House to send Trump impeachment article to Senate next week

close

Video

House to send Trump impeachment article to Senate next week

Fox News Congressional correspondent Chad Pergram has the latest on 'Special Report'

This is a rush transcript from "Special Report" January 22, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

BRET BAIER, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Good evening, I'm Bret Baier. "BREAKING
TONIGHT", President Biden signs a pair of executive orders intended to
address the economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic. But some Republicans
are unhappy with certain elements in the Biden plan, and there are
increasing criticisms of the new president's vaccination strategies,
saying, the goals might be too modest.

White House correspondent Peter Doocy starts us off tonight live from the
North Lawn.

Good evening, Peter.

PETER DOOCY, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Bret. Because Biden's
team has only been on the ground here for 48 hours, they are telling us,
they don't have a handle yet on how much vaccine stock there is. President
Biden is planning to release more of it but he says, in the meantime,
things are going to get worse.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The virus is surging.

DOOCY (voice-over): The Biden White House wants doses of vaccine each for
50 million people or 100 million shots in 100 days. That requires a pace of
a million a day. Not that much higher than the 850,000 a day average in the
final days of the Trump administration.

Now, a member of a federal vaccine advisory board is quoted by The New York
Times. "I love that he set a goal, but a million doses a day. I think we
can do better. We are going to have to if we really want to get on top of
this virus by, say, summer."

BIDEN: God will, He not only do 100 million, we're going to do more than
that.

DOOCY: Biden is betting, a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package will earn
easy Republican support.

BIDEN: This almost doesn't have a partisan piece to it.

DOOCY: But some Republicans balk at including items like a $15 minimum wage
or funding for public transportation.

SEN. MIKE ROUNDS (R-SD): There are some added items in there that he's
going to have a real tough time getting through that really are part of
COVID relief. He'll have to separate those out. But, when we talk about
vaccine dollars, when we talk about testing dollars, and so forth, I think
he'll have pretty broad support.

DOOCY: The Biden White House is working on it.

BRIAN DEESE, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL: We are doing all outreach
that the president has directed the team, to do outreach to members of
Congress, to business and labor organizations, to mayors and governors.

DOOCY: Biden and Mitch McConnell are on the same page about waiting until
mid-February to start the Trump impeachment trial.

BIDEN: The more time we have to get up and running and meet these crises,
the better.

DOOCY: Now, McConnell is trying to prevent Democrats from doing something
that would completely marginalize the Republican minority, getting rid of
the filibuster.

MCCONELL: President Biden has praised this distinctive feature of the
Senate on many occasions.

DOOCY: One of the ways Biden as trying to stabilize the economy, extending
a pause on student loan debt payments.

BIDEN: I directed my administration to pause student loan repayments for
interest for -- the interest payments for Americans with federal student
loans until at least September.

DOOCY: When Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez heard about that, she asked for more.
"OK, now let's cancel them."

Biden's not there right now, but he does want to move quickly.

BIDEN: If we don't act, the rest of the world is not standing still in
terms of the competitive advantage of the competitive possibilities
relative to us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DOOCY: And to start keeping tabs on the rest of the world, President Biden
is working the phones tonight. He is going to dial Canada's Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau and Mexico's president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

These are his first foreign leader calls since becoming leader of the free
world. And we believe he was making them from the Oval Office because
walking out here, there is a marine posted outside the front door. Bret.

BAIER: So, force is a sign that he is in the Oval Office of the West Wing.
Peter Doocy, live at the North Lawn. Peter, thanks.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she will send the single article of
impeachment against former President Donald Trump to the Senate, Monday.
That will set in motion, the second impeachment trial against President
Trump, and a conviction could torpedo any plans he may harbor for another
run at the White House.

Also, tonight, the current occupant of the White House is trying to gather
support for his agenda for the first 100 days, at least. Congressional
correspondent Chad Pergram has details.

Good evening, Chad. So, walk us through Monday.

CHAD PERGRAM, FOX NEWS CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Bret.
Well, Monday is the formal start of the impeachment trial. The nine
impeachment managers led by Jamie Raskin, the Democrat from suburban
Maryland, they will walk the sole article of impeachment over to the
Senate.

One article, incitement of insurrection. And they will read the article of
impeachment before the Senate. Now, the question here is whether or not
they can work out some sort of a framework to get -- to sort of, you know,
guide pose for this Senate trial here. Maybe they don't get to the meat and
potatoes of the Senate trial until mid-February.

