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CNN NEWSROOM

50 Million in the Path of Historic Storm; Japan Says ISIS Image Appears to be Real; Rocket Attack Caught on Tape; Flap Over Obama Missing Auschwitz Anniversary; Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush Hold Private Meeting; Physics May Explain Away Deflate-gate; Pulling People and Keeping the Money; High Tech Swingers in Silicon Valley; Quest Explores Davos

Aired January 25, 2015 - 17:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, everyone. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Poppy Harlow. Fifty million people across the Northeast are in the pass of a potentially historic and destructive winter storm. Expectations are for whiteout conditions, heavy ice and hurricane- level winds. A blizzard warning will cover New York City, Boston, Rhode Island, parts of New Jersey and Connecticut, now extending up to Maine and bordering with Canada.

New York's mayor says do not underestimate this storm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO (D), NEW YORK: So this literally could be one of the top two or three largest storms in the history of the city, and we need to plan accordingly. So my message to all New Yorkers is prepare for something worse than we have seen before. Prepare to be safe, take every precaution. Now is the time to get ready for this extreme weather.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Mayors and public safety officials across the region warning people to stay off the roads starting tomorrow.

I want you to take a look at this map. This gives you a sense of the magnitude of the potential travel snafus in more than two dozen U.S. cities. Delta Airlines offering free flight changes tomorrow and Tuesday for travelers flying to or from all of the cities you see on that map. Other major airlines making similar offers.

Let's go straight to meteorologist, Ivan Cabrera, he is joining us from the CNN's Severe Weather Center in Atlanta.

So tell me why this storm is potentially so much more dangerous than other recent snowstorms. Because we've had some pretty bad ones here in New York and Boston and Rhode Island.

IVAN CABRERA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. I think a couple of reasons there, Poppy, that one, obviously the amount of snowfall here that we're talking about, 12, 24, perhaps even higher than that, higher than two feet of accumulation. But it's the combination of the heavy snow and that it would be falling with sustained winds between the 30, 40 miles an hour, and then you get the wind gusts between 50 and perhaps even 70 miles an hour.

That's what's going to make it dangerous. We're going to be talking about power outages and significant damage, even some coastal flooding as well.

But what I thought I'd do this time around is take a step back here because some of people are asking, well, is it snowing already in New York? The storm is here, it is south of Indianapolis. It is not going to turn into a major storm until it dives down across the jet stream into the southeast, and then re-intensify east of the Carolina's and then head up the coast. Classic nor'easter setup here.

That is when the storm will become dangerous. That is when we're going to have the winds and the very heavy snowfall. And that will happen Monday night heading into the day on Tuesday. That is when travel will be impossible across the region.

We now, Poppy, have blizzard warnings from New Jersey to the Canadian border. We haven't seen this in a while here. There's Jersey, New York, New Haven, Connecticut, through Providence, Boston, Portland, and heading all the way up to Canada. This entire area could experience 12 to 24 inches, and wind gusts between 50 and 70 miles an hour.

That is why we're talking about a dangerous storm and there is the accumulation that map here over two feet, some pockets likely looking at that potential of over 30 inches of snowfall, if all of this verifies here.

Now once we're talking about one to two feet, this is not going away. This storm is not going to fizzle out. We're not going to be looking at one to three inches in New York or Boston. That's not going to happen. It is going to be a very crippling storm, it is going to be widespread and the inches are just going to -- we're just going to have to see how much we get. But once you get into the feet category here we're in trouble.

And then you have the winds, 50 to 75 miles an hour, with your power outages, and a potential for coastal flooding. So again, this is the time, if you're in the northeast, to get out and get prepared and just plan for several days of no power. Hopefully you'll not have to deal with more than one, but if you do, you're going to be better safe than sorry if you have the supplies -- Poppy.

HARLOW: Absolutely, Ivan. Thanks for the update. We appreciate it. We'll get back to you throughout the evening as we learn more and more about the snow that it's coming.

Of course, Boston, they're used to a lot of snow and some people there braising to be snowed-in for days this week.

Joining me now on the phone, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh.

Thank you for being with me, Mayor. It's good to talk to you again. MAYOR MARTIN WALSH (D), BOSTON: Thanks for having me on the phone

today.

HARLOW: Of course. Tell me a little bit about what city of Boston is doing to get ready for this storm. I know you guys have a ton of clouds. I know the National Guard is on standby. What else are you doing?

WALSH: Yes. We just had a phone conference at 4:00. We went to all the city departments from our schools to public safety, from public safety to public works. And really just bracing for what seems to be a very big storm coming our way, 18 to 24 inches of snow starting tomorrow night.

You know, we do have the plows ready to go over 700 pieces of equipment. We have 35, 000 tons of salt. But more importantly it's about just trying to get word out to the citizens of Boston and Massachusetts, to make sure, you know, keep an eye of elderly neighbors. We also have a plan that go out and trying to get the homeless folks to come on in that night. Making sure that when people start their cars, make sure that you shovel out the tailpipe, you know, remove snow from around that the hydrants and the handicapped ramps.

