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The Situation Room
Interview With Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA); California Governor Urges Residents to Wear Two Masks after Texas Drops Mandate; U.S. Capitol on High Alert after Warning of Possible Attack Plot Linked to QAnon Conspiracy; Former Cuomo Aide: "I Thought, He's Trying to Sleep With Me". Aired 6-7p ET
Aired March 04, 2021 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: This as U.S. Capitol Police are again on high alert in response to a possible plot against Congress, the threat linked to this day and a QAnon conspiracy theory that Donald Trump will become president once again.
Also breaking, the Senate is beginning a marathon push to pass COVID relief legislation, but Republican Senator Ron Johnson has launched a delay tactic forcing the bill to be read aloud into the night.
And we are also hearing directly from one of Governor Andrew Cuomo's accusers for the first time. She's explaining on camera how he made her feel uncomfortable and sexually harassed. You're going to hear some of that interview. That's coming up this hour.
First, let's go to our senior justice correspondent, Evan Perez.
Evan, did some members of Congress help the rioters in their attack on the Capitol?
EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, that is the top question that now investigators are trying to figure out.
At this point, they have some of the communications devices belonging to the mob, members of the mob that invaded the Capitol. And from looking at those devices, they have found some instances of communications with members of Congress in the days around the January 6 insurrection.
We don't know the content of that -- of those communications. But, in some cases, we know that some of the rioters claimed that they were acting as security for members of Congress who were going to speak at various rallies around that date.
We also know that there's some indications that they talked -- they were talking amongst each other with their contacts with members of Congress. Again, we don't know the content of those communications. And at this point, Wolf, we don't know that any members of Congress are actually actively under investigation.
Again, there is no -- not necessarily anything illegal about having those contacts. But, certainly, one official I talked to said there's a lot of smoke here, and investigators are going to have to figure it out.
BLITZER: Is this a new phase, Evan, in the investigation?
PEREZ: It is.
We have known -- we now have around 300 people who've been charged in the January 6 insurrection, Wolf. And we were told some weeks ago by Michael Sherwin, the acting U.S. attorney here in Washington, that this is where the investigation was headed after the so-called low- hanging fruit, that the people who you have seen now arrested.
They want to look at some of the more complicated and, frankly, more delicate questions, people -- whether people in Congress either knew of or knowingly or unknowingly helped rioters. You know that there are some Democratic lawmakers who have accused members of -- Republican members of providing tours.
Did those people know beforehand what the insurrectionists were going to do? Those are the questions that are now going to be explored. And, of course, one of the big ones is whether the people who spoke at the rally, some of the people who incited the crowd, whether they have any legal culpability or liability as a result of this.
BLITZER: Very good reporting. Excellent reporting, I should say. Thank you very much, Evan, for that.
I want to turn to serious concerns right now about a potential attack on the U.S. Capitol today or in the days ahead.
I want to go to our national correspondent, Sara Sidner. She's up on Capitol Hill for us today.
Sara, what can you tell us about security on the Capitol right now?
SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I can barely get near the Capitol, nor can anyone else, unless you are security.
Here's what the scene looks like. You have trucks that are blocking the way just in case somebody tries to ram through these gates that are up. They have in some places, double gates. And then you will notice that the National Guard is here. They are fully prepared. They are armed just in case some of the threats do end up becoming a reality.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SIDNER (voice-over): Capitol Hill police are asking the National Guard to stay put and provide security for an additional 60 days, amid heightened security concerns.
It comes as the Capitol remains locked down, the House of Representatives canceling today's session and emptied out because of the potential threat, after QAnon conspiracy followers and others talked of a rally here today. Both Department of Homeland Security and the Capitol Police are
warning of the potential threat.
YOGANANDA PITTMAN, ACTING U.S. CAPITOL POLICE CHIEF: We do have some concerning intelligence. That intelligence is law enforcement sensitive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The threats are ongoing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
SIDNER: On January 6, some of the QAnon conspiracy theorists were front and center during the attack on the Capitol. One of the most vocal Q followers, Jacob Chansley, known as the QAnon Shaman, spoke to "60 Minutes" from his jail cell.
JACOB CHANSLEY, DEFENDANT: I consider myself a lover of my country. I consider myself a believer in the Constitution. I consider myself a believer in truth and our founding principles.
SIDNER: The newest wacky conspiracy QAnon followers have come up with is that the real presidential inauguration is on March 4, and that President Trump will emerge once again as president.
