Transcripts For CNNW CNN 20240703

More coverage of this coming up. Thank you for joining tonight and thank you all so much for joining us tonight. Seen a news night with abby. Phillip starts right now the trucks show makes its main character bystander. Thats tonight on new sign good. Evening im abby phillip in new york tonight, donald trump becomes savoy year in his own story. Today, the country her the beginnings of a story about donald trump. But this time, he no longer controls that narrative instead, its new york prosecutors who are painting a picture of an alleged hush money coverup scheme where the victims were the american public. Now in 20 own version of events, he says hes innocent, a victim of Michael Cohens vendetta and Stormy Daniels opportunism. But hes not a control of that narrative either. Trump, who believes he is his own best spokesman and defender, will now have to leave it to his lawyers. Now, as you can imagine, this is why weve seen trump letting loose outside of the court. Hes trying to take back control to take his own story in his own hands, even if it means risking his freedom and running roughshod over the rule of law what are they going to look at all the lives that in the last line in the last trial so he got caught lying pure and what are they going to look at that . I just want to say before we begin, these are all biden trials. This is done as Election Interference cnn legal analyst joey jackson is at the magic wall to break down the key moments in the prosecution and defense is opening statements. So joey, what stood out to you . So what is this case about . What stood out is the facts and the evidence let start with the underlying theme of the case. The violation or no violation of new york penal law 175. 10. That is falsifying Business Records right now falsifying Business Records, how do you get to that issue . In this case, you get to it because you have to have an intent to defraud, but its not only that you have to have a further intent. Right. Not only to defraud, but because youre intending to commit another crime or aid or conceal in the commission thereof. Thats significant. Thats relevant because it gives the prosecution to burdens one that we have false documents in to why were they doing it to cover up the election. So lets Start Talking about what this is all about. Prosecutions case in a nutshell, prosecution came out swinging, speaking to the issue of this being a conspiracy and a coverup. Now important to note, conspiracy is not something thats charged, but what does it bring to mind . It brings to mind a number of people involved in an event that was illegal. Who are those people we see them there. We see donald trump. We see mr. We see cohen, we see Stormy Daniels. The objective is to establish that they collectively Work Together to do what to influence the left action. What do we see right here . This is a ballot box and if they were acting in conjunction trumping the mask of mine to otherwise interfere with the election that gets you falsifying records with the intent of committing another crime, influencing that result. Now you dont have to believe says the Prosecution Anything that Saw Me He Daniel says anything that Michael Cohen says. Look at the hard evidence and what does that hard evidence . This is a check right here. And whos that signed by donald j. Trump and his another check. And thats made out, right. Revoke able trust account. Another check, hard evidence, prosecution says, dont rely upon those two right. These two Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen, rely upon the cold, hard evidence thats their argument. Now, we pivot to what the defense has to say and what do they argue . They argue that nondisclosure agreements, nondisclosure agreements happen every day in twice on sunday. Thats an important part of litigation. You want to settle the case, you settle it by hand. Having people not talk perfectly legal and legitimate and what else do we know that they say donald trump knew nothing about this. He was in the dark and by the way, he was running for president. And if you want to talk about the issue of influencing elections, so what its a democracy, and not only is it a democracy, but this is what the prosecution brings to bear. These two witnesses, you know, theyre going after Michael Cohen as they did perjurer liar, you know, theyre going after Stormy Daniels, they do that. Whats the issue . The issue is beyond a reasonable doubt is not proven. They have their acquittal broken down like approach always standby for us. Im going to come into the studio joining me now for more as former watergate prosecutor, Nick Ackerman Assistant Law Professor at brooklyn law school. Alexis hogue, and former New York State assistant attorney general, kris stays act he broke it down pretty well. Their neck. What do you think the skill level was in terms of the prosecutors actually hammering that home to the to the jury, that this is a criminal conspiracy and cover up emphasis on the cover up. Right. But they also didnt just say that the evidence was Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels the fact of the matter is theres much more to it than that. Its also david its also various people who were working for people who are working for trump. Its a hard evidence is not just the documents, its also a Tape Recording in which donald trump is heard discussing the payment to Karen Mcdougal on tape in his own voice talking about even paying are in cash. So i think this is really just distorts what the evidence is and