here's kris van cleave. >> reporter: nearly five years after being nominated to the u.s.upreme court, merrick garland finally got his senate confirmation hearing for attorney general. if confirmed, garland will over hundreds charged in the capitol attack. >> this was the most heinous attack on the democratic processes i've ever seen. >> reporter: he'd take over a department beset with low morale and under fire from democrats and the trump administration and republicans for its investigation of the trump administration. >> you do not view your role as attorney general as being joe biden's role? >> i am not the president's lawyer. i am the united states lawyer. >> reporter: after a summer of social unrest, followinghe kiof grgfld a white police officer, garland said civil rights enforcement will be a priority. >> there's no question there's disparate treatment in our justice system. >> reporter: when speaking of his immigrant grandparents, who fled the persecution of jews abroad, garland choked up. >> i feel an obligation to the country to pay back. this is the highest best

cbs's kris van cleave is going to lead off our coverage from the capitol. ng, kris. >> reporter: norah, not only did house democrats convince the senate that the impeachment trial was constitutional-- they jumped right into their case. >> u.s.a.! u.s.a.! >> reporter: it was a raw and visceral start to former president trump's unprecedented second impeachment trial. >> what our country experienced that day is the framers' worst nightmare come to life. >> reporter: house democrats used a powerful and expletive- laced video timeline, showing this trial will be a made-for-tv event. it sent the sounds of the january 6 riot echoing again through the senate chamber, leaving a silence that lingered for seconds after the video ended. >> senators, this cannot... be our future. >> reporter: impeachment managers are promising evidence nobody has seen before, as they treat their case like a criminal prosecution. >> fight like hell. >> reporter: they'll use mr. trump's words... >> we are going to the capitol! >> reporter: ...the crowds' response, the violence that followe

cbs's kris van cleave is going to lead off our coverage tonight from the capitol. good evening, kris. >> reporter: norah, that vote comes as impeachment managers surprise some democratic senators with their letter to former president donald trump. in an unexpected twist tonight, house democrats call on the former president to testify under oath for his impeachment trial next week. citing mr. trump's lawyers who, earlier this week, echoed his baseless claims of election fraught. fraught, democrat jamie raskin wrote, "mr. trump's testimony was necessary because his lawyers had denied many factual allegations set forth in the article of impeachment." the trump legal team made it clear the former president would not accept the invitation, dismissing it as a public relations stunt. and on the house floor-- >> we are dealing with conduct that brings shame on this house. >> reporter: --democrats stripped georgia's marjorie taylor greene of her committee assignments. >> these were words of the past, and these things do not represent me. >> reporter: after she tried to walk

cbs' kris van cleave is going to lead off our coverage from the capitol. ng kris. >> reporter: good evening, norah. house democrats used 11 hours to argue their case, the trump team barely three hours to defend the former president. they attacked democrats, sometimes relied on falsehoods as they attempted to create an alternative narrative where mr. trump bore no blame or responsibility for the violence that happened here on january 6. rejecting democratic claims mr. trump incited the riot with his rhetoric on january 6... >> we fight like hell. >> reporter: ...his attorneys used democrats' own words about fighting as cover for mr. trump's remarks. >> we're going to be in for the fight for of our lives. >> this is fight of our life. >> the fight of their lives. >> suddenly the word "fight" is off limits? spare us the hypocrisy and false indignation. >> reporter: trump attorney michael van der veen, who last year sued mr. trump for voter suppression, went on the attack. >> this case, unfortunately, is about political hatred. it has become very clear that the

cbs news congressional correspondent kris van cleave followed it all, including some surprises, and joinsom capitol hill. kris. >> reporter: adriana, the former president is claiming victory tonight, saying in a statement, his impeachment was just another phase of the greatest witch hunt in our country's history. but this vote, while unsuccessful, was the most bipartisan vote to convict an impeached president in u.s. history. >> the senate judges that the respondent donald john trump, former profit united states, is not guilty. >> reporter: in the end, seven republican senators voted to convict former president donald trump for inciting the riot on the capitol, including a surprise vote by retiring senator richard burr of north carolina. house democrats had warned a vote to convict was necessary to prevent a similar attack from ever happening again. >> we're defending the u.s. senate and the u.s. house against a president who acted no better than a marauder and a member of that mob. >> reporter: the 57-43 vote fell short of the 67 needed to convict mr. trump, who is the only president to

