>> Announcer: LIVE FROM
DOWNTOWN DETROIT, HOME OF
WDIV AND CLICK ON DETROIT,
LOCAL 4 NEWS AT NOON STARTS
NOW.
>>> THE WEEKEND BEFORE A
SENATE RACE WITH NATIONAL
IMPLICATIONS.
PRESIDENT TRUMP MAKES
HEADLINES FOR PRESSURING THE
GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE.
WE’RE GOING TO SHARE THE
SHOCKING AUDIO THAT EVERYONE
IS TALKING ABOUT, THAT’S
NEXT.
>>> FORMER STATE SENATOR
REPLACING ERIC SMITH.
FIND OUT WHAT LACIDO IS
SAYING ON HIS FIRST DAY ON
THE JOB.
>>> BUT FIRST TOPPING OUR
NEWSCAST HERE AT NOON,
SHAREHOLDERS APPROVE A
MERGER BETWEEN FIAT CHRYSLER
AND P.S.A. PUDGE ON THE. THE $58 PETE BUTTIGIEGO
THE NEW COMPANY WILL BE
NAMED SILINAS IT WILL HAVE
THE CAPACITY TO PRODUCE 8.7
MILLION CARS A YEAR BEHIND
VOLKSWAGEN, TOYOTA AND
RENAULT NISSAN.
IT’S BUILT ON THE DEAL OF
COST SAVINGS.
>>> ALSO NEW HERE AT NOON
WASHTENAW COUNTY WILL NO
LONGER SEEK CASH BOND.
THIS CHANGE COMES UNDER NEW
PROSECUTOR ELI SAVIT.
THE CASH BOND SYSTEM
DISCRIMINATES AGAINST THE
POOR AND KEEPS RACIAL NAUTS
-- INEQUITIES IN THE JUSTICE
SYSTEM.
WASHTENAW COUNTY BECOMES THE
FIRST JURISDICTION IN
MICHIGAN IN WHICH
PROSECUTORS WILL NOT SEEK
CASH BAIL.
>>> WITH THE NEW YEAR COMES
A FRESH START IN MANY
ELECTED OFFS.
IN MACOMB COUNTY TODAY MARKS
THE FIRST DAY OF A NEW ERA
IN THE PROSECUTOR’S OFF.
FORMER STATE SENATOR PETE
LACIDO TAKING OVER DISGRACED
PROSECUTOR ERIC SMITH.
LOCAL 4’S ROD MELONI JOINS
US LIVE IN MT. CLEMENS WITH
A LOOK AT WHAT LACIDO IS
SAYING THIS NOON, ROD?
>> Reporter: YOU KNOW WHAT
I’M STANDING IN THE SPOT
WHEN MICHIGAN STATE POLICE
INVESTIGATORS WERE PULLING
COMPUTERS, BANKING RECORDS
OUT OF ERIC SMITH’S OFFICE
HERE IN THE PROSECUTOR’S
OFF.
THEY THEN WENT SHORTLY
THEREAFTER TO HIS HOME AND
EVEN SINCE THEN ERIC SMITH
HAS GONE AND TRIED TO PLEAD
GUILTY WITH THE FEDS THAT’S
STILL IN THE PROCESS.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, PETE
LACIDO SAYS THAT’S SOMETHING
HE’S TRYING TO ERASE AND
MOVE FORWARD FROM.
>> I PETER J.L --
>> Reporter: LACIDO TOOK HIS
OATH OF OFFICE THEN THE 58
ASSISTANT PROSECUTORS WHO
WILL WORK FOR HIM TOOK
THEIRS HE TOOK CONSIDERABLE
TIME TO LET THE EMPLOYEES
WHO HAVE LABORED UNDER A
DARK CLOUD KNOW.
>> IT’S A NEW YEAR, IT’S A
NEW DAWN, IT’S A NEW DAY.
IT’S A NEW BEGINNING FOR THE
MACOMB COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S
OFFICE.
MAKE NO MISTAKE BY THE.
>> Reporter: MANY OF THESE
ASSISTANTS WORK FOR FORMER
PROSECUTOR ERIC SMITH WHO IS
CHARGED BY FEDERAL
PROSECUTORS WITH OBSTRUCTION
OF JUSTICE, AFTER THE
INVESTIGATION THAT STARTED
WITH THE USE OF FORFEITURE
FUNDS IN CAMPAIGN ACCOUNTS
FOR OFFICE PARTIES AND OTHER
NONLAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES.
