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FBI Interviews Vet Accusing Santos Of Stealing Funds For Sick Dog; Some Schools Canceling Classes In Nationwide Teacher Shortage; Cardiovascular Disease Is Leading Cause Of Death Among Women. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired February 03, 2023 - 07:30   ET

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

[07:30:00]

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: George Santos is under investigation by the FBI for allegedly stealing $3,000 from a dying dog's GoFundMe. The dog's owner and Navy veteran says that the FBI has interviewed him this week about the incident and that he is elated that they are investigating.

Santos said yesterday he's not worried as he dodged questions though about the federal investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you concerned about the FBI investigation?

REP. GEORGE SANTOS (R-NY): I am not.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you spoken to the FBI?

SANTOS: Pardon me.

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Mr. Santos, you are facing a federal investigation here. This is very serious. Can you explain to your voters and your constituents what happened with this -- with this veteran -- the conversations that you had with him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Santos?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Santos not answering questions there.

But the dog's owner did speak to Don last month about the incident and what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD OSTHOFF, DISABLED VET WHO SAYS GEORGE SANTOS SCAMMED HIM: This guy -- he doesn't deserve to be where he's at. He doesn't deserve a government pension. But when I saw him on the news as Anthony Devolder I put two and two together. It ripped the scab off and it felt like my dog died yesterday. It hurt me that much all over again. I don't want you to ever hurt anybody like you hurt me again, George. And nobody else should ever have to go through that. I almost killed myself when that dog died. That's why I'm here. I don't want him to be able to do this again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: And Rich Osthoff joins us now along with Michael Boll, who is the founder of the New Jersey Veterans Network who tried to intervene and help get the money there. Thank you both for joining us back again.

It was such a powerful interview that you had with Don and so much has happened since then, including the FBI reaching out to you. What were their questions for you?

OSTHOFF: I can't really get into the exact details about the questions that they asked. I did, however, provide them every piece of evidence that they needed. I don't have anything to hide from them and I want them to pursue this. He didn't just break the law, he broke my heart when he did this.

I don't usually like to go after people and have them get in trouble for anything like that but you break the law and you break my heart, and you put me through something like this where I thought that I was going to have my dog taken care of and I just had to sit there and watch her die and I couldn't do anything about it.

COLLINS: And from being there are you surprised -- you know, from being in that moment when she did pass away are you surprised that it came from there to now the FBI is actually looking into this?

OSTHOFF: Yes.

COLLINS: Are you glad?

OSTHOFF: I contacted my local law enforcement when it first happened and they didn't have a clue who he was, where he was at or anything. So now the big guys -- the Feds finally picked it up and I know it's still prosecutable at this point. I was so relieved.

COLLINS: Yes.

OSTHOFF: I mean -- and just speaking to the FBI the little bit that I did was cathartic. I mean, just to get my emotions out there and to know that this is finally going somewhere.

COLLINS: And so, did they want text messages, phone calls? What kind of things were they looking for?

OSTHOFF: Text messages. They wanted screenshots of anything that I had from the GoFundMe campaign and off of my Facebook.

COLLINS: Yes.

The former deputy director of the FBI said that he believes that given -- you know, it's $3,000. That's not typically something that the FBI would look into. But he believes it means that there's a broader scope of activity that Santos may have been involved in.

Is that your suspicion as well?

OSTHOFF: I'd put money on it that I'm not the only one he's done this to. It was so well-lubricated and smooth the way he did everything and the spiel that he had. It came out so smooth and readily -- it didn't come -- it was rehearsed.

And as far as the $3,000 is concerned, too, I'm not really looking to get that back from him. I don't really think even if he had a judgment against him to pay it, I don't think I'd ever even see it anyway.

George Santos screwed me over. He really stomped me into the ground. But I've been getting a lot of feedback -- positive feedback from people and America is making it right.

COLLINS: Michael, I want you to listen to something George Santos said yesterday in an interview. He was asked about not just this incident but all of the broader lies that have been uncovered since he ran for office.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANTOS: And I know that a lot of people want to create this narrative that I faked my way to Congress, which is absolutely categorically false. I've worked hard. I've built, ground up, a career through experience and through knowledge, and through self-education. And I think it's amazing that I have to sit here and be spoken down to on a regular basis yet again by the media.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: What do you make of those comments?

