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Police Reopen Main Highway Into Lahaina; Death Toll From Maui Wildfires Rises To 80; Special Counsel Named To Investigate Hunter Biden; Trump Facing Another Potential Indictment In Georgia; Report: Justice Clarence Thomas Received Lavish Gifts; Co-Hosts Australia Into Semifinal After Record Penalty Shootout. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired August 12, 2023 - 12:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:00:54]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me from Washington, D.C. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

And we begin with the apocalyptic destruction from the deadliest natural disaster in Hawaii's history.

At least 80 people are dead and 1,000s more displaced from the wildfires. And at any moment, Lahaina residents could soon return to assess what might be left.

Crews are still working to fully contain three major fires and prevent flare ups on Maui. Devastation there, costing an estimated $5.5 billion. One lawmaker says the state underestimated the threat of wildfires and failed to plan for communication issues with the Emergency Alert System.

Governor Josh Green has ordered a comprehensive review of the state's response.

Let's go now to CNN's Mike Valerio, who is joining us on Maui.

And Mike, moments ago, last hour, you were approached by a woman who was very frustrated, upset about the road closures. It looks like things are moving right now. What's been happening there?

MIKE VALERIO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, good morning. The sun is now up over Maui. This is the moment, Fred, that people have been waiting for, for more than 14 hours. Hundreds of cars queued up in the background, a couple of yards away from us, now able to move through the main route that goes into the disaster zone of Lahaina.

This is Honoapiilani Highway right here. And again, it was open briefly for about 3-1/2 hours, yesterday, shut down though, Fred, because too many people were going into restricted areas of the burned-out ruined areas of the historical town.

So, there is one driver. That's Patrick, who we interviewed, actually, after we went off the air with you, Fred, who is waiting to get back to his restaurant, see how much of his neighbor's properties are still in OK shape.

And this is pretty momentous. These are people who have been waiting after they fled their homes Tuesday afternoon, Tuesday evening, with literally nothing but the clothes that they were wearing. And they may not know what's left of their homes. So, this is truly striking.

People sleeping here overnight in their cars. So, they're checking with police. Police are just making sure that A, these are residents, not tourists. Not anybody who is trying to take advantage of the situation.

And B, you know, if you were staying in a bread and -- bed and breakfast or a small hotel, you are also able to get into this perimeter.

So, we also want to take you, Fredricka, as we monitor what's happening over here. So, some video of National Guard troops, who are beginning to survey the ruins of Lahaina. They're going door to door. In some instances, spray painting x's on the ruins of buildings, just to convey to first responders and local Maui authorities that they have searched inside those buildings.

The latest numbers and figures notable that we got, Fredricka from FEMA, $5.52 billion is now the estimate for rebuilding Lahaina. Just an incredible staggering number. 2,207 structures as well that were damaged or destroyed. 4,500. That is the number of people who could need potential shelter.

Also waiting to get in here to come through this line. People who are donating their supplies. We talked to a few of them yesterday. Here is what they told us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KIM BRACEROS, LAHAINA NATIVE: We're taking from ice, gas, toothbrushes, toothpaste, baby food, diapers, basically anything we could get our hands on.

TEDDY CABEL, WAIKAPU RESIDENT BRINGING DONATIONS: We're just trying to help as many people as we can. We're just trying to get over to behind and drop this stuff off.

POLINA MARIAN, KULA RESIDENT BRINGING DONATIONS: We're getting snacks more we've got wipes. We have peanut butter, we have formula, also in cereal for babies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALERIO: So, Fredricka, what you're seeing, the start of a new chapter. People hoping to see what's left taking Honoapiilani Highway for about 20 minutes, again, into the epicenter of this crisis. We're going to get in the line as well, and we'll stay with you. We'll bring you updates throughout the morning.

[12:05:04]

Here, again, sunrise now, a new day on Maui. Fred?

WHITFIELD: Yes, a new day. But still, many tenuous moments. Mike Valerio, thank you so much. We'll be on the journey with you as you make your way in.

VALERIO: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Thank you so much.