Lindsey Graham, Republican senator from South Carolina says the trial once
it starts, all other Senate business is off.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): We're not going to split the day, at least, I
would. They're choosing to do this. We're going to do it the way we've
always done it. We've never split the day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERGRAM: Now, by rule, 1:00 p.m., six days a week. That's how you handle a
Senate trial, but we might get some more information here in the next
couple of minutes. The new Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is going to
be on the Senate floor and has an announcement about the parameters of the
Senate trial. Bret.

BAIER: That's any moment. We will see that, and we'll turn it around once
we get it.

Meantime, Chad, the Senate is also trying to get an agreement on how to
operate in this 50/50 environment. How does that impact the filibuster, the
60 votes?

PERGRAM: That's right. Well, Mitch McConnell, the new Senate minority
leader, he wants a power-sharing agreement like they had the last time the
Senate was tied, 50/50 back in 2021.

And, of course, because McConnell is now in the minority, he wants to
maintain the filibuster and the Senate democratic leader. The new majority
leader, Chuck Schumer says that is, "unacceptable".

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): The Republican leader, however, has made an
extraneous demand that would place additional constraints on the majority,
constraints that have never been in place before. In fact, his proposal
would remove a tool that the Republican leader himself used twice in just
the last Congress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERGRAM: Now, blowing up the filibuster for legislation is unlikely, you
need at least 51 votes to establish a new precedent to kill filibuster, and
it's doubtful there are 51 senators who would go along with ditching the
filibuster. The right to filibuster is a hallowed Senate prerogative. Bret.

BAIER: You've said or mentioned, you may have others. We'll see over the
next few days. Chad, where we stand with the president's Cabinet?

PERGRAM: Well, just one confirmation today. Lloyd Austin, the defense
secretary, he was confirmed today. The vote there was 93-2. You had Josh
Hawley, Republican in Missouri, and Mike Lee, Republican of Utah, those of
the two no votes. So, only two confirmations so far for President Biden.

Now, we might have a confirmation on Monday for Tony Blinken to be the
secretary of state, may be Janet Yellen to be the secretary of the
treasury.

In impeachment trial, though threatens to derail confirmations and that's
why it may be in the interest of the Democrats to work out a deal for the
impeachment trial. Bret.

BAIER: OK, Chad Pergram with the latest. Thanks.

About 7,000 National Guard troops are going to stay in Washington, D.C.
until the end of January following the massive protective mission
surrounding the inauguration. And while the rest head home, there are
increasing questions and accusations about how the troops were used and
treated.

Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich shows us tonight from Capitol Hill.

JACQUI HEINRICH, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Bipartisan outrage
over National Guard troops packed into a parking garage, resting on
concrete amid car fumes after defending the capital for inauguration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCHUMER: It was utterly unacceptable.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): I don't think a single senator feels that was
acceptable.

HEINRICH: It's still unclear who's to blame. The National Guard telling
Fox, Capitol police ordered the troops out as Congress was in session.
Capitol police denying they gave the order.

But Republican governors from Texas, Florida, and New Hampshire didn't wait
for answers to bring their soldiers home.

GOV. CHRIS SUNUNU (R-NH): I don't know who is responsible. Frankly, I don't
care. I just got to get, you know, protect my troops and do what's right.

HEINRICH: Guard members told POLITICO, we feel incredibly betrayed, after a
group of 5,000 were directed to the underground lot with only two toilets,
no Internet, and one electrical outlet.

Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran and double amputee offered up
her own office tweeting, "Unreal. I can't believe that the same service
members we've been asking to protect our Capitol and our Constitution these
last two weeks would be unceremoniously ordered to vacate the building."
Senator Tim Scott called for accountability, tweeting, "This is
unconscionable and unsafe."

Safety questions are growing as defense officials confirmed more than 100
troops now tested positive for coronavirus. The Senate Rules Committee is
investigating if precautions were taken amid concerns the deployment is
becoming a super-spreader event.

Troops maintained high spirits despite vetting for extremist ties and
questionable accommodations. FEMA only sending cots after these photos went
viral.

SGT. ZACHARY HOLDEN, OREGON ARMY NATIONAL GUARD: Everybody is extremely
honored to be here and part of this, and to help protect the process and
protect the country.

JILL BIDEN, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: All I wanted to be -- if
everybody could be --

HEINRICH: The new president and first lady expressed thanks and gave
support, Jill Biden in person, Joe Biden by phone.