>> IF YOU ARE GOING AHEAD
AND YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN
BRUISED OR WOUNDED YOU GOT
TO REPAIR THE WOUND AND THE
BRUISE THEN MOVE FORWARD.
>> Reporter: LACIDO ONCE
WANTED TO HEAL THOSE
REPUTATIONAL WOUNDS AND IT’S
THE TAXPAYER AND CRYING
VICTIMS THEY REALLY -- CRIME
VICTIMS THAT THEY REALLY
SERVE AND SOLID ETHICS.
HE ASKED EVERYONE IN THE
OFFICE TO THINK BACK ON THE
IDEALS THEY FELT WHEN THEY
FIRST TOOK AN OATH TO BE AN
ATTORNEY.
>> WE REPRESENT ALL PEOPLE
OF EVERY WALK OF LIFE, OF
EVERY NATURE AND WE WANT TO
ENSURE THAT THEY ARE SERVED
IN THE HIGHEST REGARDS OF
JUSTICE.
THAT’S ALL I’M ASKING.
DO YOUR BEST.
>> Reporter: NOW LACIDO SAYS
HE WILL BE MEETING WITH
EVERYBODY IN THE OFFICE HE
WANTS THEM TO TAKE THEIR
PERSONAL ASSESSMENTS THAT HE
HAD THEM DO SO THEY CAN
DISCUSS WHO MIGHT GO IN
BETTER PLACES AND WHO MIGHT
BE BETTER QUALIFIED FOR
THINGS HE SAYS IT’S GOING TO
TAKE A LONG TIME IT’S GOING
TO BE HARD WORK BUT HE SAYS
THIS OFFICE CAN MOVE ON AND
FRANKLY IT MIST.
BACK TO YOU.
>> OKAY SO, ROD, WHERE DOES
FORMER PROSECUTOR ERIC
SMITH’S CASE STAND TODAY?
>> Reporter: RIGHT.
WELL, HE WAS SUPPOSED TO
PLEAD GUILTY IN HIS CASE
BACK IN DECEMBER.
BUT HE ENDED UP WITH COVID.
SO THEY’VE DELAYED HIS CASE
NOW AND HE WILL BE BACK
BEFORE A JUDGE, WE’RE TOLD,
ON JANUARY 22nd.
>> WE KNOW YOU WILL STAY ON
TOP OF IT.
ROD, THANK YOU.
>>> RIGHT NOW WE’RE WAITING
FOR REACTION FROM THE WHITE
HOUSE AFTER PRESIDENT
TRUMP’S BRAZEN BID TO
PRESSURE THE GEORGIA
SECRETARY OF STATE TO, AS HE
PUT IT "FIND MORE VOTES" TO
CHANGE THE STATE’S ELECTION
RESULTS.
TRACIE POTTS HAS MORE.
>> Reporter: NBC NEWS
OBTAINED THIS RECORDING OF
PRESIDENT TRUMP CALLING
GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE
BRAD RAFFENSPERGER BEGGING
HIM TO CHANGE ELECTION
RESULTS. >> President Trump: I JUST
>> President Trump: I JUST
WANT TO FIND UH, 11,780
VOTES, WHICH IS ONE MORE
THAN WE HAVE, BECAUSE WE WON
THE STATE.
I ONLY NEED 11,000 VOTES.
FELLA, I NEED 11,000 VOTES.
GIVE ME A BREAK.
THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH
SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT
YOU HAVE RECALCULATED.
>> MR. PRESIDENT, THE
CHALLENGE THAT YOU HAVE IS
THE DATA YOU HAVE IS WRONG.
>> Reporter: THE PRESIDENT
PRESSURES RAFFENSPERGER FOR
AN HOUR.
EVEN SUGGESTING THAT NOT
CHANGING THE NUMBERS COULD
BE ILLEGAL.
>> President Trump: THAT’S A
CRIMINAL, THAT’S A CRIMINAL
OFFENSE.
THAT’S A BIG RISK TO YOU AND
TO RYAN, YOUR LAWYER, THAT’S
A BIG RISK.
