variants, the vaccines are left effective against the variants, we know that, then it becomes pretty hard to get to herd immunity and we may well have a surge next winter. >> and just to be clear, even if there's more cases, to anderson's point, you could still have a far lower death rate because the vaccines do seem to be very protective against tem dieing and being against people dieing and being hospitalized. which is important. how many have been already infected, have antibodies, and may have immunity you say closer to 19% as of february 22nd. if you look at cdc and johns hopkins data it is close to 30% of the country. that's a significant difference in terms of your model of how many people have immunity versus

theirs. >> it certainly is, sanjay and we're basing our assessment of 19% on the many, many surveys around prevalence, people measuring antibody tests in the population state by state over time. and we track those and put it all together with cases, deaths, and hospitalization, that's where we come up with the 19%. those higher numbers are essentially taking an assumption about what fraction of cases go undetected and then they scale across cases. so we believe in the lower number around 19%. >> dr. chris murray. sorry, go ahead, sanjay. >> i was going to say it's interesting because antibody studies could be tough, just measuring certain populations. it's a longer conversation we can hopefully have at some point. >> sorry, thank you, we're out of time.

be sure to download dr. sanjay's podcast, coronavirus fact versus fiction. and don't miss full circle, catch it live streaming at 6:00 p.m. on cnn app watch it my time on demand. turn it over to chris for cuomo primetime. >> thank you, anderson, i'm andrew cuomo welcome to "primetime" we have breaking news tonight, the first known military action under president biden. the u.s. we're told has carried out air strikes in syria near the border of iraq targeting a site used by two iran-backed militia groups -- according to a u.s. official. so let's bring in two different reporters to cover this situation. oren let me start with you, this is a little complicated. these attacks in syria may be response to attacks in baghdad

in iraq that may have been organized by iranian-supported militia. take us through it. >> this region from iran to iraq into syria is shia cress sent where iran has a tremendous amount of influence and supports proxies there and provides weapons and more. that's why the message from iran comes into syria and where we saw the military carry out its first offensive action against president joe biden that's what we saw this evening when u.s. carried out a strike in s syria by shia militia backed by iran for weapons struggle. ing purposes. that's the key. an official tells ucs up to a handful were killed in the attack, and the authorization came at the recommendation of secretary of defense austin who was confident that this site

attacked was used by the ironian-backed militia that carried out a rocket attack about a week and half ago in which u.s. service member was injured as well as u.s. civilians and another civilian killed and another attack on baghdad airport where there are u.s. defense contractors and in baghdad itself. >> what's the word on the grown what did they want the message to be. >> it is important this was not a strike on a major facility, looks like a small, calculated strike, don't know be a message that there will be a response to attacks on u.s. military forces and statement from spokesman says -- president biden will act to protect american and coalition personnel in the same time we've acted in a deliberate manner that aims to deescalate in syria

and iraq. deescalate is crucial word, biden administration didn't want this to lead it something bigger. this is a specific message at a specific site. >> this is interesting politically because biden has not been talking the war talk. no sabre rattling. in fact the opposite message was sent. they were open to discussing deescalation with iran. how's this fit in? >> the broader policy is clear, lead with diplomacy. the president and defense secretary weighed in as well. the reality is that there's a couple different elements here and this is considered a proportional response direct to the rocket attacks over the course of the last couple weeks and one they've been receiving pressure from not just republicans but also democrats on capitol hill. they had to do something to ensure iran knew what was

happening. keep in mind the global geopolitical context. it was just last week president biden and top officials acknowledged they are willing to sit down for talking with iran inside the guys with the p 5 plus 1 negative oceans in terms of get negative ocean negotiations in term of getting back to the iran nuclear deal -- kentucky not to some degree i'm told you can view the response as a response to the rocket attacks but also to a message to iran might be using it for more leverage for negotiations that might occur later down the line. they will make clear any attack on u.s. forces will be met with proportional response and be viewed through different prism of the diplomatic talks u.s. is trying to enter to try to reengage in the iranian nuclear

deal. chris? >> phil, any word on the white house more to come? >> right now, no word. this was ordered directly by president biden, obviously the first public action we've seen from president biden. i think the idea from what john kirby said this is a proportional response directly based on the rocket attacks over the last several weeks and there have been diplomatic channels tapped into to deescalate the situation but is implied this is for now. but reality is with the new administration with all these different dynamics at play you don't want to predict what will happen next. i will note when you talk to biden administration officials they make clear getting back into the gcpoa or finding a way back into negotiations and talks is perhaps a primary goal but they're making clear they won't let stand action by

