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only $0.63 a day. we'll send you this adorable love to the rescue blanket as a thank you. >> tonight on three 60 is the gop okay with their presidential front runner barring an ocean and very words, from hitler? some answers from 2023 not 1933. keeping them modest. also tonight, breaking news, a legal setback for his former chief of staff mark meadows. and, really giuliani who has been ensued again for repeating the lies he told about two georgia election workers. later, more fallout on the case

of the border republican party chairman, his moral crusading wife, the accusations of sexual assault, a threesome, and hypocrisy. pamela brown in for anderson tonight. we begin with the return of the tepid reaction to outrageous statements the former president makes that have slowly been returning within the republican party since the shock of january 6th. specifically, reaction to this from over the weekend about undocumented migrants. >> they are poisoning the blood of our country, that's what they've done, they've poisoned mental institutions and prisons all over the world. not just in south america, not just in three or four countries we think about. but, all over the world are coming into our country from africa, from asia, all over the world. >> it is clear to point out specific countries there. this is language, poisoning the blood used by hitler as i noted earlier, and until recently, it

would be shocking from any other candidate of any party or any office. republican candidates, presidential candidate, chris christie sharply contended telling cnn's jake tapper, quote, he is disgusting. ron desantis on the other hand said this today. >> you give them an ability to opposition and the ability to make it about something else with some of those comments. i just think it's a tactical mistake. >> so, as you heard, for this governor not condemning the words only the tactics of saying them. republican senator john phone waiting also gently saying, quote, that is not a view i share. here's a few more reactions. >> we are talking about the language, i could care less what language people use as long as we get it right. >> this campaign bravado you get up onstage, you're beating off the audience and you just let it rip. that is exactly, frankly that's what a lot of people. like >> i think it's highly

unlikely donald trump -- mein kampf. >> cnn is also learning about the former presidents defense, along with don jr. of a social media influencer who has got a long record of posting deeply racist, antisemitic, anti-muslim, and homophobic content online. andrew kaczynski shares the -- and he joins us now. andrew, what more can you tell us about this influencer that trump is defending? >> that is right, both donald trump and donald trump jr. have been defending, praising, a former influencer, convicted of interfering in the 2016 election, with a history of deeply racist and deeply antisemitic posts. his name is douglas mackie, and he posted under the anonymous twitter handle rick ivan. that's where he posted this mean which prosecutors say was to trick people into thinking they could vote for hillary clinton by text. they say at least 5000, 4900

people texted this number now. mackie and the trumps have sort of claim this is just a joke that no reasonable person would [sound of gunfire] believe that, but prosecutors allege a much more sinister plot to deprive people of their right to vote. mackie was convicted in march. he was sentenced in october, and now he is out as he waits for his appeal, flash forward to today and donald trump is using this as a case to say that joe biden's justice department is attacking the free speech of his supporters, take a listen to this. >> crooked joe and his men have tried to shut down free speech was a massive government censorship off ration to silence their critics. they are putting douglass mackey in jail for sharing a joking can mean about hillary clinton seven years ago, nobody ever heard about anything like

that. >> even though he is mentioning biden pretty specifically, we should note that this investigation started under donald trump's own department of justice. this guy was in charge until just a week into joe biden's administration. >> as we said, douglass mackey was known for anti-semitic pose and racist post. it goes beyond that. what more have you learned about them? >> that's right, they sort of sympathetically portrayed this guy as just sort of a trump supporter. but, he was sharing extremely racist, extremely antisemitic content regularly on his twitter feed. it is so vile that we cannot even show much of its on air. he used the n-word and refers to black people as farrell. he shared antisemitic propaganda that was reminiscent of not see germany, racist cartoons of pretty much every person of color. there was one post reviewed where he joked about having a cake made that you to sue -- sir for jewish people and joked

about gassing that was about hailing hitler. this is one of the only ones we can show on air where he said the jewish people fear that donald trump is hitler, because they know they have done great evil in america, and they feel fear that justice will be done. it's not like this stuff was really hidden, this was on his feet every time we checked in the web archive and just being a reporter at the time i remember seeing it from this pacific account. now that you sort of look at that, look at what don jr. said when he had him on his podcast in early december. >> you had an awesome account. it's maybe my favorite twitter account of all-time. i'll get in trouble is forcing that because he said something once that you most -- it was hilarious. like i said, maybe the best of all time.

