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Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) Invokes Lynchings during Hearing on Hate Crimes; Accused of "Putting Bulls-Eye" on Asian Americans with Comments; Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) New York, is Interviewed about Rep. Chip Roy's Comment, Atlanta Mass Shooting; Police Official: "Nothing is Off the Table" in Probe of Atlanta Spa Shooting as Possible Hate Crime; Dr. Fauci Spars With Sen. Rand Paul Over Wearing Masks, Tells Republican "Masks Are Not Theater"; FBI Releases New Video Of "Most Violent" Attacks On Officers During Riot. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired March 18, 2021 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[17:00:11]
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: That's all the time we have. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @JAKETAPPER. Tweet the show @THELEADCNN. Our coverage on CNN continues right now.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer in the Situation Room.
We're following new developments in the killing spree that left eight people dead in three Atlanta area spots, six of them, Asian American women. Atlanta's deputy police chief was asked just a little while ago, if the case is being now investigated as a hate crime committed by the 21 year old man charged with the killings. His answer and I'm quoting him now, "Nothing is off the table."
Anti-Asian hate was the subject of a truly explosive hearing up on Capitol Hill today, where Republican Congressman Chip Roy invoked lynching's and railed against China, prompting a very emotional law Congresswoman Grace Meng to accuse him of, "putting a bulls-eye" on the backs of Asian Americans.
Congresswoman Grace Meng is standing by live. We'll discuss with her in just a few minutes.
We're also following new video just released by the FBI showing some of the most violent attacks on Capitol Police during the January 6 Capitol siege. They include rioters beating police with metal poles, stolen shields and dousing them with chemical sprays. We'll share that video with you, that's coming up.
But first, let's go straight to Atlanta right now. Our National Correspondent Ryan Young is joining us.
So, Ryan, Atlanta's deputy police chief is stressing that this investigation is clearly ongoing. RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf, we've been learning the new details from the Atlanta Police Department. They are stressing the fact that they're going through this as a separate investigation. They still say they have not determined what the motivation was for the shooting.
They did tell us though, that the gun that was used was purchased on the day of the shooting. And the suspect involved in this case, actually frequent these areas quite some time. So, they are building this back through all the mountains of evidence they use. In fact, listen to the deputy chief as he gave a statement just early this afternoon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEPUTY CHIEF CHARLES HAMPTON, ATLANTA POLICE: We still have an investigation that is still ongoing. Our investigation is separate from the Cherokee County's investigation. Our investigation is slightly different.
Just very important to just let you know that we are not done. In most cases of homicides, we don't have a quick apprehension. They're usually a lengthy investigation, especially when there's involving multiple victims. And so again, we're still working very diligently and to ascertain all the facts, so we can have a successful prosecution.
Our investigation is looking at everything, so nothing is off the table for our investigation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YOUNG: Wolf I can tell you that deputy chief has a long history in terms of investigations. He used to lead the homicide unit here in Atlanta.
Something else you could tell the tone was quite different today than it was yesterday. And there's been fallout from that news conference that happened yesterday, Captain Jay Baker, who was speaking yesterday, a lot of blowback in terms of comments about the suspect having a bad day. Well, we have learned within the last hour from the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department that he has been removed as being spokesperson on this investigation due to the comments and the blowback from that. So, you can see what's going on here.
Also, the suspect was supposed to have a first court appearance today, his lawyer decided to waive that. More than likely they knew they weren't going to get a bond. So, you can see how this investigation is progressing.
One last thing, Wolf, they have not released the names and any of the victims in the cases here in Atlanta. We also learned the reason why is they have not been able to identify all the family members who are involved. They want to do that next of kin notification first before moving forward. Behind this, we've learned about in the next 20 minutes or so, there should be a candlelight vigil for the victims here in Atlanta as well. Wolf.
BLITZER: Yes, you're accused of murdering eight people, you're not going to be out on bail or get a bond.
All right, Ryan, standby. We'll get back to you. I want to go to Capitol Hill right now. That was the scene of a truly explosive and emotional hearing earlier today on anti-Asian racism, discrimination and hate crimes. Our Congressional Correspondent Jessica Dean is joining us.
Jessica, some truly shocking remarks by one Republican congressman, and that drew a very sharp backlash. Tell our viewers what happened.
