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thank you for watching. "don lemon tonight" with the big star, d lemon, right now. >> how you doing? you all right? >> i'm -- i'm confused, man. >> about what? >> um, i'm confused about what's happening with this missing 22-year-old. beautiful kid. going around the country. i'm confused by this south carolina situation with this murdaugh family. i've never heard of -- by the way, it's not murdoch like media murdochs. it's a totally different family. i have never heard anything like it. and i am confused at how your senators -- how the senators believe that they can get righteous about milley for deciding to do something about an obvious risk that they ignored. and now, they don't want to give the benefit of the facts that he

followed protocol and worked with the secretary of defense and had a roomful of people when he made these calls. and they still want to say he went rogue. so, you want to misrepresent what he did when he did the right thing and you did nothing and you think you are going to be the righteous agent? >> yeah. well, two things. number one, i hope that the families of the young people -- i hope they figure out what happened to everyone. i hope there is a resolution -- um -- to all of it. um -- you can't bring people back. but i hope -- hopefully, that works out. now, moving onto the political part. um, there have been so many people who have been an apologist for this president. you know i've felt the entire time. pretty much, the entire campaign. um, once he became the nominee and then became the president. that it was time to really call people out on their you know what. on their bs. including him. and including the folks around him who were apologists and who aided and abetted in all of his wrongdoings. and so, i think that for -- for

them not to step up now or to call for milley to be -- to resign or i think someone is even calling for him to be court marshalled or something. it's just absolutely ridiculous. have a seat. you didn't do the right thing. you're still trying to elevate yourself through some big lie that you don't even know is gonna work in the next election. because it is a minority -- minority of people. and so, i think we have to stop coddling people when it comes to this and the vaccine saying oh, you can't shame them. you can't call them stupid. you can't call them silly. yes, they are. the people who aided and abetted trump are stupid because they believed his big lie. the people who are not getting vaccines, who are believing the lies on the internet, instead of science, it's time to start shaming them. what else? or leave them behind. be -- because they are keeping the majority of americans behind. you didn't feel that way about the polio vaccine. you don't feel that way about measles, mumps, rubella when it

comes to your children. all of the sudden, this vaccine is different? what's different about it? the only different about is it because of your politics today. people talk about, well, i don't know what's in the shot, chris. i don't know what's in that shot. >> i will tell you what's not in it. a tracking device. >> yeah, hold on. let me finish this. you know what they got shots in nowadays? in their rearends, they are getting shots to make it bigger. they are getting shots in their face. they don't know what's in botox. they don't know what's in the stuff. nothing wrong with botox. >> people don't know what they eat, what they drink, what they smoke. >> my eyebrow went up. i don't have it now. as you can see, i got all these wrinkles. everybody asks me when are you going to get botox? nothing wrong with botox but i am saying, do people really know what is in stuff they inject in their bodies all the time? what they eat. what they drink. stop it. stop it with the ignorance. and we have to stop saying, oh well, you know, you have to listen to people and -- no, you don't. these people are being harmful

to the greater good. you don't have to listen to a minority of people who are being harmful to the greater good, and who are not acting on logic, reason, and science. i had -- i had an issue. i told you, chris, when my family was here and they were saying, well, i don't know. i just -- i said you know how you got here to visit me in new york? you took an airplane. what is that? science. right? you know why people live to be older than 40, 50, 60 years old, these days? science. medicine. no one questions that. you know why people -- you know what -- what is so contradictory about it when people get sick, they go into the hospital and they say, throw it all, give it to me. inject it. put it in me. and you are going to pay a whole lot of money and you are going to tax the medical system when you could have gotten it for free, and you wouldn't be in that position, in the first place. >> you are going to question the vaccine but you want to take a horse dewormer. but look. here is the thing. i -- i accept everything you've just said. most of all, the idea that the majority cannot be healed by the tyranny of a minority.