cbs's kris van cleave is going to lead off our coverage tonight from the u.s. l, where it has been a dramatic and emotional day. good evening, kris. >> reporter: norah, tears ran down the face of a capitol police officer inside the senate chamber as some of those videos played. the senators sat silence, focused on the monitors. senator mitt romney said after, the violence tears at your heart and brings tears to your eyes. >> multiple capitol injuries, multiple capitol injuries! >> reporter: tonight, dramatic new security camera video from inside the u.s. capitol as an angry mob breaks in. some of the images deemed so disturbing, impeachment managers warned it may not be suitable for children to even watch. and outside the capitol, police were being overrun. >> and used our flag-- the american flag-- to batter and to bludgeon. >> reporter: this new video shows officer eugene goodman rushing to respond, and directing senator mitt romney to run for safety away from rioters. moments later, goodman would lead an angry mob away from the unguarded senate door. here, vi

norah. >> o'donnell: big week on capitol hill, kris van cleave, thank you. now to a shocking case of computer hacking in pinellas county, florida. investigators are trying to hunt down the person who tried to poison a public water supply remotely. cbs's jeff pegues has new reporting. >> reporter: according to investigators, a plant operator monitoring the operating plan ticed computer glitche starting at 8:00 a.m. friday morning. the hacker was controlling the computer system's mouse and increased the level of sodium hydroxide to more than 11,000 parts per million. sheriff... >> this is obviously a significant and potentially dangerous increase. sodium hydroxide also known as lye is the main ingredient in liquid drain cleaners. >> reporter: according to the centers for disease control, if ingested in large amounts, sodium hydroxide can cause vomiting, chest and abdominal pain. fortunately a plant operator immediately reduced the levels back to what was safe. now secret service and f.b.i. cyber units are trying to determine who is behind the hack, whether it

people and the united states capitol, norah. >> o'donnell: kris van cleave, thank you. and also at the capitol today, postmaster general louis dejoy apologized for those shipping delays during the holidays, and told a house panel his strategic plan may include slowing down first class mail even more anday transporting less of it by plane. democrats have been highly critical of dejoy, but he says is he not leaving, "so get used to me." all right, now tonight the struggle for food, water and shelter continues in texas and other parts of the south ravaged by last week's deadly storm. today, four board members stepped down from the organization that runs the texas power grid. the four did not live in the state where mass power outages lasted days, janet shamlian continues our coverage of the crisis. >> this is just the biggest pieces. >> reporter: tonight, texans in trouble, some still struggling after the storm. in rachel bohenick's house, nine pipes burs. >> water just pouring out of this. >> reporter: it is overwhelming for the houston mom of three young children, who is

kris van cleave, thank you.hile house republicans were battling, top senate democrats met today with president biden. topic number one was that huge possible compromise. cbs's ed o'keefe has late reporting from the white house. >> reporter: president biden today confident republicans will back his covid relief plan, despite little evidences they will. >> reporter: but utah republican mitt romney, who backs a much smaller, targeted bill, said members of his party will only get on board if the president cuts the size of his plan. >> if it goes forward without any changes from what was originally proposed, i would predict that not a single republican will support the $1.9 trillion plan. epte oa potential compromise: who is eligible for new stimulus checks. >> that money will go out the door immediately. >> reporter: mr. biden says he wants to fulfill a campaign promise of $1,400 payments, but might be willing to negotiate over who qualifies. ere haenclusn, butng that has certainly is open to having that discussion.

norah. >> o'donnell: all right, kris van cleave, thank you. and while house republicans were battling, top senate democrats met with president biden. topic number one was the huge covid stimulus plan. and tonight there is word of a possible compromise. cbs's ed o'keefe has late >> rr: preis b rdespitlittle evy will republicans. >> reporter: but utah republican mitt romney who backed a smaller targeted bill said members of his party will only get on board if the president cuts the side of his plan. >> if it goes forward without any changes from what was originally proposed, i would predict that not a single republican will support the $1.9 trillion plan. >> reporter: one area of potential compromise: who is eligible for stimulus checks. >> that money will go out the door immediately. >> reporter: mr. biden says he wants to fulfill a exam campaign promise of 1400 payment but might be willing to negotiate over who qualifies. >> that is something that has formernder discussion, tt en aua president trump's impeachment trial approaching president bi

