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Terrorist Confession?; Senate Judiciary Committee Okays Use of Subpoenas in Prosecutor Firings; Groom Gunned Down; Possible Speed Limit for Germany's Autobahn; Man Making Profit off Girl Scout Cookies

Aired March 15, 2007 - 11:01   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. You're with CNN. You're informed.
I'm Tony Harris.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Heidi Collins.

Developments keep coming in to the NEWSROOM on this Thursday, March 15th.

Here's what's on the rundown.

President Bush standing by his attorney general, but Congress calling for more information about the prosecutor firings. A committee may issue subpoenas. Actually, we have heard that that has happened today.

HARRIS: He's been called the mastermind of 9/11. Moments ago, the Pentagon says Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has admitted he beheaded American journalist Daniel Pearl.

COLLINS: Germany's Autobahn, freedom to floor it. But is someone trying to put the brakes on the super fast speedway?

Zoom-zoom in the NEWSROOM.

"I was responsible." Those are said to be the words of suspected terrorist mastermind, a man confessing to the September 11th attacks. The Pentagon says that's not all Khalid Sheikh Mohammed claims he did.

According to transcripts, he cops to a long list of terrorist plots. And we are just now learning new details of what he said about the brutal killing of an American journalist.

Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr is following the story for us and joins us now live.

Good morning once again, Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.

There was some information that came out last night, a transcript of what Khalid Sheikh Mohammed told a military panel at Guantanamo Bay last week. That was the first word we had of his statements. But this morning, just a little while ago, the Pentagon finally released the rest of it.

There were very disturbing statements about Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's in the murder of "The Wall Street Journal" reporter Daniel Pearl. The Bush administration wanted to take the time overnight to make sure the Pearl family had been notified of what Khalid Sheikh Mohammed said.

We will now read this very disturbing statement.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed telling the military, "I decapitated with my blessed right hand the head of the American Jew, Daniel Pearl, in the city of Karachi, Pakistan. For those who would like to confirm, there are pictures of me on the Internet holding his head."

Of course, it had been known that that disturbing video had appeared on the Internet in the weeks and months following Mr. Pearl's murder. Most of that, of course, on American television.

Now, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed went on to claim responsibility for the planning, financing, et cetera, of some 30 attacks and planned attacks, saying that he was involved first in the 9/11 attacks, A to Z, in his words. Then going on to claim involvement in the 1993 World Trade Center attacks, the shoe bomber Richard Reid airline plot to blow up other airliners, assassination attempts claimed against President Clinton and the late Pope John Paul II, and plans for attacks in California, Chicago and New York.

There are analysts who say that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed might be claiming an awful lot of responsibility for things maybe he did not have direct involvement in. But clearly, this man was one of the masterminds of 9/11 and a very close associate of Osama bin Laden -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Yes, very disturbing to listen to, that is for certain.

Barbara Starr coming from the Pentagon today.

Barbara, thank you.

HARRIS: Eight federal prosecutors fired, their former boss maybe also facing unemployment. The Senate Judiciary Committee taking up the case of Alberto Gonzales right now.

CNN Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash on Capitol Hill now.

And Dana, clarify for all of us perhaps some statement that I made just a short time ago. What's the status of the subpoenas?

DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there are two sort of batches of people that the committee wants to hear from. One over at the Justice Department, and another batch over actually at the White House -- Bush officials, aides to the president.

In terms of aides to the president, including Karl Rove, that the Judiciary Committee wants to hear from, the chairman today wanted to get authorization to actually issue a subpoena to Karl Rove and others at the White House just as an insurance policy, as he called it, to make it clear to them that they're serious, that they want to hear from them voluntarily. But that did not happen today, because the ranking Republican on that committee said, you know, we have to be very careful when we throw around the "S" word. And right now it's too early to do that.

Let's listen to what they both said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. PATRICK LEAHY (D), SEN. JUDICIARY CHAIRMAN: If I do not get the cooperation, I will subpoena. We will have testimony under oath before this committee. We'll have the chance for both Republicans and Democrats to ask questions, and we'll find out what happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ARLEN SPECTER (R-PA), CHAIRMAN, JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: I think the subpoena issue has to be handled with great delicacy, because when a subpoena is issued, there is a suggestion that the person will not come in voluntarily. And when the person will not come in voluntarily, there is a suggestion that a person has something to hide.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: So, no movement on the issue of Karl Rove and others at the White House. Those talks are going to continue to go on behind the scenes. But here's what the Judiciary Committee did do, Tony.

