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CNN International: Gaetz Denies Allegations Against Him, has Called Investigation a Witch Hunt; CNN Obtain Final Draft of House Ethics Report on Matt Gaetz; President Biden Commutes Nearly all Federal Death Sentences; Honda and Nissan Announces Talks to Merge; CNN Tours "Making of Harry Potter" Exhibit. Aired 9-9:45a ET
Aired December 23, 2024 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: This is the scene on Capitol Hill where there are dramatic and damning details from the final draft of
an Ethics Report on Former Congressman Matt Gaetz. It is 09:00 a.m. in Washington, D.C. I'm Eleni Giokos in New York. This is "Connect the World".
Also coming up, Germany, still reeling from a deadly attack on Friday at a Christmas market that left five dead. President-Elect Trump rallies his
base just weeks away from taking office, but pushes back on criticism about Elon Musk. Meanwhile, Jordan's Foreign Minister heads to Syria in just the
latest series of diplomatic meetings between global leaders and the newly Syrian leadership.
Well, at the stock market here in New York will open in around 30 minutes from now. Let's check in on those futures. As you can see, firmly in the
red across the board for the DOW, S&P as NASDAQ, as we head into a holiday shortened week, we'll check in on those numbers in around 30 minutes from
now.
First breaking news out of Washington. CNN has obtained a copy of a final draft of the bombshell U.S. Health Ethics Report on Former Representative
Matt Gaetz. The Ethics Committee found evidence that Gaetz paid tens of thousands of dollars to women for sex or drugs on at least 20 occasions,
and that he paid a 17-year-old girl for sex back in 2017.
The panel says Gaetz broke Florida state laws, including statutory rape law. The Former Congressman has denied all allegations. CNN's Senior Crime
and Justice Correspondent Katelyn Polantz joins us now from Washington for the details. Katelyn, good to see you. What more can you tell us about
what's in the report?
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the House Ethics Committee did interviews with quite a few of these people,
including with the girl or the woman who was underage at the time that she said that she was having sex with Matt Gaetz.
And they're finding the top line here is that they found what they say is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House rules and
other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges and
obstruction of Congress.
They also detail in this report, the situation with this 17-year-old girl, someone who says she had sex with Matt Gaetz, the Former Congressman while
he was a member of Congress, twice at a party in July 2017 at the time, she was 17-years-old. In one of those encounters, other people were able to
see, or at least they were in the presence of this happening.
And that she also remembers receiving $400 in cash from Representative Gaetz that evening, which she understood to be payment for the sex. At the
time she was a junior in high school. So that's all in the committee report. One of the things, though, is that the Justice Department looked at
this, and they did not charge with Matt Gaetz with any crime that allowed the House Ethics Committee then to pick up its investigation.
The 17-year-old did not tell Gaetz that she was under age at the time. He didn't ask her age, and he has also said on X he has responded to this and
said, in my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated, even some I never dated, but who asked. I dated some of these women for years. I never
had sexual contact with someone under 18. Any claim that I have would have been destroyed in court, which is why no such claim was ever made in court.
However, Matt Gaetz, on his own, is taking this to court. Just this morning, just a few minutes ago, he filed a lawsuit against the House
Committee, the House Ethics Committee, to try and block the release of this report. On paper, he's also claiming defamation and an invasion of privacy
claim there in court.
No judge has looked at it yet, but it is a situation that is expanding our understanding of Matt Gaetz from the time he was a Representative by the
minute, and there is very likely more to come on this today.
GIOKOS: Yeah, exactly as we get more details. Katelyn, importantly, what kind of consequences could he face? We know that he still has some kind of
political aspiration. Is there a fallout for him?
POLANTZ: Well, the Justice Department, they had looked at this and chose not to charge him with any crime. So that sort of issue is done, and this
now is a public issue, something for the public to grapple with, because the House Ethics Committee had done this report and is now releasing it. He
is a former member of Congress, so it's quite unusual for the House Ethics Committee to determine that they want to put this report out there
publicly.