MICHAEL BOLL, PRESIDENT, NEW JERSEY VETERANS NETWORK: I'm amazed that he's actually in the position that he got into. I don't understand how he wasn't vetted out properly. I mean, things do happen -- I understand that. It's crazy that this person is at the position he is right now and he has the possibilities of passing legislation.

I'm shocked, and once I found out who he was it's hurtful to know that this is the person who is representing our country.

COLLINS: And he's still a lawmaker. He did step down from those committees but he's still in Congress.

[07:35:01]

You know, what do you make of him saying that he's worked hard and he built up this career and he's talking about being spoken down to by the media?

OSTHOFF: He should have had a career as a standup comic. He needs to -- he needs to get out of the spotlight. Step down and get out right now. He's just being a distraction.

Everything that he's doing -- everything that he's done, it's a circus. It's a media circus behind him and it's making our government look bad. It really is. He needs to go, and that's probably the way he can say he's sorry better than any other way.

COLLINS: What does it say to you that he's not really answering questions about any of these allegations?

OSTHOFF: He's heartless and he has no moral compass and no shame -- no remorse. He's like a supervillain.

COLLINS: Does he owe you a public apology, you think?

OSTHOFF: I believe so. I believe so, or at least acknowledgment that he remembers me and he remembers that this happened.

COLLINS: Rich, Michael, I know this is a painful thing for you to talk about and to bring up over and over again but I know you say you feel validated that the FBI is looking into this.

OSTHOFF: I know.

COLLINS: So I'm really glad that you both joined us this morning.

OSTHOFF: Thanks for having us.

BOLL: Thank you for having us

COLLINS: Thank you.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Great conversation.

From Wisconsin to Florida, schools across the country are being forced to cancel classes because of a teacher shortage. What is causing this? We'll talk about it.

And it is National -- as you can see me and Kaitlan -- Wear Red Day, which brings awareness to heart disease in women. Dr. Tara Narula and Star Jones -- they're both here to talk about it.

(COMMERCIAL)

[07:40:44]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROY WOOD JR., COMEDIAN: That's how big this chicken sandwich is. This chicken sandwich is so big CNN put the chicken full screen and put the hurricane down in the corner. That's right. Get that hurricane out of the way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: That was very funny. That is comedian Roy Wood Jr., well- known for his "DAILY SHOW" appearances. He will be hosting this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner where President Biden and high- profile members of the media get roasted.

Wood has a degree in broadcast journalism and says it's an honor to be asked. He also said this. "It will be a great night that will go down in the history book, or not, depending on which state you live in."

The White House Correspondents' Dinner is April 29.

COLLINS: It's going to be so great. I'm really glad they picked him.

HARLOW: I --

COLLINS: It's tough -- it's tough to pick the comedian and it's a lot of pressure for the White House Correspondents' Association.

HARLOW: You always go.

COLLINS: Yes.

HARLOW: And you were also elected the head of the White House --

COLLINS: Yes.

HARLOW: -- Correspondents. And then you came to be with us.

But I've never been because I'm always here, often, anchoring the coverage of it.

COLLINS: It's really fun. I mean, it's like kind of one of those things though that you can kind of watch it in person -- or on T.V.

HARLOW: On (INAUDIBLE).

COLLINS: -- and it's just as good. Yes, you should totally come. We'll go this year.

HARLOW: We'll go.

OK. This morning, a nationwide teacher shortage leaving thousands of students without educators in grades K-12. This shortage is so critical some schools have been forced to cancel class.

Rene Marsh is with us. Rene, I'm so glad you did this reporting. Why is this happening?

RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You know, to combat this problem, what we're seeing is that administrators are stepping into the classrooms to teach. Schools are moving to 4-day school weeks. But the most extreme case that we found was in Wisconsin where a charter high school was actually forced to shut down completely due to a lack of teachers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARSH (voice-over): It's Lala Bivens' first day at a new school.

LALA BIVEN, STUDENT: Hi. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How are you? First day.

BIVEN: Yes.

MARSH (voice-over): The 10th-grader started fall classes at One City preparatory academy, a new charter school in Madison, Wisconsin. But on January 13, the school says a teacher shortage forced it to shut down classes for ninth and 10th graders.

BIVENS: Teachers were just dropping like flies.