They did authorize the chairman, Patrick Leahy, to issue 11 other subpoenas, including five current and former officials at the Justice Department. A couple of names that we've heard a lot about recently, like Kyle Sampson.

He is now the former chief of staff to the attorney general, the one whose e-mails have been part of the documents that we have seen that explain why and how they were trying to fire the prosecutors from going back two years ago. He is somebody who the committee did say that they would issue a subpoena for if, if he doesn't come voluntarily.

They also authorized a subpoena for Michael Elston (ph). He is somebody who still works inside the Justice Department. He, according to one of the fired U.S. attorneys, made a phone call and said that he wanted to make clear to them that it would not be helpful for them to be talking to the press. Essentially, one of the fired U.S. attorneys said that this man, Michael Elston (ph), was trying to pressure him, to muzzle him, not talk to the press.

So this could be very interesting.

HARRIS: Yes.

BASH: If these particular people don't come, they will get subpoenas.

HARRIS: And Dana, very quickly, let me pick up on a point from Arlen Specter here. Clearly, the Senate Judiciary Committee wants to hear from White House officials. No doubt about that. Is there any indication that if asked, say, a Karl Rove would or wouldn't post (ph)?

BASH: Well, every indication is at this point that they likely would not. Why? Because this president historically -- this president and, frankly, past presidents -- have been very reluctant to allow their aides, aides who work for them, who are not confirmed by the Senate, to come and talk to Congress.

They historically claim executive privilege. But this is a situation, Tony, where you heard Arlen Specter say we have to be careful in issuing subpoenas. But they do hope, Republicans even do hope, that Karl Rove and others do come and talk to Congress. And they've made that clear in a letter to them, that they want them to come and talk voluntarily.

What they did today is just say, you know what? Let's hold off on actually the idea of subpoenas.

HARRIS: Yes.

BASH: They are having discussions behind the scenes. And I should tell you, Tony, that tomorrow the White House has a deadline that Congress gave to them to say, tell us tomorrow, on Friday, whether or not you're going to agree to have Karl Rove and others come testify.

HARRIS: All right.

Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash for us.

Dana, appreciate it. Thank you.

(NEWSBREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: A young groom killed in a hail of bullets on his wedding day. Right now a grand jury is deciding whether any of the police officers involved in the shooting should face charges.

Senior Correspondent Allan Chernoff joins us live now from New York.

Allan, we understand there's a new twist in the case. What's going on?

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SR. CORRESPONDENT: Tony, a dramatic development here, really at the last minute, almost, as this grand jury had been expected to make decisions and perhaps to hand up some indictments.

Yesterday, a man walked into a police precinct here in Queens and said that he had been a witness to this shooting back in November and he had some crucial, new information according to the detectives union. This man said that he saw a man fire one or two shots at the police just about the time that the police were shooting 50 bullets into the car that was holding Sean Bell and two of his friends.

Now, very critical information here, because if true, we had previously believed -- until now, we had believed that police were firing to three unarmed men in the vehicle. This would have been a fourth man who was armed. And perhaps this perhaps could provide some justification for the police to actually fire those bullets at the men in the vehicle.

Remember, Sean Bell, the groom, the man who was to be married that very day, was killed. Two of his friends were wounded by these fires from the police.

Now, will the grand jury actually hear this witness? That's the critical question now. And we just don't know.

The detectives union is insisting that the D.A. bring this witness before the grand jury. But the D.A.'s office says, hey, what happens behind closed doors in that grand jury room remains secret. They are not talking -- Tony.

HARRIS: Wow. Allan, this qualifies as a bombshell at the 12th hour here.

I have to ask you, first of all, Al Sharpton, the Reverend Al Sharpton, as I believe you know, is speaking on this -- on this issue, the information you're providing to us right now. A live picture of the Reverend Al Sharpton.

But I have to ask you, Allan, what has taken this guy so long to come forward?

CHERNOFF: It's a big question. The detectives are saying they believe that perhaps he was scared, that he was just afraid to come forward.

This man apparently speaks very little English. He speaks in Spanish. He's 55 years old, according to the detectives, and they believe that he's a janitor who works in the vicinity of the strip club where all of this took place. He was working the overnight shift, according to the detectives, from 12:00 midnight until 8:00 am.

HARRIS: Wow.

CNN's Allan Chernoff for us in New York following this case.

Allan, appreciate it. Thank you.

