companies the sky so to speak is no longer the limit. >> ali velshi reporting and that is our show for today. i'm david shuster in for ali velshi. for everybody here for "real money"," thanks for watching. >> this is al jazeera america. i'm john siegenthaler in new york. yemen deal. an end to the standoff and leaked evidence of a conspiracy. al jazeera exclusive. president obama can he turn a rousing speech into reality. new era high level talks in havana. at u.s. and cuba come together.

will it finally happen? a public utility uh political crisis in yemen may be drawing to a close. shia rebels known as houthis have taken control of the presidential palace and most of the capital for the past 24 hours. yemen which serves as a home base to a branch of al qaeda appeared to be on the brink of a coup but now a new deal. the rebels will return control back to the deposit houthis will be granted more access to government jobs and positions within the military. now al jazeera has obtained a leaked phone conversation, it suggests a former yemeni president who was ousted during the arab spring has been working with the houthis for months. caroline malone has this exclusive report.

>> reporter: in audioare, leaks to al jazeera we hear a phone call that happened just after the houthis took control of the capital sanaa in september. in the phone call sallah tells him to speak to his people, son-in-law a leading gpc figure. >> get in touch with aref. >> all right. >> also abdul aziz. >> god willing we will. >> also. >> okay, all right i with it be meeting with him after lunch. >> telgtelling how to operate from there. so president hadi can't leave. >> you should take control of the land sea and air routes.

>> obviously. >> if you don't all will be lost and you will seem as if you are making false promises. >> no, never do not be concerned. >> no planes should be allowed the fly. >> all right. >> otherwise those come rasdz -- >> comrades -- >> yes yes. >> will be allowed to escape. >> ali abdel assallah, a man controlling a lot of the other you know centers of power and corruption in yemen who had been looting the yemeni people of billions of dollars every year. >> the houthis have increased their influence around yemen after massive protest against him. they've held the capital sanaa since september. their supporters say they should

do in any way they can. >> if you are in a war it is not the houthis that they may be looked for that. and at a war can you expect anything. this is something that happens this is normal not something really like to be ashamed of. >> the question now is how will other yemenis will react when they think that sallah has apparently been calling the shots after being pushed out of control three years ago. caroline ma lowell lone, al jazeera. >> senior vice president at the suthan group robert welcome. what was the significance of the former president being involved in these investigations. >> ever since the relatively peacefulling transition, he has

complainted significant power within the security apparatus and elements in yemen. a lot of people remain loyal to ali abdalla. >> from the united states perspective what does it mean for al qaeda right? >> absolutely. right. that's one of the things that ties in with consistent demand from the houthis as well. look, we're in a position if need be to take over significant parts of the country. however we can't run the country by ourselves and one of the main and consistent demand is you hadi and the government must take care of the al qaeda problem in madab, for example where the oil producing is. >> how do you take care of the al qaeda problem. >> the houthis are saying look we'll support you but you must take care of that problem no easy thing to -- >> how big is that problem in yemen? >> it is a big and growing

problem. theoretically anyway al qaeda in yemen should be as weak as ever right now. it's got a serious three-prong war. the remnants of the government of the ct force he in the government the houthi and no. the hinterland area where it forms alliances along tribal or clan ties, people are left with no alternative except accommodate al qaeda. >> months ago the government was touting yemen as a success story. what happened? >> i know it's just amazing when you look at the series of events that happened but in some ways yemen was an exemplar after the arab spring where there was a transition of power. there was something called the analyst dialogue but what happened a series of events of cascading events where the houthi continue to you accuse

the government of reneging on the national dialogue and reneging on things had a were in the constitution. >> what is the u.s. biggest failure in yemen? >> i wouldn't even begin to have an answer for that. it's just a very, very complicated situation. >> what kind of mistakes have the u.s. made? >> as far as yemen policy, beyond my brief. >> robert mcfadden, good to see you. >> my pleasure. >> it was an impassioned speech last night now to turn the ambitious set of economic proposals into reality. mike viqueria has more. >> president obama the day after on the road in boise idaho chase pressing his agenda even if many say it's a pipe dream. >> for six years we've been working on this thans to thanks to