[18:05:06]
They are, of course, wrong, but the idea comes from an old reality. Before 1933, the U.S. president was sworn in on March 4. That changed in 1933, when the 20th amendment was ratified, making the Inauguration Day January 20.
REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL (R-TX): I think President Trump has a responsibility to tell them to stand down. This threat is credible and it's real.
SIDNER: Instead, former President Donald Trump returned to pushing the big lie today, declaring in a statement that the Georgia election results were rigged.
While the conspiracy theorists and others failed to show up en masse, the one who is speaking out from jail is expressing a bit of regret and some frustration with something Donald Trump didn't do.
CHANSLEY: What wounded me so deeply and why it disappointed me so greatly that I and others did not get a pardon.
QUESTION: Do you regret that fierce loyalty?
CHANSLEY: I regret entering that building. I regret entering that building with every fiber of my being.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Sara, I want you to stay with us.
I also want to bring in our chief national security correspondent, Jim Sciutto and CNN senior political correspondent Abby Phillip.
Jim, we have now learned that federal investigators have some data showing communication between members of Congress and the rioters, at least some of those rioters, around the January 6 attack. So, what questions does that raise?
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, it raises the question of whether they had help, right? I mean, it's still a question, as Evan said, but it does raise the question whether they had help on the inside.
And I have been told that the U.S. attorney is now investigating this. The other thing we're learning, Wolf, is that they're taking ongoing threats so seriously, that recommendations to secure the building going forward involve some enormous steps here.
I'm told that the Capitol security review is now complete. This was led by the retired Army General Russell Russel Honore. Draft recommendations have now been circulated to members on relevant committees. They're going to brief other members of Congress going forward.
But when you look at these recommendations, you see just how seriously they take the threat going forward. Here are some of the things they're going to recommend, more than 1,000 -- 1,000 additional U.S. Capitol Police officers, not just here in Washington, D.C., but also to help protect members in their home districts. They don't feel safe in their home districts.
Two, the establishment of a quick reaction force. This would be composed of a National Guard battalion that would be on post and ready to go 24/7 in Washington, D.C., so that you don't have those kinds of delays like we saw on January 6. But this change is also key, that the chief of the Capitol Police would not have to go to the police board, would not have to go to the sergeant of arms of the House and Senate to request that quick reaction force in the event of a threat.
He could go directly to them to call them in. That gets to that issue we talked about last night, right, the three hours and 18 minutes it took to mobilize that force on January 6. They don't want to happen -- that to happen again.
And final big recommendation, if I could just draw attention to this, Wolf, is the idea of somewhat permanent barriers around the Capitol, but retractable barriers. They don't want a wall up forever. But they want the ability to wall up the Capitol in the event of a threat.
I mean, picture retractable barriers that come down most of the time but can be quickly deployed automatically out of the ground when needed. That is no small infrastructure project, Wolf. Takes a lot of money, takes a lot of time.
BLITZER: Yes, it certainly does.
Abby, some Democratic members actually raised their concerns about their colleagues giving tours to pro-Trump groups ahead of the January 6 assault. This news that there's a new investigation, a new part of the investigation under way on that right now, it seems to be pretty disturbing.
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
And I think it's -- for those members of Congress who were attacked for raising those concerns, it's probably a little bit of a vindication for them, because they have been saying all along that they had reason to believe that this was something that needed to be looked into.
And this is already a Congress that is deeply distrustful of each other, which is a really extraordinary thing. You had magnetometers put up outside the House chamber, the entrance to the chamber, to basically see whether or not members of Congress were bringing weapons on to the floor.
Again, they don't really trust each other right now. And I think this investigation at the very least to get to the bottom of what is real and what is not and to understand better how these rioters seem to know in some cases where they were going is going to be key to perhaps restoring some of that trust, or at least getting to the bottom of what really happened on January 6.
[18:10:02]
BLITZER: Yes, that's a good point.
Sara, whether any lawmakers wittingly or unwittingly actually helped the mob, plenty of Republicans have actually aligned themselves politically with these various conspiracy theories fueling these threats, even former President Trump.
He actually put out a statement today saying the Georgia election was rigged. So what does that tell you?
SIDNER: What it tells you is that President Trump and those who are followers of his and who support him, he doesn't care if you are coming up with wacky conspiracy theories. He doesn't care if you're coming up with things that actually hurt democracy and that are bad for the country and that are disinformation. What he does care about is whether or not you support him.
And if you support him, he is certainly not going to excoriate you and tell you to knock it off. We have seen it time and time again. And what's really sad is when you consider that, in this country, that Congress members, that members of Congress literally are worried about the simplest thing, safety, even with fellow Congress members, we are living in really difficult times.
