Transcripts For CNN Attack on Democracy The January 6th Hear

On capitol hill the January 6th Select Committee about to share striking never before seen testimony and evidence all with the Focus On Former President Trump and the central role the panel says he played in the attack on democracy. Welcome to cnns live coverage of the January 6th Hearings. Im anderson cooper. Im jake tapper. This is the final hearing. Committee members are promising to hammer home their urgent argument that donald j. Trump remains in their view a Clear And Present Danger to American Democracy as trump continues to push false claims about the 2020 election. Committee aides tell us the hearing today will zero in on trumps State Of Mind on and around january 6th. Were told well see and hear from Cabinet Officials, and other new witnesses who have recently been interviewed by the committee that could potentially include former Secretary Of State mike pompeo, former treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin and elaine chao. Some coming from the Secret Service. They have turned over more than a million emails and communications to the select committee and they could shed new light on trumps actions and intentions on january 6th, 2021. They could potentially corroborate some of the Bombshell Testimony from former white house aide Cassidy Hutchinson including her claims that trump knew supporters at his January 6th Rally were carrying weapons, were armed. Committee aides say the hearing will feature new Video Footage Showing Efforts to respond to the violence of january 6th as it was unfolding. Jamie raskin says all the new evidence will make the case that january 6th was premeditated and President Trump in his view was overwhelmingly culpable. Lets go right to capitol hill and our own manu raju. Tell us about what youre learning about the secret Service Communications that will be revealed in this hearing . Reporter yes, a source tells me the Committee Plans to show messages the Secret Service was aware of increased violent rhetoric that was on the social media site parlor. Rhetoric directed at Government Officials, in particular the day before the january 6th attack on january 5th, 2021, one agent reported that some of that violent rhetoric was directly squarely at then Vice President mike pence who, of course, donald trump wanted to overturn the Election Results while presides over the joint session of congress certifying the Election Results on january 6th, 2021. The Committee Also has messages showing how the Secret Service was aware of weapons on the crowd, in the crowd on january 6th of that rally that donald trump attended, the rally in which led preceded the riot at the capitol and aware of bear spray, riot shields and aware some people even had guns, im told the messages will reveal they were aware people had body armor, ballistic helmets, Radio Equipment, Military Grade Backpacks and some did not want to go through magnetometers to make sure they were not with weapons. The Secret Service was aware they did not want to get screened and recall that Cassidy Hutchinson testified that donald trump did not want these people to go through the magnetometers themselves and did not want them to get screened even though the Secret Service knew they had weapons and they have a email detailing Donald Trumps mindset in the aftermath of the Supreme Court rejecting the effort to try to overturn the Election Results in middecember, 2020, donald trump was, quote, pissed according to one of the messages we expect to be seen. A big part of todays testimony, jake. All these messages coming from the secret Service Aware of what donald trump was doing and aware what was happening on the rally that preceded the riot. Thanks so much. Jamie gangle, were told there will be striking never before seen video. What can you tell us . We have learned from multiple sources exactly what this video is, weve never seen it before. It is video Behind The Scenes of top congressional leaders, nancy pelosi, Mitch Mcconnell, Kevin Mccarthy, Chuck Schuemer after theyre evacuated from the capitol taken to fort mcnair. I am told it is remarkable. It is compelling. That it shows the congressional Leadership Interacting on the phone with then Vice President mike pence, with other officials, trying to stop the riot, trying to do the right thing and that it is in sharp contrast to what, to donald trump, who for 187 minutes just sat there, this is something we have never seen before and im told its stunning. Trump aide Sarah Matthews said that because trump didnt do anything during that time thats why she resigned that very day. That will be one of the theme, dana bash how culpable donald trump is. What can you tell us. Thats right. Two sources familiar with the prep for todays hearing say thats really the most urgent, most overarching goal they have to refocus on donald trump himself, his, quote, action and inaction, thats how one of the sources i talked to put it and his central culpability in all of this and it is in part going to be demonstrated by what man new was talking about, all the information they got from the Secret Service and emphasis, of course, on what the goal and the mission of this committee is, which is the days leading up to, months leading up to january 6th and what happened on that day. But the Committee Members want to also make a very stark and clear point that the former president is a, quote, Clear And Present Danger in the future. Their audience, of course, the American People but also one source i talked to was very candid saying, its also the doj, the department of justice. I wonder if its the Justice Department even more than it is the American People at this point who probably largely made up their minds about how they feel. The Justice Department has its investigation ongoing. Members of the committee if we roll back the tape would have said what are they doing . I think the committee has come to understand Behind The Scenes the Justice Department is doing considerable work, bit of a timeout about being public because we have an election in 26 days but so theres a debate in the Committee Still about do you have a direct referral and do you lay out we believe donald trump broke law a, b, c, and d and the shift seems to be against that but in the report what they did, we have a proxy debate going on. They want to make the case against donald trump. He cannot be on the ballot again till 2024. There is an election on 26 days. The legacy of january 6th lives in races all around this country. Some candidates on the republican ticket who were here, here on january 6th at the capitol in the crowd. Some who helped donald trump try to overturn the elections including the man running for the governor of your home state, pennsylvania. Others who are running, saying that the legislature should be able to come together if we dont like the way the people voted we should be able to overturn results. Its interesting as the Committee Makes the argument against trump 204, the roots of this are getting deeper and deeper into american politics and into the republican bloodstream and make an argue about 2024. 