your hard work and your resilience smairk coming back person. >> after -- america is coming back. glfs we too have made it through hard times. >> his plan for economy has been dubbed the robin hood approach. a propose to redistribute wealth by upping taxes on the rich around cutting them for poor and middle class. the president coined a new phrase. >> that's what middle class economics is. the idea that this country does best when everyone gets their fair shot, everyone does their fair slayer, everyone plays by the same set of rules. [applause] we don't just want everyone to share in america's success we want everyone to contribute to our success. >> it is music to the ears of many on the left but a challenge

to the republicans who are not likely to go along. what's the point? of? as our al jazeera america monmouth university poll suggests most people feel little to no benefit of a growing economy. growing debate how to break the cycle of stagnant wages. he is lighting a fire under a disaffected voting base, tax reform and immigration. the optimism extended to foreign policy where, instead of paintingpainting a rosy picture the presidential chose to ignore hot spots. this the 2013 speech mr. obama spoke of helping libya fight terrorism. yemen was raised the last two years but this year with both countries spiraling towards chaos, nothing. nor did he talk of boko haram the group responsible for killing thousands in nigeria. the president also failed to mention yemen-based al qaeda in

the arabian peninsula which claimed responsibility for recently deadly attacks in paris. >> we stand united with people around the world from the school in pakistan to the streets of paris. >> mike viqueria, al jazeera new york. seth last night president obama said the u.s. economy has risen from recession. what's your take on it? and how much has it improved? >> there's been a significant improvement, john. remember the president inherited the worst economy in seven decades. we were losing 800,000 jobs in the month of swore the oath of office in 2009. now we've had 58 uninterrupted months of job growth. 3 million jobs ber created last year -- were created last year. 5 million in the first quarter of last year. a lot of good news but the president acknowledged there are a lots of americans left behind,

left out of the labor market. the overwhelming majority of americans still haven't gotten a raise and so helping americans to continue to do better and including everyone the growth the economy is experiencing. >> so many of president obama's proposals last night like expanding sick pay leave free tuition for community colleges uh community college and the like, require congress to act. but we've got a republican dominated congress. that's not very likely, right? >> well, i think some of it will pass. some of it will be the subject of negotiation. i like to think of -- >> what will pass. >> the transpacific partnership and the pact pass, i think the authorization of the use of force against terrorists in the middle east, on the economic fronts i think it's going to be alittle bit more of a struggle but the president was opening down a negotiating position so if the republicans come to him and say we want to cut corporate

tax rates which is something they've said they want to do his response i hope will be welt i've laid out an agenda of cutting taxes for the middle class and working families. if they want tax cuts for the working class they'll have to giver him something like he laid out last night. >> was he setting the race for -- setting the agenda of the race of 2016 ? >> i can tell you barack obama seize himself as a transitional leader. he's not just setting an agenda. he's interested in legislation and taking action within his executive authority and making working people's lives better. he wants to move the country forward. he's not just about rhetoric. he really is about action. >> the president talked about tax benefits for the middle class but that would cost about

$175 billion over ten years. where's that money going to come from? >> well, he talked about raising rates on the wealthiest americans and getting rid of the trust fund loophole which allows the wealthiest in our society to hand the money down at a very low interest rate to their children. he talked about returning tot capital gains rate we had under president reagan. there is a lot of money out there. we're on a him low rate, the wealthier have gotten a lot wealthier during this recovery. the president feels they can give back a little bit so that middle class dpeams families can get job training and two-person household credits. that's what he wants. >> we'll see. thank you very much. in many ways congress remains deeply divided. al jazeera teamed up with