iran actions and -- will have to broaden outside of iran and ballistic capabilities. >> sometimes the most powerful message is silence. didn't hear from biden about this before and nothing since. quickly, we will watch developments as warranted, any sign from response from iran yet? >> no sign of response from iran yet, whether it's a statement about this or whether it's a response from iranian proxies in the region firing more rockets, certainly something we'll keep an eye on. >> thank you, again, you hear something let me know. i will come right back to you. interesting sign of the times. united states bombing in syria, yet the threat here at home more pressing to our safety. the more we learn about what happened on january 6th and the scale of it the worse it gets. and the more future threats there may be to come. that's the key.

10,000 plus maga rioters entered capitol grounds on january 6th, 10,000 plus. 800 breached the building. can you imagine what the security forces were up against? and how they were able to keep the members of congress safe. 800 invaded the u.s. capitol. the prosecution so far 250 have been charged. wanted posters are all over online. you should look. if you were there that day, see if you can help. investigation into lawmakers who were giving tours and had other contacts with insurrectionists are just starting. the biggest concern we got out of these hearings is not what happened but what may still be to come. and the politics is making it all poisonous, the right is shy to condemn the actions and groups that attacked our democracy on the 6th. in fact they continue to give them cover by falsely blaming

democrats and coming up with conspiracy theories while warning their members to continue the trump calls. >> liz cheney and any other republican that wants to make statements against president trump donald j trump is a fool, they are disconnected with the base. >> once again, you see her with other members in support and hear no one in the leadership calling out that qanon kook for demanding loyalty to trump. this is the g.o.p.q. the strategy be offense to the pint of inciting a riot and then protend to be offended. >> i was also a victim in this chamber when it happened and we are very offended at your constant attacks on us for claiming we had anything to do with it. so that needs to stop. >> that needs to stop.

you wearing a mask saying biden is useless, that's okay? by the way, that's the most benign of her masks. what was she wearing leading up to the 6th? stop the steal was her mask. trump won was her mask. fuelling the big lie that led to the deadly attack. why is she still giving cover to one of her close associates who is among those in the capitol mob who admits storming the building that day. if you don't want to be blamed than step away from those who deserve the blame. remember, no one in leadership is shutting her down. too many are calling others, me, off the record. and they say, listen, listen, i can't lose the voters in the base, it's very tight for me if i get primaried, but i do not condone her. sorry, i will not report that. you will not get credit. your job as an elected official

to stand and be counted. otherwise you are as complicit as she. those who are speaking up are as bad as the q-kook, litterally already trying to erase the memory of january 6th. everything we saw and know. they say the left is to blame, they're lawless. you ask, who can be that shameless, not two months after the 6th you're going to try to spin it like this, all those trump flags didn't exist? who else? >> today's democrats party has been radicalized where they're not even willing to enforce the law against violent criminals who are committing horrific crimes. >> you know, if cruz is as smart as they say he is, maybe he's banking on being hated. maybe he thinks there's no more line between fame and infamy as long as people talk about you a lot and your name is out there

maybe that's power in our new politics that is largely about how to poison the other side. remember he's a chief inciter of the deadly insurrection committed by violent criminals, to use his term. this is not just about lying about the past, which he knows he is, it's about fuelling those who may be lying in wait. >> members of the militia groups that were present on january 6th have stated their desires that they want to blowup the capitol and kill as many members as possible with a direct nexus to the "state of the union." >> it's not just what happened. it's what may happen. you heard the threat very much remains. i hope the planning is there. now the chief you just heard, the acting chief says security will remain high because pro-trump extremists want to bomb the capitol when biden

addresses congress. they can't giveaway their whole strategy but i hope it's not just the capitol cops and the retrumplicans stilt want him to be the head of the party even mitch mcconnell has fallen back in line. listen. >> if the president was the party's nominee, would you support him? >> the nominee of the party? absolutely. >> look you knew as soon as he went on tv over there he was going to be nice to trump but he just said to you on the senate floor he started a mob, incited them, baited them with lies and then they attacked the capitol in his name. now he says he supports him? how can any republicans be okay with this? it was 12 days ago you said trump could be criminally

