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Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield

Shooting Case in Hesston, Kansas; Trump Tax Returns Discussed; Trump Press Event in Texas. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired February 26, 2016 - 12:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:32:47] ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN: Welcome back, everyone, I'm Ashleigh Banfield. Any minute now Donald Trump is planning to hold a news conference in Fort Worth, Texas, this after last night's fiery CNN debate in Texas. And once he takes live to that podium, after being introduced, we are going do get you there so that you can listen in. He has said there's going to be, quote, a big announcement. It's going to be made. Can't wait for that.

In the meantime, a story that broke just before the debate. It has not even been a week since that shooting in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and here we are again telling you about yet another shooting, this time in Hesston, Kansas, its 35 miles north of Wichita. And it appeared that a man shot three people before bursting in to the place he worked. A lawn care company. And shot 14 more people. Three of those people died. 11 others are in the hospital. A deputy shot and killed 38-year- old Cedric Ford before he could do anymore harm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERRIF T WALTON, HARVEY COUNTY, KANSAS: That particular officer's a hero out of all of this. Understand, there's probably 200 or 30 more people in that building while this is going on. This man was not going to stop shooting. The only reason he stop shooting is because that officer stopped the shooter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: Our Rosa Flores is live in Hesston right now. Can you update us on how everyone is doing and just about motive?

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are learning more about the motive from police. We are also learning more about the shooter, not only from authorities but also from his friend and witness.

Well as we let me take you through this authorities say that this all started, this was a preliminary motive here, at about 3:30 yesterday when authorities served Ford with a protective order. Inside the building that you see behind me, somehow he left the building and then the shooting started at about an hour and a half after, at about 5:00, about 6 miles from here. So he starts shooting people along the way until he gets here. Now, we talked to one of the witnesses, a very good friend of the shooter. [12:35:02] He said that he was standing outside in the parking lot

when he sees this truck stop and kind of just halt. The shooter opens the door and starts firing at one of his co-workers. He says it took him about 30 seconds to process what he was experiencing, what he was watching. At that point in time, he says that he put the truck in reverse and got out of the parking lot, called 911 and say that is he went to his wife and to his little son, Ashleigh 12-days-old.

He said he had a very long hug with his family because he felt very lucky that he was alive because the shooter, he says, was supposed to relieve him so that he could go out for break. And so, another one of his co-workers had to relieve him in order for him to be standing outside, so he says, it's surreal, how minutes, seconds, saved his life. The individual who relieved him actually got shot, he's in the hospital he's been taking to him and he's really counting his blessings at this point in time, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: Just and awful story. Rosa Flores, live for us in Hesston Kansas, thank you for that.

I want to get us back to the live breaking news that we're waiting on any moment now. A big new conference is about to get underway in Fort Wort Texas. As you can see, hundreds of people have gathered. Two events are going to happen in there, both Donald Trump events. One is a news conference in which is presumably going to take questions from the press and make a big announcement. He's not telling us what, or what it could pertain to, so it's a big mystery. And then he's going to have this massive rally. He's calling it a mega rally in Forth Worth. All on the heels of the big debate last night in Houston.

So, stick around. Quick break. Back ground after this.

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[12:41:12] BANFIELD: Got some live pictures for you, we're waiting on a big news conference but Donald Trump is about 11-minutes late by our count for the press conference planning to hold and says he's going to take questions from the press and more importantly maybe he tweeted out to make a big announcement in Texas.

So that podium is waiting and ready for Donald Trump. And so are 8,000 people he says are also gathering at a huge arena in Fort Worth, Texas, at that Fort Worth convention center for big rally after this news conference. Can't wait. I really can't wait. I'm god smacked given what happened last night. It's remarkable when's happening. On those debate stages and last night's -- I keep saying it. It got fierier, it was more intense, aggressive, the barbs sharper. Donald Trump's tax returns a huge issue, a big one, after former presidential nominee Mitt Romney brought up the subject. Listen to what Trump had to say about it last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I will absolutely give my returns but I'm being audited now for two or three years so I can't do it until the audit is finished, obviously. I think people would understand that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: I've been audited. It was the bummer. But I didn't understand what he had to say. I've never run for president. I can't. Canadian. Want to get a fact check on what he said. Should audits prevent Donald Trump from being able to release his tax returns? He does the current ones or the ones under audit for or how about the past ones?

Best person in the world to ask, CNN's Money Chief Business Correspondent Christine Romans.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Ashleigh, Donald Trump says he will not release his tax returns because he's being audited. We asked the IRS if there's a legal barrier to releasing a tax return during an audit. They told us they can't discuss individual tax matters, but said this, "nothing prevents individuals from sharing their own tax information".

So Trump could release his results, if you wanted do, or if it's attorneys advise he could release the returns from the years before the audit. But the way, not a stretch that he's being audited. IRS Budget cuts mean the agency is focusing on the big fish, Ashleigh millionaire audits are up.

