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Republican Presidential Candidates Donald Trump And Nikki Haley Campaign In New Hampshire Ahead Of State Primary; Republican Presidential Candidate And Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Campaigns In South Carolina Ahead Of State Presidential Primary; Iran-Backed Militia Claims Responsibility For Missile Attack On Air Base In Iraq That Injured U.S. Personnel; Iranian Military Advisers Killed In Missile Strike In Syrian Capital Of Damascus; Teacher In Georgia Facing Criminal Charges For Threatening To Behead 13-Year-Old Student For Being Uncomfortable At Display Of Israeli Flag In Classroom; Los Angeles Innocence Project Taking Up Case Of Convicted Murderer Scott Peterson; Fulton County Commissioner Launching Inquiry Into Allegations District Attorney Fani Willis Misused County Funds In Case Against Former President Trump; Upcoming NFL Playoff Games Reviewed. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired January 20, 2024 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Saturday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
We're now just three days away from the first primary of the 2024 presidential election in New Hampshire. And the candidates in the Republican race are looking to win big there to put them on a solid path to the nomination. Former President Trump and Nikki Haley are both hitting the granite state hard today while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is speaking with voters and hoping to gain ground in South Carolina, a state that holds its GOP primary in about a month.
We have teams covering all the twists and turns on the campaign the trail. Let's get started with CNN's Omar Jimenez in rather frigid and snow but very pretty Manchester, New Hampshire. Omar, this could be a pivotal race. Nikki Haley is making a big push to try to gain the momentum she's been talking about from Iowa. What is she saying and doing today?
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, she's out and about with a flurry of events, no pun intended, I guess we have some snow flurries starting to fall here. And she's getting ready to, you know, make up as much ground and find as much support as she can in these final few days here. And as you mentioned, yes, a very critical primary coming up in a few days that could really set the tone for what we see the rest of the primary schedule. Her campaign has tempered expectations a little bit, saying that even a strong second place finish would be acceptable for them.
That said, it's hard to imagine given the amount of ground and the lead that former President Trump has built after his landslide victory in Iowa, that that would set them up in a good way. Now, what we have heard from her so far today is that she has been on
the offense against former President Trump, in particular criticizing something he said at a rally last night at a rally where he appeared to confuse Nancy Pelosi with Nikki Haley when he said Nikki Haley didn't do enough on January 6th. Well, Nikki Haley wasn't in D.C. that day, wasn't even in elected office at that time. Take a listen to some more of what the former South Carolina governor had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIKKI HALEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not saying anything derogatory, but when you're dealing with the pressures of a presidency, we can't have someone else that we question whether they're mentally fit to do this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JIMENEZ: And this of course is coming a day after the former president touted an endorsement from South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, who Nikki Haley appointed to the Senate. And her response to all of that is that Trump is lining himself up with the very swamp he swore to drain. So clearly in these last few days, this is what's going to make the race for Nikki Haley here to see if she can get as close to the former president as possible, if not beat him here.
WHITFIELD: Omar Jimenez, thanks so much.
CNN's Alayna Treene is also in New Hampshire where former President Trump will be holding an event later on today, Alayna. He has had a lot to say about his challenger, Nikki Haley, hasn't he?
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: He has. That has been really a big theme of his in all of his remarks over the past several days, and I can tell you from my conversations with his advisers that he's going to continue to rail against her in a speech tonight as well as his speeches over the next few days leading into Tuesday's primary.
But look, part of the reason why he's attacking Nikki Haley so hard is because she's doing so well in the polls. I know that his team has carefully watched her rise in the polls over the last several weeks. And part of that is because she does so well with independents. Now, undeclared voters, New Hampshire's term for independents, are able to participate in the primary. And so that's really a lot of this messaging from Donald Trump, is trying to undercut any momentum that she's seeing in these final days before New Hampshire voters head to the polls. Now, last night, one of his attacks was saying that he doesn't think that Nikki Haley is smart enough or respected enough to be president.
