybe we could be looking at a different outcome. Now, Alex Murdaugh may be now in state custody, but he still has to
face those pending charges, about 99 of them, mostly related to the financial allegations against him. The attorney general tells me that just because he was sentenced to life in prison for these murders does not mean that they are not going to go after him for the financial crimes as well.
Dianne Gallagher, CNN, Walterboro, South Carolina.
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WALKER: Dianne, thank you.
Up next, the White House is sending another $400 million of aid to Ukraine as fierce fighting continues to rage in the eastern part of the country. What's in the latest package and why it could be critical as Ukraine tries to defend key cities.
[10:15:00]
REID: Plus, the cleanup effort is underway in Ohio following the train derailment at East Palestine nearly a month. Where the recovery stands now and why residents say it's not enough.
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WALKER: A Ukrainian deputy commander says Bakhmut is hell, but under Ukrainian control. The city in eastern Ukraine has been seeing fierce fighting, and a Russian mercenary group said it was all but surrounded.
REID: But Ukraine says its forces are battling to hold on to the front line despite the ongoing attacks by Russian troops. CNN's Alex Marquardt has the details.
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Amara, Paula, this is an incredibly tough fight for Ukraine. They say that they are repelling Russian attacks and holding on for now, but it is clear that Russian forces are trying to encircle those Ukrainian troops and push them out of Bakhmut, despite getting even more difficult for Ukraine after Russian forces destroyed a key bridge on what has been the main supply route for Ukraine into Bakhmut.
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MARQUARDT: A lifeline for Ukraine's forces severed. This destroyed bridge near Bakhmut one of the last main supply routes to the front, bombed, a Ukrainian solder told CNN, by a Russian missile, meaning reinforcing troops or getting people out immediately becoming harder.
We were on that road near Bakhmut, military vehicles bombing towards the fight and coming back.
With a "V" sign for victory. Russian forces have made progress at encircling the city, leaving only
the west open to Ukrainian troops. The ferocious fighting has left thousands dead on both sides. Wagner forces which have led the Russian charge have paid a particularly high price. Today, Wagner's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, on the outskirts of Bakhmut released a video, claiming quote, the pinchers are tightening. He called on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to withdraw his troops, saying give them a chance to leave the city.
Prigozhin regularly exaggerates Wagner's gains. Ukraine blasted today's video as part of a disinformation campaign. But Ukrainian commanders admit they are facing withering Russian attacks. The eastern commander posted photos today of a visit to Bakhmut where he was briefed on the problems of the Ukrainian defenses. Despite no announcement of a withdrawal, some possible signs have appeared. This Bakhmut rail bridge strategically bombed by Ukrainian soldiers to make it impassable. The head of a Ukrainian reconnaissance unit saying they received an order to immediately leave Bakhmut without given a reason.
In neighboring Chasiv Yar, soldiers from an artillery unit told us they have no plans to stop fighting here, fearing what could then happen. "The problem is not just Russia taking Bakhmut," Patabitch (ph) says, "They will not stop and will keep destroying the next cities. We need to wait for reinforcements to come, and then kick them out."
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MARQUARDT: For now, there is no mention or sign of a major Ukrainian withdrawal. If Russia were to take Bakhmut, it would be a significant victory for them, especially after so many months of such fierce fighting. But it is up for debate whether it would be a strategic victory, whether Russia would be able to use Bakhmut to push deep near Ukraine, especially since they would be in such a weakened state after this battle. Amara, Paula?
WALKER: All right, Alex, thank you.
And the Pentagon is rolling out the latest aid package for Ukraine. The price tag is around $400 million.
REID: CNN White House reporter Priscilla Alvarez joins us now with details. Priscilla, what does the latest package include?
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN REPORTER: This is more munition and support equipment. So as far as what it will consist of, details of it are artillery rounds, demolition munition, equipment for obstacle clearing as well as vehicle repair equipment, all of this as part of that security assistance for Ukraine as it goes into that second year of war. Now, President Biden and his administration have made it clear that they are in support of Ukraine and will continue to provide that assistance. And they see this as a top priority.
