Thank you for watching, my brothers and sisters. It is time for the big show, cnn tonight, with its big star, d lemon. Right now. Never, never, never, before, in the history of this country, have we ever seen, i believe, at least in modern history, anything like this. And a lot of people are going to have to pay the price. They are going to have to face consequences for it, including the president of the United States. Especially, the president. No. It wont happen. And i think thats part of the problem. You can already i think people are going to get charged. I think they are going to get identified. I think they are going to be punished, and i think they are going to be shocked at the level of criminality. And people will say, oh, but what about and i think you shut it down, right there. Lets focus on this one. You know when you go into the u. S. Capitol, you are asking for trouble. Its a federal crime, and its of heightened significance because of the demarcation of the place. But now, trump. Do you prosecute him . Yes. How . Hes got the insulation of the presidency. Do you really want to expose this country to more trump drama . Yes. I used to say no, until yesterday happened. I used to say it would never happen, and that we need to come together and we shouldnt be divisive. And, you know, and joe biden doesnt have the appetite for it and it wouldnt happen in the next administration. But, considering what happened yesterday, and his his obvious he he, obviously, incited the violence. Yes. Yes. I say, yes. I say, yes, we have to because, if you dont, then the next person will be able to do it. You have to set a marker or the same thing could happen, again. You could get the same sort of unprincipled person, unscrupulous person, in the white house, again. And if you dont set a marker, if you dont show an example, set an example, then what does that mean . That thats not a democracy. People have to face consequences for their actions, including the president of the United States. And he is not above the law. He should not be above the law, or she should not be above the law. Agreed, on all of it. However, there are practicalities at play. And what happens, if you go after him again, and you dont get him again and he plays the victim again, and he shows everybody that he is too good and that he beat them, again, you may make him stronger. Yeah. Well, i think that is you have to take the i think we should take our chances on that. I really do think we have to take yoour chances on that because, again, we have to stand up for democracy in this country and we cant allow people to attack democracy. And then, get away with it. I agree. And then, we are going to keep the focus, on that, on this program tonight. Good. But dont be focused just on him. He didnt do this alone. You know my stance on him. My stance on him is i am tired of talking about him. I think most people pay too much attention to him. I told you, last night, overnight, i think he is he is the wizard behind the curtain that has been exposed like tth wizard of oz. If he goes down to a rubyred state with two incumbent republican senators, and he cant get them over the finish line, that should show republicans, poof, he has no power. And and he is an albatross around their necks. And if they cant see it, then i dont know whats going to make them see it. But i think, in this particular instance, because of his actions, we have to Pay Attention to him. We have to keep the focus on him. We have have to keep the pressure on him. And those around him. And we have to expose them, for their complicity in all of this because its not just him. Its the sycophants and its the apologists and its the people who are complicit around him. Theyre all complicit. And thats where the focus should be. Including, the people who went into the capitol, yesterday. Well start with them. Start with them. Start with them. Yes. Because that is criminality, and they became everything that they say they oppose. Yeah. And there must be punishment, and it will be relatively easy because they were brazen enough, for some reason, they thought this was okay. Yeah. And we know what that reason is. Its because the president of the United States told them, basically, that this was righteous. And because its not that they became everything they oppose. They already were. It was already in them. It was just projection. So, i got to run. Thats where i am going to keep the focus. I will see you tomorrow night. Wizard of oz was actually a nice guy, only thing i dont like about your comparison. I love you, too. This is cnn tonight. I am don lemon. So, we must keep the focus here. And this is lives were lost. Four people are dead. And we all know who was responsible for inciting this mob, this riot, this domesticterrorist insurrection. And authorities, like the fbi, like the d. C. Police, looking for help to identify the members of the mob, and bring them to justice. Look at your screen. But the main man responsible for all of this. We know his identity. Will he face justice . Or any consequences, at all . Thats what this show will be about, tonight. A big night of breaking news, as the walls are closing in on a disgraced president , in the final days of his chaotic term. One term, by the way. Talk about the 25th amendment. And if not that and if not that, impeachment. That, as the education secretary, betsy devos, and the assistant secretary for the the department of health and human services, both, submitting their resignations. That, as the president tweets out a scripted video, calling for calm. One day after inciting a violent riot on capitol hill. One, that killed four people. A video, an adviser says, that he only recorded because of the threat of looming resignations and potential impeachment. Meaning, as always, same as it ever was, its all about him. It is too little, too too late. Acknowledging reality, his term is ending. Now, congress has certified the results. A new administration will be inaugurated on january 20th. My focus, now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly, and seamless transition of power. Too little, too late. Too late, for the four people who died because he incited a riot. Too late for the elected representatives, many of them members of his own party, forced to hide from