Battles for former president donald trump. There were two big developments last night. Maine decided donald trump is constitutionally ineligible to appear on the ballot. The Secretary Of State citing the 14th Amendment which bans from office those who engage in insurrection. On the west coast, the california Secretary Of State deciding to keep trump on the ballot. All this putting even more pressure on the Supreme Court to weigh in. We want to bring in Vaughn Hillyard and former rnc executive Committee Member jennifer horn. Vaughn, start us off with maine. Reporter in the state of maine the decision of the Secretary Of State last night was much awaited. She had heard challenges in her role as Secretary Of State. This is where you get into the differences in what state law allows or puts the onus on a Secretary Of State to ultimately agent on. Thats where the role of the maine Secretary Of State says it is her responsibility to determine whether a candidate is qualified to run for president of the United States under section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Listen to her discuss her decision. The weight of the evidence, all of the evidence, made clear that mr. Trump was aware of the tinder laid by the effort to delegitimize the election, the election of 2020 and then chose to light a match on january 6th. Reporter now the expectation is that this will be appealed in the state of maine. It is currently saying that Donald Trumps name will stay on the ballot until the appeal. The Secretary Of State suggested it was not her obligation to make such a decision with such enormity. She said she heard the evidence that donald trump engaged in insurrection and felt compelled to make that decision. I want to stick with maine. I want to read from the Secretary Of States decision. Its a long one. Stick with me for a moment. I concluded she talks about this multimonth effort she alluded to. I conclude that the record establishes this mr. Trump over the course of several months and culminating on january 6th used a false narrative of Election Fraud to inflame his supporters and direct him to the capitol to prevent certification of the 2020 election. I likewise conclude mr. Trump was aware of the likelihood for violence and at least initially supported its use given he encouraged it with incendiary rhetoric and took no timely action to stop it. Mr. Trumps occasional request that rioters be peaceful and support Law Enforcement do not diminish his actions. It does not erase conduct over the course of months culminating in his speech. The weight of the evidence makes clear mr. Trump was aware of the tinder laid by his effort to delegitimize a democratic election and then chose to light a match. What do you make of what i read for you . I think what it establishes is the historic work of the January 6th Committee as having the effect that was intended. We laid out over our numerous public hearings exactly those facts, that the former president was trying to subvert a democratic election, that he called people to d. C. With the intent they would be there and, as he said, it would be wild, that he was aware when he went on to the elipse that there was there were weapons around him, that there was an inflamed, angry crowd and that he he literally sent them to the capitol. He said they had to fight and be strong. As the capitol was under attack for 187 minutes, he watched this attack happen and he did nothing. He had people from his daughter to his Chief Of Staff to members of the media reaching out asking him to stop this crowd because he was the only one who could do so and he said, no. He refused to do anything and only spoke to the crowd when it was understood that Law Enforcement would be winning the battle that day. This opinion from the Secretary Of State is an important one. It will guarantee a scotus review here. It establishes that our work has been effective, that the powers that be are listening. The next step is for Supreme Court find he did participate in the surrtion. Jennifer, i want to read another part of this decision. I n reach this conclusion lightly. Democracy is sacred. Im minul that no sretary of state has ever deprived a president ial candidate of Ballot Access based on section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Then she says, im also mindful that no president ial candidate has ever been engaged in insurrection. There are a lot of trump critics out there, jennifer, worried that this might just ignite his base even more, might gain him support. Yesterday i played a piece by Steven Kornacki who talked about poling. We saw a major jump in his support when the first indictment came on. Theres evidence to support that. Right. Theres no question that it absolutely could. My fear is that it could lead, not just to a spike in his support, but reaction, actual action being taken, not necessarily to the degree we saw on january 6th, but we know his supporters are willing to take to the streets in support of donald trump. We have to be mindful of the fact that we cant ignore the constitution or ignore the democratic process because we fear how some may react to it. This is the democratic process at work. You know, starting with the january 6th investigative committee, january 6th convictions, the former president s indictments and now this