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The Situation Room

Senate Votes on War Powers Resolution; Interview With Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison; Interview With Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R- FL). Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired January 08, 2026 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:03]

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He is still uncertain how he will vote. He has not yet cast his vote. And I asked him just yesterday afternoon how he would vote on this measure. And, at that point too, he was still undecided.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: Are you going to support the war powers resolution tomorrow when it comes up for a vote?

SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA): I don't know. I have been having a conversation with my colleague to find out what it actually applies to.

Like, could removing Maduro, was that part of it or not? Every Democrat, whether it's Joe Biden or Leader Schumer or whether Dick Durbin or Murphy, they have all said he needs to go. And now that seems to change. Why? I mean, why can't we -- as a Democrat, I just say, hey, I think it's a good thing.

And all the Venezuelan communities in our nation all celebrating this, honestly.

RAJU: So, you think Democrats have shifted their tune because Trump is president?

FETTERMAN: I mean, what else is it?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: He still hasn't voted, right? And he still has not voted, Senator John Fetterman.

So, we will be -- so we will be watching that. Senator John Fetterman still has not voted yet on this measure. But even if it does pass the United States Senate, getting this into law is a totally different question. Donald Trump could veto this measure. It would need a veto- proof majority, which it simply does not have.

The House could vote on a similar measure later this month, though. But, Wolf, if it does approve, it would send a very significant, yet symbolic rebuke to the president about how Congress feels about being consulted first before any further escalation in Venezuela -- guys.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: All right, Manu Raju, thank you so much.

And we want to get back to our other breaking story this morning, outrage after an ICE agent shoots and kills 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good.

Joining us now to discuss is Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

I know you've been very busy. We appreciate your time.

The AP is reporting right now that Minnesota investigators can't access evidence after the fatal ICE shooting and that the FBI won't work jointly on this probe. Can you confirm that?

KEITH ELLISON (D), MINNESOTA ATTORNEY GENERAL: I can tell you that I have heard that before -- certainly before now.

I was hoping that we could avoid that. I was hoping that we could have a quality independent investigation, so that there could be transparency and meaningful accountability.

The tape is deeply disturbing to me, but I will acknowledge that I haven't seen every single video, haven't talked every witness, which is what I as a prosecutor would expect to do before I, theoretically, as just in general a prosecutor, would make a charging decision.

So what I've seen is disturbing, but I haven't seen everything. And I will tell you that it -- but it all starts with an investigation, not a prosecution. It starts with an investigation. And if federal authorities are saying they won't even entertain a joint and inclusive investigation, that is deeply disturbing.

And my question is, what are you afraid of? What are you afraid of an independent investigation for? So, I'm hoping that somebody over there at the -- with the federal authorities understands the true damage to justice and the perception of justice that a closed-off, exclusive investigation would mean.

It would mean that, no matter what they come out with, it would be questioned. And maybe they don't care. They have demonstrated a degree of cavalier conduct that is extraordinary and unprecedented. But I hope somebody over there understands that a meaningful independent investigation that includes state authorities is essential to the cause of justice.

And, by the way, state authorities can investigate anyway. You don't need their authority. I mean, it's at least arguable, and I believe substantially arguable, that there's a violation of Minnesota statutes here.

And I could think of a number of potential charges. All of them depend upon an investigation, though. And the state -- the federal government can't stop Minnesota from doing its own. But I would hope that it wouldn't come to that. WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Attorney General Ellison, I want you and our

viewers to listen once again to what the Minneapolis police chief, Brian O'Hara, told us last hour. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN O'HARA, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, POLICE CHIEF: The FBI was in charge of the scene yesterday. And we worked extensively with them to ensure that the evidence at the scene was preserved, that we provided any resources that was needed to ensure the integrity of that scene and to ensure that both the FBI and the Minnesota BCA had what they need to collect evidence and initiate this investigation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[11:35:04]

BLITZER: Has the FBI, or any federal agency, for that matter, shared any of their documentation or reports from the scene, first of all?

ELLISON: Well, let me say this, Wolf. If I were you, I'd ask the same question.

At this point, I don't want to get into any definitive answers, because I'm still trying to reverse what I have been hearing, quite honestly. I'm still trying to say, wait a minute, don't do this stupid thing. Do not go forward with an exclusive, which would -- an inherently untrustworthy investigation.

Do what is right. Do what is wise. Do what is best for this country, and have an inclusive joint investigation that includes cooperation by state and local authorities. And so you want me to give you a binary yes or no. I'm going to decline to do that, in the hopes that we can get somebody with some good sense to say there needs to be a joint investigation that ensures meaningful transparency and to get to the truth.

