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The Situation Room
President Biden Unveils $2 Trillion Infrastructure Proposal; Day Three Of Testimony In Trial Of Ex-Officer Accused Of Killing George Floyd; Rep. Matt Gaetz Denies Relationship With 17-Year-Old Girl As He Faces Justice Dept. Scrutiny In Sex Trafficking Probe. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired March 31, 2021 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Imagine knowing that you're handing your children and grandchildren, a country that will lead the world and produce the clean energy technology. And we'll need to address one of the biggest threats of our time. That's what we'll do.
All together, along with the American Rescue Plan, the proposal I put forward will create millions of jobs, estimated by some Wall Street outfits of 18 million jobs over four years, good paying jobs. It also works to level the playing field to empower workers and ensure that the new jobs are good jobs, that you can raise a family on, and ensure a free and fair choice to organize and bargain collectively.
That's why my plan asked Congress to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, the PRO Act, and send it to my desk. This plan is important, not only for what and how it builds, but it's also important to where we build. It includes everyone, regardless of your race, your zip code.
Too often, economic growth and recovery is concentrated on the coast. Too often, investments have failed to meet the needs of marginalized communities left behind. There's talent innovation everywhere and this plan connects that talent through cities, small towns, rural communities, through our businesses and our universities, through our entrepreneurs, union workers, all across America.
We have to move now, because I'm convinced that if we act now, in 50 years, people are going to look back and say this was the moment that America won the future. What I'm proposing is a one-time capital investment of roughly $2 trillion in America's future, spread largely over eight years.
It will generate historic job growth, historic economic growth, help businesses to compete internationally, create more revenue as well. They are among the highest value investments we can make in the nation, investing in our infrastructure, but put another way, failing to make these investments adds to our debt and effectively puts our children at a disadvantage relative to our competitors. That's what crumbling infrastructure does, and our infrastructure is crumbling, it ranked 13th in the world.
What's more, it heightens our vulnerability, it attracts our adversaries to compete in ways that they haven't up to now. Our adversaries are worried about us building this critical infrastructure. Put simply, these are investments we have to make. We can afford to make them, or put another, we can't afford not to.
So how do we pay for it? I spoke to the majority leader, I guess he's no longer the majority leader, he has been for a long time. I spoke to the Republic leader about the plan. Everybody, we're doing something on infrastructure. Why haven't we done it? Well, no one wants to pay for it.
Less than four years ago, as I said, the Congress passed a tax cut of two trillion dollars, increasing the national debt $2 trillion dollars. It didn't meet virtually any of the predictions it would in terms of growing the economy. Overwhelmingly, the benefits of that tax package went to the wealthiest Americans.
It even included new investments that you'd profit by shifting profits in jobs overseas, if you're a corporation. It was bad for American competitiveness, deeply unfair to the middle-class families, and wrong for our future.
So here's what I do. I start with one rule: No one, let me say it again, no one making under $400,000 will see their federal taxes go up, period. This is not about penalizing anyone. I have nothing against millionaires and billionaires. I believe in American capitalism. I want everyone to do well.
But here's the deal, right now a middle-class couple, a firefighter and a teacher with two kids making a combined salary of say $110,000, $120,000 a year pays 22 cents for each additional dollar they earn in federal income tax. But a multinational corporation that builds a factory abroad, brings it home to sell it, they pay nothing at all.
We're going to raise the corporate tax. It was 35 percent, which was just too high. We all agreed five years ago, it should go down to 28 percent, but they reduced it to 21 percent. We're going to raise it back up to 28 percent. No one should be able to complain about that. It's still lower than what that rate was between World War II and 2017. Just doing that one thing will generate $1 trillion in additional revenue over 15 years.
[17:05:20]
In 2019, an independent analysis found that there are 91, let me say it again, 91 Fortune 500 companies, the biggest companies in the world, including Amazon that use various loopholes so they pay not a single, solitary penny in federal income tax. I don't want to punish them, but that's just wrong. That's just wrong. A fireman and a teacher paying 22 percent? Amazon and 90 other major corporations paying zero in federal taxes? I'm going to put an end to that.
Here's how we'll do it. We're establishing a global minimum tax for U.S. corporations at 21 percent. We're going to level the international playing field. That alone will raise one trillion dollars over 15 years.
We'll also eliminate deductions by corporations for offshoring jobs and shifting assets overseas. You do that, you pay a penalty. You don't get a reward in my plan. And use the savings from that to give companies tax credits to locate manufacturing here and manufacturing and production here in the United States.
We'll significantly ramp up the IRS enforcement against corporations who either fail to report their income or under report. It's estimated that could raise hundreds of billions of dollars.