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: He talked about his own personal
commitment and connection to the National Guard, given his son had served
previously.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEINRICH: Capitol police on the National Guard said in a joint statement
they are committed to the common goal of protecting the Capitol, but it did
not resolve the question of who gave the controversial order.

The troops are now working eight-hour shifts, instead of 12, allowing the
more time to get hotel rooms outside the city. Bret.

BAIER: Jacqui Heinrich, live on Capitol Hill. Jacqui, thank you.

There are also concerned tonight that the new president's rush to reverse
his predecessor's foreign policy may not be in the nation's best interest,
concerns from both sides of the aisle. An explanation tonight from state
department correspondent Rich Edson.

RICH EDSON, FOX NEWS WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Biden
administration appointees are gradually staffing the state department's
Washington headquarters. The one nominee is missing, secretary designate
Antony Blinken is still waiting for his Senate confirmation vote. When he
does arrive, he'll face a series of major foreign policy decisions,
especially on China.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE NOMINEE: President Trump was right in
taking a tougher approach to China.

EDSON: Blinken agreed with the Trump administration accusing China of
genocide, and blocking Chinese products made with slave labor from the U.S.
Though the Biden administration quickly moved to reverse President Trump's
decision to leave the World Health Organization. As analysts say, the
W.H.O. last year publicly applauded China, as the Chinese government was
refusing to share information to help contain the virus.

CRAIG SINGLETON, FOUNDATION DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES: How are we going to
call the W.H.O. accountable? How are we going to reorient U.S. taxpayer
funding to the W.H.O. to make sure that it doesn't just become some sort of
a patsy for China.

EDSON: On inauguration day, China announced sanctions on more than two
dozen former Trump administration officials, including outgoing Secretary
of State Mike Pompeo.

A former senior Trump administration official tells Fox News that the
previous state department staff prepared sanctions on senior Chinese
government officials to give the Biden administration immediate options to
retaliate.

A current state department spokesperson says China sanctions are
counterproductive, and U.S. officials will work with American allies on
China-related issues. It's also unclear whether the Biden administration
will maintain the Trump campaign against Chinese telecom companies, the
tariffs on imports, and penalties for steadily increasing repression in
Hong Kong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

EDSON: The Biden administration is also moving on Russia, proposing to
extend for five more years the last remaining a nuclear arms treaty between
the two countries. The Kremlin says it welcomes the U.S. offer to maintain
the new start treaty, but we still waiting for more details before
officially signing off. Bret.

BAIER: Rich, thank you. In just the past minute, the Senate Majority Leader
Chuck Schumer saying the impeachment trial will start the week of February
8th -- the week of February 8th. So, we'll follow that just -- on the
Senate floor.

The Biden administration is going to review the peace agreement reached
between the Trump team and the Taliban last year. White House national
security advisor Jake Sullivan told his Afghan counterpart today in a phone
call, the deal calls for U.S. forces to leave Afghanistan by this May in
exchange for counterterrorism guarantees.

Well, if you smoke, drink, or eat too much, you may actually move to the
front of the line for the coronavirus vaccine. We'll explain how that
works.

One of baseball's all-time greats has died. Hall of famer Henry Aaron, who
broke Babe Ruth's career home run records, retired with 755 homers, died in
his sleep, according to the Atlanta Braves Organization. Aaron was one of
the sports' first African American superstars and endured racist taunts and
threats as he approached Ruth's record.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What a marvelous moment for baseball, what a marvelous
moment for Atlanta and the State of Georgia. What a marvelous moment for
the country and the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAIER: Aaron's home run mark endured until it was broken by Barry Bonds in
2007 at to the height of the baseball steroid issue. But many still
consider Hameron Hank, the real home run king. Hank Aaron was 86.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAIER: Stocks were mixed today. The Dow lost 179, the S&P 500 finished off
12. The NASDAQ gained 12 for another record close. For the week, the Dow
was up six-tenths of a percentage point, the S&P 500 gained two, the NASDAQ
surged 4-1/5.

Now, to the controversy over the coronavirus vaccine, the shortages of the
drug and how it's being administered. In a few places, some questionable
lifestyle choices are putting certain people ahead of others on the vaccine
waiting list. In several places, getting a shot means playing the long
game.

Correspondent Casey Stegall explains tonight from Arlington, Texas.

