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Justice Department Gives Ex-Clinton Staffer Immunity; Democratic Candidates Prepping For CNN Debate In Flint, Michigan on Sunday; Aide Says Donald Trump Has Given $100 Million To Charity. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired March 03, 2016 - 13:30   ET

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

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[13:33:33] WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Once again, we're standing by live to hear from Donald Trump. He's getting ready to address a rally in Portland, Maine. You see live pictures coming in right now. This will be his first response to what Mitt Romney just laid out a blistering attack on Donald Trump, Trump response coming up. Stand by for that. We'll have live coverage.

In the meantime, let's see what's going on the Democratic presidential side. The FBI will soon have more answers to questions surrounding Hillary Clinton's private e-mail server, the former Clinton staffer who set up that server back in 2009, now ready to talk.

Bryan Pagliano will cooperate with FBI investigators after the justice department granted him immunity. He previously invoked his Fifth Amendment right in front of congress back in September.

With us to talk about that and a whole lot more is Brian Fallon is press secretary for the Hillary Clinton campaign. Brian, thanks very much for joining us. I know the campaign said it's pleased that Pagliano has now agreed to cooperate with investigators. But what's your reaction to this development, because public hears granting of immunity to someone who worked for Hillary Clinton. What is that mean, what is that say from your political perspective?

BRIAN FALLON, PRESS SECRETARY, HILLARY CLINTON CAMPAIGN: Well, I think that in legal circles, it means -- it doesn't mean as much as it's being conflated to mean today by some political pundits. Because oftentimes a lawyer out of an abundance of caution and to preserve all of his or her clients options will advise them to seek immunity in exchange for their testimony. It does not mean that their client did anything wrong.

[13:35:09] And in this case, Bryan Pagliano didn't do anything wrong. We had urged him back in the fall when, as you mentioned he invoked his Fifth Amendment rights before congress. We had urged him not to do that but instead to submit to questions from Trey Gowdy's committee. That is what all of Hillary Clintons other aides that were asked to come up here did. That is what Hillary Clinton herself did of course in that infamous 11-hour marathon appearance where she exposed the sort of partisan bias at the Republican days in that hearing in October. And the point was that she was willing to answer any question. So have all of her aides spend weeks have wanted Brian to do the same. He decided not to, but we're pleased he is at least cooperating with the justice department review. We think that the more answers he can give, the more it will clarify the justice department's understanding that nothing inappropriate took place here.

BLITZER: And you have good perspective, unique perspective, because you're a former spokesman for Department of Justice. How unusual is it for Department of Justice to grant immunity to someone like this? That's not an easy decision, right?

FALLON: Well, look, I think that, you know, we have to keep into perspective what Mr. Pagliano may be equipped to tell the justice department lawyers that are looking into this.

And I think that if you recall back in August when this was first launched it was a security-related review into the security of the setup and the arrangement of the private e-mail server and that was in the Clintons' home.

And Mr. Pagliano I think was of interest to them, because he could speak to the security arrangements that went into setting up that server. He could talk about the maintenance that was performed over the years as he continued to reside in the Clintons' home. But in terms of what the reports suggest the justice department is looking at now in terms of wanting to make sure that none of the information that was actually sent or received over the e-mail system was sensitive and didn't belong on a low side system I actually think that Mr. Pagliano would have very little to offer there. So that's why I think that too much is being made of his cooperation and the testimony that he gave.

And in fact, according to what I've heard this cooperation was provided several months ago. It's just only that it's leaking now that we're hearing about it and reading about it in the papers.

BLITZER: All right, let's talk about the political race for the White House right now, the Democratic side, the other fight between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. How is your candidate going to do this Saturday and next Tuesday looking ahead to the several states which have contests?

FALLON: Well, you know, we were very pleased, Wolf, with the showing that Secretary Clinton had on Super Tuesday. In addition to winning seven of the eleven states that voted or caucused that day, we amassed a delegate lead that now surpasses the largest lead that President Obama held at any point over Hillary Clinton in 2008. So that gives you a sense of the size of the lead that she holds now. And we expect in the coming weeks to be building on that lead steadily.