I mean, it's just goes on obviously. It's going to go on for days. So as the day goes on, keep -- keep that --- keep that in mind, and you always tell people to call 911 with any medical emergency or call the mess hotline here in Boston.

HARLOW: Right.

WALSH: 635-4500 with any questions people might have.

HARLOW: Well, Mayor, what are you telling people in terms of -- you know adults going to work in the morning, and also kids in schools. I know we don't know about school closures yet, but this storm is expected to hit later in the day. If you don't want people to get stuck wherever they are outside to their home.

WALSH: Yes. What we're looking at here in Boston, the storm starting late in the day, two to three inches possibly by -- in the late evening. So I don't know if it's going to necessarily change the way of work today, tomorrow morning, but we haven't know to get notification out very early about school closings, and also about emergency and all the other facts. But we need to get out here tomorrow, we're not going to wait until Tuesday morning to do it.

I would ask to tell people also, you know, if you're going to -- if you need to enter to the supermarket, go tonight. Don't wait until the last minute. If you need to fill up your gas tank, do it tonight, don't wait until the last minute. Because this storm is giving us a 24-hour head start to get ready for it. And to just people, be as prepared as you can for the snow.

HARLOW: Yes. Absolutely. CNN is going to have teams all up and down the East Coast covering this. So you can stay informed, just stay at home, stay out of this. That is the best advice certainly, Mayor.

Thanks so much. Good to have you on.

WALSH: Thanks for having me.

HARLOW: All right. To the Middle East now and the latest on the hostages being held by ISIS. Japan's prime minister says the new image of Japanese captive Kenji Goto holding a photo showing the corpse of fellow captive Haruna Yukawa appears to be real.

These two men that are seen right here, these are images that were released of these two hostages just a week ago. Prime Minister Abe calls the killing of Yukawa, quote, "an unforgivable act of violent." But he vowed that Japan will not give in to terrorism.

Meantime, those new online ultimatum for the remaining Japanese hostage an Internet posting demands the released of a convicted female terrorist in return for Kenji Goto's freedom.

Sajida al-Rishawi, she was sentenced to death for her role in a series of bombings back in 2005 that killed dozens of people in Jordan.

Let me bring in Lieutenant Colonel James Reese, he's a former U.S. Army Delta Force Commander.

Colonel, thanks for being here. And, you know, we heard from Prime Minister Abe condemning this and saying we are not negotiating with terrorists, just the same stands that the United States and the U.K. take.

Is there any chance that we will see the Jordanian government work with Japan here and release this woman, who is dawn death row in exchange for Kenji Goto?

LT. COL. JAMES REESE (RET.), FORMER U.S. ARMY DELTA FORCE COMMANDER: Poppy, good evening. Unfortunately my answer is going to be no. And the reason for that is the Jordanians have their own issues. Because as you remember, they have the -- the Jordanian F-16 pilot that was shot down, he's been captured by ISIS, Donetsk (ph). So there becomes a problem and what the Jordanians are going to do.

The Jordanians feel horrible about this Japanese gentleman but I don't think there's much that they can do.

HARLOW: Well, until ISIS knows that, ISIS knows that it is holding this Jordanian's pilot captive -- after his plane went down about a month ago. They also know this stands of the Japanese government, which is to not negotiate with them. So why do you they're making this demand when clearly it's most likely not going to be met?

REESE: Well, you know, politics says has made, you know, strange bedfellows at sometimes. And we know the Japanese are in Jordan. They're talking to King Abdullah and his representatives to try to figure out a way. Now if you want to look at it from one possibility could be is, you know, you notice that ISIS is not talkative really about much -- much about the Jordanian pilot. And that could be a strategic move by ISIS by doing that, by keeping

that soldier, that Jordanian soldier, because the Jordanians are fighting against ISIS. That could be a strategic move. So there might be a slight possibility, but I just don't see it.

HARLOW: Let's talk about another hostage being held by ISIS, a British citizen by the name of John Cantlie. He was captured at the same time as the American Journalist James Foley. ISIS has posted eight propaganda videos of Cantlie, one the latest one earlier this month. And you see an image of it there, a still image, because he's in plain clothes, and he's actually out acting like a reporter, giving a tour of Mosul, saying, you know, you think the Islamic State is one way, but in fact this is how they run a great city.

It is nothing like you in the west think. Why do you think ISIS is keeping Cantlie alive and using him in this way?

REESE: What it gives ISIS is some credibility on a Western journalist who, one, knows how to report and he's been asked to do something, he's in a -- he's in a strange position, so he's being a professional reporter right now, which is keeping him alive, which is key.

You know, throughout history, whether POW or other hostages, there are studies that have been done. And you know, we can go back and look at the case studies of why these people stay in. And this is one of the reasons. He's keeping himself alive because of his skills.

HARLOW: You know, it's interesting that they believe, it seems, and correct me if you disagree, but if they seem to believe that people buy these videos, that they don't look at them like the clear propaganda that they are.