what the government is claiming theyre not saying the hard evidence is. Michael cohen and stormy as Stormy Daniels. Its all of this evidence together that all supports each other. Thats why they have david is the first witness. He lays the groundwork, sets out the entire scheme, and from there, its almost impossible not to believe Michael Cohen especially after they bring in this tape, which theyve already alluded to in their opening which was kind of a weird thing to begin with because yet to ask, why did Michael Cohen ever taped donald trump . I never knew the answer to that it came up in the opening. It was because he had to convince that trump would still pay the money that was owed the hundred and 15,000 for Karen Mcdougal, 150,000 so he taped them in order to get back on track. So is going to say he heard the tape and youre going to hear the tape through Michael Cohen what else was there for the jury not to believe . Lets there for the jury not to believe. I mean, the defense would say what part of this is . Which part of this is a crime . I mean, people are influencing elections all the time, catch and kill is not a crime to that you say, i think the big, the biggest problem trumps going to have as Michael Cohen. But the biggest problem the prosecution is going to have is Michael Cohen because we all know whether you liked donald trump or dont like them. He used cohen used to be his lawyer, so that would make a reasonable juror. Thank well, this guy has got something to say thats valuable. He represented him, trump trusted him sure. Thats one. On the other hand, though, these are just the facts trump. Cohen is a convicted liar, convicted felon lied to congress. Tax evasion. And what the defense is going to do, abbe like what you just said when its their turn to crossexamine him, theyre going to say, dont you have and i think you used this word in your intro, isnt a true you have a vendetta so i think even as early as less than or this morning, cohen was tweeting at trump. Hes been on tv every day, which is his right to do. But if i were the defense, what im gonna do is play for the jury some of the statements that hes made on all the Major Networks recently, saying how much she doesnt like donald trump. And theyre gonna say, see, he doesnt want like our client. I dont think liking is really the issue here is whether or not hes telling the truth and what Michael Cohen is going. Hes a convicted lie, right . But hes going to say the reason he lied, he was lying for donald trump. Thats why he lived and wise, were all before he was caught and brought to justice, but guilty. Another element of this, though, is its about trump himself. Part of what trumps lawyers and trump himself is arguing is that i didnt im the ceo of this company. I didnt know how these records are being created. Thats not my job. I hire all these people and pay them a ton of money to do that. And thats where we have the Phone Conversation that nick is talking about and we have the people, the state of new york, letting us know what were going to hear as evidence. And the state, theyre all very wellversed attorneys. They are not going to overpromise were deliver, if anything, they will under promise and overdeliver here. So we know were going to hear trumps own voice on recorded conversation, speaking about how much do we have to pay. And of course hes speaking about mcdaniel. So the other individual who is alleged to have of sexual encounter with and so weve got weve got trumps statements, weve got conversations with cohen. We have his signature on documents and its its it would be disingenuous for the defense to say that trump knew nothing about this and this idea two of their having to be some other crime at issue. Its that he had an intent to defraud so, you notice that this other crime thats alluded to in this top charge isnt actually charged and it doesnt need to be, its just as the conspiracy part. Its not conspiracy. It just has to be an intent to commit or a violation of the election laws, both state and federal, and intent to commit tax fraud. You dont have to prove that. All you have to do is really show the intent to actually have done it et right. Its like its also combined with motive what people are confusing here is motive and what you actually have to prove as elements. So all of this raises a really important question which is about the jury i think some people have reasonably ask the question is it the simpler argument that has the upper hand here . If you say to a jury, there, theyre all corrupt, theyre all trying to influence elections were part of that is illegal. Is that easier to understand . Is there a risk here that the prosecution, what they have to do is more complex and more difficult than what the jury has to have its to figure out what the state has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt is basically that trump was cooking the books and that these pygmies, 34 documents invoices, ledgers said something that they didnt actually reveal. And cooking the books is all this jury has to decide the books is a great way to say it. And if they if the prosecution can demonstrate that definitely the problem is going to be abbe to your point politicians literally sent to George Washington had been trying to cover a Bad Information about them about themselves press secretarys do it every day they call up reporter and say, this isnt really what it looks like. We dont think you should run with the story thats one thing. Its not criminal. But if they can link it to cooking the books or election