monmouth university to ask people about washington gridlock and we asked which is the larger problem for federal government: lawmakers who won't compromise or lawmakers who won't stand up for their principles? more than half said a lack of compromise was the bigger problem. we saw clear example of the political divide today. house speaker jairnl john boehner invited benjamin netanyahu to speak. congress. libby casey is live in washington with that. libby. >> once when are john boehner was speaker four years ago but it was the way the invitation was extended that's caught washington off guard and it was certainly intended to send a message. >> good morning everybody. >> he's not the commander in chief but house speaker john boehner is taking foreign policy into his own hands just one day

after the state of the union inviting israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu to address congress next month bypassing a surprised white house. >> i don't believe i'm poking anyone in the eye. >> the speaker framing it as a rebuke of president obama's nuclear negotiations with iran. >> there is a serious threat that exists in the world. and the president last night kind of papered over it. >> reporter: republicans eager to impose more sanctions on iran if negotiations stall and warning of a nuclear iran. >> you go over the time line, it's been impressive how they've been able to use this process. another five years maybe we'll build the bomb for them. >> on the home front there is still hope for bipartisan reform around cyber security. >> if the president is willing to put the veto threats away and the design-to-fail talking points aside we can still

cooperate to get some smart things done for people we represent. >> the republican controlled congress is plowing ahead on its own agenda. a keystone xl pipeline bill work its way through the senate already passed in the house. >> we're going to continue to reach across but i don't mind threefg table with half a -- leaving table with halved a loaf of bread but it's not going to be his way or no way. >> we willing be laying out the agenda for the debate for the next president of the united states. the next election knot by this one. >> reporter: now there is agreement in washington john that the middle class needs help but republicans are dismissing president obama's proposals as being tax-and-spend policy. a phrase we have heard before. instead they say it's

infrastructure projects like the keystone pipeline that will get americans jobs. don't expect a completion of this issue any time soon john. >> thank you libby. a look back at how many proposals made in the annual address actually become law. and opening the door for cuban tourism. what you can expect if you travel there. travel there.

>> russia and ukraine have made a deal to withdraw heavy weapons from eastern ukraine. both sides made a deem to pull back weapons. the deal was brokered between european diplomats in berlin today. killed 4800 people and displaced about 1 million. the first high level talks between cuba and united states

in decades was often to a rocky start. negotiatessors clashed over immigration. in december, president obama announced an historic accord to normalize diploma relations after 50 years. part of the agreement includes allowing more americans to travel to cuba. david arioso is in havana with more on that david. >> that rocky start has not dissuaded cubans from the amount of excitement they have about this policy. the idea that americans would come down here and infuse the country with money that it so desperately needs. the economy here has really taken a hit from the venezuelan situation, you see crumb bltion crumbling

infrastructure and shortages. americans may be in for a rude awakening when they come down here to this communist island. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> for the last half-century, scenes like these have been off-limits for most american travelers. a u.s. embargo that began in 1960 cut off american trade and tourism and helped keep cuba frozen in time. president obama's new policy while not entirely lifting the ban against visiting cuba is make the communist island more accessible to americans athan it has been in decades. so we decided to head to cuba to get a firsthand look at the island since president obama

floadgedpledged to normalize relations. their numbers are way up and you get a sense that this once forbidden island is starting to open up. last year about 100,000 citizens traveled to cuba, not to mention the 300,000 cuba afn cuban mairntd americans viflght cubaviferghtvisiting coug cube every cuba every year. instead they have to find out if they fit in one of those 12 categories. instead it's based on self

reporting. it's not whether americans are ready for cuba, but whether cuba is ready for them. those accustomed to five star hotels may find current accommodations a bit bare bones. chronic shortages. >> we bring our own toilet paper, nice, shoft soft charmin from the states. >> while americans will be eventually able to use credit cards and debit cards from the states cuba remains cash only economy. >> i think it will take a while for the city to be ready for american tourists just in volume. >> more trade with the world's largest economy has some here in havana hopeful that this new policy is actually just the beginning. >> in one year no more embar go. i tell you americans are going