In fact, just yesterday, President Biden met with German Chancellor Scholz, to discuss Ukraine, and the two of them met at length and discussed not only the current situation there, but also the assistance that they will be providing in the future. According to a White House readout, that includes security, humanitarian, economic, and political assistance, as well as a crackdown on Russia.
Now Biden thanked Scholz for his leadership, saying that he is, quote, strong and steady. Remember Scholz has been seen as a crisis leader in Europe. He's a critical partner to the United States, and all of this is against the backdrop of intelligence suggesting that China may provide lethal aid to Russia. So the two of them meeting at a critical time to demonstrate and reaffirm the support for Ukraine, and now the Pentagon ahead of all of that saying that they are going to provide $400 million in aid in this latest package. Amara?
WALKER: Priscilla, really appreciate you breaking that down for us.
Let's get some insight now from retired Army General Mark Kimmitt. General, I appreciate you joining us this morning. So as you heard there from our reporting from Alex Marquardt, fighting has intensified in the eastern city of Bakhmut. Russian mercenaries say the city is pretty much surrounded. But Ukrainian said its forces are holding their ground. What do we know about the situation right now and whose advantage this may move?
BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, U.S. ARMY (RET): Yes, and really it is in neither advantage. What you're seeing is pretty much a slugfest right now.
[10:25:01]
The town is important because it's a critical railway junction, but that's a tactical fight. The war is not going to change. In fact, the near term is not going to change, whoever holds this town, or wins this town. It may be a somewhat a psychological victory, a morale victory, but it's really not going to make a major difference on how this war ends up.
WALKER: What about this latest military aid package for Ukraine? It includes a lot of am mission and a price tag of $400 million. I would imagine it is quite crucial at this time.
KIMMITT: Yes, what is really, this aid package is particularly interesting. Not because of the price -- $400 million is a drop in the bucket to what we have provided -- but the character, the type of equipment that they're providing in ammunition. They're providing obstacle clearance equipment. They're providing more HIMARS. They're providing 25-millimeter ammunition. These are the types of pieces of equipment that you would normally associate with an offensive operation. These bridges that we're talking about are obviously the capability to move forward. The obstacle clearance is to move forward.
So if I look at this package carefully, it is telling me that they are preparing the Ukrainian army for a counteroffensive. And how quickly we can get that equipment over there, how quickly they can be prepared for a counteroffensive, they, the Ukrainian forces, that is problematic. But it's clear by what we are giving them that we are no longer talking about defending, but now we're preparing the Ukrainian forces for offensive operations. WALKER: And is that what they should be doing right now? Because you
write about, a little bit about this winter lull in "The Wall Street Journal" in an opinion piece, that the Ukrainians should be making the most of it. How?
KIMMITT: Well, first of all, I still stand by what I said in "The Wall Street Journal," but we've got to recognize that that equipment that is coming over, this new aid package, will take months to get there. So while they are taking advantage of the winter lull with these defensive operations, this is what we want to see. We want to see them, the Ukrainian forces, increasing their strength and their capability to conduct offensive operations, while at the same time using artillery and rockets to take away that capability from the Russians. So yes, I think this is the right action the U.S. should be taking, but we shouldn't kid ourselves. This equipment won't be on the ground and usable for a few months.
WALKER: What about on the Russian side? Because we've talked so much over the past several weeks of a pending spring offensive by Russia. Where does that stand?
KIMMITT: Yes, I think they're going to do exactly that. They're going to try. But to conduct an offensive operation takes fuel, takes ammunition, takes trained troops, takes supply routes. And what I hope is that the Ukrainians have used the winter to be, what we say, interdicting and attacking those supply routes so that we're taking away the Russian's ability to conduct a counteroffensive, and for that matter, lessening the Russian capability to withstand the Ukrainian counteroffensive that we are looking at in the spring or summer.