And the fact that this has to be up outside of the United States Capitol is just simply a shame -- Wolf.
BLITZER: It certainly is, and it's going to be there for a while.
Abby, very quickly, the fact that the former President Trump again today peddling this big lie, saying the Georgia election results were rigged, coming on this day, when there is such high security concerns in the U.S. Capitol, it's pretty awful. The timing of this, it would always be bad, but especially right now.
PHILLIP: It just underscores that there's no remorse here, there's no reflection.
Former President Trump still thinks and believes in his big lie. And I think it also just highlights the degree to which his Republican Party members who are still elected in office are actually enabling this by not more forcefully condemning the lies.
In fact, all across the country, you're seeing Republicans using the lie as a pretext to pursue voter restrictions, to pursue opposition to efforts to expand voting rights in this country. And all of that is connected. They will not denounce this kind of language from Trump.
And it continues to fuel these people who Sara Sidner talks to all the time who are looking for any kind of little clue to believe that he is still fighting for this lost cause. And that is part of what is so problematic about the fact that that statement is coming at all, let alone on a day like today.
BLITZER: Yes, and let's not forget that the Republican governor of Georgia, the Republican lieutenant governor of Georgia, the Republican secretary of state of Georgia, they all said the president is wrong, this is a big lie, the election in Georgia was free and fair.
All right, guys, stand by, because I want to get right now to the big push by Democrats to pass COVID relief in the U.S. Senate and a Republican attempt to try to slow things down big time.
Our senior White House correspondent, Phil Mattingly, is putting it all together for us.
Phil, President Biden has been building toward this moment. It is so critically important. What's the latest?
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It is his cornerstone legislative proposal, that $1.9 trillion COVID relief package.
Senate Democrats taking a crucial first step today, voting to move forward on that bill, but the process to actually getting to pass that bill, it's going to take a long time. Already, Senator Ron Johnson, a Republican, forcing the clerks to read the entire 628-page bill, a marathon process expected over the next several days, as Democrats try and stick together through it all.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Am I...
QUESTION: Comfortable with having to limit the direct payments?
BIDEN: Yes. MATTINGLY (voice-over): Tonight, President Biden trying to close the
deal.
BIDEN: We can land a rover on Mars, we can beat a pandemic, and with science, hope and vision, there's not a damn thing we can't do as a country.
MATTINGLY: With the Senate and during the endgame on his cornerstone $1.9 trillion COVID relief package...
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The vice president votes in the affirmative, and the motion to proceed is agreed to.
MATTINGLY: ... Biden attempting to thread the intraparty needle, tightening eligibility for stimulus checks in a nod to his party's moderates, and attempting to mollify House progressives on Wednesday night.
BIDEN: I know parts of this and everything else we seek to do are not easy. But people are going to remember how we showed up in this moment, how we listened to them, to them, not special interests, to them, and how we took action.
MATTINGLY: And today.
(on camera): What exactly has the president asked moderates to compromise on in this process up to this point?
JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president has been clear that he is unmovable on the size of the package, $1.9 trillion. And, as you know from covering the Hill, that is not -- that was a size that some expressed concern about. He has been unmovable about his view that Americans who need help the most should get $1,400 checks.
MATTINGLY (voice-over): All as the pain of the pandemic is still hitting the U.S. economy, another 745,000 Americans filing for first- time unemployment benefits last week, according to the Labor Department, and the U.S. still down more than 10 million jobs from this time one year ago.
[18:15:12]
The administration also facing more hurdles to the confirmation of attorney general nominee Merrick Garland, with GOP Senator Tom cotton pledging to block any move to quickly vote to confirm Biden's pick, Garland on track for confirmation far later than most of his predecessors.
Also now on track for confirmation, Deb Haaland, Biden's nominee for interior secretary.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On this vote, the ayes are 11 and the nays are nine.
MATTINGLY: Holland, who has faced fierce GOP opposition, receiving bipartisan support, with a yes-vote in committee from crucial Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, clearing the way for the first Native American Cabinet secretary in U.S. history.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY: And, Wolf, I just checked in on the Senate floor a couple of minutes ago, about 480 pages left for the clerks to read. You can see them right there reading right now.
The reality is, this is just the first step of a very lengthy process. There will also be 20 hours of debate and then unlimited amendments. Anyone can offer as many amendments as they want until they run out of amendments.