prosecuted for january 6th. >> as an ordinary citizen, unless the statute of limitations has run, still liable for everything he did while in office, didn't get away with anything, yet. yet. >> yet. but you would absolutely support trump if he's the 2024 nominee. even though you would think it's an open question whether or not he should go to jail for starting the insurrection. i mean -- and the rest of the party is more or less in lock step, more than two dozen house and senate republicans still refuse to debunk the stolen election lie this week in interviews with cnn. a lie that trump may still push in the land of what was supposed to be the conservatives, c-pack on sunday, and as for him running again in 2024, mitch

from 12 days ago may be right. trump may not have gotten away with anything yet. the manhattan da now has his tax returns, people with power to hold him accountable and did not have a lot to account for themselves. look, it's going to be continued. plus breaking news on the $15 an hour federal minimum wage battle. there was just a big ruling and the democrats expected this but they can't be happy. the question is, what happens next with minimum wage? does this get a pandemic bill? any kind of cooperation. we're back with our better minds next.

deposit, plan and pay with easy tools from chase. simplicity feels good. chase. make more of what's yours. keeping your oysters business growing has you swamped. you need to hire. i need indeed indeed you do. the moment you sponsor a job on indeed you get a shortlist of quality candidates from a resume data base claim your seventy-five-dollar credit when you post your first job at indeed.com/promo nicorette® knows, quitting smoking is hard. you get advice like: try hypnosis... or... quit cold turkey are you kidding me?! instead, start small. with nicorette®. which can lead to something big. start stopping with nicorette® .

more breaking news. the senate parliamentarian ruled tonight against including the $15 an hour minimum wage in biden's covid relief bill. now, biden is said to be disappointed with the outcome, but the reality he may like is that senior democratic sources think it will be likely now that it will be easier to pass the bill. and what does that mean, pass? what is the state of play, what's the state of play with iran, what's the state of play with the gopq which may be more unstable than things with iran. let's bring in dana bash and john kasich to discuss. on the biden side, what are we to make of this? they're saying it's not a provocation with iran. they actually still kind of want

to de-escalate, but he bombed, didn't say anything before, hasn't said anything after. what are you hearing about the messaging? >> you know, this is one of those that i think it's going to take time, frankly too, know the answer to that question, chris, about what exactly happened and vis-a-vis what they're saying now. it is noteworthy given the fact that this is a brand-new presidency and a brand-new commander in chief that this is the first time that we have seen, at least we know about, something that has gone on that is this provocative, to use your word. so, you know, i don't mean to punt on this, but i think as we know, because we have covered things like this, what it looks like initially and what it ends up being could be very different things. >> and also, we're so out of touch with what the state of play on the ground is there. we have been so deeply ensconced in trumpland, now as we come out

of it, and people like me are able to get back into the region and start getting on the ground and figuring out what the dynamics are, we'll start to be able to push more for what the strategy is. let me ask you another hard one before i go to governor kasich -- >> can i -- >> i'll come to you in a second. dana, there idea of kamala harris overruling as vp the parliamentarian, that is an iffy proposition, but is it true that they didn't even consider it, not for fear of upsetting whatever is on the right, but that they would have lost democrats? >> yes. that is true. and it's not -- it's not over, chris. you know, this is going to be pressure that she is going to be under when and if, when is the best word for it, is the most appropriate word for it, she has to break a tie on all things covid relief bill. it's over when it comes to the ruling and, you know, you have talked about this earlier in the

show, but the ruling that the $15 minimum wage will not be allowed to be in the covid relief bill, which means that it has to be done separately and is probably open to the filibuster. and so the progressives are going to really, really push for the president of the senate, the vice president of the united states, kamala harris, to override and overturn the parliamentarian. my sense is that she's going to push back on that and fall back on the fact that, you know, if she starts doing that now, then, you know, when the shoe is on the other foot one day, democrats would be sorry. >> i think the real noise is going to come in pelosi's house from those on the left who are going to say this was always a bait and switch. you got us onboard and we lost the $15. now it's going toto come back after reconciliation. all right, gov. weigh in on what's been said so far and then i have a question about your party. >> with the iran strike, this is