[14:05:01]
He also threw cold water on the idea that he would pick her as a potential running mate. Take a listen to what he told voters in Concord, New Hampshire.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: She is not presidential timber. Now when I say that, that probably means that she's not going to be chosen as the vice president.
A woman that I know very well, a woman that is not capable of doing this job. I know her very well. She's not tough enough. She's not smart enough. And she wasn't respected enough. She cannot do this job.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TREENE: Now, Fred, as Omar mentioned, I do want to just bring up that massive endorsement from South Carolina Senator Tim Scott last night. That is also in part his attacking Nikki Haley. It is a huge blow to Haley that he was able to pick up that endorsement not just because Tim Scott also hails from South Carolina, her state, but because they really do see it as a sign he will do well, Trump will do well, in South Carolina.
And the timing here is really worth noting. They had been pursuing Scott's endorsement ever since he dropped out of the presidential race last year, but they accelerated their timeline for announcing it to prior to New Hampshire in part to try and blunt that momentum that Haley is seeing.
WHITFIELD: Alayna Treene, thank you so much.
All right, all important South Carolina comes after New Hampshire. A month away, and already Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is there. So is Steve Contorno. So what's the strategy here, Steve?
STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: The strategy is to try to blunt Nikki Haley as much possible in her home state. And that is going to be a tough task for him. And I was talking earlier with R.K. (ph) Magar (ph) who was with him during his events in Myrtle Beach, and she did note the crowd there was much larger than some of his recent events in New Hampshire. And his staff believes that this state a better political fit for him, that it's much more conservative than the New England electorate in New Hampshire. And the goal is to try to damage Nikki Haley. It's not necessarily to finish first or even second place, but to ensure that Nikki Haley doesn't come out of South Carolina with a strong finish or even a win in her home state. And that strategy really came to bear in his remarks earlier today. Take a listen to what he said about her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. RON DESANTIS, (R-FL) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Can someone tell me major achievements of Nikki Haley when she was governor? Anybody?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Gas tax.
DESANTIS: Gas tax. She tried to raise the gas tax. That's not an achievement. That's a bad one. So nobody can say an achievement. I just think that's remarkable, because I can tell you like if you were in Florida and we had hundreds of people, you started saying, hands would shoot up. They'd start talking about all the stuff that we've done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CONTORNO: There are a lot of questions, though, going forward about what is Ron DeSantis's path? He's not going to win New Hampshire. He has a tough time in South Carolina. Nevada looks like a lost cause. Where is his path to victory? He claims that there still is one. He said that he will be in the hunt as long as he believes that he has a path to the nomination. Although he also said the moment he thinks that there isn't, he's not going to just do this for his own health, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Steve Contorno, Alayna Treene, and Omar Jimenez, thanks to all of you, appreciate it, on the campaign trial.
And as we wait for the results to come in, New Hampshire voters have a lot of opinions about who should be the next president. CNN's Gary Tuchman went to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to hear them out.
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GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We came to downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with two specific questions for people who plan to vote in Tuesday's Republican primary, both questions that were asked on CNN's entrance poll in Iowa.
The first, the question that was asked to people, is Donald Trump fit for the presidency if convicted of a crime? And 65 percent of the Republicans said yes, he's fit for the presidency, almost two-thirds. How do you feel about that? Is he fit if he's convicted of one of these crimes?
MATTHEW PRATT, NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTER: I do feel as though he is still fit to be president of the United States, yes.
TUCHMAN: So if he's found guilty, you would still vote for him?
PRATT: Yes.
TUCHMAN: But this man who had told us he's voting for Nikki Haley, feels much differently.
RICHARD ANTAL, NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTER: If he's convicted of a crime, I don't think he should be the president.
TUCHMAN: Hank Boucher says he hasn't decided who he will vote for, but does say he likes Trump.
Is Donald Trump fit for the presidency if he's convicted of a crime, 91 counts against him?
HANK BOUCHER, NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTER: I would say yes, because I don't think there's any legitimate things that they're charging him for.
TUCHMAN: Why is that?
BOUCHER: What are they him charging for? It's all crap stuff that Biden wants him out.