to be welcome here. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> reporter: in the meantime, tour guides will have their hands full with more and more americans descending on the island. now if you fit into one of those 12 categories of americans who can travel down here not a tourist remember if you oar education person or journalist or holding a conference and you follow them into one of those categories don't go to delta you won't find a flight there. you're going to have to deal with people who essentially deal with this for a living. this is a highly specific process. just because the united states is opened the door to cuba, doesn't that cuba has opened its doors to the united states. there's only 3500 rooms in havana. so space is limited and cuba will start restricting vee is

as. isrestricting visas.how well havana is actually capable of dealing with this many tourists and travel erst. >> all right thanks so much now to israel when at least 13 people were injured in a stab ago tack. a palestinian man now in police custody. the latest in a surge of violence in the israeli and palestinian territories. >> police say a palestinian man boarded a public bus on begin road and stabbed its driver first. he then moved on to stabbing passengers before fleeing. the authorities said he was say he was apprehended, 400 meters away from the bus and shot in the leg. >> translator: i saw the bus standing at the junction. people were running away from

it. i ran outside i staw trort racing. police were chasing him. i decid decided to run for the bus to help the injured. >> the attacker now in police custody is a 23-year-old palestinian man from the occupied west bank who authorities say entered israel illegally. they identified him from the refusing camp. like all palestinian cities rarched towns is under israeli occupation. as it has in prevention attacks the government blames the palestinian authorities and hamas. >> and hamas demonstrated what hamas is, a brutal and terrorist organization. now president abbas the leader of the palestinians cannot have it both ways. he can't link arms with world leaders in paris to condemn

terrorism when he l arms with hamas back at home. >> this is not the first attack, while struggling with a palestinian man who attempted to grab his weapon near a train station. israelis are angry about this latest attack. it comes santa time when the public is divided ahead of an anticipated early election in march, something that puts prments benjaminprment benjamin netanyahu prime minister benjamin netanyahu under more pressure. >> the airbus don't want to live with us in peace no matter what we do. >> reporter: meanwhile talks between two sides are stalled and return to negotiation seems to be remote possibilities.

up enroll now with october and know being the blodiest bloodiest months. al jazeera west jerusalem. >> coming up next, new developments out of ferguson missouri about the federal investigation of the former police officer who killed michael brown. plus a look at how many state of the union proposals actually become law.

you

>> hi everyone.this is al jazeera america. i'm john siegenthaler. ferguson investigation. will darren wilson face official charges in the killing of michael brown? stoirch. >> state of the union. >> tonight we turn the page. >> now comes the hard reality. left unsaid. >> we are boko haram. >> no mention much boko haram. is the u.s. doing enough to stop

nigeria's nightmare? and capital cost. $10 million for a death penalty case. >> in my view it is definitely money that should be spent elsewhere. >> there are reports tonight that the fbi has found no evidence to support federal civil rights charges against former police officer darren wilson. the fatal shooting of 18-year-old michael brown in ferguson missouri touched off protests sparked a national debate on race and the use of deadly force by police. ash-har quraishi is in ferguson. does that mean no federal charges will be filed against the police officer? >> john, that's what it looks like. the department of justice has not made any announcement but there are reports indicating they are putting a legal memo together that will say that they are not filing those charges against darren wilson, they don't have enough evidence to do that. but of course that official

announcement has not come out just yet john. >> what are they looking for and what is the burden of proof for prosecutors in this kind of case? >> well, the burden of proof is pretty high in this case and attorney general eric holder talked about that a little bit. for example under the criminal case, not only do they have to prove probable cause which the grand jury failed to do, but they would have to prove that darren wilson willfully deprived michael brown of his civil rights when he fired his gun in his capacity as a police officer. much higher burden of proof. something difficult to put together in this case that basically goes along with what we had been expecting john. >> this would be the last word if it comes to this from the