clear to me what joe biden is doing. the iranians were testing him, firing missiles at -- into our friends and some of our own folks located in iraq. and biden just wasn't going to put up with it. at the same time, of course, they're trying to reopen these negotiations, but these are going to be extremely difficult if iran says that we're going have to be in a position where you have to get rid of the sanctions and then we won't do anything, we're not going to do that. so i think it's a message back to iran that joe biden is saying, hey, i have a spine. i've got steel, and i'm going to make it clear to you what is expected of you. and i think -- i support the move. i think it was very, very good, and i think it was right because it was response to efforts and aggression on the part of iran. and now we're going to enter these negotiations. i'm not sure how they're going to go because iran may be too

far down the road to work anything out. these are really serious issues, chris. >> speaking of steel and spine, what do you make of the fact that more and more the qanon congressman is coming out and speaking with people behind her on behalf of the party, and mcconnell is saying he would back trump absolutely in 2024, even though he just said 12 days ago the guy may be found criminally responsible for what happened on january 6th? is it really over in that party for republicans like you? >> well, i don't know if you and dana will agree with me on this, but i think trump's popularity and strength is fleeting every day. yeah, it exists with state parties who don't have the power that they used to have. and maybe with these members of congress who look over their shoulders and they're afraid of a primary, which to me is ridiculous. but the biggest problem that trump is causing is it's very difficult for republicans to recruit candidates, because candidates don't want to get into this craziness. i think there's a situation here where i can tell you this,

people who have been very smart, who have been wealthy, who stood behind trump, they're leaving. january 6th was it for them, and so i think it's ripe now for candidates to be able to get out and meet with people who are smart, who are successful, who do have resources, and can get them to support them because i think trump's losing his power. and i think it's going to continue. he can't affect much now. he's going to make a speech at cpac, everybody is going to go gaga, but at the end, i see him as a disappearing guy. i really do. >> dana, how do you read the silence on the right? >> deafening. deafening. i'm not sure i agree with the governor on donald trump. i have no idea if this is -- if it's accurate or not, but my understanding is the people who are in trump's orbit are pushing, pulling, showing his numbers are coming back. we don't talk about that. we don't, you know, we approve our own polling, but i mentioned

that only in the context of mitch mcconnell and other republicans who refuse to, despite the reality of what happened on january 6th, never mind so many issues over the past three months, won't separate themselves completely and fully from donald trump. >> i hear you. >> and they're hearing from people around them, despite the money people, despite the real desire that mitch mcconnell even had explicitly, to rid the party of donald trump. it's not that easy, and he sees that. >> i'm out of time. gov, i have to jump, but dana, i would be remiss. you screwed up my weekends. you are really strong anchoring at "state of the union." you're doing a great job. >> thanks. >> i don't like to watch tv on the weekends. you're screwing up my schedule, but it's worth it. it's really great to see you.

i didn't -- >> thank you. >> people at your level, usually, you're already good. but the position is really bringing something out. so good for you, dana. gov, you're always welcome on the show, i'm sorry we're tight on time. >> it's all right. we'll see you. >> the pandemic really very much in the news and for the right reasons. president biden promised to put 100 million shots in people's arms in his first 100 days. now, i said be careful of gimmicks. be careful of gimmicks because it puts you in a spot. now, it did with schools. but he has overperformed with the vaccines. he's now halfway there in just 37 days. we have his chief medical adviser, dr. anthony fauci, here tonight. is this what's driving the cases now, and is it about the vaccine? is it more complicated? and i have all of your questions about what the vaccine means to you, what you get out of it. he's the man to answer them, next. it's either the assurance of a 165-point certification process. or it isn't. it's either testing an array of advanced safety systems. or it isn't. it's either the peace of mind of a standard

unlimited mileage warranty. or it isn't. for those who never settle, it's either mercedes-benz certified pre-owned. or it isn't. the mercedes-benz certified pre-owned sales event. now through march 1st. shop online or drop by your local dealer today. ♪ hey now, you're an all-star, get your game on, go play ♪ ♪ hey now, you're a rock star, get the show on, get paid ♪ ♪ and all that glitters is gold ♪ get 5 boneless wings for $1 with any handcrafted burger. only at applebee's. people were afraid i was contagious. i felt gross. it was kind of a shock after i started cosentyx. four years clear. real people with psoriasis look and feel better with cosentyx. don't use if you're allergic to cosentyx. before starting, get checked for tuberculosis. an increased risk of infections and lowered ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor about an infection or symptoms, if your inflammatory bowel disease symptoms develop or worsen, or if you've had a vaccine or plan to. serious allergic reactions may occur.