TUCHMAN: We told him there's no evidence whatsoever that President Biden is behind any of this. But Hank Boucher is sticking with what he believes.
BOUCHER: So Biden's going to do anything and everything he can do to get him out because --
TUCHMAN: I mean, that's what Donald Trump is saying, that Biden's against him. But you're believing Trump about that.
BOUCHER: Yes.
TUCHMAN: You say it's Biden's fault, that these are not legitimate charges.
BOUCHER: Yes. Definitely.
[14:10:00]
TUCHMAN: Then there was the second question from CNN's entrance poll, also showing nearly two-thirds of Iowa caucus goers siding with Trump.
TUCHMAN: You're voting for Donald Trump. A question for you is, do you think Joe Biden legitimately won the election in 2020?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
TUCHMAN: Dick (ph) Porzio (ph) says he's probably voting for Ron DeSantis.
TUCHMAN: Do you think Joe Biden legitimately won in 2020?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I do.
TUCHMAN: Marilou (ph) Carr (ph) is voting for Haley.
TUCHMAN: Do you think Joe Biden won legitimately in 2020?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I do.
TUCHMAN: Carvel Tefft is also voting for her.
Do you think Joe Biden legitimately won the election in 2020?
CARVEL TEFFT, NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTER: I do.
TUCHMAN: Does it bother you that Donald Trump keeps saying that's not the case?
TEFFT: No, it doesn't bother me. I expect that from him.
TUCHMAN: Alex Zadeh feels much differently. He's a Trump supporter who's pretty much all in.
ALEX ZADEH, NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTER: There was a lot, a lot of finagling going on. There's no doubt about it. Whether it caused him to win, I don't know.
TUCHMAN: What kind of finagling?
ZADEH: Just with the voters stealing of ballots, I think, hearing things about trucks carrying ballots from here to here.
TUCHMAN: That's funny what you're saying. You're talking about hearing about these things.
ZADEH: Well, seeing them on TV, seeing them --
TUCHMAN: And seeing things, but there's no evidence of that. It's something that Donald Trump keeps talking about and saying, but there's no evidence of any widespread fraud. But yet you believe there was?
ZADEH: I really do, yes.
TUCHMAN: So what happens if Donald Trump ends up hearing one or more guilty verdicts? This was not a lonely sentiment.
So if he's convicted of one of these crimes, which could result in prison time, would you still vote for him for president?
ZADEH: Yes, I would.
TUCHMAN: Do you think it's possible that Donald Trump is just making up things as he goes along, that he's basically punking you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
TUCHMAN: Do you know what "punking" means?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
TUCHMAN: Tricking you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, he's not.
TUCHMAN: Gary Tuchman, CNN, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right, for more on this tight race in New Hampshire, I'm joined now by Todd Bookman. He is a senior reporter for New Hampshire Public Radio. Great to see you, Todd. So, all right, you heard the sentiments there. Are you hearing similar points of view from people when you get around?
TODD BOOKMAN, SENIOR REPORTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC RADIO: So I've been attending a lot of rallies over the last few weeks, including several with Nikki Haley. The question of voter fraud doesn't necessarily come up when you actually speak with voters at these rallies. I think a lot of people who have not committed to Trump are still sort of testing the waters and interested in policy and what the candidates like DeSantis and Haley are running on versus sort of the issues of the past. That's at least what I heard from a lot of voters in the past few weeks here.
WHITFIELD: OK. So, the motto there in that state, "Live free or die," and the state is also proudly very independent, roughly 39 percent of voters, right? So what are these independent voters looking for in their choice for president?
BOOKMAN: Yes, they've got a choice to make when they go into the polls on Tuesday. Independents can vote in either the Democratic or the Republican primary in this state. I think an interesting question will be how many of the Democratic leaning independents go in and write in Joe Biden's name on the ballot. That would be sort of a show of support for President Biden who has chosen not to participate in this primary. Those Democrats who are registered as undeclared or independents, though, they might be more tactical, and they might want to vote in the GOP primary. They have the right and the ability to do that.