>> yeah. >> their stubbornness has to be their own consequence at some point and the rest of us have to be able to live life. >> yeah. >> now, i see a repeat of messaging problems that we had with the vaccine with the booster. somebody allowed joe biden to go out and set a schedule before they had all their ducks in a row. >> yeah. >> now, they're going to debate whether or not there is a booster. which set of data? how do they look? we have discussed this, before. scientists make lousy messengers because we're used to people in politics holding onto a position no matter what the facts are. the facts change, and the politician never changes their position. >> yeah. >> science changes, as you learn things. but now, we are in a situation where he said september-20 rollout. now, they're going to debate. now, there is a mix of minds as to whether or not we need it. and that's all fine. but you've got to be good on the messaging side. you don't have biden go out and set out a timetable before you know whether you need it. >> that's hard, though, chris.

because as you say, when you -- that's why it was called a novel virus. because it was new. and you learn -- when you learn things about new things about especially when it comes to science, what do you do? you adapt. >> yes. >> and so, you should have an open mind about it. >> yes. >> what -- what -- because if -- if people were trying to fool you, they would just say, okay, here. it's set in stone and they wouldn't change. they're not doing that. >> i agree. >> you think there is a whole conspiracy to put stuff in -- it -- it's absolutely ridiculous. >> i agree. >> it is -- it's crazy. so, look. i understand the whole thing about messaging. okay. fine. there's -- there could be better messaging. hindsight is 20/20 or whatever. >> no, i am saying right now with the booster. >> well, okay, fine. but listen. maybe, at some point, they thought they needed it. and then, they studied it and got some new information about it. what harm is it -- what is it gonna do? what's the harm in it? why do you care so much? why does it matter so much? if science now said, don, you need to re-up your measles, mumps, rubella that you got when

you were a kid. what would i say? okay, great. before, a couple years ago, we didn't need shingles vaccines. now, when i go to get my flu shot now, guess what i am going to do? i'm going to get a shingles vaccine. was there some conspiracy from people trying to make me sick? no, all of the sudden, we have discovered shingles is a problem in our society and now we have to get it. >> just don't give ammunition to the haters. that's all i am saying. >> yes. but ievery year, you get a flu shot. you don't say i took the flu shot last year. why do i need that flu shot, again? you get it again. >> i am with you. but this is a little different in that you have the president saying, all right, here is when the boosters come. and now, you got the head of the nih and head of the fda saying hold on, we're not sure we need the booster, yet. and that fuels resistance. i am saying there is no need for that. >> but it fuels resistance for people who are not being logical. people who are looking for an excuse not to do it. an excuse to criticize the -- the administration. here's what you do. oh, they have new science.

when they say get the booster, i will get it. okay. they said we don't need -- okay, fine. whenever they do it, just be curious, instead of judgmental. and figure out -- listen to the scientists. what they say. and if they tell you to do something, do it because they're not doing it of some conspiracy. scientists and science aren't political. they don't care. they care about what is in the science. mathematicians. it's not political. one plus one equals two. that is it. so, just stop trying to look for reasons to criticize the administration and to not get something because maybe you're afraid of it or because you want to be political about it. and just be open. >> i'm with that. i'm just saying just don't give 'em reasons to doubt you. >> okay. fair. >> get it together. and then, give us the answer and we'll move forward. >> i -- i'm going to go because i'm going to -- i'm going to have to come next door and smack you if you keep disagreeing with me. >> you know where i am. i love you, d lemon. >> listen. this is how you do it. i don't think this is really a

disagreement. >> disagree about how often you put stuff on your face. >> if you hear what people say -- you know what people say about us. you guys have aged so much in the last -- >> that's true. there is no -- there is no drug that's going to say what we've been through. there is not enough to stop this. >> hey, and by the way, if you want to, get your botox. that's your business. i am just saying people go and get injections all the time. they don't know the exact science behind it and it is okay. right? it's been fda approved. >> people have free choice. do what you want to do. i have never judged anything you have done to yourself. >> tomorrow, i am going to come in and i'll be like this. >> you look like the cat lady. i love you. >> i love you, too. this is don lemon tont. and what i am about to say is chris and i have had our fun but we are telling the truth about a lot. and here. look. what i want to say is something that may be tough to hear but it is really the truth. i want you to listen to me because we -- we've got to face this. the well of the american

electoral system has been poisoned. it is the crown jewel of our democracy. our free and fair elections. the envy of the world. poisoned with lies. lies that are now baked into the platform of what used to be called the party of lincoln. a party that's now under the spell of the big lie of bogus-election denialism. now, millions of americans tonight don't believe that joe biden is the rightful president of the united states. i want you to just look at -- this is the result of cnn's poll. a new poll that we have out. 78% of republicans don't think joe biden actually won the election. 78%. that's not a matter of opinion. it's a fact. joe biden is the duly elected president. but you know who else didn't believe that? hundreds of rioters who tried to stop the peaceful transfer of power on one of the darkest days in american history. when lawmakers were forced to run for their lives. when rioters put up a gallows and chanted hang mike pence. >> hang mike pence! hang mike pence!