So, as officials in Lahaina work to extinguish flare ups, CNN went inside the devastation before official shut down the main road. Our chief climate correspondent Bill Weir takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

EDDY GARCIA, FARMER, MAUI RESIDENT: The trees that you guys see behind you right here, this was all from the tornado that came through.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's crazy.

GARCIA: No, we've never even seen a tornado in Hawaii.

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a place so familiar with weather extremes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow, it's crazy.

WEIR (voice-over): Maui locals have never seen anything like the firestorm that obliterated Lahaina.

DANIEL GOLDBERG, BOAT CAPTAIN: It can start in a little like smolder of smoke. And we're like, wow, the house had survived, and now, there's a little brush fire and then within like five minutes, the whole thing was engulfed just right off the frame.

WEIR: Really?

GOLDBERG: There's nobody there to put anything out.

WEIR: We're just pulling into Lahaina now, just getting our first glimpse at this town after hearing these nightmarish stories and it is worse than you can imagine.

It looks like a World War II set, like a bomb went off here. Just utter scorched devastation everywhere, melted boats in the harbor.

WEIR (voice-over): What was once the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, and one of the most well-preserved towns in the nation is ash, including Bill Wyland's famous art gallery. And he says he escaped the flames on his Harley Davidson, riding around evacuees trapped between fire and ocean.

BILL WYLAND, ART GALLERY OWNER: Had I took the car and said a motorcycle, I plugged in with everybody else jumping in the water. It was -- I mean, it was flames were shooting over the top, coming out. I didn't even want to look behind me because I knew they were behind me.

WEIR: And there's nowhere to go. You're pinned between the fire and the ocean.

(CROSSTALK)

WYLAND: Just pinned and that's what happened -- that what happened to all the people, I think, is all those cars that were waiting for someone to move in front of them. No one was moving anywhere. You were -- you're dead in the water.

WEIR: Yes, jump to the ocean.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They all jumped in the ocean.

WEIR: And then jump at --

WYLAND: They all jumped in the ocean and a lot of them didn't make it, from what I heard.

KEVIN ELIASON, REALTOR, MAUI RESIDENT: No.

WYLAND: A lot of people --

WEIR: I'm sure if the -- if the winds were 80 miles an hour, the surf must have been --

KEVIN ELIASON, REALTOR, MAUI RESIDENT: Well, it wasn't just that. There was diesel fuel floating in the water as well.

WEIR: Oh, God.

ELIASON: And the Coast Guard couldn't come in too far because of the reefs and a lot of the people can't swim that far. And then, a couple of people died of smoke inhalation as well. They were just inundated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know a lady that stood in the water for eight hours.

WEIR: This is the historic Banyan Tree, 150-year-old majestic tree at the center of Lahaina town. It looks like it may have survived. It needs water desperately to survive right now.

But for the locals who are coming down and looking at the damage, this is such a sign of hope that maybe their iconic tree will have lived when so much else is gone here. But the history can never be replaced.

Right here, this is the first hotel in Hawaii. The Pioneer Hotel, Pioneer Theater. It's completely gone.

Right over here was the library. It's just now a stone shell of scorched. Blocks around Front Street there, Fleetwood's -- Mick Fleetwood of the band, Fleetwood Mac. His place is gutted out with flames. It's just unrecognizable.

One of the most charming, beloved port cities anywhere in the world is just scorched like a bomb went off.

WEIR (voice-over): Farmer, Eddy Garcia lost a small fortune in crop damage. But now is bracing for much bigger losses.

GARCIA: My God. Like, when I was down there early, there were uncles and people I know in the street, dead. People were trying to get to the end of the street. You can tell by where the cars that were parked. They say hundreds of people jumped in the water.

WEIR: You personally lost crops. Like, what is that?

GARCIA: Nothing. I lost nothing compared to what people lost. I lost farm stuff and food, and whatever, tiny little things compared to what people lost.

People lost their family. They lost their houses. Everything we've seen, all the landmarks. Everything that we've seen for years, history, it's all gone.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Extraordinary. Bill Weir, thank you so much.

