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Laura Coates Live

Trump Top Aide Questions Sexual Assault Allegations Vs. Incoming Defense Secretary; Allies Push For Patel To Be FBI Director; Trump Threatens To Shut Down Department Of Education; Malcolm X Daughters Sue CIA, FBI, NYPD On The Assassination Of Their Father. Aired 11p-12a ET

Aired November 15, 2024 - 23:00   ET

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

[23:00:30]

LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR AND SR. LEGAL ANALYST: Tonight, the cabinet fills up while the controversies are adding up. New reporting that allegations against Pete's Hegseth have caught Trump's team off guard, it seems.

Plus, he's the die-hard Trump loyalist who wants to gut the deep state. According to them, there is one. Now Trump allies are pushing for Kash Patel to run the FBI.

And the $100 million lawsuit that says government agencies were involved in the assassination plot against Malcolm X. We've got the attorney bringing those claims, tonight on "Laura Coates Live."

Donald Trump is named now as of this Friday a little more than half of his cabinet picks. Now we don't know if they'll all make it through because naming him is one thing. Getting that confirmation title? A whole different ball game.

We do know this. The confirmation hearings are sure to bring some fireworks between Pete Hegseth and Matt Gaetz, RFK Jr., just to name a few. They all come with some pretty serious political baggage if not more that senators are going to want explained.

And Trump still has a ton of other seats to fill. Look at that. Will his pick for the Treasury bring a big surprise? How about education, if he has one? And speaking of surprises, the Trump world is dealing with a pretty big one tonight. This one related to Pete Hegseth.

There's new CNN reporting says that the Trump team was caught off guard by sexual assault allegations against him. Several people in Trump's orbit are now raising questions about the viability of his nomination involves investigations in October 2017 in Monterey, California. Police say that they looked into an alleged sexual assault involving Hegseth at a hotel there. No charges, no charges were ever brought.

And Trump's team is publicly standing behind him, saying in a statement, Mr. Hegseth has vigorously denied any and all accusations. We look forward to his confirmation as United States Secretary of Defense. But people within the Trump team they're still showing some signs of

concern, including incoming Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles. We're hearing she questioned Hegseth on a call yesterday asking him if there were any other issue the team should be aware of. The sources tell several people that they are concerned about more potential damaging information coming in.

Makes you wonder, why didn't the Trump team vet Hegseth by maybe an outside firm? I mean, it once again reminds me of what Trump himself said about picking people outside of politics.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, THEN-UNITED STATES PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's very dangerous to pick somebody outside of a politician because a politician's been basically vetted for years.

JOE ROGAN, HOST, "JOE ROGAN EXPERIENCE": Right.

TRUMP: You pick a business guy. and they've never been very little and they're you know the head of a big company or something but they've never been vetted you know nothing about his personal if you know nothing about where he's been when you put a man is a little bit dangerous because all of a sudden they get checked up and you hear things that you say well this is not going to work out too well. So it's very dangerous.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: The question tonight is it dangerous enough that had sex nomination is in any kind of real jeopardy?

Well, joining me now, senior political commentator and former Obama administration official Van Jones; former national spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, Madison Gesiotto; and congressional reporter for "The Hill," Mychael Schnell. Good to see you all this Friday.

I'll begin with you, Madison. The Trump transition team apparently was caught off guard, they say, by Hegseth's allegation, according to sources. And Hegseth was never vetted by an outside firm. Knowing what the allegations are that's causing some concern, was that a mistake?

MADISON GESIOTTO, FORMER RNC NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON: You know, I'm hearing from many insiders that they were completely shocked by this information, but they are sticking beside him at this point. Whatever they know that we don't at this point has led them to believe that he obviously is innocent, no charges were brought, and that they don't think that there's any more information out there that would be damaging to his nomination, to his confirmation hearing.

Obviously, I think it's always good to do extra vetting, to get an outside group involved. I mean, when you run for Congress, for example, you always do op-o research on yourself as part of that. And so I think, you know, I think it could have been a mistake, but I think he looks like he'll still get through at this point. [23:05:01]

COATES: Well, they are certainly standing by him as a nominee at this point in time. But Van, when you look at this week, Van, the names that Donald Trump has chosen for his administration and the roles that they are all in, I mean, a pattern emerges, right? It seems like he is putting loyalists in the departments that he feels has wronged him.