[09:05:00]
But also, it is very likely to have political impact on Matt Gaetz. This is a person who is close enough to Donald Trump to have been the original pick
of Donald Trump to be the Attorney General in the upcoming administration. When it became clear he wasn't going to be having enough support from U.S.
Senators to secure that job for himself, he withdrew from the race. But he is a conservative anchor on television at One America news network, the
right-wing network.
GIOKOS: All right, Katelyn Polantz, good to see you. Thank you so much for that update. All right, with about four weeks to go until he returns to the
White House U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump traveled to Arizona Sunday to preview his second term in office in a rally style speech to conservative
supporters. His remarks covered a wide range of issues, as CNN's Steve Contorno reports.
STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: Speaking from Arizona on Sunday, Donald Trump delivered what his campaign called a rally style speech in front of a
friendly conservative audience, his first since winning election last month. and it was certainly reminiscent of many of the campaign speeches
that he delivered over the past two years, with a heavy focus on immigration and his plans for the U.S. Mexico border.
He did, however, tread some new ground, saying that he was open to allowing TikTok, the Chinese social media company, to continue to operate in the
United States. He also considered taking back control of the Panama Canal, and suggested that he would meet early in his term with Russian President
Vladimir Putin about the Ukraine war.
He also pushed back against Democrats' criticism that he has allowed Billionaire Elon Musk to become the de facto leader of his party and the
country. Take a listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND CURRENT PRESIDENTIAL-ELECT: They're on a new -- Russia, Russia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine, all
the different hoaxes. The new one is President Trump has ceded the presidency to Elon Musk. No, no, that's not happening. No, he's not going
to be president, that I can tell you. And I'm safe you know why? He can't be he wasn't born in this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CONTORNO: During his remarks on Saturday, Donald Trump also signalled a show of support for many of his controversial picks for his incoming
administration. He stood by Robert F Kennedy Jr., in his plan to, quote, make America healthy again. He also gave a show of support for Pete
Hegseth, his pick to lead the Pentagon as Defense Secretary, as well as Tulsi Gabbard, his choice for Director of National Intelligence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: But to get woke this out of our military and restore the unquestioned strength and fighting spirit of the American armed forces, I
have appointed Pete Hegseth to be our next Secretary of Defense. He's going to be great. To make our intelligence community respected even more. I
don't even think the word even is right, because we had some bad years with these people. But I've nominated Tulsi Gabbard as our Director of National
Intelligence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CONTORNO: One thing Trump did not mention the chaotic end to Congress' 2024 session, where Trump nearly caused a government shutdown with his 11th hour
demands to push off a debt ceiling vote beyond 2024. Many of Trump's allies also speaking at the conference threaten Republicans that if they continue
to stand in his way, they could find themselves with primary challenges. Steve Contorno CNN, West Palm Beach, Florida.
GIOKOS: Shocked and grieving, Germany now finds itself dealing with the political fallout of Friday's deadly attack in Magdeburg in the Eastern
part of the country. The far-right party, AFD, says it will hold a march in a couple of hours to remember the five people killed and more than 200
injured when a car rammed a busy Christmas market.
Hundreds of supporters of Germany's far right movement held an anti- immigration rally over the weekend in Magdeburg. The alleged attacker is a Saudi citizen who settled in Germany in 2006. Investigators say he has had
a history of making troubling social media posts, something German authorities were apparently alerted to. CNN's Matthew Chance reports from
the scene of the attack.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, the German authorities have now acknowledged they did indeed receive a warning from
Saudi Arabia about this individual that is now being held as the suspect in this Christmas market car ramming.
That individual has been named as Taleb Abdulmohsen, a 50-year-old man, a doctor psychiatrist, who was originally from Saudi Arabia. He is anti-
Islam. He describes himself as an Islamophobe, and has often posted on social media very aggressive messages against Islam.
[09:10:00]
He called himself the most aggressive critic of Islam in history. He was been warning repeatedly on social media that Germany is trying to Islamize
Europe, posting conspiracy theories and things like that. You can see the market place behind me has still been sealed off to these police cordons
everywhere as forensic teams scour through the debris of that attack, picking up any evidence they can.