REESE: Well, there are. I do agree with you, and you know, you and I have talked about this. There are elements of -- you know, some of these folks that are out there, especially some of these refugee camps, they don't have much to go on, so they see the ISIS aspects as being this kind of rock star perspective that's out there. So they do, they buy them, they go on YouTube, they keep watching them and watching them, what builds their credibility, and it's a big propaganda wheel.

HARLOW: Yes. Absolutely.

Lieutenant Colonel James Reese, good to have you on the program. Thank you.

REESE: Thanks, Poppy.

HARLOW: All right. I want you to take a look at this video for a moment.

I know. It's pretty unbelievable and disturbing. It is video of rocket attacks, new attacks inside of Ukraine. The violence there escalating by the hour.

There's also a report that Russian rebels may be using poison gas. A live report from Ukraine, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: Attacks by pro-Russian separatists have been ramping up in Ukraine right along the Russian border.

That is pretty unbelievable video. It is dash cam video and it reportedly shows shelling yesterday right in a residential neighborhood. The attack killed 30 people, including two children.

At a news conference today in India, President Obama condemned the attack but said military action from United States is out.

With us now, the spokesman for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Michael Bociurkiw. He joins us from Ukraine.

You have been on the ground there for months and months on end. Listening to what the president said, if the U.S. is not going to take military action, we've heard some members of Congress calling for it, but if -- if the U.S. is not going to right now, what is it going to take to end the fighting?

MICHAEL BOCIURKIW, OSCE SPOKESMAN: Hi, Poppy, good to be back with you.

Well, what's the -- the head of our mission, Ambassador Apakan has been calling for -- well, the entire OSCE, is for folks to head back to the bargaining table and indeed there is hope that possibly this week there could be another meeting in Minsk. I can tell you that tomorrow late afternoon in Vienna there'll be a special permanent council meeting with the OSCE and of course we're hearing that (INAUDIBLE) as well planning special session on the crisis in Ukraine. So there's a lot of diplomatic activity going on behind the scene.

In terms of what we're doing, Poppy, in terms of, you know, following up on the attacks yesterday which far ahead of mission called reckless, indiscriminate and just a disgrace is that collecting all of the facts. At the moment we found out that there's just a terrible missile barrage as your video indicated, about 19-plus rocket strikes in the space of 35 seconds.

And Poppy, this all came raining down on a Saturday morning in densely populated area in Mariupol marketplace, schools, kindergarten, tall apartment buildings, so you can imagine the carnage that our monitors saw there.

HARLOW: Yes.

BOCIURKIW: So again, we're hoping that as soon as possible immediate cease-fire and return to the negotiating table.

HARLOW: Well, your monitors on the ground have reported in the past week or so, a group, a big group of about 80 Ukrainian soldiers showing these symptoms of poison gas after an attack at the Donetsk Airport, right? So -- at this point, are you guys saying and ready to say that this was carried out by Russian rebels and that indeed poison gas was used? Or is this still being investigated?

BOCIURKIW: Yes, Poppy, those -- that assessment is still under way. There were quite a few Ukrainian soldiers showing quite odd symptoms after the attacks on Donetsk Airport. So we're still collecting the facts on that as well. There's obviously (INAUDIBLE). I can tell you, in addition to what we are doing in and around Donetsk Airport, which is really been a flash point, is also the OSCE special monitoring mission to Ukraine has offered to try to arrange a temporary troop so that some sort of humanitarian corridor could be established, so that folks could move in and out in possible gate as well because it's so badly needed right now.

HARLOW: Yes.

BOCIURKIW: It's all (INAUDIBLE) have been happening.

HARLOW: And we know that U.S. Secretary John Kerry talking on the phone today with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, underscoring the U.S. readiness to participate in serious settlement efforts but as the president said no boots on the ground there as of yet. And the fighting gets worse.

Michael, thank you. Appreciate it.

Well, in the wake of -- well, in the wake of the Paris terror attacks, the president took a lot of criticism after not showing up for that unity march in Paris. Now some are issuing new complaints. Another major ceremony in Europe that the president will not be there for. What is it? We'll discuss, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: Tuesday marks the 78th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Several high level dignitaries will be attending ceremonies at the former death camp. United States sending Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew.

Ten years ago for the 68th anniversary, the Bush administration sent Vice President Dick Cheney. And now critics are asking why isn't the White House sending someone at a higher level?

Joining me to talk about this, CNN political commentator and Republican strategist, Tara Setmayer, and also Chris Moody, senior correspondent for CNNPolitics.com.

Thank you both for being here.

What do you think, Tara? I mean, Jacob Lew, Treasury secretary, is a relatively high position. Do you think it should be higher? Do you think this is disrespectful?

TARA SETMAYER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I think in light of what's been going on lately and the United States' relationship with our allies, particularly with Israel --

HARLOW: Right. SETMAYER: -- I think that that's why we're having this conversation

now. You know, and the irony of the president cutting his trip to India short to go to Saudi Arabia, a huge human rights violator, and not going to something or at least sending someone like Vice President Biden at least to Auschwitz, which was, you know, this is something that was a -- one of the worst human rights violations ever in history.