federal election violations, then you have a case. The only other thing that i would point out and again, i worked for congressman Elijah Cummings democrat on House Oversight and ed towns. All democrats. So im just saying what if i was going to be on the defense team, which im not the other issue is going to be if if in addition to cohens issues with credibility, the problem is going to be if trump can say, well, i really did it. It wasnt to commit a crime violate new york city hes not going to testify, dont think but saying it was too so i didnt hurt my wife. I didnt hurt my if you look at this testimony today, you look at the transcript, what theyre saying is after the after the election, they wound up taking back these nondisclosure agreements. They let mcdougal free and clear of that in the in the indictment they provide evidence that trump actually didnt want to pay Stormy Daniels ultimately, he wanted to push that off as far as possible because he figured after the election it doesnt really matter whether the information this trial is so simple in the sense that i used to do these all the time. And with accomplice witnesses, i had one guy who must have committed 12 murders. He admitted to that right Out Of The Box and i still convicted everybody. And its because i was able to show that what he was saying was truthful through other witnesses, through other testimony, through documents, through people who had no ax to grind all people from different parts. Like youre going to hear, hope, hope hicks talk about this. Shes going to corroborate Michael Cohen corroborates Michael Cohen, Michael Cohen corroborates its from my standpoint, this is an overwhelming case you have you have the documents as well. And so calm and of course, hes got to get up and any any good opposing counsel is going to impeach him, any witness that is on the stand is open. Two impeachment to cast light on their character for untruthfulness. So we know thats going to happen. And its no surprise. There. But all the other elements, the other testimony will hear the recorded Phone Conversations and the documents all hang together and corroborate the evidence that the people are presented but dont forget, we havent heard all the evidence. Just the opening. Its funded its attackers, one day one of what will be four to six weeks of this trial. Everyone stand for us. Weve got some Breaking News coming up. Were now getting word that one of trumps codefendants in his class if i documents case was told that he would be pardoned once trump was elected. But what does that mean for that case . And we have more Breaking News now, protests rafat on College Campuses across the country. The scene tonight at Nyu In Manhattan Isurning Chaic and chaotic fast. We dhave a reporter in the crowd standby for a live rept. And Breaking News and news night with abby phillip. Hes brought to you by, so tick to find out if so tick two is the treatment youve been looking for you founded the feeling of dariuss cant filter out the real you. So go ahead, live unfiltered with The One And Only so take to a oncedaily pill for me moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis and the chance that clear or almost clear skin, its like the feeling of finding yourself ready for your closeup are finding you dont have to hide your skin just your background. Oncedaily subject to it was proven better, getting more people clear skin than the leading pill dont take if youre allergic to so take too serious reactions can occur. So ticked, you can lower your ability to fight infections, including tb, serious its infections, cancers including lymphoma, muscle problems, and changes in certain labs have occurred. 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Tonight, they are turning chaotic in the middle of new york city, officers moving into Arrest Members of the crowd at nyu. Cnns Shimon Prokupecz is live in downtown new york city shimon, whats happening now . Right . So were outside the Business School nyu in the west village. I just want to show you the Massive Police presence here. This is on School Grounds, this is just outside the Business School. Youre seeing this Massive Police presence after the school had asked the nypd to come on School Grounds . To remove a number of protesters who had set up an encampment. And what the school says is there were about 50 students who were on the School Grounds in this encampment and they told them they needed to leave. And when students had refused to lee, what happened was they say that outside elements its people who were not part of the school came onto the School Grounds and then they ask the nypd to move in. Clear the camp man remove the students i wanted to read something that nyu says that what sort of shape there you got to bring them onto . The campus they say that there were antisemitic chance that there were other disturbing chance. And so aza reason so this is why they asked the nypd to come in also, they said that it was just becoming too dangerous and so they needed to get the students out. I want to show you whats going on across the street as well. There are other people who have gathered and theyve been out here chanting. There are in a standoff, they are right now with the nypd for now is allowing them to remain on the street. We did see nypd officers moving down the steps are one point and the protests its back get off right now. This is a standoff the other thing thats significant here, and im told this by the nypd is that Faculty Members were also so arrested that what the nypd says that when