What's in there that his Republican rivals or the public find interesting? Well, it shows his income, deductions, this charitable donations, whom did he get money too. Did he donate himself, as he's been doing it through a company or a foundation? What were the causes he supports? What share of the income does he donate? Valuable information to other candidates and the public in deciding whom to vote for.

Also, Trump's tax returns will include an effective tax rate, effective tax rate. Trump has said, he works hard to pay as little tax as possible. Mitt Romney criticized in back in 2012. His effective tax rate 14 percent when he released the returns. That was about a month before the general election. Now, Romney's on the offensive against Trump claiming there's a "bombshell" no one knows about. If Trump doesn't want to disclose his tax returns, he doesn't have to, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD; Oh, Christine, thank you. I should mention, as well, that our Chris Cuomo asked Donald Trump after the debate what he thought about this auditing process, why he is audited and he said, maybe because of the fact I'm a strong Christian. I feel stronglybout it, maybe there's a bias. I'm not sure I -- never mind.

BANFIELD Still waiting and watching for Donald Trump speak live in Forth Wort Texas. The podium is readily. The people and press is excited because he says there's something big coming, a big announcement is coming.

Forty-four minutes after the hour. And we're still waiting on Donald Trump and going to bring it to you next after all those in your face arguments lasts night. Could it be something to do with Rubio, the guy who went at him last night and this morning?

The candidates' actually, all agreed on one thing, one very controversial thing. That puts them at odds with the tech world. Not to mention millions of Americans who value their privacy and their iPhones. It's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: OK, folks, I'm going to take you live to the Fort Worth convention center. The pictures are blurry but the content is key and the guy who's walking up to the mike if you can't see it is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) NEW JERSEY: I'm doing this for a number of reasons. First is that Donald and I along with Melania and Mary Pat have been friends over a decade. He's been a good and loyal friend to our families and we have been to he and his family. And over the years we've had wonderful times together. Done a lot of good together for not only the people of the state of New Jersey but for many charities we have worked with and on together. And I have -- I absolutely appreciate him as a person, and as a friend.

Secondly, I've been on that stage. I've got to know all the people on that stage. And there is no one who is better prepared to provide America with the strong leadership that it needs both at home and around the world than Donald Trump. He is looking at the five people on that stage last night the clear standout. And the person who will do exactly what needs to be done to make America a leader around the world again. He'll provide strong, unequivocal leadership and do what needs to be done to protect the American people first and foremost both in the homeland and in creating jobs for this country. And he will make sure that people around the world know that America keeps its word again.

Donald Trump is someone who when he makes a promise he keeps it. I've experienced that over my long friendship with him and what the American people and our allies around the world will understand is that Donald Trump is someone who keeps his word and that means America will keep its word again.

Third, there is no doubt in my mind and I've been saying this from the time I entered the campaign that the single most important thing for the Republican party is to nominate the person who gives us the best chance to beat Hillary Clinton. I can guarantee you that the one person that Hillary and Bill Clinton don't want to see on that stage come next September is Donald Trump.

They know how to run the standard political playbook against the junior senators and run them around the block. They do not know the playbook with Donald Trump because he's rewriting the playbook. He's rewriting the play book of American politics because he's providing strong leadership that's not dependent upon the status quo. And so the best person to beat Hillary Clinton in November on that stage last night he's undoubtedly Donald Trump. And so, I am thrilled to be here this morning to lend my support.

I will lend my support between now and November in every way that I can for Donald help to make the campaign an even better campaign than it's already been and do what he needs to do to help to make the country everything we want it to be for our children and grandchildren. He's a good friend. He's a strong and resolute leader. And he's someone who is going to lead the Republican Party to victory in November over Hillary Clinton which is the single most important thing we can do.

So, I thank him for his friendship. I thank him for all of the kindnesses that we have shared with each other over the year and leaving the private sector, for seeing that there was a need for strong leadership in this country and for being willing to step out of the private sector and come and offer himself for public service and for leadership in this country at a time when our party a our nation so desperately needs it. I'm Happy to be on the Trump team and I look forward to working with him. Thank you, sir.

TRUMP: Thank you very much, Chris. Great honor. Yes Mark?

(MARK) (inaudible)I want to ask what he thinks about --

TRUMP: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What you think of Senator Rubio calling trump a con artist.

TRUMP: Is that what he called me?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of things. But i want to ask you --

TRUMP: He's a desperate guy. Down about 22 points in Florida.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rally against -- when do you think --

TRUMP: That's not happening, Chris.

CHRISTIE: Desperate people do desperate things. And I've seen it throughout politics and so have you. And so, the idea that Marco Rubio can get inside Donald Trump's head is an interesting proposition but one that's for the D.C. Parlor game.

What Donald Trump is about the people of this country. You know, you heard -- I heard some of Senator Rubio's' comments this morning. None of them were about the people of this country. When are we going to start talking about them, the fact that middle class folks in the country are suffering. The fact that people who want jobs can't get them because they've taken away.