All this adds up to more than what I proposed to spend in just 15 years. It's honest. It's fiscally responsible. And by the way, as the experts will tell you, it reduces the debt, the federal debt over the long haul. But let me be clear, these are my ideas on how to pay for this plan. Others have additional ideas, let them come forward. I'm open to other ideas so long as they do not impose any tax increase on people making less than $400,000.
Let me close with this. Historically, infrastructure had been a bipartisan undertaking, many times led by Republicans. It was Abraham Lincoln who built the Transcontinental Railroad; Dwight Eisenhower, Republican, the interstate highway system. I could go on.
And I don't think you'll find a Republican today in the House or Senate, maybe I'm wrong, gentlemen, who doesn't think we have to improve our infrastructure. They know China and other countries are eating our lunch. So there's no reason why it can't be bipartisan again.
The divisions of the moment shouldn't stop us from doing the right thing for the future. I'm going to bring Republicans into the Oval Office, listen to them, what they have to say and be open to other ideas. We'll have a good-faith negotiation with any Republican who wants to help get this done. But we have to get it done.
I truly believe we're in a moment where history is going to look back on this time as a fundamental choice having been made between democracies and autocracies. You know, there's a lot of autocrats in the world who think the reason why they're going to win is democracies can't reach consensus any longer.
Autocracies do. That's what competition between America and China and the rest of the world is all about. It's a basic question, can democracies still deliver for their people? Can they get a majority? I believe we can. I believe we must.
Delivering for the American people is what the American Rescue Plan was about, and it's been overwhelmingly popular when I wrote it. Everybody said I had no bipartisan support. We're overwhelming bipartisan support with registered Republican voters. Ask around.
If you live in a town with a Republican mayor, a Republican county executive, or a Republican governor, ask him how many would rather get rid of the plan. Ask him if it helped him at all. It's what the American Job Plan is about. The new one I'm proposing. I hope Republicans in Congress will join this effort.
I hope, and I believe, a number of businesses will join this effort. And I hope, and I believe, the American people will join this effort. Democrats, Republican, Independents, we can do this. We have to do this. We will do this. We just have to remember, this is the United States of America. I've said it a thousand times, there's nothing beyond our capacity if we act together. It's time to move together.
[17:10:14]
Thank you, and I hope I get to come back to see you folks after this plan is passed, and the question is you have to attract even more apprentices, more people because we're building so much. God bless you all and may God protect our troops. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM. We want to welcome our viewers here in the United States and around the world. We just heard a major new $2.2 trillion infrastructure proposal from President Biden, major developments, including proposed tax increases for big corporations.
Let's get some analysis. Joining us right now, our Chief Political Analyst Gloria Borger, our Senior White House Correspondent Phil Mattingly was in Pittsburgh, with the president and our Chief National Affairs Correspondent, Jeff Zeleny who's over at the White House.
Jeff, first of all, summarize the major details of this huge plan. It's going to go through Congress, the House in the Senate, no guarantee it's going to succeed. But you heard the President say he's open to additional suggestions to see if there's some opportunity for some bipartisan cooperation.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: President Biden certainly seized upon this moment and really put it in a bit of history saying that what happens now will be looked generations from now on this moment. And he did ask Republicans to come along on this journey with him saying that divisions of the moment should not necessarily hurt the future.
But beyond that, the White House has pretty much locked in the idea here of funding this massive spending program that really would reshape the American economy with raising corporate taxes. And for many Republicans, that simply is a deal breaker. The White House is well aware of that. So yes, they are open to ideas. But it does not mean they're going to slow down.
So what we heard today, Wolf, was President Biden, opening the sales pitch, if you will, by explaining why the nation's roads and bridges and airports and waterways needs to be improved, why the water systems must be improved. You know why a broadband needs to be brought to American Life.
So this is part one, the American jobs plan, and he said he'll reveal part two, the American families plan next month. But this is a $2 trillion plan. And the White House is pretty locked in with what they want to present here. Now he knows how difficult this is going to be. Leave Republicans aside for one moment, even among Democrats. This is
a challenge without question, but he laid out a sweeping proposal, many of which he talked about on the campaign trail, but really bringing it all together into one bill.
So Wolf, this is not your grandfather's infrastructure plan, this is much more, this would reshape the American economy and lift American workers here, and he made no apology for that. He said now is the moment. So cast himself into a bit of history here, if this would pass certainly would be historic. But what happens between now and then, Wolf, much, much, much work here, a very tough legislative sell. And we're about to see it begin.
BLITZER: Yeah, even though everyone agrees the country's infrastructure needs major help, or right now.
Phil Mattingly, you're there in Pittsburgh, for this major announcement by the President. First of all, tell us the significance why he picked Pittsburgh to make this announcement?
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, we need to need to look two years ago, Wolf, Pittsburgh is where he launched his campaign, obviously, this event taking place in a Union Hall as well, the President never shirked from the opportunity to talk about how what he believes the value of unions are, the value of union jobs making clear he believes he is a union man as well.