And so those voters could wind up backing somebody like Nikki Haley. They could be more tactical and think their vote would be better spent on Donald Trump, who they believe Joe Biden might be more, better suited to beat come, in November. So those independents will wind up swaying this election come Tuesday. But I will say that President Trump has had a great deal of steady support in this state for months now. His polling numbers have largely held steady. And so the question will be, can Haley put together this coalition that's large enough to sort of make a dent in that steady support for President Trump.
WHITFIELD: So among those independents who are leaning Republican, what is it they're looking for, or what appeals to them in a DeSantis, Haley, or Trump? You already said quite a few are already leaning Trump. What is it they seem to like about some of these Republican candidates as to why they might lean that way?
BOOKMAN: I was speaking with voters this week, and what you hear amongst a lot of the Haley supporters, at least, is that they're sort of ready to move on, ready to move on from what they see is the negativity that swirls and surrounds President Trump, whether that's fair or accurate or not. That is certainly a big issue for folks who are considering Haley.
[14:15:00]
You also hear on some substantive issues that people like Haley's foreign policy experience, her time serving as U.N. ambassador. Her stump speech is spent heavily talking about foreign policy, about what she perceive as the risk from China. I think those are issues that do resonate with New Hampshire voters. I also think the economy, who can tackle inflation the best, is something that will ultimately matter more to voters potentially than sort of the fights over the past and folks' personalities. WHITFIELD: Today, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, even though Ron
DeSantis is in South Carolina, but both have been questioning Trump's mental ability to be president after the former president mistook Nikki Haley for the former House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, in some comments. So is that a message that's resonating at all with voters when they hear the candidates talk about mental capacity, or even age? Nikki Haley has been talking a lot about age, and that is a distinguishing quality between she and a Trump or a Biden.
BOOKMAN: Yes, we do certainly hear from voters concerns about the ages of President Biden and President Trump. Whether or not a so-called gaffe is really going to move the needle at this point in the primary, perhaps I'm not the person best positioned to make that forecast. But age is certainly an issue and is something that Nikki Haley has made a centerpiece of her campaign speech, that she's ready to sort of move on and bring in that next generation of conservative leader. Again, whether or not somebody misspeaking during a live event is actually going to move voters at this point, we'll just have to see on Tuesday.
WHITFIELD: Todd Bookman, thanks so much. Great talking to you.
BOOKMAN: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: And tune in tomorrow morning for CNN's exclusive interview with Senator Tim Scott at 9:00 a.m. eastern time.
Overseas, tensions in the Middle East escalating today. An Iran-backed militia group claims responsibility for an attack injuring U.S. personnel at an air base in Iraq.
And new reports of a deadly missile strike in the Syrian capital of Damascus that Iran says Israel is responsible for. What this could mean for the region, next.
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[14:21:35]
WHITFIELD: An Iran-backed militia is now claiming responsibility for a missile attack on an air base in Iraq that injured U.S. personnel. The group said the attack was in retaliation for the war in Gaza.
Meantime, earlier today, Syrian state television said several Iranian military advisers were among those killed in a missile strike in the Syrian capital of Damascus. Iranian and Syrian news agencies both say Israel is behind the attack. The Israeli Defense Force says they won't comment on the reports. Video taken at the scene shows a building in ruins.
CNN's Nic Robertson is in Tel Aviv, Israel. Nic, what more do you know about the group taking responsibility for the attack on this air base in Iraq?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, it's the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which is an umbrella term that's used for many of the different militias inside Iraq that are backed by Iran. They've been getting stronger and stronger and stronger over the past decade, to the point that the Iraqi government is putting pressure on the United States to pull all its troops out of Iraq.
But this attack today, the mayor of a nearby town who had a good view from a distance of what is happening, said that multiple, multiple missiles were being fired at the air base and that many of them were intercepted. But some, we know, got through, U.S. service personnel injured. We don't know how many and we don't know how severe.