application or exploration of the 14th Amendment, section 3. It was written in order to protect us from exactly what happened on january 6th from happening again, to protect the constitution and our democracy from the weight of those like donald trump, to protect us from the people who would engage and support an attempt to divide the union or destroy the union. Regardless of how this ends up from one state to the next, as to the point of the previous speakers today, it will likely en u at the Supreme Court. It should. This is democracy at work. This is the american way unfolding right before our eyes and this is a good thing. We should not ignore it because we fear the actions of those who disagree with it. So, vaughn, we heard from colorado, michigan, maine. We heard from california as well. Take us through that decision. Reporter right. The california Lieutenant Governor urged in a letter to the california Secretary Of State to take the same action we saw in maine last night, urging her that it was, in fact, her duty under California State Law to dermine Donald Trumps qualificatn for the ball. In a decision here in the last 12 hours, the california Secretary Of State certified Donald Trumps name to appear on the primary ballot. Shes not issued any further statement. In an initial letter responding to the Lieutenant Governor she wrote in that letter, quote, removing a candidate from the ballot under section 3 of the 14th Amendment is not something my office takes lightly and is not as simple that a person be at least 35 years old to be president. Again, hitting at the heart of this issue, the extent to which the Secretary Of State is empowered to make such a decision. That appeal from the Colorado Republican Party to the Supreme Court, they wrote it should not be the job of Secretary Of State or any state court to determine Qualificationsy Caidate for president of the United States. Heres what the former president is saying in a Statement Released by the trump campaign. Were witnessing the at telled threat of the election. We know hes going to appeal this thing. Were days away from the primary calendar getting up and going. President ial election in november. What happens now . Well, i think practically both in colorado and maine the decisions are stayed. I think in real time the former president s going to be on the primary ballot. I think the real question is what happens with the general election. By then the Supreme Court will have ample time to weigh in here on the substance. Frankly i dont think the Supreme Court is going to get to the substance. If i had to give a legal prediction, i think theyll take an offramp here whether they find this provision is not selfexecuting, meaning congress has to pass legislation or they find it doesnt apply to the office of the presidency. I suspect they wont get to the ultimate question which is, did the former president engage in the agent of insurrection. I think because the only answer can arrive at is that he did do that. When i look at the quote you put forward about trying to undermine an election here, we saw that. We saw that and it was the former president who did that. Thats why the question is so important. I think the Supreme Court will handle it quickly, but im not confident theyll arrive at the right decision because the evidence supports the findings colorado and maine have arrived at. Bound to be an explosive 2024 to say the least. Thank you all. We are following more breaking news. Overnight russia launching its largest aerial attack on ukraine since the start of the war. Blasts reporting in kyiv as russia fired Ballistic Missiles and drones according to president zelenskyy. The police saying at least 18 people were killed and 132 injured. The u. S. Embassy warning there may be more attacks. Israel releases the report into the idfs killing of three hostages. The Justice Department is threatening to sue texas over a controversial new law. Were back in 60 seconds. If theres pain when you try to poo and going sometimes feels like you pushed through a pineapple or two colace is the brand you need to soften stools, were all agreed 2 should be easy to do trust colace to soften stools with no stimulants for comfortable relief. Welcome back. Youre looking at a live view of gaza right now. Smoke over gaza once again t afternoon there. We can see two plumes of smoke as the fighting is intensifying. The United Nations estimating at least 100,000 people in gaza have fled south in recent days. The u. N. Saying theyre escaping l ga where attacks have intensified. Rafah was estimat to be the most densely populated area in gaza. The Israeli Defense forces have released new findings from their investigation into the deaths of three hostages shot and killed by israeli soldiers. The investigation found their prevented. I want to bring in Josh Ledderman to talk about this. What findings are we learning about the killing of these three hostages . Israels war cabinet met overnight also. What came out of that . Reporter ahead of that meeting a key agenda item was discussing what comes the day after hamas. This has been the big gapping hole in israels strategy. Who would they be willing to tolerate governing the gaza strip . Israel said they wont entertain hamas having a role. Theyre not willing to accept the Palestinian Authority