learn more at cosentyx.com. to support local restaurants, we've been to every city. including little rock and even worcester. and tonight... i'll be eating the chicken quesadilla from...tony's tex mex...in... katy. (doorbell) (giggle) do ya think they bought it? oh yeah. hey, you! nice smartphone. do yyou should switch itit? to tracfone wireless to get more control over your wireless plan. they give you unlimited carryover data — you pay for your data, you keep your data. really? yeah, you just swap your sim card (whistles) you can also keep your phone, keep your number, keep your network, $20 a month, no contract. oh, but that case— (whistles) temporary— it's my daughter's old case— well, ok, you know. you do you. this is your wake-up call, people. tracfone wireless. now you're in control.

dr. anthony fauci is here, a good week of good news on the vaccine front. the fda is preparing to meet over the johnson & johnson vaccine tomorrow. to likely approve what could be the nation's third covid vaccine. today, president biden commemorated a new milestone, 50 million vaccine doses administered since taking office. he's already halfway into his 100 million shots in arms, only day 37. so it's good. we have a lot more we have to do to get to where we want to be, which is meaning we don't have to care about it as much anymore. about 14% of the population has gotten one dose. okay, just over 6% are fully vaccinated. we have to get much higher than that. why? because we're learning about the variants. it's always been vaccine v. variant, and there's spread in new york city that researchers warn could evade the body's natural immune response. dr. anthony fauci joins us now. good to have you, doc. >> thank you.

thank you, chris. good to be with you. >> let me get through a bunch of stuff with you if i can. first, do you believe the vaccine is single factor responsible for the drop in cases? >> i don't think so. i don't think it's the single factor. i think it's a combination of a number of things. we had a really very steep inflection upward. can't keep going up that long because the factors that got you there may no longer be present, namely the holiday season and things like that. there's a natural turnaround. you have people probably doing better now, realizing the numbers of cases we had was a terrible month of january and the end of december. and i think there may be some contribution to the vaccine. i don't think it is the contributing factor. it might be a part of it. but it's a complex multifaceted reason why it's coming down. >> full disclosure, tony told me this before when we weren't on

tv. i saw you being quoted to different effect, you said it was about the vaccine. i wanted to give you a chance to clarify. now, people keep hearing that the other vaccines and things about booster shots and all this, and maybe that's how they'll deal with the variants and we'll see, and they're taking a wait and see attitude. i'm hearing it on my radio show, seeing it on social media. what do you say to people who say i'm going to wait. because these boosters -- maybe if i got the vaccine, it wouldn't work, i'll wait. what do you say to them and the people who did get the version out right now about what the variants may mean for them? >> well, i mean, i would say what they're thinking exactly opposite of what they should be doing, for the following reason. when you get, for example, the moderna or pfizer, and we'll probably see the same thing with the j & j, when you get that prime followed by a boost, the

difference is a ten-fold increase in the neutralizing antibodies. what i have been telling you on previous interviews that these variants, particularly the one that is troublesome in south africa, we can get to the ones in new york and california in a moment if you want, but the one in south africa that actually diminishes the impact and the effect of the antibodies that are induced by the vaccine, when you get enough of those antibodies at a higher height, even if it diminishes it by the variant, you still have enough cushion to protect you against the variant. so the higher your tighter of antibody to the vaccine, the better off your are about protecting yourself against serious disease, hospitalization, and death from the variants. so the more people that get vaccinated, the better off you are, the higher your antibody, the better off you are. the best way to prevent the emergence of further variants is to stop the replication of the virus. viruses don't mutate unless they're spreading. if you can stop their spread, you have two things that are in your favor. one, less people get infected, and two, you give the virus less

of a chance to mutate. >> all right, so get the vaccine now. and it's not worth waiting because you are betting off with something rather than nothing, and if the variants change and you have been vaccinated and you need something else, it will probably mean a booster shot. okay. what about new york city? how scary is this? >> well, it's something you really have to pay attention to, that variant, the 526 that's in new york, it started off just a cluster in the washington heights section, up by columbia medical center, and then it started to go through the other parts of the city, the other boroughs, and it's something you really want to pay attention to because it has some worrisome mutations in it, the cluster of mutations. again, that's the reason why keep doing the public health measures, and get as many people vaccinated as you possibly can. everything you throw at us about

