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Trump Claims Chinese Soldiers Illegally Operating Panama Canal; Netflix Pulls Off $150 Million NFL Christmas Day Doubleheader; Barstool Sports President Donates $60,000 to Baltimore Pizza Shop; LASD Deputy Fired After Guilty Plea in Assault on Trans Man. Aired 3:30-4p ET
Aired December 26, 2024 - 15:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:30:00]
JOHN FEELEY, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO PANAMA UNDER TRUMP: ... facts, and even Donald Trump has to accept, well, he doesn't have to accept them, but the rest of the world does and knows. I don't think he's really doing anything other than positioning himself, perhaps with the threat of economic warfare and tariffs, which he very well could do, to put Panama and truly everybody else around the world on edge, worried about what he's going to come in with.
ERIC HILL, CNN HOST: President Mulino pushing back very strongly, not just, of course, in response to yesterday's social media post, but ever since this has come up.
Before I let you go, President-elect Trump announcing Kevin Marino Cabrera is his pick for your old job, U.S. Ambassador to Panama. Do you have any relationship with him? How do you think he is in terms of a choice for that role?
FEELEY: I don't have any relationship with him. And because I'm a former career ambassador, we have an unwritten rule that we don't comment on nominations until the Senate of the United States has an opportunity to do so, and the very host country. Let's keep in mind that President Trump's named nominee has not received what's called agreement, the diplomatic approval of the Mulino government, for him to even proceed forward with a Senate confirmation. So I really don't have much to add there.
HILL: Well, you did actually add a lot, because it's an important reminder for everyone in terms of how the process works. Ambassador John Feeley, really appreciate you joining us today. Thank you.
FEELEY: A pleasure, Erica.
HILL: Still to come here, Super Bowl contenders taking a backseat to Beyonce during the NFL's big debut for its Christmas Day extravaganza on NFL.
Plus, what LeBron James has to say about that Christmas doubleheader.
[15:35:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: The NFL's big debut on Netflix. Was it the Christmas Day game day extravaganza the league fans expected? The streaming giant flexing its live events muscle with a monster doubleheader.
The top-seeded reigning Super Bowl champs, Kansas City Chiefs, against Pittsburgh. And the Baltimore Ravens blowout of the Houston Texans. Oh, and the real show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEYONCE, SINGER, SONGWRITER: Hello, girls.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALES: Hello, Beyonce.
BEYONCE: Hello, fellas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALES: You'll be swell.
BEYONCE: Those petty ones can't touch me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALES AND FEMALES: Why?
BEYONCE: Because I'm a clever girl. We clapping.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Listen, I watched. It was awesome. Houston native Beyonce's Super Bowl-esque halftime show with lots of cameos, including her daughter right there on the right, Blue Ivy.
Lakers superstar LeBron James was not feeling the NFL's Christmas takeover. The holiday has traditionally been the NBA's territory. We'll get to what he said in a moment.
Let's begin, though, with sports broadcaster and CNN contributor Cari Champion. Kerry, listen, you know, I was watching last night. I also watched the J. Paul-Mike Tyson fight when they did have those streaming issues and sort of stop-start, kind of freezing up issues. Didn't -- did not that I saw last night or yesterday. I didn't see it happen. So did it hit or miss its mark?
CARI CHAMPION, SPORTS BROADCASTER: You know, I enjoyed it, but I do understand that there were some glitches for different people. And so I've been hearing through the grapevine of different critics and other people responding. They're giving it a B, B-plus in terms of its ratings.
But the main goal, as you just pointed out, was to make sure that the Beyonce Bowl went off without a hitch. And by the time it was time for Queen B to perform, everyone was more than happy with what they saw because there were no glitches, unlike the J. Paul-Mike Tyson fight that you just referenced a few moments ago.
SCIUTTO: Yes, I mean, that show, it was Super Bowl halftime show worthy. I mean, frankly, I thought better than a lot of the most recent ones. Anyway, it was fantastic.
CHAMPION: No, you're right about that. You're right about that, Jim. Let me say this one thing.
I do believe what she did will see other artists try to do because we do know that Netflix has the same Christmas Day games, at least two games on Christmas Day next year. That will be a coveted spot to actually get if you are a performer based on what she did.
SCIUTTO: Yes, I mean, and then rise above the audience like several hundred feet. It was kind of cool. You're a big NBA fan, even bigger Lakers fan. And I won't take issue with that as a Knicks fan.
Right now, LeBron holds the NBA record for most Christmas Day games played. He had some, it seemed, hurt feelings about the NFL games. He needed to get off his chest. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEBRON JAMES, LOS ANGELES LAKERS: I love the NFL. I love the NFL. But Christmas is our day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: I mean, a little rich for him, who's, you know, been a little bit into promotion through the years, you might say. But, I mean, is this the beginning of a bigger battle?
CHAMPION: You absolutely bet your bottom dollar it is, Jim, because my Lakers, as you just mentioned a moment ago, used to own Christmas Day. Now, that has a lot to do with whether or not they're winning or not. We'll leave that aside.