JESSICA DEAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf. It was quite the back and forth here on Capitol Hill earlier today when this House Judiciary Committee met for this hearing on anti-Asian American hate and the rise of hate crimes, specifically targeting that demographic here in the United States. And so, we were hearing from a number of Asian American lawmakers and others on this issue and we heard specifically from Congressman Chip Roy and he started to rail against the Chinese Communist Party calling them the bad guys. He also went on to say that this hearing was about he thought curbing free speech. Now he did call the attack in Atlanta, evil and he had this to say about justice for victims take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[17:05:18]
REP. CHIP ROY (R-TX): Victims of rioting and looting in the streets last week, businesses closed burn, I'm sorry, last summer, deserve justice. We believe in justice, right?
There's an old sayings in Texas about you know, find all the rope in Texas and get a tall oak tree. You know, we take justice very seriously. And we ought to do that. Round up the bad guys.
REP. GRACE MENG (D-NY): I want to go back to something that Mr. Roy said earlier, your president and your party and your colleagues can talk about issues with any other country that you want. But you don't have to do it by putting a bull's eye on the back of Asian Americans across this country, on our grandparents, on our kids. This hearing was to address the hurt and pain of our community. Trying to find solutions and we will not let you take our voice away from us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DEAN: So again, quite the back and forth there. And Congresswoman Meng understandably emotional about what had transpired, again, and what was supposed to be a hearing of it talked openly about what could be done, what kind of solutions people could come up with to curb the hate crimes that are rising in this country. And Wolf, of course, this had been scheduled, but with what had happened in Atlanta over the last few days, of course, the urgency really raised with this hearing. I know Congresswoman Meng will be talking to you here in just a little bit.
BLITZER: Yes, we'll talk to her right now, in fact. All right, Jessica, thank you very much.
The Democratic Congressman Grace Meng of New York is joining us right now.
Congresswoman, thanks so much for joining us.
I know this has been a very emotional, understandably emotional day for you. You say this type of language from this Republican Congressman, and others, for that matter, his quote, and this is a direct quote from what you said, "Putting a bulls-eye" on the back of Asian Americans. Can you explain just how personal this is for you, just how scared people are right now about being targeted?
MENG: Sure. And thank you, Wolf, for having me. And thank you for covering this topic.
Look, Mr. Roy completely missed the point of us having this hearing. We had a hearing through the Judiciary Committee, we had witnesses of Congress, members of AAPI dissent from both the Republican and the Democratic sides. And we can both present our views and have a mature discussion. But then he went off on a tangent, on a tirade, completely taking away from the purpose of this hearing.
This hearing was to talk about real practical solutions on what we're doing to address the over 3,800 reported hate incidents and crimes that have occurred throughout this past year. Incidents and tragedies that have occurred because the former president and the Republican Party put a target on the backs of Asian Americans everywhere.
BLITZER: How worried are you, Congresswoman, you mentioned grandparents, older Asian Americans. You mentioned kids, how worried are you right now about what's happening?
MENG: Well, luckily, it's quarantine time, and a lot of people are staying home. But I know for the past few months, many people have been telling their Asian grandparents, the elderly and their family not to go out, don't even take a walk around the block, don't go out when it's dark.
I had a mom text me last week saying she's not going to let her kids play outside even when the weather gets nice. So, this freedom that is taken away because incendiary and irresponsible rhetoric, like the Republican Party, and Mr. Roy's today.
BLITZER: And there have been these incidents, these anti-Asian American incidents in your home district in Queens in New York City. Is that what I'm hearing?
MENG: Yes. I mean, a few weeks ago, there was a woman, a young mom pushing her baby in a stroller, a man ran up to her, called her the China virus, go back and spat at her direction three times. Just this week, A day or two ago, a 13 year old boy was playing basketball at a high school in my district, and a bunch of people beat him up, hurling racial slurs at him.
BLITZER: It's an awful situation of what's going on right now. Who do you blame for this?
MENG: Well, I think the former president who had a tremendous wide platform for more than a year used terms like Chinese virus, Kung Flu, and he saw the rise in violence across the country week by week, month by month. And not only did he stopped, he continued to do it. In fact, he used those language, those words on the day of the tragedy in Atlanta.
BLITZER: Yes, even this week. You're absolutely right. He was repeating those words.
MENG: The Atlanta Police, as you heard, they now say "Nothing is off the table" in investigating the motive behind this mass shooting that we saw in the Atlanta area. Was it premature? Was it a mistake for that Cherokee County official yesterday to downplay the possibility of racial motivation for this mass murder?