norah. >> o'donnell: kris van cleave from the capitol, thank you. tonight britain's prince harry is speaking out in his firstintd back from royal duties to live in america. james corden, host of cbs' "the late late show" spoke to the prince in a remarkably candid interview.>>te frincharry, mes corden broughtit >> can i interest you in tea? >> i'd love one. >> reporter: the two toured town with harry showing a softer side in his improv sklls at the home of the fresh prince. >> now, this is a story all about how a man got flipped and turned upside down-- >> reporter: they started to dial up meghan markle who addressed harry by his nickname haz. >> haz, how is your tour of l.a. going? >> reporter: the comedy seems to have loosened up the prince enough to open up ability his decision to live the u.k. how do you feel about the crown? >> they don't appear to be news. it's fictional. i'm more comfortable about the crowd than seeing the stories written about my family, my wife or myself. we all know what the british press can be like and it was destroying m

norah. >> o'donnell: kris van cleave, thank you so much. there are disturbing new details in the death of young black man elijah mclain. a group of medical and legal experts looked into his death following confrontation with police in aurora, colorado in 2019 and their report has just been released. here's cbs' omar villafranca. >> i have a right to stop you because you're being suspicious. >> reporter: the independent report out tonight says aurora, colorado, police did not have the right to stop, frisk or violently restrain elijah mclain in august 2019. >> reporter: police put the 23- year-old in a neck hold. >> i can't breathe correctly. >> reporter: and according to the report, e.m.s. administered a ketamine dosage based on a grossly inaccurate and inflated estimate of mr. mclain's size, adding higher doses can cause sedation complications for which this team was not clearly prepared. f mclain suffered cardiac arrest and later died in the hospital. >> no justice, no peace! >> reporter: his death sparked outrage amid a summer of protests

here's cbs's kris van cleave. >> reporter: tonight prosecutors allege clayton mullens is the man in this trying to drag a police officer down the steps of the capitol by his foot, january 6. that officer required two staples to close a head wound. now, one of the three capitol officials who could have okayed a request for national guard assistance says he was never consulted before or during the attack. >> so, were you aware of that request, or were you not? >> i was not. >> reporter: as architect of the capitol, brett blanton oversees the physical capitol complex. on tuesday, the former capitol police chief acknowledged, he didn't contact blanton. >> unless it was an issue specific to the architect, regarding, you know, building structure, something like that, my conduit was regularly the house and senate sergeant at arms. >> if that was his regular practice, then i think we found an issue with the operational chain of command of the capitol police force, frankly. >> reporter: blanton said temporary security, repairs from the attack and upgrades to the capitol could cost $40 million. du

cbs' kris van clveor tonight from the capitol. >> reporter: tonight, democrats called former president donald trump singularly responsible for the attack on the capitol, while his legal team said his remarks assault on the capitol january 6, while the trump legal team argues his remarks that day are protected by >> and if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore. >> reporter: in a filins lega cm thrds were not calling for violent action but were about the need to fight for election security in general. but house impeachment managers will respond with social media evidence, arguing president trump's responsibility for the events of january 6 is unmistakable.mr. trs gueis sonpe he's no longer president, a view not shared by most legal experts. his lawyers also plan tobunked claims of a stolen election, a a move criticized even by senate republican jurors. >> that's not a winning argument. >> reporter: still, after 45 republicans voted to dismiss the trial in a test vote last week, some democrats see conviction as virtually impossible. >> i'm very worried abou

cbs' kris van cleave reports. >> reporter: tonight, debate over president biden's covid relief bill offontentious start in the house. >> america needs this, america wants this, and they're going to get it. >> this is the wrong plan at the wrong time for all the wrong reasons. >> reporter: despite the president's assurances he would get republican support, none have signaled they will back the $1.9 trillion bill that includes $160 billion to help with vaccine distribution, $130 billion for schools and $30 billion for rental assistance. there's also an additional $400 weekly unemployment benefit and up to $1,400 stimulus checks. >> i needed the stimulus last year. >> reporter: christina antanowski and her husband are barely keeping a roof over their two kids' heads. he's working two jobs and she's working full time from their florida home. she says they need all the help they can get. >> i wake up not in the morning, but in the middle of the night with panic about, you know, my lord, what am i going to tell my landlord? >> reporter: also in the house bill a minimum wage hike to $15 an hou