those violent rioters. Rioters, encouraged by this president. Too late, for the American People, who watched, in horror, as the seed of our government was attacked by domestic terrorists. Cnn is learning, tonight, that federal and local officials said they they did not have intelligence suggesting any violent mob was preparing to attack the capitol. Even though, the rioters were publicly saying on social media that they were not planning a typical protest. Hmm. Here is what the wall street Journal Editorial Board is calling on the president to do, and that is to resign. Writing, and i quote, he has betrayed his loyal supporters by lying to them about the election and the ability of congress and mr. Pence to overturn it. It is best for everyone, himself included, if he goes away, quietly. President elect joe biden doesnt seem to want to go that route, though. But, there is no doubt what he does want to see. The past four years, weve had a president whos made his contempt for our democracy, our constitution, the rule of law, clear, in everything he has done. He unleashed an allout assault on our institutions of our democracy, from the outset. And yesterday was but the culmination of that unrelenting attack. The president s former chief of staff, john kelly, so disg t disgusted by the behavior of his former boss, he tells our jake tapper he would vote to invoke the amendment and remove the president. I think, jake, that the cabinet should meet and have a discussion. I dont think itll happen. But i think the cabinet should meet and and and discuss this. Because the the the today in the weeks and months before this have just been outrageous. What happened on capitol hill is a direct result of his, you know, poisoning the minds of people with the lies and and the frauds. If you were in the cabinet right now, would you vote to remove him from office . Yes, i would. In comments that are sure to enrage the president , kelly goes on to call him a laughingstock who is lashing out. When the guardrails were off, its very predictable that he will do the kind of things hes been doing. And, of course, hes enraged because hes lost an election. He is a laughingstock, now. And hes hes striking out. But but again, someone someone needs to help, you know, manage him. And, you know, i dont think those people took up the took up the task, when i left. Look. We facts, first, on this show. We like to keep it real. And im honestly glad that he said it. But truthfully, he has been a big enabler, himself. And we are going to talk about that tonight, too. Okay . And while the president is still refusing to take responsibility for his own disgraceful actions, he sends out one of the remaining members of his white house, the everacquiescent press secretary, kayleigh mcenany, to make a lessthantwominute statement. Look at her. Twominute statement, comparing violent rioters to black lives matter protests. Just one day after the president said this about protrump rioters. Go home. We love you. Youre very special. We love you. Youre very special. We love you. Youre very special. Even though you ripped the capitol apart. Hmm. Four people, dead. The president cant sweep his incitement, involvement, and culpability, under the rug. Not when americans and people around the world watch, in horror, as a mob attacked the capitol because of this president s lies. One of those watching, in horror, a pennsylvania lawyer, who represented the Trump Campaign in one of its earlyelection challenges, jerome marcus, is asking to withdrawal from the case, and telling cnn this. I refer, specifically, to his urging people to come to washington for a wild protest. I want absolutely no part of that. Therefore, i have asked the court to law me to withdraw, as counsel. You remember, that tweet, you know, big protest in d. C. On january 6th. Be there. We well be wild. There it is. Hmm. Well be wild. The president told us what to expect on january 6th, over and over and over. Quoting. Never give up. See everyone in d. C. On january 6th. Promoting his big show, on january 6th. Like an episode of a dementedreality show. And on the night before it all went down, washington is being inundated with people, who dont want to see an election victory stolen by emboldened, radical, left democrats. Our country has had enough. They wont take it, anymore. We hear you and love you. From the oval office. Make America Great, again. Should read it like, make America Great, again, because thats what it sounds like, its fading. Shh, make America Great again. Its just gonna fade and fade and fade, trust me. But its going to be tumultuous. I warned you, from the beginning, right after the president elect, which was certified, by the way, overnight. And i am so glad i got to cover it. That everything was going to be fine, but it was going to be rocky for a few weeks, even a few months. And that is true. But make America Great again is going to be make shh trumps handpicked attorney general, bill barr, who was one of his chief defenders until he resigned last month, blasting the president s conduct saying orchestrating a mob to Pressure Congress is inexcusable. The president s conduct yesterday was a betrayal of his office and supporters. Can you believe that was bill barr . Bill barr said Something Like that. The man, who totally misconstrued the mueller report, so that it could look like the president and the folks around him did nothing. Totally, shaped it in favor of the president , that bill barr, who carried his water. Can you believe he is saying that . And you know what . That those supporters could end up behind bars for ten years, if theyre charged under the president s executive order protecting american monuments, like the capitol. You hurt our monuments, you hurt our heroes, you go to jail for ten years, and everything stopped. You notice that . It stopped. It all stopped. You know, its like i brought on old law into existence when i saw them going around, all over the country, knocking down statues. Right . And monuments. And we signed, we brought it in. And i signed it. Updated it. Signed it. Ten years in prison. And, you know, i signed a law that you take down any of our statues, any of our monuments, you go to jail for ten years. Talk about the irony of all that. Poetic justice, right . The same the