Of course, while cleaning the streets, to be frank, of the blood that has been left on the pavement as a result of so many casualties. Meanwhile,
that suspect has made his first appearance in a German court with the judge there placing him in pretrial detention as this intensive investigation
continues. Matthew Chance, CNN Magdeburg in Eastern Germany.
GIOKOS: Well, turning to the Middle East, Jordan's Foreign Minister is in Damascus for meetings with Syrian officials, including the country's De
Facto Leader, Ahmed Al Shaara, previously known as Abu Mohammad Al Jolani, led the group of rebels that ousted Syrian Dictator Bashar Al Assad earlier
this month.
The Jordanian officials visit comes amid a flurry of diplomatic meetings between Syria's new leaders and regional powers. On Sunday, Al Shaara met
with Turkey's Foreign Minister in Damascus and said all weapons in Syria will now be controlled by the state.
As Syria works to build its new future, many refugees are returning to their homeland after years in exile, but some worry there could be more
chaos waiting for them if they go back. CNN's Salma Abdel Aziz reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Before Ahmad Morjan hugs his mother for the first time in 13 years. They both kneel in prayer.
Gratitude for a reunion they never believed would come. This is one of many emotional homecomings across Syria after the sudden fall of the Assad
Regime. At just 19-years-old, with security forces hunting him down, Morjan fled his family's home in Aleppo.
Here he is in 2016 reporting for an opposition-based media network as barrel bombs rain down from the sky. Later that year, Morjan filmed the
Exodus as thousands withdrew from the last remaining rebel enclave in Aleppo. We are leaving with our dignity Marjon says in this clip, and we
will return one day that promised return is now finally on the horizon.
Morjan says he is planning to move back into Aleppo from Gaziantep Turkey, where he currently lives with his wife and their two young daughters.
ABDELAZIZ: What is your dream now for Syria's future?
ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): I'm optimistic about the future, he says, and I have huge hope that the country will be better than before. But not all are
keen to hurry back to an unstable country with an uncertain future, says this human rights defender.
HUSSAM KASSAS, SYRIAN ASYLUM-SEEKER: There's no sustainable peace, which makes me really afraid of getting back there.
ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): Hussam Kassas, who is seeking asylum in the United Kingdom, is among tens of thousands of Syrians whose applications for
asylum were suspended after the UK and other European countries pause the process to reassess now that the threat of Assad is gone.
For years, Kassas has documented potential war crimes committed by all major parties to the conflict. If he goes back, he says his family could be
targeted or worse.
ABDELAZIZ: Why do you not feel safe to return?
KASSAS: We expected a lot of revenge killing will happen. Those soldiers will seek revenge from the people who were trying to hold them accountable
actually.
ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): Many Syrians in the diaspora long to return and rebuild, but this moment of great hope brings with it great uncertainty.
Salma Abdelaziz CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: And still to come, why the U.S. President says he's taking dozens of prisoners off death row? Plus, more on our top story, CNN has obtained a
copy of the damning U.S. House Ethics Report on Former Congressman Matt Gaetz, the findings just ahead.
[09:15:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: All right, back to our top story. CNN has obtained a final draft of the U.S. House Ethics Committees' damning reports on Former Representative
Matt Gaetz. The panel found evidence that Gaetz paid tens of thousands of dollars to women for sex or drugs over the course of several years,
including paying a 17-year-old girl for sex back in 2017.
The Former Congressman has denied all allegations. Corey Brettschneider is a Brown University Professor and the Author of the book, "The Oath and the
Office: A guide to the constitution for future presidents". Corey joins us now live from Sullivan County, New Hampshire. Great to see you, Corey. A
lot to get through. You've -- you know we've seen parts of this report. How damning is this for Matt Gaetz?
COREY BRETTSCHNEIDER, BROWN UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR: Well, it's very damning. It involves allegations of drug use and, of course, of sex with minors.