[17:10:17]
MENG: Yes, I was heartened to hear that nothing's off the table. And those are definitely better responses than someone just having a bad day, which is completely irresponsible. I00 really want to make sure that enough research is being done, investigations, any potential evidence. It's going to take more than the 12 hours that the sheriff from Cherokee County gave.
BLITZER: It is now a verge, Congresswoman, that the official who said the shooter yesterday had a really bad day also posted some racist anti-Asian content about the pandemic last year. That official, as you also heard, has now been suspended from engaging, participating publicly in this investigation. How concerning is it to you to see police seeming to humanize or empathize with this white -- with a white male shooter who's been accused in this mass murder?
MENG: Well, this is why it's important to know when they are posting things like that. When he is posting words that are exactly the part of the issue at hand and what has inflamed and caused so many of the violent and hateful incidents and crimes that have been happening around the country.
BLITZER: In today's hearing, it was a hearing that was supposed to be about the rise of anti-Asian attacks in our country, you know that the majority of these hate incidents reported in the past year have specifically targeted women. There are so many harmful stereotypes out there. Why has this attack struck such a chord for women who have to deal with racism and sexism?
MENG: Well, this is the perfect intersection of misogyny and racism and hatred. And we can and should have a whole another discussion, complicated issue about the social net that was missing, that wasn't strong enough to support these women. There was a rumor that they were living in their workplace, for example.
And then of course, you know, we need to make sure that we are honoring the victims, that we are respecting their lives and condolences, of course, go out to their families and loved ones.
BLITZER: Are you OK, Congresswoman, anything you want to end this interview with, anything you want to share with our viewers?
MENG: I am OK. I just want this to end. And I just want to say thank you to so many from way beyond the Asian American community who have offered support, who have demonstrated solidarity in the past year and especially in the last few days. It means the world and I think it's a great opportunity for us to strengthen our coalitions going forward.
BLITZER: But we are with you. Congresswoman Grace Meng of New York, thanks so much for joining us. Good luck. Stay safe out there.
MENG: Thank you.
BLITZER: Up next, the Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, he's standing by live, we'll discuss what's going on, how anti-Asian discrimination is impacting his own family. There you see him. We'll discuss.
Plus, the Russian President Vladimir Putin is now responding to President Biden. President Biden calling him a "killer."
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BLITZER: Tonight, following orders by President Biden, a U.S. flags are flying at half-staff to honor the victims of the mass shootings in Atlanta. The President the Vice President, by the way, will be traveling to Atlanta tomorrow.
Let's go to our Senior White House Correspondent Phil Mattingly, standing by in the North Lawn of the White House. So, tell us more. What's the latest, Phil?
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf, since the opening days in office, President Biden has made anti-Asian discrimination a key issue in his White House. But those efforts are only ramping up and they will include the President and the Vice President tomorrow.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is very, very troubling.
MATTINGLY (voice-over): Tonight, at a time of loss and fear President Biden's scheduled trip to Atlanta taking on a whole new significance.
JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The President will often also offer his support for the AAPI community in Georgia and across the country and talk about his commitment to combating xenophobia, intolerance and hate.
MATTINGLY: Biden plan to promote his $1.9 trillion COVID relief law, but scrapping that entirely. And now expected to meet with leaders in the Asian American community.
BIDEN: I've been speaking about the brutality against Asian Americans for the last couple months.
MATTINGLY: Just days after the murder of eight, six of whom were of Asian descent and a surge in hate crimes against the community throughout the country. Biden who used his primetime address last week to highlight the issue,
BIDEN: Vicious hate crimes against Asian Americans who've been attacked, harassed, blamed and scapegoated.
MATTINGLY: Lowering flags to half-staff at the White House as he moves to marshal the resources of his administration seek to address the issue head on. All, as Biden closes in on a long stated goal.
BIDEN: God willing not only do 100 million, we're going to do more than that.
MATTINGLY: More than a month ahead of schedule.
BIDEN: Tomorrow, 58 days into our administration, we will have met my goal of ministry 100 million shots to our fellow Americans.
MATTINGLY: But underscoring the significant risks that remain.
BIDEN: This is a time for optimism. But it's not a time for relaxation.
MATTINGLY: Biden also moving to share vaccine with close allies, Canada and Mexico with current talks to send 1.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Canada and 2.5 million doses to Mexico. The vaccines to Mexico a key component of quiet negotiations over the border administration officials say as the White House continues to grapple with the surge in unaccompanied migrants.
REP. HENRY CUELLAR (D-TX): They still need to do a little bit more, they have to show some visuals to show that people are being returned.
