CNN "Andersn Cooper 360" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries

Interview

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COOPER: Even as the Chauvin trial continues, there is major legislation now in the U.S. Senate aimed at putting an end to these kind of wrenching episodes. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, it is called which has already passed in the House, it bans or discourages police chokeholds, requires or provides funding for police body cams and dash cams that works to end racial profiling and makes it easier to prosecute alleged police misconduct.

New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries is a Member of the House Democratic leadership, cosponsor of the bill. He joins us now.

Congressman Jeffries, so eight days into this trial, I am wondering what your impressions are of the prosecution's case so far, and how consequential is the trial for the Equal Justice Movement.

[20:20:05]

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): Good evening, Anderson. Thanks for having me on. I think that the prosecution has presented an incredibly strong case to date.

They've made clear, I believe, through overwhelming evidence and witness testimony that excessive force was used, resulting in the death of George Floyd.

As far as I'm concerned, George Floyd was killed in cold blood in what was really a modern day lynching, something that should never happen on the streets of America or for that matter, anywhere in the world.

And it's certainly important for us to see accountability as it relates to the death of George Floyd. More importantly, I think it will be important for Congress to act in a decisive fashion.

The House has passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act through great leadership from Speaker Pelosi and Congresswoman Karen Bass. And we're working with the Senate to see if we can get this legislation through that body into the President's desk so it can be signed into law.

COOPER: You tweeted at the start of this trial, you said: "Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd in cold blood. It's not that complicated." Obviously, the trial is ongoing. I wonder how confident are you that the jury will return a guilty verdict in this case or will be able to come to a decision?

JEFFRIES: Well, certainly, it seems to me that based on all the information that we know, including what has been presented over the last eight or nine days, and what will continue to come in throughout the trial, points to a clear conviction in this particular case.

George Floyd had a knee to his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds while handcuffed, including while he was on the street corner, lifeless and motionless, let alone clearly he was not resisting.

You know, for the last year or so as we've been struggling through this pandemic, we've been urged by the public health professionals to wash our hands for 20 seconds. For many of us, that seems like an eternity. Those 20 seconds of washing our hands, which is something that we all should continue to do as we navigate our way through COVID-19.

Can you imagine a knee to someone's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds? That's murder.

COOPER: I want to also ask you about the January 6th insurrection. Former republican Speaker of the House, John Boehner writes in a forthcoming book that the former President, quote, " ... incited that bloody insurrection for nothing more than selfish reasons, perpetuated by the bull blank he'd been shoveling since he lost a fair election the previous November."

I mean, Speaker Boehner's words are not going to change the minds of those who continue to push the big lie or deny the reality of the insurrection. But do you think they can have some impact?

JEFFRIES: Well, it is my hope that more Republicans will continue to speak up because right now, we're in a situation where Democrats from great leadership from President Biden and Vice President Harris are pushing transformational pieces of legislation like the American Rescue Plan, so we can crush the virus and provide relief to Americans who are struggling, ultimately, lay the foundation to revive our economy, restore hope, and get children back in schools.

And Republicans are the party of Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene, the big lie, and the QAnon conspiracy theory -- that is not sustainable if we're going to have a legitimate two-party system. We can disagree about ideas, but perhaps we should agree about the importance of American democracy, and right now, that is not the case with far too many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle.

Hopefully, beyond John Boehner, more Republican stateswomen and men will speak up and take their party back.

COOPER: Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, appreciate your time. Thank you very much.

JEFFRIES: Thank you, Anderson.

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