And here is one bit of good news. Officials say the wildfires on Maui are now 80 percent contained and the winds that fuel the flames are gradually decreasing.

CNN meteorologist Chad Myers reports.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, it's obviously good news that Hurricane Dora has moved away. The high pressure has moved away. The pressure gradient making all the wind over Hawaii is now gone.

What isn't gone, though, is this rainfall deficit. 80 percent of Hawaii in some type of rainfall deficit. And more importantly, in Maui County, 16 percent of the area there, under severe drought and even in the dry areas of Maui, just to the west of Holly Alcala.

When you say what dry areas, how are their dry areas in Hawaii? It's just a rainforest, right? No, it's not. Only the one side of every extinct volcano here is a rainforest, the other side that's where it is dry.

[12:10:06]

Almost a desert. Let me show you how this works.

So, here is the west side of Maui. The wind and the storms, the trades come in from the east to the west. If you are on the east side of these mountains, we'll just call them. That's where it rains, rains almost every single day. Places receive 400 inches in Kauai, in some places.

So, there is the rain forest that we talked about, and you see pictures of. It. But on the other side, when the air comes over the top and comes back down, that's when you get the dry air. And it really looks like a desert on the other side of the rainforest.

Here we go though. Something else that may have happened, these canyons that you see coming down from the top of the extinct volcano, they may have acted like a wind tunnel effect, funneling some of that wind as well.

We don't know if they're going to have to drill down on this. This is still years and years and years that they will look at this. Something else you probably haven't heard of, unless you're from the west, wildland urban interface. What does that?

Well, that's when you get wild land here. In fact, those are abandoned sugarcane plantations that are just growing wild shrub grasses and things that burn when they dry out, backed up right up against the town itself.

And when you catch the wildland urban interface on fire, that is the risk of sending the fire into a town. It happened in Paradise, California with the Camp Fire.

It's happened all over the world where you take a piece of land and you want to put homes up right up against the trees, because it's so pretty. Then, you're in that WUI, the wildland urban interface. And a lot of this burned, and it burned right into town.

WHITFIELD: All right. Chad Myers, thank you so much. All right. Now, to the major new developments in the Hunter Biden investigation. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has now elevated David Weiss to Special Counsel status.

Weiss has been leading the years long probe of President Biden's son and he recently requested that he be given special counsel designation after a plea talks with Hunter Biden's lawyers to resolve tax and gun charges fell apart.

CNN's Marshall Cohen is joining us right now. Marshall, help us understand how all of this happened, and what it all means from here.

MARSHALL COHEN, CNN REPORTER: Hey, Fred. Good afternoon.

Two big things to understand here in the Hunter Biden case. Number one, in the past few days, plea negotiations between Hunter Biden's lawyers and the justice department fell apart.

They reached an impasse and the federal prosecutors handling the investigation reached the conclusion that, in their view, a trial is now in order.

That's the first big development. And then, separately, but, of course, completely related is the announcement yesterday from Merrick Garland, the attorney general that the prosecutor who was leading those plea talks, who is leading this investigation, David Weiss, is now going to be elevated from a U.S. attorney to a special counsel with more authority, more power, more budget, and more leeway to prosecute this the way he wants to.

It's a huge development in the case, and it turns what was probably going to be a speedy plea resolution into a potential trial -- unprecedented trial of the president's son.

So, how is Hunter Biden's team responding? They have been relatively cautious. They are not attacking the prosecutors and they are expressing hope that they will still reach a similar resolution to the one that they struck in the now-collapsed plea deal.

Take a listen to Abbe Lowell, one of Hunter Biden's lead attorneys. He spoke last night with our colleague, Kaitlan Collins.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABBE LOWELL, HUNTER BIDEN'S ATTORNEY: It should not change the outcome. Who could say that they have been the subject of such a painstaking investigation, looking at every nook and cranny, in which a conclusion was two tax misdemeanors, and a diverted gun case to turn into anything else.

