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Inside Politics

Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (D-WI), Is Interviewed About Sen. Ron Johnson's Controversial Capitol Riot Comments; More Than 4,000 Unaccompanied Children In Border Patrol Custody; Stacey Abrams Calls GA Voting Restriction Bills "A Redux Of Jim Crow". Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired March 15, 2021 - 12:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[12:30:29]

JOHN KING, CNN HOST: This important news just into CNN. Two men have been arrested and charged for assaulting U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who of course died after responding to the January 6th Capitol insurrection. Let's go straight to CNN's Evan Perez for the details. Evan?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: John, these two men are now facing nine counts in total according to the Justice Department. Their names are Julian Khater and George Tanios. And according to prosecutors, they're seen in surveillance video. They're seen and body worn camera video from one of the officers that was assaulted, carrying out this assault using a spray. The documents, the court documents don't identify what exactly they sprayed in the face of these officers.

But we're told by my sources that the FBI believes this is some kind of industrial strength bear spray. I'll read you just a part of what the documents, the affidavit says in part, he says officers Sicknick, Edwards and Chapman, these are two additional officers who were standing within two feet of Khater, all react, one by one, to something striking them in the face. The officers immediately retreat from the line, bring their hands to the faces and rush to find water to wash out their eyes.

According to the timeline that we've received from the U.S. Capitol Police, Officers Sicknick gets -- returns to his office after this incident, John, and he becomes ill. He is taken to the hospital. He dies a day later. This remains a very difficult, important but very difficult case for prosecutors. If you notice they're charged right now in these documents with assault on Officer Sicknick. That's partly because they're still waiting for the final medical examiner report, John.

I'm told that that is one of the things that they're waiting to see whether they can bring homicide charges against anyone in this case. John?

KING: Evan Perez, important new details. Appreciate the hustle, the reporting. Thank you so much.

Let's move on to a somewhat related story. Senator Ron Johnson is in the news again, because he is talking again. The Wisconsin Republican has been a consistent source of misinformation and conspiracy about the January 6th insurrection. Now, racism is the issue. We all saw the insurrection and the destruction, including chance to hang then Vice President Mike Pence. But Senator Johnson says he was never concerned. Listen here, as he explains why.

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SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI): I knew those were people that love this country, that truly respect law enforcement, would never do anything to break a law. And so I wasn't concerned. Now, had the tables been turned and Joe, this could mean trouble, had the tables been turned and President Trump won the election and those were tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter and Antifa protester, I might have been a little concerned.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Joining me now, Wisconsin's Democratic Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes. Lieutenant Governor, it is great to see you. Is there any other way to take what we just heard, then Senator Johnson believes he was safe because they look like me. He would have been at risk if they looked like you.

LT. GOV. MANDELA BARNES (D-WI): Well, that's the whole thing. I mean maybe we should give the guy credit for saying the racist part out loud. He's certainly done more than many of his colleagues have done in terms of being bold in that way. But the fact is, Senator Johnson represents a culture that inherently sees black people as a threat.

Even though there was an officer that lost his life, there's a threat to hang Vice President Mike Pence. And maybe he wasn't afraid because, effectively, Ron Johnson was a marshal of the insurrection calling into doubt or calling into question the election results. He is becoming just a relic of the Trump era. And the more, as you said, the more he talks, the more he makes it into the news because he gets more ridiculous by the day. But I'm not surprised by any of these things.

I think he wants reward for his racism because as we know, Donald Trump has gained in popularity because of racism. And he -- people aren't Republicans aren't winning elections without racism these days across the United States of America. Ron Johnson is just trying to hold on.

KING: Well, Ron Johnson has to make a decision. He's -- he would be on the ballot next year for reelection. He has not decided yet when he was elected. He said he would serve two terms. Now he says he's inclined to leave but he's not certain as he debates that among the potential candidates is the gentleman I'm talking to right now. A lot of Democrats have said they would like you in that senate race, what says you?

[12:35:01] BARNES: Well at this point, we are working hard on the budget. Joe Biden signed the American rescue plan and we're trying to sign a budget into law that provides opportunity for people across the state of Wisconsin, that's where my focus is going to be. We just put out a comprehensive, bold climate action plan, the most aggressive, the most ambitious agenda the state has ever seen before.

And I want to see a lot of that work through because we got a lot on our plate right now. People in Wisconsin are still struggling. And we have to make sure that people can get back on their feet again. We have to make sure that our small business community can thrive once more on the other side of this pandemic. So that's where my focus is on. And I appreciate all the encouragement. I appreciate anybody who's reached out and thought of me in this race.

KING: I'll circle back down the road a little bit. I want to come back to Senator Johnson, because you mentioned, you know, he says the racist part out loud. What is your take? He is a statewide elected official for your state. I know he's a Republican, you're a Democrat, you too don't agree on much. He is a statewide elected official in Wisconsin.