BROWN: I mean, that is the most important thing, to get to the truth based on facts. I know we're seeing people try to create their own narratives, but there's still more to learn.

I also want to note, based on what you just said, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension just released a statement saying the FBI told them they would solely lead the investigation, and that -- quote -- "Without complete access to the evidence, witnesses, and information collected, we cannot meet the investigative standards that Minnesota law and the public demands. As a result, the BCA has reluctantly withdrawn from the investigation."

Your reaction?

ELLISON: That's very concerning.

And you're reading something to me I haven't had a chance to read yet. And -- but, again, as I said, I -- this is not news to me. This problem is not new. I have been hearing about it since yesterday. But -- and we have been trying to figure out, how can we get somebody at the FBI, somebody to understand the damage that they're doing with this kind of decision?

Hopefully, they will reverse it. I don't know. But that news, that, what you just read, is deeply concerning, extremely disappointing. And I'm sure that I will be dealing with it, and as any -- as others in Minnesota will be over the next time period.

BLITZER: Yes, I'm sure you will be indeed.

The secretary of homeland security, as you know, Attorney General, Kristi Noem, said yesterday that this woman, this 37-year-old woman, Renee Nicole Good, mother of three, had been, in her words, in Kristi Noem's words, stalking and impeding the officers' work all throughout the day.

Has your investigation shown any of that to be true?

ELLISON: No.

It is perfectly legal to observe the apparatus of government, which ICE is. Yes, I will tell you that there are Minnesotans who are using telephones and their eyes and video cameras to observe the movement of ICE, because they're concerned that ICE is operating as a paramilitary force, persecuting and targeting people based on racial assumptions and citizenship assumptions.

But that's First Amendment stuff. That's people's right to move freely in a free country. Once the director of homeland security or the secretary of homeland security says it is somehow improper for people to observe and oversee the conduct of government, not to interfere, but to watch, then now we have left, we have left free society and entered something else.

BLITZER: And what was your reaction to Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security, accusing this 37-year-old mother of three, Renee Nicole Good, of being part of a domestic terrorist operation?

ELLISON: Well, the only conclusion I could come to is that the secretary believes that First Amendment activity is somehow terrorist.

If she doesn't like you, if she doesn't like accountability -- if she doesn't like what you're doing, even though it's perfectly lawful and protected activity, then she's going to dub you a terrorist. That's what -- it's an abuse of the term.

There's real terrorism in the world we live in. There are people who commit terrorist acts. We all know them. All of us of -- all Americans remember 9/11 and other examples. We know what terrorism is.

If a 37-year-old mom who is doing legal observing and watching and monitoring is somehow now a terrorist, then anybody can be accused a terrorist and anybody can be treated like a terrorist. And that should terrorize any and all Americans.

[11:40:08] And I can tell you that, in the sense -- in the last year, we have seen the president accuse the free and independent American press of fake news and disloyalty. We have seen all kinds of outrageous behavior like this.

It has -- these things are anathema to democracy. And it is time that we all as Americans say no to this. We need an independent investigation on the death of the important and precious life of Renee Nicole Good. We need to stop the bad rhetoric coming from the administration.

We need to make sure that ICE identifies themselves, starts wearing -- starts -- stops wearing masks and comports with what we know to be basic issues of procedural justice, which is what we're not seeing at all. We need press freedom, sunshine. This is what the moment calls for.

BROWN: All right, I'm going to go to the Border Patrol chief, Gregory Bovino, who just showed up at the scene, I believe in St. Paul there in Minnesota.

And he made some remarks. My understanding is, he made some remarks about the shooting. So I want to talk to you on the other end to get your reaction. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREGORY BOVINO, EL CENTRO SECTOR U.S. BORDER PATROL CHIEF: (OFF-MIKE) the way it should.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

BOVINO: No comment.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) the use of force?

BOVINO: No comment. We're going to let the FBI go ahead and take care of their investigation.

Thank you. It's good to see you, though.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

(SHOUTING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Doesn't want to remark or say anything there.

But let me just follow up and just ask you about the evidence that you have seen and what you have learned about what happened in the moments before the shooting. We have all seen the video that's been out there, and that's been scrutinized.

But I'm wondering if you have seen any other evidence, if your investigators have talked to the victim's partner who was in the car with her, whether there was video from that, whether the partner was filming anything.

Is there anything else that your investigators have that hasn't been out there that's informed your opinion of what actually happened leading up to that shooting?

ELLISON: I will say yes, but it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the specifics there.