There is been no evidence or fact that wasn't uncovered a week ago that will be uncovered tomorrow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: So, in his view, nothing is really changing. But I got to tell you, Fred, a lot has changed. If they cannot reach a plea deal, then, a trial may be an order. And instead of misdemeanors, it could be felonies, a much more serious situation for Hunter Biden. Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right. Marshall Cohen, we'll leave it there for now. Thank you so much.

So, this new twist in the Hunter Biden investigation means his case could stretch on for months and could complicate his father's reelection bid.

For more on that, let's bring in CNN White House reporter Priscilla Alvarez at the White House.

Priscilla, the White House didn't get a heads up that this was about to happen.

[12:15:02]

So, what has been the response since?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right, Fred. The White House official tells CNN that the White House did not receive any sort of heads up when this announcement was coming from Attorney General Garland just, yesterday.

But their strategy as of now is consistent, which is that they are not providing any comment, they are declining to comment on this matter. In fact, in a statement to CNN, White House spokesperson Ian Sams said the following.

He said, "We will refer you to DOJ, or to Hunter Biden's personal representatives," when he was asked about this latest development.

And again, this has been consistent for the White House on various matters, involving the justice department, when we have heard from the president. On any matters related to the justice department, he has maintained that they work separately. And that also explains why there was no heads up to the White House before this announcement came down.

But when that expected plea deal was happening, there was an expectation, sources tell CNN that the Biden's would be able to move on from this chapter. That is apparently no longer the case, as this designation has now happened.

And it is, of course, a time when the White House is facing intense criticism from Republicans, who have gone so far as to potentially open up an impeachment inquiry into President Biden.

Now, when the White House has been asked about that, they say that their claims are baseless, and they call it a stunt. But, of course, it speaks to the increasing criticism that this White House has face from Republicans on policy matters, but also when it comes to Hunter Biden.

And despite the announcement yesterday, Republicans are -- they didn't quell many of their concerns. And so, all of this is still very much unfolding.

But when it comes to Hunter Biden, what we always hear from the White House is that the President the first lady love and support their son, and that all questions should be referred to DOJ and Hunter Biden's representatives.

WHITFIELD: All right. Priscilla Alvarez at the White House. Thank you so much.

All right. Still to come. The Fulton County district attorney, expected to seek more than a dozen indictments regarding Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in that state. Detail straight ahead.

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[12:21:18]

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. Former President Trump could be facing his fourth indictment as soon as next week. Sources tell CNN, Fulton County prosecutor Fani Willis, could seek more than a dozen indictments regarding efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.

Willis is believed to be considering conspiracy and racketeering charges, which would allow her to bring a case against multiple defendants. CNN political commentator, Geoff Duncan, joining us now. He is a former Republican Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. So, good to see you.

So, have you received that notice that would come from their office, a 48-hour notice to testify?

GEOFF DUNCAN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Fredricka, I did just receive notification to appear on Tuesday morning at the Fulton County grand jury, and I certainly will be there to do my part in recounting the facts.

WHITFIELD: OK. You were one of 70 people who testified last year before a grand jury. Is it your expectation that, on Tuesday, when you're asked questions, again, that they will be similar? Or do you expect, or are you preparing yourself for new questions and a broadening of the investigation?

DUNCAN: Well, I have no expectations as to the questions. And I'll certainly answer it, whatever questions put in front of me. And certainly, don't want to go any deeper than that to, you know, jeopardize or compromise the investigation.

But look, for me, this is a story that is important for Republicans to hear, Americans to hear. Let's hear the whole truth and nothing but the truth about Donald Trump's actions in the surrounding cast of characters around him.

We watched a series of events happen here that were tragic and untruthful. And he's got a chance to present these facts and say, hey, I didn't know what was going on, or I think what reality is going to be is. They knew exactly what they were doing.

And I think the interesting part to this indictment is different than the others, is that there's going to heavy signaling that there's going to be 12-plus co-conspirators. And these folks don't have the same level of loyalty they had to Donald Trump when he was trying to change the election outcome in 2020.