And I'm curious what you think the effect of that, in terms of maybe their lack of government management experience, what effect might that have on our country and his ability to implement the policies he wants?

VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: This is a very, very dangerous moment that we're entering. And you have to ask the question, where are the patriots? We're the patriots and the Republican Party because we have one of the greatest countries ever in the history of the world because we have standards we don't let crazy people, people who've never been checked out by anybody, people who've never run anything, run our most important and our most precious departments and agencies because Americans' lives we put at risk.

You put the wrong person in charge of intelligence or you put the wrong person in charge of any of these things, there are literally 300 million people's lives in the balance. You've got to put qualified people. You've got to put competent people. You can't just put random people, you know, men who like you in charge.

If you are a patriot, you want America's government to be people by the best. This is not being people by the best. And I think people should be very worried. It's fine, it was fun, it was cute, but it's about to get very, very serious if any of these people get across the finish line, they're raising so much concern, so much alarm.

COATES: You know, Michael, many would have the opposite viewpoint that Vann has, and they would suggest that overhauling what they see as an inefficient or even a weaponized government, their allegations, is patriotic, is returning the United States, remember the catchphrase, Make America Great Again, not to mention the person that they've chosen is an unconventional person who himself had faced allegations that would describe as untoward, let alone civil suits, etc.

When you look at this and think about the week we've had, this idea of wherever the mandate they think they have, what do these picks tell you?

MYCHAEL SCHNELL, CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER, "THE HILL": That Donald Trump values loyalty over anything else, right? He had his first administration. He burned through staff, rounds and rounds of staff in a number of these key cabinet positions. I think that the thing he's picked up from there is that he wants to be more careful with who he puts in these positions. And when I say careful, I mean people who are most loyal to him.

Take RFK Jr., for example. This is somebody who is Democrat for most of his career. Mike Pence, you mentioned him, he's bringing up concerns now about RFK Jr.'s stance on abortion as the head of HHS. This is somebody who, again, ran against Donald Trump, but when it looked like he could affect the polls and affect the outcome, he was having a surging third-party run.

COATES: And by the way, speaking of Mike Pence, tonight he warned that a populist sentiment was rising in the Republican Party and threatening to replace conservative values. In fact, listen to what he had to say, Mychael.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE PENCE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I've witnessed as I've traveled around the country the last four years a sentiment rising, a populist sentiment in our party that threatens to undermine and replace a traditional conservatism with an agenda fueled in many ways by personal grievance. Populists want to fix the problem, but I submit to you their means are wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: Do people on the Hill Agree with that sentiment?

SCHNELL: I mean look, Mike Pence has been somebody who has against Donald Trump since after January 6th, so is he even clashing on this issue is no surprise. But I do think this gets back to what I was saying before that. Donald Trump values loyalty. A lot of folks on Capitol Hill, I've spoken to a number of them are, for example, questioning what qualifications does RFK Jr. have to the HHS secretary. And also, added to that concerns about his vaccine skepticism.

But at the end of the day, it comes back to the fact that again, he was loyal to him. He endorsed him at a key moment when RFK Jr.'s candidacy was surging in the polls. That third party was threatening Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, but spreading Donald Trump in the polls, saying that the sentiment on Capitol Hill that I'm hearing, not just with the RFK nomination, but with Tulsi Gabbard, but with Matt Gaetz, is that Donald Trump is valuing loyalty above all.

And it's going to test the Senate Republican Conference because they're going to have to make a decision. Do they stand up to these appointments and vote no because they don't think they're qualified? Or do they care into the wrath of Donald Trump and his supporters who dangle around threats of primaries and dangle around some harsh language on social media?

COATES: In fact, we have some sound from Republicans saying that just very sentiment. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MIKE ROUNDS (R-SD): We should be able to get a hold of it, and we should have access to it one way or another based on the way that we do all of these nominations.

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): I think there should not be any limitation on the Senate Judiciary Committee's investigation, including whatever the House Ethics Committee has generated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[23:10:01]

COATES: Let me ask you about this, Madison, because obviously Trump does have the prerogative to decide who he wants to be in his cabinet. He not only won the electoral college, he won the popular vote. They believe that there is a mandate perhaps to overhaul the government in the way that he speaks about it.