COLLINS: Claims of sexual abuse in juvenile prisons. State officials accused of knowing about it and doing nothing. That story coming up in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: A traffic stop for speeding. It happens every day, but this driver can't seem to ease up on that lead foot.

Screeching off, the driver puts the pedal to the metal, dragging Officer Brenda Bermudez (ph) with him through a parking lot. The officer slipped and the car ran over her legs. On Tuesday, the driver pleaded guilty to assault. He will not be driving again for about 20 years.

This tape -- at least now that the case is over. Officer Bermudez (ph) is OK and back on the job.

HARRIS: Higher learning. More and more, it seems, the buzz on college campuses is from the abuse of prescription drugs and alcohol. A new study out this morning points to an alarming trend of hard drinking and pill-popping among college students.

Earlier this morning I talked with CNN Medical Correspondent Judy Fortin about the findings.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JUDY FORTIN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Nearly half of all full- time college students binge drink or abuse prescription and illegal drugs. Close to 23 percent meet the medical criteria for substance abuse and dependence. That's two and a half times the rate of the general population.

A short time ago I spoke with Joseph Califano, chairman of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, the group that completed the study, and he said prescription drug abuse among students is skyrocketing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH CALIFANO, NATIONAL CENTER ON ADDICTION & SUBSTANCE ABUSE: The prescription drug abuse numbers have exploded. They've grown 350 to 450 percent. I think that what's happened is college students have now really moved into the world of opioid abuse and tranquilizer abuse and stimulant abuse. I think students tends to think these substances are safer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FORTIN: Califano says the U.S. is playing Russian roulette with this issue, losing thousands of the best and brightest students to alcohol and drug abuse all around the country.

HARRIS: Hey, Judy, we're talking about college students here, but I will ask the question. Maybe I have an idea what the answer is, but who is to blame and what's the fix?

FORTIN: You know, you would think there would be a lot of finger-pointing, and there will be after this report really gets widespread. What the report says is there are a lot of barriers, major barriers, to the study.

The perception, that the substance abuse is a normal rite of passage by college students. Well, Califano says that college administrators are often distracted by fund-raising and other issues, too busy to focus on this one issue.

Secondly, he says students have too much time out of the classroom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CALIFANO: They allow the students to arrange their schedules so they can have classes only three or four days a week. The partying can begin on Wednesday night or Thursday night and go right through Sunday.

Number three, there's very aggressive alcohol marketing to college students. You can see that if you just watch the March Madness basketball games and see all the beer ads on there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FORTIN: Califano calls this a major public health crisis. He says parents must be engaged.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: With regard to binge drinking, the study found the intensity of alcohol abuse was found to be on the rise. In the words of one researcher, students are becoming intoxicated as fast as they possibly can. And to get your "Daily Dose" of health news online, log on to our Web site. You will find the latest medical news, a health library, and information on diet and fitness. The address is cnn.com/health.

COLLINS: Searching for a missing 6-year-old in south Georgia. Police say suspects are talking. What they're saying, coming up in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: New developments this morning in the case of a missing boy in south Georgia, that is. While the search goes on, CNN affiliate WJXT reports police have found evidence in a mobile home. Six-year-old Christopher Barrios Jr. reported missing one week ago today.

At the scene, near Brunswick, Georgia, WJXT's Nikki Preede. She tells us what Glynn County police are saying this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIKKI PREEDE, WJXT REPORTER (on camera): We know that at about 3:30 yesterday afternoon, that police found three shovels, they actually found those shovels several miles away from where Christopher Barrios, the six-year-old that's missing, was actually last seen last Thursday. However, police say that this home actually belongs to one of the suspects, that they do have in custody. They recovered these shovels around 3:30 yesterday. It's at that point, police say, that they obtained a warrant for another home, the home where the suspects are currently living. It's a mobile home less than a half mile where Christopher was last seen. They executed that warrant last night. They found a couple more pieces of evidence. Officers will not tell us exactly what they found in that mobile home, only that it was things that they felt they overlooked when they were first in the home last Friday.

So now they have quite a bit of evidence in place. How it will pan out in this case, we're not really sure at this time, but we do know that those shovels, obviously, key pieces of evidence.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And the new development this hour in the Atlanta bus crash that killed members of a college baseball team. Bluffton University baseball coach James Grandey just released from the hospital has a message for the surviving members of his team.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES GRANDEY, BLUFFTON UNIVERSITY BASEBALL COACH: I say we got to try to play baseball and get things back to as normal as possible and honor the memories of the guys that have passed away, but also try to honor their futures that have been taken away from them so that they know that they didn't pass in vain and that their memories will always be with us.