And so, it's going to be interesting to see which way they go. And you know, these are serious charges that are being signaled; racketeering, conspiracy, RICO -- I mean, these are things really, you know, kind of garnered for the mafia or the mob.

And so, we'll certainly see how this gets ratcheted up in the next few days.

WHITFIELD: Well, tell me more about that people who you believe once were very loyal to Trump, now, as a result of the investigation and the ongoing investigation, no longer have the same kind of loyalties.

How do you believe that may have changed the building of this case against Trump?

DUNCAN: Yes. I think -- I think a number of people arrived on Donald Trump's conspiracy team from a number of different angles. Some folks got there, because the sitting president, the head of their party told them it was true. And so, they just believed it word for word. Others got there because they saw an opportunity to be in the cool kids' club for the first time to. To hang out tight to the inner circle of a president, and lots of things in between those two elements.

So, that -- that's going to be the part that plays out here. I mean, there are currently elected folks that are rumored to be indicted, there are formally elected folks, party leads, successful business owners.

I mean, this is a wide swath of Georgia, or representatives of Georgia that are going to have to face the consequences of answering some very, very tough questions.

But the reality is, I've yet to see a single ounce of proof that the election was not fair and legal. Didn't turn out the way Republicans wanted to, but it was fair and legal here in Georgia, and quite honestly, the rest of the country.

But this is an important part for the Republican Party to face right. If we're going to truly turn and look forward, if we're going to turn -- surely turn the page for GOP 2.0, we've got to have Donald Trump the rearview mirror and the uncomfortable facts, some figures of what he did during the post-election 2020 period of time, is going to be part of that healing process for the Republican Party. It's necessary, but it's going to be painful.

[12:25:09]

WHITFIELD: How immediately did your loyalties to Trump as the lieutenant governor of Georgia, as a Republican, when and how, and under what circumstances did that change where you were no longer on board with the former president?

DUNCAN: So, it's interesting, it actually started. This is the first chapter of my book that I wrote about a rally two days before the election in Rome, Georgia.

I gave an opening -- intro remarks before President Trump got on stage. And I made a couple of comments. I said, every time we lower people's taxes, it's not just for Republicans, it's for Democrats, too. And I got booed by 30,000, MAGA hats.

And then I said, every time we improve education, it's not just for Democrats, it's for Republicans, and I got booed even louder. And then, I made this crazy statement and said, you know, our policies are so good, they even help the people that don't vote for us, and I got booed even louder.

It was at that moment that I realized that, that crew of 30,000 people were not conservative, they were angry.

And within hours of the 2020 election, when I started hearing Donald Trump talk about his notion that the election was rigged, and, you know, the machines were corrupt, and whatever else conspiracy theories, I quickly turned the page and I tried to get to it as quickly as I could, so that I could try to stop the little grass fire from turning into a forest fire.

But unfortunately, I was unsuccessful. There wasn't enough of us out there doing it. But instead, we're going to have this slow, painful process of realizing what the truth actually is. And that's Donald Trump ran the worst campaign ever.

And if we let him be our nominee, again, he will get beat by Joe Biden again, because it will be the worst campaign a Republican could ever put forward.

We start this process on second base in this 2024 cycle.

Joe Biden, you know, eight out of 10 Americans don't want Joe Biden or Donald Trump to run again, but we don't want to seem to take her own medicine, and move past Donald Trump.

Unfortunately, we're going to have to go through this process to help us expedite.

WHITFIELD: How are you preparing for potential consequences, following your testimony on Tuesday, before grand jury in Georgia, and perhaps that of testimonies of co-conspirators or other witnesses who are willing to speak out against the former president?

DUNCAN: The only preparation I'm going to have, is to just prepare to answer questions as honestly as authentically as I possibly can, knowing that the facts are on my side.

And so, that's the process I'm going to go through. And the fallout is something that we'll deal with later. But hopefully, we can move past this quickly.

Hopefully, there's no issues around the indictment process. Hopefully, it's a calm, orderly process. And we can just let the justice system play out. And look, there is, you know, presumed innocent, right?