27, 28, 29 days we will look at the results and maybe seeing the cancer has spread pretty significantly. I think thats a big fear and abby, we have seen conservatives, Adam Kinzinger and liz cheney of wyoming actually going and endorsing democrats even though these are especially liz cheney dyedinthewool conservatives endorsing democrats in places like arizona because these Election Liars who are theyre running on a platform of i will not count the votes in democratic leading counties are on the ballot and could win. Yeah, i mean country over party. I mean, imagine such a thing. It seems farfetched but i think they understand you cant even get to partisan differences if you dont even believe in the fundamental issue of democracy in the first place and for that, Adam Kinzinger and liz cheney have essentially been become estranged from their own political party, both of them implying they dont have a home among republicans right now, or until they fully the party fully rejects donald trump. I think one other thing about Adam Kinzinger and liz cheney and their effect on the committees work, they understand that the power of the evidence really matters, because theyre not just speaking to democrats and people who already believe in them. They also want to talk to their fellow republicans and i think todays hearing in which were going to hear a lot from a kind of almost like third party, the Secret Service and things that were happening contemporaneously, i think it has the effect of basically saying, like, these are people who dont really have a skin in the game. And heres what they were saying at the time and i think thats a really powerful source of information at this particular stage in the hearings. Yeah, factually, legally, morally, politically, all comes down to donald trump. Donald trump was the person who set this all in motion by the big law, he was the person who for whom this all was beneficial. He was the one trying to stop the peaceful transition of power by whatever means possible. Legal, illegal, violence, lies, and it all comes back all the audiences, this connects to all the audiences including the doj because the two statutes involved are 18 usc 371 to defraud the United States which requires deceit and lies in trying to obstruct a lawful function of government and 1512, the Obstruction Institute which says that if you corruptly, again, that could be through lies or violence or anything else, to obstruct an official proceeding which this absolutely was of the United States government, you go to jail. And it all dove tails. I guess well see if were a nation of laws in the coming days as theyre beginning to get ready for the hearing. New information about the committees deliberations on possible criminal referrals to the Justice Department. Well tell you what were learning next. Can you hear me calling out your name . 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We are awaiting the start of the hearing of the january 6th committee, the last hearing before the midterms. We learned itll feature but dramatic never before seen video of congressional leaders after they were evacuated from the Capitol On January 6th and expect new evidence from Hundreds Of Thousands Communications turned over by the Secret Service. As the hearing plays out the committee is Still Deciding whether to send criminal referrals to the Justice Department. Sarah, what are you learning about that . This is not something they have to do or necessarily may want to do. No, its not something they have to do. One of the things that we know is the committee is going to highlight evidence they believe could be of use to prosecutors who are Going Forward with these criminal investigations. You know, we dont expect to see the criminal referral today. The committee is still figuring out the timing, if they actually want to do it but know the Justice Department probe is moving forward and there is a criminal investigation going on in georgia and want to make sure they are putting front and Center Information they think could be helpful to those prosecutors. One sort of more Minor Example of that they sent a letter to Newt Gingrich asking him hto coe in for a voluntary interview. Prosecutors in georgia moved quickly after that letter to subpoena him. Sara murray, appreciate it. From a legal standpoint, is there any reason for them not to send a criminal referral or to send some sort of referral . Criminal referral meaningless as a legal marrit. Its important symbolically but prosecutors get referrals all day every day. Any of us could pick up the main dane of doj they dont need a criminal referral from the committee. And doesnt force them to do anything. That said i think the evidence that the january 6th committee uncovered is the thing and we will hear a prosecutorial style Closing Argument because, lets remember how much new information, crucial new information weve gotten from the january 6th carman. We didnt know who cassidy was in the days and weeks following january 6th. We hadnt seen the texts from mark meadows and what you can see here, the committee is leading the way and doj is following. But there are some members who say its not their job to do that. Thats not the job of congress. And more than one member of the Committee Said the only way we would do this if it were unanimous. What about a final report being issued. Thats going to be very crucial but, remember, talking about theyve used this medium of television and have been intentional in doing so to have the broadest ausdz, the idea of listening or reading through the congressional report, probably not going to be the most enticing thing for people to see, however, the job today will be of a trial attorney. They have to have the summation and want to tell you its been months since ive seen you. New people are here. I would revisit this moment. The big picture here is i told you what i was going to tell you, there was a connection to the white house, that there is democracy on the ballot, here is why its still important. But the way they do it today will be the most crucial. If they find themselves in the minutia of trying to corroborate i think they will lose the audience of the electorate as opposed to here is why this is still crucial. Thats a difficult thing for them to do. Yes, the Justice Department does not need their criminal referrals but it has been interesting to see what the