>> maybe the best of all time, that's what donald trump jr. said about his twitter account. we did reach out to mr. mackie 's attorney before with the story. he gave us a statement that said he regrets the tone and substance of those post. they do not reflect current views or the person he has been for the last several years, but doug is grateful that former president son and thousands across the political spectrum can see through these nears and instructions and recognize his case is about protecting the first amendment rights of all americans. >> great reporting by you, i appreciate it. perspective now from cnn senior data reporter siri enten cnn political commentator and former republican congressman adam kinzinger, and cnn's audie cornish, host of the assignment podcast. so let's start with trump's most recent comments. congressman i want to go to you on that. these comments about immigrants from certain countries, quote,

poisoning the blood of the country are obviously vile. what do you make of the strong condemnation from other republicans? >> number one, that is not a comment you have just come up with unless you know what you're doing. stephen miller writes a lot of his stuff i think, so whoever, but let's keep in mind that this is not the first time he said poisoned the blood of america. he said it a month or two ago. he got pushed back on it because it's basically adolf hitler, and he doubled down and did it again. frankly that's what his people love which is frightening. the frightening thing is not even just that, it's the fact that my former colleagues are now, if you actually saw them behind closed doors you'd see them -- because they know they're going to have to answer to everything donald trump says, and they're back to their own ways, their ways of saying oh that's just him, where does lindsey graham say it's guarded.

these folks and i think anybody interviewed any congressman or senator has to ask repeatedly until the answer the question, you agree or don't. >> you think it has been cowardly? >> 100%. they are just being absolute cowers. they wish you would not say. most of them obviously do not agree with how he says it. but, they do not want to kick off the base, some of them may be up for election or have primaries around the corner. instead of being leaders, pamela, they are followers. the entire movement is made up of a bunch of followers and that includes house and senate numbers unfortunately. >> it is interesting because you heard lindsey graham say those are just four words but those words,, already informed a lot of trump's policies. his policies when he was in the white house reflected that kind of rhetoric and if you heard the congressman saying, supporters love it, and what do you say to that? do you see any of them choosing another candidate because this rhetoric? or, does it have the galvanizing effect on them and for others they may just not

care as much as they do about other issues like cost of living. >> nobody comment can do anybody like that. it's part of overall trends. overall trend is the former president has been saying this clear back to the first debate with clear hillary clinton. he said on the chair multiple times. he's used this blood and soil rhetoric multiple times. regardless of what he means, you do see support from him. there's been research about this on neo-sites et cetera where they can point this language that is coming. lastly, you heard adam kinzinger talking about stephen miller who is the architect of trump's anti immigration programs, the next round of this is the hope to push and a second term would be massive tension camps for illegal immigrants. they have not read all the child separation policy. they're talking about revoking birthright citizenship specifically for people who were born to undocumented mothers. so, there is real policy attached to the viciousness of any rhetoric that you are

hearing. >> >> i think it's really important for everybody to remember. this is not just rhetoric, this is backed up by as you put, reporting about what would happen if trump was -- >> it feels like groundhog day with the cycle of this over and over again. it has meaning which we've learned from january six. >> i remember when he was running for office before. talking about how mexico is sending the worse. >> you heard that with lindsey graham, writes? oh, it doesn't matter. i wouldn't say it that way. well, it's how we set it. we have heard all that's been before, them not taking things that he says seriously. but, at this point, i think most of the world does take the former president seriously. >> it's one thing to say that back in 2016, it's another after we've seen him in the white house and what he is capable of doing. i want to bring in you, harry, because he made those comments