And also this is a joint base as well, Iraqi troops there. The Iraqi commander has said that at least one of his soldiers was injured. We don't know how badly that soldier was injured. But these Iran-backed militias that operate in Iraq have been responsible -- and operate in Syria, by the way, as well -- have been responsible for 143 attacks against U.S. service personnel in their bases in Iraq and Syria the Hamas attack October 7th here in Israel. These are connected. These militias in Iraq and Syria, and specifically we're talking about Iraq here today, are proxies, if you will, of Iran. They get funding. They get support, they get training, they get weapons from Iran. So this strike at Al-Asad Airbase injuring U.S. service personnel today, it seems, we don't know explicitly, but it would look as if it might have been a response for what the Iranian feel and saw was an attack on them in Damascus today.
WHITFIELD: Then what more do we know about the missile strike in Damascus?
ROBERTSON: Well, I think the interlinking thing here might be what we heard from the Iranian foreign minister talking about the attack in Damascus. As you said, the Iranians are blaming it on Israel, but they really lump the United States in with Israel when referring to this strike. The foreign ministry in Iran has said we will strike back at a time and place of our choosing. And we essentially, not to use their terms, but they're pointing the finger of blame at Israel and Israel supporters, the United States in the region, because this is Iran's aim, to try to drive the United States out of the Middle East.
So the Iranian are blaming Israel for that strike in Damascus, which killed, as we understand, five IRGC senior Iranian military personnel involved in trying to build Iran's proxies inside Syria.
[14:25:11]
WHITFIELD: Nic Robertson, thanks so much in Tel Aviv.
And we'll be right back.
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WHITFIELD: All right, this is hard to listen to. A teacher in Georgia is facing criminal charges as police say he threatened to behead a 13- year-old student. According to witnesses, the seventh grade teacher made the threat after the student said she was offended by an Israeli flag hanging in his classroom. CNN's Dianne Gallagher spoke with students, parents, and filed this report.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This was not an easy decision for this family to actually talk about what happened to their daughter, in part because they still fear for her personal safety.
[14:30:00]
But they tell me that they knew that it was important to speak out because they wanted to put a face, a name, a reality to the hate that is spreading across this country.
LINA AL SHROOF, MOTHER: That's when I started crying. When I reached that sentence.
ALAA AFIFI, FATHER: It's like, wow.
GALLAGHER: Alaa Afifi and Lina Al Shroof say it's still tough to read what their 13-year-old daughter went through.
AL SHROOF: You read it and you feel like you're looking at a horror movie.
GALLAGHER: One that unfolded in the halls of a middle school in central Georgia one month ago. Fifty-one-year-old social studies teacher Benjamin Reese was arrested for allegedly threatening to behead their daughter and slit her throat after she told him she found his display of the Israeli flag in the classroom offensive. More than 20 witnesses were listed in a lengthy sheriff's report. The adults recounted seeing Reese follow three young girls down the hall, shouting violent threats, like "She is a stupid mother f-er, and I will drag her by the back of my car and cut her head f-ing off, disrespecting my Jewish flag." Reese was charged with making terroristic threats, a felony, and cruelty to children in the third degree. He was released on a $7,500 bond.
AFIFI: As a father I feel she is not safe, and I don't know that she is not safe. I cannot even protect her.
GALLAGHER: We visited Reese at home, but he declined to comment, saying his attorney would reach out. So far, that is not happened, and court records do not know a listed attorney for Reese. Houston County schools tell CNN that Reese is no longer an employee with the district, something Al Shroof says she appreciates, but she still fears for their daughter's safety.
AL SHROOF: You always have this what if. If Reese threats carried on and he show up in my house.
GALLAGHER: As a Palestinian American, Al Shroof says the war in Gaza has never felt far away for their family, but they didn't expect the ripple effect to reach them in their beloved Warner Robins community.
AL SHROOF: A small, community, loving community. We never have any, any problem.
GALLAGHER: But civil rights advocates say what happened to their daughter, while extreme, fits into a pattern that's emerged in Georgia, mirroring a national trend with a spike in antisemitic, anti- Muslim, and anti-Arab reports in the months following Hamas's October 7th attack and amid Israel's continued deadly siege of the enclave. The numbers have skyrocketed in the peach state.
