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Trump Tries to Turn Tables on Schumer Russian Contact; Arrest Made in Anti-Semitic Incidents; Floridians At Odds on 16-Year-Old Voucher School Program's Success; More Trump Advisors Met with Russian Diplomate; Pence Used Private E-mail While Indiana Governor. Aired 1:30-2p ET
Aired March 03, 2017 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[13:30:00] WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Fred Pleitgen, reporting from Berlin. Thank you very much.
The president is trying to turn the tables now on a Democratic critic of the subject of ties to Russia. Just moments ago, President Trump tweeted a picture of the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The tweet says, quote, "We should start an immediate investigation into Senator Schumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite."
Our senior congressional reporter, Manu Raju, is joining us right now.
Manu, what are you hearing? What's the reaction from Senator Schumer's office?
MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A bit of a snarky push back. Schumer tweeting, "Happily talked about my contact with Mr. Putin and his associates. It took place in 2003 in full view of press and public under oath, would you and your team?"
This appears to be something that happened in 2003, where they were touring the Lukoil gas station in New York City at a time when Putin was visiting the U.S. Schumer saying I'm happy to discuss this if you want to talk about your ties and contacts with Russia.
This, as tension is ratcheting up between these two men. In the beginning, people thought they could work together because of some ties to New York. Schumer tried to downplay this, saying they're not friends. Schumer has been critical of everything from his cabinet selections to this investigation, even calling for Sessions to resign.
It will be hard for Schumer to work with Donald Trump on his agenda, given how opposed most of his caucus is to what Donald Trump is doing.
BLITZER: And Donald Trump letting out his frustration with Senator Schumer. You can read the tweet two ways, serious, should be an investigation, or just being snarky and cynical and trying to embarrass the Senator.
RAJU: Schumer plays a key role here, as a Senate Democratic leader, he's one of the big eight who get these secret intelligence briefings that most members of Congress do not get. So he's deeply involved in this investigation into Russia. He knows a lot of things that we don't know. And that we'll be looking into Donald Trump's ties with Russia.
Interesting decision by the president to put this back in the news, especially at a time when Chuck Schumer himself is looking into this issue.
BLITZER: Is it the big eight or the gang of eight?
RAJU: The gang of eight.
BLITZER: That's what I though.
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: New technical term.
RAJU: Yeah, that's right.
BLITZER: Manu, thank you very much for that.
RAJU: Thanks.
BLITZER: Meanwhile, there's been an arrest in connection with some of the anti-Semitic incidents that have occurred in the United States, bomb threats and desecration of some Jewish cemeteries. Brynn Gingras is working the story for us.
Brynn, what are you learning about this threat?
Actually, we'll take a quick break. Brynn Gingras will be joining us. She has new information.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:37:36] BLITZER: Let's turn to the investigation into the recent string of bomb threats on Jewish community centers, Jewish schools, other institutions here in the United States. A fired reporter, Juan Thompson - there you see him -- he has been arrested. He's accused of making some, repeat, some of those threats and cyberstalking an individual.
The Jewish Community Center Association released this statement, quote, "JCC Association of North America is gratified by the arrest made in connection with the large number of anti-Semitic threats that have targeted JCC and other Jewish institutions over the past two months. We trust that the perpetrators behind all of the threats will be swiftly identified and brought to justice."
CNN's Brynn Gingras joins us.
Brynn, what do we know about Thompson and his arrest?
BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Like you said, Wolf, it's important to note that he is just responsible, according to authorities, for some of these threats. But Thompson was picked up in St. Louis this morning. He'll be in court in a short time.
Authorities believe the reason he jumped on this wave of anti-Semitic threats is to get back at an ex-lover. According to authorities, he made about eight threats to different institutions in four states. We're talking about the Anti-Defamation League in New York City, schools, schools, even a Jewish Heritage History Museum also here in New York City. Apparently, he would make these threats in the name of his ex-lover and say she was the one responsible for all these threats across the country, in a sense, trying to frame her. In other cases, we're told by the criminal complaint that he would say his girlfriend was trying to frame him as well. So a sort of interesting situation that he was trying to get his -- back at his girlfriend by using this wave of anti-Semitic incidents that we've seen across the country.
Again, eight threats that he's been responsible for, according to authorities, in four different states. And he is expected to be in court soon -- Wolf?
BLITZER: He was fired from the "Intercept" a few years ago. They put out a statement?