WALKER: Would you say that the largest external concern right now is China, and its considering sending Russia lethal aid? Because if China does indeed step in, I mean, could that change the trajectory of the war?
KIMMITT: I really don't believe so. And candidly, neither do I believe that the American supplies, the European supplies are going to change the character of the war. Six months ago, I predicted that this was going to turn into sort of a World War I battlefield. And even if there are offensive operations in the springtime by either side, I don't think they're going to have enough effect to change this war. I believe the Russians will still maintain a significant amount of the Donbas, and for that matter, Crimea, if the Ukrainians are successful. And I don't think the Russians have the capability to overturn the Kyiv government. So sadly, I think that we will see military operations that will come at a very high cost, and, sadly, at a very small gain for either side, as we're seeing in Bakhmut right now, wounding thousands of soldiers on both sides, and Bakhmut is just a town. It doesn't stand for victory.
WALKER: Do you feel like the western allies, I guess losing patience isn't the right phrase, but they are feeling a sense of urgency, knowing that this war can't last forever, there's got to be some kind of turning point or something pivotal happening soon. Is there -- what do the conversations sound like behind the scenes? KIMMITT: Well, I certainly am not listening to those conversations,
but everything that is being relayed, such as President Macron of France, is encouraging Zelenskyy to consider negotiations --
[10:30:09]
WALKER: OK, unfortunately --
KIMMITT: -- and candidly feels that And any willingness to enter into negotiations --
WALKER: All right, well, we're going to have to leave it there because your signal is cutting out. But we do appreciate your time this morning, General Mark Kimmitt. Thank you very much for your analysis.
REID: We have crews in East Palestine, Ohio, have started removing the train tracks from the site of that toxic train derailment. We're live with the latest next.
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WALKER: In today's top stories, the lesion removed from President Biden's chest last month has come back as a common form of skin cancer. Biden's doctor, Kevin O'Connor, said on Friday, the biopsy tested positive for basal cell carcinoma and that all of the cancerous tissue has been removed.
[10:35:01]
But Biden will need to continue dermatological surveillance going forward. In February, Dr. O'Connor reported that Biden remained healthy and is fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency.
REID: And actor Tom Sizemore has passed away after suffering a brain aneurysm. Sizemore was hospitalized earlier this month and had been in a coma in intensive care. Sizemore appeared in a number of hit crime and war movies in the 90s and early 2000s. He was, of course, best known for his role in "Saving Private Ryan" as Sergeant Mike Horvath. Sizemore was 61 years old.
WALKER: There's so much anger, fear, and growing frustration one month following the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you care about us, get our grandkids out of here, now. Get my children out. Get us out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: You can hear the shouting there, the residents demanding that the company relocate them, saying the spill has made many of them sick and destroyed their property values.
REID: A new community health assessment reveals the most common symptoms for residents following the derailment are headaches and anxiety. The assessment surveyed nearly 170 people. And this is preliminary work. This is as preliminary work gets under way to remove the tracks at the site of the derailment.
CNN's Polo Sandoval joins us now. Polo, while the cleanup process has begun, the EPA has yet to sign off on Norfolk Southern's plan. So what's next?
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At least no final authorization on that front. Paula and Amara, good morning to you. This is, it's hard to believe, it has already been a month since this disaster, and as you showed a short while ago from that town hall, the concerns are very much still there for the community. But so is the information. For example, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announcing at this hour, residents in East Palestine are being offered an opportunity to actually visit their water plant and try to clear up any of the concerns. The state insists that no contaminants from last month's derailment have been found in the drinking water, so they insist the water is safe to drink.
And then next week, a lot of the attention will be shifting to the farmers in the area. They have been a segment of the population with some very valid concerns here, especially up ahead of the upcoming planting season. As far as the state's department of agriculture, they insist they have no reason to believe that any crops that are planted in the East Palestine area are unsafe. But nonetheless, they're calling on Norfolk Southern, the rail company involved here, to develop a soil monitoring plant program that would be overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency. So that is still in the works.