There are also very key components in this $2.25 trillion plan for unions, for union workers, and also legislation to bolster unions that the White House wants to include in this as well. I think, to get to Jeff's point to some degree here, Wolf, the stakes in the scale of this.
It's such a key component of what the President was trying to get across just now and how White House officials believe they can push this forward over the course of the next several months. They believe this is the moment to go big.
They believe this is the moment not to tap back, not to try and find a way to scale back any proposal in the hope of bipartisan support as he noted he will bring Republicans in. But I think the expectation right now is the economy, the moment and what America is in the process of coming out of has set the stage for, as he noted a once in a generation investment. We'll see how this goes going forward.
But the symbolism in terms of who he referenced during the speech, what he referenced during the speech, the space race has been something you've repeatedly heard White House officials talk about, trying to bring some nostalgia into this, but also this idea that you can do big things, which I think is what the administration is trying to get across as they pitch this forward.
I think the reality is, and they recognize this politically, this is going to be a heavy lift. And I think Jeff makes a key point. We focus a lot on Republicans and they certainly have already raise major concerns, particularly about the financing element of this. And we haven't even gotten to the second part yet, but this is going to be a heavy lift for Democrats as well.
[17:15:07]
If you look at the cros- cutting policies here, when you're talking about energy policy, where they're talking about tax policy, these are thorny issues just in isolation, put them all together in a package that's this big. And you're going to have issues crop up throughout the course of this process.
But there's no question about it, the White House is not willing to scale back, they don't think they need to scale back. And they believe at this moment, what the country has been through and what it's looking towards going forward. This is the moment to try and get this done.
BLITZER: You know, Gloria, we heard the President promised that if you were your household makes under $400,000 a year, you won't pay any increase in taxes, not a penny of additional taxes to the federal government. If you make more than $400,000, he will pay more in taxes. And if you're a corporation, your tax rate is going to go from 21 percent to 28 percent. What stood out to you from the President's announcement?
GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, I think the old saying comes to mind, never let a crisis go to waste. And I think what this administration is doing is saying this is a moment to go big as my colleagues were talking about, Biden is a man of history, reads a lot about FDR, and has decided clearly that he isn't going to be just the transitional president.
He said he was going to be at points during the campaign. But he has decided that this is a moment for transformation in the country. And he sees himself as the person right now able to do it, and they are in a rush to do it. Because the country is ready for it, the country has been through the pandemic, the approval on the rescue plan is high right now, if you look at the polls, on whether people are ready to raise taxes on corporations, always a popular thing to do in order to pay for infrastructure.
The public is overwhelmingly saying, yes, we want you to do that. And so he's saying to the Republicans, look, if you have a better way to pay for this stuff, let me know about it. But what I'm not going to do is what you did, he says is give a tax break to the very rich, he said, look, I'm not anti-wealth, but I want people to pay their fair share.
And so you know, if you raise the corporate tax rate to where it was, before Donald Trump became president, that's not going to be controversial out in the country. It may be controversial in Congress. And that's going to be a problem for him with Republicans.
But I think he sort of said, you know what, I'm willing to have that fight. And you got any other ideas about how to pay for this? Come at me with him, because so far, I haven't heard that.
BLITZER: It was interesting. He's a confirmed that he did have a conversation today with Mitch McConnell, the Minority Leader in the U.S. Senate. Let's see if we get some more specific details on how that went.
You know, Jeff, Republicans, I think everyone in the country, they're all on board, everyone's on board that the country's infrastructure needs enormous help roads, bridges, airports, all sorts of things. But there's a huge fight that's in the works right now about raising corporate taxes from 21 to 28 percent. So that's supposedly going to fund this infrastructure program. So what is the road ahead look like?
ZELENY: It would fund part of the program. And what this is, is this is spending over eight years, but it would take 15 years to pay for it. That does, you know, that is certainly going to raise some questions here about the changing policy going forward after the Biden administration, if that's in four years or eight years.
But the reality here right now is we heard President Biden say he is going to have Republicans into the Oval Office. He's already had some. He's going to be talking with committee chairman. They are the ones who are interested in an infrastructure plan. But one thing is clear, at least of now, this is the opening gambit.
This bill will change without question. President Biden is of course, a student of the legislative branch. He spent the -- he spent most of his career there. So he's flexible to how you get to the end game, but he's not flexible on the size and scope of this.
So yes, Republicans will come in. Yes, they'll be part of this discussion. But as Gloria was saying there, if they have a better idea, they're open to it. But the reality is, this needs to be paid for somehow. So raising corporate taxes, yes, they would go up to 28 percent.
But a reminder before the Trump tax cut, some of these visa rates were up to 35 percent. So this is something that the definition of bipartisanship is going to be key to keep an eye on here. It's not necessarily winning Republican votes, at least in the eyes of the White House.