GINGRAS: Let me read part of that to you. The "Intercept" said today, "We were horrified to learn this morning that Juan Thompson, a former employee, has been arrested in connection with bomb threats against the ADL in multiple Jewish communities."
He was there at "Intercept" for just over a year. He was fired, according to them, for fabricating sources with that news site.
CNN interviewed him or asked for an interview after this happened last year, he denies all of those charges.
Certainly, a lot of people putting out statements, the JCC, ADL, and "Intercept", all happy to hear there's some resolution to this wave. But FBI still has a job to do because there's someone else or a group still out there -- Wolf?
[13:40:25] BLITZER: We got a statement from the Jewish -- from the FBI on the meeting that James Comey, the FBI director, had with Jewish community leaders. You can see a picture of Comey at FBI headquarters in Washington meeting with representatives from Jewish Community Centers Association of North America. This is a JCC statement, "This morning, leadership from the Jewish community met with FBI Director Comey and the senior leadership team of the FBI to discuss the range of threats directed against Jewish institutions in the past two months. The conversation encompassed the current situation and potential strategies for future collaboration. All the organizations in attendance expressed the deep gratitude to the community and for the extraordinary efforts that the FBI is placing on the ongoing investigation." The statement concludes, "The representatives of the Jewish community left with the highest confidence that the FBI is taking every possible measure to resolve the measure as quickly as possible."
Brynn, thanks for that update. I know you're working the story for us. We'll stay in close contact with you.
Brynn Gingras, reporting.
Coming up, President Trump just touched down in Florida, Orlando specifically. He's expected to pitch a controversial education program that's been highly debated on the political front. We'll have details when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:46:12] BLITZER: Look at these pictures coming in from Orlando where President Trump just arrived at the St. Andrew Catholic School. He'll tour the school, promote school vouchers. During the campaign, the president promised to spend billions on school voucher plans nationwide.
Meanwhile, 16 years after implementing one of the first school voucher systems, Floridians are still at odds on whether the program helps or hurts students.
CNN's Boris Sanchez has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFEID GIRL: Math, science --
BORIS SANCHE, CNN CORERSPONDENT (voice-over): For 7-year-old Alana, going to public school was miserable. She had trouble making friends, didn't get enough attention from teachers and even hated the food. Her grandparents say almost every day ended in tears.
UNIDENTIFIED GRANDMOTHER: So why you cry, Mommy I don't like it here. I don't like it. It's not right.
SANCHEZ: So Ana brought her second grader here, to Kingdom Academy, outside of Miami, where Alana has flourished.
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: I think it's better here.
SANCHEZ: But Alana can only attend the school because of a controversial program, one at the center of a heated political battle in Florida for 16 years. Instead of paying taxes to the state, corporations get dollar-for-dollar tax credits by donating money to organizations like Step Up for Students, which gave many of the 98,000 scholarships to lower-income students, enabling them to go to private schools statewide.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think that low-income children should have less opportunities than more affluent children. Children don't get to choose the environment they grow up in. Why do we have more opportunities for affluent students?
SANCHEZ: Opponents say it's leaving many students behind.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're at the point now where we don't have enough books for each student to take home. SANCHEZ: A French teach says, by not paying taxes, corporations are
robbing public schools of funding.
UNIDENTIFIED TEACHER: If the money that went to vouchers was reinvested into the schools, we would have the schools that parents are looking for. We wouldn't have the need of vouchers. By funneling this money away, it hurts the kids.
SANCHEZ: Program supporters say there have been eight different independent reports, and several court decisions that show the program does not cost public schools money.
Still, Frederick Ingram with the state teacher's union disagrees.
FREDERICK INGRAM, TEACHERS UNION MEMBER: You go to many schools in Florida, you see the lack of programming, lack of band classes, lack of arrested classes, fewer vocational classes, teachers who are not paid what they need to be paid for doing the work they need to do.
SANCHEZ: Despite this, for the parents at Kingdom Academy, there is no debate.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If I didn't have this choice, I would have to move to a place where he didn't have to choose. When it comes to my children, the sky's the limit. I will do whatever I need to, to relocate, to do whatever I need to do to make sure their needs are accommodated.
SANCHEZ: Boris Sanchez, CNN, Miami.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[13:49:31] BLITZER: Take a look. We have live pictures coming in from Janesville, Wisconsin, where the vice president, Mike Pence, is speaking to business leaders there on Obamacare, health reform - health care.