It would -- it's an -- it is an ongoing investigation, and so I'm not prepared to say what pieces of evidence I saw. I can tell you this. Here's what I can tell you without any reservation. What I have seen is deeply disturbing, and there is sufficient basis for further investigation and potential charges.

I can tell you that.

(CROSSTALK)

ELLISON: But I'm not going to tell you I saw this and I saw that and -- because it's just not appropriate for me to do.

There's basis to move forward. There's basis to at some point present it to a prosecuting authority to make a charging decision.

BROWN: And just to be clear, what you're saying is based on evidence that hasn't been made public yet, correct?

ELLISON: I will say, some yes, some no.

BROWN: And did the partner in the car with the victim, has she spoken to your investigators, and was she recording anything?

ELLISON: I wouldn't comment on that. That -- I'm not willing to say yet, to give you an answer there.

I'm not trying to be cagey. I'm trying to protect an investigation. So please forgive me for not being as forthcoming as I'd like to be.

BROWN: No, I understand.

But now we're hearing from the Minnesota investigators that they have withdrawn and -- because the FBI has said it wants to work alone on this investigation. And I think that the public wants answers on this and wants to learn more, because, as we have been noting, they're drawing conclusions and narratives based on video we've seen.

ELLISON: You're right. No, you're absolutely right.

BROWN: But there's more facts out there and there's more nuance and serious questions.

ELLISON: You're -- no, you're absolutely right.

The public wants to know. The press wants to know. They both deserve to know. But I will be very candid with you at this point. I'm trying to figure out who I can get on the phone with and persuade to reverse this poor decision.

And so to start commenting on evidence, I don't think is in the best interest of the case. And so I'm sure that the answers are going to be forthcoming. My question is, why -- why -- I mean, this is a civilian. This is a Minnesota person, a civilian, a person who has -- who has -- who was only trying to do legal observing.

There's no reason to believe she came there to harm anyone. She wanted to observe. Why -- wouldn't a joint investigation give the public greater confidence that whatever you feel happened actually is what happened? And so what I'm trying to do is trying to correct what I believe is an improper decision.

[11:45:00]

And what you're trying to do, very correctly, is try to get to the bottom of this thing. And I -- thank God that our First Amendment protects freedom of the press. If I were you, I'd be asking me the same thing.

But I'm still -- but I still am trying to see, can we get back on track here? Can we stop the silliness and get back to a real investigation? Because, if that's a possibility, I think that's worth me being a little bit undisclosive at the moment.

BLITZER: You're the attorney general of Minnesota, Keith Ellison. What's your message to the family of this 37-year-old woman, Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three who was shot and killed by this ICE officer?

ELLISON: What I will say is that there is every reason to believe that Renee Nicole Good lost her life trying to help the most vulnerable neighbors in her community.

What she was doing was an act of tremendous neighborliness. She clearly was not trying to harm anyone. She was actually trying to help people. And even at the moment of her death, she appeared to be trying to get away, not engage.

And I want to let her family know that we know that their daughter or mother was not a domestic terrorist and that we are deeply offended by the characterization, and that we know that justice is going to prevail and we're never going to quit seeking justice for her.

BROWN: Let me just follow up with you. And we're seeing a picture of her there, and our condolences obviously to her family.

Her ex-husband said she had just dropped off her 6-year-old child at school and then went there. And our reporting is that she arrived on the scene and was sideways in her car for three minutes before the shooting. You say she was there protecting her neighbors.

Can you help fill out that picture for us, what she was doing there in those minutes before the shooting?

ELLISON: Yes, well, I'm going to speak generally, OK? What I can tell you is that, since ICE has escalated its presence in

Minneapolis dramatically, there have been neighbors who have taken the role of themselves monitoring the movement of ICE, not interfering, but just saying, ICE is in the neighborhood.

And some people have been observing. And legal observing is not to interfere, but it's just to record, document, and observe. And that's what the role that she was playing at the time. So that, to me, is the direct opposite, it's 180 degrees from being a domestic terrorist.

BLITZER: Yes.

ELLISON: And that's what I'm saying.

BLITZER: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, thanks for your important work. We're grateful to you.

And I think I speak for all of our viewers here in the U.S., indeed around the world, when I want to express our deepest, deepest condolences to Renee Nicole Good's family. May she rest in peace and may her memory, as we say, be a blessing.

We will be right back.

ELLISON: Thank you. Wolf.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:50:18]

BROWN: Well, new this morning, President Trump tells "The New York Times" that he expects the U.S. will run Venezuela for years.

When asked how long his administration will oversee the country, the president said -- quote -- "Only time will tell."