Not having someone -- not having the United States represented there with someone higher up, I think it sends just another indication that our relationship with Israel, our relationship with our allies, is just not as strong as it used to be.

Now, and I know Chris will address this, I mean, a president of the United States has not gone to one of these commemorations ever, but there's been -- with the tension between the United States and Israel or questioning of our relationship with Israel, I don't think it's ever been the way it is now.

HARLOW: Which the U.S. -- which the Obama administration says that's not --

(CROSSTALK)

SETMAYER: Well, they say a lot --

HARLOW: That's not the case at all.

SETMAYER: They gave a lot of lip service, but there is no -- there's no doubt about the tension between Obama and Netanyahu.

HARLOW: So, Chris, to you, the president will be in Saudi Arabia, right, visiting the new king after the death of King Abdullah. And everyone knows how critical, critical that relationship is to the United States given the situation in the Middle East right now.

Do you think this is being overblown a little bit?

CHRIS MOODY, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT, CNNPOLITICS.COM: It may be. And it also comes at a time when Benjamin Netanyahu is coming to the United States. And he won't be meeting with President Obama, but he will be addressing a joint session of Congress.

HARLOW: Right.

MOODY: So the context does matter here, but as we've said before, I think the White House look at this and said, well, this would have been the first president to attend an event like this, an anniversary event, but also on the other hand this would probably be the last major anniversary where there are living victims of what happened there.

SETMAYER: Well, that's true.

MOODY: Because it's been 70 years. Also in 1995, Bill Clinton sent Elie Wiesel, the author. HARLOW: Yes.

MOODY: And so that there is precedent here and I think the president is just making priorities for what his schedule and his time.

SETMAYER: But the context of it all. You know -- yes.

(CROSSTALK)

HARLOW: Following Paris.

SETMAYER: Yes, following Paris.

HARLOW: Not being at the unity rally.

SETMAYER: And there's a rise in anti-Semitic sentiments going on in Europe, that's being underreported in U.S. but it's very real. And again, the cool relationship between, and I don't mean hip, OK? The cool relationship between the United States and Israel, that will personally the Obama administration and Netanyahu, should not be ignored. And this is at a time when it seems as though the president is siding more with Israel's enemy like Iran over Israel. And that is critically important. We need to pay attention to this.

HARLOW: So this -- this brings up a very important point, right? House Speaker John Boehner inviting Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to come to the U.S., which he plans to do in March, to talk to Congress about potential increased sanctions against Iran, which you know you have -- many in the GOP, some Democrats like Senator Bob Mendez, that want. And the president is saying, hold on, let's give this until July to see if we can reach a nuclear agreement with Iran.

Interesting this morning on "STATE OF THE UNION" here in CNN even a Republican, Jon Huntsman, said this is not a good idea to have Benjamin Netanyahu here talking to and seemingly, someone say, dictating or trying to influence U.S. policy.

MOODY: Benjamin Netanyahu is free to come here and speak to Congress. He was invited by John Boehner, although it was very interesting that he didn't inform the White House that this was going on, but we've seen, as you said, cooling of a relationship here between the Obama White House and Israel.

A lot of Obama aides off for the record or on deep background have been talking to reporters. They called him, Benjamin Netanyahu, a chicken hawk, and then had some other words for him this week.

(CROSSTALK)

SETMAYER: Not chicken hawk.

MOODY: And to say chicken hawk, right, or not chicken hawk, excuse me.

SETMAYER: No.

MOODY: Chicken -- a different word, excuse me.

SETMAYER: An expletive.

MOODY: Right. An expletive word, but to say that anonymously, I think, he was criticized for. So you know, getting tough times.

(CROSSTALK)

SETMAYER: And another thing, too, I mean, the president is going to India. And it's really -- I mean India is an important ally, but he's -- relatively ignored India at a time early on his administration where we needed them for our relationship with Pakistan.

HARLOW: Well, actually this is the first U.S. president that's gone to India twice while he's been in office and Prime Minister Modi applauded him for that today.

SETMAYER: I mean, of course, he's being diplomatic, but we -- but he had -- this is not a pressing trip. The president is basically -- even Julie Pace of the AP said the president is basically going over there for a parade.

HARLOW: Right. Right.

SETMAYER: And to visit the Taj Mahal. And so again this goes to the seriousness of this president on an international level that's -- a lot of people are questioning and right fully so.

MOODY: But the economic ties between the United States and the Arab, very important.

SETMAYER: Absolutely.

MOODY: And I think it's necessary --

HARLOW: Guys --

SETMAYER: Not pressing.

HARLOW: Thank you very much. Got to take a quick break. Appreciate your coming in to talk about this as the president is on the road. Don't go anywhere, we're going to have more.

Coming up next, we're going to talk about a meeting between Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush, two potential 2016 candidates for the White House. Why are they getting together? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: A lot of potential Republican candidates for the White House assembled in Iowa this weekend. They made their best pitch to more than 1,000 conservative activists in the state's -- in that state's first -- really is the first in the national presidential caucuses.