cbs' kris van cleave is going to lead off our coverage tonight from the capitol. good evening, kris. >> reporter: norah, house democrats say without a conviction, former president trump or another future presidential candidate could essentially try to do the same thing and attack the capitol. this as we are learning tonight members of the oath keeper militia group had trained in urban warfare and had a plot to use boats to bring heavy weapons across the potomac and attack the capitol. >> traitors! traitors! >> reporter: relying again on jarring video reminders of the jarring video reminders of the violence on january 6, house democrats sought to break down a key talking point-- former president trump couldn't have known the crowd hearing him speak would violently storm the capitol. >> january 6 was a culmination of the president's actions, not an aberration from them. >> reporter: calling the april siege of the michigan capitol "a trial run," impeachment managers used the former president's tweets and words. >> we got to get her going. i don't think she likes me to

norah. >> o'donnell: kris van cleave, thank you. we have breaking news just coming in, let's go to the cbs news desk for the latest details. >> i'm ed o'keefe in washington. tonight u.s. officials confirm airstrikes on multiple sites in syria linked to malitias. it was carried out in response to recent attacks in iraq. it was the first military action ordered by president biden. the pentagon says he ordered the strike earlier thursday and described it as a proportionary military response. and that the president will act to pr and tonight, there's a shocking twist in the ongoing investigations into the sexual assault of female gymnasts. john geddert, the 2012 u.s. olympic gymnastics coach, died by suicide today, just as he was expected to turn himself in to face multiple felony counts, including human trafficking. geddert worked with the disgraced doctor larry nassar, who is in prison for molesting gymnasts. geddert was accused of coercing girls to train at his michigan gym, then verbally and physically abusing them. all right, tonig

norah. >> o'donnell: kris van cleave, thank you. tonight, there's a shocking twist in the ongoing investigations into the sexual assault of female gymnasts. john geddert, the 2012 u.s. olympic gymnastics coach, died by suicide today just as he was expected to turn himself in to face multiple felony counts, including human trafficking. geddert worked with the disgraced doctor larry nassar, who is in prison for molesting gymnasts. geddert was accused of coercing girls to train at his michigan gym, then verbally andn s. hate crimes against asian americans have skied rocketed since the start of the pandemic. we get more on this from cbs' jamie yuccas. >> reporter: the owner at this butcher shop in sacramento says she's frightened after security cameras captured a man tossing a dead cat in her parking lot. >> do you feel like this is a hate crime? >> of course. there's really no doubt about it. >> reporter: more than 3,000 hate incidents directed at asian americans nationwide have been reported since the beginning of the pandemic, accord

kris van cleave, thank you. today covid vaccine mairksz told congress they sho also at the capitol today, covid vaccine makers told congress the u.s. should have enough supply to vaccinate every american who wants it by the end of july. more than 44 million americans have had at least one shot and more than 19 million are fully vaccinated. and tonight there are more signs that life is slowly returning to normal. pot for nerk cit whichtiste.r: u was the epicenter of the first deadly wave of covid 19. fans inside sports arenas for the first time in nearly a year. >> feeling very emotional, very anxious, as excited as i am, i have no clue what to expect. >> if everybody's negative and they prove it, it's kind of like a little bubble if you go into the game. >> reporter: at brooklyn's barclays center, 300 people will be scattered in red marked seats after negative covid test results. movie theaters are next up, they can open march 5, despite the fact new york city says the more contagious u.k. variant is has now fou

norah. >> o'donnell: kris van cleave, thank you. the u.s. critical milestone today in the covid pandemic. the number of americans who have had at least one covid shot now exceeds the total number of confirmed cases in the u.s. but as cbs' omar villafranca reports, there are new worries tonight about dangerous covid mutations. >> reporter: a stark new warning tonight on the nation's dire covid crisis. >> i think with these new variants, the one particularly from england, it's possible in the next 6 to 14 weeks we could see the worst of the pandemic we have to date. >> reporter: the u.k. variant is already in at least 33 states, and now it's started to mutate overseas, raising concerns current vaccines may be less effective against it. is there any sense of urgency, doctor, to at least get the first round of a vaccine? >> i can't emphasize in strong enough terms how important it is for as many people as possible to get vaccinated as soon as possible. >> reporter: pfizer announcing it's planning to study whether a third dose may be needed after