Although he's denying all of this, it was serious enough to result and him no longer being in the House of Representatives.
And most importantly, the usual norm is that when a member resigns, the report isn't released, and now it looks like this report will be released.
And that speaks, I think, to how seriously his colleagues are taking this that they would really, including his co-partisans, other Republicans, a
couple of whom voted to release the report. It suggests that -- you know they really think there's something deeply problematic here that goes
beyond a normal ethics violation.
GIOKOS: Really fascinating, because the Ethics Committee did vote it reversed its decision, and we've now seen the details specifically on Gaetz
violating Florida law, including statutory rape, the 17-year-old victim. However, in the report, she does say that she did not give her age at the
time, and I wonder how that would complicate things. How are you reading into that detail?
BRETTSCHNEIDER: Well, I think when we think of the significance of the story as a whole, this was somebody who was almost a point that was
nominated and now is no longer being considered as Attorney General. So, I think the real issue is, why would somebody like this be nominated to
basically be the chief law enforcement officer of the country, including the person looking into possible wrong doing of the President of the United
States, including criminal wrongdoing.
And I think what all these allegations speak to is the fact that Trump thought he could control this person as a total loyalist. The only reason
why he was appointed.
GIOKOS: He's also floated, looking at Marco Rubio Senate seat. He still clearly has some kind of political aspiration. How would you characterize
this now that the details are coming through, he's clearly fighting back? He's saying he's denying all of these allegations.
He has conceded to the fact that he did have wild life when he was younger? But clearly this is definitely going to be a shadow that's going to follow
him. But I wonder what the ultimate consequences are going to be, and whether they're going to be legal consequences.
BRETTSCHNEIDER: Well, I think the first thing is that it speaks to the moment in American politics and the dominance of Trumpism. And part of what
Trumpism is about is deny, deny, deny, even if you're caught not just in wrong doing, but in criminal activity that you just push forward.
[09:20:00]
And in the past, there was a norm that, look, if you're -- you know, indicted, or you're accused credibly, of a crime, that that's the end of
your career. And what Trump has shown is the way forward, which can be that with a certain constituency, with a certain constituency of Republicans
that you could survive. And that's what exactly the mould that Gaetz is modelling himself on.
He wants to be a kind of little Trump moving forward. Where will the indictments come from? You know, you asked about criminal indictments, and
one of the most important things to see is that no matter who the Attorney General is, it's going to be a Trump loyalist.
And I think what that means, unfortunately, is, rather than answering a question about what the law requires, which certainly might be an
indictment in this case, because the control is really of the Attorney General under the President, we won't see that I think at least when it
comes to federal cases.
GIOKOS: Absolutely. Look, as you mentioned, it's rare for these committees to release a report after a member is no longer in Congress. We've
ascertained that he still has political aspirations. Could you give us a sense on why it is important right now for the American public to see this
report, to get details in a handle of Matt Gaetz?
BRETTSCHNEIDER: Well, I think the one thing that protects our rights at this moment. It's certainly not going to be the incoming administration.
It's transparency, its media, it's CNN and the other media networks that are going to cover this. And I think that's what members of this committee
are seeing, that we -- the only way to really stop somebody like Gaetz, who is shameless and going to move forward, and it really embracing his own
criminality.
The only way to stop it is for the American people to see what's actually happening here. And as we see what's happening here, we have to be the ones
to stand up. And many instances of American politics, we have not been able to rely on courts or the criminal justice process. Instead, its citizens
demanding accountability.
We were the ones that forced Richard Nixon, for instance, to resign, and in this case, we, the American people, are going to be the check on this.
Well, let's call it what it is, criminal presidency.
GIOKOS: Yeah. Corey, very quickly, the Ethics Committee is made up of 10 members, split evenly between Republicans and Democrats. Were you surprised
that they voted to release this?
BRETTSCHNEIDER: Well, it's an early test of loyalty to --
GIOKOS: Yeah.