It's getting Republicans and moderates across the country to buy into your plan. So we'll see if there's movement on the Republican side, but right now, Wolf, the White House has the upper hand, but keep an eye on those Democrats because that's who the White House needs to keep unified.
BLITZER: Yeah, there's a tiny, tiny Democratic majority in the House of Representatives.
ZELENY: right.
BLITZER: 50/50 in the Senate, the Vice President has the tie breaking vote there.
You know, Gloria, the president says and I'm quoting him now, he's open to conversations about how to fund this infrastructure plan. Are there are options on the table that could eventually garner enough bipartisan support?
[17:20:06]
BORGER: Let me take a guess here. And that is that Republicans are not going to propose any tax increases. I think I'll go to the man on that. I mean, are they going to propose a gas tax increase? Are, you know -- it's hard for me to think of it right now.
And certainly, they haven't offered it as any kind of an opening gambit, because anybody who proposes any kind of attacks, increased politically puts themselves at a certain amount of risk, even if it's a corporate tax increase, which is why I think the President sort of put it out there and said, OK, you guys, you got a better idea, come up with it.
But let me also point out one thing, which is that what he did today was really talk about the part of his plan that in a way, while it's going to be controversial, is less controversial than the second part of his plan, which is more about the social safety net, and more about social welfare.
And something that really progressives are very, very interested in, and Republicans will completely balk at, which is I think, and why they did this, and Phil could speak to this is why they did this in two parts, because this one will be tough. It'll be easier going then the second one.
BLITZER: All right, everybody stand by. We're going to have much more coming up on this very important major plan introduced just moments ago by the President of the United States, much more on that coming up.
Let's right now get back to the other major story we've been following all week, a very dramatic emotional day three of testimony in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, the witness on the stand right now, look at this, is Lieutenant Rugel of the Minneapolis Police Department.
He's being asked to authenticate all the body camera, video -- and other video evidence from the scene of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis. That video being shown in court right now, let's watch and see what's happening.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE SCHLEICHER, PRESECUTING ATTORNEY: All right, if you can take that down, please. I'm going to be asking you about some items that we will seek to admit without publication at this point. Officer Kluger (ph) is a sergeant at the third precinct. You're familiar with him.
JEFF RUGEL, MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT LIEUTENANT: Yes.
SCHLEICHER: He was also issued a body worn camera and his footage is -- there's footage that was captured of the incident that's offered as exhibit 48.
[17:25:04]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 48 is received.
SCHLEICHER: And there's a number of still photographs that were taken from some of the footage that has been reviewed. At This time I'm going to offer these without seeking to publish kind of in a group. Offer exhibit 57 still photograph from Lane's body worn camera that 20:30:41.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
(INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 57 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer exhibit 58, Lane's body worn camera at 20:30:43.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 58 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 59, Lane's body worn camera 20:30:47.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 59 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer exhibit 60 Lane's body worn camera 20:30:59.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 60 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 61 Lane's body worn camera 20:31: 32.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 60 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 62, Lane's body worn camera 20:33:12.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 62 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 63 Lane's body worn camera 20:34:11.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 63 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 64, Lane's body worn camera 20, 35, 08.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 64 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 65. Lane's body worn camera 20:35:20.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 65 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 66, Lane's body worn camera 20, 37, 18.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 66 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 68 still from Thao's body worn camera, no this is not military time 8:32:59.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was 68.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was 68 Your Honor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 68 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 69, Thao's body worn camera at 8:32:06, I'm sorry 8:33:06.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 69 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 70, Thao's body worn camera at 8:33:20.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 70 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 71, Thao's body worn camera 8:34:48.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 71 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 72, photographs from Kueng's body worn camera at 20:33:57.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 72 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 74, Lane's body worn camera 20:38:22.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 74 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 195, still photograph from defendant Chauvin's body worn camera at 20:18:18.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 185 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 196, Thao's body worn camera at 20:18:30.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 196 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 197, Thao's body worn camera at 20:18:40.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 197 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 237 photographed from Kueng's body worn camera at 20:17:45.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 237 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 238, defendant Chauvin's body worn camera at 20:18:18.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 238 is received.
CHAUVIN: Offer 239 Thao's body worn camera 20:18:40.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 239 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Offer 240, Kueng's body worn camera at 20:19:27.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 240 is received.
SCHLEICHER: For 241 Lane's body worn camera 20:19:53.
[17:30:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 241 is received.
SCHLEICHER: For 242, Kueng's body worn camera 202350.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No objection.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 242 is received.
SCHLEICHER: For 243, Lane's body worn camera 202633.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No objection.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 243 is received.
SCHLEICHER: For 244, Kueng's body worn camera at 202655.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No objection.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 244 is received.