But in that quest to get these people confirmed, do you think the House Ethics Committee reports should be released for people like Matt Gaetz? Would that be additive for these senators in trying to promote what Trump wants or would hiding it in some way or not having it publicized, would that actually serve them better?

GESIOTTO: I think it's been very interesting to watch the shift with House Speaker saying last week, you know, that would likely release it and that's what's going to happen and now we see this big shift to where he's many argue would be pressured to say that they should release it.

And I think for him to get involved is it's just been out of precedent to be quite honest because the House Ethics committee typically just functions on their own five Republicans five Democrats, and we only need one Republican obviously to vote with the Democrats to release it.

I do think it's interesting to think that it wouldn't be leaked at this point if there was something very devastating in it, and if there was I'm very surprised that he wouldn't have been charged by the FBI. They conducted an extensive investigation for, I think, close to two years or more, and there were no charges ever pressed on him.

And so I think there's a lot going around within the Republican Party in which people feel very, very conflicted. Some Republicans very supportive of the pick, and some just very, very upset about this. So he'll definitely have the hardest confirmation hearing if he gets there.

COATES: You think so, Van, do you agree with that? Do you think it's going to be Gaetz who would have the most difficult? And by the way. Perhaps it's not surprising that a disqualifier, this would not be a disqualifier for maybe Trump or to have, Hegseth as well, allegations of sexual impropriety or even assault, given the fact that he has himself felt as though he was targeted by the government on unfounded allegations that he has always denied.

I wonder if that would, if he came out to say it was disqualifying in some way, what would it say about himself?

JONES: Look, I can't get inside the mind of Donald Trump. I will say this, why do we have the Senate? Why do we have a Senate?

It seems to me the Republicans at this point just want to say whatever Donald Trump wants he gets, that's called having a king. The reason you have a Senate is because the Senate has sacred responsibilities in our Constitution to advice and consent. It's their role. It's what the Constitution requires.

If you are a patriot, if you love this country, you have to love its institutions and protect them from far-left, far-right, or just crazy, mean, dumb people. Why do we have a Senate if they're not even going to do their job? Their job is to advice and consent. They are supposed to ask tough questions .And that makes the president's cabinet better and stronger and they are the only people in America that can ask those questions in a meaningful way.

They have that mandate and by toughening up by asking by making people walk that gauntlet you have a stronger cabinet. So when you go to bed at night, you have a government that can function. Did the Republicans not want you have a Senate? Please let us know what the Senate's job is and will you let the Senate do its job?

COATES: Well, you know, Mychael, certainly the advice and consent, I think some hope would be just rubber stamp, but they actually do have a role. But the fact that Speaker Johnson, to their points earlier, came out to suggest that he does not want and is urging the ethics committee not to release the Matt Gaetz report saying it's not relevant since he is now out of Congress.

Help me read the tea leaves here. Matt Gaetz is a common denominator in terms of being a thorn in the side of a previous speaker, who was vulnerable as a result of it and eventually had to lose the gavel. Is this the speaker suggesting that he realizes still maybe the influence of this moment?

SCHNELL: I mean, there are a couple things to unpack here. A, Speaker Johnson in any way is putting his thumb on the scale in terms of what the ethics committee should do. It's completely unprecedented. And as Madison mentioned, the ethics committee is one of the most bipartisan areas on Capitol Hill, five Democrats, five Republicans. The speaker typically stays out of it.

Now I asked Johnson why he decided to change his decision from saying that he doesn't get involved with the ethics committee to then today saying that he urges the ethics committee not to release it. He told me he wasn't putting his thumb on the scale. He didn't change his opinion. He was just expressing, he was just, he was asking for his opinion was he was just expressing his opinion.

Now, whether folks believe that or not, that's for them to decide. But your question about Trump, I think this is key here.

Speaker Mike Johnson was at Mar-a-Lago just yesterday. He was there for the gala at Mar-a-Lago. Donald Trump was there. Matt Gaetz was there. My colleagues and I asked, did you talk to Donald Trump about the situation? Presumably, Donald Trump would not want this ethics report to come out. It would be embarrassing on one of his top cabinet picks. Mike Johnson didn't deny that he spoke to Trump about it. He said, I'm not going to talk about it the conversations I have with the president-elect. [23:15:05]

So finally, you get to the question about his speakership, which has been tenuous for the past year since he gained the gavel after the fall of McCarthy. And it's going to remain tenuous throughout the next Congress with Republicans having an ultra-thin majority.