So, if everything, if it -- nobody did anything wrong here, it should be abundantly obvious.

WHITFIELD: Jeff Duncan, we'll leave it there for now. Thank you so much.

DUNCAN: Thanks, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up. A Michigan police chief has issued an apology after officers wrongly detained a child while he was taking the trash out behind his home. More details next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: More than 100 million people are under heat alerts today. Triple digit temperatures are expected across the South and the Pacific Northwest. We're also watching the development of severe storms that are threatening more than 110 million people from the Central Plains to the Northeast. Let's go to meteorologist Jennifer Gray in the CNN weather center. Jennifer, so what can you tell us about all of these threats coming from all sides, all the time it seems.

JENNIFER GRAY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. We're getting the storms. We're getting the heat. It is a lot going on today. There's a lot going on. So heat advisories, excessive heat warnings in effect. We even have them for the Pacific Northwest. They really dodge the heat for much of the summer. But the heat will build quickly across that region throughout the beginning part of the week. So high temperatures today in Dallas 108, Houston 102, Del Rio 108, temperatures will finally fall in Dallas by Monday by about 10 degrees but still 99 still hot there, Montgomery hitting the triple digits throughout the weekend as well.

Those all-important feels like temperatures hitting 107 in Lake Charles, 102 in Jackson, Shreveport, 100 degrees in Dallas. High temperatures for the Pacific Northwest. Portland will hit 106 on Monday. They can actually break records Sunday and Monday. We could see more than 100 records broken across the country throughout the week, most of those being in the south and Pacific Northwest.

Portland should be around 83 this time of year, their temperatures will be well above that triple digits Sunday through Tuesday and then finally falling, not getting back into the 80s by Friday, though, so intense heat. We also have some storm watches Thunderstorm Watches until 6:00 p.m. Central Time for portions of Alabama, Georgia as well as Tennessee.

So these storms are basically riding on the north side of that heat dome. So they are linked in some way. And you can see showers and storms firing up. Thunderstorm warnings for Nashville right now with a lot of lightning strikes. And as these storms continue to the east, we'll see some thunderstorm activity during the overnight hours for the Northeast, the I-95 corridor. And then you can see those stronger storms building across the plains and then pushing to the east throughout the end of the weekend.

So we do have some intense weather to talk about, some strong storms. We do have a level three out of five for portions of the Northeast, including Pittsburgh. New York City could see some storms, damaging winds, large hail the possibility of isolated tornadoes throughout the afternoon and evening hours, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Oh my goodness. All right, folks, hunker down, as best you can. Jennifer Gray, thank you.

[12:34:53]

All right, coming up next, the U.S. Supreme Court Judge Clarence Thomas is under scrutiny once again after me or publish reports of lavish gifts from wealthy friends, that's next.

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WHITFIELD: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is under scrutiny again. According to a new report by ProPublica he accepted more vacations and undeclared gifts from billionaire benefactors than previously reported including numerous flights on private planes, VIP passes to sporting events and stays at luxury resorts. Justice Thomas has already under fire for gifts he received from Harlan Crow, a GOP mega donor.

Former California Supreme Court Judge LaDoris Hazzard Cordell joining me now from Palo Alto. Judge Cordell Great to see you. So let me get your reaction to the news about Clarence Thomas and more undeclared gifts.

LADORIS HAZZARD CORDELL, FORMER JUDGE, CALIFORNIA SUPERIOR COURT: All right, Fredricka, judging is a calling. And judges are held to the highest standard of integrity and honesty. And as far back as the Old Testament, Deuteronomy, there was an admonition given to judges, thou shalt take no gift, for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

[12:40:19]

And what has happened today, in the at least with the Supreme Court is that becoming a justice is like winning the lottery. The Supreme Court has become monetized. And what has happened here is that one example is that of Clarence Thomas. So the concern, of course, is that there are federal regulations for all federal employees and Supreme Court justices aren't federal employees. There are regulations and laws that say that when you accept luxury gifts, as he has, they have to be reported.