But few big names were not in Des Moines. Senators Rand Paul and Marco Rubio had scheduling conflicts, so did Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush. But Bush and Romney did clear their schedules for a private meeting on Thursday in Utah.

Let's bring back in Tara Setmayer and also Chris Moody.

Thank you both for being here. Let's talk about this. Everyone is intrigued by this Bush-Romney private meeting. Take a listen to what Jeb Bush said Friday night when he was asked what they've talked about.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEB BUSH (R), FORMER FLORIDA GOVERNOR: I'm actually more interested in policy so we talked about that, and he shared his views, it was a good conversation. I've respect him a lot and I consider him a friend. The awkward side of this about running and stuff we put aside. So that's a decision he'll make and I'll have my path for decision, and who knows where that will lead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: All right, so, Tara, you're a Republican strategist. What do you make of this? I mean, I buy it that they didn't talk about who's -- which one is going to run or are they both -- because that's a very awkward conversation, but what do you make of the meeting?

SETMAYER: Yes. And I also think that it's an issue of resources, too. OK. You know who -- what -- who's the -- who do you have on board, what kind of support do you have. Because they are -- this has always been a back-and-forth about whether Romney would run if Bush got into the race. Most people said well, no. If Jeb Bush gets in, Romney is not going to run. Because they're going to pull from the same resources basically.

(CROSSTALK)

HARLOW: But after Jeb Bush said he was getting in --

SETMAYER: I don't believe that they didn't talk about this race.

HARLOW: After -- after Jeb Bush said he would get in the race, that's when Mitt Romney came out and said he was seriously considering it.

SETMAYER: Well, because I think that's so -- because Romney and it's been reported that he felt that he's been vindicated on issues of foreign policy, that maybe he needs to rethink this because he's got a shot. Now it's divided even in his own camp. Over the weekend there's a story about how Romney supporters and advisers aren't even completely 100 percent on board about whether he should run or not. It's even split within the Romney camp.

So I think this, you know, this political drama will play out for a couple of more weeks, but it cannot play out for too much longer because if Romney is going to do this, he has to get an organization in place and start raising money.

HARLOW: But -- so, Chris, some people make the argument that it doesn't benefit any candidate to come out so early. Right? So can you see this dragging on a bit longer?

MOODY: Well, none of them has officially come out and say they're running for president. But Jeb Bush saying he's interested really kicked Mitt Romney into gear. I think -- I've heard other people reporting that Mitt Romney wanted to come in and be the white knight that rescued the Republican Party from maybe another clown show possibility for 2016, but Jeb Bush talking to donors early and publicly, that made him have to act very quickly.

And also when Jeb Bush says, I consider him a very good friend, there is no more strange word in politics than friend.

SETMAYER: Right.

MOODY: That's a widely defined word, and it's something you say after you had maybe a tense meeting.

HARLOW: So we also saw in Iowa Donald Trump and Sarah Palin. And Donald Trump said, I am seriously considering running for president again. Is there any chance?

MOODY: And I own a chicken with lips. I mean, he does this all the time. It's a way to get attention. And you know maybe he will, but I won't necessarily believe until he starts filing those documents and putting forth his financial disclosures.

SETMAYER: That's right. I guess it's every couple of years, you know, still publicity for him, we all know that Donald Trump likes that kind of publicity. It gives him a stage, he can talk about it, and I think it keeps him relevant throughout this. People clamor to hear what he has to say because he's a character. So -- but I think this Sarah Palin intrigue was also interesting, too, and I really hope that she does not do this again.

But she's the same thing. She did the same thing in 2012, where she kind of teased people and actually stole the spotlight during the Iowa State Fair which is kind of one of those events where all the candidates go and shake hands.

HARLOW: Sure.

SETMAYER: And she went and didn't need to, and kind of stole the thunder from a lot of the actual candidates in 2011.

HARLOW: Yes.

SETMAYER: So I'd be interested to see what she does, too. I doubt she gets in this race but we'll see.

HARLOW: We'll be watching. Guys, good to have you on. Thank you so much.

MOODY: Thanks to you.

HARLOW: Next, we're going to talk about this. Patriots Coach Bill Belichick insisting his team did nothing wrong and the cold weather likely caused the team's footballs to deflate. Is that possible? My next guest went straight to a top scientist to find out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: All right. You're looking at live pictures of -- there you go. Seattle Seahawks arriving in Phoenix. They were just -- arrived there just about an hour ago actually. They're spending the week preparing for the big game, the Super Bowl, next Sunday night. Of course, the Patriots will arrive in Phoenix tomorrow.

Well, is it possible that the laws of physics can explain away the furor over deflate-gate? I know a lot of you are over it and think people are talking about it too much. I think my next guest might think that, too.

The NFL says the New England Patriots used underinflated footballs during the AFC Championship win over the Colts last Sunday. Why? Some accused the Patriots of deflating the balls to get a better grip, a competitive advantage in that weather. Head coach Bill Belichick saying the cold could explain why the footballs lost pressure, saying the team did nothing wrong.

This controversy has overshadowed the Super Bowl and Belichick says he is embarrassed by the amount of time that he has had to spend addressing the controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It sounds like that Bill Belichick know about it.