about immigrants. many of whom are latino. so, where does the former president stand with latino voters? >> it's really interesting. if you look at the polling and compare biden versus trump, back in 2020, the final poll said joe biden winning hispanic voters by 26 points. now, joe biden still winning them today, but only by six points. that margin has been shrunk down by 20 percentage points. i think there's some question on this issue of immigration and border security, is this an issue that joe biden could potentially use as a wedge issue to win some hispanic voters back? take a look here, a better job on porter security and immigration, amongst hispanic voters, trump is actually the one who is favored by 12 points. so, i'm not necessarily sure that these recent comments will have too much of an impact on the hispanic support that has been growing for donald trump over the past few years. >> what do you think about that congressman? do you think that is a reflection of latino voters? being more worried about other

issues that they are faced with day-to-day living in america than this kind of rhetoric from john. what do you think? >> i think, look, i do not think democrats understand how to attract latino voters. i think they have taken the base for granted. as republicans, we were always trying to figure out how to reach latino voters. the thing is, there is not just with geno voters. there are people from mexico, people from cuba, people from venezuela, from central america. they vote differently in many cases, and they both on the same issue that any average american votes on. so, i think when it comes to the rhetoric, they are concerned about it certainly, but they also think of themselves not as latinos but as americans and therefore i think it's better if the democrats because they have to win this year because there is a lot at stake. if the democrats understand you need to speak to them as you speak to any blue power american about the people they care about. the economy is number one. they have to do a better job at communicating the economy. it is not doing too bad, but everybody feels like it is.

>> that is reflected, in many polls. audi to, and with you, we're only a few weeks ago way from iowa, i will cox's and the former president continues to lead the republican field despite that rhetoric. do you think any of his rivals have a shot at breaking through with this point? >> we do not know for sure, but we can say that's wrong desantis has really made a lot of little of groundwork in iowa. he has very high hopes there. you see nikki haley has made so many gains in new hampshire trying to take advantage of momentum that comes from media attention and donor attention. so, obviously, they still see some kinds of path. that path is not clear and they see some path through certain subset of voters that they are hoping to get support from. >> nikki haley has seen her standing to better in states like new hampshire and so far. so, we'll have to wait and see. audie cornish, and kinzinger, -- thank you very much. breaking news on the newest lawsuit is rudy giuliani facing for election lies he told, and why, especially in this case, he really should have known better than to open his mouth.

also tonight, a live report from israel where the calls from hostage families are getting louder and with the pressure on the israeli government to do more. it is growing.

>> two pieces of breaking news, what is a federal appeals court rejecting former chief of staff mark meadows attempt to get his georgia r. i. c. o. trial moved to federal court. the other will come as no

surprise to anybody who heard rudy giuliani continue to lie about election workers, shaye moss and ruby freeman, even after a jury awarded them more than 100 and $48 million for those very same lies. no surprise they are suing him again. cnn's evan perez is more with both stories, also with us just rock, former federal prosecutor and professor at -- the school of law. evan, specifically what are ruby freeman and shaye moss asking for in this latest suit? >> it's exactly what the judge warned rudy giuliani and his lawyers about. she told the legal team and rudy giuliani that he was opening him up to more defamation claims and more lawsuits. that is exactly what has happened. these two women have now gone to the judge and they want the court to enter an injunction, essentially, against giuliani, preventing him from making the statements, defaming her, both of them again, and from going on his media, as you know he has a podcast and other ways that he gets his word out, to not only making those statements because dozens of things he said on the steps of

the court. he went out and said he stood by his claims, saying he wants to show proof even the rbc for two years he hasn't shown that proof. he said his claims were support-able. all those things they're asking the judge to basically prevent him from being able to stay again broadcasting it from those words, again. so, now, if this is successful, a judge could enter an order that will now have a greater force, a greater teeth greater from -- $140 million is not enough, apparently. >> how is it that 100 $48 million. >> he doesn't have it, exactly. so folks go to you to put this