CASEY STEGALL, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At this COVID-19
vaccination hub in Arlington, Texas, today, thousands stood in line,
anxiously checking their paperwork.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

STEGALL: After finally being cleared by county health officials to receive
their coronavirus vaccine.

PATTY WEAVER, VACCINE RECIPIENT, TEXAS: I have underlying health
conditions, and so, it just seem like the right thing for me to do.

STEGALL: This one location will inoculate more than 3,000 on Friday alone.

LT. RICHARD FEGAN, ARLINGTON, TEXAS FIRE DEPARTMENT: The moment you get
here, you can easily recognize that there are good things happening here.
You know, this is the first step in the process to get us back to
everyone's work.

STEGALL: State by state, the vaccine push moves forward with roughly
900,000 Americans rolling up their sleeves daily, a number, a public health
officials say needs to be much higher, with this week marking one year
since the first case was reported in the U.S. 12 months later, almost
412,000 Americans have died from the disease.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I never ask New Yorkers to be patient, we're not a
patient people.

STEGALL: Many states continue to hit speed bumps with vaccinating the
masses. New York City says it's dealing with a shortage of supply. Some
sites closed despite the CDC web site saying that all of the allocated
doses have not been used.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As soon as we have vaccine, we can give people
appointments quickly.

STEGALL: In New Jersey and D.C., health authorities have come under fire
over policies that allow cigarette smokers to jump to the front of the
line, taking high priority over nonsmokers because of their underlying
health conditions.

While leaders back in Texas urge everyone to be patient, reminding them
such a feat has not been attempted in more than 50 years, and the process
should improve with time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Over time, we've been able to increase efficiency.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEGALL: And back out here live in Texas tonight, the CDC is now saying
that a patient may be able in rare situations -- may be able to switch
vaccine manufacturers from their first dose to their second dose, and
saying that someone could also potentially wait up to six weeks before they
get their second shot, instead of the recommended three or four weeks,
depending on the brand. Bret.

BAIER: Casey Stegall live in Arlington, Texas. Casey, thanks.

Twitter says it has permanently banned what it calls a fake account thought
to be connected to the office of Iran's supreme leader. The New York Post
reports Twitter took 17 hours to suspend the account linked to Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei, after he posted an image of former President Trump playing
golf in the shadow of a giant drone with the caption, "revenge is certain"
written in Farsi.

The Post says that tweet included the same language found last month and a
posting for what appears to be the leader's official account.

Up next, just who the government considers terrorists could be a question
that affects you, your neighbors, and your friends. We'll tell you why.

First, here is what some of our Fox affiliates around the country are
covering tonight. Fox Five in New York as the city's main bus terminal
could be in for a major overhaul. The port authority facility has long been
ridiculed for leaky ceilings, dirty bathrooms, and frequent delays.
Construction could begin in 2024 and cost up to $10 billion.

Fox 40 in Sacramento, as Yosemite National Park remains closed through the
weekend because of high winds that knock down to giant sequoias and cause
millions of dollars in damage. The winds that have whipped through the
state have toppled other trees and power lines and cut electricity to about
300,000 homes and businesses.

And this is a live look at Tampa from our affiliate fox 13. One of the big
stories there tonight, the National Football League says 7,500 health care
workers vaccinated for the coronavirus will be given free tickets to next
month's Super Bowl at Raymond James Stadium.

The League says it will allow around 22,000 fans to attend the game in
person in the 66,000-seat facility. Most health care workers who will get
free tickets on Super Bowl Sunday will come from the Tampa Bay area and
central Florida.

That's tonight's live look "OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY" from SPECIAL REPORT. We'll
be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAIER: Dozens of civil rights organizations are expressing their concerns
over the possibility of a new domestic terrorism bill that would ostensibly
focus on white nationalists and neo-Nazis. The issue is what groups are
considered terrorists and whether that constitutes profiling. Here is
correspondent Mark Meredith.

MARK MEREDITH, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In his inaugural
address, President Biden vowed to combat hate groups which he sees as a
growing national security threat.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: Now, a rise of political extremism, white supremacy, domestic
terrorism, that we must confront, and we will defeat.

MEREDITH: This week, Democratic Illinois Congressman Brad Schneider
introduced the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act which establishes domestic
terrorism offices at the Justice Department, Homeland Security, and FBI.
Would require Congress be briefed twice a year on domestic terrorist
activity and examine if hate groups have infiltrated military and law
enforcement agencies.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin says following the recent Capitol Hill
riots, lawmakers should feel an urgent need to act.