>> Reporter: DEMOCRATS ARE
CONDEMNING THE PRESIDENT.
>> I ACTUALLY WASN’T
SURPRISED BY THIS CALL.
THE PRESIDENT HAS SHOWN US A
LONG, LONG TIME AGO WHO HE
IS.
>> Reporter: NO REACTION YET
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE OR THE
TRUMP CAMPAIGN.
THE PRESIDENT TWEETED THAT
RAFFENSPERGER WAS UNWILLING
OR UNABLE TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
THE SECRETARY RESPONDED THE
TRUTH WILL COME OUT.
ON CAPITOL HILL, A DOZEN
REPUBLICANS ARE PREPARING TO
CHALLENGE THE ELECTORAL
COLLEGE RESULTS AND THEY’RE
FACING BACKLASH FROM THEIR
OWN PARTY.
>> IT’S NOT AN EFFORT THAT
I’M GOING TO SUPPORT.
>> Reporter: THE NEW
CONGRESS IS SCHEDULED TO
CERTIFY THOSE RESULTS
WEDNESDAY.
PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS HE’LL
TALK MORE ABOUT THAT PHONE
CALL TONIGHT IN GEORGIA.
HE’S HEADED THERE FOR A
RALLY TO SUPPORT THE TWO
REPUBLICANS AND RUNOFFS
TOMORROW.
THEY COULD DETERMINE THE
BALANCE OF POWER IN THE U.S.
SENATE.
TRACIE POTTS, NBC NEWS.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
>>> SPEAKING OF THAT SENATE
RACE, TUESDAY’S RUNOFF IN
GEORGIA WILL DECIDE CONTROL
OF THE U.S. SENATE AND IN
MANY WAYS THE SUCCESS OF THE
BIDEN PRESIDENCY.
ALL OF THE CANDIDATES ARE
OUT ON THE TRAIL EXCEPT FOR
INCUMBENT DAVID PERDUE WHO
IS SIDELINED IN COVID-19
QUARANTINE.
BLAYNE ALEXANDER HAS THIS
REPORT.
>> Reporter: WELL, ELECTION
DAY HERE IN GEORGIA IS LESS
THAN 24 HOURS AWAY WITH
CONTROL OF THE U.S. SENATE
ON THE LINE IT’S ALL COMING
DOWN TO TUESDAY AND TURNOUT.
SO THAT’S WHY BOTH PARTIES
ARE REALLY DOING EVERYTHING
THEY CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT
TURNOUT IS HIGH AS AS
POSSIBLE.
OVER THE NEXT DAY WE ARE
GOING TO SEE THE BIG NAME
THE COMING INTO GEORGIA.
YESTERDAY WE SAW VICE
PRESIDENT-ELECT KAMALA
HARRIS HOLD A RALLY FOR JON
OSSOFF AND RAPHAEL WARN
KNOCK.
TODAY WE WILL SEE --
WARNOCK.
TODAY WE WILL SEE VICE
PRESIDENT PENCE, AND
PRESIDENT TRUMP, AND JOE
BIDEN.
RIGHT NOW POLLS SHOW THE
CANDIDATES ARE VIRTUALLY
TIED IN THIS RACE.
IT REALLY WILL DETERMINE
WHICH PARTY HOLDS CONTROL OF
THE U.S. SENATE.
EARLY VOTING NUMBERS HAVE
SHATTERED RECORDS MORE THAN
THREE MILLION PEOPLE HAVE
CAST THEIR BALLOTS BUT OF
COURSE ALL EYES WILL BE ON
TOMORROW TO SEE HOW TURNOUT
IS AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH
THESE TWO RACES.
IN ATLANTA, I’M BLAYNE
ALEXANDER, NBC NEWS.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> TURNING OUR ATTENTION
NOW TO THE CORONAVIRUS.
THE UNITED STATES PASSES
20,649,000 CORONAVIRUS
CASES.
AND MORE THAN 351,000 PEOPLE
HAVE DIED FROM THE VIRUS.
THESE ARE NUMBERS FROM THE
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
DATABASE.
AND THEN HERE IN MICHIGAN
WE’RE EXPECTING AN UPDATE ON
CORONAVIRUS CASES AND DEATHS
TODAY.
IT WILL BE A TWO DAY TOTAL
FROM SUNDAY AND MONDAY.