into perspective. what can the court due to block giuliani for refusing lies after owing $148 million. >> an injunction, here is a court order that directs a party, and not to engage in behaviors that the court has ordered the person to refrain from engaging. if the court were to go ahead and grant that injunction as they have requested, giuliani violated the injunction, then he could be subject to additional penalties, fines, and also potentially imprisonment for a contempt of court. that is the significance of an injunction issued by a court, is that it has the force of a court order. >> evan, back to you, you've been a very busy man because there's another case. federal appeals court saying they're rejecting his attempt to move the georgia election

interference case to the federal court. tell us about. that >> this is something metals has been trying to push for his case that we brought the federal court. the play here is to get this case dismissed. so, meadows doesn't have to face the state charges, but here we have a conservative -leaning panel on this 11 circuit which is again, a conservative leading court, and william pryor who wrote this opinion says that what meadows is doing is essentially electioneering, that does not fall within the four corners of what a chief of staff is supposed to be doing. that is acing everything he was doing after the election with donald trump was essentially part of his duties as a federal officer. therefore, he should be immune from these charges. his state charges and these equal charges. what he wrote here he says, whatever the chief of staff's role with respect to state elections, it does not include altering valid election results, and that is clear as day. so, now i expect that mark meadows is probably going to keep fighting. he's probably going to go to the supreme court and try his hand there. >> jessica, given the court to

meadows involving what the alleged conspiracy was not part of his initial duties as chief of, staffers of the country, that that -- anybody from the former president? >> even though the former president is not directly impacted by this decision from the 11th circuit today, the reasoning in the decision does not go well for trump's claim of immunity. of course, no courts previously held to there is such a thing as immunity for a former president, from criminal prosecution. the cases are only talking so far from the supreme court about immunity from civil lawsuits. but, if the former president were to prevail on his claim, his argument, which is normal, that there is such a thing as immunity for criminal prosecution. then of course -- the extent of it. in the civil context, it extends to the outer perimeter

of the presidents official duties. so, following the reasoning from the 11th circuit today, if what meadows was engaged in which is on behalf of the court said of the trump reelection campaign was not official because it was private and on behalf of the candidate trump, then, similarly with trump's alleged to have engaged in both in the january six prosecution in federal court in d. c., and in the georgia case, they're reasonably could be seen as outside or not to within the perimeter of this official duties. so, i think the reasoning does not go well for trump's claims of immunity. >> pryor is very -- he's a very influential judge, so, it is something i think you're right does not go well for the former presidents as well. >> very important perspective and content there. just to caracas and evan prize, up next, is really government getting more hostages freed from gaza after sickening details emerge from the brutality hostages experienced. plus, a report from the front line in ukraine with more --

the mood on the battlefield has become increasingly grim.

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>> following the death of three israeli hostages mistakenly killed by the idf, the white house today warned that the israeli military may need to adjust its rules of engagement. this comes with a growing split between the u.s. and israel over the high number of civilian casualties in gaza. the fence that pretoria austin and tel aviv today said he discussed pathways towards a future for gaza after hamas. meanwhile, there is pressure on israel to get more hostages out of gaza. here is cnn's jeremy diamond. >> reporter: the pleas are only growing more desperate. >> i beg the cabinet, we warn that the fighting will likely harm hostages. unfortunately, i was right. >> reporter: recently freed hostages and the families of those captive are ramping up the pressure on the israeli government to reach a deal for their freedom. after israeli soldiers mistakenly shot and killed three israeli hostages in gaza.

their desperate pleas smeared onto a white sheet on the building adjacent to where they were killed. help, three hostages read the hebrew letters, stained with red sauce. the former hostages, like --, who was shot as she was whisked into gaza, now beginning to shshare their ststories of captivity. >> translator: the first day was foggy, i lost a lot of blood. they stitch my wounds on the sosofa with girls next to meme. it's easy to understanand it was without anesthesia. >> reporter: in an interview on israeli tv, she revealed that her two daughters spent part of their captivity not in a tunnel but hidden in a hospital. >> translator: we were in a 12 meter room, ten people, no beds, only a sink. to go toto the toilet,t, we havo knock on a door, they can open after five minutes, or after an hour and a half. small girls could not hold it. >> reporter: cramped conditions, but also unending fear. >> translator: fear that because my girls were crying, making noise, they would get an