MATTINGLY: A crisis that is threatened Biden's immigration agenda, with Republicans firm in opposition to his sweeping overhaul in the vast majority set to oppose to narrower Democratic immigration bills in the House today who will create pathways to citizenship for certain undocumented farm workers and so called "Dreamers."
[17:20:03]
The administration also now facing rising tensions with a central geopolitical foe. This from Biden.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC NEWS HOST: You think is a killer?
BIDEN: I do.
MATTINGLY: Drawing this from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA (through translator): In childhood, when we argued with each other, we would say he who calls names is called that himself.
MATTINGLY: With Russian officials describing relations with the U.S. in a bad state and calling the Russian ambassador to the U.S. back to Moscow.
Biden making clear the U.S. has and will continue to impose costs on Russia for election interference and hacking.
BIDEN: A price he's going to pay well, you'll see shortly.
MATTINGLY: Putin, for his part, wishing this for his American counterpart.
PUTIN (through translator): I would tell him be healthy. I wish him good health. I say this without irony, without jokes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: And Wolf, despite that back and forth White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki saying today the President has no regrets about calling President Putin a killer.
As to President Putin's invitation to participate in an online conference call, as of now Psaki said they have no information or report about any such call. But made clear the two have had a phone conversation, a pretty lengthy one up to this point. And the government and the entirety in the U.S. continues conversations with Russia as we speak. Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, Phil, thank you very much. Phil Mattingly over at the White House.
Let's discuss all of this and more with the Republican governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan.
Governor, thank you so much for joining us.
And as you know, and you know this a lot better than I do, the Asian American community is clearly reeling from this shooting amid a nationwide surge right now. Hard to believe it's going on in our country, a nationwide surge in anti-Asian hate. You say your family and your wife who was born in Korea, your daughters, your grandkids, they have felt some of this discrimination firsthand. So, Governor, how personal is this for you?
GOV. LARRY HOGAN (R-MD): Well, look, Wolf, this is, you know, my family feels this pretty intimately. But this is something that's been going on for a long time. You know, each of my daughters and my wife have experienced at least some racism against Asians throughout their lives. But when the President mentioned this a week ago today in his speech, I really complimented him and thanked him for raising awareness. It's something I've been involved in for a long time.
I was on your network with Jake Tapper last Sunday when I talked about it further, and that when this was before the incidents that just took place in Atlanta, which sadly really brought to a head all of this kind of national discussion. This is not something new, it's just gotten much, much worse. And over the past year, we've seen a 7 percent decline, nationwide, in hate crimes, but among Asians, it's up 150 percent.
And, you know, each of my daughters has a personal story about a very close friend that's gone through some terrible stuff just recently. Friends of my wife, I mean, I've got -- my youngest daughter's afraid to come visit us. Her best friend's mother was attacked at a convenience store. My middle daughter, her best friend was on -- getting on a plane with her children where she was subjected to, you know, racist slurs.
And I mean, this is something that I think nearly one more than 1/3 of all Asians have said that they've been subjected to some type of discrimination. And it's been going on, it's been getting worse. And it's now finally in the discussion, and I'm, you know, in spite of the terrible things that are going on at least thankful that more people are starting to pay attention. This was sort of the forgotten minority that, you know, we talk a lot about things with other minority groups with Asians were sort of not in as much of a discussion.
And they've been subjected to, you know, not only these violent attacks, but you know, racist slurs and other forms of discrimination for a long time. And it's, it's got to stop. It's really unacceptable, hate of any kind in our country. And any type of discrimination and prejudice, we've got to put an end to it.
And I praise the President for raising the attention. My heart goes out to all the folks in Atlanta.
But we've seen these violent attacks in Los Angeles, in New York. Just here in my State of Maryland on lunar New Year, we had five or six stores, vandalized, it's happening in Northern Virginia. This is a serious, serious problem in America.
BLITZER: Why is it getting worse?
HOGAN: Well, I think it's been growing for a while, but there's no question in my mind that with all of the rhetoric, the unacceptable, outrageous rhetoric that we've seen over the past year, much of it from our previous president, has really fueled some of this anger and frustration. People are taking out the fact that the virus happened to originate in China. And you know, my wife and daughters and grandkids, they're, you know, they're Americans who are actually of Korean descent, but people are, you know, yelling at them and their friends saying go back to China. And there's no question it has a lot to do with this recent COVID situation, the rising tensions and just the increasing rhetoric and hatred in the country today.
[17:25:22]
BLITZER: Yes, I think you're absolutely right.