BILL BELICHICK, PATRIOTS HEAD COACH: This whole comment by Ross is the end of the subject for me for a long time. OK?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: All right. Like it or not, the subject likely is not going to go away any time soon, newspapers, network newscast, the Internet obsessed with this potential scandal.

Michael Daly wrote about it in "The Daily Beast" today, he joins me know.

So I have to read your sort of -- the first line, right, you say, no to scandal seekers, gases lose volume when it's cold, meaning the Patriots may not have done anything wrong. You say there are scandal seekers in this.

MICHAEL DALY, THE DAILY BEAST SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: I don't know about that, but I happened to not sleep through high school physics.

(LAUGHTER)

DALY: And I remember the law of ideal gases, which is PV equals NRT. The important letters being P, pressure, volume, V, volume, and on the other side temperature, T, in other words if you have a constant volume, like a football.

HARLOW: Right.

DALY: And you change the temperature, the pressure changes.

HARLOW: Well, see, you called a physics professor from Boston.

DALY: That's right.

HARLOW: Who by the way is not a Patriots fan.

DALY: Right.

HARLOW: He's a Buffalo Bills fan.

DALY: I was very glad to hear that.

HARLOW: Yes. Right? What did he say to you?

DALY: He said -- well, he said, well, you're on the right track, and I said to him, I found out that the balls are actually measured for pressure indoors.

HARLOW: Right.

DALY: It was then taken outdoors, and there may have been as much as a 30-degree difference between where they were measured and where they were actually played with.

HARLOW: It was like 51 degrees.

DALY: So it was 51 and dropped to the mid 40s, so if you think it's 70, 75 inside.

HARLOW: Yes, sure.

DALY: So you get towards 30.

HARLOW: So he bought Belichick's explanation?

DALY: Well, I don't know if he bought it, but what he said was he did the math and he said that you would have -- you could expect a 30- degree change. You have a 1.54 PSI, pressure change, which is pounds per square inch, which would -- the ball, let's say the Patriots, they're known to prefer lower deflation.

HARLOW: Right.

DALY: Let's say they're at the bottom limit, 12.5, and you've got a drop of 1.5, because the temperature you get down to 11, which is about what it was.

HARLOW: So, Michael, you write in this piece, one seeming mystery is why all the Patriots' footballs for the second half of the game after they noticed this, and re-inflated them, tested within the limit at the end of the game.

DALY: Yes. When I saw that, I thought, well, Daly's theory is gone. (LAUGHTER)

DALY: But if you figured that they measured them indoors.

HARLOW: Right.

DALY: Right? Before the second half, and then they go out and they play with them, and you figure there's a big victory. And it isn't like everybody is going to go, quick, let's go measure it, you know there's going to be -- little time is going to pass. You also got to figure they're not going to leave the balls lying around the sidelines for trophy seekers to take. So they're going to bring them in and put them someplace. Someplace indoors, i.e. warm.

And probably ended up by the time they got measuring those balls or probably back to the temperature they were when they measured.

HARLOW: Non-troversy? Controversy?

DALY: Science, I mean, I think you get a more details but --

HARLOW: Non-troversy?

DALY: The thing is, we're very quick to call people liars these days because so many people do lie to us but it's possible this guy was not lying.

HARLOW: Michael Daly, thank you. Interesting article. Check it out on thedailybeast.com.

Coming up, $40,000 seized by police in a traffic stop. You have to see this. The driver didn't even break the law, the police seizing the cash across the country are doing it in a legal way, even when folks aren't breaking the law. You have to see this report next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: All right. This next story would be hard to believe if it weren't caught all on camera in cities across the United States. If you are carrying cash in your vehicle and you get pulled over, authorities are confiscating money even if you're not charged with a crime. It is legal for them to do it.

Here's Gary Tuchman with our CNN investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You're looking at a desolate stretch of Interstate Highway in rural Nevada, about two hours east of Reno. If you were driving here on I-80 with cash in your car last year, this could have happened to you.

LEE DOVE, HUMBOLDT COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY: How much money you got? That's not yours, is it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's mine. DOVE: I'm seizing it.

TUCHMAN: This is Humboldt County Sheriff's Deputy Lee Dove. He's about to seize roughly $40,000 from this driver who wasn't charged with a crime or even a traffic violation. Attorney John Ohlson represents the driver and is in the process of organizing a class action suit on the behalf of others who believe this is nothing more than thievery.

JOHN OHLSON, DRIVER'S ATTORNEY: He give him a receipt, but it doesn't say how much he took. And tell him that if he wants to protest it that they'll take his car, too. He won't do any official act after that except to put money in the bank. No police reports, no lawsuit, no forfeiture lawsuit, which is generally what's done. Take the money and run.

TUCHMAN: The traffic stops are called interdictions by the authorities, part of something called Civil Asset Forfeiture, in which cops are permitted to seize money if law enforcement believes the money may be part of a criminal enterprise.

OHLSON: What's going on here is they take the money, they go back to town, and they put it in the bank.