>> when they savagely beat police officers trying to defend the capitol. and what fueled all of that? the big lie. the lie that 78% of republicans still believe. how can you have a functioning democracy when nearly eight in ten republicans say that the president of the united states didn't legitimately win the election? there is absolutely no evidence of widespread voter fraud in 2020 and -- and case after case has been just thrown out of court. yet, the vast majority of republicans continue to believe the lie. that as more than -- look at this -- 90% of americans think that democracy is under attack. or being tested. like i said, the well of the american electoral system has been poisoned. 51% of americans say it is likely elected officials in the next few years will overturn the results of an election their party didn't win. that is scary. and if you think that can't happen, just take a look at when's going on in pennsylvania.

it's happening right now. republicans voting today to subpoena the pennsylvania department of state for millions of voters' personal information. things like names, addresses, driver's license numbers, and partial social security numbers. it's fraudit 2.0. they are digging for any sign of voter fraud, even though there's absolutely no evidence of significant fraud in pennsylvania or any other state, for that matter. what ever happened to the gop being the party of limited government? the party that used to be appalled by government intrusion and overreach? i guess, this is a whole-nother ball game when you are trying to appease a disgraced, twice-impeached, one-term, former president who is still pushing the same, big lie of bogus-election fraud that fueled the insurrection at the capitol. and it's still alive and well, today. i've said it before. the warning lights are blinking red. take a look at this live picture of the capitol now. fencing going up around the

capitol tonight. just like after january 6th. can you believe we are here, again? the tsa ramping up security ahead of the so-called justice for j6 rally which, let's remember, is in defense -- in defense -- of the insurrectionists who tried to stop the peaceful transfer of power. capitol police requesting d.c. national guard assistance. >> we have received a request from the capitol police for some assistance for this weekend's protests. scheduled protest. i'm not going to detail the specific request. >> the house sergeant at arms warning members and staff to avoid the capitol on saturday, ahead of the right-wing rally at the scene of the crime. eight months after blood-thirsty rioters stormed the seat of our democracy. that as more bombshells come from the -- this new book that's

out, "peril." documenting the final, out of control few weeks inside the then-president's inner circle. you have to listen to this. bob woodward and his "washington post" co-author, robert costa, reporting in the book obtained by cnn's jamie gangel that joint chiefs chairman general mark milley believed the then president was in such serious mental decline, that he tried to ensure trump didn't start a war with china. they write that milley, quote, was certain that trump had gone into a serious mental decline in the aftermath of the election with trump now all but manic. screaming at officials and constructing his own alternate reality about endless election conspiracies. the book reports milley made two back-channel calls to china's top general to reassure him that the u.s. was not considering a strike and instructed top-military officials not to take orders from anyone, including the then president, unless milley was involved. and that's got some crying foul. >> i don't think there's any

doubt that at a minimum, he should be fired if this is true. >> the former president going on news max today. news max -- excuse me -- to claim that that is treason. president biden defending general milley today. >> sir, did general milley do the right thing, sir, in your opinion? >> thank you. thank you. let's go. >> i have great confidence in general milley. >> but it apparently wasn't just the chairman of the joint chiefs who was concerned about the then president's mental state. the book dedetails a private call mccarthy had with trump before joe biden's inauguration. mccarthy saying, quote, i don't know what's happened to you in the last two months. you are not the same as you were the last four years. now, look. none of us is in the position to speak to the former president's mental health. did you hear that? before you play the sound bytes on the propaganda networks and other. none of us is in the position to speak to the former president's mental health but according to the reporting and bob woodward's and robert costa's book, the top