justice department? >> this would be the last word for example in the darren wilson case from the department of justice. but as you know there is also a civil rights investigation into the entire ferguson police department that the department of justice has opened right now they are looking for patterns ever indication that residents in ferguson were facing discrimination and possible violation he of their civil rights that's continuing ongoing even after the darren wilson investigation is concluded. >> state of the state remarks he's in the middle of the discussion. do we expect any discussion of ferguson? >> we've heard from governor jay nixon. he talked about some of the things that they've done to move forward including using funding to help businesses along west

florisend. and moving forward. >> let's listen to what he has to say. >> make no mistake. the legacy of ferguson will be determined what we do next to foster healing and hope and changes we make to strengthen all of our communities. >> reporter: and governor nixon also says that he's very proud of the work of law enforcement officials. he says they put their lives ton line every day and he says some people feel there's a knead to choose sides but the only way to have real change requires standing together. john. >> lawrk, thank you veryash-har quraishi, thank you very much. much of president obama's state of the union agenda could be ignored by the republican-controlled congress.

paul beban is live with that. paul. >> how many of those first two will actually come to fruition. the recent history is any guide to last night the answer might be not a whole lot of them. >> that's why i'm sending this congress a bold new plan to lower the cost of community college. to zero. [applause] the >> reporter: a call to fund two years of community colleges was just one of president obama answer appeals to congress. but whether he will be able to deliver on that or any of his initiatives is another question entirely. in his 2013 state of the union address president obama made 41 proposals but only two became reality. that's a less than stellar success rate of 4.9%. his best year was 2010 when among other things he made good on a big campaign promise. >> the health care law because a huge success for him. he campaigned on health care reform and the law that was

passed in congress didn't get everything that he had promised. overall the health care law looks a lot like what he wanted. fest being. >> reporter: with a democratic majority in 2010 the president was able to follow through completely or at least partially on more than half, 55.6% to be exact of his proposals. >> the stimulus did not have the economic jolt that they hoped it would have had that piece of legislation helped president obama keep a shrew of his campaign promise he made on domestic policy. >> reporter: everyone has highs and lows. a state of the union address tracking back to president lyndon johnson only gerald ford was worse. in george w. bush's reelection year 2004, his success rate was 38.2 compared to mr. obama's

28.4. 1987 was not a good year for president ronald reagan. his success rate that year was 5.3% compared to his best year when he hit 70.4. bill clinton managed to do well guide a republican led -- disputed a republican led congress in 1996. he got 53% of his agenda passed, compared to 1995. >> they do try keep their promises. where they run into trouble is where they want to get a legislature to agree with them to pass a new law. >> reporter: one thing president obama will have control over is how many times he vetoes what comes outs of a republican congress p.m. last night he issued four specific veto threats one acknowledge including un unraflg controls un unraffling

wall street controls. michael shore. i throifned republican response and i throifned a number of democrats and republicans on both sides. is there any reason to think there year's going to be different? >> there really isn't a reason to do that. i mean i hate to come in here with sour news but i don't think i'm surprising you john. you know the president is coming in there as paul said with a slew of promises and a slew of ideas but they're different than the campaign promises because he's presenting an agenda to the congress which is different than going out and making promises tot electorate. what you saw last night was barack obama untethered to an election untethered to the politics of its. this is what i want to talk about and that's the first time

he's been able to do that. i think measure of that speech is not necessarily what gets passed and what doesn't get passed, but how the republicans may take advantage of what happens before that. >> you were in the chamber and the hill last night. you talked to people, what did they say? >> a lot felt it was a great soaring or oratory. some democrats had a problem with the trade issues. some even had a problem with the iran sanctions saying that he was going to veto that. so there was a defiant president but at the same time you know republicans said listen we wanted to have some sort of cooperation going into this. we're two and a half weeks in one of the republicans said to me and already he's saying he's going to veto everything. it would be nice to have a conversation. the president descroant a short memory. he knowsness doesn't have a