they were moving in to make arrest here behind me, you could see the nyu now cleaning this area after they removed the protesters from their camp grounds Faculty Members are actually locked in arms. They they stood in front of students, in front of the protesters to prevent the nypd says to prevent them from making arrest so thats certainly something very different from what we saw at columbia last week where a number of students were arrested here we have students Faculty Members, as well as protesters who are not part of the School Day Nypd says that were also arrested. So for now the nypd remains here. Well see how long theyre going to allow the protesters yet to remain in the street before they put them. Or perhaps maybe all right and more arrests . Yeah. And sharon, i know youve been over at columbia all day. This is a story that is playing out here in new york city yale. One of the issues it sounds like at nyu is according to the School Reports of intimidating. Can as youve been on the ground, there, do you have any indication of what might have prompted that kind of crack down and since the arrests have been made hey, have you seen any confrontations that have turned violent no. I mean, theyve not been any confrontation confrontation since we god here we got here are short time ago after the arrests have been made, or we saw some of the protesters pushing on the barriers here. But Police Officers are standing there ground theyre just standing there at this point. Theyve not been ordered into the street to move the crowds. There are some people you could see here that are occurring plus the street. And right now, the nypd is just allowing them to remain to your other question, abby the end, well the school nyu issued a statement and they said that they didnt really want to do this. They didnt want to order the nypd to come in and remove protesters students. But they say that because people had refused to leave, they had to do it. And they say that they learned that there were intimidating chance and several somatic incidents reported. We dont know exactly what that is. Nyu has not told us what what that is but, sir there was enough indication that things were escalating and so they asked the nypd to come in. Theres a whole process here to allow Police Officers onto the School Campus to remove students you have to write a letter. You have to the school has to write a letter to the nypd and work with their lawyers to get them onto the school onto School Property to make arrest. So all of that was taking place throughout the day, according to the by bd. And then finally tonight and consultation with the school, they decided to move in and began the process of arresting the protests. Theres some students and interestingly enough, Faculty Members as well. Youre taken into custody and that is that is very interesting as were seeing faculty, both there at nyu and also oh up at columbia, starting to weigh in on how their institutions addressing these protesters as well Shimon Prokupecz, thank you for being our eyes and ears on the ground there. I will be back with you as things continue to unfold, there. But up next for us, Breaking News in trumps classified documents case. Here, who received a Pardon Promise and how that impacts the charges against the former president. This is our pharmacy has been in business for nearly 100 years a whopping i have run it for the last 30 American Technology is making this more efficient and customerfriendly. We use online tools to fill prescriptions, Process Insurance Claims make deliveries, but some in washington want to undermine the Technology Tools we rely on. Their misguided agenda will empower are foreign adversaries and hertzsprung businesses like ours are leaders. 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The white house Correspondents Dinner lives saturday at seven eastern khan, cnn tonight person 16, and the big problem whomever this individual is for President Donald Trump so cnn is now learning tonight from a redacted summary of a November 2022 fbi interview that the former president offered someone a clear quid pro quo to walt nauta, his valet, dont worry about lying to the fbi because i will pardon you. Now that information came from an interview with a witness who worked in the Trump White House . Not as attorney tonight is not talking to cnn and lawyers for trump have also not responded to cnns inquiries. Joining me now is former Trump White House lawyer jim schultz. Jim, i would love to know who you think persons 16 is, but youve seen this document does it give you any clues . No idea who persons 16 is. I mean, look, we have to look at this in context and the last read that i had, there was a first we got to know who made that representation. Was it actually donald trump that made that representation to them . Was it staff that made the former staff that made the representation to them . What was the context of that representation . All of those questions naibe asked, was it somebody said, dont worry about it, hell give you a pardon right . Was it actually the president , the former president speaking directly to walt nauta i think that remains to be seen. The reporting says that could possibly be the case but either way, i think more facts have to be developed before you just jump to conclusions that there was potential obstruction in this case . Yeah so just a little bit more from the document itself. Heres what one of the notes from the witness interview says. It says nauta its also told that if even even if he gets charged with