AZKA MAHMOOD, CAIR GEORGIA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: When you compare the three months of 2022 to 2023, the increase is 1,100 percent.
GALLAGHER: That's astonishing.
MAHMOOD: It's shocking. We have never been busier.
GALLAGHER: Meanwhile, Al Shroof and Afifi are busy trying to keep things feeling normal at home while working to ensure this isn't a long-term threat to their child's self-worth.
AL SHROOF: I wanted her to be confident, to love who she is and stand up for the right things, and to not to let this change her.
GALLAGHER: The family tells me they feel very supported by their community and the school, but they are demanding that the district change their personnel policy when it comes to notifying families of serious incidents that involve teachers. And that's because they say their daughter didn't actually hear some of the most violent threats because she was trying to get away at the time. And the family found out about them on the news, not from the school.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WHITFIELD: My goodness. Dianne Gallagher, thank you so much for that reporting. We're hearing the student is now back in class while the school is taking extra precautions. She says she feels safe in school.
Coming up, he was convicted of murdering his wife and unborn child, but new legal representation is working to prove his innocence. Could convicted killer Scott Peterson go free? Details straight ahead.
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[14:37:58]
WHITFIELD: A murder conviction decades ago and a case that captivated the country is now getting a new look. The Los Angeles Innocence Project is taking on the conviction of Scott Peterson. He was convicted of killing his pregnant wife Laci and their unborn child, and he was sentenced to death in 2004. That sentence was overturned by the California Supreme Court in 2020, but the conviction was upheld. And now the L.A. Innocence Project says key evidence was missing from his trial.
Beth Karas joins us now to discuss. She's a former assistant district attorney. And you covered this trial extensively for Court T.V, Beth, we probably even talked about it a million time, but how surprising does this come to you now that the L.A. Innocence Project believes that there's more to it and really wants to look into it further? BETH KARAS, COVERED SCOTT PETERSON FOR COURT T.V.: You know, I suppose
I'm not all that surprised, because of the good work that the Innocence Projects all over the country do. However, I do think this is an uphill battle for them. Let them test whatever the court will allow. I'm sure the prosecution will turn over discovery they claim they don't have from the original trial. But I really don't think it's going to amount to anything.
Many things that they're talking about were dealt with by the Modesto police, tangents about sightings of Laci and the timeline and whether or not she was pawning jewelry. They were having financial problems before she was killed, and whether or not she pawned a watch that showed up and maybe somebody connected to this watch is somehow involved. All of that stuff had been examined and investigated by the Modesto police. But if they want to do it all over again, OK.
WHITFIELD: But some of those things, it is being argued by the Innocence Project, that perhaps were not taken seriously or looked into further from this mysterious van that was across the street, the blood in the van, remnants of a possible noose or rope that may have been around the neck of the fetus.
[14:40:18]
I mean, why do these things need to be looked at differently now, or, I guess to begin with, the criticism is they weren't looked at seriously enough or connection made?
KARAS: Look, the police went down the most obvious route, the person they believed was responsible right from the night that Laci was reported missing, when Scott told some people he had been golfing, and then when the police are there in the park looking for her Christmas Eve night, he told them he was fishing in the bay in a boat nobody knew he had 90 miles from Modesto. And they said what were you fishing for in the bay? And he didn't have an answer. He was stumbling for the kind of fish he was fishing for.
Then when they looked at the boat, they're like, this isn't like a saltwater boat. It's a little boat that wouldn't do well in choppy water. It's for fresh water. Moreover, he had fishing tackle for fresh water. He was not fishing. He was coming up with a story for the police. Right from the get go the police knew his story wasn't adding up. When they had a command center and he was supposed to be putting up fliers of the missing Laci, he's sitting in his truck making phone calls, not putting up any fliers. Those little things he did after the fact which raised their suspicion. So then they had to go back and take a look.