I know that God brings us to situations that only we can handle and so obviously he thought that our team can handle this. And, sometimes I think that's a bad thing, but my family has been -- my wife, Jessica, has been with me every minute of the day. And pictures of my daughter and my dog, Howie, and just knowing that there's been so many people in the Atlanta area and even in the country that I don't even know that have sent letters, and cards, and T-shirts and hats, and encouragement. And just to know that there's so many people out there that don't know me, but they care that I'm OK. And that's probably been the biggest thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Grandey had been hospitalized since the March 2nd crash. Seven people on the bus died, including five players. A student coach remains in critical condition.

COLLINS: Stepping down, the seven-member board in charge of Texas juvenile prisons is expected to resign tomorrow. The commission under fire, claims of sexual abuse and allegations of a cover-up.

CNN's Ed Lavandera reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Behind these walls, juvenile inmates are unlocking stories of betrayal and abuse.

GENGER GALLOWAY, ALLEGED VICTIM'S MOTHER: I found out that he's one of the children that had been raped. I immediately asked for help and I was told that they would handle it internally.

LAVANDERA: Ginger Galloway says her teenage son was sexually abused by a female guard and raped by another inmate inside a juvenile prison and officials ignored her pleas for help.

GALLOWAY: They didn't listen. They just swept it under the rug. They didn't take it seriously.

LAVANDERA: It's one of the many stories threatening to dismantle the Texas Youth Commission, the state agency in charge of juvenile prisons. Top commission officials are now accused of knowing about the abuse and doing nothing to stop it. Two years ago, this Texas ranger investigator reported the molestation of a teenage boy in prison custody, but he says no one would listen.

BRIAN BURZYNSKI, TEXAS RANGER: I saw kids with fear in their eyes, kids who knew they were trapped in an institution where the system would not respond to their cries for help.

LAVANDERA: State officials say they have found shocking practices in the Texas juvenile system, including nearly 100 confirmed reports of sexual abuse since 1999.

This registered sex offender was hired as a prison guard, even though his picture appears on a sex offender registry. Because of that, he has now been fired. Though there's no indication whether he had abused anyone there.

The superintendent of this prison had a 16-year-old boy inmate living with him. A state prosecutor says he'll soon be indicted for a sex crime. Jay Kimbrough has been appointed by the Governor to investigate the state's juvenile system.

(on camera): Do you think the warnings were there?

JAY KIMBROUGH, LEAD INVESTIGATOR: I think the warnings were there, yes. I think clearly the warnings were there and I don't know why what happened. I'm going to find that out.

LAVANDERA: The allegations get even more disturbing. Investigators tell us they're looking into whether prison workers extended the jail sentences of juvenile inmates because they reported cases of sexual abuse.

(voice-over): Juvenile inmates haven't spoken on television yet, but Texas lawmakers are ...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everyone of you all ought to resign.

LAVANDERA: ... lashing out at youth commission officials who say they have no answers to the most basic questions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The question is, how did this happen?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Senator, I don't know how this could happen. It appalls me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think you ought to do the state and the young people a service by getting out of the way and letting someone else lead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would you have followed up with anybody, had this been your child?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I probably would have, ma'am.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Then why did you not feel the obligation to follow up for these children?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If it's ...

LAVANDERA: Speechless. That's how this scandal has left many people feeling.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Austin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: This information just in to CNN now. There have been some new sanctions agreed upon against Iran. Want to give you the details we have, six world powers have now agreed on this. It's a package of new sanctions, including an embargo on arms exports and financial restrictions on more individuals and companies that are associated with Tehran's nuclear and missile programs.

What this means is the five permanent Security Council nations, that would include United States, Russia, China, Britain and France and also Germany, have all given a green light now to this package of further restrictions. You may remember back in December that the Security Council voted unanimously to impose some limited sanctions against Iran for refusing to freeze its uranium enrichment. However, the council said it would consider further non-military sanctions if Iran refused to suspend that enrichment. Iran's response was to actually accelerate the enrichment program.

So once again, six world powers have now agreed on this new package of sanctions against Iran. We will continue to follow this for you and give you more details just as soon as we get them.

HARRIS: Reports of a gas leak in New Hampshire.