The fact that we can't any longer, as a country, stand up and defend ourselves around the world because we have a leader that wrings his hands. I didn't hear any of that this morning from Senator Rubio. Desperate people in campaigns do desperate things. Flailing punches in the last days of a losing campaign. Fact of the matter is no one's going to get inside this guy's head. He has lived a lot of life. He's had lots of fights in battles. I have watched him do it and there is no better fighter than Donald Trump and he's going to fight for the American people and you didn't hear Senator Rubio talk about any of that this morning.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Trump?

TRUMP:: John?

(JOHN): First of Two things. This is a big endorsement.

TRUMP: I agree. To me it is a very big endorsement.

(JOHN)You said endorsements don't matter much. And I want to ask you what are these to your campaign. You did said endorsement all the matter ....

TRUMP: Generally speaking, I'm not big on endorsements. I could have had many. I have quite a few good ones and could have had many, many. But you know, I didn't want to take the time, and the two hours and the dinners and everything else. It's just wasn't worth it.

This was an endorsement that really meant a lot. Chris is an outstanding man, with an outstanding family. He's done a great job. And I think that this is the one endorsement that I felt strongly about, I wanted to get.

[12:55:03] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I want to talk about Marco Rubio talking about -- the debate -- he suggested that you were sweating backstage.

TRUMP: Well, I'll tell you about backstage, if you would like, I walked back there. He is with a pile of makeup putting it on his face. And I said, Marco, easy with the makeup, you don't need that much. You know the story with Marco. I watched him against this man where Marco, he was right over here and I actually looked at him. I said, are you OK? He looked like he just came out of a swimming pool. He was a mess. We'll see what happens, well going to see what happens. But not heard some very personal comments, but I saw him backstage and he was putting on with the trowel. Yes? Katy?

(KATY): Foreshadowing vice presidential --

TRUMP: It's just we'd never had that discussion. Chris called. We have this great relationship. And I just said, wow. That is really great. That is really great. To me, this is something that means -- outstanding person. Amazing person.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Trump, You said that Hillary Clinton shouldn't be allowed to run for president -- (inaudible)

TRUMP: Excuse me. That's a civil case. I have won much of it. Excuse me, excuse me. I have won much of it. It's a peanut case. It's a very small case. I will end up winning. I could have settled it many times. I decided not settle it -- I could settle it now. I don't want to settle it. Excuse me. I go through court, I go through court often. I win the cases. I have a very good record and I don't like -- this is people wanting to get the money back. Most signed a report card. They said how great it was and then sue you years late tore get the money back. We'll win the case. Takes a little while. Much of the case is already been won. Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible question).

TRUMP: First of aull, let me respond to that. I'm a former federal prosecutor. To try to compare a civil lawsuit to the mishandling, to the mishandling of classified information, much of which I can tell you we used to have to go to specialized rooms that were sealed from any type of intrusion to look at on a private e-mail server in Mrs. Clinton's basement in Chappaquan New York to try to compare that to a civil lawsuit where someone's suing for money is a complete misunderstanding, a complete misunderstanding.

Excuse me. No. Listen. No, listen. It's a complete -- you're setting up a question that you're trying to -- no, no, no. Let me finish. You're trying to equate a civil lawsuit against him with the mishandling of classified information that could put American national security at risk. It's ridiculous.

Now, on your question, here's my process. Here's my process on how I went through this. Fact is after the campaign was over, Mary Pat and I went home and we took a deep breath. I got back to preparing my budget for the State of New Jersey which I needed to do a week after the New Hampshire primary and present that to the people of New Jersey. And then we sat down as a family. Me and Mary Pat and our children and we talked about do we want to play any other role in the campaign or just not? I concluded along with Mary Pat and the children support it to be with the person we thought to provide the longest leadership for America and the person who could best make sure that Hillary Clinton never gets within ten miles of the White House.

Once we made that decision, it was clear the only choice was Donald Trump. The best choice was Donald Trump. And last thing is our family is one that prides loyalty and the fact is that we have been good friends with Donald and family for many years. And there was no choice in my mind and when did I make the final decision? Yesterday morning. I met with Donald. We sat and talked. And he said how about coming out on the road to Texas with me. And I said, happy to do it wherever ready sir. So we did it, and that's how the process went.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On both of those accounts, Trump has been (inaudible) like his rivals (inaudible), unprepared. Marco Rubio said he's wholly unprepared today. How do you evaluate Mr. Trump on -- (inaudible)

[13:00:] 1CHRISTIE: I find this fascinating that someone who barely shows up for work in the six years he's the United States senator talks about somebody else unprepared. The fact of the matter is Senator rubio shown himself over the course of time wholly unprepared to be president of the United States. I said at the primary and the (inaudible) and nothing's changed my mind now. Fact is this is the only guy on that stage other than Governor Kasich who's made executive decisions. Who's had to make executive decisions throughout his life, who understands how to put together budgets, how to make sure that money spent efficiently and effectively in order to create --