short memory. >> if he can't get anything through congress isn't he just setsetting up democrats for 2016? >> yes. that's part of a lame duck president's job to put his party into good shape and put the republican party back on its heels. the president crafted this differently, the tactics that they use releasing a little bit of his plan his taxation plan before the speech allowing the details to come out early. and then the principles behind it to occupy most of the time in the speech. and that was a little differently and that's what makes me think that yes this was about 2016 more than it was about 2015. michael shore thank you very much. >> thank you. >> president obama touched oa number of foreign policy issues also. i.s.i.l. and paris. something else, stephanie sy has

that story. >> days after being gun mefnmen attacked a being satirical newspaper in paris and a kosher grocery. hundreds possibly thousands killed. >> we stand united with people around the world who have been targeted by terrorists. >> but in his state of the union speech president obama did not mention boko haram pep. >> steph the union you are make it in a very broad term but at least a signal, a symbolism that look boko haram you might think that you're getting away with this we are watching you. it would have bean good symbol, a good gesture from the president. >> he didn't do it? >> he lost an opportunities. >> reporter: boko haram has used young girls reportedly as suicide bombers.

the group has broke into cameroon and has as much tear triz reportedly as i.s.i.l. the baga massacre just latest example of boko haram's brutality. >> they shot at us, we were trampling on dead bodies when we ran into the bush. >> you have to help nigeria contain boko haram because if you don't, it is next door to south disafn, not too far from somalia, it will be a huge problem. why the president overlooked it in his speech. >> memories are short. last year when boko haram kidnapped nearly 300 girls in nortsnorth nigeria, michelle obama got on the bandwagon.

>> ten months since the kidnapping in chibok, not a single girl has been rescued. the killings and kidnappings unrelenting. talk ugh about possible intervention. the u.s. had planned to help train be troops, but president goodluck jonathan cancelled that help. against the law to supply arms to a nigerian army which itself is accused of gross human rights violations. john back to you. >> stephanie thank you prm the president did promise to close the prison at guantanamo bay a vow he made six years ago 30 days into his presidency. but republicans are spoiling for a fight jamie mcintire has the story. >> john it is perhaps an

understatement than closing guantanamo is easier said than done. but president obama still has it on his to do list for his last two years and last night he vowed to get it done. >> it is time to close gitmo. >> in his stoirch state of the union address, he one strike again propositioned to close down guantanamo. appealed on practical as well as moral grounds. >> it makes no sense to spend $3 million per prisoner to keep open a prison that the world condemns and terrorists use to recruit. >> that argument echoes one made in a new book genome diary by modelu slahi. actor colin firth reads from his

account. >> everybody makes mistakes. i believe the u.s. government owes it to torch tell them the triet of what happens in guantanamo. personally i have cost the american taxpayer at least $1 million and the ticker is higher every day. >> over his six years in office he has whilt whittled the number from 266 e-60 to 130. but republicans in congress have been pushes back hard, threatening new restrictions on the transfers. >> it's one thing omake a campaign promise but if you look at the security situation that we're facing around the world right now now is not the time to be emptying guantanamo with no plan for how and where these individuals are going to go. no assurances are security of when these will be released. >> 30% of guantanamo prisoners

released have returned to the battlefield to threaten america. the number is more like 6%. but the debates underscores a key point. where to send a dozen or so prisoners the u.s. believes will always be a threat. to move them to the united states would require a buy-in from congress because the current law prohibits transfers of prisoners to america. senate armed services committee chairman john mccain says he has not received a plan from the administration but he's willing to work with one. john. >> jamie mcintire reporting. coming up. texas citizens carrying guns. and a murder trial in washington has already cost $10 million and it has barely begun. the cost of death penalty cases coming up next. ming up next.

>> contaminated water and polluted farmland near glendive,

montana. 50,000 gallons of crude oil poured into the river last weekend, the second major spill in four years. most of the contamination trapped under ice. investigators still trying to determine the cause. for more on this story you'll want to go to aljazeera.com. a high profile death penalty case is finally getting underway in washington state. but it took five years to get there. allen schauffler is in washington with that. allen. >> we are just getting started just beginning ohear witness testimony in this case john and it's already very expensive. once again washingtonians having to consider the questions around what is the cost of killing a killer? is it worth it shall we go on? all of this with the defense side and the prosecution side split on exactly who's to blame for the rising price.