Now, having said that, I should acknowledge that it's totally going to happen that Senator Sanders will be competitive in many states and he may, in fact, win some states. But our strategy from the beginning has been focused on delegates and we're confident that within the next couple weeks we will grow that lead which is right now about 180 in terms of pledge delegates that we will grow it to a margin that will effectively be insurmountable. So we're looking forward to contesting some of states that are just around the corner.

In various parts of the country, Wolf, we are running a truly national campaign. We're not conceding any state even in the caucus states where Senator Sanders has really put a priority on them and is predicting victory there. We have staff on the ground. We are really trying to organize those caucus states. So we are fighting everywhere and we're running a truly national campaign. I think that the Sanders campaign is running more of a regionally focused campaign trying to pick off states here and there. But that's not a very good strategy if you're trying to maximize your delegate output which, of course, is what decides the nomination.

BLITZER: Finally, Brian, your quick reaction to the scathing attack we just heard from Mitt Romney on Donald Trump. We're awaiting Donald Trump to start speaking. He's about to start speaking. I assume he's going to respond in kind. But from the Clinton campaign perspective, what did you make it?

FALLON: Well, I know that Mitt Romney also snuck in some unkind words for Secretary Clinton. But to be honest those basically were compliments compared to what he was saying about Donald Trump. And I think it just goes to show you there's an internal civil war breaking out in the Republican Party right now. For our party, we are focused on our primary campaign. We are focus on building that delegate lead and hopefully over the coming months getting closer to clinching that nomination. And we can afford to be focused on mobilizing Democrats and winning the most delegates, because what's going on the Republican side it just shows you that they're doing a good enough job all by themselves of attacking each other.

I think that no matter who emerges on the Republican side Donald Trump or anybody else the Democrat nominee whom I believe will be Hillary Clinton will be well-positioned in the general election.

[13:40:06] BLITZER: Brian Fallon, the spokesman for the Hillary Clinton campaign. Brian thanks very much for joining us.

FALLON: Thank you, Wolf. Have a good day.

BLITZER: Thank you. Well, let's go back to the GOP that Romney didn't pull any punches in the criticism of Donald Trump. We're going to hear from Donald Trump at this rally. You're looking at live pictures coming up in a few minutes. It's set to get under way.

But joining us down the phone is Trump's campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. Corey thanks very much for joining us. I know you just arrive there in Portland, Maine you were on the plane with Donald Trump. How is he likely to react to what we've just heard?

COREY LEWANDOWSKI, TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN MANAGER: So Wolf, thanks for having me. And I think what you know from Donald Trump is that he is going to respond to Governor Romney and he'll do that here on the stage in just a few minutes once we arrive. But I think what this really is it's another indication of how concerned the establishment Republicans are that someone who is truly going to change Washington, D.C. is about him not only being the nominee, but also being the president. As you know, Wolf, you know what the establishment class in Washington and the political elite has run a mock of our government for a long time. Nothing has changed. Lobbyists run Washington and they are so fearful that when Donald Trump is elected president their days of running Washington are over and it's going to go back to the people.

BLITZER: Do you anticipate that Donald Trump will respond point by point by point, because in Mitt Romney's blistering attack he really cited all sorts of specific allegations.

LEWANDOWSKI: Well, here's what I think about Governor Romney. With all due respect, you know, Mr. Trump is the only person in this race right now that is actually growing the party. And if you go back and look at the election results from four years ago in Mitt Romney's home state of Massachusetts compared to what turned out this year for Donald Trump, Donald Trump got 50,000 more votes in the Republican presidential primary race in Mitt Romney's home state than Mitt Romney received four years ago.

I think what that shows you is Donald Trump is growing the party. He's the only person that is getting Democrats and Independents to come over and join the Republicans. And he is the only person who has the ability to beat Hillary Clinton.

BLITZER: Romney said Donald Trump in his words were a phony, a fraud. He says his domestic policies would lead to recession. His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe. You want to respond to that?

LEWANDOWSKI: Yeah, here's what I think. The hypocrisy of Governor Romney saying to release your taxes when he refused to do it until six weeks before the election, you know, he went out and tried to pay more money in taxes to show he was the everyday man.