same order that he put into place, that they could go to jail for ten years. Trump and his enablers own this. They own the violence. They own the destruction. They couldve spoken out and and just stopped this. They didnt, though. They let this president incite a riot. And speaking out now is like, you know, i said before, its too little, and its too late. Senator ted cruz, who just yesterday, supported the president s delusional, election claims, voting just hours after a trumpsupporting mob rampaged through the capitol. Now, is telling cnn this. I think were 13 days out and he is going to leave at noon, on january 20th. I do think the president s rhetoric and his language has been over the line. I think it was irresponsible. I think it was reckless. And i think he needs to recognize it. Ted. Or, as the president has called you, and i am quoting, lying ted. Lying ted. Oh, no. You dont get to do that, ted. Senator. You dont get to mouth empty platitudes about the president s language being over the line. Not when you did his bidding. Remember, you said that you would argue that texas election lawsuit before the Supreme Court for him . The one, that the court threw out. That one. You were willing to take his lies, all the way to the highest court in the land. And you voted to object to election results. Free and fair election. Even after the mob, the president stirred up, rioted on capitol hill. All you, lying ted. Mirror. And then, there is senator josh hawley. The first senator to object to joe bidens win, with lies and conspiracies. Who raised a fist to trump supporters. Hmm. Was that a terroristfist raise like the obama terrorist fist bump . Was that a domestic terrorist fist raise . Who, even after the riot, after seeing the consequences of the president s lies, objected to pennsylvanias results. By the way, hes missouri. This is the place, where those objections are to be heard and dealt with, debated, and finally, resolved. In this lawful means, peacefully, without violence, without attacks, without bullets. And so, mr. President , let me just say, now, briefly, in lieu of speaking about it later, a word about pennsylvania. Empty platitudes. Former senator, who served in the senate for nearly 20 years says this about his protege, senator hawley. Supporting josh and trying so hard to get him elected to the senate was the worst mistake i ever made in my life. Wow. Josh hawley. Ted cruz. Youll never live this down. And then, theres lindsey graham. Lindsey, lindsey, lindsey. The president s ride or die. Who allegedly called georgias secretary of state to discuss how absentee ballots could be thrown out. Now, after all we have seen, now, he says that the president went too far. As to yesterday, it breaks my heart that my friend, a president of a consequence, would allow yesterday to happen. And it will be a major part of his presidency. It was a selfinflicted wound. It was going too far. So, here is what i have to say. Here is what i have to say to lindsey graham. To bill barr. To john kelly. All the others speaking out or resigning, now. I i im glad you did it. But doing the right thing, one time, one day, after the worst president ever does after he does one of the worst things a president has ever done, doesnt absolve you from having done the wrong thing, all the other days. Thats the truth. Resignations, calls to invoke the 25th amendment, talk of a second impeachment. Will the president pay the price for his disgraceful incitement to riot . President caused this. The president is unfit, and the president is unwell. And the president must now relinquish control of the executive branch, voluntarily or involuntarily. They use stamps. Com all the services of the post office only cheaper get a 4week trial plus postage and a digital scale go to stamps. Com tv and never go to the post office again. Fanew olay collagen peptide 24e . With derm recommended peptides. Hydrates better than the 400 cream. For visibly firmer skin. Olay. Face anything. So, tonight, here is what the wall street journal is doing. They are calling on President Trump to resign, after he incited a riot. And a white house adviser saying that trumps only now admitting that he is leaving office because most of his senior staff, that they are threatening to resign. The aide saying, that message should have come on election night, not after people died. So, i want to bring in, now, cnns chief political correspondent, dana bash. And cnns white house correspondent, kaitlan collins. I like to call them the ateam. Good evening, to both of you. Kaitlan, i am going to start with you because you have some breaking news tonight about another, top resignation. One of the closest allies. This time, its betsy devos, the education secretary whos stood by the president over the last couple years. She is talking, in this letter, about the accomplishments she believes they have had, over the last several years. But she specifically references what happened yesterday, and says it was the president s rhetoric that contributed to that. And she says that is the reason she is resigning from her job, two weeks before, of course, she is supposed to. And, don, that just makes her the second cabinet secretary to do so, today, after transportation secretary, elaine chao, who also happens to be married to Senate Majority leader mitch mcconnell, so now, two cabinet secretaries have resigned. Thats over half a dozen people who have resigned, in total. And we have heard that more could be coming, in the next few days. Dana, listen. Another loyal cabinet member, who says this was the breaking point for them. But is there some selfpreservation involved here . Maybe, avoiding dealing with the 25th amendment . Maybe, trying to save their reputations or salvage them, in some way . Its more than some. That that is hs whats goin here. I mean, yes, they are trying to make a point, maybe, about the president. But it is, also, very much, about them. And i think selfpreservation, in some of these cases, that ship sailed a very long time ago. But, in these particular cases, you have people who are very entrenched in the Republican Party. Certainly, with elaine chao. But even with betsy devos. And, you know, elaine chao has had a very different role as transportation secretary. She hasnt been in the center of very