SCHLEICHER: For 245, Lane's body worn camera at 202823.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No objection.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 245 is received.
SCHLEICHER: To Exhibit 248, Lane's body worn camera at 82741.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No objection.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 248 is received.
SCHLEICHER: Yes.
BLITZER: You see the prosecuting attorney is going through some procedural issues right now. They're working on details, the testimony from Lieutenant Jeff Rugel in Minneapolis Police Department will continue. We'll take a quick break, we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:35:09]
BLITZER: All right, they just wrapped up. This is day three of testimony in this historic trial that's underway in Minneapolis Minnesota. And we we've been seeing some very dramatic police body camera video throughout this day. And we're going to share a lot of that with you over the course of our coverage here in THE SITUATION ROOM.
I want to go to CNN's Omar Jimenez. He's on the scene for us. He's covering the trial in Minneapolis. And what we just saw, Omar, was very dramatic, a police officer arriving on the scene, we see the video from his body camera as they're trying to force George Floyd into that police vehicle.
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. I mean the theme of today was using video to tell the story. We saw that play out over the course of today and most recently again towards the end of what we saw in court that played out through the body cameras of the four officers that responded to the scene on May 25th, 2020.
Again, all four of them are running as it was moving through. We got audio and video and you get a sense up close and personal for the struggle that you saw ensue between Floyd and the officers but also the panic in his voice, most specifically and significantly the biggest struggle came from trying to get Floyd into the squad car after he was removed from the first vehicle. And I want to play some of that portion from Officer Thomas Lane's body camera.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
THOMAS LANE, FORMER MINNEAPOLIS POLICE OFFICER: I'll roll the windows down if you put your legs in all right? I'll put the air on.
GEORGE FLOYD, KILLED BY POLICE OFFICER: Hey man, you all doing that. Look at that. Look at that. Look at it. Look at it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're not even listening. We can fix it but not while you're standing out here.
FLOYD: OK, man. God, you all do me bad, man. Man, I don't want to try to win. I don't want to try to win.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Quit resisting, bro.
FLOYD: I don't want to win. I'm claustrophobic and I got anxiety. I don't want to do nothing to them.
LANE: I'll roll the window down.
FLOYD: Man, I'm scared as fuck, man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's OK.
FLOYD: When I start breathing, it's going to go off on me, man.
LANE: Pull your legs in.
Floyd: OK, OK, let me count to three. Let me count to three and then I'm going in, please.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can't win.
FLOYD: I'm not trying to win. I'm not trying to win. I'll get on the ground. Anything I'll get --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay in the car.
FLOYD: I can't stand this shit man, he know it.
LANE: I'll go to the other side.
FLOYD: He know it. He know it, Mr. Officer. Don't do me like that, man.
J. ALEXANDER KUENG, FORMER MINNEAPOLIS POLICE OFFICER: Get in the car.
FLOYD: Can talk to you, please?
KUENG: If you get in this car, we can talk.
FLOYD: I'm claustrophobic.
KUENG: I'm hearing you but you're not working with me.
FLOYD: God, I'm claustrophobic.
LANE: Plant your butt over here. I'm going to pull you in.
KUENG: Get in the car.
FLOYD: Can I get in the front, please?
KUENG: No, you're not getting in the front.
FLOYD: I'm claustrophobic, Mr. Officer.
KUENG: Get in the car.
FLOYD: OK, man. OK. I'm not bad guy, man.
KUENG: Get in the car.
FLOYD: I'm not a bad guy, man. Please, Mr. Officer. Please.
KUENG: Sit. Take a seat.
FLOYD: Please. Please. No.
KUENG: Take a seat.
FLOYD: I can't choke. I can't breathe Mr. Officer. Please. Please.
KUENG: OK. Fine.
FLOYD: My wrist, my wrist, man. OK, OK. I want to lay on the ground. I want to lay on the ground. I want to lay on the ground.
LANE: You're getting in the squad.
FLOYD: I want to lay on the ground. I'm going down. I'm going down. I'm going down.
KUENG: Take a squat.
FLOYD: I'm going down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bro, you about to have a heart attack and shit, man. Get in the car.
FLOYD: I know I can't breathe. I can't breathe.
LANE: Get him on the ground.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JIMENEZ: It's difficult to watch and as much of an impact as it has on us and people watching at home. Remember there are jurors sitting in that courtroom watching that unable to really divert their attention anywhere else. And we know that this has affected these jurors in ways over the past many just coming from poor reports inside the courtroom have had to turn their eyes away.
At times, we know there was a brief moment earlier this afternoon where we know court had to pause for a little bit as a juror exited the courtroom. And when the conversation resumed with the judge and that juror, again according to this poor report, juror said they've been up since 2 o'clock in the morning. So we know this is having an impact on those that are following this closely.