I want you to watch and listen, Governor, to Republican Congressman Chip Roy earlier today at the congressional hearing. The hearing was supposed to be on the rise of hate crimes and about justice for the Atlanta shooting. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROY: There's an old sayings in Texas about, you know, find all the rope in Texas and get a tall oak tree. You know, we take justice very seriously. And we ought to do that. Round up the bad guys.
I'm not going to be ashamed of saying I oppose the Chai Com, I oppose the Chinese Communist Party. And when we say things like that, and we're talking about that, we shouldn't be worried about having a committee of members of Congress policing our rhetoric.
And I think that what they did to hide the reality of this virus is equally deserving of condemnation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Governor, what's your reaction to that? This -- is the rhetoric from some of your fellow Republicans actually putting your own family, Asian Americans in danger?
HOGAN: Well, that's the first time I heard those comments, Wolf. And quite frankly, it's shameful and disgusting and disgraceful. And that Congressman, I don't know him, but he should be ashamed of himself for making comments like that, in the middle of a crisis like this.
I mean, look, he can -- you can have positions against the Chinese Communist Party and about, you know, maybe our trade policies with China, and that's very legitimate. But to try to say things like that equating this violent racism to, you know, that was just unacceptable and embarrassing, quite frankly.
BLITZER: We just did get a statement from Elaine Chao, the former Trump Transportation Secretary, who's married to the Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. And among other things, she says this, she says, "Such vicious, unconscionable acts of violence cut at the very core of our country and the values on which it was founded. As we await the findings of a thorough investigation, the critical work to combat the haunting rise of hatred against the Asian American Pacific Islanders community must intensify with the immediacy this latest tragedy commands." A very important statement from Elaine Chao, who is also obviously an Asian American.
But you know, what worries me is their silence from so many Republican senators right now, including her husband. Why is that?
HOGAN: Well, I actually had a discussion with her husband yesterday, who's very concerned about this issue. My wife and Elaine Chao are good friends. And I know that they're going to be talking further about some steps that we can all take. I was very proud of Secretary Chao's statement. That's something, you know, just the opposite of the statement you heard before. I think she said the right thing. She's obviously, you know, one of the most important Asian leaders in our party and I'm glad she spoke out and we're going to continue to work together with, she and her husband, to try to get more Republicans focused on this issue.
BLITZER: Well, are you disappointed that Mitch McConnell, unlike his wife, has not spoken out about this problem?
HOGAN: Well, I think his wife is the perfect spokesperson. And I'm sure that they're both focused on this. I know, he is well aware of discrimination through members of his own family, who who've been faced with this for a long time. And this is, you know, nothing new to Mitch McConnell or his wife.
BLITZER: But we would certainly invite him to come here into the Situation Room if he want to make a statement. We'd love to hear what he has to say. Because like you he has a very personal connection with this growing hatred that sadly is emerging in our country.
While I have you, Governor, let me get your quick response to some of these pandemic issues that are unfolding. Next week, you're going to make vaccines eligible to Maryland residents ages 60 and up. Some states have already made vaccines available, in fact, to all adults. What's your timeline in the state of Maryland to open up eligibility for every adult everybody, let's say over 18?
HOGAN: So, I think some states are saying that they're opening up eligibility, but they don't actually have the vaccines. So, we've had -- we announced today a very thoughtful plan. That's in phases.
You know, for the next two weeks, the federal government has told us there will be no additional vaccines. But starting on the 29th of this month, that week, we're going to start to see a significant increase.
[17:30:00]
Of course, President Biden is calling for everybody to be eligible by May 1. We laid out a plan today with three phase groups that are sizable chunks as the vaccines are available. We think it's better than overloading the system, but every single Marylander in our state will be eligible for the vaccine by the last week in April, which is ahead of schedule, ahead of the plan. And we think a very well thought out plan that's going to get us to continue our great progress.
Today, we hit 2 million vaccines. We're averaging almost 50,000 a day. We build an infrastructure that can handle more than 100,000 shots per day. We're just waiting for those vaccines to arrive from the federal government. And we're going to keep opening up the eligibility justice, those vaccines come rolling off the trucks.
BLITZER: That's really encouraging to hear that. Governor, thank you so much for joining us. Good luck.
HOGAN: Thank you, Wolf. BLITZER: All right, and give our best to your entire family. I know these are difficult, very difficult times for all of -- of everyone ...
HOGAN: Thank you.
BLITZER: ... out there. Appreciate it very much.
As there more news we're following here ...