general in the country and one of the top two republicans in congress, both, had questions. and the former president's niece, mary trump, said this to chris just tonight. >> what must not be forgotten is that on november 7th, he suffered the worst humiliation, the worst loss of his life. it was incalculable the damage that it did to him. >> that as some on the right in his -- i don't know, they delight in making wild and completely unfounded accusations about joe biden. but remember, when the former president bragged about acting -- excuse me -- about acing, i should say, a cognitive test last year? >> so, it's person, woman, man, camera, tv. okay. that's very good. if you get it in order, you get extra points. if you -- okay. now, he's asking you other questions. other questions. and then, ten minutes, 15, 20 minutes later, they say,

remember the first question? not the first but the tenth question. give us that, again. can you do that, again? and you go, person, woman, man, camera, tv. if you get it in order, you get extra points. he said nobody gets it in order. but then, when you go back about 20, 25 minutes later and they say go back to that -- they don't tell you this -- go back to that question and repeat 'em. can you do it? and you go, person, woman, man, camera, tv. they say, that's amazing. how'd you do that? i do it because i have, like, a good memory. because i'm cognitively there. >> you had forgotten about that, right? we actually -- that actually happened and we lived through it. wow. wow, wow, wow. wow to this next thing, too. gather around the tv.

we have got news tonight on the covid vaccine and nikki minaj. and this is the truth, everybody. these are the facts. okay? that's what we are all about here. facts, first. now, you may have seen that nikki minaj said that she was invited to the white house after she tweeted some misinformation just a few days ago saying her cousin in trinidad, quote, won't get the vaccine because his friends got it and he became impotent and then, there was some other things that i shall not say. trinidad and tobago knocked down that misinformation and now, a source tells me tonight that she has not been invited to the white house. so, that's a tweet. and administration officials tell cnn's jeff zeleny, quote, as we have with others, we offered a call with nikki minaj one of our doctors to answer questions she has about safety, the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. and that's a lesson in how to reach people. with facts.

not with social media fights. not with name calling. like i said, facts first. in this environment, we need people to step up, right? why are you doing this story about nikki minaj? nikki minaj has a fuj following. everyone with a platform has a responsibility now. we are in the middle of a pandemic, right? this is, you know, emergency situation. that's why i want to use this platform to make this point, okay? so listen. there is a group of people out there who have been hesitant. even some in my own family. and nikki minaj has a big influence. she might be able to make a difference. i am not here to talk about name calling or fights on twitter. i am here to talk about meeting people where they are. that's the only way we are only going to get through to people so i hope that nikki minaj does talk to those doctors. that she gets educated and through this, her fans are educated, as well. that is the best outcome for everyone. so, like i have been saying, the well of the american electoral

system has been poisoned. poisoned by lies. so, what's the antidote to the poison? ahead, simone biles and star gymnasts' emotional testimony before the senate blasting the fbi' mishandling of the abuse allegation or investigation of team usa dr. larry nassar. >> i blame larry nassar. and i also blame an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse.

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so most americans feel democracy is under attack in this country or being tested. that is according to a new cnn poll. so what is being done to protect it? let's discuss now with matthew dowd, former chief strategist for president george w. bush. author of the new book "revelations on the river." by the way, good evening, what a great title for that book. and congratulations. everybody, go read it. >> thank you. >> matthew, i am sure you have seen the numbers of this new cn poll on the state of our democracy. ological almost all americans think democracy is underattack or being poisoned. if the well has been poisoned so much, what is the antidote? >> well first, i think the american public needs to clearly understand who poisoned it and how they poisoned it because in order to confront the poison or have an antidote to the poison, you got to know where it came from or where the pollution to the river of democracy is sourced from. and i think that's really important and -- and it is

whether people on the gop or the dem's side think democracy is under attack and it's fragile and all of that. we all need to understand it is the gop, primarily through lying and deception and various things including what happened in the last election and actually throughout the trump presidency, is they are the source of it. and so, in order to confront that truth is the best antidote for where we are today but we have a segment of the population that seems unwilling to hear that truth. >> is that why people are fighting tooth and nail not to have the truth of the country and the history taught in schools because they want to live in a delusion? >> well, you know, it -- it's funny, don, because you know this with people you interact with. there is a natural human tendency, which is called confirmation bias, which is to seek out information that confirms your own bias and ignore information that makes you uncomfortable. which is why we hardly ever have race conversation because it makes certain people uncomfortable to have the conversation because they have to confront their own biases and