Now, this whole effort to get this reexamined again is based on there being a burglary across the street from the Peterson home the day that Laci went missing is what the Innocence Project and others believe, or believe that Scott is innocent. But that was examined. The burglary was a day later. It was after Laci disappeared, and the burglars were interviewed. I've seen the report. They were like, oh, it was Christmas and I didn't have gifts, and obviously the people across the street weren't home. The mail was in their mailbox, so we broke in. WHITFIELD: So given the track record of the Innocence Project, pick
your jurisdiction, why would the L.A. Innocence Project risk its reputation if it didn't feel pretty sound that there's more there that should either call for a new trial or exoneration all together, because isn't that at the root of why they would involve themselves?
KARAS: Right. They ask you for the evidence. They have not concluded that he was wrongfully convicted, right. And there's a difference between there not being enough evidence to support a conviction and actually the wrong person. They're saying the wrong person. I can buy an argument that maybe there's not enough evidence to support it because it's all behavior. It's like his behavior and how he was acting and the affair and his actions after the fact. But the wrong person, highly doubtful.
But this is what the Innocence Project does. They look at cases they think have a good shot at perhaps turning up some relevant exculpatory evidence. So I don't know that it would hurt their reputation if the van mattress that they're going to test for DNA, hopefully, and see if Laci's blood is on it turns up nothing.
That won't be surprising to me, but if it does turn up something, well, I'll be darned, because I do not think that they're barking up the right tree here, but who knows? They have done good work in the past, and I am a big supporter of the Innocence Projects around the country.
WHITFIELD: Right. It's an extraordinary case. It was extraordinary then, and over the years, it continues to be incredibly puzzling. Beth karas, thank you so much.
KARAS: My pleasure.
WHITFIELD: Still to come, in a groundbreaking first step within the criminal justice system, a special grand jury will investigate the botched police response to the massacre at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. The details on that, next.
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[14:48:28]
WHITFIELD: Officials in Uvalde, Texas, selected a new grand jury to investigate the 2022 massacre at Robb Elementary School. This would mark the criminal's justice system's first known step to address the botched police response to one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history. Nineteen kids and two teachers were killed while law enforcement officers waited for more than an hour before moving in to stop the shooter. CNN has contacted the prosecutor and court officials for comment but has not yet heard back.
And a Fulton County commissioner is launching an inquiry into allegations that District Attorney Fani Willis misused county funds in the case of former President Trump. Willis is accused of accepting gifts and other personal benefits from Nathan Wade, the lead prosecutor that she hired for the Trump case and is allegedly having an affair with. The inquiry was launched just hours after credit card statements revealed in a divorce proceeding involving Nathan Wade allegedly showing Wade paid for at least two out of state trips with Willis. Jessica Schneider has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There is now a full-on battle between Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and the wife of Willis's top prosecutor in the Georgia election case against Trump. The back-and-forth in the divorce proceedings is threatening to shake up the case.
FANI WILLIS, FULTON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: The black man I chose has been a judge more than 10 years.
SCHNEIDER: Fani Willis is facing allegations she had an affair with Nathan Wade, something she has not addressed.
[14:50:02]
Instead, she has defended naming him as special prosecutor in November 2021, one day after he filed for divorce from his wife.
WILLIS: Isn't that something we'll never see, a black man as qualified, no matter his achievements?
SCHNEIDER: Now, there is a swirl of tension to try to get to the bottom of this alleged affair. New court filings from Wade's wife show Nathan Wade bought tickets for Willis to accompany him on at least two out-of-state trips. Copies of credit card statements show Wade purchased airline tickets for himself and Willis, including for trips to Miami in October 2022 and San Francisco in April 2023.
Jocelyn Wade saying in the filing that her attorneys want to depose Willis in the divorce proceedings to determine details surrounding her romantic affair with Nathan Wade as there appears to be no reasonable explanation for their travels apart from a romantic relationship.
Willis is trying to stop the questioning, saying it's being used to harass and damage her professional reputation and is obstructing and interfering with an ongoing criminal prosecution.