HOGAN: Thank you.
BLITZER: ... we're getting some very disturbing new video just released by the FBI showing some of the most violent attacks on police seen so far during the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
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[17:35:36]
BLITZER: There was a rather contentious exchange today between the country's top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci and Republican Senator Rand Paul, who's also a doctor, over wearing masks. Listen to what happened in a Senate hearing earlier in the day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. RAND PAUL (R-KY): And if we're not spreading the infection, isn't it just theater?
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: No it's not ...
PAUL: Not the vaccine and you're wearing too mask, isn't that theater?
FAUCI: No, that's not -- here we go again with the theater. Let's get down to the facts. When you talk about reinfection and you don't keep in the concept of variants, that's an entirely different ball game. That's a good reason for a mask.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: All right, let's discuss with Dr. Paul Offit, a member of the FDA Vaccines Advisory Committee, the director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Offit, thanks for joining us. Let's talk about that exchange we just saw. Why is mask wearing so important right now, even if you've already been infected or vaccinated, especially in light, as Dr. Fauci says, of these new variants?
DR. PAUL OFFIT, MEMBER, FDA VACCINES ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Right. So you have to understand sort of the variant story. The virus that swept through China is not the virus that left China. The virus that left China was the first variant, it was called D614G, it's swept across Europe, it swept across the United States. It killed 540,000 people in this country, that variant. All the vaccines that have been made, the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the AstraZeneca vaccine, the Novavax vaccine, are all made to prevent that variant, infection with that variant. But other variants have come into this country, the U.K. variant, the South African variant, the Brazilian variant, now there's this worrisome New York variant, there's two California variants. So the question is, does immunization with vaccines that kind of prevent the D614G variant, do they protect against disease caused by these other variants?
And all the early evidence is that while it's probably very good at preventing the U.K. disease caused by the U.K. variant, it's not so good at preventing disease caused by the South African Brazilian variants or the New York variants. All Dr. Fauci saying is you don't know since all those variants are in this country, which virus you're going to be exposed to. And because you could still have mild or moderate disease, if you're exposed to this, say, South African or Brazilian or New York variant, wear a mask. Very simple, but I guess Senator Paul didn't get that.
BLITZER: Yes, to err on the side of caution and wearing a mask is not that difficult. You want to be really, really careful in the middle of this pandemic which continues. We're now more than a year into the pandemic, Dr. Offit, mask wearing, sadly, is still being politicized. How much damage has that done to our efforts over the past year to contain the virus?
OFFIT: An enormous amount of damage. I mean, if you wear a mask and do your best to the best you can to physical distance, it's as powerful as a vaccine. And while we're waiting for the vaccine to come, while we're waiting for these lifeboats to arrive, it's the least you can do, not just for yourself, but for others. It amazes me when people call this an issue of their own freedom. This is the -- you're not free to catch and transmitted potentially fatal infection.
It's hard to watch. This is probably the first politicized virus in history because the virus doesn't see it that way. It's happy to kill Democrats or Republicans.
BLITZER: Good point. Dr. Offit, thanks so much for joining us. We'll obviously continue these conversations.
Coming up, the FBI releases new videos of the Capitol riot, hoping to identify and catch more of the people who brutally assaulted Capitol Police officers. Also, a former Florida state lawmaker has just been arrested, accused of funding a sham candidate in an upset election.
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[17:43:15]
BLITZER: Today, the FBI released some never before seen videos that vividly show the ferocity of the assault on the Capitol Police officers during January's riot at the U.S. Capitol. CNN's Brian Todd is reviewing the new video talking with experts. These videos, Brian, as you know they are so disturbing. BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They are, Wolf, but the FBI views them as crucial in the manhunt for suspects. So far, more than 65 people have been arrested for assaulting law enforcement officers in the riot. But as these videos show, many more suspects are still out there. We do have to warn viewers that this piece contains images which some viewers might find disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD (voice-over): As a crutch and other heavy objects are thrown at police, look at the man in the spot shadow. Wielding a large club, he starts mercilessly swinging at officer. A slow motion shot shows the same man, the FBI says, now he's wearing a red hat ferociously swinging the club at an officer's head. The FBI believes he's the man in the picture on the left side of the screen.
This is one of several video clips of the January 6th assault on the Capitol released today by the FBI, specifically showing rioters attacks on police officers.
STEVEN D'ANTONIO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN CHARGE, FBI D.C. FIELD OFFICE: You see officers being punched, beaten with sticks, flagpoles in their own shields, as well as being sprayed with a variety of unknown substances.