a mutant is going to be countered by getting people vaccinated. >> and we don't know yet whether the vaccine works and what way against this variant? >> no, we don't know if it works directly against it, but that's the point you want to get across to people. even though this vaccine is not directly matched to a variant that might occur wherever, south america, south africa, california, new york, the higher the level of protection against the original one, there's a spillover of protection against the variant. what we're also doing, chris, if i might, we're also directing a version of the vaccine against specifically the version that's in south africa. in case we really want to rev up, and you could do that with the other variants that you see. but several of the companies, including moderna, the one we're working with, is doing the same thing. what pfizer is doing is they're talking about a third shot, a boost, to really lift up the

level of antibodies, to get that effect that i have been mentioning to you, the higher the level of antibodies, even if you're not specifically directed against the variant, the better off you are in protecting against hospitalization and death. so get vaccinated if you can. >> one of the questions that came up again was if you're vaccinated, can you still spread, just in the interest of time, yes, you told us last time you were on the show, you still have to wear the mask. we have to see how it plays out. you may not feel as sick, but you could still spread it. now here's the big thing i got from people. why should i get this vaccine? what's in it for me? people are getting transactional. will you guys keep record of who has it? will that allow me to travel more? go to restaurants more, go to games more? and will i be able to get that benefit from being vaccinated? can businesses say vaccinated

only? can employers say, oh, you're vaccinated, tony, get back to work? when is that going to happen? >> well, i think what you're going to start seeing really soon, we have had some very serious discussions with our colleagues at the cdc, is that what happens when you get two vaccinated people? i'm vaccinated, my wife is vaccinated, my daughter is vaccinated. back before vaccination, if they wanted to come to visit you, they would have to quarantine for a while, get tested, wear a mask. what we're saying right now, even though it isn't backed by data, it's backed by common sense, that if you have two vaccinated people, and they want to get together, be they family members or friends that you know are vaccinated, you can start getting as individual people, even though the risk is not zero, the risk becomes extremely low when you have both parties vaccinated. so we're going to start seeing people saying, hey, the more people get vaccinated, i can have dinner with my family member that comes in. >> what's the time horizon? i get it on a personal basis. i get it on a household by household, but when do you think

we'll start seeing, hey, if you're vaccinated, you can go to this restaurant. there's no capacity restrictions for vaccinated people or travel or work? >> i think you're going to see a gradual increment of that where you could start doing things normal. there's going to be a benefit, both personally, socially, and from a public health standpoint, of people getting vaccinated. we understand that when people were getting vaccinated, we're saying, wait a minute, we're not quite sure about things, and people were naturally complaining and saying, well, wait a minute. why am i going to get vaccinated? why can't i do things i really want to do personally? and your going to start seeing, can know i'm going to tell you myself, my professional judgment is that when my daughter wants to come in here and she's doubly vaccinated, i'm going to have her to the house and give her a big hug that i haven't been able

to do for a year. so i mean, you have to use some common sense. you don't want to go, like, just anybody and everybody, but when you start getting vaccinated, there are things you can start doing. so that's what we're telling people. there will be a benefit, both socially and personally, and from a public health standpoint. >> doc, i appreciate it very much. my mother got vaccinated. she got her second shot. i said great, now you can come over and help me with the kids. she said no, tony said no. i can't help with kids. is that true? >> tell her tony said yes, come on over. >> good, thank you, because i think she's just ducking coming and being with my kids because they're crazy. thank you very much for helping out the audience. i appreciate it. >> all right, a tale of two congresswoman. >> good to be with you. >> we have two congresswomen to look at, and they're like in the typical positions of decency. which one is standing up for the persecuted and which one is giving comfort to prejudice? i have the one who doesn't stand for hate here tonight, antagonized once again by this

person that is just proof of a growing malevolence in what used to be the gop. let's talk to representative marie newman and find out what did this mean to her? what did this mean to her kid? what does this mean about trying to achieve equality in our society? next.