order from above, be taken from me, fear, , always fear.r. >> reporteter: for 49 dadays -- shielded her daughters from that fear until the moment they were handed to the red cross on the streets of gaza where hundreds of people crowded their vehicle. >> translator: it was the first time after a month and a half that -- said, mom, i'm scared. >> reporter: multiple former hostages also describe the tears of living under israeli bombardment in gaza. >> traranslator: there was some bombardment on the adjacent house, it sounded like it was going g to hit us. one of the guards was notified that his family members were dead. you tell yourself, i hope he doesn't turn against us. >> reporter: nearly every single hostage said they felt abandoned while in captivity. well channeling that feeling

into action. >> i think everybody needs to understand that the not enough is being done in order to free the hostages from the gaza strip they need to come back, now. you need to do everything you can to bring them back, now. hamas also appears to attempt to ramp up the pressure on the israeli government releasing another propaganda video, this time featuring three elderly hostages, one of them chaim peri, urges the israeli government to secure their unconditional release, expresses concerns about constant bombardment in gaza, israeli military for its part says this is a criminal terror video and says, it will do everything to secure those hostages released. pam. >> jeremy diamond, thank you for that. turning now to ukraine, the white house is warning that new aid for it will run out at the end of this month, as the heart strike a funding deal with republicans. as the battle plays out of washington, it's already having an impact on ukraine. cnn's nick paton walsh saw

forms of on the front lines. here is his report. first a warning, some of the content is graphic. >> reporter: this was where the billions were meant to spell a breakthrough-- the counteroffensives will supposed to kick russia to the sea this summer. and now it is death, deadlock, and the remnants of american help vanishing. it's notably different mood here, dark frankly, in the summer they were joyed, feeling they had the world at their back moving forward. now it is slow, dangerous, and there is a sense of despair to be honest. 40 russian drones swarmed one trench here in a day. down here, this tiny basement the rule is do not get sick. the other side are not so lucky, two russians were spotted moving alone. they guide in a motor strike, there are so many russians now. --

sometimes she struggles to handle it, and sometimes they have success. batteries die faster in the cold, russian jamming seems to damage them too. >> reporter: this is --, which reeks of -- how much horror moscow is willing to bring to seem to win. . it's a matter of months since we were here in the summer, how much more damage has been done? if you stop thinking about ukraine, be sure that putin has not. i command, they watch a wasteland, tree lines now bare, the dead, the injured, it is unclear if russia treats them differently. another ukrainian drone aims for a foxhole. what they've struggled with are the waves of russian assault. dozens of prisoners, well trained, a quipped, backed by

armor, they say are given a mix of drugs. they show us this graphic video of a wounded russian, his legs severed, high enough to smile through his fatal injuries. still, they claim they've held hard won on the ground, but at a huge cost. >> translator: as we say in the army, he says, the counteroffensive was smooth on paper but we forgot about the ditches. colossal changes are taking place, they started making their own attack drones and outnumber ours. they use them badly like a kids toy. [speaking in a non-english language] [speaking in a non-english language] >> reporter: they say a drone hit a trench, blown up by gas heater. [speaking in a non-english language]

[speaking in a non-english language] >> reporter: the silence, the wait for news, agony. [speaking in a non-english language] [speaking in a non-english language] >> reporter: does it feel like the casualties are getting worse? [speaking in a non-english language] >> translator: every casualty makes a difference, he says, it affects everyone's morale, it's painful for me. sergei, age 48, was one of four ukrainians to die in that area that day, about 50 that week. they haven't had to really talk about losing this war, but this is what it looks like. it's not just drones, this russian video seems to show a new threat, gas, caustic,