When you go through what he just said, the racism is pretty transparent. You're correct about that. But I knew those were people that love this country that truly respect law enforcement, those people crashed into the Capitol, they broke the windows in the sanctuary of America's democracy. And some of them were chanting, hang Mike Pence. How can you say so long after maybe at the moment you didn't see at all, but this interview was just done the other day, where we've all seen this tape, how can you say I knew these people that love this country? Those were people that loved this country, that truly respect law enforcement. Is it -- does he live in a fantasy and a conspiracy? Or is this deliberate?

BARNES: Well, I think it's very deliberate. And I don't know what his definition of love is. But I also just don't know what side he's on. He's certainly not on the side of the American people. He's certainly not on the side of the government and seat in which he sits, which is the wild part about this. Because, you know, these people were storming the Capitol, and they wanted blood. And he did not see a problem with that.

And like I said before, he's effectively truly did this sort of activity. And I'm as confused as you are. He does not represent the values of the state of Wisconsin at all. He has not done so since his election in 2010. And he certainly doesn't reflect where we should be headed as a nation and stability that we need to come together to unite as a country to be our best selves. Ron Johnson doesn't represent any of that.

KING: Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes for the great state of Wisconsin, we'll circle back on the other question, Sir, appreciate your time today.

BARNES: All right, thank you so much.

KING: Thank you.

Up next for us, the border policy blame game is in full force as the Biden White House scrambles now to deal with a surge of migrant children in government custody.

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[12:42:06]

KING: The top House Republican is leading a delegation to the U.S.- Mexico border today as the GOP makes a Biden border crisis one of its new rallying cries. Now many Democrats don't like the word crisis. But there is pressure on the White House from the left as well, as progressives see the rising number of unaccompanied migrant children in Border Patrol custody and lament the conditions many of them face and shelters not meant for minors. That number now sits at more than 4,000 children and it continues to rise.

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REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), HOUSE SPEAKER: This is a humanitarian challenge to all of us.

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KING: With me know with the latest is CNN's Priscilla Alvarez. Priscilla, the numbers keep going up. The question is what's to be done about it?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: John, this is a number we have been reporting on for days. And it continues to go up over the course of weeks. And what it tells us is that the administration is still struggling to keep up with the number of children crossing the U.S.-Mexico border alone.

So we now know that there are more than 4,000 children in Border Patrol custody that's up from last week and exceeds levels that we saw in 2019 when there was a border crisis then. These are children who cross the U.S.-Mexico border alone and are in Border Patrol custody until they can be transferred to shelters that are appropriate for them.

But what the administration is facing here is just not enough space because of precautions put in place for COVID over the course of the year. So now, Homeland Security Secretary is tapping FEMA to step in and to help get these children to shelters that are more appropriate for them, asking them to come and assist over the weekend. And that is something that we'll now see over the course of days to see if those custody numbers do dwindle.

KING: We'll see if those numbers do dwindle, one of the many complicated issues as it plays out. Priscilla Alvarez, again, grateful for the reporting and your time, we'll stay on top of this one.

[12:43:54] Coming up for us, the legacy of Trump's big lie across the country, Republicans say there was a ton of fraud in 2020. They're pushing bills now to make it harder for you to vote.

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KING: Texas Governor Greg Abbott today making a public appeal for legislation that puts new limits on who can vote by mail.

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GOV. GREG ABBOTT (R-TX): Election fraud takes place. I have no doubt that it took place here in the state of Texas. What we have found in the past, there have been some local elections, the outcome of which was altered by election fraud that took place. Right now, I don't know how many or if any elections in the state of Texas in 2020 were altered because of voter fraud.

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KING: That Texas bill just one piece of a giant national post by Republicans to restrict voting rights. There are more than 250 bills in the works right now in 43 states. Democrats here in Washington are taking a national approach to fight the GOP efforts. The House passed a sweeping voting rights bill this month. And now there's word today of a major spending pushed by progressive groups aimed at trying to sway senators to take up that measure.

As we track all of this, here's a piece of advice from the elections chief in Washington State. She writes, when either party is writing election law and not consulting election administrators and election officials, it doesn't matter how good the ideas are.

Kim Wyman is Washington's Republican Secretary of State and she joins me now. Madam Secretary, thanks for your time and let me start right there. Democrats are doing this here in Washington and they're also in the states Democrats have some proposals as well. But we're watching this sweeping number of Republican proposals to roll back voting rights that were expanded in 2020 during the pandemic. And you say, yourself and your colleagues, I know the secretaries of state keep a good tight bond together, they're not asking you the people actually do this for a living.