But what LeBron is saying is true. Christmas Day was always reserved for the NBA. Over years, there was this gentleman's agreement, if you will, between the NFL and the NBA. And then they just reversed course. The NFL is a Goliath. It will always supersede, at least in my opinion now, the ratings of the NBA.
And if you're telling me there's $150 million the NFL received from the Netflix to have two games and they can get those ratings, do you think they're going to leave that money on the table? They want to be a global force. There's just no way.
What other way to be global besides airing us worldwide globally on Netflix? And so I think we'll see more of this. LeBron is pointing out what is surely to come will be some contentious conversations between the NFL and NBA.
SCIUTTO: Yes. I mean, listen, they're putting games, right, in cities around the world, the NFL. They're going to add another regular season game. I mean, it's a money machine at this point.
[15:40:00]
All right. NBA, there were some good games yesterday. I might note that my Knicks won yesterday. Just throwing that out there. But five thrilling finishes, right?
CHAMPION: Yes. Jim, are we re-battling? Because the Knicks and Lakers really never had a battle. I want you to know I support your Knicks. The NBA is great when the Knicks are doing well, as is the case for the Lakers. Lakers had a great nail-biter with Austin Reeves with a game finisher.
There's something to be said. I know that people have heard about this. The NBA ratings are low. But the reason the NBA ratings are low is because we need more characters. We need more superstars. We have our big superstars leaving us, our LeBron's of the world, our Stephs.
They're not leaving, but they are no longer as box office as they used to be. And so that's why you find people are turning to different outlets, whether it be WNBA, NFL Now on Christmas Day. And so we needed these Christmas Day games with more attention than usual during the regular season so that people could pay attention and say, I'm interested.
Who is this Austin Reeves kid who all of a sudden out of nowhere was the game-saver against the Golden State Warriors? Like, those kind of storylines we need. We need the Knicks to be good so that we have these characters that we can root for people. So we're right on track, and the NBA understands that.
SCIUTTO: Yes. The question, I guess, is who's going to replace the Steph Currys and the LeBron James. I mean, there's certainly some talents out there that they got the skills to do it. So I'm sure they'll find someone.
CHAMPION: Yes. That is the question. Every time I try to answer it, they get very upset. So I'll leave that in the ether. Let's see who will do it.
SCIUTTO: Win by Yama. Cari Champion. Thanks so much.
CHAMPION: Thank you, Jim. Have a good one.
SCIUTTO: And we'll be right back.
[15:45:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: A Baltimore pizza shop was days away from closing its doors when the owner asked for much needed help. Dave Portnoy, the president of Barstool Sports, stopped by for one of his famous pizza reviews and left behind quite the tip. Caroline Foreback of our affiliate WJZ has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL FAGG, OWNER TINYBRICKOVEN: People say it's a Christmas miracle. It kind of feels like a Christmas miracle.
CAROLINE FOREBACK, WJZ-TV BALTIMORE (voice-over): It's a miracle on Light Street and it started with one bite.
FAGG: Good undercarriage.
FOREBACK (voice-over): Will Fagg, the owner of Tiny Brick Oven Pizza in Federal Hill, says he was days away from having to close his restaurant.
FAGG: We weren't making any money. The market opened and everyone in town was allowed to sell alcohol and we were never allowed to sell alcohol.
FOREBACK (voice-over): When in walked the founder of Barstool Sports, Dave Portnoy, to do one of his famous one bite pizza reviews.
DAVE PORTNOY, FOUNDER, BARSTOOL SPORTS: Oh my God, man, this is incredible.
FOREBACK (voice-over): Will told Dave about the restaurant's dire situation and after Dave gave the pizza a solid 7.9 score, he asked Will how much he would need to stay open for another year.
FAGG: Listen, I think we could probably get our liquor license and continue to stay open if we had $60,000. Would that be --
PORTNOY: Done.
FAGG: Done!
PORTNOY: Done
FAGG: Oh my God. That is unbelievable. Hey!
FOREBACK (voice-over): The video went viral and on Christmas Eve Tiny Brick Oven had a line out the door and phones ringing off the hook.
FAGG: We've never had a crowd like this. We've never had a crowd like this.
FOREBACK (voice-over): Cynthia Streeter says if anyone deserves this, it's Will. She says Will found her stranded in the cold after she missed her bus last weekend and he offered her a ride home and a part time job.
CYNTHIA STREETER: He says, you're freezing cold. Won't you come in and get warm
FOREBACK (voice-over): After the video went viral, the donations kept pouring in.
FAGG: It's an incredible feeling. I mean, I've always had a lot of community support. It's amazing. It's overwhelming and I really thank everybody so much.
STREETER: It's a Christmas miracle.
PORTNOY: Now you want to ask me if Santa is real? I say his name is Davy Claus.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: And again, our thanks to Caroline Foreback with our affiliate WJZ.