their own prejudices. >> right? >> yeah, yeah, exactly because they have to confront what their -- what their history is. and the same is true here. so, people -- i mean, we have a whole group of people that all they watch is fox news or own or one of those other crazy outlets and they just receive information that's not factual. that's not truthful. and it confirms their biases and it gets worse and worse and worse. and that's the situation we're dealing with, don, is that we have a segment of the population that seems unwilling. but, you know, i actually give -- i'm actually sad for them because the -- the -- they're the victims of this because they're being lied to. >> right. >> they are being lied to by leaders. and when the leader -- somebody lies to you, they don't respect you. and that's the thing i want most republicans to understand and most people that back trump is these people don't have any respect for you, at all. because if somebody's not willing to tell you the truth, they don't respect you. >> i -- 300%, yes, amen, you're

right. so, let's talk about all these restrictive voting laws that are being put into place across the country by gop lawmakers and the big lie continues to be promoted a year after the 2020 election almost. meanwhile, voting rights bills are being slow walked in congress. isn't this asymmetrical warfare at the ballot box? i mean, shouldn't there be more urgency and action from democrats on this? i know that you think this is the most important issue, i think, right now other than covid facing our democracy? >> well, it's way more -- i actually think it's way more important than covid because ultimately, we'll get through covid. and we'll -- we'll figure this out. it may -- it's taking longer than any of us want but the attacks on our democracy and what's happened on voting rights goes to the core of who we are because once that's undermined, then there is no way to fix that. then, you collapse as a democracy, as a constitutional democracy. and texas, as you know, where i am today. one thing people ought to understand. texas in the '90s -- texas in the '90s was ranked 14th on ease

of voting. texas today is ranked 50th on ease of voting. so, where every other part of our lives you can -- you know, docusign a $500,000 loan on a house from your -- in your bathrobe. you can transfer any amount of money from your living room. but for some reason, the technology and making it easier to -- for people to vote and make it easier for people to access the ballot box is something that we still are struggling with. and to me, voting is the only possible way that the american public is given as an individual. they can't hire lobbyists, don. they can't do all of the other things wealthy people do. the only thing they have to hold people accountable is the vote. and when that's restricted or that's made harder, it means it makes it easier for politicians to not be held accountable. and i think democrats -- one thing i've criticized them on is they have not dealt with this like it's a five-alarm fire. they need to deal with this like it's a five-alarm fire. they can pass all the

infrastructure stuff they want and do all the other things that they want. if they let democracy collapse, it all doesn't matter. >> that's why we love having you. because you tell the truth. facts, first. and by the way, you're right about the ease of voting and what you can do. you know, now -- you know, i sit in my kitchen and i -- checks. i can't believe people still send checks, right? um, and i deposit them. and then, people laugh at me because they are like, you're still writing checks, old man? like, what's wrong with you? you are still carrying cash because everyone is doing zell or venmo or whatever. and nobody -- it's old school. we can figure out how to do that. you can buy a house online, right, or a car. why can't we figure out how to vote? or figure out to make it easier. >> absolutely. if voting is so important, we ought to make it as easy as possible for people to do. >> yeah. just make it clear, didn't say necessarily voting online but we should make it easy for people to do. thank you so much. so stunning testimony from olympic gym ennasts on capitol hill. athletes trying to hold back tears as they blame the fbi for

ignoring their pleas in the investigation of dr. larry nassar and top fbi brass agreeing with them. [swords clashing] - had enough? - no... arthritis. here. new aspercreme arthritis. full prescription-strength? reduces inflammation? thank the gods. don't thank them too soon. kick pain in the aspercreme.