The goal for Democrats from the White House over to Senate Democrats, stick together. If all 50 Democrats stick together, they will pass the bill and they are on track to meet the president's March 14 deadline. Why March 14? Wolf, that's when crucial emergency unemployment benefits are set to expire.
BLITZER: These are critically important days, obviously. Thanks very much, Phil Mattingly, over at the White House for us.
There's more breaking news here in THE SITUATION ROOM, this time on the investigation into whether some U.S. lawmakers actually helped Capitol rioters.
There you see him, the House Intelligence Committee chairman, Congressman Adam Schiff. He's standing by. We have got questions for him.
And the Texas governor fires back after President Biden accuses him of Neanderthal thinking in his decision to lift COVID-19 restrictions.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:20:51]
BLITZER: We're following breaking news on the investigation into whether any U.S. lawmakers actually helped rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
CNN has learned that prosecutors are now examining communications between some members of Congress and the insurrectionists.
Let's discuss with the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Congressman Adam Schiff of California.
Congressman, thank you so much for joining us.
How concerned are you about the possibility that some of your own colleagues may have wittingly or unwittingly actually helped this mob?
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): Well, that's the question. If there was any kind of communication, was it witting or unwitting?
It would be obviously deeply, deeply disturbing if some of the people I serve with were giving aid and comfort to people who were planning to attack the Capitol or assisting them in some way or, as some have alleged, were giving tours to potential insurrectionists.
It may be that some of these communications in terms of the members were unwitting. But we need to get answers both to protect the existing members of Congress, but also to hold anyone accountable who may have played an affirmative role in that attack.
BLITZER: Because, as you know -- and you're indicating this -- in the aftermath of the deadly seize, some of your Democratic colleagues actually said they were fearful of some Republican members.
Clearly, this new information is simply going to contribute to those fears. So, what's your message to those members who are worried right now?
SCHIFF: Well, look, I don't think any of us can tell our colleagues they shouldn't be concerned about their security.
I have had enough death threats of my own to keenly understand what's at stake and what it's like to be in the target zone. So, I understand where members are coming from. We have to do our jobs and soldier on. That means we have to be accessible to people.
Now, we're a lot less accessible during the pandemic, at least in person. And when we look at some of the security recommendations, I will tell you, one of the ones that pleases me the most is that some of the Capitol Police may be devoted to providing security out in our districts, not just in the Capitol.
Indeed, before January 6, I thought the Capitol was one of the safest places, but we need to make sure there's security for us to do our jobs, whether that's in the Capitol or in our districts.
BLITZER: Yes, you guys need security all the time now, given what's going on.
And this new threat that we're just learning about, this investigation, the threat to the Capitol, stems from this conspiracy theory that former President Trump will regain power. Supposedly, he was going to regain power today. One Republican says it's now on Trump to speak out.
I want you to watch this Congressman Mike McCaul of Texas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCAUL: I think President Trump has a responsibility to tell them to stand down. This threat is credible and it's real.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Very strong words. Why aren't other Republicans, why aren't they simply saying the same thing to Trump; you have got to calm things down; this is a dangerous environment that you're helping to create?
SCHIFF: Well, same combination of weaknesses, fear and ambition. Most of the Republican members who won't stand up to Donald Trump do
so or fail to do so because they don't want a primary challenge. They're afraid to cross him. Others are ambitious. The Cruzes of the world, the Hawleys of the world, they want to run for president. They don't want to alienate the Trump base that they think they would need in a presidential primary.
So they don't speak out, or, worse, they amplify the president's lies about Georgia, about the elections nationally, about the legitimacy of the current president. And that just increases the risk.
There are already enough dangerous conspiracies out there, not just the dangerous conspiracy, which may seem absolutely insane to us, about March 4 being Inauguration Day, and somehow Trump being on March 4, but also the very damaging and dangerous conspiracy theory that vaccines contain a microchip put in place by Bill Gates, a part of a completely different and completely bogus conspiracy.
[18:25:20]
That's harmful to country too, if it makes people reluctant to get vaccinated.
BLITZER: Yes. And many of Trump supporters are reluctant to get vaccinated.
And he missed an enormous opportunity in the final days, when he was in the White House. He and Melania, the then first lady, they both got their vaccines, they got their shots, but they kept it secret. They could have done a photo-op. They could have said something to reassure those of -- of Trump supporters that it was a good idea to get a vaccine.
Didn't do it, only came out in the last few days. That was a real missed opportunity, wasn't it?
SCHIFF: It certainly was.