lying to the fbi, potus will pardon him in 2024. I mean, somebody told him that this would be a sort of trumps second term promise and insurance policy, if you will is how it was is that in your view . Again, it matters who said it right . If it was someone that at the direction of the former president , again, how was that . You know, how the this information come about . Does did this witness have direct knowledge . Did this witness actually hear that . Can this witness testify to it . Is it just Hearsay Testimony that wouldnt be miscible. Theres a lot of things that are going to go into this just from one particular a little bit of notes from an fbi interview doesnt mean it ends up being admissible at trial. And we still we dont know what it was. I dont believe we i dont believe it has been acted upon by the Justice Department in terms of charges meanwhile, just going back to the trial that is playing out in new york city this week. This trial involves the Hush Money Payments that trump made to Stormy Daniels. Trump after the Court Session today came out to the cameras. He started talking about Michael Cohen, his former attorney and fixer, and a witness in this case. He also said this tonight about the jury in this case. Listen thats yogi was pick so fast, 95 democrats the areas, mostly all democrat. You think of it as just a purely democrat area its a very unfair situation that i can tell you trump has, you know, is under a gag order. He keeps repeatedly violating it. How does judge merchan handle that well look, judge marchand doesnt have all that many things at his Disposal Tools at his disposal, if you will, he could sanction them he could admonish him. He gets find them. He can make things tough on his lawyers. I dont think itll jail them and i dont think itll jail someone who was running for president united states. I dont believe thats something he will do but thats only possible to turn for someone like donald trump and your point, its probably not going to happen no, i agree. I dont think its going to happen and i think hes going to continue time and time again to go out and, you know, in the political contexts, go out there and talk about this case and talk about how bad how skewed the jury may be, because youre in new york city, its largely democratic area. But again, i think he does have a pretty good jury there as it relates to like, background experience, those types of things. I think hes gonna get a fair shake from this jury. Yeah. I mean, they they certainly seem to allow in some people, you might think might be disqualified for other reasons, but they put together a jury pool in manhattan, which is actually look, its manhattan, but its still a lot of different types of people are in the city and theyre represented on that jury. Jim schultz. Thank you very much for all of that. Up. Next for, Us Donald Trump is telling his maga supporters to protest outside of the court as he calls out, a propalestinian crowds and speaking of i big protest and arrests are happening on nyus campus tonight, ill speak with the Columbia University student who shot this video when he and his brother and some other jewish students tried to go out and prove that it was safe on the campus to be jewish. He says the university has completely lost control a heart attack do they have Life Insurance no. But we have Life Insurance john, im trying to find something we can afford fortunately, in only a few minutes, select boat found john a 500,000 policy for only 29 a month and his wife and a bipolar thousand dollars policy for only 21 a month, go to select quote. Com now and get the insurance your family needs at a price you can afford. Select quote, we shop, you save now adt professionally installs google nest products. Cool. Youre all set. So your home is safe and smarter. 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But looking at the scenes playing out at american universities, seder as this here are being accompanied by fears of antisemitism and the presence of police. College campuses are seemingly proving in real time just how difficult it is to protect the First Amendment rights of students protesting for palestinian rights while cracking down on the insidious spread of antisemitism ongoing, this evening, we are witnessing dozens of police put protesters, professors, and students at nyu in handcuffs. The crowds there are refusing to move, they refuse to vacate an encampment of pitch tents near the Washington Square park and tonights arrest or just the latest in an ever escalating ladder of tensions over israels war in gaza. Colombia is the most notorious example. More than 100 were arrested there last week. And today, tensions placed student life on hold, interrupting Graduation Photo Shoots with Pitch Shouting matches classes were held remotely. Students were encouraged to stay home columbia last last nine, other schools have staged Gaza Solidarity camps that in and of itself is not actually the problem here. The problem is the people who are in those encampments, some of them or infiltrating them, who believe reprehensible and unconscionable things, just take a listen the Antidefamation League reports that antisemitic attacks shattered previous records in 2023, reaching an all time high of 8,873 now, earlier tonight, i spoke with david joan at letter a jewish student at Columbia University. He is among those who have chosen to leave campus this passover. He and his brothers say, they were targeted by propalestinian protesters when they went out on saturday night okay david, thanks for joining