Look, the bottom line is he was a pretty good okay small businessman. He really didn't do that great of a job when it compares to the jobs that Donald Trump has created. He has created tens of thousands of jobs. You know what, this is the problem with politicians. They're all talk, they're no action. He goes out, he begs Donald Trump for his endorsements four years ago, praises him as being one of the greatest business owners and business people in the history of our country. And then today, you know, he has -- when things have changed for him and he's lost on election because he disappeared the last six weeks. Today he wants to go out and try and stay relevant. And clearly, the American people don't want that. Because they didn't want him four years ago they don't want him today.

BLITZER: He said also in his opinion, Donald Trump will never ever release his tax returns as even the tax returns that are no longer being audited, because he has a lot of stuff there to hide whether he didn't make charitable contributions or whatever. That was a pretty scathing attack specifically on that issue. Do you believe that Donald Trump will at some point release his tax returns?

LEWANDOWSKI: Here's what I know. I know Donald Trump has donated over $100 million to charitable causes over the last number of years, $100 million. That's an insane amount of money by any standard. What I also know is that Mitt Romney took so much pressure from Harry Reid on the senate floor that he was forced to release his taxes and showing that his scaling bank account showing a fact that, you know, he wasn't paying a rate that was financier try to hide that and he's finally caved because he was weak. That's the difference.

You know what you can't allow the political pressure to fall on people and cave because that's what the people want. That's not what the American people want. Mitt Romney was weak and that's why he released his taxes.

BLITZER: So what about Donald Trump? Will he release his tax returns?

LEWANDOWSKI: Here's what he said and he's been very clear about this, right. As you know, he said publicly that he is in the middle of an audit right now which is a routine audit because he has such a large tax return. His tax returns also thousand pages long for year. He owns hundreds of companies, 500 plus companies. All of this information of the companies he owns and his net worth have been disclosed when you decide to run for office. And I don't know what you think you're going to get by looking at Mr. Trump's tax returns.

I think Mr. Romney is trying to stay relevant and that's why if he has inside information on what's inside Mr. Trump's tax returns maybe he's excluded with the IRS to find something and he should know about because I don't know anything about it.

BLITZER: He also said one other thing a specific allegation against Donald Trump, that Donald Trump says one thing in private off the record meetings with the New York Times another thing publicly he wants you to release that audio tape or the transcript. Will you?

[13:45:01] LEWANDOWSKI: So is this like Mitt Romney saying Donald Trump is a great businessman four years ago and changing his mind takes this mostly expedient to do it? That's the problem with politicians again. They say one thing in public. You know, in two years later, when it's expedient to change their mind, they say something different. This is what happens. This is what the American people are tired off. This is what happens every single day and that's why the people and the voters rejected Mitt Romney four years ago.

The difference is Donald Trump says the exact same thing in public as he does in private. I think you know that. I think the American people know that. And that's why he has brought new people into the fold, grown this Republican Party and will be the Republican nominee.

BLITZER: Because -- what he said is, "Let us hear what he said behind closed doors at the New York Times."

The New York Times ...

(CROSSTALK)

LEWANDOWSKI: Don't forget, don't forget, this is Mitt Romney who, you know, behind closed doors was talking about the 47 percent of the American people that he didn't care about until that was released, right?

This is the same guy who didn't want to have that released and he's the one who is embarrassed by that and it still plagues him to this day. That 47 percent comment doomed the Mitt Romney campaign. He never wanted out there. This is a guy who says one thing behind closed doors and something different in the general public. And that's what he is trying to make a point of. But the bottom line, it's hypocrisy, because if that tape was never released, Mitt Romney never would have allowed the fact -- never would have admitted to the fact that he said that about 47 percent of the American people.

BLITZER: Yeah, no. He says, and I'm reading from his speech, that he just made, Mitt Romney referring to Donald Trump. "He has too much to hide, nor will he authorize the times to release the tapes. If I'm right, he will have all the proof you need to know that Donald Trump is a phony." You want to react specifically to that?

LEWANDOWSKI: Yeah, again, let me say, you know, that Mitt Romney wants to stay relevant in this campaign. The bottom line is, he is part of the establishment about the failed Washington, D.C., class who four years ago had an opportunity to go out and do something, and failed.