kris van cleave is on capitol hill for us. kris, good morning to you. the democratic-led house is holding a vote to remove republican congresswoman greene from committee assignments today. so simple terms, what's on the line here? >> reporter: well, tony, good morning. we got a sense last night for the divide inside the republican party between the establishment wing and the trump wing in this private vote over liz cheney, giving some republicans an opportunity to defy president trump without having to do so publicly. that will be a little bit different in today's vote. this is something that's being forced by democrats. it's a clear effort to tie republicans to conspiracy theories like qanon. in the end, republicans made no changes. >> the number-one thing that happened at the conference was unity. >> reporter: this despite members spending hours debating whether to strip wyoming's liz cheney of her leadership post over her impeachment vote and georgia's marjorie taylor-greene of her committee positions. house minority leader kevin mccarthy says he une

kris van cleave is on capitol hill for us. good morning to you. how did greene's fellow republicans respond? >> reporter: well, good morning. 11 republicans, that's one more than the number that voted to impeach former president trump a month ago voted with democrats to strip congresswoman greene of her two committees -- the education committee and the budget committee. that included three republicans from south florida. greene had cast doubt on whether or not the parkland shooting had happened in one of the conspiracy theories she has spread. that clearly was a factor in those votes. this as the bulk of the republican party backed greene as that party has to figure out its way forward. >> the yeas are 230, and the nays are 199, the resolution is adopted. >> reporter: in a mostly party-line vote, the house stripped georgia republican marjorie taylor greene from her committee assignments. >> i will be protecting freedom of speech. >> reporter: greene who previously spread hateful and violent conspiracy theories tried thursday to walk back her contr

kris van cleave is on capitol hill where the leaders of the house and senate plan to pay tribute to officer sicknick. kris, good morning to you. >> tony, good morning. it was a very powerful moment as the hearse arrived outsid the east front of the capitol here. i wanted to show you some video of that powerful and solemn moment, if we can. this is the public memorial for officer brian sicknick. he's a former service member who deployed to battle enemies abroad only to be killed defending a symbol of democracy at home. the urn carrying the 42-year-old's remain was placed in the rotunda rioters stormed four weeks ago.nick is only the fifth private citizen to lie in the rotunda. president biden and the first lady also came to pay their respects along with his capitol police counterparts. members of congress including congressional leaders did, as well. later today there will be a ceremonial departure from the capitol here. officer sicknick will be taken to arlington national cemetery where he'll be laid to george floyd's death. now video shows them arresting an innocent man three weeks before

kris sanchez, "today in the bay." >>> san francisco police on the hunt for two people who stole a delivery driver's van with his two driver came back to his van saturday night to find someone in his car with the kids in the back seat. an amber alert was called and about four hours later, police found the children in the bay view, nowhere near the pacific heights neighborhood where it all unfolded. >>> happening today, oakland's new police chief will officially be sworn in as the city's top cop. mayor libby schaaf made the announcement friday leronne armstrong will be oakland's new police chief. he's been with the police department for 20 years and most recently deputy chief. >>> monday morning? head outside this morning and check the forecast as well with meteorologist kari hall. looks a little cloudy out there. does it depend on where you are? >> yes, i think we're going to see a lot of clouds across the bay area today. that was a cool shot. let's look at what to expect today. it will stay mostly cloudy, some peeks of sunshine and temperatures reaching into the low 60s. tomorrow more of the same, but i think we'll

wolfgang van halen opens up about honoring his dad's legacy and shares a performance you won't want to miss first, a quick check of your local news and weather >>> good morning, it's 8:26, i'm kris will be, quote, more complicated than bringing back any other muni line. the nearly 150-year-old cars require specialized training and are expensive to operate and tour is are nowhere to be found. more essential lines will be brought back first. >>> let's check weather. >> we've got storm ranger powered up and it'satching out for some light showers moving t the door to mist and drizzle across the bay area, and hit and miss rain mostly through parts of the east bay and the peninsula. missing out on the south bay right now. all of this rain clearing out by this afternoon. another chance before sunrise tomorrow morning and all day, pretty much, sunny for the rest of the forecast on saturday into sunday and a pretty big warm-up in the forecast nerl next week. >> i'll have another local news update for you in half an hour. ♪ feeling good ♪ >>> you feeling good 8:30 friday friday february 19th, 2021. the weekend is knocking. first, we have a really busy half hour ahead. >> we do ms. jenna i