He's already violated the law. And I am concerned that there may be other justices, one for example, Alito, who may have done the same. So the issue becomes how do you enforce this? What can we do because they don't abide by any particular code of ethics? So enforcement comes from the Judicial Conference, which kind of oversees and regulates federal courts.

And what they can do is they can report this, this failure to report to the attorney general. And in fact, you know, I am calling for a special counsel to investigate these gifts, and the failure to report them because I believe they're violations of the law.

WHITFIELD: And so you're making that pledge to Merrick Garland to appoint yet another special counsel, this time in the case of U.S. Supreme Court justices. So I mean, you mentioned Samuel Alito, yes, he has been scrutinized too for receiving gifts. And now, Justice Thomas, and in another iteration of it, it seems, you know, all allegedly, you know, very flagrant, you know, track record of undeclared gifts.

So I wonder now, is it your feeling that there has been a history of, you know, justices not declaring these gifts and donations or, you know, VIP passes, et cetera, for a long time. And so it has laid the groundwork for what, you know, has seemed to come with some regularity? Or is it that this is new with these allegations involving a Thomas and Alito?

CORDELL: Yes, I don't believe this is new at all. And in fact, there are some very good decent people on our Supreme Court, who, as soon as they got appointed, got literary agents and signed book deals, so they could make a bunch of money. The only agent, Supreme Court justices should have our Secret Service agents, not literary agents. So we're talking about a monetizing of the Supreme Court, when you get in there.

So if the problem is when say, take on these jobs, that they feel they're not making enough money, and right now, the salary of an associate is about $167,000. If they feel like oh, we're not making enough money, this isn't enough, then go to Congress seeking a raise in salaries. So this -- the issue is this too. When one accepts a gift, luxury gifts, like Thomas has, and Scalia did, he was at a hunting lodge, you know, is a gift from someone who said, come on, let's go hunting.

The problem is that they are making decisions that impact what these gift givers do. So what that does, it says detracts from the kind of respect the public ought to be giving to the Supreme Court. And we know that the popularity of Supreme Court has plummeted, just because of these things. So this is long standing stuff, and we need to take the Supreme Court out of a money making business so and restoring integrity and honesty to that body.

WHITFIELD: The inference being that you're buying influence by being able to do that. Judge LaDoris --

CORDELL: Absolutely, absolutely.

WHITFIELD: Yes. All right, Judge LaDoris Hazzard Cordell, thank you so much. Glad you could be with us.

CORDELL: My pleasure.

[12:44:27]

WHITFIELD: All right, coming up, the semifinals are set. For four teams that remain in the Women's Soccer World Cup. We'll have details of today's thrilling matches, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A historic day at the Women's World Cup in Australia. And Australia fans go crazy as do the players after their team clinched a spot in the semifinals. The Matildas beat France in the longest penalty shootout in World Cup history. CNN's sports anchor and correspondent Patrick Snell joining me now. All right, Patrick, pretty amazing moments there with lots of twists and turns.

PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT'S ANCHOR: Oh, Fred, you know, this Women's World Cup, it's incredible. I don't want it to end. It's fantastic. We now know the four countries that will contest the semis in Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. remember, unfortunately for them getting knocked out in a dramatic penalty shootout that was against the Swedes.

But this shootout between Australia and France was just amazing. It was nil-nil after 120 minutes. That's when the real drama began. Aussie keeper Mackenzie Arnold making a total of four saves twice. She was fought Kenza Dali who gets to retake her original spot kick after idle (ph), a judge who moved off a line. Dali goes down it matters not why, because it was saved again.

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The two countries incredibly, Fred, was still level after 18 kicks and then a pivotal moment. The French team Vicki Becho, striking the post, a really tough moment indeed, for the 19-year-old player, really tough on her. Then event comes the moment, the 20th spot kick, all the pressure on Cortnee Vine, who somehow keeps her calm, staying in a very first World Cup.