TODD (voice-over): Like what this rioter is doing. From the top of a grandstand, he unleashes an unknown spray at several officers below causing them to disperse. Another clip shows him spraying down at officers from a different location nearby on that grandstand. On the left side and then full screen, you get a good look at the young man's face. The FBI is asking for the public's help in identifying 10 suspects it showing in these videos. Several of them with their faces clearly visible.
[17:45:05]
TIM CLEMENTE, FORMER FBI COUNTERTERRORISM AGENT: The FBI and law enforcement, as a rule, has access to a variety of different facial recognition. What that allows law enforcement to do is find other photographs of that person. It might be a driver's license photo, which clearly identifies them with name, address, date of birth and everything else, or it could be social media post.
TODD (voice-over): Some clips show rioters at reverse angles, like this man in the Czech jacket beating police with a club. And this man spraying officers then throwing his canister at them. At a reverse angle, he's seen swinging a police shield at officers. This man is shown at two angles pounding his fist into an officer's face shield.
This clip shows the brutality of some attacks, a rioter violently pulling at the gas mask of D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges, who was also crushed in the doorway.
OFFICER DANIEL HODGES, D.C. METROPOLITAN POLICE: There's a guy ripping my mask off and he was able to rip away my baton, beat me with it. And you know he was practically foaming at the mouth. So just these people were true believers in the worst way.
TODD (voice-over): That day, black police officers also had brutal racial slurs hurled at them. U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn told CNN he was called the N word several times and relayed what happened to a fellow black officer who was carrying a long gun.
OFFICER HARRY DUNN, U.S. CAPITOL POLICE: Group of terrorists came to him and said, you think you're a tough N word with that gun? Put that gun down and we'll show you what type of N word you really are.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: Acting Capitol Hill Police Chief Yogananda Pittman recently said after speaking with several officers in the field that day that many of them are suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. She has asked Congress for help in providing them ongoing care, Wolf?
BLITZER: I hope they get it. Brian Todd reporting for us, thank you very much.
Meanwhile, a former Florida state lawmaker has just been arrested, accused of funding a sham candidate in an upset election. Our Senior Investigative Correspondent Drew Griffin has been working on the story for us. Drew, this race last November was for a key Florida State Senate seat and the incumbent lost by less than three dozen votes. Tell us what happened.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this really does appear to be an election that was stolen. It happened at a state Senate seat in Miami, where a ghost candidate got more than 6,000 votes. Today, that goes candidate and the Republican operative behind him have both been arrested.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHY RUNDLE, MIAMI DADE STATE ATTORNEY: Today, we are alleging that November's Florida Senate District 37 election involved crimes.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): Miami Dade state attorney says disgraced lawmaker Frank Artiles masterminded a plot to help a Republican win a key Florida State Senate seat.
RUNDLE: He knew then and we are alleging that he knows now, that he was blatantly thumbing his nose at the law.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): Last November, incumbent Democrat Jose Javier Rodriguez lost his Senate seat by just 32 votes, a race that he tells CNN he would have won.
JOSE JAVIER RODRIGUEZ, FORMER FLORIDA STATE SENATOR: There's no question that this had an impact on a race that was ultimately decided by 32 votes out of nearly a quarter million cast.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): But Jose Javier Rodriguez lost. There was a third candidate, a sham candidate in this race with the same last name as he is, who siphoned away Democrat votes. Alex Rodriguez, who's also charged in the plan.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've been looking for Alex, is he around?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, he'd be back tomorrow though.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): That's actually Alex Rodriguez behind the door, lying to a reporter from CNN Affiliate, WPLG, about his own identity last year. Alex Rodriguez told officials, Frank Artiles paid him nearly $45,000 to be a so-called ghost candidate. He was promoted as a liberal in advertising mailers, but never campaigned and never debated.
RODRIGUEZ: In addition to the same surname, there was all a very well orchestrated and funded last minute campaign to persuade voters and frankly trick them.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): While entering a sham candidate into a political race isn't a crime, the funding of one is, according to prosecutors. Both Artiles and Rodriguez are charged with three felonies each.
RUNDLE: What is a crime is making illegal campaign contributions to get a candidate to run.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): The Republican challenger who won the election by just 32 votes is Ileana Garcia, a founder of Latinas for Trump. Prosecutors say there's no evidence she knew anything about the plot to get her elected. Her spokesperson telling CNN she's never even met Frank Artiles. Artiles attorney tells CNN his client is cooperating and we fully intend to defend any charges in court.