being in charge. They havent said what they would be willing to accept, nor have they described what role israel should have in deciding that given the fact that the u. S. Has made clear the palestinians have the right to choose their own leaders. We heard from that israeli official after that Cabinet Meeting last night that some of the key issues have been deferred to a broader full Cabinet Meeting that will take place tuesday. This comes as Secretary Of State blinken is headed to the region as we reported yesterday. When it comes to that investigation into some of the errors that have been made in this war so far, yasmin, yesterday was an interesting day. It was the first time we saw israel admitting to some fault, both in terms of those three hostages who they say the shooting of those hostages could have been avoided, but also israel acknowledging that an air strike, the one weve been talking about from Christmas Eve on the central gaza refugee camp, did, in fact, harm civilians. Israel hadnt commented on the Palestinians Health ministry claim that 70 plus people have been killed. Israel saying they struck some buildings they didnt intend to. They say theyre working to learn from that incident and regret what happened there. Yasmine . Josh, thank you. Appreciate it. Back in the u. S. , new developments at the u. S. Southern border where theres new urgency after the Justice Department threatened to sue texas if they enforce a new law allowing state and local police to arrest migrants. The doj giving Governor Greg Abbott until wednesday to comply. Want to bring in Morgan Chesky with more. Reporter Governor Abbott has wasted no time letting his opinions be known. Important to note this new law would not have gone into evident until early march. You saw that january 3rd deadline the doj is giving greg abbott. This will add to multiple challenges the state has with the federal government, this being one of them. Another being that buoy that a judge ruled had to be pulled out of the rio grande. A judge made a stay in the ruling that Border Patrol agents could no longer cut through the razor wire installed by the state until the ruling could be further looked at. Those are just some of whats on the table when it comes to this ongoing battle between the state and federal government. As far as what will escalate, i would say its a good expectation to hear from Governor Abbott at some point today in response to this. This very much in theme with what weve seen over the last several months. Something we talked about a lot, why people leave their homes. Its driven by unimaginable hardships, people that are placing their lives at risk for the promise of a brighter future. Last week we saw this heart breaking video of carlos. Hes a venezuelan migrant who drowned as he attempted to cross the rio grande river. Telemundo spoke to his wife. I want to play some of it and get your reaction. [ speaking in a global language ] shes essentially saying her son tells her he needs his dad, he needs a hug from him and they have to stay in this country because thats what her dead husband wanted for them. This tragedy is not uncommon at all from what youre hearing at the border and the people youre speaking with. Reporter youre absolutely right. That might be one of the most heartbreaking aspects. That familys story is not unique. When we look at the shear number of people who are leaving their homes theyve grown up in their entire lives, to take that risky trek that takes upwards of five, six months from those Central American countries, from nations like haiti, to nations in african to come over and journey north to the border, no matter how dangerous that journey might be its better than where they are. We spoke to one young woman in eagle pass a couple days ago. She fled venezuela like so many others weve seen in the past several months. She said over the course of her journey she received numerous minor injuries, but forced herself to keep going. She was alone trying to navigate her way with others, often coming into contact with smugglers who prey on these people. That is one of the most heart breaking things about all this absolutely, combined with the fact that the numbers only appear to be going up. Often weighing what they stand to lose versus what they stand to gain if they make it here. Morgan, thank you. Appreciate it. Were nearing the end of the Holiday Travel crush. Its not letting up just yet. Passengers in florida facing a heavy nightmare as storms are delaying flights, leaving folks with no choice but to sleep even side the airports. Want to bring in sam brock whos at miami airport. Still sparkly behind you, sam. Any better today . Reporter without a doubt. No sleeping bags. No people camped out on seats. Weve all been there and know what that experience is like. No news is good news. Ive been talking to 40 or 50 people this morning to ask them if their flights have been delayed. Only a couple have said yes. Those folks were going to the bahamas. No a lot of domestic issues so far. Yesterday more than 6,000 flights were delayed in the United States. Right now its a little over 1,000. A fraction of what we saw yesterday. There are many hours to come on that. The volume is the story. Im in miami. This airport announced earlier on December 23rd they broke their alltime record