Now, right now, the Republican conference is in a kumbaya moment. Donald Trump came to Capitol Hill this week, endorsed Johnson behind closed doors. So right now he's in good shape, but that could change on a flip of a dime. We know that things can change in Washington based on one Truth Social post.

So I definitely think that Mike Johnson is making moves with the idea in the back of his head of making sure he keeps Trump on his good side.

COATES: An important point. Thank you all for joining this evening.

Well, the Trump transition team says bye to FBI background checks for some cabinet picks. How shattering the norm could come back to hurt them.

Plus, it's the agency Trump has vowed to ax entirely.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I'm going to take the Department of Education, close it in Washington, let the states run their own education.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: So why appoint an education secretary at all? Someone who could end up being named that post joins me tonight.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COATES: With Trump's cabinet picks coming in fast and furious, you would think the FBI would be very busy with background checks, wouldn't you?

Well, we've learned that Trump's transition team is bypassing traditional background checks for some cabinet choices. Instead, they want to use private researchers to perform background checks quickly.

And now we've learned some Trump allies are pushing him to fire Christopher Wray and replace him with Kash Patel. He served as an aide to Congressman Devin Nunes, remember that, before joining the National Security Council under Trump.

With me now CNN senior law enforcement analyst John Miller and Tom Nichols, a national security scholar and staff writer at "The Atlantic." Good evening. John, let me start with you here. I wonder, what is the risk for people at home? What is the risk in bypassing the current background check system at the FBI and using private firms to run them instead?

JOHN MILLER, CNN SR. LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, so, first of all, just for to make it interesting, let's look at it from both perspectives, right?

If you're Donald Trump and you spent four years saying the Justice Department is weaponized, it's lawfare, they're committing lawfare against me, the FBI is the manufacturer of these phony cases that lead to phony charges that lead to phony trials, well it would make sense if you were a true believer of that, that you would be very hesitant to hand over the people you're proposing is your closest aides and say I want you to do the background on them because you would think I'm just putting up for character assassination.

Now let's take a look at the other side of it which is sure for the transition. You can hire a private firm that can do a background investigation. Now what does that mean?

It means they can do an internet search on your activities, they can deep dive in your social media, they can deep dive into the dark web and see if you've been there or there's something there about you, they can interview friends and associates, former employers.

They can run financials and see if you're in bad straits and might be vulnerable to pressure from a foreign power that might want to give you a payoff. You know, we've seen that with Senator Menendez. You just never know until you look into those corners.

But what you're not going to see with a private firm is access to the government's classified holdings, criminal databases, things like were you accused of a sexual assault at a California hotel--

COATES: As an example.

MILLER: -- where you very involved in a 17-year-old or something like that. So, that's the really the deficit here which is remember general Flint he was going to be national security adviser. The FBI actually captured him with other intelligence agencies on a wiretap of Russian officials. He lied about the phone call, he was charged, the case was dismissed. But that's because they were seeing things that the private investigator wouldn't see.

COATES: It's fascinating to look at it from both perspectives. Then you think about if you are Trump, if you are talking to the cabinet picks, Tom, what does it tell you that Trump actually wants some of his cabinet picks to avoid the FBI background checks, knowing that they may have to explain that as well to the general public, let alone the senators who are confirming them?

TOM NICHOLS, STAFF WRITER, "THE ATLANTIC": Yeah, I don't think he cares about that. I don't think there are two sides to this because what Trump's -- part of what Trump's doing is he's broadcasting to the American people. I don't trust the people that keep us safe every day, the people that work in law enforcement the intelligence community. You know that they can't be trusted to fairly investigate my people.

This idea of a private security firm people forget we're talking about Donald Trump here. Who's going to walk into Donald Trump blow up their contract with the campaign and say, you know I'm really sorry to tell you this Mr. President-elect, but yeah at least three of your cabinet, you know, picks have some really serious problems and their risks to national security.

No one's going to walk into Mar-a-Lago and say that to Donald Trump if they're working for Donald Trump. This is a process that a lot of Americans have gone through. I had a top secret clearance. I went through it.

You know, people, this notion that people should be given a pass, it should, the conversation we should be having is what is Donald Trump so afraid they're going to find.