And when I talk about video being the most important medium over the course of today, we learn new information from it. We saw portions of Derek Chauvin's body camera where for the first time we heard him audibly defend his actions after kneeling on the neck of George Floyd.
It came basically during the testimony of a 61-year-old bystander at the time and this was in a moment where George Floyd had already been taken away from -- taken away in an ambulance and Chauvin was back sitting in the car.
The bystander came over and took issue with how Chauvin handled that situation. And Chauvin said, look, that is one person's opinion. But moving forward -- But I handled it in a way that this was a big guy and he needed to be in controlled. So, again, video telling the story and providing new information and context to what happened on May 25th.
[17:40:07]
BLITZER: And this is the first time, Omar, we've seen the actual police body camera video, which is so powerful. There was another clip. And I want to play for our viewers, one of the police officers, Police Officer Lane, when he actually raised her weapon. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FLOYD: Hey, man. I'm sorry.
LANE: Stay in the car. Let me see your other hand.
FLOYD: I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
LANE: Let me see your other hand.
FLOYD: Please, Mr. Officer. LANE: Both hands.
FLOYD: I didn't do nothing.
LANE: Put your fucking hands up right now. Let me see your other hand.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let him see your other hand.
FLOYD: All right. What I do though? What we do, Mr. Officer?
LANE: Put your hand up there. Put your fucking hand up there. Jesus Christ, keep your fucking hands on the wheel.
FLOYD: I got shot.
LANE: Keep your fucking hands on the wheel.
FLOYD: Yes, Sir. I'm sorry, Mr. Officer.
LANE: Who else is in the car?
Floyd: This is my friend.
LANE: Put your foot back in.
Floyd: I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. God dang, man. Man, I got, I got shot the same way, Mr. Officer, before.
LANE: OK. Well, when I say, let me see your hands, you put your fucking hands up.
FLOYD: I am so sorry, Mr. Officer. Dang man.
LANE: You got him? Put your hands on top of your head.
FLOYD: Man, Mr. Officer. Last time, I got shot like that, Mr. Officer. It was the same thing.
LANE: Hands on top of your head. Hands on top of year head. Step out of the vehicle and step away from me, all right?
FLOYD: Yes, Sir.
LANE: Step out and face away. Step out and face away.
FLOYD: OK, Mr. Officer, please don't shoot me. Please, man.
LANE: I'm not going to shoot you. Step out and face away.
FLOYD: I'll look at you eye-to-eye, man. Please don't shoot me, man.
LANE: I'm not shooting you, man.
FLOYD: I just lost my mom, man.
LANE: 320 were taking one out. Step out and face away. FLOYD: Man, I'm so sorry.
LANE: Step out and face away.
FLOYD: Please don't shoot me, Mr. Officer. Please, don't shoot me, man. Please. Can you not shoot me, man?
LANE: Step out and face away. I'm not shooting. Step out and face away.
FLOYD: OK, OK, OK. Please. Please, man. Please. Please. I didn't know, man.
LANE: Get out of the car.
FLOYD: I didn't know. I didn't know, Mr. Officer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop resisting, Floyd.
LANE: Put your fucking hands behind your back. Put your hands behind your back right now!
KUENG: Stop moving. Stop. Put your hands behind your back then.
LANE: Get his other arm.
FLOYD: I'm not going to do nothing.
KUENG: Hey you come back, stay in the car.
FLOYD: I'm sorry, Mr. Officer, I'll get on my knees whatever.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What did you say, Sir?
FLOYD: Oh, man.
KUENG: Stop resisting then.
FLOYD: I'm not.
KUENG: Yes, you are.
FLOYD: I didn't do nothing wrong man.
KUENG: Stand up.
FLOYD: Please, please, man.
LANE: Against the wall.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who? Me?
LANE: Yes.
(END VIDEOTAPE) BLITZER: That's pretty, very, very dramatic. Omar, standby for a moment, I want to bring in the former Missouri Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson, who's joining us right now. And first of all, give us your reaction, Captain Johnson to what we just saw.
RON JOHNSON, FORMER MISSOURI HIGHWAY PATROL CAPTAIN: Very intense, very aggressive. There was no sign of trying to deescalate the situation there. And it's obvious Mr. Floyd doesn't want to be arrested. But I think there's an opportunity there to deescalate what's going on.
I'm not sure what the officer was thinking when he walked up and pulled out his weapon. But his tone and his language to out at the start, I really heighten the situation that was going on. But it was very hard to watch throughout Mr. Floyd, actually begging for his life throughout the entire encounter.
BLITZER: Have you ever been involved in a situation like that? You spent years with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, have you personally ever seen anything like that unfold when you try to arrest someone who was in a vehicle?