even with the house passing the equality act, and by the way, that may become one of the strongest arments to get rid of the filibuster, the equality act is a landmark piece of legislation that would ban discrimination against lgbtq americans. remember, the gay marriage case was only a start. if they don't have federal protection, like color, creed, sex, forget it. you're going to fight this case by case. so now there's another ugly feud brewing on capitol hill. and once again, you have the ugliest member of the gopq is there at the center. it all started wednesday. on wednesday, the democratic representative, marie newman, she's got a transgender daughter. she posted this video of herself

hanging a pink and blue transgender pride flag outside her office door. it's in the interest of what we used to call tolerance. greene, right, the qanon kook who sits directly across from her, is a vocal opponent of the equality act. that's okay, that's politics, but how do you show that? in response to the flag, greene makes her own video posting this. an antagonizing sign that completely demoralizes all people who are nonbinary. there are two genders, male and female. trust the science. which is, of course, irony, because she doesn't believe in any science. she's a qanon freak. she also aimed a tweet at newman's child, quote, your biological son does not belong in my daughter's bathrooms, lockerrooms, and sports teams. this speaks to an ignorance of transgender people.

the last thing a transgender kid wants to do is show off a difference anatomically from any other kid. this has always been a boogie man that some grown up, some man was going to come in to a girls' bathroom. it's always been a boogie man. the cases aren't there, and it's just ugly. congresswoman newman joins me right now. i gotta tell you, i thought we were past this. i thought we were better than this. at least on the congressional level. i get that there are people out there because of some faux sense of religion or some faux understanding of science, they want to judge. that's their right. and it's your right and job to try to persuade, but what did it mean to you to have a member of congress act like somebody who you would have to deal with as a fringe at a town hall? >> well, first, thank you for having me this evening, chris. this is a great opportunity, a great day. we passed the equality act today, which means that we will have a law on the books when it passes the senate, and president biden signs it, and he has agreed to that, that will prevent discrimination across

our great land. anything from housing to employment, to private spaces, so i'm thrilled today. what put a damper on things yesterday was i was simply expressing my support for my daughter, the greater lgbtq community, and representative community, and representative greene took another path. she is in disagreement, shall we say, but clearly, clearly she is angry. she's angry at everybody and everything. so her kind of modus operandi at all times is to, in fact, bully people. you can only let bullies go so long and you have to speak out. so i was making a statement about seeing the lgbtq folks, embracing them and respecting them. that's all that was meant. i am not surprised at her behavior. i am surprised that she is a congress person. >> well, good point. let's forget about her. what do you say to the members of her party who are silent in

the face of her words and deeds? >> yeah, you know, here's the good news. some of the members of the republican party did reach out to me privately and expressed they were horrified by her behavior and they were horrified by her general being in congress, to be honest with you. a few spoke publicly, adam kinzinger is among them. i really appreciated their comments. that said, i think that they are in fear of the qanon kooks because they do spread lies and they can turn on their own. they have demonstrated that. so it is unfortunate that some didn't. i want them to have credit and i want them to know i deeply appreciate them reaching out. >> they reached out to you directly? >> yes. >> kinzinger, i think he put out something public. >> he did. >> here's my beef. i understand human to human it's nice for people to give consolation on something as

intimate and personal as your kids. but that's not their job, is to just talk to you personally. they've got to stand and be counted because that party is literally running in the wrong direction of what its own values are supposed to stand for. what effect do you think it has on safety of people in the lgbtq and broader community when a voice and actions like the qanon ladies are allowed to go unchecked? >> right. they're supposed to be role models in congress. not just by our character, but our deeds, our actions and what we say. so it's very important about what we say. words matter. but actions really matter, chris. and that's why i actually chose to -- i will also say, too, we have to be representing the american people all day long and their values. what they want right now is covid relief. they want us to get this relief package up. but the good news is congress can walk and chew gum at the same time. we passed the equality act today.

we are going to pass the american rescue plan and get payments directly to americans. we're going to fund and support cities, counties and towns and get this vaccination rolled out to everyone over time. and so i'm immensely proud of the democratic party right now. i do think that there are folks inside the republican party who are demonstrating some level of courage. i'm encouraging more of them to come out. there are more people supporting me than you could possibly know. and my message to them is that we need two strong parties in order to have checks and balances, and i encourage that. so whoever can take on that mantle to bring the republican party back to what it is so that we can have a partner in governing, that would be great and very helpful. we must get relief. we must get a transportation and infrastructure bill out. we must build back america. we must get a green stimulus package out. i'm looking forward to some folks getting some courage. >> boy, i'll tell you, that is the kind of discussion we should

be having about people who are in the lgbtq minority community. listen, you can come out, you'll be accepted, you're embraced. they may have to add an r to that if republicans keep going the way they're going. they've become a frightened minority in their own party that will need protection from their own. i just want people to understand something. 90% of trans people report experiencing harassment, mistreatment or discrimination. it is rampant. 53% of transgender people report being harassed or disrespected in a place of public accommodation like a bathroom, especially because of the weaponization of that issue. we all know that tolerance and integration of different types of people will require finesse. you have to figure it out. you have to figure out the sports thing, you have to figure it out. but we have to embrace it and i'm really sorry you had to deal with this in a place supposed to be about making us better. the best to your daughter.