[12:50:21]

KIM WYMAN (R), WASHINGTON SECRETARY OF STATE: That's correct, John. You know, what we're really frustrated by is these very sweeping pieces of legislation, both at the state level and at the federal level, what really change the way we conduct business as election officials and provide, you know, voters, the services that they really depend on so they can exercise their right to vote. And we need to be consulted, because we want to make sure that these proposals can actually be workable with the resources we have at the local level.

KING: So this is a giant debate that's going to play out over the next several months heading into the 2022 cycle, the next election cycle. We saw what happened in 2020. Your state has been way ahead of the curve and mail-in voting, encouraging people to vote by mail, and therefore expand participation. I want you to listen to Stacey Abrams here, the Democratic activist in Georgia. She may run for governor again, she just lost last time. She's watching what's happening in her state and around the country. Your rollback early voting, you cut the hours back, you try to limit who can vote by mail, you make registration harder with things like voter I.D. law. She says it's pretty clear to her listen.

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STACEY ABRAMS, FORMER DEM. CANDIDATE FOR GA GOV. & FOUNDER, FAIR FIGHT: It is a redux of Jim Crow, in a suit and tie. The only connection that we can find is that more people of color voted, and it changed the outcome of elections in a direction that Republicans do not like.

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KING: Is she right?

WYMAN: You know, I think it's over simplifying the argument. And I think both sides do it. I know here even in Washington, my governor candidate who lost by over a half a million votes, accused me and my colleagues of rigging the election against him, and that there was massive voter fraud. So I mean, when it's through a political prism, you know, it's always going to be very charged. And it's always going to be from one side or the other.

What we really need to get back to is the things that worked in 2020 worked because we had the resources to do them. States like Georgia, were able to ramp up and go from 5 percent of their ballots cast by mail to over half of their ballots cast by mail, because they had a huge infusion of federal money to do so. And so, you know, we really have to be looking at the whole picture and talking to election officials who actually do the work.

KING: Georgia's Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, who I'll describe maybe he'll take issue as sort of a mainstream conservative, old school traditional Republican, he doesn't like what's happening in his state, and he blames it on the big lie. The President of the United States saying that the election was stolen from him, listen.

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LT. GOV. GEOFF DUNCAN (R-GA): This started shortly after the November elections when all the misinformation started flying up. And quite honestly, it hurt Republicans in any sort of conversation around election reform, we lost credibility. Those were 10 weeks that we can't take back. January 6th was a pivot point for this country and for this party.

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KING: He thinks and obviously you just heard Governor Abbott at the top, you see Republicans around the country. Lieutenant Governor Duncan thinks it's going to hurt the Republicans not help them. What do you think?

WYMAN: Oh, I think it definitely has had some long lasting effects and will in the future. Like I said, here in Washington, where arguably, we have some of the most progressive voting laws in the country, but also have some of the best safety measures in place to ensure that we don't have a problem with voter fraud. Sixty percent of Republicans in my state believe that either the national election was stolen, or that there was, their vote wasn't counted accurately here in Washington.

So it's a huge problem. And I think it actually suppress some of the Republican vote across the country and particularly in the Georgia Senate race.

KING: Well, it would be nice if the people trying to change the law would actually talk to the people who understand it best like yourself and your colleagues around the country. Secretary Wyman grateful, we'll continue the conversation. Thank you.

WYMAN: Thank you.

[12:53:57]

KING: Coming up for us, former President Trump makes a surprise appearance on the campaign trail.

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KING: Topping our Political Radar today, more than two months after the Capitol Hill riot, Capitol Police and the Office of the Sergeant at Arms hosting emergency procedures training for members of Congress that will start this week. According to a notice, the training will review chamber specific emergency procedures and protective actions, among other things.

Later today, the Senate expected to vote to confirm Deb Haaland as President Biden's Interior Secretary. Once confirmed, Haaland will be the first Native American Cabinet Secretary. As head of the Department of the Interior, she will oversee the nation's natural resources, public lands, and Native American affairs. Back in 2018, Haaland made history as one of the two first female Native Americans elected to the Congress.

Former President Trump making a surprise appearance on the campaign trail, joining his former White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders at one of her events she's campaigning to be the next Arkansas governor. The daughter of the former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee already got a quote, complete and total endorsement from the former President when she announced she was running that was back in January.

And Iowa voters sending a pretty clear message to their senior senator, Des Moines Register Mediacom poll finds 55 percent of Iowans hope Republican Senator Chuck Grassley decides not to run again next year in 2022. The 87-year-old Republican was first elected back in 1980. So far he's been tight lipped about seeking an eighth term telling CNN he will make his decision sometime later this year.

Thanks for joining us in Inside Politics today. Grateful for your time, hope to see you back here this tomorrow.

[13:00:00]

Stay with us. Brianna Keilar picks up our coverage right now. Have a good day.