JOHNSON: I have. But one thing that I've seen here is he wasn't cooperating, but he wasn't fighting. So there's a difference there. And so you began to deescalate, you begin to try to calm down, whoever you're trying to arrest. But yes, you know, there are some people who are don't want to be in a police car, the backseat being in that enclosed area.
And so I could -- that's a possibility. And so I think you just have to work through it. You know, you're trying to arrest people and some people will tell you things, I can't sit in the backseat or have these other medical conditions. And that's not true. But you have to treat every case for itself and not look at past experiences that you may have had. But look at it in the moment that you're in.
BLITZER: You know, Bakari Sellers, who's an attorney is with us as well. Bakari, it's so painful to watch all of this. How do you think this video from so many different angles all the body camera video specifically the body cameras that the police officers were wearing hearing George Floyd and Derek Chauvin in their own words, how do you think this might influence the case?
BAKARI SELLERS, ATTORNEY, STROM LAW: It's powerful. I mean, I think it's more powerful than anything any lawyer can say in the room. It's powerful than anything any witness can say in the room. This video and these videos speak loudly, the words of George Floyd. I mean, look, we're all grown on this panel. And you know that if you see a grown man calling out for his mother, you understand that he is in some excruciating pain that he is. He's grasping for life. It's so painful to watch.
[17:45:23]
And I just I want to agree that you didn't see the benefit of de- escalation get into George Floyd. I mean, you saw him and when he was pulled over, even, you know, his emotional state changed. He was he was upset, he was sad, he was frustrated. He was all of these things. But one thing he was not was violent.
But many times I mean, I have friends all the time that, you know, this is the conversation you have with your children when you are black father, you have a black young boys and girls, you know, because law enforcement, why do you walk up to the car, pull your gun out, like what do we what are we doing here? You didn't deescalate the situation, you raise the tension in the situation.
The commander was right. Like, let's have a conversation with people. Let's back away. Let's reassess. Let's use some different techniques of communication to see if we can deescalate and maybe George Floyd is alive today. I think these videos are so powerful because any juror hearing somebody call out for their mother, screaming begging for their life is just something next is going to ring loudly in that jury room.
BLITZER: And Bakari there was really a very emotional powerful moment when one of the eyewitnesses who happened to be on the scene was shown some of this very emotional, very powerful police body camera video, 61-year-old Charles McMillan, and after he watched it, recalling what he had seen, watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know that this is difficult. Can you just explain sort of what you're feeling in this moment?
CHARLES MCMILLIAN, SAW GEORGE FLOYD BEING DETAINED: I can't but feel helpless. I don't have a mama either, but I understand him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: He was so calm, so rational, so reasonable, earlier, but once he saw the video, Bakari, you saw his reaction?
SELLERS: Yes. And that's one of the elders of our community. I mean, that is someone who has seen a great deal. And for him to break down in front of the world just shows how painful it is, in many of us. I mean, this is -- these days are long during this trial, because for so many people, it's exhausting.
I mean, just watching these videos, hearing these words, the anguish, I mean, some days you want -- you turn on this trial, you turn on CNN, you just get so angry. Some days, you're so exhausted. Some days, you're in a state of disbelief.
Now take, you know, step off Twitter, step off T.V., and then imagine you're in the courtroom. Imagine these images are seared into your brain. Imagine you were there to hear these last words. I mean, I just, you know, it's so difficult and these individuals, this community has been fractured by that's why the only solve, the only thing that can be done to help remedy this injustice is full justice at the end of this, because when you take all of this pain, you take all of this exhaust, and you take all of this anguish. And then at the end of this four weeks, you give us more injustice
that this country has, then that's how you get anger that boils over in the streets.
BLITZER: Captain Johnson, I want to get your reaction to these images we saw, this was from the body camera video of the former police officer, Derek Chauvin. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FLOYD: Let go of me, man. I can't breathe. I can't breathe.
LANE: Take a seat.
FLOYD: Please, man. Please listen to me.
DEREK CHAUVIN, FORMER MINNEAPOLIS POLICE OFFICER: Is he going to jail?
FLOYD: Please listen to me.
KUENG: He's under arrest right now for forgery. That's what's going on.
FLOYD: Forgery for what, for what?
LANE: Let's take him out and just MRE.
FLOYD: Please man, I can't fucking breathe, man. I can't fucking breathe.
KUENG: Here. Come on out!
FLOYD: Thank you. Thank you.
TOU THAO, FORMER MINNEAPOLIS POLICE OFFICER: Just lay him on the ground.
LANE: Can you just get up on the -- I appreciate that. I do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: So Captain Johnson, even if there was this scuffle that we did see inside the police vehicle that's happening when Floyd already is handcuffed is that relevant to this case when Floyd was restrained, he was handcuffed, certainly handcuffed during the nine minutes and 29 seconds that the former police officer Derek Chauvin was on his neck.