KALEEM CAIRE, FOUNDER AND CEO, ONE CITY SCHOOLS: I often hear from young people --

MARSH (voice-over): The school's CEO Kaleem Caire tells CNN the school lost five core academic teachers since the beginning of the school year, and despite a national recruitment effort he could not fill the positions.

BIVEN: This is A wing. That's B wing. And right there is U wing.

MARSH (voice-over): The school helped Lala and 61 other students scramble to find new schools mid-semester. After a week of missed classes, her mother enrolled her at a local public high school. CNN was there for the first day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got a spot for you.

BIVEN: Over there?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right over there.

MARSH (voice-over): What's playing out in Madison, Wisconsin is the worst-case scenario of a national teacher shortage gone unchecked. Department of Education data shows 47 states have reported teacher shortages this school year with the problem most acute in urban and rural areas.

Meanwhile, some state legislatures are passing laws making it easier to become a public school teacher.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Raise your hand.

MARSH (voice-over): The National Council on Teacher Quality says from January 2021 to January 2023, 23 states have lowered teacher qualification requirements, from lowering or removing assessment tests that determine whether teachers grasp the subject they will teach to creating emergency teacher certificates to expedite candidates without a teaching degree in classrooms.

Arizona, Florida, and Oklahoma have created new pathways for people without a bachelor's degree to teach in classrooms.

LINDA DARLING-HAMMOND, PRESIDENT, LEARNING POLICY INSTITUTE: When states respond to shortages by reducing standards rather than by increasing salaries and improving working conditions, what they're doing is creating a vicious cycle. So they get people in who are underprepared and those people leave at two to three times the rate of those who come in with preparation.

MARSH (voice-over): Back in Madison, Wisconsin, Superintendent Carlton Jenkins' school district will absorb most students transferring from one city charter school despite his district dealing with its own teacher shortage

DR. CARLTON JENKINS, SUPERINTENDENT, MADISON METROPOLITAN SCHOOLS: I know our staff is, like, amazing. They do magical-type work. It's still a challenge and eventually, it brings stress on the staff.

MARSH (voice-over): And the incoming students may already be behind.

[07:45:00]

BIVENS: For one, I didn't have enough teachers in my classes. It was very hard because we didn't really learn anything.

KIMBERLY WALKES, MOTHER OF STUDENT: And they have so many great opportunities and to hear that was no longer being afforded to her it broke my heart and brought me to tears.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARSH: And that student that you saw in the piece there -- she lost her math, chemistry, and history teachers all within the first few months of this school year.

Now, these teachers are leaving for a variety of reasons, from teacher pay to the pressure in classrooms because of the post-pandemic learning loss, to the culture wars that we're seeing play out in classrooms -- Poppy and Kaitlan.

HARLOW: So glad you did that reporting, Rene. Thank you.

MARSH: Sure.

COLLINS: All right. It is American Heart Month if you can't tell from my and Poppy's outfits. Twenty-eight days dedicated to spreading awareness about cardiovascular disease. It is actually the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women.

Today, specifically, is National Wear Red Day -- a day that focuses on women's heart health. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined. There is good news though because many cases can be prevented.

So here to tell us about that is CNN's medical correspondent, Dr. Tara Narula. And also with us is journalist and T.V. personality Star Jones who is a national volunteer for the American Heart Association and had open-heart surgery to fix an aortic valve malfunction in 2010. I want to talk about that experience because I know it's so personal for you.

But Doctor, first, can you just tell us what are -- what are the numbers? What is the data here of just how concerning this actually should be for women and men who are watching?

DR. TARA NARULA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You said it in the intro. We say it every year. It is the leading cause of death for women in this country. It kills more women than all forms of cancer -- one woman every minute. And every year we come on T.V. and we talk about the statistics.

But I think what has to start happening is this has to become personal for women. They have to understand that this is their sister, their mother, their best friend, their coworker. We have to realize that there is no face of what cardiovascular disease looks like. I can look like you or you, or me.

I had a woman in my office yesterday who was shocked at 50 years old. She was the picture of health. She runs, she eats well. She was shocked to find out that she had heart disease. And we had a conversation about how you know what, this is a life-changing diagnosis but now we can get you on the road to prevention and treatment.

Eighty percent of cardiovascular disease is preventable.

HARLOW: Wow.

NARULA: Eighty percent.

HARLOW: Wow.