COATES: That's a good question. And of course he may say, look, maybe I'm doing it beforehand and I'm you don't know about it and I have all these cabinet seats to fill still, John, and he hasn't nominated for example Kash Patel yet but his name keeps getting floated. What is the reaction inside the FBI?

[23:25:08]

MILLER: So they're not plus, I mean the people at the FBI could not imagine Kash Patel as their director. And, you know, let's put the security clearance thing aside for one moment this Kash Patel was on the National Security Council when it was at the Department of Defense. He was at the DNI, after I was at the DNI.

So he's had multiple security clearances in background checks but he is also the guy who's been on television and on social media saying, we're going to go after the critics, were going to go after the people who wronged us including the media, and we're going to get them and we're going to use the Constitution to do it and the law and so on.

The FBI is literally, literally the organization that is supposed to protect people from having the government or anyone else go after them for their opinions. And here is a guy who is being proposed to lead that organization who says that's going to be his first order of business if Donald Trump brings him back.

COATES: Well speaking of the DNI, I mean Tom, the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence, that has concerned many in the intelligence community and you actually wrote in "The Atlantic" that her nomination is a national security risk and you said that her appointment would be a threat to the security of the United States more broadly. Why?

NICHOLS: Well, given her attitudes about Syria and Russia and her ongoing defense of Vladimir Putin, you normally don't put someone in the top spy job who's constantly apologizing for and rationalizing for Vladimir Putin.

And that means that we're at risk, especially because our allies are going to be deeply hesitant to share intelligence with us if Tulsi Gabbard is sitting on top of the American intelligence crown jewels. It's completely irresponsible nomination.

COATES: We'll see what the Senate can think about that. Of course, they've got a long way to go to actually go through the whole confirmation. But John, Tom, great to hear both of your insights this evening.

MILLER: Thanks, Laura.

COATES: Up next, we'll take you inside Donald Trump's plan to dismantle the Department of Education with someone who not only supports the effort, but maybe just might maybe play a role in trying to carry out.

And later, accusations that the government conspired to assassinate Malcolm X, what his family is now asking for and how they plan to prove it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: One other thing I'll be doing very early in the administration is closing up the Department of Education in Washington, D.C. and sending all education and education work and needs back to the states.

And I will shut down the Federal Department of Education and we will move everything back to the states where it belongs.

You know, I'm going to take the Department of Education, close it in Washington, let the states run their own education.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: It is one of Donald Trump's core promises from the campaign trail, eliminating the Department of Education. He would need 60 votes in the Senate to do that, of course, unless the filibuster rules were changed. But advocates want Trump to go for it anyway.

And chief among them, the head of schools in Oklahoma, Ryan Walters. This week, he posted on X urging Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk to close the Department of Education. And Walters is making plans for the day when the department is gone.

Two days after the election, he sent schools a memo outlining some of the priorities the state would absorb. And this week, he announced the formation of the Trump Education Advisory Committee, which would oversee changes if the Department of Education winds down.

Now critics call the Education Department's $238 billion budget bloated. Its 4,400 employees focus mainly on financial aid and data and enforcing federal policy. They do not develop curriculum or set education standards. But Walter says the department indoctrinates kids and tramples on the rights of parents.

And today, he ordered schools to play the following video where he asks students to join him in prayer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RYAN WALTERS, OKLAHOMA STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION: Dear God, thank you for all the blessings you've given our country. I pray for our leaders to make the right decisions. I pray in particular for President Donald Trump and his team as they continue to bring about change to the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: Now the state's attorney general says he didn't have the authority to do that and it runs contrary to individual exercise rights.

Well Ryan Walters, Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Construction, joins me this evening. Ryan, good evening to you. I want to get to the Education Department in just a moment, but I've got to ask you about that video that was released. You asked but did not require, to be fair, you did not require students to pray with you. You also called teacher unions woke and said the radical left attacks individuals in schools.

Why do you believe that was an appropriate message to share with the school children?

WALTERS: Absolutely. President Trump is clear. He's bringing prayer back to our schools, and we should have prayer in schools. It has been a drastic overreach from the federal government to not allow religious liberty in our schools.

Look, we want our students to have the opportunity to practice their religious beliefs, and so I was informing all districts. We will protect those beliefs and the rights of individuals, whether they be teachers or students.

COATES: How about the rights not to have a non-secular education?