me first. I just want to ask you what happened on saturday. Saturday. This is after four days, the light, the antiisrael protests. Theres in colombia had a they were still on the encampment. And so many jews were feeling sad end. Me and about 15 other students decided to go out on campus with israeli flags and so just stand there saying peacefully and we stood there for one hour. And in that course of an hour we were harass people through water at us a student with my brother was assaulted. Someone came and grabbed his israeli flag. And when he ran to go grab it back, he was surrounded by a mob. People threw things at him they do a rocket, his head someone stood there with a sign saying, is it alka psalms next targets, which are the Hamas Military Wing im saying essentially they want us to die. And so just one hour on campus we felt tremendously unsafe. There was no public safety. And its just become untenable situation you just mentioned that before you even went out there you said you felt threatened something happened. What made you feel threatened . Yeah. So people a lot of people are portraying these protests as antiwar protests think thats been the largest injustice of the coverage was going on because they openly support hamas. These weve been saying this for six months now that the. Protesters on campus have signed supporting hamas theyve been calling for into fatahs with very violent rhetoric saying we dont want two states, we want all of it. But the worst part was over the last six days that mask fully masked individuals fully covering their faces were sneaking onto campus. And we could tell they were agitators and theres just been an we can tell it has been a very unsafe unsafe situation and the universitys lost control those mask agitators, as you describe them, do you believe that those people were not students, that they were not affiliated with columbia because thats been the response from some of the propalestinian protesters, which is that they believe that theyre being falsely accused of these things when this is being done by people who are not even within the columbia community, what do you think yes. So we know for sure that there are students who like some students who harassed my brother, for example, are people who splashed water on us. They were students but like we cant confirm, we have no idea whether or not the person who threw rocket his head, right . The more aggressive or violent individuals, our students or not because everyones fully masked and it just goes to show and indicate the problem. Whats going on on campus . Of you have they close the campus to nonstudents . Officially. But now theyre claiming that we brought in nonstudents who are aggressive and agitators. And its not the students who are creating the problem but when we asked president ial feet then to bring it in the police to make sure that were safe on campus. She refuses to do so. Im just wondering. I you mentioned colombias president. Do you think that she should resign as some republicans in congress have asked for ill say it doesnt necessarily matter whos in the seat of power. It just matters that they enact the correct policies and ensure the safety of their students. So for example, ill commend President Shall feed for taking a strong stance thursday and wish she arrested benny the students who rejected those tense its trying to bring a sense of control, but there was just this ever since then. Theyve totally given up on any control of the campus. Lets put a tremendous amount of violence and antisemetic a and slurs when people are yelling at us oncampus, go back to poland right . That cant be confused with antizionism. Thats just straight antisemitism and so we just want the policies because it doesnt matter even if present shafik resigns and another president comes in, they may not, they may not change how they gave you that. David just real quick because today the facultys some of the faculty at columbia actually staged a walkout. They were protesting against the action of sending police in to break up the propalestinian protests last week are they wrong . Whats your message to them . My message is where were you when the jewish students were being harassed and s is slurs are being shouted at us left and right where the Orthodox Rabbi had to say that we shouldnt stay on campus for passover. So why are they not walking out for us and additionally, i would say that but universities like insistent or inconsistency with enforcing its own policies when it came to these universities, organizations which were suspended over the last six months, has fomented this environment of hatred towards jews. The jewish students in canvas because its been gone, its gone on for six months with impunity and so its time thats why present should, because in congress to that there has to be accurate and the university has to enforce its own policies and if it does it, then we have anarchy on our campus as weve seen over the last four days. All right. David jonah letter or thank you very much for joining us thank you for having me and lawmakers across the aisle have also swiftly condemned reports of antisemitism at columbia in on their new york campus. Among them is my next guest democratic congressman Jared Moskowitz of florida. He toward the campus today along with several other jewish house democrats. Congressman, thank you very much for making time to be with us tonight as were coming into this interview with you, columbia announcing that they are going to close the campus to inperson classes until the end of