But it was also so consistent with Donald Trump. After all, when he got COVID, he kept it secret for a while. And then, when he couldn't keep it secret, he went and did things that sent exactly the wrong message, taking his mask off, putting his security personnel at risk by doing that little parade drive-by when he was leaving Walter Reed Hospital.
So, he missed an opportunity then, even when he got sick with this, to tell the country how serious it is, that they needed to maintain social distance, they needed to wear a mask. And so can we really be surprised that, when he did get vaccinated, he likewise did not use that opportunity to help the country move in the right direction?
BLITZER: Yes, that was really, really a major, major blunder.
Congressman, thank you so much for joining us.
SCHIFF: Thank you, Wolf. BLITZER: Adam Schiff of California.
Just ahead: California's governor is now making a new appeal to state residents in response to Texas deciding to lift its mask mandate.
And as Capitol Police guard against the potential attack plot, we will go inside QAnon with CNN's Anderson Cooper. He's covered the conspiracy. He's also been threatened by QAnon supporters.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: There is breaking news out of California, where the governor is doubling down on mask wearing, as Texas and other states are actually lifting restrictions.
Let's go to our National Correspondent Nick Watt, he's in Los Angeles for us. Nick, so what are we hearing from the governor, Gavin Newsom, tonight?
NICK WATT, CNN NATIONALD CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, what we just heard from Dr. Fauci, who said that the time for us to start rolling back restrictions is when we're seeing fewer than 10,000 cases a day. Right now, we are averaging over 60,000 cases a day. Some states rolling back anyway, not California, not Governor Gavin Newsom, who's actually doubling down, now saying that we should consider not just wearing one mask but two, and saying that, in California at least decisions, will still be driven by science, not ideology.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GOV. KAY IVEY (R-AL): Well, I'm convinced that a mask mandate has been the right thing to do. I also respect those who object and believe that this was a step too far in government overreach.
WATT (voice over): So, Alabama's governor says their mask mandate will end April 9th even though the top medical adviser says this.
DR. SCOTT HARRIS, STATE HEALTH OFFICER, ALABAMA: We believe evidence supports the use and that they prevent disease and it prevent death.
WATT: Right now, no mask mandate in 15 states.
DR. CHRIS T. PERNELL, AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE FELOW: I really just truly see this as sabotage.
DR. PETER HOTEZ, DEAN, NATIONAL SCHOOL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AT BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE: This is not the time to do it. Now with the U.K. variant starting to accelerate, which we know it's so much more transmissible.
WATT: Joining the maskless club next week, Texas.
REP. ERIN ZWIENER (D-TX): This was a political decision, not a public health decision.
WATT: Where average case counts, and death tolls are already back on the rise.
GOV. GREG ABBOTT (R-TX): Exactly when would be the right time? Would it be when everybody gets a vaccine? Will it be when COVID is completely over and the answer to those of course is no.
WATT: Meantime doctors in Cypress, Texas, say there's nothing more they can do for Victoria Gallardo, a young mom of five.
ARMANDO GALLARDO, HUSBAND OF VICTORIA GALLARDO: I sit here waiting for my wife to die. I don't know what to do.
WATT: Vaccines are what to do for the country.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't like needles.
WATT: On average, 2 million doses going into American arms every day.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to tell anybody, do not be afraid.
WATT: Some states want to see more of this before thinking about less of this.
GOV. JIM JUSTICE (R-WV): And as we continue to vaccinate more and more and more, we'll get rid of the mask but I don't know really what the big rush to get rid of the mask is because these masks could save a lot and lot of lives. And if we don't watch out, we can make some mistakes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WATT (on camera): Now, the CDC for some time has been touting new guidance on how people should behave once they have been vaccinated. We thought it might come this afternoon but nothing.
So is there political interference? Well, a Biden official tells CNN, I don't think that's right, I don't think that there is anything nefarious going on. But we still don't know when we're going to see that guidance. Wolf?
BLITZER: We want to see that guidance soon though. Thanks very much, Nick Watt reporting from L.A.
Joining us now, Dr. Ashish Jha, he's the Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.
[18:35:02]
Dr. Jha, thanks, as usual, for joining us.
So why is the CDC guidance for those who have already been vaccinated, who have received both shots, why is it so badly needed? What is the CDC waiting for?
DR. ASHISH JHA, DEAN, BROWN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH: Yes. So, Wolf, thanks for having me on. You know, I don't know why that guidance isn't out. I suspect it will be very soon, but here is why it's so important. Once we have been vaccinated our behavior can change. And once we are vaccinated and people around us are vaccinated it can definitely change a lot in terms of what becomes safe to do. And I would like to see the CDC spell that out for the American people as a way to remind them the value of getting vaccinated, which is really quite substantial.