BRETTSCHNEIDER: -- Trump, and certainly there were some Republicans on that committee who did what was predicted. They weren't going to turn against
the president who coming in, after all, with a big mandate for his form of populism, and even though they knew there was wrong doing, they didn't want
to release the report because they were what trying to show loyalty.
But as we move on in this and the president takes office, I expect we'll see people of conscience, Republicans of conscience, as I mentioned, Nixon,
for instance, in the House Judiciary Committee during the impeachment to turned on him, and we might see that again.
GIOKOS: All right. Corey Brettschneider, good to have you on thank you so much for that analysis. Well, U.S. President Joe Biden is commuting the
sentences of 37 death row inmates to life in prison. Only three of the 40 prisoners currently on federal death row were not granted clemency.
Charleston, AME Church killer Dylann Roof, Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and synagogue mass shooter Robert Bowers. CNN's MJ Lee has more.
MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: In one of his last major acts as President, President Biden is using his presidential clemency power to
commute the death sentences of 37 inmates that are currently on federal death row to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Now remember, back in 2020 President Biden campaigned on getting rid of the federal death penalty. And in recent weeks, there had been a swirl of
speculation about whether he might take this kind of action before he leaves office, particularly as he was under a good amount of pressure from
human rights activists and a number of advocacy groups, some of whom have argued that the death penalty tends to disproportionately affect black
people and other people of color.
Now President Biden in his statement announcing these commutations, said this, make no mistake, I condemn these murders, but guided by my conscience
and my experience, I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. In good conscience, I cannot
stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.
That last reference there to a new administration resuming executions I halted. That obviously, is a reference to incoming President, Donald Trump.
Keep in mind that during his first term in office, there were 13 federal death row inmates who were put to death.
[09:25:00]
And in his most recent presidential campaign, Trump has made very clear that he is set on moving forward with additional federal executions once he
returns to office. This is a little bit of what Donald Trump has said over the last year on this issue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I'm here by calling for the death penalty for any migrant that kills an American citizen or a law enforcement officer. We are an institute in a
powerful death penalty we will put this on we have to bring in the death penalty if we want to stop the infestation of drugs coming into our
country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEE: Now, after today's announcement of clemency from President Biden, there are still three people who will remain on federal death row. Some of
these people really responsible for really atrocious mass killings and acts of terrorism. They are the murderer who killed nine black worshippers at a
church in Charleston, South Carolina.
One of the brothers of the Boston Marathon bombing, and then also Robert Bowers, the man who killed 11 people at the "Tree of Life Synagogue" in
Pittsburgh in 2018. I should finally note that President Biden, who is a devout Catholic, says he will be traveling back to Italy to meet with Pope
Francis. Of course, the Pontiff is one of -- one of those people who has publicly said that he would like to see the commutations of those on
federal death row here in the United States. Back to you.
GIOKOS: All right, that's MJ Lee for us. Well, two major auto makers are revving up plans to unite. Honda and Nissan could soon become one of the
biggest auto companies in the world, and the race towards electric vehicles. And details on that merger and -- the mega merger just ahead. And
the suspect is under arrest in a horrific attack in the New York City subway system. We'll bring you an update on that story right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:30:00]
GIOKOS: All right, that is the sound of the opening bell in New York. And as you can see, a lot of excitement. It is Christmas week. We have holidays
that are interrupting trade on a few days, and that is why we're seeing all the markets in the red this morning, I think much lighter volumes than what
we normally see.
There is hope that Santa Claus perhaps will give it a boost a little bit later this week and into the New Year. As you can see, DOW and NASDAQ
looking just refresh those. They don't correlate with my numbers, but we'll bring you an update on these figures as markets get underway here in New
York City.
All right, let's move on now. And another story that we're following this hour, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO has just arrived at a
New York court for arraignment on state murder and terror charges. This is video from just moments ago. Mangione is facing 11 felony counts, in
addition to four federal charges, one of which could bring the death penalty if he's convicted. Jenn Sullivan brings us the latest on this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JENN SULLIVAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a high-profile case that will now likely involve two separate trials. Luigi Mangione faces
federal charges and New York state charges in the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione was extradited Thursday from Pennsylvania to
New York where he faced a slew of federal charges, including a firearms offense, two stalking charges and murder through use of a firearm.