the semester which is scheduled to be next week thats a pretty extraordinary, extraordinary indictment of what is going on on that campus right now. My understanding is that you were there for part of the day today and you had a pretty stark message that you think that theres a double standard when it comes to protecting Jewish Community hes from antisemitism what makes you say that well, thanks, abby. Thanks for having me. Thanks for talking about this on the eve of passover. So let me say a couple of things. First is i was at the university today and its clear to me that while they are established, a perimeter her outside the university, once inside, the university, theres almost no security. They have completely lost control of the situation entered is letting it ride, which now youve confirmed by this new policy that theyre just going to try to run the clock out by going fully virtual. The end of the year, i can tell so you between the students Wearing Masks and then going full virtual, bringing back the policies of covid is not going to start slow the spread of antisemitism, but ill tell you what i, what i meant when i said that on campus today. Tonight at passover, this was the conversation around the table families are together, extended families together. And whats going on at columbia and what theyre watching happen now at nyu as it spreads just around the city this is the conversation and jewish parents are asking this question because i talked to them who students go to colombia . The question theyre asking is they feel that if this was a Minority Group are protected Minority Group which choose are not they dont think that this would have gotten past lunchtime on the first day but for jews, because we dont fit in this box, even though theres only 15 million of us in the country at the end of the day. Were looked at as differently. And thats why universities have struggled with this because yes, while there is protected speech, free speech hate speech is not protected. And we are well into the realm of hate speech, right . I mean, lets just let us look at whats happening. We were mad years ago when we Saw Charlottesville and use will not replace us and donald trump saying good people on both sides or mexicans are rapists right . But something now, we dont have the same anger of go back to poland my grandfathers entire family was killed in poland. He was the sole survivor right all zionists should be killed bomb tel aviv. I know the people saying this arent white area in males with tiki torches, but they have the same message these students that are participating in this and its not all of them. But the students that are allowing this to go on with the hamas flags, letting these people onto campus. The professors that are participating in this its the same message which is jews are not welcoming yeah, i mean, i think you raised such an important point, which is maybe its not everyone, but if there are some people in the ranks doing that, should they be expelled or thered be a willingness to do that. I wonder what you think about the universitys leadership in this moment . Um, do you think as some of your republican colleagues do that columbia president should actually resign as a result of how this has been handled. Well, i mean, listen, i dont like guilt by association, but if i was participating in a protest and i was trying to do it peacefully. Right. And my ceasefire now protests became a bomb, tel aviv protest, maybe i would leave or if we were holding up the palestinian flag and all of a sudden people started Screaming Pro hamas things. Maybe i would leave, but thats not what happened, abby. Thats not what happened. They were integrated and it took five days for them to make a statement saying, oh, thats not us. The only reason i made that statement is because theyre losing the narrative because unfortunately, there are being exposed and so look, what should happen to the diversity of president. Heres what i recommend to the president of colombia. I dont know what the right thing to do is but if she wants to know what the wrong thing to do is she can call the former president of harvard and upenn, who let this nonsense go on, on their campuses and colombia is way past those two universities. And so while i want students to be able to protest well, i want them to be able to point out in justices what i want them to be able to talk about people in gaza, because that is something we should talk about. We should talk about october 7, and we should talk about humanitarian aid. We should talk about a twostate solution. We should talk about a ceasefire in exchange for a release of hostages, but that is not what its going on. Whats going on is antisemitism to make jews not welcome when it was announced that classes were going virtual and thus, jews werent going to be on campus. These students celebrated. Its not antisymmetric, its not infect somatic to disagree with israel. But if youre only pointing out jewish kids, if they see a jewish kid on campus, and then they go after that jewish kid, right . And surround him and blamed him for netanyahu. They targeted that jewish kid thats antisemitism congressman Jared Moskowitz, a florida thanks for being here tonight and staying are very late for us, but we needed to hear what you saw today on columbias campus. Thank you thanks, abby and Makari Sellers has a unique perspective on some of this. His father was a key figure of the Civil Rights Movement in the 19 xis he was actually shot during a College Campus protests, who join me live on that and