With me now is Florida Republican Congressman Carlos Gimenez. He is a member of the Homeland Security and Armed Services committees and serves on the Venezuela Democracy Caucus.

Good morning to you. Nice to see you, Congressman.

REP. CARLOS GIMENEZ (R-FL): Good morning.

BROWN: So I want to talk about that "New York Times" article, because when the president was asked how long the United States would oversee things in Venezuela, whether it be three months, six months or longer, Trump responded: "I would say much longer."

Are you aligned with the president on that ?

GIMENEZ: Not necessarily.

We need to we need to move forward as quickly as possible. I know that there has to be a transition to democracy in Venezuela. The secretary has outlined a three-phase plan which says a lot of these things can happen concurrently.

I was looking at more at in terms of months, not years. And even if it is, let's say, out a year, there has to be some kind of a timetable where, yes, it could be a year, but elections are two months away, something like that, because I think the Venezuela -- that's what the Venezuelan people are expecting.

Certainly, the people in my in my hometown are expecting somewhat of a quicker transition that will be years. They do understand that's going to take time. They do understand it needs to be stabilized. They need the opposition to be able to get organized and then come back into the country. They need to free political prisoners.

And this doesn't happen overnight. But this is not a proposition that should take years.

BROWN: Just over a year ago, you welcomed Edmundo Gonzalez to Washington after the U.S. declared him the winner of Venezuela's election back in 2024.

He ran on opposition leader Maria Machado's behalf after she was banned from running again. But President Trump appears reluctant to back both, including Machado, saying she doesn't have the respect. Do you agree with that?

GIMENEZ: Our assessments are different on Maria Corina Machado. I met Maria Corina in Oslo. She's an unbelievably courageous woman.

I know the kind of respect that she receives, especially from the people that I represent, that she, to me, if there were an election today held in Venezuela, she would be the overwhelming favorite to be the president of Venezuela.

And so our assessment is somewhat different. However, I have met her personally, and I also know about her courage from the people that I represent. And so we have a different perspective on that issue.

BROWN: Does it concern you at all or what are your thoughts on the fact that the Trump administration has recognized Maduro's number two, the V.P., Delcy Rodriguez, as Venezuela's new leader?

I mean, you have heard the president say that they're bowing to the administration's demands, but she's also had some strong words since Maduro's capture. I mean, are you confident she's the best person to be the leader right now in Venezuela, as the administration is saying?

GIMENEZ: I think that, right now, it's the only option that we have. If we somehow felt that we took Maduro, the next thing we're going to be putting a new government, which actually is the legitimate government, and that wouldn't be problematic, it is, because the security apparatus, et cetera, has not been established to protect these opposition leaders.

This is an oppressive regime that will do everything to stay in power. We understand that. The president understands that. Secretary Marco Rubio understands that. You have to hold your nose sometimes and deal with people that you don't -- may not want to.

I certainly don't want to deal with them, but, right now, that's the only option. We need to get to that transition as quickly as we can. And when I say as quickly as we can, always with the safety of the Venezuelan people and the opposition in mind.

BROWN: I want to pivot to what's happening in Minnesota. I know you have been following this. You sit on the House Homeland Security Committee that oversees ICE.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem came out quickly after the shooting and said it was an act of domestic terrorism. And we still don't know all the facts. We have seen a video that's out there. And I'm wondering if you're comfortable with her coming out and framing the shooting that way so early on in the investigation.

GIMENEZ: Well, I think, look, I have serious questions about what happened in Minnesota.

And, to me, everything else is just background noise. Really, the only thing that matters to me is the incident itself and was the officer justified in the use of deadly force? Again, I have questions about what happened there.

[11:55:02]

I'm not privy to all the information, but, like everybody else, there are questions that need to be answered. And I would expect that the FBI is going to do a thorough investigation, look at it from all angles and see if the officer in fact was justified in the use of deadly force.

Everything else to me is background noise to the incident, and was he justified in the use of a deadly force? Remember, as mayor of Miami- Dade County, I was the sheriff of Miami-Dade County. So I know what police-involved shootings look like.

I usually defer to the law enforcement individual. They have to make decisions on a quick -- on a split second. And, sometimes, they don't make the right decision, but I'm not sure that the officer didn't do that in this case. I don't have all the information, but I certainly do have a number of questions.

BROWN: All right, Congressman Carlos Gimenez, thank you so much.

GIMENEZ: Thank you.

BLITZER: And thanks from me as well.

And, to our viewers, thanks very much for joining us this morning.

BROWN: "INSIDE POLITICS" with our friend and colleague Dana Bash starts after a short break.