Still ahead here on CNN NEWS CENTRAL, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy fired after pleading guilty to assaulting a transgender man. Well, we're learning about this case.
[15:50:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: Developing now out of Los Angeles, a sheriff's deputy has been fired after pleading guilty to assaulting a transgender man in a convenience store parking lot just last year. The incident, which was caught on camera, later sparked a federal probe. Here is that assault here.
Now multiple other deputies are under investigation for their role in possibly attempting to cover it up.
CNN's Josh Campbell has the latest. Josh, walk us through exactly how this unfolded and what happens next year legally.
JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Jim. You know, it might be uncouth and disrespectful to flip off a police officer, but it's not illegal. And officers across the country are continually trained not to let that kind of rude behavior get under their skin. Here, this instance actually led to a full-on assault.
This started last year, as you mentioned. The victim in this case, what we're learning, he was driving by a police officer, this deputy, who the victim says was speaking aggressively to a woman. This man then flips off the deputy and continues on.
That deputy leaves a disturbance call -- this is Joseph Benza is the deputy's name. He then starts following this individual, Emmett Brock, multiple turns, turn by turn.
Brock actually calls 911 and says, hey, I'm concerned. There's this officer who's following me. The dispatcher then tells him, look, if the lights and sirens aren't on, continue on your way.
But as Brock pulls into a convenience store parking lot, the deputy pulls in behind him, flips on the light. An altercation ensues. I'll warn our viewers that what you're about to see may be disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOSEPH BENZA, LOS ANGELES SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OFFICER: Come here.
EMMETT BROCK: Huh?
BENZA: I just stopped you. BROCK: No, you didn't.
BENZA: Yes, I did.
BROCK: Get your hands off of me. What the f*** are you doing? Oh, my God. What the f*** is happening? What the f*** are you doing? Get the f*** off me. Get the f*** off me. You're going to kill me. Help!
BENZA: You're resisting.
BROCK: You have my hand.
BENZA: Move your arm behind your back.
BROCK: You have my hand.
BENZA: Move up!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CAMPBELL: Now, according to Benza's federal plea agreement, the victim here sustained serious bodily injury, including suffering a concussion, contusions, and abrasions, and experiencing vomiting and head pain. Interestingly, as part of that agreement, we're also learning about kind of the TikTok here and allegations that this deputy, Benza, actually allegedly conspired with other officers to alter the police report. Did not mention that idea that he was flipped off, that, you know, kicked this whole thing off, but instead, he wrote in his police report that he stopped this man because of a air freshener that was hanging from his rearview mirror.
Now, as part of the investigation, the FBI was brought in. They allegedly found text messages between these deputies saying, hey, let's delete messages before this federal probe. And so, obviously, very serious allegations here.
That deputy, Benza, has been relieved of duty, we're learning, and possibly those others could face relief of duty as well as this investigation continues.
SCIUTTO: So, I wonder how the Sheriff's Department is responding, but also what comes next, then, if he's pleaded guilty to assault here?
CAMPBELL: Yes, so if he is convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison. We're waiting to see what the court actually does.
[15:55:01]
Sheriff Robert Luna here in Los Angeles came out very quickly slamming this incident saying that these actions do not uphold the values of the Sheriff's Department.
He wrote in this statement that: Based on the statements and reports provided at the time, the department deemed the use of force to be within policy. However, the ongoing federal investigation has revealed disturbing evidence of false statements and egregious actions to cover up misconduct.
This, of course, for those folks familiar, a department that has faced past allegations of misconduct, including so-called deputy gangs.
A lot of these actions that the Sheriff has tried to root out, these latest actions, obviously very serious, particularly if it involves multiple deputies trying to cover up this incident.
SCIUTTO: Yes, I mean, that presumes they knew what they did wasn't right. Josh Campbell, thanks so much.
CAMPBELL: You bet.
SCIUTTO: Still to come, how one drone and a dangling piece of chicken led to the ultimate Christmas rescue on a frozen pond.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:00:00]
SCIUTTO: So here's a fun story. A dog who spent Christmas Eve and part of Christmas day stranded out on the thin ice of a frozen lake is now safe and back with her own. All thanks to a New Jersey drone. A good one, not a scary one.
HILL: Yes, not a scary one. Important to clarify these days. Look at cute little Brooklyn there. Well, Brooklyn apparently has a little sense of adventure and somehow escaped from the home where she was staying, ran out onto that frozen lake. The woman who was dog sitting eventually realized this dog is not coming back in. Called the police.
They initially tried to rescue her using a net. No luck. But then a neighbor with drone experience showed up and hatched a plan with police, strapping a chicken cutlet to a drone because of course, police were able to lure Brooklyn off the ice.
Get this though. And she ran. Neighbors did find her the next day. Despite a small cut, she's just fine.
SCIUTTO: That's actually how my family gets me back off the thin ice as well if I ever get lost.
Nice to be with you, Erica. "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.
END