his upcoming book you should end to that. What it means comparing custom quotes from Skilled Service professionals or booking upfront price see you find the best price for you, get started today. And angie. Com. So i can take all these trips because priceline has all these amazing deals and thats when i said deal on your right is our jedi deal. I am the deals deals are 30. You had me prize its better outside with ninja cook outs with master grills the Char Barbecue Smoke in the air for our Backyard Dashes are better pizza others they give you krispy kreme, 700 degreesho powering progress glows, captioning brought to you by, feel away, optimum, enhanced calming for cats. Have your cats sprays outside the litter box, fights with other cats were scratches the furniture, they could be telling you theyre stressed to help them feel more calm. Dr. Phil away, optimum more now on the protests that are rocking College Campuses, bakari sellers, cnns political commentator is here with me in the studio. He is the author of a brand new book that will be on bookshelves tomorrow the moment thoughts on the Race Reckoning that wasnt and how we can all move forward. Now, this moment occurring is exactly about the Race Reckoning. Not exactly about that, but it is about protests and it is about how the country deals with that your father was a key figure in stick she and the Civil Rights Movement he was shot on a College Campus. He was there for a major moment when Student Protesters were killed . Yes so how do you see this . One . I think that antisemitism is on the rise and we have to quash that theres, theres no excuse for the antisemitism that were seeing on columbia yale harvard, the campuses that were seeing. But also, i to kathy hochul, i believe is the governors name here to eric adams, for example theres Law Enforcement in College Students dont mix theres really no reason for them to be on the campuses. And so for me, i think that theres the balance that to be had and jelani cobb, for example, dean of The School Of Journalism at columbia is doing a great job listening their students and trying to find a balance. I think the College Campuses is an exchange of ideas, but right now, what were seeing is that, uh, leanness and the ugly belly of what has become well, look, i wonder what you think about what Jared Moskowitz said, which is he was basically saying if this were protests, would that turned racist . And it was about black students being vilified and targeted because of their race but the outcry would be immediate. Do you think theres any validity to that . Yes. I think jared represented moscowitz was on point today. I mean, i think he was actually accurate today. I think youve had a lot of people who have tried to make this a political statement. I think eric adams has tried to make this a political statement i think that the governor of new york has tried to make this a political statement they, they just have put optics in front of what the real issue is. And what were trying to do is have a conversation that is necessary because there are people who believe that the response october 7, what is this proportionate it, which is a totally valid valid are in correct. And theyre also an individuals who recognize that october 7 is should never happen again. And that negotiating with hamas and negotiating with people who do not believe you should exist is just a nonstarter so i think College Campuses or where you should have that discussion the problem is that there are a lot of outside voices that are infiltrating a lot of yelling, not a lot of discussion happening. I do want to talk though about your book. And one of the key points of this book is this Racial Justice movement that was kicked off by george floyd. We wanted, we were hopeful it was supposed to be and it was supposed to be a moment when maybe the country went into the next level on dealing with race, what has happened since then was that weve i dont know does offer nothing. I mean, i dont i dont want to go that far, but i do believe that there was a moment i was on with john berman. I was on with alice kim, aris, and camerota. We talked about after bolognas floyd and ben crump, we talked about where we were as a country and i cried and i gave you my all and i wanted to believe that we were on the brink of change and i think that what were seeing tonight on the campus of columbia, what we have seen an arizona what weve seen through legislation thats been passed, the attack on dei, the messages you receive just by doing your job i mean, abby, you are one of the most brilliant amazing, beautiful anchors and pay you to say that, but thank you. Thank you. Didnt but i mean, just cash at me know. But but you are one of the most amazing people we have right now in the tax you receive because of the way that you look, the way that your hair is, the way that you raise your children, the way that we are trying to be better i think is indicative of the fact that weve taken steps back and thats why i wrote the book. Yeah. I mean, look, we have to recognize that these things are still having we cant pretend its not happening, right . And theres a sense in which some people want to do exactly that and pretend that there is no race. So that we can move beyond race. But theres still definitely racism happening in this country. What i wanna show this book again. Thats my look though. Look at how hansen i get my shirt i took to compliment you. Thank you for joining us tonight and for being here. Dont forget the book is out tomorrow. The moment thoughts on race