But in the meantime, our colleague Miguel Marquez reporting all week long from the area, hearing those concerns, Paula and Amara, they certainly want, still, more answers, as you can imagine, and they will continue to call on that.
Meanwhile, the cleanup process, as you just said a while ago, that continues. Track replacement is a big focus right now for authorities. They basically want to remove those tracks, but that is some process that is going to take weeks, perhaps even months, likely, into April, where they have to remove the affected tracks, excavate all of the soil, and then obviously remove that soil, and then replace it with fresh soil. So that is the process again, Amara and Paula, as we send things back to you, that could potentially go into April if not beyond.
REID: Polo Sandoval, thank you.
And still ahead, Republican Congressman Jim Jordan's crusade to expose the Department of Justice of playing politics, it might be fizzling out. We'll explain next.
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[10:42:48]
WALKER: This morning, Congressman Jim Jordan's crusade to expose the Department of Justice of playing politics might be fizzling out.
REID: The Ohio Republican has touted dozens of whistleblowers who claim to have knowledge of the federal government targeting people with conservative views. But Democrats say they're having trouble verifying some of their stories. CNN's Capitol Hill reporter Annie Grayer has been following the details for us, breaking news on this. Annie, three of these whistleblowers have come in for interviews so far. What you're your learned about those interviews?
ANNIE GRAYER, CNN REPORTER: So, Paula, the legitimacy of these whistleblowers is already being called into question. One whistleblower, Steve Friend, who I've spoken to, was suspended from the FBI because he objected to using a SWAT team to arrest an individual who was at the Capitol on January 6th. Friend has filed claims with official government entities and had those claims rejected.
Another whistleblower, George Hill, was suspended -- or sorry, was retired from the FBI, and doesn't appear to have firsthand knowledge of the claims that he's making. He also has made a number of controversial tweets about January 6th, including in one tweet saying that he thought the insurrection was a setup.
And the third whistleblower is suspended FBI agent Garrett O'Boyle who wouldn't provide Democrats with any of the documents or paperwork that would explain why he was suspended.
So all of this I've learned from weeks of talking with sources, and even getting a first exclusive look at the transcripts of these interviews.
REID: Excellent digging. Glad you're asking the tough questions, Annie. So what does this mean for Jim Jordan's investigations?
GRAYER: So Amara, Jim Jordan has largely based his claims that the FBI has weaponized against conservatives on these whistleblowers, and these first three interviews are the first time that Democrats are being brought into the process and actually getting to ask these whistleblowers questions. And they have raised a number of questions about their legitimacy and the relevancy of their testimony.
[10:45:00]
Now, Jordan says he has several dozens of other whistleblowers that he wants to bring in, but these first three could cause issues for Jordan as he continues to pursue this investigation. And there's no question that the topic of whistleblowers are going to continue to be a flash point on Capitol Hill between Democrats and Republicans.
WALKER: Clearly, a lot more to come, Annie Grayer, thank you very much for your reporting.
And still ahead, a Vietnam War hero receives the Medal of Honor after nearly 60 years. What was with the delay? That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [10:50:03]
WALKER: It is an honor nearly 60 years in the making. This week, President Biden awarded the Medal of Honor to retired Colonel Paris Davis for heroism while fighting in the Vietnam War.
REID: Paris was one of the first black special forces officers, and he was wounded several times during a major battle yet still managed to pull American soldiers to safety while continuing to fight. CNN's Oren Liebermann reports on this long-overdue honor.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The early morning patrol behind enemy lines, June 18th, 1965, fell apart quickly. Captain Paris Davis and his men were leading a team of inexperienced South Vietnamese when they came under waves of attack.
COL. PARIS DAVIS (RET), MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT: There was a place on that battlefield, there were so many bodies, you couldn't see the grass.