This exploded in the public eye earlier this month when one of the defendants in the Georgia election subversion case, Mike Roman, a former Trump campaign official, move to disqualify Willis, alleging she had an improper relationship with Wade. Roman alleges Wade was paid more than others in Willis's office and used money he billed for his work, so far adding up to more than $650,000, to take Willis on romantic and lavish vacations. Roman has not provided any public proof for the accusations, but Trump's lawyer says this is another reason the case should be tossed.
ALINA HABBA, TRUMP ATTORNEY: This case is tainted from the start. Never mind all the other things that we're seeing come out that show absolute corruption. It's all planned. It's election interference. SCHNEIDER: The judge overseeing the Georgia election case has now set of February 15th hearing to consider whether Willis and Wade should be disqualified from the case. Willis has defended her prosecution team and said they have all been paid the same.
WILLIS: I appointed three special counsels as is my right to do, paid them all the same hourly rate. They only attacked one.
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WHITFIELD: Jessica Schneider, thank you so much.
Still to come, the NFL playoffs are heating up as we countdown to Super Bowl Sunday. Will the underdogs dominate the divisional round?
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WHITFIELD: The future of "Sports Illustrated" is now uncertain. The iconic magazine and website laid off most or probably all of its union represented staff. In a memo viewed by CNN, the magazine's publisher said it would cut staff because a licensing deal to publish the magazine fell true. In a statement, owner Authentic Brands Group says "Sports Illustrated" will continue but didn't give details. The union says it expects its contract to be honored and all of its members to be treated fairly.
And in just a few hours from now, the NFL playoffs will kick into high gear as a pair of underdogs attempt to knock off the top teams in the divisions. The games will also feature young up-and-coming quarterbacks going against a couple of the best defenses in the league. CNN's Andy Scholes joins us now with more on today's big games.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, I just love this weekend. You got two big games today, two more tomorrow. In the first game, you have got the top seed in the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens hosting the surprising Houston Texans. And this is just an awesome quarterback match-up. You've got the favorite to win the MVP in Lamar Jackson. He is trying to put his playoff woes behind him and get to his first AFC championship game.
Then you've got one of the best rookie quarterbacks in NFL history, C.J. Stroud for Texans. Stroud is already the youngest Q.B. to ever win a playoff game at 22 years old. Could he continue his amazing play today and get the Texans to their first ever conference championship game? Texas head coach DeMeco Ryans is confident his quarterback will continue to rise to the occasion.
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DEMECO RYANS, HOUSTON TEXANS HEAD COACH: C.J. is the reason why we're in this position. He is special, special young man, special player, continues to shine no matter how big the moment is. Our whole team is leaning on him. And when you have a young player who can shoulder the load of your team and the way the team is behind him, the confidence that he gives our entire team, it's so cool to watch.
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SCHOLES: The Ravens nine-and-a-half point favorites in that one. The 49ers also nine-and-a-half point favorites over the Packers. Green Bay still riding high after beating the Cowboys. And quarterback Jordan Love looking to pull off his second straight huge upset. Now, the 49ers and Packers have one of the best playoff rivalries in sports. This is their record 10th meeting in the postseason. San Fran has a five and four record in those games, including winning the last four in a row. But Love says despite his team's lack of playoff experience, they are a confident bunch.
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JORDAN LOVE, GREEN BAY PACKERS QUARTERBACK: Obviously, yes, experience is huge in these situations, but I think that we're confident in our whole team and what we got. And now it just comes down to execution, making the most of the plays we have, and I think that's what we're doing. It's another test, but that's what we're doing it for, to be able to have nice challenges and step up in these big-time moments.
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SCHOLES: A lot of people are jealous of the Packers, Fredricka. They went from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to now Jordan Love. So since 1992, they have had a good to great quarterback under center. Meanwhile, some teams, they haven't even had one in that 30-year span.
WHITFIELD: Yes, well, I love the story of these young Q.B.s. Incredible, really exciting football right now. Andy Scholes, thank you so much.
All right, hello again, everyone. Thank you.