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and watch all the rewards float in. our thanks. your rewards. attorney general merrick garland set to appear before a senate committee next month and it's likely the first chance lawmakers will get to question him about the fbi's botched investigation of larry nassar, that's the former doctor for the

usa gymnastics team. now, behind bars for sexual assault. olympic gymnasts who were abused by him testifying today. and tearing into the fbi for mishandling the allegations brought against nassar. more tonight from cnn's jean casarez. they had legal, legitimate evidence of child abuse, and did nothing. >> i felt pressured by the fbi to consent to nassar's plea deal. >> i blame larry nassar. and i, also, blame an entire system. >> why? why would the fbi agents lie to oig investigators? >> reporter: makayla ma row think, aly raisman, simone biles, and members of the olympic's united states' gymnastics team giving emotional testimony. ripping the fbi for failing to protect them from their sexual abuser. >> i was so shocked at the agents' silence and disregard for my trauma. it was like serving innocent children up to a pedophile on a silver platter.

>> reporter: one by one, the decora decorated gymnasts told their stories, recounting the years of abuse by larry nassar. the former-usa gymnastics team doctor. >> i sit before you today to raise my voice so that no little girl must endure what i, the athletes at this table, and the countless others who needlessly suffered under nassar's guise of medical treatment which we continue to endure today. >> that evening, i was naked, completely alone with him on top of me, molesting me for hours. i told them i thought i was going to die that night because there was no way that he would let me go. >> he turned out to be more of a pedophile than he was a doctor. >> reporter: nassar is currently serving a 40-to-175-year state prison sentence after 150 women and girls came forward to expose he abused them over the course of 20 years. but today's congressional

hearing, a result of the scathing report from the justice department's inspector general's office, revealing fbi officials investigating the allegations against nassar made false statements and failed to properly document complaints by the accusers at the time. >> not only did the fbi not report my abuse but when they, eventually, documented my report 17 months later, they made entirely false claims about what i said. >> reporter: one fbi agent already fired, michael langman, according to "the washington post." interviewed maroney in 2015 about her allegations of sexual abuse by nassar, and is accused of failing to launch a proper investigation. langman declined to comment, as did the fbi and the inspector general's office to the paper. >> the fbi's handling of the nassar case is a stain on the bureau. >> reporter: fbi director christopher wray who did not lead the bureau at the time, also, being grilled today.

>> what am i missing here? this man is on the loose molesting children and it appears that it's being lost in the paperwork of the agency. >> i share your bewilderment. i share your outrage. and -- and i don't have a good explanation for you. >> reporter: wray apologizing to the victims and vowing to do more. >> it's my commitment to you that i and my entire senior leadership team are going to make damn sure everybody at the fbi remembers what happened here in heartbreaking detail. >> reporter: jean casarez, cnn, capitol hill. >> all right, jean casarez, thank you very much. the fbi director says that he will do more. but what did the doj do when they discovered the false statements and misleading -- and mishandling of their agents?

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constantly improving america's largest gig-speed broadband network. and just doubled the capacity here. how do things look on your end? -perfect! because we're building a better network every single day. shocking testimony on capitol hill today. we played some of it before the break. fbi admits to botched

investigation -- a botched investigation of larry nassar. the sexual assault case there. top usa gymnasts squarely pointing a finger at the institutions that enabled the abuse to continue. i want to bring in now, the former-fbi assistant director of the criminal investigative division and laura coates, cnn senior legal analyst and former-federal prosecutor. good evening to both of you. thank you so much for joining. um, chris, let's see. let's start with the ig report. saying that the agents involved betrayed their law enforcement responsibilities and their duties to these victims. the indianapolis fbi field office first learned that there were allegations against nassar from three -- three gymnasts but they only spoke to one. it was by phone. raisman said it took 14 months for the fbi to speak to her. it it -- it's frankly almost unbelievable. i mean, what went wrong? you know the fbi. what went wrong here? >> don, this is as bad as it can get. you know, as chris wray said

today on the hill as he testified, he had no explanation for it. i mean, not only did they do no investigation despite receiving credible allegations from the victims and the committee, itself. they -- they lied about it and covered it up. and then, on top of that, the special agent in charge in indianapolis was applying for a job and -- and trying to show for a job with the oliympic committee at the very same time. and in those 14 months, dozens and dozens of -- of young victims were -- were at the hands of the predator, nassar. so, don, i can't explain it. i have had some personal experience with the fbi where if a matter is reported and i've -- and i've actually done that, myself. reported different activities to the fbi that were pretty serious crimes. if it's not counterterrorism, if it's not counterintelligence or cyber, they seem very lethargic in getting off the ground. they seem to be hyperfocused on