flammable, the ukrainians have had nine incidents on this front killing one. here are two survivors. [speaking in a non-english language] >> translator: at first i saw smoke, we ran out from the trench and the gas caught fire. the trench was in flames. this gas burns, you can't breath, shoots down your throat immediately, we didn't even have a second. >> reporter: you inhale it twice, then you fail to breathe. >> medical reports confirm that poisoning and ukrainian official told cnn that a form of cs gas was being used, there were injuries inside your mouth, where? [speaking in a non-english language] >> translator: on my cheeks, everywhere, inside the mouth, my face is swollen and covered in red marks. >> reporter: it's an ugly, savage world even, on a tv screen. where there seems little moscow

won't do but too much the west won't. >> analysts word every turn, nick. is it clear how much ukraine will be able to turn the situation around if and when the u.s. aid does come? >> i think technically speaking they have not really run out of u.s. aid yet. there are still -- supposed to be flowing. even there on the frontlines they complain about a lack of equipment. so, we've never really had great transparency on exactly what is in whose account. but, the morale is already low there because of the stole of u.s. aid in the hours on congress. they're not getting closer to a deal. and, they are dealing with a russian force that reinvigorated. they were apparently 13 assaults in the area we were filming in, just today, according to some ukrainian reports. staggering how moscow seems to have gotten its momentum back and just pushing again and again. so, yes, there's going to be a serious impact when that

american money finally dries up. remember, the european union are stalling as well on their contributions. but, you're already beginning to see where the winter, the lack of morale, the fact that the counteroffensive did not achieve what was thought potentially might. that's beginning to impact kyiv and i think as the money runs out that's going to make a significant change very fast. pam. >> nick paton walsh, thank you for the reporting. up next, more breaking news, a controversial bill just signed in the state law of texas on illegal border crossing. plus, a closer look at the massive backlog of an immigration cases in federal court. and, the florida gop chairmen accused of sexual assault is refuted sex step down despite sexual allegations against him, his wife, and another woman. we will be back.

more breaking news. texas governor greg abbott has signed a new bill into law. it makes crossing illegally into texas from mexico a state crime. the bill also gives local police the power to arrest migrants and allows state judges to issue orders to

remove migrants to mexico. this comes with a massive backlog of such cases in federal courts. millions of migrants having to wait years to see a judge. more from cnn's -- >> reporter: outside any american immigration quite these days, illegally find long lines. people gathering in the middle of the night for court appearances that will determine if they stay in the united states, or if they'll be deported. >> they are lining up, sometimes at five a. m.. i've seen them lining up the night before as well. >> reporter: some of these migrants will end up in a new york city courtroom. judge sankoff is the president of the national association of immigration judges. she served as a judge for 17 years, and has never seen the system under this intense strain. >> some days, i can see up to 100 different cases just in the morning. i've been a judge in los angeles, colorado, and in new york city, and i've never seen the numbers that we're seeing

right now. >> reporter: now, for the first time, tracking data shows the immigration court backlog has reached more than 3 million cases. in 2012, there were over 325,000 backlog cases. across the country, there are just 71 immigration courts and 734 immigration judges that handled this caseload. the states with the largest numbers of pending cases are florida, texas, california, and new york. last december, we met this man, his wife, and their two jobs run as they crossed the rio grande into texas. >> reporter: did you think reaching this point would be saw motional? [speaking in a non-english language] >> reporter: with tears in their eyes, they tell me they never thought the journey from venezuela would be so painful. >> reporter: the family is now in new york, navigating the immigration asylum process. the journey captures the dilemma of the system.

you just had your first hearing in the court, correct? [speaking in a non-english language] >> reporter: they say it's been very difficult to find an attorney. in fact, after a year, they still haven't been able to get an immigration attorney. the same tracking data shows close to -- percent of the migrants who have lawyers show up to their court hearings. the data is less clear for migrants who don't have lawyers. these two attended their first court hearing last week, and have another date set for april of next year. the biden administration has added more than 300 immigration judges to help handle the massive backlog of cases. but the judge also says there aren't enough interpreters and block works to move cases along. >> the focus has been on hiring more immigration judges, which makes sense. but you cannot hire your way out of this problem. because even an immigration judge really can only handle