So let's talk about Star --

STAR JONES, NATIONAL VOLUNTEER, AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION, HOST, "DIVORCE COURT": Simple lifestyle changes can make a difference in your life.

HARLOW: -- and when it became for you in 2010.

JONES: I had some really weird symptoms. And you all know from watching me on television that I used to be severely obese and then I lost weight. So I thought --

HARLOW: You look --

JONES: -- to myself --

HARLOW: -- amazing, let's just say.

JONES: -- better now -- I feel a little bit better than I felt before.

But I knew something was weird because I couldn't attribute the fact that I would get lightheaded if I went from seated to standing, or I had intense heart palpitations that felt like someone was punching me in my chest. Extremely fatigued, like I couldn't get out of bed. I knew something was wrong and it didn't have to do with weight.

So I went to see my cardiologist and after a battery of tests over a 48-hour period, they found that I actually had a malfunctioning aortic valve. They told me that I had a choice. I can try to get it repaired now or six months from now I would need a replacement. And if I didn't do something quickly, within two years I'd need a heart transplant.

And I said whoa. Can you imagine being told that at 47 years old when you never thought --

COLLINS: And you never had a heart attack?

JONES: No, I never had a heart incident.

So I, for all practical purposes, had elective open-heart surgery --

HARLOW: Wow.

JONES: -- to stave off a major attack. And 12 years later, I sit here -- the picture of heart health because I paid attention to my body. I need other women to do the same thing.

I am not here because the Heart Association said please come. I'm here because it saved my life. It's imperative.

Don't smoke. Know your fricking numbers. Know your blood pressure. Know your BMI. Know our body mass index and your -- and your blood sugars and your blood pressure.

And then eat less and move more. I had to learn that the hard way and we want to impart that to everybody out there.

HARLOW: Wow.

COLLINS: And you made a call --

JONES: Yes, I did.

COLLINS: -- right after you had surgery. Who was that call to?

JONES: I called the American Heart Association and I said there's a new face of heart disease. I said it's not an old white guy's disease because that's what we all saw.

We saw Larry King, the brilliant. And we saw David Letterman. We saw Bill Clinton. But we didn't see the Black girl in red boots thinking that this was a heart disease issue.

And I said well, we're going to start making it relevant to everyone so that you can see yourself. And you can't change if you can't see yourself in it. And it really impacts on African American women tremendously, and all women.

And I don't want you to put your own health on the backburner anymore. If mama ain't healthy, ain't nobody healthy.

HARLOW: That's so true.

JONES: OK, mama? You see what I'm saying? [07:50:00]

HARLOW: I completely do.

JONES: They tell you to put your mask on first for a reason --

HARLOW: Yes.

JONES: -- on the airplane --

HARLOW: Yes.

JONES: -- and that's what we're saying to you now. My dear friend Susan Lucci says that all the time. Put yourself as a priority.

HARLOW: Of course. Thank you for that.

And Doctor, what are the warning signs that women can be thinking about because Star was 47?

NARULA: Right.

HARLOW: What do they need to look out for?

NARULA: Yes. So this is really about understanding your risk factors, your numbers, recognizing symptoms, and then prioritizing yourself so that when you do recognize symptoms you actually go and see a doctor.

So warning signs for women can look like chest pressure pain discomfort. It can look like jaw pain, arm pain, back pain, shortness of breath, decreased exercise tolerance, fatigue, palpitations, lightheadedness or passing out, or even breaking out into a cold sweat or nausea. So there's a whole host of symptoms.

And unfortunately, a lot of times we hear oh, I just thought it was anxiety or my acid reflux. And I always say we want to make sure it's not your heart, first and foremost, and then we can look at everything else. But it's important to recognize those warning signs.

And again, if you feel it, seek care. Don't put it off. Don't put yourself on the bottom of your priority list. Put your health on the top. It's so, so important. Women tend to do that all the time. Work comes first, kids come first, and not their health.

JONES: Yes.

NARULA: But you can't really do that when it comes to cardiovascular disease.

JONES: And learn some hands-on CPR. You could save a life.

HARLOW: We did a whole segment on that -- it was the best thing -- with Dr. Narula.

COLLINS: I actually just did CPR training last week and I thought I knew it because I've done it before, but it's always good to also get a refresher.