If found guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of either the death penalty or life in prison. His attorneys dodging questions about the federal case.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Karen, do you have any comment on these charges today?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not at this time. Thank you so much.
SULLIVAN (voice-over): The federal criminal complaint describes chilling details about contents inside a notebook that authorities say was found on
Mangione when he was arrested at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania earlier this month.
According to the criminal complaint, the notebook contains several hand written pages that express hostility towards the health insurance industry.
In one entry dated October 22d, 2024 describes intent to quote, whack the CEO of one of the insurance companies.
PETER LICATA, FORMER FBI AGENT: We always talk about mode of opportunity means all three of those elements are addressed and captured in the
criminal complaint, as well as his notebook.
SULLIVAN (voice-over): Mangione is expected to be arraigned in New York Monday, where he faces 11 state charges, including first degree murder as
an act of terrorism.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was targeted, pre-meditated and meant to sow terror.
SULLIVAN (voice-over): In New York I'm Jenn Sullivan reporting,
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: Well, two Japanese car companies want to unite and create the world's third largest auto maker, Honda and Nissan will go hold merger
talks over the next six months. Smaller Nissan Alliance Member, Mitsubishi would also be part of a potential merger. CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich explained
the details of the merger to my colleague Kate Baldwin a little earlier on CNN Newsroom.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: These two companies, Nissan and Honda, have announced plans that they're going to be
talking for the next six months to decide whether or not they are going to go through with this merger. Essentially, they need to remain competitive.
And this merger would help them in their fight against other rivals, like Toyota and Volkswagen, which have the number one and two spots. And if this
merger went through, they would jump to number three ahead of U.S. Auto Maker, Stellantis and General Motors. Also involved in this is Mitsubishi
which has an alliance with Nissan.
But why are they doing this? Well, of course, they want to remain competitive. They said in their press release that they need to increase
and boost sales. Also, Nissan is on very shaky financial footing right now. A lot of people expect that they could file for bankruptcy soon.
So, partnership merging with Honda would be very good for them. Also, Nissan does have better EV capabilities right now compared to Honda. So
that would -- that merger would create a better sort of business model for the two companies to, as you said, Kate competes, in the electric vehicle
market, and what does this mean for consumers?
Well, it's good to know what's going on in the car market, but it's also interesting to note that if they do merge, the idea is that maybe some
prices could come down on those vehicles, because they would have sort of a bigger global powerhouse.
And you can see Honda, Nissan trending behind Toyota. There lower prices. Does that mean more sales? Of course, that's what they're hoping for. If
Honda and Nissan end up merging, this would really go into effect in 2026 and there would be a whole new -- there would hope be a whole new company
trading on the stock market because of this merger. So, a lot of changes, but a lot of people in the car world say that this is not only going to
happen, but it has to happen for these two companies to remain viable.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[09:35:00]
GIOKOS: All right, New York police say more details will be released today in the gruesome burning death of a woman who was on a subway car as it sat
at a station. This man identified only as a Guatemalan immigrant is in custody, and police say charges are pending.
They say he allegedly used a lighter to ignite a blanket the victim was wearing, then sat on a bench on the platform and watched her. She died at
the scene. Eight hours later, officers arrested the suspect on another train after three high schoolers called in a tip.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JESSICA TISCH, NEW YORK CITY POLICE COMMISSIONER: Someone who we believe carried out one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly
commit against another human being, and it took the life of an innocent New Yorker.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: Well, police do not believe the suspect and the victim knew each other. All right coming up, in sports like father, like son Tiger Woods'
son Charlie has a landmark moment on the golf course Sunday, what he did that got a big hug from dad.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: Whether you're waving a wind in the wizarding world or stringing lights around the tree in a more traditional man at the holidays are all
about the comforts of tradition. CNN's Anna Stewart takes us behind the scenes of an annual Christmas classic as she tours the grounds of Hogwarts
at the Warner Brothers Studios outside of London, now decked with enchanting holiday decor.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy Christmas Harris.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy Christmas Ron.
ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Is that time of year when we all re-watch family favorite movies, but this time, I'm taking it a step
further.
STEWART: Could there be a more magical place to spend the Christmas holidays and Hogwarts?
STEWART (voice-over): This is the great hall all decked out for a festive feast.
STEWART: Laura, nice to meet you.
LAURA SINCLAIR-LAZELL, HEAD OF SHOW EXPERIENCE, WARNER BROS STUDIO TOUR LONDON: Hello, nice to meet you.
STEWART: You're going to give me the grand tour.
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: I am indeed. Welcome to the Warner Brothers studio tour London, the making of Harry Potter. I'm Laura Sinclair-Lazell. I'm Head of
Show Experience.
STEWART: You are the person who's going to tell me everything about this place. And I should tell you, I'm probably CNN's biggest Harry Potter fan
or nerd, depending on these.
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: Amazing. Well, you have come to the right place.
STEWART (voice-over): It feels like we have walked into a Harry Potter movie, minus one enchanted ceiling and two tables, which allows more room
for visitors. In the movies, Professor Flitwick made light work of baubles. It's a lot more work for the muggles working here.
STEWART: Those aren't real peas?
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: No, sadly, not.
STEWART: None of the food was real?
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: Not real, not this time. No.
[09:40:00]
STEWART (voice-voice): Stomachs rumbling. Time to move on. Now, you may remember this scene Hagrid lugging a Christmas tree across the Hogwarts
courtyard.
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: So, this is very reminiscent of that moment, and this would have been the original costume as worn by Martin Bayfield. So, --
STEWART: This is what was worn by the body double?
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: Absolutely, yeah. Any of the long shots that you see were usually worn by him.
STEWART (voice-over): Time for a little retail therapy, and it's been slowing.
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: We use shredded paper.
STEWART: This is shredded paper?
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: Or shredded plastic, yes. And then on top, we sprinkle some glitter to give it that kind of real-life snow effect.
STEWART: From Ola Banders to Flourish and Plots Diagon Alley has everything the witch or wizard needs. OK, if you could go into any of these shops for
real which one was you going?
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: Oh, I'm taught. Probably I'd want to hang out with the twins. So, I'd --
STEWART: You don't want to --
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: -- so I could get the wizard weezies. Yeah.
STEWART: OK,
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: -- a few jokes.
STEWART: I know. Maybe the credit shop for me.
SINCLAIR-LAZELL: Yeah.
STEWART: Once I've got my one.
STEWART (voice-over): And clearly it would be a fire bolt.
STEWART: It's the Fire Bolt. It's the fastest broomstick in the world.
STEWART (voice-over): Although, sadly, no holiday sales here. And to end the tour, a breathtaking view of Hogwarts in the snow. Anna Stewart, CNN
Watford.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: Anna Stewart on assignment there for us. OK, so a weekend golf tournament in Florida was a family affair with the sons of some golfing
legends paired with their fathers. And for Tiger Woods and his son, Charlie, it was an unforgettable day with Charlie making his first ever
hole in one. Patrick Snell is here to tell us about parent's goals. I mean, yeah, we all aspire to moments like this, right?
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: It was wonderful to see you know, Christmas week, you spend time with your loved ones this holiday season, and what
better way to start it and to get out onto the golf course? This was fantastic. Charlie Woods is 15 years of age Eleni. He's a teenage son of
golf legend, Tiger Woods, the sports 15-time major winner, second only to the great Jack Nicklaus in terms of major titles.
But this was on the fourth hole. It's such a majestic swing. Look how he kind of stares the ball down, follows the flight path one bounce or two
into the hole. That's his first ever career hole in one and look at the reaction there, from dad, one very proud dad. I'm telling you back to you.
GIOKOS: Very cool. All right, we'll see you after the break. I'll be back at the top of the hour. Stay with CNN.
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[09:45:00]
(WORLD SPORT)
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