Fred is following that for us now in the NEWSROOM. Hi, Fred.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Tony. In Manchester, New Hampshire, the smell of gas, or some sort of gaseous fumes, a number of people were walking in the street at Elm and Hanover reported to officials. Fire officials got there on the scene, detected that there is a high level of gas in the area. They believe there's some sort of gas leak taking place underground.

So they've closed an entire block area. They've evacuated that area as well. They are concerned about the origin of this gas leak. They're still trying to figure out where it all started. But they have contained this particular area. They're continuing feverishly to look for the source of this gas leak and try to address it as soon as they can. It's unclear exactly when that block might be reopened and whether people, at some point today, will be allowed back in, Manchester, New Hampshire.

Tony?

HARRIS: Kind of an ominous picture there, kind of spooky.

WHITFIELD: Yes, real dreary day looking there.

HARRIS: Yes. Alright, Fred. Thank you.

COLLINS: Speeding on this stretch of highway there is actually no limit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now we're doing 230 kilometers an hour.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: But, this fun on the Autobahn may soon be curved. We'll have that story for you coming up in the NEWSROOM.

HARRIS: Celebrity sighting. Angelina Jolie adding to her family. The story in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And it is a boy for Angelina Jolie. The movie star has adopted a three-year-old Vietnamese boy, his name Pax Tien (ph). Pax meaning peace in Latin, Tien is heaven in Vietnamese. The boy is Jolie's fourth child, three adopted and one born to her and Brad Pitt, her husband, last May. Pax will need a medical check up before he can get a Visa to enter the United States.

COLLINS: No speed limit -- no problem. Germany's Autobahn is a roadway with a reputation but that may change.

CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): : The old German saying goes something like this, "liberated roads for free people." Though there are some speed restricted areas, the Autobahn is among the few highway systems in the world with no general speed limit, something that could change with you in the driver's seat.

(on camera) The European Union is asking Germany to impose a general speed limit on its highways. Now the speed limit would be 130 kilometers an hour. That's about 80 miles an hour. And the rationale behind it is simple. Cars that go slower emit less carbon dioxide, so today we've gotten ourselves a very fast car. And we're going to find out how much fuel drivers can actually save by going slower.

(voice-over) To find out, we have to go fast. Very fast. The car's fuel consumption rises to almost 20 liters per 100 kilometers or just over 5 gallons per 62 miles.

(on camera) Right now, we're doing 230 kilometers an hour, that's about 140 miles an hour. Now, at this speed, really, any car would use a lot of fuel. So right now what we're going to do is we're going to bring the speed down and see how much fuel we can actually save.

(voice-over) Down to 130 kilometers or 80 miles an hour, the proposed speed limit. The car's fuel consumption is cut almost in half within moments.

We pick up Werner Reh from the Union for Environmental Protection. He says drivers could cut carbon emissions on the Autobahn considerably by simply taking their foot off the gas.

WERNER REH, UNION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: Speed limits cut down the co2 emissions by two or three percent, that is 3 million tons of co2. They have an immediate impact. They don't cost anything and the vast majority of people in Germany want it.

PLEITGEN: But some of the drivers we spoke to while in traffic said they were against the general speed limit.

Sometimes I just want to drive the car as fast as it goes, this man says. I don't think it's a good idea. I think not having a speed limit is a cultural thing in Germany another man says.

The industry says German automakers are against the idea and politicians are divided on the issue. In the end, pressure from the European Union may force the Germans to down shift their love affair with the automobile.

Frederik Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Shaky or secure? Some Americans changing their feelings about the economy. Results of a new CNN poll in the NEWSROOM.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange where things are relatively quiet for the moment after this week's mortgage meltdown. But now Congress says it's primed to act. I'll have details when NEWSROOM continues. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: A CNN opinion research corporation poll just out this morning suggests Americans may be losing confidence in the economy. Fifty-two percent of those polled feel the economy is good. But that's an 11 point drop from January.

In the latest poll, 46 percent say the economy is in poor shape. As for the future, 53 percent of those polled believe the economy will be good one year from now. Forty-two percent are not hopeful. One note here. The poll was taken over the weekend. So it doesn't reflect views related to this week's market slide.

HARRIS: Well, investors have certainly spoken about the meltdown in the mortgage market. And now some lawmakers are threatening to take action too.

Susan Lisovicz. First opportunity to visit with Susan this morning, is at the New York Stock Exchange with details. Susan, good morning.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

COLLINS: Girl scout outrage. An Ohio troop says one merchant is a real-life cookie monster. That's because he's rolling in the cookie dough.