WALTERS: You don't have to pray, again, but we're not going to tell people they can't pray because it offends others. The left continues, they talk about tolerance, but they won't allow any other religious expression in our schools. That's absurd. It goes against the principles of this country. And I'm proud that President Trump is bringing prayer and religious liberty back to our schools.

[23:35:07]

COATES: Well, one Republican lawmaker says that you should be focusing on maybe the traditional topics, math or reading, not what they believe to be claiming a kind of culture war. How do you respond to that claim? WALTERS: Yeah, look, we've taken on the biggest issues facing

education in our state, and as President Trump has promised to take them on nationally, here's the reality. The woke left has pushed the most radical agenda onto our kids. They're the ones who have focused on putting boys and girls bathrooms, boys and girls sports.

Remember, President Biden threatened every state this summer to do that. That's why President Trump is going to fulfill his promise to get rid of the federal Department of Education and focus on free market principles in education. We want every kid to be successful. I mean, people forget.

This country was the greatest country in the history of the world, was built without a federal Department of Education. It was a one room schoolhouse that helped forge some of the greatest minds in the world. This whole industrial complex created by the left and the teachers unions has to go.

We've got to get back to common sense and education. That's what President Trump's going to do.

COATES: So you would say that the period of time since the infancy of the United States of America till now have been a practice and woke education exclusively? That would really belie the facts, don't you agree?

WALTERS: No, listen, hey look, it's very clear. Look at what's happened since we created a federal Department of Education. What we have seen is a department that focused on critical race theory, DEI, common core math, transgenderism. It's absurd.

Every educational statistic has gotten worse since Jimmy Carter created the federal Department of Education. President Trump's a thousand percent right. We have got to get education back to the states. States have to give education back to the families. This federal Department of Education has preached anti-Americanism. They want kids to hate their country. That's absurd.

No civilization will survive that way. We've got to get back to promoting patriotism, love of country, understanding of those Judeo- Christian values the country was based upon. That's got to be part of the curriculum. Our schools have to be teaching that. We've got to make sure that our students understand what made this country great. That's what President Trump's going to deliver upon.

COATES: Yet the Department of Education is not the one who would establish schools and colleges. They do not develop curriculum. They do not set requirements for enrollment and graduation. They don't determine, say, education standards or develop or implement testing to measure whether you're meeting it. They don't hire teachers. They don't write textbooks.

So that begs the question, if they don't do any of the things that you're talking about, why is the elimination of that department the way to promote what the states have the ability to do? WALTERS: I'm sorry, you're dead wrong on that. What the federal

department has done is every time that a state doesn't do what they want, they threaten them. President Biden threatened to take our federal funding away this summer if we didn't allow a transgender ideology into every school.

He also threatened to hold us legally responsible. He was going to sue teachers and principals and state departments of education if we didn't bow to his woke agenda. So to pretend like the Federal Department of Education hasn't been pushing critical race theory and DEI, that's absurd. They absolutely have been pushing these mandates on states. They've been threatening states.

Remember, this is also the agency that partnered with the DOJ to target parents. President Trump has promised to put parents back in charge of education. School choice, transparency, accountability, and again, returning power where it should have been all along is in the states.

COATES: I certainly hear your passion, but it's not inaccurate to describe what the function of the Education Department has done. But to mention the Biden administration's updating of Title IX guidance in April to protect against sex discrimination, they ordered schools to protect against harassment discrimination, to promote accountability and fairness.

This is their words, to empower and support students and families. And then, of course, the Supreme Court delayed the changes to Title IX and transgender students in 26 states. And so you've got a lot of background and context to provide to better understand where things are in this moment. But let me ask, there are some functions and I'm just a look at what Oklahoma was doing in the role of the board of education does in your state and you're responsible for developing and adopting the curriculum course of study and other instructional materials.

You are in charge of licensing and certifying instructional supervisor administrative staff, school accreditation supervision, all those aspects of it. What powers do this to the state like Oklahoma for example have right now or not have right now that the elimination of the federal department would somehow provide?

WALTERS: They literally tell us how to test kids. They literally tell us how we have to treat every special ed student in our schools instead of saying, parents, well, how do we meet the needs of your individual children? These are all the mandates that come down from the federal Department of Education.