TUCHMAN: Deputy Dove was so proud of the stops he made that he began autographing photos of himself with this K-9 dog and huge bundles of the confiscated cash. And on the highway, he berated motorists.

DOVE: You cannot be driving it. I'm convinced that it's dope money. Now you may get away with the -- you may get away with the cashier's checks and stuff, but you ain't getting the cash. That's going to be seized. OK? You're up to no good.

TUCHMAN: This kind of language is very disturbing to Mike Allen, who happens to be Deputy Dove's new boss, just elected as the new sheriff, after campaigning with a promise to end this type of activity.

SHERIFF MIKE ALLEN, HUMBOLDT COUNTY, NEVADA: When I first learned about it, I guess I was in denial, thinking that this can't happen, that something is being misled, and that all the information isn't coming forth.

TUCHMAN (on camera): And today how do you feel about it?

ALLEN: Well, after I viewed a videotape, I feel that these -- highway interdiction programs needs to be looked into and to ensure that nothing -- people's rights are not being violated.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): Records show that Deputy Lee Dove was trained by Desert Snow, an Oklahoma company responsible for training thousands of police nationwide in roadside tactics ranging from touching terrorists to seizing cash from motorists.

So we wanted to ask Deputy Dove about this, ask him why he thinks this isn't in any way appropriate. It was nightfall when we walked up to a fence outside his house. (On camera): Deputy Dove, this is Gary Tuchman from CNN. We had a

question for you.

(Voice-over): No answer. But as our CNN team was driving away, this happened.

DOVE: We'll wait for it, thank you.

TUCHMAN: We were pulled over by some of Dove's sheriff's department colleagues. Why? Because the other deputies told us Dove had called them after our visit. We've done nothing wrong, but one of the deputies told us, quote, "Lee has been having a tough time." A few minutes later we were let go.

OHLSON: I've been in totalitarian societies. I was in Bulgaria before the fall of the wall and of the iron curtain. And it's real spooky. And I think this is one aspect that you would be worried about, but even more than that, I think that the average traveler traveling on an interstate highway in this country would never imagine this kind of thing could happen to them.

TUCHMAN: Attorney Ohlson and the new sheriff both say the Nevada Attorney General's Office is investigating the situation. The attorney adding he has been informed that deputy Dove and one or more of his colleagues are being investigated for at least 38 similar forfeiture stops.

The new sheriff says the stops have now been suspended, but is Deputy Dove still with the department? The answer is yes. But Sheriff Allen went out to say that he's been taken off active duty during this investigation. He did say Deputy Dove is still being paid.

And what about the $40,000 seized from this driver? It has been returned as part of an out-of-court settlement.

Gary Tuchman, CNN, Humboldt County, Nevada.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW: Wow. Fascinating story.

Gary Tuchman, thank you for that.

Coming up next, we are going to introduce you to one of Silicon Valley's top engineers, her husband, her boyfriend, her girlfriend and other dates on the side. This multi-partner relationships are growing in the Valley.

Coming up next, the CNN special report, sex, drugs -- "SEX AND DRUGS IN SILICON VALLEY." That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: "SEX, DRUGS AND SILICON VALLEY." I bet you're listening right about now. Imagine being in a serious relationship with your husband, add a

boyfriend and a girlfriend, plus a date or two on the side. It is called Polyamory. It is nothing new, but it is infiltrating some in Silicon Valley, according to our Laurie Segall.

From smart, drugs to high-tech swingers, life is different for some of those that work in California's tech hub like this engineer who juggles four relationships.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIJU HAN, SILICON VALLEY ENGINEER: I am in four relationships right now. I am -- have been seeing a woman for two years. We say I love you to each other. I also see a man about once a month and then I have what I like to call my distraction spot for whoever happens to be catching my attention at the time.

In technology, people have higher appetites for risks. Opening up the relationship is really risky, kind of in a similar way that starting a company is really risky.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: All right. That revelation, part of a fascinating new series put together by our tech correspondent Laurie Segall. She joins me now.

It's fascinating just hearing what she said that, you know, we are a little more open to risk in terms of being an entrepreneurs in the Valley.

LAURIE SEGALL, CNN MONEY TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT: Sure.

HARLOW: So we're also risky in our relationships. What did you find?

SEGALL: You know, I got the idea for this series because I was going to all my tech sources. I'm like, what's big? And what's happening right now in Silicon Valley and they were all just joking with me, they were like, all of my friends are turning into swingers, people are opening up relationships. People are telling me about drug use. And I was like, I've got to dig into this. And what I found is there is a very experimental culture out there.

HARLOW: Right.

SEGALL: These are people that always just question society. You know they question everything and that doesn't stop when it comes to disrupting education or transportation. They're also questioning their relationship status. They're trying to -- you know, trying to enhance their brain with mind-altering drugs. Miju, who you saw right there.

HARLOW: Right.

SEGALL: When she was explaining, she also said, you know, we have more money here, too, and also we can get a job very easily somewhere else if, say, it's not very popular to describe yourself at a more traditional place as Polyamorous, she can go get job as an engineer somewhere else. So it's really interesting to see what's happening out there.