BLITZER: Yes, I suspect there'll be coming in the next few days, let's hope. Dr. Fauci also says, Dr. Jha, that it's inexplicable, his word, inexplicable, that some states are loosening restrictions at this delicate moment. How concerning is it to see mask mandates being lifted while the more transmissible corona variants are still threatening, God forbid, another surge?
JHA: Yes. You know, I have been very clear about this. I really think this is very troubling. And there's one other element, which is in states like Texas, a majority of high-risk people have not yet been vaccinated.
So I feel very strongly that what Texas should do right now is focus on getting people vaccinated, but the whole country should be doing that. Let's get all high-risk people, older people, people with chronic diseases, let's get them all vaccinated.
At that point, we can talk about some relaxation of public health restrictions, but masks are pretty painless and they save lives. It feels to me like letting that one slide really has no justification.
BLITZER: Dr. Ashish Jha, thank you so much for joining us. We always appreciate you being here in The Situation Room. Thanks very much.
Coming up, Anderson Cooper is standing by live. He will take us inside the conspiracy prompting such great concerns right now about a new Capitol attack and how he's personally been threatened by QAnon supporters.
And one of Governor Andrew Cuomo's accusers is now speaking up, describing how he made her feel sexually harassed. You're going to hear it, you're going to see her, stand by.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Right now, we want to dig deeper into the QAnon conspiracy theory driving concerns about a potential attack on the U.S. Capitol today.
We're joined by my colleague, Anderson Cooper, who anchored a truly fascinating special report here on CNN, called Inside the QAnon Conspiracy. Anderson, thanks for coming in.
I want you and our viewers to listen to part of an interview you did with a man who believes QAnon Conspiracies involving prominent figures including you. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: You D.M. me saying that I was going to be executed and that you were going to --
BRIAN OGSTAD, BELIEVES IN QANON CONSPIRACIES: Yes. I wasn't very nice.
COOPER: Well, you said you're going to enjoy it, and then you'd followed up and you said execution, bang, you're dead.
OGSTAD: Yes. I did.
COOPER: So, what --
OGSTAD: You're right. That wasn't very polite. You're not the only one I said that to, and I said back off because I can't prove anything about you, Anderson. All I know is there's a lot of strange coincidences. I would say, anybody, anybody that who is high up should be shown to the world via public execution.
Hillary should be executed live so all of us can see the end of evil. And like I said, lesser people, we don't necessarily need to see it. So, like it's somebody who's not high up in the cabal, I don't think we need to see it.
COOPER: But even though --
OGSTAD: But personally, I want to see it.
COOPER: President Obama, President Biden, you're saying they should --
OGSTAD: George Bush.
COOPER: George Bush, they should all be executed publicly?
OGSTAD: Oh, yes, for sure, because they're part of this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Wow, that's so scary, Anderson. Tell us more about how you been personally targeted by QAnon.
COOPER: Actually I just point out that man who had originally D.M.'d on Instagram, me he says, he's not a follower of QAnon though he does believe in basically all the conspiracy all most of the conspiracy theories that they are putting forward and he uses the QAnon hash tag. He also then later said that there should be military tribunal and then executions.
Look, you know there's a lot of, you know -- this is a bizarre conspiracy and there's a lot of people who get sucked into it. There was a phony flight log of Jeffrey Epstein's airplane that was put online. My name was added to it at some point.
There're conspiracy theories that I am part of this trafficking ring. I mean, it's a really bizarre thing and there's no real way to fight against it because you can't prove a negative. I mean, none of these things are true, it's a phony flight log that's been floating around.
But it's something that whoever is behind this theory and the other people who add to it, you know, they simply are resistant to any actual rational discussion of that man in particular, you know, he believes that President Biden very likely has already been arrested, that Washington is now a prison, that's why the National Guard is there, that executions will start taking place March 5th, you know.
And when that doesn't happen because it's made up and it's not going to happen, when that doesn't happen, they just evolve the theory. They just come up with something new to explain why it didn't happen. It's like the old doomsday, you know, the folks who used to -- doomsday, when the date passed, they came up with a new explanation.
[18:45:04]
BLITZER: You know, some of these conspiracy theories, Anderson, that is QAnon followers are spreading involve today March 4th. Tell us about that.