This case as part of a pattern CNN previously reported last year, three races with ghost candidates supported by political action committees that all registered at the same time and had similar donations and similar spending on nearly identical mailers.
[17:50:09]
RODRIGUEZ: There was also hundreds of thousands of dollars of dark money. We still don't know where it came from, sending mailers to voters in the district to confuse them with democratic leaning messages.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Wolf, Alex Rodriguez attorney says his client deeply regrets being used in this way for this election. As for Frank Artiles, he's got a history of controversies. He had to resign his own state Senate seat back in 2017 after using racial slurs in front of two black lawmakers, and hiring a Hooters calendar girl and a playboy model as political consultants. Wolf?
BLITZER: Drew Griffin reporting. Excellent reporting, indeed. Thank you very much.
Let's get some more on this. CNN Political Commentator Ana Navarro is joining us. She's a resident of Miami. Ana, what do you make of this scheme when we've heard Republicans from former President Trump on down crying foul about election fraud, election fraud, what do you make of this?
ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, Wolf, I actually live in this district. I was one of those voters who received the confusing mailers. And look, here's a problem. This has been happening in Florida for decades, where sham candidates, straw candidates are put into races, local, state and federal races. There have been people who have gone to jail.
Look up former Congressman David Rivera and Justin Sternard, it was a very similar case. And it is outrageous, outrageous that entering a sham candidate on the ballot is not illegal. What's illegal here is the money. But what Tallahassee is focusing on is making it harder for legitimate voters to cast vote by mails.
So instead of making this which is actual election fraud, that has effected races and been going on for decades, and all of us in Florida politics know is a thing, that they are actually focusing on voter suppression. And the other thing is, look, I commend Kathy Fernandez Rundle, the state attorney for going after this. But this is the tip of the iceberg.
You know, I've met Frank Artiles, and unless he won the Florida lottery or the lottery sometime recently, that I don't know about, there's no way this guy woke up one day saying I'm going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars of money and trying to get this result of a Senate race. So there is more behind this story. We need to find out who was funding these candidates all throughout the state and who was behind this. I think this is a much larger scheme than meets the eye and it needs to stop. And the folks in Tallahassee should be focusing on real election fraud, not fabricated election fraud, which is what they are doing right now.
BLITZER: You heard Drew's excellent piece that it all came down only 32 votes. Is this the epitome of dirty tricks type politics? And you've watched these things happen over the years.
NAVARRO: Of course, it is. Look, and this one was a perfect storm, right? Because it's a candidate with the same last name as the Democratic candidate. There were both last name Rodriguez. And the sham candidate is Alex Rodriguez. All right, as we know, is a pretty famous name of a famous baseball player who happens to live in Florida. And so it's, you know, it's familiar, ringing name.
And the mailers that were sent out, were sent out to create the perception that Alex Rodriguez was the Democrat in the race. So there is no doubt in my mind that siphoning off 6,000 votes to this sham vote -- sham candidate absolutely affected the result of a race, turn the race around, that was decided by 32 votes, Wolf. And as I said, it's been happening in Florida for decades. And it is what the state legislature meeting in Tallahassee right now, looking at election reform. Well, fabricated fraud should be focusing on.
BLITZER: So how do you make sure this doesn't happen again? NAVARRO: Making it illegal, putting people in jail, finding who's behind it, finding who is the one where those hundreds of thousands of dollars that were funneled to these sham candidates came from, and making sure that there is prosecution, that there are consequences and that people understand that it is a crime, and that there will be consequences, legal consequences, jail time, fees, fines for joining something like this. This was a guy, the sham candidate was a guy with a ton of debt, who was actually a Republican until he signed up for this, who was taken advantage of by a Republican operative, by a former, as Drew said, disgraced senator who had to resign in disgrace because of using racial slurs a few years ago.
[17:55:02]
But if you go back, I mean, we have seen this happen even in federal races and congressional races. It happened in 2012 in a race between David Rivera and Joe Garcia. So, people in Florida know, and people in Florida politics know that this is a trick that has been used for decades.
BLITZER: Yes.
NAVARRO: And this is what they should be focusing on addressing.
BLITZER: All right, important points indeed. Ana, thank you so much. Ana Navarro helping us appreciate the enormity of this story. Appreciate it very much.
Coming up, the latest on the investigation into the shooting deaths of eight people at three Atlanta area spas, tonight, please say nothing is off the table in this investigation, including the possibility of eight as a motive (ph).
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