HARLOW: Yes. What -- I wonder what surprised you most? I would think everything might be surprising reporting this series.

SEGALL: Poppy.

HARLOW: But what surprised you most?

SEGALL: Well, Poppy, I went to a high-tech swinger's party. That was very different for me. You know --

(LAUGHTER)

HARLOW: Did you wear a badge that said like "reporter"?

SEGALL: I made it very clear that I was there for -- I was there for the job, but you know, I think it's almost like talking to some of these people the body is the next pillar of disruption. We spoke to a guy who takes smart drugs. He takes something and these are mind- altering drugs or brain-enhancing drugs and he would pop 15 pills a day. And he -- you know picking them up he said, this one makes me smarter, this one helps me code longer.

And you know these are natural, these aren't natural, but you put them together and there's a stack, and it's really popping all these pills.

HARLOW: Wow.

SEGALL: And he doesn't know about the long-term effect, but what he says is in Silicon Valley your mind is your money. So it's these types of revelations that were really interesting. And obviously with relationships how -- the one of the guys who coined the hash tag, Twitter use of the hash tag, he said -- he was very analytical about the idea of love, and he said, you know, if 50 percent of relationships is fail you might want to try something else. And I just said --

HARLOW: Up your odds.

SEGALL: I know, I just said, but, you know, obviously, there are all these other factors, too.

HARLOW: Wow.

SEGALL: But it was interesting to hear it from them.

HARLOW: It's a fascinating series. I have seen it. I can't wait for everyone else to see it.

Laurie, thank you very much.

SEGALL: Thank you. HARLOW: Join us here on CNN all week. We're going to explore the

lifestyle choices that make life a bit different for some in Silicon Valley. On Monday, tripping on LSD, can it make you a billionaire?

Fascinating reports from these tech entrepreneurs, Laurie's series. Taking off, 2:00 p.m. Eastern. Right here on CNN tomorrow.

Also this week, the World Economic Forum in Davos. A little bit of a transition here from that to this. The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland is an annual meeting. It brings in global leaders from business, government and academia. The goal, strategizing ways to deal with the most pressing issues facing the globe.

I had a chance to be there all week. I spent some time with a quintessential Davos-man.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW (on camera): Welcome to Davos, Switzerland. This is the World Economic Forum. It is where I have been all week long, so we wanted to take you a little behind the scenes, show you what it is all about, but this is only my third year, so I thought of someone much better to do that.

Sir Richard Quest, a veteran of Davos, he's been here 14 times.

And this is where we broadcast live from all week. Come on in. Sort of a makeshift studio on the mountains.

Hi, guys, and there's Richard. Studying, Richard? For your interview with the Turkish prime minister?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Would you like to discuss that?

HARLOW: Yes. That's what we do all day.

QUEST: The people here are the decision-makers and the power brokers, for better or worse, for good or evil, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. These are the people who can make change.

HARLOW: So something you should know about Davos. I've been here three times now and what I've learned is two things. A lot of the important meetings you'll never see. They don't happen in the sessions that are open. They happen in the hotels, they happen in private meeting rooms. The other thing is that the Davos -- what do you call it? The duck?

QUEST: The Davos stoop.

HARLOW: The Davos stoop.

QUEST: We're going to -- we're going to now show you the Davos stoop.

HARLOW: OK. QUEST: Watch this. Remember, look at the size of the card. All

right? Now unless you recognize somebody by that face, you're going to have to recognize them and know who they are by their card, but you only have about one second before you've got to realize that you don't know who that person is.

HARLOW: Hello, Richard Quest. Hello, how are you?

QUEST: Hello. How are you? Nice to see you.

HARLOW: Nice to see you.

QUEST: Nice to see you, I guess.

HARLOW: So that's how it works here in Davos.

We wanted to show you a little bit of Richard Quest Davos because as I said he's been here for 14 years. You have 10 minutes before you interview the Turkish prime minister. Is this correct?

QUEST: Ten minutes before the Turkish PM. Already interviewed the European commissioner of economics. But you always -- what you really always watching for in Davos is an entourage.

This is Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund. She's super important.

Madam Lagarde, just saying hello.

CHRISTINE LAGARDE, INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND MANAGING DIRECTOR: Hi, Richard.

QUEST: Good to see you.

HARLOW: And that -- and that is why this is Richard Quest Davos.

QUEST: And that's a Davos moment.

This is another Davos moment. It's the president of Mongolia. Now you never know when you'll need it in the future. You'll never know when it's relevant so you make every opportunity you can.

As always, this is -- this is classically -- this is classically dating.

HARLOW: Looking. He's never really looking at me. He's just looking for who is behind me.

QUEST: When it's all over and done with, everybody says never again. It's too much. It's too long. It's too tiring. It's too boring, there's too much nonsense. I'm never coming again. Never coming again.

HARLOW: And guess what?

QUEST: Never coming again. See you next year!

(LAUGHTER)

QUEST: Never!

(END VIDEOTAPE)