And look, that's not on me. The American people decided that he wasn't the right person. And what the American people are deciding today is they're supporting Donald Trump in massive numbers. From New Hampshire to Nevada, from Vermont down to Virginia and through the Deep South, Donald Trump continuously wins in these elections. As you know, he won every single county in the State of Alabama. He won every single county less one in Tennessee, every county almost in the State of South Carolina. His message is resonating, because people are tired of politicians who all they do is talk and get nothing done.

BLITZER: The $100 million in charitable contributions that you just reported that Donald Trump has given over the years, that's obviously a hugely impressive number. Can the campaign go ahead and break it down, tell us the years, give us the sense of where that money went, which groups?

LEWANDOWSKI: Sure. Well, I would be happy to release that information. That's in addition to, you know, don't forget, Eric Trump his son, has raised $20 million plus for St. Jude, down in Tennessee. They've been, you know, tremendous supports of non-profit causes throughout the year Mr. Trump has been phenomenal about donating his time and his effort and his land and money to charitable causes, for many, many years.

And I'll give you a full accounting of that 100 plus million dollars he has provided to charitable causes throughout the years.

BLITZER: That would be impressive and I think it would be important because one of the allegations, the bombshell that you heard Mitt Romney talk about, is he doesn't believe he's given charitable contributions in any significant numbers. He made that -- he repeated that allegation just a little while ago. You heard that, right? I don't know -- were you guys listening? Let me just get this sense. Were you listening to the Romney speech on the plane as you were flying into Portland, Maine? LEWANDOWSKI: Well, I've got a copy of the transcript. And I think, again, this goes back to, you know, Mitt saying one thing in public and doing something different. You know, his charitable giving wasn't as preface it could have been clearly. You know, here is a guy who wanted to hide from his wealth. I don't think that's what the American people want. I think the American want to be successful again. They want a president who is proud to be an American. A person who is going to make everybody successful, that's what the American people want.

You know, to go and hide and pretend you're not that successful. To go and, you know, pay more tax than you have too because you're a political opportunist, that's not what the American people want. And I think Donald Trump has been very clear about that. And $100 million in charitable giving is a substantial. And that's about what Mitt Romney's true net worth is. That Donald Trump has given away.

BLITZER: Because he said it out, Romney said in a speech, I'll repeat it. I'll just read what he said. "I predict that he doesn't give much, if anything, to the disabled or to our veterans. I predict that he told the New York Times in his immigration talk is just that, talk."

Those are specific charges that he is making right now. Brutal charges if you will.

LEWANDOWSKI: Governor Romney is making a lot of predictions. They'll fact to back it up. But why should we let facts get in the way of what the reality is. You know, as you know, Donald Trump just went out and raised a bunch of money for veterans in the last four or five weeks. And he's given away millions of dollars.

So no good deed goes unpunished as we like to say. And the fact is he's giving away over $100 million to charitable causes. And his son has raised over $20 million for St. Jude. You know, he don't want to take those into account but that's OK. The American people understand. He will be happy to give a full accounting.

[13:50:03] The bottom line is, Mitt Romney is trying to find a way to stay relevant. He has no relevancy anymore. And so he wants to come out and attack the front-runner in this race who is in the exact same position, actually a stronger position, right now in this race than Mitt Romney was. And if Mitt Romney were in the same position as Donald Trump is in this election, the GOP establishment would calling him, you know, they will coronating him as the next president of the United States but he failed in his campaign and now he wants to do something as opposed to being positive and talking like he did four years ago about what an honor it was to get Mr. Trump's endorsement. He wants to go out and say negative things. That's exactly what the American people are tired of.

BLITZER: The $6 million that he raised for veterans, what, about a month or so ago, when he didn't participate in that earlier Fox debate, now there are allegations out there, and you've heard them, Corey, that there wasn't $6 million, there may have been a few hundred thousand dollars. Is the campaign ready to also release the specific information, where that $6 million went, to which veterans organizations for example? LEWANDOWSKI: It was. And as the matter of fact, I think it was just released to your network from the morning, our office sent over a full accounting of, I don't know maybe 3, 4, $5 million that's already been distributed. There's still more coming in which going to, you know, multiple charities. We've expanded from the initial 22 list of charities that we originally sought, we're vetting additional charities.