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): The House passed this legislation last fall. When
I tried to give a call to the Senate, unfortunately, the Senate Republicans
objected. I hope they have a change of heart now.

MEREDITH: Critics fear the legislation may create more controversy and
unfairly label some Americans as domestic terrorists.

SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI): We need to tread very carefully, and again, we
have laws on the books. The vast majority of Americans do not support these
groups no matter what side of the political spectrum they're on.

MEREDITH: This week, 135 civil rights groups sent Congress a letter, urging
lawmakers to focus on hate groups, but not to enact a new domestic
terrorism charge.

Becky Monroe is with the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

BECKY MONROE, LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS: -- history,
when we've had new criminal charges created, however well-intentioned, they
have ended up coming back to harm the very same communities. In this case
that white nationalists are seeking to harm.

MEREDITH: Their privacy concerns too with some lawmakers worried the
government already has too much power to surveil its citizens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MEREDITH: Starting today, the White House is directing the National
Security Council to better focus on the threat violent extremists pose. The
administration also wants a full review of how officials can disrupt
extremist networks. Bret?

BAIER: Mark, thank you.

Let's bring in pollster Frank Luntz, who got an earful from some Trump and
Biden voters this week.

Frank, good evening. I know you kind of went through all of this and you
had some tough times get them -- getting them to talk on issues, but I want
to play a couple of them. One is about the economy and their advice to
President Biden. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that Biden needs to seriously consider not
reinstating a lot of the regulations that were choking the economy before.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Biden needs to take control of COVID and get small
businesses -- get main street open, get our lives back to a new normal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANK LUNTZ, POLLSTER: And I'm looking for top (INAUDIBLE).

(CROSSTALK)

BAIER: So, consensus maybe there, Frank?

LUNTZ: Yes, exactly. Which is the Democrats want to focus on COVID, the
Republicans want to focus on the economy. And that one respondent who voted
for Joe Biden is absolutely where the center of America is. Do both, let's
get through this disease right now, let's get to the virus, let's get
people vaccinated, and then, let's open up the schools, open up the small
businesses, and get America back to normal which is what they really want.
Even more than opening the economy, they want to return to normal.

BAIER: Did you get down the road of impeachment? We are hearing from Chuck
Schumer that the trial is going to happen in the Senate the week of
February 8th. Doesn't seem like that's a move that's going to bring people
together.

LUNTZ: No. In fact, it's going to inflame people. It's going to bring back
all that negativity, all that division. And I didn't realize until you just
told me that that's the date that it's been scheduled. God help us, Bret,
because it is impossible to get people to be civil when you raise the issue
of impeachment, when talk about what happened on January 6th. We all agree
that what happened was horrific. People need to be held accountable.

Just the raising of that topic, the raising of the election, bringing back
Trump versus Biden is guaranteed to bring back that ugliness that we've
experienced for the last two months, and in fact for most of the last four
years.

BAIER: And you experienced talking to these voters. Here's kind of one
place where it starts to turn testy. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have worked for the GOP. I have never in my life not
voted straight party ticket. And I voted for Joe Biden for the first time.

(APPLAUSE)

LUNTZ: Everybody stop.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you go and listen to the Georgia hearing?

LUNTZ: Everybody stop. Pamela stop. Everybody stop.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Any of the Georgia hearings?

LUNTZ: Pamela, stop, or I will disconnect you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAIER: "Or I will disconnect you," Frank.

LUNTZ: And that's not the worst part. That was an example of it. And both
sides. The Trump people do not want to hear that Joe Biden won. The Biden
people do not want to hear anything from Donald Trump. We are canceling
each other. I've heard people try to reject the philosophy of the cancel
culture, that it doesn't exist, it's a creation. No, Bret. It is not. It is
very real, and it is frightening. And it's happening in academia. It's
happening in the media. It's happening in entertainment. And it's going to
happen in business as well.

And I urge people, if you want to see that two-minute clip, that entire
thing, to see the whole thing develop, if you go to my Twitter @FrankLuntz,
you can see it. And it's ugly, it's horrible. We're not showing it because
it really upsets people. But I urge you if you can handle it, watch it.

BAIER: All right, Frank, we'll check that out. We like having you on with
all the reaction from voters, and we'll continue to do it. Frank, thank you
very much.