Scenes of share relation for the Aussie nurses steal from her no mistake to seal her place in history, her country's plays in history. That winning kick sending the capacity crowd of 50,000 joy unconfined heartbreak for the French team there. Australia winning an amazing shootout seven-six. They'll take on my country, England, in the semis on Wednesday. Fred, the Lionesses had a tough battle with Colombia.

But Alessia Russo right there when it matters most callings their affection. She finishes very well indeed right across Catalina Perez in the Colombian Gulf for the game winner, two-one the final really disappointing for Colombia. That's Catalina Perez gave it everything in getting to the last date. But it is the English who advance.

They will face the Aussies, the Matilda's in the semis while Spain take on Sweden, Fred.

WHITFIELD: You say that with added excitement. England is in, Patrick. I know that's your team. OK, meantime, back here in the States, Lionel Messi, I mean, the world loves him, but he's Miami's now. So he continues to be unstoppable. I can't wait. I got tickets for him, you know, when the team has taken on Atlanta, but that's on a side. Get head. Yes. I can't wait.

SNELL: Well, if you go get to use those tickets, Fred, do let me know, please. You know, Lionel Messi, what an impact he's making on Major League Soccer over him. He's still yet to play a league game actually for into Miami. The only surprise last night, this was in the League's Cup was how long he took to score there in that one fridge of Miami.

The Florida team resounding four-nil winners against Charlotte in Fort Lauderdale. Now, I will say the marking is not the best there by any means. But that's not his problem. He's scoring for fun over here since he arrived in the states. He kept fans waiting though, Fred. That's a wait until four minutes from the end of this game, 86 minutes of the 90, the lapse voice good. His eight golden five matches since touching down on U.S. soil into Miami through to the semis.

They're on the road against the Philadelphia Union in the last fall on Wednesday. Another game and another goal for the Lionel Messi.

WHITFIELD: Wow. Go team go. I love the pink. That's all I got to say. I just love the colors. All right, Patrick Snell, thank you.

All right, as staff shortages skyrocketed in the food services industry during the pandemic, restaurants across the country reconsidered their business models. Chef Bobby Flay visited with restaurant owners in Portland, Oregon, who are committed to a winning formula of higher pay, better benefits and full disclosure for employees as hallmarks of a post pandemic restaurant.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For the dinner rush, the staff gathers in one of Kachka's dining room.

BONNIE MORALES, KACHKA OWNER: So this is quarter one, first three months of 2023 that we're looking at and we will continue --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But they're not going over the dinner specials.

ISRAEL MORALES, KACHKA OWNER: What's really meaningful so when you look at the percentage of sales comparative to last year, that's a huge jump.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're in a meeting with Kachka owners, Bonnie in Israel Morales, who were discussing the restaurants finances.

One of the things that you guys do that I haven't really seen a lot of is that you share your P&L statements, your profit and loss statements with your employees. Why?

I. MORALES: When you're facing something really catastrophic, and it turns your whole house upside down, like you can't go back to old practices sometimes.

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WHITFIELD: All right, be sure to tune in to an all new episode of the whole story with Anderson Cooper, that's tomorrow 8:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.

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WHITFIELD: The police chief in Lansing, Michigan issued an apology after an incident in which a black child was handcuffed by officers while he was taking up the trash behind his home. CNN's Isabel Rosales is following the developments for us. Isabel, what are you learning?

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Fred, Lansing police say that this was a case of mistaken identity, calling it wrong place wrong time. And in fact, they've released these pictures of side by side showing the suspect and then a 12-year-old boy that they mistakenly detained. And you can see right here that they're wearing pretty similar clothing and this is what they said led to the wrongful detainment of that child.

So this was all captured by a neighbor who had their cell phone out. They captured video of the boy in handcuffs and then his father shouting from several feet away. The boy was briefly placed in the back of a police car. And then he was uncuffed and released back to his father once the police realized that this was not the person that they were looking for.

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This video posted on TikTok garnered thousands of views and comments. The Father Michael Bernard spoke with WILX, that's a CNN affiliate, saying that he was washing the dishes and then told his 12-year-old son Tashawn to take out the trash.