All of that money was going out to the millions and millions of dollars already been sent to these veterans groups, and so, you know, we're very proud of the work that Mr. Trump has done raising money for veterans.

BLITZER: Is he ready for the debate tonight?

LEWANDOWSKI: Well, I think, you know, the debate tonight is going to be interesting. When you're the front-runner and you're in center stage, everybody's going to come after you. And that's what they always do because you've got some candidates on that stage who either haven't won anywhere or have won very, very little and they're donors and special interests, you know what to them, you must attack Trump tonight because we must stop him.

And so when you're beholden to the donor class and you trying to step out of what you normally do, you know, people understand that too. So I think we'll be prepared for what will likely be a very lively debate focused on Mr. Trump as they usually are.

BLITZER: True, will be -- has he been practicing? Has he been reviewing potential questions with his top aides like you for example, Corey?

LEWANDOWSKI: Well, I know, you know, look, we always prepare for the debates. And Mr. Trump has been preparing for debates for 30 and 40 years of his professional career. He's done some of the greatest business deals in the history of our country. He's the greatest negotiator. You know, he's won all of these debates regardless of which public poll you look at. He has won all of the debate. And, you know, we look to have similar showing tonight.

BLITZER: We will watch closely. Corey Lewandowski. Thanks so much for joining us. He's the Donald Trump campaign manager.

We'll be anxious to hear what Donald Trump has to say when he enters -- goes up on that stage in the next few moments. Thank you very much.

At any moment, Donald Trump expected to come out on that stage for this rally. You're looking at live pictures in Maine. We'll hear what Donald Trump has to say. This will be his first response to Mitt Romney.

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[13:57:25] BLITZER: All right, we're standing by, waiting Donald Trump. He's getting ready to walk over to that lectern over there in Portland, Maine, and among other things to Mitt Romney and his scathing attack that we all heard just a little while ago. As we await Donald Trump. Let's bring in our CNN Politics Executive

Editor Mark Preston and our CNN's Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash.

Mark first to you. Corey Lewandowski, his campaign manager made it clear, you hit Donald Trump, he's going to slug you right back.

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE EDITOR: He's not only slug once, he's going to slug twice.

You know, I think the most interesting thing that Mitt Romney said today in that very long critique is that he questioned Donald Trump's temperament and stability, specifically when you're talking about being the commander in chief, code word, I say, Wolf, for the ability to control the nuclear arsenal here in the United States.

He said a lot of nasty things, but -- or hard things about Donald Trump. But I think that was the hardest.

BLITZER: Dana, he said, Mitt Romney said, "Watch how he responds to my speech today. We're about to watch to see how he responds to his speech today and, you know, Donald Trump, first of all, Mitt Romney, that was an amazing speech, you got to admit.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Extraordinary. Look, this is a moment in political history. Whether or not it will have any effect at all, whether it's the effect that Mitt Romney wants or maybe have the opposite effect and actually rally more people out there who are disgusted with the Republican establishment, we don't know.

But just the fact that the nominee of the Republican Party from just four years ago is now coming out and saying that Donald Trump isn't just dangerous for the party but dangerous for America is remarkable.

But one thing that I am interested in seeing is how Donald Trump reacts not just in this speech he's about to give in Maine, but here where I am in Detroit. There is a debate tonight here. There are only four people on the stage. And one question is whether or not, even though he's going to, no question, hit back, he being Donald Trump, but whether or not Romney sort of got into his head because so much of this, especially this particular campaign, is sort of psychological warfare.

And to have that kind of blistering critique, somebody who, you know, doesn't usually do that kind of thing has got to get into anybody's head, especially somebody like Donald Trump.

BLITZER: It's going to be an exciting moment. And we're -- Mark Preston, we're getting ready to hear from Donald Trump himself. We'll stand by for that. We'll of course have live coverage of Donald Trump's response to Mitt Romney.

In the meantime, to all of our viewers out there, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.

[14:00:00] Our special coverage of Donald Trump's rally in Portland, Maine, that will continue right now.