maybe about 500 cases a year. >> and you mentioned in your piece there that the average wait time for an asylum seekers for years. can the people who are waiting work in the meantime? >> reporter: they can. they need work authorization to be able to do that, and depending on what country you come from, what your individual circumstances, it could take quite a bit of time to get that. so after these migrants got that, they can start taking on jobs legally here in the u.s.. in the meantime, other migrants are simply trying to find ways to make ends meet, working under the table in various locations. this is happening throughout the country. immigration judges and reform advocates say that one of the things that could speed things up in the immigration court process is if the whole system was moved out from under the department of justice in the executive branch into an independent judiciary branch. they say that would give judges more discretion to move through these cases much faster. >> all right.

thank you so much. and up next, the new steps taken against the florida gop chairman accused of, and who is facing other allegations involving his wife and another woman. also ahead, a volcano eruption iceland tonight after weeks of warnings. more incredible pictures, just ahead.

tonight, new details on a sex scandal involving the footage u. p. chairman. his wife, is a cofounder of conservative group moms for liberty, and another woman. the chairman is refusing to step down as he faces the allegations that have led his own party to take drastic steps against him. cnn's carlos whereas has the story. but >> reporter: unanimous votes in there. he needs to move on. a sex scandal involving florida's gop chairman christian ziegler leading to calls for his resignation.

>> he needs to resign. >> reporter: he's been accused of a woman in october. according to a source warrant affidavit obtained by cnn, ziegler and his wife had a prior three-way consensual sexual relationship with the woman. he's now stripped of all of his duties and his salary reduced to just $1. >> we asked him to turn resign immediately. he has not, so he reiterated the demand. >> reporter: he tried to defend his south as -- he was heckled by party officials who rejected his apology. >> he did the stupid thing, and he's gonna have to suffer the consequences. >> reporter: party leaders said even if the sexual assault allegations are not sure, the details of ziegler's private life becoming public is too damning. >> you cannot lead the republican party with the charges that are standing in front of him. and the admissions he's made in the affidavit. you cannot morally lead the republican party forward. and that's, i think, at the end

of the day, we wish him well and his legal endeavors if he did not do it. >> reporter: ziegler, who hasn't been criminally charged, said the sex with the accuser was consensual. he also denied reports of seeking a financial buyout in the neighborhood of $2 million and exchange for resigning his post. writing in a text message to cnn, quote, i have not asked for anything. again, 100% fabricated lie. >> i will not be in favor of the path. >> reporter: the party plans to meet in three weeks to vote to officially remove him. and while christians faith with the gop seems certain, his wife's political future is not. brigitte ziegler, the cofounder of the conservative group moms for liberty, refused to resign from her school board after other board members asked her

to, saying the scandal was a distraction. -- florida governor ron desantis has called on christian ziegler to step down, but won't go that far with bridget. >> i've called on christian to step down as the rpo f chairman. my understanding is he's the one who is under the criminal cloud. clearly, i think, brigitte, and this is somebody i've worked with, and i really like the work she's done, she's gonna have to look to see how effective she's gonna be able to be in those circumstances. >> reporter: removing the zeroes as one thing both democrats and republicans agree on, even if for different reasons. >> in order for them to attempt to salvage what is left of their party's so-called values, they have to give off the impression of accountability. >> carlos suarez joins me now from atlanta. as you said, christian ziegler has not yet been formally charged. do we know the status of the investigation? >> well, right now, pam, we do not. the sarasota police department really has not said anything about this case officially.

we know that police have -- we know the investigation, at least according to the search warrant affidavit, began over two months ago, and that police have reviewed text messages and other messages on social media between christians the glare and the accuser. we also know that police have reviewed surveillance video showing christian arriving at the house of the accuser on the day of the alleged sexual assault. we're also told, at least according to this document, that christian told police that he recorded this sexual encounter, which again, he says was consensual, and that police are still in the process of trying to obtain that piece of video. pam. >> all right, carla suarez. thank you so much. up next, more breaking news. the latest from iceland, which is living up to its nickname of land of fire of and ice with a volcanic eruption tonight.