They tried to change math. I mean, everyone remembers what a disaster common core math was. That came from the feds. But again, I mean, you're glossing over something here and I got to go back to that. They threatened to take funding and hold individuals legally responsible to push transgender lies on to kids.

[23:40:02] If we didn't tell boys they were born in the wrong bodies, they were going to take our money from us. They were going to investigate individual teachers. They already investigated parents who were concerned at school board meetings. We want better for our kids. We want to understand what's going on in our kids' education.

Every good teacher would want that, but the Department of Education has had a left-wing agenda that, yes, they have used every power they have to threaten it upon the states. That agency, once that's gone, once President Trump gets rid of that department, states will be able to innovate. States will be able to teach students about patriotism and love for country.

States will be able to solve their problems instead of having it forced down to them by D.C. when D.C. bureaucrats don't have a clue on how to educate our young people.

COATES: Well, I assume you're speaking about in part the Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education that enforces Title IX and requirements. And of course, there has been a lot of litigation with the extent and the scope of that particular title.

But given, and just hearing how you feel, the department should be eliminated. Do you have -- you had a conversation with the president- elect Donald Trump about your role in a potential department that could be eliminated, but your role as potentially a secretary?

WALTERS: Look, that's a question for the transition team. And President Trump is going to pick the person he thinks is best. And I know that he's going to pick someone who will eliminate that department, bring back the America First agenda, not America Last agenda that department's been pushing and get rid of this agency once and for all, with a power --

COATES: Wouldn't you, if he were to ask you, would you say yes?

WALTERS: Look, I'm honored to be considered. Look, President Trump has put forth the greatest education plan in this country's history. We've never seen anything like it. This is absolutely how we get the country back on track. It has excited parents across this country. We are so ready to enact it here in Oklahoma. That's why we've taken these steps.

But this is exactly what was needed. President Trump will shake up a status quo in education like never before with school choice, America First policy agendas that promote patriotism. We've got to get back to that. Our kids have to love this country and want to continue to contribute to American greatness. And that's what you're going to see under a Trump administration.

COATES: Well we shall see. It is yet to begin for number 47 again to implement those things. But I suspect your passions will be part of the campaign for the election and the inauguration going forward. Thank you Ryan Walters for sharing your views.

WALTERS: Thank you for having me on. COATES: Well here's a question. Did the government knowingly fail to

stop the plot to assassinate Malcolm X, and did they cover it up? A new lawsuit makes the claim, and the attorney behind it says that he believes he has the evidence to prove it.

That attorney, Benjamin Crump, is live with me next.

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[23:45:00]

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COATES: Malcolm X's family is going to court. They're claiming a government conspiracy led to the civil rights leader's 1965 assassination. A $100 million lawsuit was filed today in Manhattan federal court.

Three of Malcolm X's daughters and his estate claiming the CIA, the FBI, and the New York Police Department and other agencies were involved in the assassination plot and failed to stop it.

Speculation around who killed Malcolm X has swirled for decades. He was gunned down during the speech at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City on February 21, 1965. Three men were convicted as a result. Of course, in 2021, two of the three were exonerated after investigators exposed that the evidence presented in their case was shaky and that authorities held back some very key information.

Well now Malcolm X's daughters are taking it one step further and laying out evidence that they say proves the government played an active role in the assassination.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ILYASAH SHABAZZ, MALCOMX'S DAUGHTER: I'm grateful on behalf of my sisters as we seek justice for the assassination of our father and that the truth will be recorded in history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: Joining me now, civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump. He represents Malcolm X's family in this matter. Benjamin Crump, thank you for joining us. Can you take us through exactly what you're saying happened leading up to Malcolm X's assassination? What's the kind of evidence that you are ready to present for being falsely convicted?

BENJAMIN CRUMP. CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY AND ATTORNEY FOR MALCOM X'S FAMILY: Well Laura Coates, since those two young men were exonerated for

falsely convicted, that unearth lot of information that had not been known.

And that is a big basis for our fraudulent concealment claims. And then you have the fact that there were nine undercover police officers, federal agents in Audubon Ballroom, who failed to act. And once Malcolm was assassinated, we have unearthed that J. Edgar Hoover gave an order that none of those undercover agents were to reveal that they were present there. And they watched two innocent men go to prison for a crime they know they didn't commit. So why falsely accuse people if you didn't have something to hide?

COATES: What do you expect the defense to present?