Dawn Kendrick of affiliate WOIO reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GIRL SCOUTS: On my honor I will try --

DAWN KENDRICK, WOIO REPORTER (voice-over): It's hard to find the honor in what's happening at the Valero gas station in Parma Heights. The family that owns it, making a quick buck literally, on every box of girl scout cookies they bought by flipping them for $4 instead of $3.

(on camera): How come they're $4, do you know? Girl scouts are selling them for $3.

(voice-over): Matt Shull told us he's saving the girls from going door to door, which could be dangerous.

MATT SHULL, VALERO GAS STATION: So I'm really, in the end, I'm helping them in more ways than one. And if I'm making a small profit off of it, I don't see why I'm not entitled to.

KATE DONAHUE, GIRL SCOUTS OF LAKE ERIE: I think he should be ashamed of himself. He's dishonorable, it's dishonest.

GIRL SCOUT: We use our money for our troop and we have to support other stuff and he just gets it for himself to spend.

DONAHUE: It says right here, it's very clear. Any resale or redistribution is unauthorized.

SHULL: Any resale? My goodness. I'm a little embarrassed. I never read that before.

RENEE ELLIS, TROOP LEADER: I think he was lying. I think he knew flat out what he was doing. And he got busted.

DONAHUE: He's not this high and he's not wearing a girl scout uniform.

KENDRICK (on camera): No, he certainly is no girl scout. But there were 12,000 of the real deal scouts pounding the pavement in Lake, Geauga, and Cuyahoga counties for weeks now, selling their cookies the honest way. And while this guy may not get honesty and honor, let me tell you, he certainly gets sarcasm.

SHULL: Thank you for taking the time and bringing everybody out here to bring it to my attention. That is wonderful -- I am glad you are here to protect the girl scouts.

KENDRICK: Are you being sarcastic, Matt?

SHULL: Not at all. You would be able to detect that.

KENDRICK (voice-over): I'm Dawn Kendrick in Parma Heights, 19 Action News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's freaking delicious.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: All right. It better be for what you paid for it, huh? Pizza, for the upper crust. That's coming up in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Coming up in about exactly an hour from now, CNN NEWSROOM in the afternoon. Kiran Chetry here joining us

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Hi.

COLLINS: Hello. I always see you when I'm just walking around out there, but now we're live and in person.

Speaking of alive, the hill is alive. Capitol Hill, that is, with talk of subpoenas. The Senate Judiciary Committee is meeting today amid a rising clamor for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to quit or be fired.

Top White House staffers like Karl Rove could be ordered to answer questions in the so-called prosecutor purge. We're following the latest developments in this story from our sources in Washington.

Also, plenty of breath-holding in the Big Apple as well. Grand jury charges could be handed up at any time in the death of the New York groom that was killed in the shoot out with New York City police just hours before his wedding. There's plenty of pointed comments already coming from civil rights activists like Al Sharpton and city officials are also bracing for reaction.

So it's a big day of breaking news. We'll have it all for you at 1:00 Eastern in the CNN NEWSROOM.

We'll be watching. All right, Kiran, thank you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NINO SALIMAJ, RESTAURATEUR: I call it luxury pizza. It's not for everyone because it's expensive, let's face it, but the ingredients and whatever I put in is worth every penny. And of course people without job, they cannot afford the pizza at $1,000, but it's worth every penny and it's a great buy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: That better be a good $1,000 piece of pizza, don't you think? A little lobster, a little caviar. I usually have that on my pizza.

But Nino's restaurant in Manhattan has joined the ranks of super pricey eats. $250 per slice. Pizza is only a medium. But it comes loaded as we said with caviar, lobster, gourmet cheeses.

One satisfied New Yorker called it quoting here now -- oh I can't say that.

HARRIS: Why?

COLLINS: It was incredibly delicious. I don't like that.

HARRIS: Oh you don't like that word?

COLLINS: No. You say it.

HARRIS: Freakin'?

COLLINS: Yes. My child gets in trouble when he says that.

HARRIS: Oh. Well, I'm no child. I'm a grown man. I can say these things.

COLLINS: We need to repeat that clearly.

CNN NEWSROOM continues just one hour from now.

HARRIS: "YOUR WORLD TODAY" is the news happening across the globe and here at home. I'm Tony Harris, grown man.

COLLINS: And I'm Heidi Collins. Have a great day, everybody.

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