COOPER: Right. So, this involved basically January 20th which was the day the inauguration, that was supposed to be the day that these arrests that they have been promising for years would take place, arrests of, you know, all the people they allege to be in a global cabal of Satan worshippers who are hurting children.
That obviously did not happen. They didn't think Donald Trump was actually going to leave office. He did. So, then they came up with this March 4th date which I guess was prior to the 20th Amendment being adopted in 1933 which moved the inauguration date to January 20th. Presidents were inaugurated on March 4th.
So, they claim that the -- actually March 4th, today, is significant because that's the day former President Trump will return to Washington in power, may already be in power, may actually be already the person we think of as Joe Biden but just wearing a sort of latex body suit to look like Joe Biden but then will return to power and glory, and that's when these massive arrests are going to take place. And the end of the day, obviously, it hasn't happened, and they will quickly come up with some other kind of explanation.
BLITZER: So, if it doesn't happen today, then you're right. It's almost the end of day here in Washington. Will they lose faith in these conspiracy theories?
COOPER: No. I mean, it's unlikely. There were a number of people and we have spoken to a couple of them who and Donnie O'Sullivan has been doing a lot of work on this for CNN. We talked to some people after January 20th who did lose faith because the entire theme was based on Donald Trump remaining this power, that he spearhead of this fight guest the cabal -- the secret cabal and, of course, none of it came to pass.
Everything that the QAnon followers have believed what happened, none of it has actually happened, and yet the conspiracy theory continues because it's not based on fact. It's just a fantasy and they continue to just create new fantasies, saying -- well, that was all just part of a disinformation campaign. It was part of psy op, psychological warfare operations against their enemies. And, now, you know, that former President Trump is playing a much more tactical game and they'll come up with another date or some other explanation.
BLITZER: Yeah. Your special report was terrific. I know you've done some amazing reporting on this.
Anderson, thank you so much for joining us. I know you're going to have more on the QAnon conspiracy theories and security concerns. You're on D.C., on your show later tonight, and we, of course, will be watching as we do every night. Thanks so much.
Just ahead, the first glimpse of the new interview with one of Governor Cuomo's accusers. How will it impact the deepening crisis he is facing?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:52:20]
BLITZER: Now breaking news on the crisis surrounding New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. One of the women accusing him of sexual harassment is now speaking out in a new interview tonight, a little over 24 hours after he issued a new apology.
Let's go to our national correspondent Brynn Gingras. He's joining us from New York.
So, Brynn, tell us more about this new interview.
BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, 25 year old Charlotte Bennett, Wolf, speaking very clearly about the encounters that she had with Governor Andrew Cuomo, and very personal encounter she had with him one on one in his office when she worked with him last year.
And she accounted to CBS's Norah O'Donnell about the fact that their conversations lead to issues with, you know, the trauma that she had faced as a sexual assault survivor from a previous encounter and how those made her feel. I want you to see this exchange.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLOTTE BENNETT, FORMER CUOMO AIDE: He is lonely. He's tired.
NORAH O'DONNELL, CBS ANCHOR: You just finished dictation and the governor is telling you he's lonely and looking for a relationship.
BENNETT: Yes. He asked if I had trouble enjoying being with someone because of my trauma.
O'DONNELL: This seems highly inappropriate.
BENNETT: Yeah. The governor asked me if I was sensitive to intimacy.
O'DONNELL: In his office?
BENNETT: Yes, during the workday.
O'DONNELL: You have been quoted as saying he asked you about if you had ever been with an older man.
BENNETT: Yeah. He asked me if age difference mattered. He also explained that he was fine with anyone over 22.
O'DONNELL: And how old are you?
BENNETT: Twenty-five.
O'DONNELL: What were you thinking as he's asking you these questions?
BENNETT: I thought, he's trying to sleep with me. The governor is trying to sleep with me. And I'm deeply uncomfortable, and I have to get out of this room as soon as possible.
O'DONNELL: And to be clear, what made you think that he was trying to sleep with you?
BENNETT: Without explicitly saying it, he implied to me that I was old enough for him and he was lonely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GINGRAS: Now, one of the things that Bennett also brought up in this interview was that she had shame because she actually answered the questions, she said the governor was asking her. She said that was something that made it difficult for her to even come forward.
Of course, she's now, Wolf, going to be part of the New York attorney general's investigation. Her and her attorney hope more women do come forward after hearing her speak out.
[18:55:04]
And we should mention, of course, that CBS says they reached out to Governor Cuomo for direct response to this interview and they were referred to a statement yesterday which, of course, we all heard him say that he never meant to make people feel uncomfortable. That he was embarrassed. And so as of now, we are also trying to reach out to the governor's office for a response to this very explosive interview.