LIEBERMANN: What kept you going in that fight?
DAVIS: Others. I'll tell you, I don't even remember the first couple of times I got shot that day.
LIEBERMANN: Davis was in that fight for 19 hours.
DAVIS: The Vietcong really had good terrain like we did. We were right across from them.
LIEBERMANN: He later recounted that battle on "The Phil Donahue Show," when he called in artillery fire, fought the enemy, and rescued three of his fellow soldiers, including this man, Bill Waugh (ph).
DAVIS: I went and tried to pull him out, but he was in a lot of muck, and I couldn't get him out. He was tied up in some vines. And he got shot again, and I got hit right here on the arm.
LIEBERMANN: By the time Ron Deis arrived overhead in a small observation airplane, he says it looked like all hell had broken loose. Deis was shot down, then picked up the story in bits and pieces from one of his men, back at camp.
RON DEIS, SERVED WITH DAVIS: He told me that he thought Captain Davis should receive the Medal of Honor for the heroism that he exhibited that day.
LIEBERMANN: He said that back then.
DEIS: He told me that evening.
LIEBERMANN: Davis did receive an award that day, the Silver Star. But to the men who saw him in combat, it wasn't enough. Fifty-eight years later, that recognition finally happened. JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This, Secretary, may be
the most consequential day since I've been president.
LIEBERMANN: Paris Davis, one of the first black special forces officers received the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor. He never liked being called a hero, but there is no denying it now.
BIDEN: This year we celebrate the 75th anniversary of our first fully integrated armed forces, and the name Paris Davis will still stand alongside the nation's pioneering heroes.
LIEBERMANN: Davis says to receive the honor is nothing short of a dream.
DAVIS: It's my day to say thank you to all of America for allowing me to be in the military -- I'm serious about this, no B.S. -- allowing me to serve the country. And eventually the country has been pretty damn good to me.
LIEBERMANN: Davis harbored no ill will at all that he hadn't received the Medal of Honor earlier. In fact he stayed in the military for 20 more years after the day that would make him famous and ultimately earn him the Medal of Honor. He rose to become a colonel and commanded the 10th special forces group before he retired in 1985.
Oren Liebermann, CNN, at the Pentagon.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WALKER: A really overdue recognition, and I think America needs to say thank you to him, as opposed to the retired colonel saying thank you to America.
That's our time, thank you so much for watching. Paula, it was lovely to have you. We'll see you tomorrow, right?
REID: Yes, absolutely. I'll be back. Thanks so much for having me.
WALKER: Of course, much more ahead in the next hour of CNN Newsroom. Fredricka Whitfield picking up the coverage. But first, a quick programming note. Be sure to check out the CNN film "Glitch." It explores how a trivia company went from the Internet obsession to a total meltdown. The million dollar question is, of course, what happened? Here's a preview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm working with these guys who started Vine, and they wanted to do this trivia show on an app. To me, I didn't have high hopes for it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three, two, one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is HQ. I'm Scott, the host.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: HQ Trivia was everywhere.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You could actually win real money.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It just keep getting bigger with bigger prizes, bigger celebrities.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People dressed as me for Halloween.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was doing the "Today Show," Colbert.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had a Super Bowl commercial.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This company is going to make at least $100 million.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It just got so popular. And the app is not ready to work with too many people on it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Freezing. Disconnection. And it crashes. That's when the cracks started showing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Colin and Rus started as co-founders, but both competed to be CEO.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you have a lack of trust between the two people running the company, it leads to chaos.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You had HQ imitators.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're in trouble.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Will Facebook copy this? They did.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was some jealously. I was the fact of the product he created.
[10:55:02]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Working day and night, really grueling hours.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So what did they do? They got drunk.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At the end of it, who lost their life?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why don't we grab lunch and we can do this at lunch.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Cut.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Glitch, The Rise and Fall of HQ Trivia," tomorrow at 9:00 on CNN.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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