>> a jury has finally been chosen for joseph mcenroe's trying. but it took five years and $7 million to get to this point. for he and the woman also charged in this case, michelle mcnamara. the defense has challenged the way documents are sealed and the prosecution's right to consider the quality of evidence. recently they have challenged the coordinate of juries stipend. little in guilt or innocence charges defendants, killing anderson's parents brother and sister-in-law five-year-old niece, three-year-old 97 pup three-year-old

nephew, in christmas 2007. not willing to discuss the proceedings or the cost to this point. but the county prosecutor in the past has not been shy about accusing defense teams of intentionally making death penalty cases cost far more than they have to. >> i personally of course i'm very much opposed to the death penalty on a lot of grounds. >> we talked to deference attorney katie ross. she denies inflating cost, she's doing she says what the law requires providing an adequate defense. >> in my view it is definitely money that should be spent elsewhere. >> it's you ridiculous to suck it's not deliberate. >> no doubt in your mind it's deliberate? >> no, no. but deliberate in the cause of saving a man's life. >> mark rowe won't comment directly on the mcen roy rowe

case but thing prosecutor in snohomish county has no doubt that death penalty is a bargaining ship. >> you can't make the argument that you are creating yourself. it's too extensive with a lot of credibility when it's a strategy you have decided to use. >> with mcenrow's trial just beginning and michel anderson's case. >> my chel anderson will be tried later this year that will also have two phases and just this week another capital case involving the killing of a police officer also started in seattle. all of this as the washington governor has declared a

moratorium on executions. no planned executions have been delayed as yet. he says he will not sign off on them if they come before him when he's in office. >> allen schauffler, thank you. after onumber of high profile cases of police violence recently, a lot of people are calling for more police accountabilities. taxpayers are taking it upon themselves and doing it while armed. sarah hoye reports. >> reporter: corrie watkins police scanner cracks to life. with his ak .47 rifle slung over his shoulder, he begins his night's work video camera in his hand. >> looks like they are arresting somebody. >> for more than ayear the gun-toting texan and a small band of enthusiasts have taken to the streets.

>> more than ever we need police accountable. we need people out here recording because it's not just here in our area, it's alt over all over the country. >> watkins and his team warn citizens of traffic stops. >> i'm going to place you under arrest for impeding our investigation. >> i am not impeding your investigation. >> yes you are. >> watkins openly carries his ak frefer while onak.47 while on patrol. >> why carry that weapon? >> why not? it's my right to do so and i want to exert my freedoms. >> but exercising his freedoms have caused friction with local police. carrying weapons and filming

police are not the problem. >> it is not teerch even the firearm itself. where the police officer could not focus ton action they were doing. >> watkins his wife janie and fellow cop-watcher joseph tye were arrested. sometimes they can go too far. we were shown this video of an officer's interactions with watkins. >> you oar thug. >> a request cook says that has gone unanswered. for the police in this town watkins combination of open carry and open confrontation remains an uneasy one but watkins isn't backing down any time soon. and by the way the same group took their concerns took their cause to the state house where they want to also push for this

new law that will allow them to open-carry handguns. >> i'm still trying to get this through my head and understand it. first of all what is it like to ride around with this group? >> something totally different a foreign experience. we are chasing cops watching concalls. >> they have guns? >> not just guns, big guns. >> ak 47s? >> yes. i understand the right to protect yourself an all this but why during this process do they need guns? >> their big focus big baby if you will is this open-carry law in texas. they are making the point i can carry this long gun but i can't open-carry a handgun. >> it would seem like they were more in line with police but doesn't seem like they are. >> they are not necessarily --

>> they are not necessarily happy with them when they come up right? >> that is right. we have to keep these people accountable they say. >> they want to keep the police accountable? >> correct.