those three things and they seem to let other things fall by the wayside. >> um, laura, i know you. and i see that look on your face. you are not happy with this. i want to play something that's tough to hear. okay? this is maroney speaking about what some of the fbi did about what happened to her. we'll play it, and then we'll hear from laura. here it is. >> i then told the fbi about tokyo. the day he gave me a sleeping pill for the plane ride to then work on me later that night. that evening, i was naked, completely alone, with him on top of me, molesting me for hours. i told them i thought i was going to die that night because there was no way that he would let me go. but he did. i told them i walked the halls of tokyo hotel at 2:00 a.m. at only 15 years old. i began crying at the memory over the phone and there was just dead silence. i was so shocked at the agent's silence and disregard for my trauma, after that minute of silence, he asked, is that all? >> it's absolutely shocking, laura. when you look at how these girls

were ignored, what does that signal to them and everyone else who is trying to get justice in the face of such ugly abuse? >> i mean, it's absolutely shocking and it's disgusting. and she had that question later on. with saying what's the point of reporting it if nothing's going to be done essentially? or it's going to be buried in some way or someone's going to be self-interested enough to try to get a job out of it. the idea of saying at all really indicates it wasn't in that person's mind, sufficient enough to warrant even a telephone call to a law enforcement counterpart in michigan? i mean, that's shocking to me. as a prosecutor, i have prosecuted sex offenses and i have prosecuted them on behalf of young people. and let me tell you, the actions of the fbi and their delayed investigations actually, probably compromised, likely, the later prosecution of larry nassar because now you have a jury pool or a judge who doesn't understand why there was a delay. was it because the fbi agent did not find the person credible? was there some reason why they looked at what they said and said, oh, is that all?

is there something to this that makes a jury question? that little seed of doubt is all you need to tank a case. and so, you think about all the domino effects of what they have done and the indifference, not only in the court of public opinion among potential and also actual victims of this person but also what it does when you try to prosecute and a prosecutor does make the decision to prosecute the person. now, this person is serving decades in prison. but that's because a judge looked at the evidence, saw the sentence, and it really belies what the investigators did which was nothing, it seems. >> you know, chris, one of the fbi -- one of the fbi agents involved in this was fired within the last few weeks. and the other is now retired. but doj didn't bring charges against them last year or this year. shouldn't they be charged? >> as a former prosecutor, as a former agent, fbi agent, i say yes. i read the statutes that

applied. and i -- i -- the inspector general, himself, has no authority to prosecute. he had to refer it over to other parts of the justice department. but i -- i see 1,001 violation here. lying to the fbi and the inspector general. there is a criminal conflict of interest on the part of the special agent in charge, jay abbott. there -- there are other -- you know, just malfeasance, in general. but those are the two criminal prosecutions that i think should have been brought forth by the justice department. i'm shocked that they didn't. that's how you deter this kind of conduct. >> well, laura, i can see that you agree with that. you think they should be prosecuted? >> i do think that there should be accountability and in a form that's meaningful to these these victims and for future victims and as my colleague talked about, to deter this behavior. if the fbi is going to be able to ask for prosecution of people who lie to them, misrepresent facts, and knowingly do so, then they have to be held to the same standard. otherwise, there is no integrity in the fbi. there is no credibility. there is no trust. and that cannot have a

functioning fbi in our country if that's the case. >> thank you, both. i appreciate it. unfortunately, we will be discussing this. a case that should have been handled already. thank you so much. i appreciate it. coverage of today's hearing may have elicited strong emotions for some people. that is especially if you or should not you know is dealing with the aftermag of sexual assault there are organizations that can help. and their information is up on the screen now. we'll leave it up for a moment. and we will be right back. i want... ♪ it's the easiest because it's the cheesiest. kraft. for the win win. have you ever sat here and wondered: "couldn't i do this from home?" with letsgetchecked, you can. it's virtual care with home health testing and more. all from the comfort of... here. letsgetchecked. care can be this good.

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