BLITZER: Very explosive indeed. Very painful to watch.
Brynn Gingras, thank you very much.
Let's get some more on these developments.
CNN legal analysts Jennifer Rodgers and Elie Honig are joining us.
Jennifer, you just heard Charlotte Bennett, 25 years old, speaking out on camera now for the first time. What's your reaction to what we just heard?
JENNIFER RODGERS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, Wolf, I look at this, Elie, through litigation lens, so I'm considering what kind of witness Charlotte Bennett will be. I have to say I think she's a very strong witness. Of course, this is not under oath, not in a courtroom. But the details she added, her demeanor, the fact she was texting with someone more or less contemporaneous with this.
Those all add to her credibility. So, you know, we'll see what happens, but I think she presents as a strong witness.
BLITZER: Elie, what's your reaction?
ELIE HONIG, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: You know, Wolf, the governor's legal and political difficulties really could just be starting here. Let's remember, the investigation itself has not even begun and we already know of multiple women who are alleging improper conduct.
And here's the way this investigation is going to run. The attorney general is going to name a lawyer, a law firm to run this thing. Importantly, that lawyer will have subpoena power. They will have the ability to force people to testify, to turn over documents and other evidence.
And in my experience, once you have one alleged victim come forward or multiple victims, that often leads to other people coming forward because they feel more comfortable doing so. So that will be a key thing to watch for. Will we find out when more women coming forward making similar allegations?
BLITZER: You know, Jennifer, Governor Cuomo as we all saw yesterday, he publicly apologized for his comments and he didn't know at the time that he was making anyone uncomfortable. Does that explanation hold up?
RODGERS: Well, you know, we'll have to see what happens when the investigation report comes out. But as Elie said, if there are more victims especially coming forward, then I doubt it. We're going to have to see how it plays out.
The other issue here is a possible cover up. You know, we know that she complained. We don't know what was done with that. If they didn't follow the proper procedures, notify the proper people, documented appropriately, pursuant to the New York state government's procedures, then we could have additional problems here for Governor Cuomo aside from just the harassment.
BLITZER: That's an important point, Elie. If she did complain to various HR people or others on the staff there and nothing happened, what does that suggest?
HONIG: Yeah, that's a big question I would have if I was investigating this case. Was there a cover up? Were her allegations handled properly?
And I think investigators are going to be focused heavily on that. They're going to speak to other staffers in the governor's office. What did they know, when did they know it, did they document it. I think investigators are going to be looking for emails, texts, internal documents. Investigations tend to lead to new investigations, new allegations.
So we'll have to see where this goes. It's not a great thing for Governor Cuomo at the moment.
BLITZER: Certainly isn't.
And, Jennifer, he says he will fully cooperate. Governor Cuomo says he will fully cooperate. Can he be compelled to testify if he doesn't fully cooperate?
RODGERS: He can. They have subpoena power and that includes subpoena power of the governor. I mean, you know, he can't be forced to incriminate himself criminally, but we don't see any criminal conduct here, at least not yet. So he is bound to cooperate if he has -- if he is subpoenaed and they do have that power.
BLITZER: Elie, what questions do you specifically want to see answered as this new investigation gets underway?
RODGERS: Number one, are there more victims? Are there more people who are going to come forward? That is going to be the most important.
Number two, was the governor advised of these complaints against him, and how did he instruct his people to respond to them?
Then number three, how credible are these people who come forward? As far as I've seen so far, they seem very credible. They seem to be supported by texts that happened at the time. That's really important. The victims' stories seem to be consistent with one another.
And, importantly, Governor Cuomo has not even truly taken issue with their accounts of what actually happened.
BLITZER: And the big question now, you know, Jennifer, is will more victims come forward and speak out because that's what a lot of people are bracing for, right?
RODGERS: That's right. You know, they don't even necessarily have to be sexual harassment victims. I mean, as Elie said, investigations take on a life of their own. We've heard a lot of people talk about the bullying and just the way that Governor Cuomo comported himself with employees, even aside from harassment. So, you know, the more damaging information comes out, we could see -- we could see action on that in addition to the harassment.
BLITZER: Jennifer Rodgers, thanks so much for joining us. Elie Honig, thanks very much.
We'll, of course, continue to stay on top of this story.
To our viewers, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM. You can always follow me on Twitter and Instagram @WolfBlitzer. Tweet the show @CNNSitRoom.
"ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.