AND THEN ON THE VACCINE
FRONT, THE NEW OXFORD
ASTRAZENECA COVID-19 VACCINE
THAT’S BEING ROLLED OUT
TODAY IN THE U.K.
THOSE WHO RECEIVED THE FIRST
DAYS DOZES OF THE PFIZER
VACCINE ARE DUE FOR THEIR
SECOND DOSE STARTING TODAY.
THIS IS NEW VIDEO OUT OF NEW
YORK CITY.
A NEW YORK CITY NURSE IN
FACT WHO WAS AMONG FIRST
PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY TO GET
THE VACCINE RECEIVING HER
SECOND DOSE NOW.
TWO DOSES MUST BE TAKEN FOR
MAXIMUM PROTECTION AGAINST
THE VIRUS.
>>> LET’S SWITCH GEARS A BIT
AND GET YOU UPDATED ON THE
FORECAST.
METEOROLOGIST BRANDON ROUX
STANDING BY.
YOU ON HOLD OR WARM ARE WE
GOING TO GET?
WELL, WE STARTED THE MORNING,
EVROD AT 33° SO WE MOVED A
WHOLE DEGREE.
AND NOT MUCH MORE MOVEMENT
AS WE ARE STUCK IN THE
CLOUDS TOGETHER.
CERTAINLY EXPECT THIS TREND
TO CONTINUE, UNFORTUNATELY,
IT’S VERY COMMON FOR JANUARY
BUT I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE
AFFECTED BY JUST NONSTOP
CLOUDINESS.
SO DO WHAT YOU CAN RIGHT NOW
TO PREP FOR YOUR HAPPY
PLACE.
WE HAVE LOW AND MIDDLE 30s.
34° AT METRO, WITH A
SOUTHWEST WIND ABOUT SEVEN.
SO WIND CHILLS ARE PRIMARILY
IN THOSE MIDDLE UPPER 20s.
A COUPLE OF DEGREES WARMER
TODAY.
36° AGAIN WE’RE STUCK IN THE
CLOUDS TOGETHER BUT NO WET
WEATHER FOR TOMORROW.
WE DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT FOR
YOUR TUESDAY AN ALBERTA
CLIPPER.
WE’RE TALKING SNOW, EVROD,
COMING UP.
>> ALL RIGHT, BRANDON THANK
YOU.
WE’LL BE CHECKING IN WITH
HIM IN JUST A LITTLE BIT.
>>> AN 8-YEAR-OLD GIRL IS IN
THE HOSPITAL THIS AFTERNOON
AFTER A SHOOTING IN
SOUTHFIELD.
IT HAPPENED SUNDAY NIGHT AT
AN APARTMENT ON 12 MILE
RIGHT IN BETWEEN CASS AND
FRANKLIN ROADS.
WE’RE TOLD THE GIRL IS IN
CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER
BEING SHOT IN THE HEAD.
THIS IS VIDEO FROM WHERE IT
HAPPENED.
POLICE ARE SAYING THAT A
20-YEAR-OLD SIBLING HAS BEEN
TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.
NOW THIS CASE IS EXPECTED TO
BE PRESENTED TO THE OAKLAND
COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE.
WE’LL KEEP YOU UPDATED AS
DETAILS BECOME AVAILABLE.
>>> DEVELOPING HERE AT NOON,
INVESTIGATORS ARE BACK ON
THE SCENE OF THAT DEADLY
PLANE CRASH THAT KILLED A
NORTHVILLE FAMILY.
PROMINENT HOME BUILDER DAVID
COMPO, HIS WIFE MICHELLE AND
THEIR HOME DAWSON WERE
COMING HOME FROM GEORGIA
WHEN THEIR PLANE CRASHED
INTO A HOME IN LYON
TOWNSHIP.
THAT WAS ON SATURDAY.
THE FAMILY INSIDE OF THAT
HOME WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT
SAFELY.
RIGHT NOW INVESTIGATORS ARE
STILL TRYING TO DETERMINE
WHAT CAUSED THIS CRASH.
>>> STILL TO COME HERE ON
LOCAL 4 NEWS AT NOON, IRAN
REACHES A NUCLEAR DEAL.
WHAT THE NATION IS SAYING
ABOUT ITS INTENT TO ASSEMBLE
NUCLEAR WEAPONS.