Up next, our "Whatever Happened To" segment on Puerto Rico and what is
behind the renewed push for statehood.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAIER: Beyond our borders tonight, the International Olympic Committee and
local organizers are pushing back against reports that the postponed Tokyo
Olympics will be canceled. The games are scheduled to begin in late July.
They were postponed last summer because of the pandemic.

Authorities in Russia are taking elaborate measures to curb protests
against the jailing of opposition leader Alexey Navalny. Demonstrations are
planned for Saturday in more than 60 Russian cities. Navalny's associates
in Moscow and other regions have been detained in the lead up to these
rallies. Opposition supporters and independent journalists have been
approached by police officers with official warnings against protesting.

Google is threatening to make its search engine unavailable in Australia if
the government implements plans to make tech giants pay for news content. A
Google official says that his company is willing to pay media companies
fairly, but the proposed rules are unworkable in Australia. The Australian
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he will not respond to threats.

Just some of the other stories beyond our borders tonight.

In tonight's "Whatever Happened To" segment, Puerto Rico. Many there are
hoping statehood is in the cards with the new government in Washington. But
as correspondent Phil Keating tells us tonight, that would come with a
hefty price tag.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

PHIL KEATING, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Now that Democrats control the House,
Senate, and White House, many Puerto Ricans and Puerto Rican Americans
believe this may be the best chance ever for the U.S. commonwealth to
become the 51st state in the nation.

JORGE DUANY, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY: Biden actually has
personally supported statehood for Puerto Rico.

KEATING: Yet Florida International University's Jorge Duany is skeptical.

DUANY: Especially because that would entail a significant increase in the
federal budget for Puerto Rico, and therefore an increase in the federal
deficit.

KEATING: The territory of Puerto Rico came into possession of the U.S.
after the 1898 Spanish-American war. The roughly 3 million Puerto Ricans
are U.S. citizens, but they cannot vote for president and they have no
voting representation in Congress. They also pay no federal income tax, but
do receive federal benefits. In November, the push to go from commonwealth
to statehood passed on the island with 52 percent of the vote. Florida
Representative Darren Soto, the first Florida Puerto Rican elected to
Congress, has introduced a bipartisan House resolution to support that.

REP. DARREN SOTO, (D-FL): There comes a time when territories need to be
given the option to be a state, especially when there are millions, or
hundreds of thousands of people who live in those areas.

KEATING: If Puerto Rico became the 51st state, this nation would inherit an
island an economic crisis and a massive debt restructuring plan known as
PROMESA. The federally appointed oversight board created in 2016 is
managing Puerto Rico's $70 billion debt restructuring.

And due to the devastation hurricane Maria caused more than three years
ago, U.S. taxpayers have already spent about $40 billion for repairs and
infrastructural improvements, especially to the power grid, which was
absolutely crippled, leaving millions without electricity for many, many
months.

Last week, the Trump administration, which has blasted the island as
corrupt and inept, announced it will award a nearly $4 billion grant to
help Puerto Rico rebuild water and wastewater treatment plans, pumping
stations, and reservoirs. Even today, thousands of homes remain damaged.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

KEATING: The last time U.S. added a state, it was Hawaii in 1959. For
Puerto Rico to become a state, it would take Congress, but Republicans are
resistant as they believe a state of Puerto Rico would automatically add
two Democrats to the Senate. Bret?

BAIER: Phil, thank you.

When we come back, the panel on President Biden's economic initiatives, the
impeachment trial plans, and battling the coronavirus pandemic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This almost doesn't have a
partisan piece to it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are some added items in there that he is going to
have a real tough time getting through.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHUCK SCHUMER, (D) SENATE MINORITY LEADER: Once the briefs are drafted,
presentation by the parties will commence the week of February the 8th.

JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I haven't heard the detail,
look, but I do think that having some time to get our administration up and
running with a -- I want to thank the Senate for passing out our secretary
of defense, looks like our secretary of treasury, looks like our secretary
of state is in place. So the more time we have to get up and running and
meet these crises, the better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAIER: The agenda the president wants to move that forward, but the
impeachment trial is moving forward, too, the week of February 8th, just
heard from a Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Let's bring in our panel, Charles Hurt, opinion editor for "The Washington
Times," former Tennessee Congressman Harold Ford Jr., and Byron York, chief
political correspondent for the "Washington Examiner." Charlie, what about
unity and the impeachment trial, how does this all come together?