CRUMP: You know, the fact that in the three years since we've, every day, every week, every month, our legal team have unearthed bit by bit more information, the fact that Raymond Wood was present in there, undercover NYPD police officer who had falsely entrapped two of Malcolm X's security, Walter and Said, who gave affidavits for the first time ever.

[23:50:09]

You're talking about people who are 93 years old and 85 years old, never spoken to say that they believe it was a conspiracy to get them out of the Audubon ballroom so the assassination attempt would be successful. And we know he and Eugene Roberts, both undercover black police were working with the FBI to infiltrate black organizations and to destroy their leadership.

COATES: You know, when you think about what happened that day for so many people in the community and the world frankly, this is still very raw. But many also view all that is swirled around it as a conspiracy theory. What do you say to those who think that this is another iteration and no one will really ever know?

CRUMP: Well, as his daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz said, we are going to get to the truth. Read this lawsuit that's well played with many great lawyers who have held the FBI to account in the case of Fred Hampton.

We have their legal team working with us also. The Exonerated Five, we have members right there in New York. We have a superior legal team that has dotted every eye and crossed every T-Larcoats. And even though it's taken 60 years practically.

Justice has been delayed. It won't be denied for their state of Malcolm X. Read the lawsuit.

COATES: Benjamin Crump, thank you so much. I will and I look forward to that pursuit of justice. Thank you so much.

CRUMP: Thank you, Laura.

COATES: Up next, the outrageous offer from a major league baseball team.

But first, tonight we're introducing you one of 2024's top five CNN Heroes. Since 2021, a record number of unaccompanied migrant children have traveled to the United States. Many fleeing violence, extreme poverty. Rachel Rutter is an immigration lawyer who is trying to help them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) RACHEL RUTTER, IMMIGRATION LAWYER AND CNN HEROES 2024 TOP FIVE FINALIST: The cartel started asking for money. They were telling my family they were going to kidnap me and my sister. My mother chose to just leave everything we had.

UNKNOWN (translated): They killed my aunt. They tried to take my mom's and aunt's house.

UNKNOWN (translated): The trip lasted like a month.

UNKNOWN (translated): I came alone.

RUTTER: Once the children arrive here in the U.S., they've already been through so much trauma. It can be jarring when they arrive here and realize that it's really just beginning.

These kids are not coming here to ruin the United States or take our jobs or commit crimes. They're coming here to be safe and to take care of their families. They want to study. They want to work.

They want to achieve something here in the U.S. And they are some of the hardest working, kindest, most resilient kids.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: You can go to CNNHeroes.com to vote for Rachel or any of your favorite top five heroes.

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[23:55:00]

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COATES: Well, in case you missed it, the watches are in the mail.

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TED GOODMAN, SPOKESPERSON FOR RUDY GIULIANI: So I'm at a FedEx in Florida turning over all of Mayor Giuliani's watches and ring as required by a court order.

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COATES: Well, that's right. Rudy Giuliani's spokesman posted that video to X last night, detailing the lengths he went through to ship the former New York mayor's luxury watch collection.

It's all part of a $148 million settlement to two Georgia election workers that Giuliani defamed after the 2020 election. Today was the deadline for Rudy to pay up the rest of the judgment.

Now to Pittsburgh, where the Major League Baseball's pirates are playing the role of real-life Willy Wonka.

(VIDEO PLAYING) COATES: I love that movie.

Well, the Pirates, as you know, are offering an insane trade for a one of a kind Paul Skeens baseball card. He is the Pittsburgh pitcher that's hitting gymnast and social media influencer, Libby Dunn.

Well, the lucky person who pulls this card will receive a list of prizes that includes season tickets behind home play at PNC Park. Get this. For the next 30 years.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: Jumping crocodile Charlie, we've got a lot to do. Comb me a hair, wash your face, polish your shoes --

UNKNOWN: I'm going to take care of everything there.

UNKNOWN: We don't have too much time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: At the end of an Eras tour, the Swifties have descended on Canada for the final leg of Taylor's record-smashing Eris tour. Swift has six shows in Toronto over the next week, then another three in Vancouver in early December, and the fine people of Canada may have never gotten this opportunity if it wasn't for this post from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau imploring Tay-Tay to come up north. Who said international diplomacy is dead?

Well, thank you all for watching. "Anderson Cooper 360" is next.