JONES: Yes, absolutely. We -- you can go to heart.org and see a 90- second video. Ninety seconds and you can change a life, OK?

HARLOW: Yes.

NARULA: That's right.

COLLINS: Star, thank you so much for joining us with that incredibly personal story. And Dr. Tara, happy birthday to you.

HARLOW: Oh, happy birthday.

JONES: Happy birthday --

COLLINS: I don't think you can get by here.

JONES: -- on a red day.

NARULA: Thank you.

COLLINS: Thank you both so much.

Ahead, we have more on what we've been talking about all morning -- that story that has captivated the White House, certainly -- the suspected Chinese spy balloon that is currently floating over Montana. What we are hearing from defense officials and the Chinese government. Former Defense Sec. Mark Esper is going to join us live, next.

HARLOW: Thank you, guys. Thank you so much.

JONES: Absolutely.

(COMMERCIAL)

[07:56:15]

HARLOW: Welcome back to CNN THIS MORNING.

If you've ever wondered whether aliens exist, our very own Chris Wallace is trying to get down to the bottom of it. A recent report says U.S. government -- the U.S. government has received over 350 reports of UFOs since March of 2021 and half of them remain unexplained. So Wallace asked astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson what he thinks about the possibility of life in outer space.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS WALLACE, CNN HOST, "WHO'S TALKING TO CHRIS WALLACE?": Do you believe that there is life out there somewhere?

NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON, ASTROPHYSICIST: I would say that if there weren't life it would be astonishing. If there were -- if -- given how common our ingredients are and how quickly life took place here, and how many planets we know are orbiting host stars.

WALLACE: And --

TYSON: It would be astonishing if that were the case.

WALLACE: And what about aliens and what about UFOs?

TYSON: Well, to me, any life is alien. You mean aliens like with antennas and ray guns?

WALLACE: Something more than a cell.

TYSON: OK. Something that could land here in a spaceship? It could be out there. There's no evidence that would convince an authentic skeptic that we've been visited.

And I can tell you this. These fuzzy, monochromatic tic tacs that show up on Navy-restricted airspace in our own atmosphere --

By the way, you've seen the high-resolution images from a telescope we parked a million miles from Earth called the James Webb Space Telescope, looking at the edge of the universe, and the best you have of visiting aliens in our own atmosphere is a fuzzy tic tac, you've got to do better than that if you're going to convince an astrophysicist.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW: You're going to want to see the whole interview. "WHO'S TALKING TO CHRIS WALLACE?" airs Sunday, 7:00 p.m. eastern right here on CNN.

COLLINS: Good morning.

It is being called epic -- a once-in-a-generation arctic blast impacting millions. We're going to take you to the coldest places, live.

HARLOW: As an American general warns of a potential war with China and the United States builds up its presence in the region, right now, a Chinese spy balloon is flying over the United States. What the Pentagon is saying this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Russians continuing to fire with direct fire from tanks across the river, which is just a few hundred meters in that direction.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There were just two massive missile strikes right in our vicinity. You can see it's just a couple of yards away from where we are. We're not exactly sure what kind of missiles it was. But this is a residential area. We're right in the middle of town.

(END VIDEO CLIP) COLLINS: A close call with CNN reporters on the front lines in Ukraine as Vladimir Putin is evoking World War II to promise victory ahead of the invasion's one-year anniversary.

HARLOW: Just a short time from now the highly-anticipated January jobs report comes out as the U.S. economy comes to a crossroads. We'll break it all down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-NY): Don't tell me because I didn't get a single apology --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Time has expired.

OCASIA-CORTEZ: -- when my life was threatened. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Tension on the House floor yesterday after House Republicans voted to remove Congresswoman Ilhan Omar off a key committee. One of those Republicans is going to join us live to respond.

CNN THIS MORNING starts right now.

HARLOW: We're so glad to have you with us.

Right now, as we speak, a Chinese spy balloon is hovering over the United States. It was spotted high above Montana where the U.S. military has a nuclear missile silo. The Pentagon is tracking this spy balloon closely and says it does not pose a military or physical threat.

We're told the balloon is the size of three buses. A senior defense official says President Biden has been advised to not shoot it down because the falling debris could hurt people on the ground.

The balloon's discovery is rattling Capitol Hill. We're now learning that staff members for the Gang of Eight have received a briefing.

Joining us now on all of this is our chief national security correspondent.