CHARLES HURT, OPINION EDITOR, "WASHINGTON TIMES": I think it's one of the
most colossal misplays in modern politics for Democrats to be going after
this right now. Of course, the last time they went after impeachment it was
right at the beginning of the global pandemic, an actual global pandemic in
which people were dying, and that ground the federal government to a halt
for them to focus on that, and still are.

And then of course, you fast-forward to today, and if they were a mandate
out of the election, I think there were a lot of people who voted for Joe
Biden because they just wanted to stop hearing about Donald Trump, and they
wanted to stop listening to all of the fighting about Donald Trump and this
and that. And so for Democrats to pursue an impeachment trial during Joe
Biden's honeymoon when he could supposedly get anything he wants done, I
think is so disastrous for Democrats. And it also looks like they are not -
- they don't have any other agenda but that.

And I think it's interesting to listen to Joe Biden punt the question. He
can't punt the question. He can stop this if he wanted to. He is the leader
of the party. But then it also raises the other question, which is what are
Democrats going to do when Donald Trump is actually off the pages, out of
the debate? What are they going to talk about then? And I think it's a
terrible, terrible misplay by them.

BAIER: Harold, what about that? And what do you think about Republicans,
independents, maybe even conservative Democrats scratching their head about
this political move, as Charlie puts it?

HAROLD FORD JR. (D) FORMER TENNESSEE REPRESENTATIVE: First, good evening,
thanks for having me on. I think Charlie is largely right. I do think the
fact that Senate Democrats have pushed off the start of the trial until
after the Super Bowl, a lot can transpire. There are going to be fans all
across the country who will have different perspectives about sports and
even politics over the next few weeks, so there's still a chance that this
may not have been in.

I think the important thing was to listen to Joe Biden talk about how
pleased he was that cabinet secretaries, the important ones, all of them
are important, but the important ones to national security are being
advanced. I would caution people not to underestimate Joe Biden's political
skills. He doesn't have the razzle dazzle of Clinton or maybe Obama, or
even Reagan, but this is a guy who respects the country and understands how
government works.

So I'm hopeful that we can find a way out of this without distracting too
much from COVID vaccination distribution, a COVID relief package, and even
a whole array of foreign policy challenges this new president and many
policies I hope he made continue, including how this president looks at
Asia and looks at Russia.

BAIER: Byron?

BRYON YORK, CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, "WASHINGTON EXAMINER": First of
all, they won't be able to do a quickie trial if they have a trial. The
House threw out all the rules and impeached the president in about 10
minutes. And at some point he has to have some due process.

What I think you're going to see in the Senate is Republicans getting
together over procedural issues. You don't even have to go to the question
of whether Donald Trump incited insurrection if you believe that impeaching
a former president was unconstitutional. Impeachment is the Constitution's
mechanism for removing a president, and Article Two Section Four says the
president shall be removed upon impeachment for and conviction of treason,
bribery, high crimes and misdemeanors. And Republicans are going to say,
what did the Constitution mean by president? It means the president of the
United States. There's only one of them at a time, and that's not Donald
Trump right now. That argument is gaining a lot of support among Senate
Republicans right now.

BAIER: It will be fascinating, not only the substance, but the politics, as
we've been talking about here.

I want to turn the page to the National Guard and what has happened with
these troops that have been deployed to the nation's capital, the treatment
of them. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JAMES INHOFE (R-OK) SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: There was one
uniformed police officer who issued an order without authority, or without
going through the chain of command.

SEN. JOHN THUNE, (R-SD) SENATE MINORITY WHIP: It breaks your heart. These
are people who are here serving the country, protecting us, protecting our
freedom and our democracy, and there's absolutely no excuse for that. And
I'm glad it got corrected and got corrected quickly.

PETE BUTTIGIEG, (D) TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY NOMINEE: I think that both
sides of the aisle can agree that we have to treat our troops better than
that, because they did a phenomenal job of securing in the Capitol, and
they do a phenomenal job of securing the country.

JILL BIDEN, FIRST LADY: The National Guard will always hold a special place
in the heart of all the Bidens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAIER: What transpired, Charlie, was really sad.

HURT: Yes, and I think it's telling that everybody on Capitol Hill is
running for cover, nobody wants to take responsibility for any of the
decisions that got made that so obviously and clearly short-shrifted the
National Guard. But I guess we should take advantage of one thing, and that
is at least this is a unifying saying. I haven't seen this much unity about
National Guard troops or the police or basic law and order or anything out
of Washington in a long time. And so I grasp at that little bit of an olive
branch that everybody is sort of rallying around the National Guard troops,
as well they should.