you're here to have a platform to discuss the way forward. and i think it's going to happen soon because i don't know how 24 gets through the senate. i'm here to discuss when you want. >> well, thank you so much, and thank you for having me this evening. >> thank you for making the time. all right. let's turn to this. the taxes, they got them. millions and millions of pages of trump's taxes, okay. the manhattan district attorney has them. the manhattan district attorney is rumored to be leaving at the end of this year, so there is pressure on an abbreviated timetable, okay. it is nine years of returns, but also financial statements, engagement agreements, documents on preparing and reviewing taxes, communications about the taxes. so let's discuss why all that paperwork matters with a journalist who has actually seen part of trump's taxes and understands tax law and the journalism of it very well, david k. johnston. good to see you, brother. >> good to see you, chris. >> so, let's do the ultimate kiss here. keep it simple, stupid, for me.

and looking at these documents, what are the main avenues of potential discovery? >> it's not the tax records themselves. it's the supporting documents. memos that say, value this at more than it's worth or less. i don't mean by a little bit, by multiples. an instruction from trump perhaps through one of his aides saying, i'm not going to pay that much in tax. get the number down. assessments internally of whether things were proper to do and the risks that were run, drafts of the tax returns to show manipulation. that's what we're talking about. those are all badges of fraud. tax cases are very complicated. fraud is very simple, and fraud is always and everywhere a crime. so fraud is, i want to borrow money. my hotel is worth 100 million. i have to pay taxes on my hotel, it's worth 50 million.

what about other entanglements and potential legal avenues for prosecutors? >> well, donald's had several large insurance claims, including one connected with -- it was a government pay out, i believe, 9/11 even though he doesn't have a building anywhere near the world trade center. he has, we know from other records, presented wildly different valuations to property tax officials. he claims his westchester golf course is only worth $1.3 million. that's roughly the value of two houses on the fairway. he's got a huge clubhouse, 100 foot water hfall and 18 hol of golf. there is a rich target area and i'm sure they will use digital means to search through the millions of pages of paper to find the golden nuggets of fact that donald doesn't want anyone to know about. >> all this paper, what is a reasonable time horizon? and what is the line between, i

don't agree with you on the value of my property, versus, this is a crime? >> well, on that one, you know, houses, for example, have a value. if you're a homeowner, i don't think my home is worth exactly x. it's worth 10, 20% more or less than that number. but donald has done multiples and your example of $50 million to the tax authority and 100 million to the banker is a real good example. those are too large to be reasonable numbers. and also, what if they change from one year to the next, depending on the particular circumstances that he has. as for searching the documents, thank goodness that we now have software that will be able to do that. that will speed this up a great deal. but there are going to be a lot of people looking through these documents, forensic accountants, and others, looking for the key things. and hopefully they've gotten someone on the inside to help them. >> especially if they have any

paper that shows major may have been on the wrong side of the line it's much more likely they'll get somebody from major the accounting firm to help them. they're also looking to see who he did business with and in what way. so as it comes out, you will be my first call to help us understand it. david k. johnson, best to you. >> thank you. >> quick break. we'll be right back. if you have... ...moderate to severe psoriasis, ... ...little things... ...can become your big moment. that's why there's otezla. otezla is not a cream. it's a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. with otezla, 75% clearer skin is achievable. don't use if you're allergic to otezla. it may cause severe diarrhea,... ...nausea or vomiting. otezla is associated with an increased risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts... ...or if these feelings develop. some people taking otezla reported weight loss. your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. upper respiratory tract infection and... ...headache may occur. tell your doctor about your medicines, and if you're pregnant or planning to be. otezla. show more of you.

my audible library is just like scroll scroll scroll scroll scroll scroll, it's a lot. i downloaded audible and really, really enjoyed it. and then it kind of just became a lifestyle after that. audible allows me to find a space for myself. you just get way more than you pay for, one of those rare things in life. oh, the audible plus catalog is awesome. it's like having a streaming service, but just for audio content. there's audible originals... there's podcasts...