Pence stirring up controversy for using a private e-mail account while he served as the governor of Indiana. Those e-mails, some of them at least, were hacked and just released to reporters today. We'll have details on that and more when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: It's the cloud the Trump administration can't seem to get out from under. Talking about Russia, the Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from investigating any links between Russia and the Trump campaign. Sessions was under a lot of fire for failing to disclose meetings with the Russian ambassador. Now more Trump advisors confirm they met with the same Russian diplomat.
Joining us, CNN politics editor, Juana Summers; and CNN chief political analyst, Gloria Borger.
We learned Jared Kushner, Michael Flynn back in December met quietly without any publicity with Ambassador Kislyak at Trump Tower in New York City.
GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: There are a lot of people in and around the world meeting with Kislyak, who seem to be working very hard at his job. What we need to do is, first of all, there's nothing improper about people from an incoming administration reaches out or taking meetings with ambassadors from lots of countries. That's perfectly fine. The question we have to have is what was discussed. And we don't know the answers to those questions. And this meeting came in December at about the time when President Obama was going to announce sanctions against Russia, expelling Russian diplomats after they had interfered in the American election process. So this didn't happen in a vacuum. There was perhaps a reason that the Russian ambassador could be agitated about something and perhaps wanted to meet with folks who were coming into the White House. But again, we don't know exactly what was discussed but there seemed to be an awful a lot of tentacles and meetings going on, and we need to know what occurred.
[13:56:09] BLITZER: We know there are a lot, Juana, of investigations going on. The White House has investigation, Senate Intelligence Committee investigation, and a lot of journalists are investigating as well. This could have gone on and on and on. How does the administration deal with this?
JUANA SUMMERS, CNN POLITICS EDITOR: Gloria is right that there probably wasn't anything improper about this. But day after day, news cycle after news cycle, new details coming out that the administration has been reluctant to forthright answer. It does hang a cloud around this new administration. So it is incumbent on them to come out and say this is what happened, these are the details, so Americans can stop asking she these questions.
BLITZER: Jeff Sessions recused himself from participating in the investigations but a lot of Democrats are saying that's not enough. Democrats want him out.
BORGER: There are Democrats that say he ought to resign. And you have to be careful because you can overreach on the that end of the spectrum. A White House that would try to get ahead of the story, and instead of this drip, drip, drip, would send out a list of all the people who met with all these ambassadors, saying here is when they did it, this was a five-minute meeting, this is a 10-minute meeting, and get them all in the room, and say raise your hand if you met with the Russian ambassador. And if they're not doing that, the first question is, why not.
BLITZER: A rule of thumb, you got an issue that's going to embarrass you, it's better you release the information than wait for some adversary to release it, because it comes out a whole lot worse.
SUMMERS: Absolutely. But that's not been the pattern of the Trump administration. Every time we have seen damaging or unfavorable information let's say come out. It is almost never the Trump administrations or Trump surrogates coming out and getting ahead of it as Gloria said so there isn't this drip, drip, drip, which is where we are. BLITZER: A different issue. The Vice President Mike Pence facing
questions now about the Use of a private e-mail account that was hacked that he had while governor of Indiana. That did contain business-related issues. And, apparently, this happened even before he was really criticizing Hillary Clinton's private e-mail server. And there are accusations he's being a hypocrite.
BORGER: You could say that. You talk to Pence people and they'll say he didn't exclusively use a private server. It's completely legal in the state of Indiana to have a private Gmail account for your personal business, which you are encouraged to do, and your professional e-mail account. He didn't have a private service, et cetera, et cetera. But you look at what he said during the campaign about the use of Hillary Clinton's e-mail server, and you look and say, well, you used one, too.
BLITZER: It was an AOL personal account but he did have business, not --national security issues
BORGER: Not national security.
BLITZER: -- but Indiana government business dealings.
SUMMERS: He likely wouldn't have had access to the same kind of classification but I remember them chanting "lock her up." I know they're going to want to know what was in those e-mails.
BLITZER: Juana, Gloria, guys, thanks very much.
That's it for me. I'll be back 5:00 p.m. eastern on "The Situation Room." Thanks very much for watching.
In the meantime, the news continues right here on CNN.
[14:00:09] BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Brianna Keilar. And thank you for joining me.
President Trump right now visiting a Catholic school in Orlando to push school --