JOHNSON: Well, you know, when interviews are handcuffed, he can still create argue to an officer. But once he was on the ground, and all the officers were there, it's -- they can't control him. They really had control of him. The thing that I was taken back was Officer Chauvin, there was no emotions from Officer Chauvin, none at all. So I was taken back by that. But even when he stopped moving, when he stopped, there was still no difference in their activity.
[17:50:04] At some point of course they call for paramedics so at that point you knew he was in distress. And at that point it's your opportunity and your duty to provide aid. But there was no way given in the time when you knew that he was in distress. And so, yes, he's in handcuffs but he is not moving. He has actually complied. And when you hear his voice, his voice and tone changes, he's calling them officers and he's called them in a calm way saying, officer I give up, I've heard certain things that he's saying.
And so there should have been a difference in what they were doing and it should have been rendered aid at some point.
BLITZER: It was so heartbreaking. He was saying, I can't breathe. But he was also calling for his mama, kept calling for his mama throughout that time. Everybody stand by there's more body camera video we're going to share with you much more of our special coverage right here in THE SITUATION ROOM right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:55:19]
BLITZER: We have much more coming up on the Derek Chauvin trial that's underway just wrapped up for the day. But there's other important news we're following in THE SITUATION ROOM right now. Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida is denying all allegations of wrongdoing as the Justice Department probes whether he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl.
Our senior legal affairs correspondent Paula Reid is joining us right now. She's got details. Paula this probe into Gaetz is a spinoff of a broader sex trafficking investigation into another Florida politician, update our viewers.
PAULA REID, CNN SENIOR LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. And CNN has learned that former Attorney General Bill Barr received multiple briefings on this sex trafficking investigation into Representative Gaetz. A source familiar with the matter says that Barr did not object to the case, which is really heating up now as Gaetz appears to be trying to distract from the serious charges by arguing that he is the real victim.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REID (voice-over): Tonight, a source familiar with the matter tell CNN Representative Matt Gaetz is being investigated over allegations of sex trafficking and prostitution, including allegations involving a minor, the federal probe began in the final months of the Trump administration.
Congressman Gaetz is denying the allegations including that he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old after "The New York Times" reported he was under investigation by the Justice Department.
REP. MATT GAETZ (R-FL): It is a horrible allegation, and it is a lie. REID (voice-over): The investigation is looking into whether the Florida Republican paid a 17-year-old to travel with him, according to "The Times" a possible violation of sex trafficking laws.
GAETZ: that is verifiably false people can look at my travel records and see that that is not the case.
REID (voice-over): A person briefed on the probe confirmed to CNN that federal authorities were investigating Gaetz as part of a broader probe into trafficking allegations against another Florida politician.
GAETZ: You know, providing for flights and hotel rooms for people that you're dating who are of legal age is not a crime.
REID (voice-over): According to Gaetz, the story is part of a $25 million extortion attempt against his family to make the DOJ investigation disappear. Gaetz said on "Fox News" they were supposed to wire a $4.5 million down payment today.
GAETZ: The Department of Justice we're so concerned about this attempted extortion of a member of Congress that they asked my dad to wear a wire. I am demanding that the Department of Justice and the FBI release the audio recordings that were made under their supervision.
REID (voice-over): The Justice Department though has so far declined to comment. But according to a source familiar with the investigation, federal prosecutors are examining these allegations of extortion. It is separate from the ongoing investigation into Gaetz. The lawmaker alleges a former DOJ official is the one trying to extort him.
GAETZ: His name is David McGee.
REID (voice-over): McGee is a private attorney in Florida who left the Justice Department in the 90s. His law firm releasing a statement today, the allegation by the Congressman is both false and defamatory. While he was with the DOJ, he would never have entertained a scheme such as what Congressman Gaetz suggests, nor would he today. Gaetz's interview with Tucker Carlson took a strange turn.
GAETZ: You and I went to dinner about two years ago, your wife was there and I brought a friend of mine, you'll remember her and she was actually threatened by the FBI.
TUCKER CARLSON, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: I don't remember the woman you're speaking of or the context at all, honestly.
REID (voice-over): Carlson distanced himself afterwards.
CARLSON: That was one of the weirdest interviews I've ever conducted.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
REID: CNN has learned that Gaetz has been shopping around for defense attorney over the past several weeks. His political future really hangs in the balance here. Today House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said he hasn't had a chance to speak with Gaetz, but acknowledge these allegations are serious, and if true, he will deal with it. Wolf?
BLITZER: Paula Reid is our new senior legal affairs correspondent. Paula, welcome to CNN. You'll be a frequent visitor here in THE SITUATION ROOM. Thanks very much for that report.
[17:59:30]
Coming up, we're going to have all the late breaking developments in the Derek Chauvin trial which has just wrapped up for a third day of very powerful testimony.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