BAIER: Yes. Harold?

FORD: I think Charlie nailed it. It is bizarre how that wasn't thought
about before they arrived in light of the COVID protocols, but so much was
happening. I give those National Guards men and women great credit and
appreciation for deterring further attacks, and for that matter, violence
in and around the Capitol area and in and around Washington for the
swearing of the new president.

BAIER: OK, let's do winners and losers. Around the horn, Byron, let's start
with you, winner, loser.

YORK: My winner tonight is Senator Bernie Sanders, who stole the show, the
fashion show, at the inauguration with this ridiculous outfit featuring
these huge mittens and a look that said I don't want to be here.

And my loser, actually, same story is a woman named Jen Ellis. And she is
the Vermont woman, big fan of Bernie Sanders, who made him those mittens
out of recycled sweaters or something. And after the Sanders picture goes
viral, she gets a lot of people asking where they can buy some, and she is
not making them anymore, she said, because taxes are too high. She's an
antitax activist. So maybe Republicans can recruit her to run for office in
Vermont.

(LAUGHTER)

BAIER: Wow, that's a full story. The memes with that picture are really
quite something. Harold, winner and then loser?

FORD: Winner, someone that's been talked about a lot today, Hank Aaron, who
lived his life and lived it the right way in the face of a lot of hard
work, because he worked so hard in the face of a lot of adversity, starting
in the Negro Leagues, finishing in Major League Baseball, one of the great
heroes, one of the great American heroes. Bless him, bless his family, and
rest in peace, Hank Aaron.

My loser of the week are all those haters of Tom Brady who can't stand the
fact that this 43-years-old is playing like a 23-year-old. Go Bucks. And he
is a Michigan grad, so go blue.

BAIER: All right, all those Patriots fans, they just can't come to grips
with the fact that he's doing so well. All right, Charlie, bring it home,
winner and loser.

HURT: I'm afraid the loser of the week is me because everybody had so much
better winners than me. The winner of the week is Mitch McConnell because
he is running circles around Chuck Schumer. It got so bad today that a
reporter stopped to ask Chuck Schumer about with the plans were in the
Senate. He said I don't know, ask Mitch McConnell. So he's no longer
majority leader, but he's still acting like it.

Loser of the week is the American worker. With the flick of a pen, Joe
Biden has wiped out a couple thousand jobs between the XL Pipeline and
stopping Donald Trump's border wall. And now there are hundreds of more
migrants at the border waiting to come in and take more cheap jobs.

BAIER: You're all winners in my book. Have a great weekend. We'll see you
guys, thanks.

When we come back, "Notable Quotables."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAIER: Finally, tonight, it's Friday. It's Friday. That means "Notable
Quotables."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The movement we
started is only just beginning. We will be back in some form.

MELANIA TRUMP, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: It has been the
greatest honor of my life to serve as first lady of the United States.

TRUMP: This week we inaugurate a new administration and pray for its
success.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're going to see a surge of the border that we've
never seen before because of the words of Joe Biden.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Let us shine the lights in the
darkness along the sacred pool of reflection, remember all whom we lost.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We lift our gazes not to what stands between us, but
what stands before us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So help you God.

BIDEN: So help me God.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congratulations, Mr. President.

(APPLAUSE)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS
DISEASES: It is somewhat of a liberating feeling.

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Former senator, Kamala
D. Harris of California. Yes, that was very weird.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): I need to catch my breath. So much is happening.

BIDEN: History, faith, and reason show the way, the way of unity.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): On the Biden administration's very first day,
it took several big steps in the wrong direction.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, ACTOR: All right, I just got my vaccine. Come with
me if you want to live.

BIDEN: Come on, give me a break, man.

Democracy is precious. Democracy is fragile. And at this hour, my friends,
democracy has prevailed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAIER: One week in Washington, hard to believe we got all that in.

This weekend on FOX NEWS SUNDAY, Chris Wallace will speak with two
Republican senators, Mitt Romney and Marco Rubio. Check your local listings
for the show time.

Thanks for inviting us into your home tonight and all this week.

END

Content and Programming Copyright 2021 Fox News Network, LLC. ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2021 ASC Services II Media, LLC.  All materials
herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be
reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast
without the prior written permission of ASC Services II Media, LLC. You may
not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of
the content.