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Trump Administration, Still Hasn't Implemented New Russia Sanctions; NAACP Warns Black Travelers to Avoid American Airlines; Nikki Haley Forced to Move Locations Amid Rowdy Protests. Aired 3:30p- 4p ET

Aired October 25, 2017 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00] MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's frustration and there's concern. They want to know exactly what is delaying things. McCain himself threatening to use the Armed Services Committee, the committee that he chairs, in order to push for more information. Weighing various option as recourse, because this is legislation that passed overwhelmingly in both chambers, nearly unanimously. Something that you rarely see, and president reluctantly signed this into law and he has not yet implemented yet prompting these concerns both from Senator Corker and John McCain.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BOB CORKER (R), TENNESSEE: Well, I know that Senator Cardin inquired about it at the end of September. And I know that both back, this division of Treasury that implements has been overwhelmed with sanction activity. But what we are going to do is setting up a call with a specific person at state just to find out where this is.

RAJU: Are you concerned with administration is dragging its feet?

CORKER: Well, you know, I don't know yet, I really don't. This was a huge bill, right. I mean it had Russia, Iran, North Korea. When you implement these things, it is very difficult to implement. And once you do t it's in place, and you've got to make sure there aren't unintended consequences. So, I understand Senator Cardin's concerns, and look, I want to make sure that the policy we put in place we pass is actually implemented. I do know that the NSC waited until the very last minute to even get this going. But I have a better answer for you in the next short period of time.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I think it's overdue and I hope they will act according to the law. We are all urging that the law be in compliance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: So, Brooke, pressure building on both sides of the aisle for the administration to at least explain why these sanctions have not been implemented. But be sure if they don't move quickly Congress is going weigh a way to push back -- Brooke.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: Manu, thank you. Coming up next a new warning from the NAACP specifically to African-

American passengers who fly American airlines. The examples they site suggesting racial bias on their flights.

Also breaking news today, the word that the U.S. ambassador to United Nations, Nikki Haley has been forced to move locations during a visit to South Sudan after rallies got a little dicey. Elise Labott is there on the ground with her. We are going to get Elise in front of a TV -- in front of a camera rather -- and talk to her about what's going on. A live report next.

[15:35:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: The NAACP has a warning for African-American travelers, watch your back if you're flying American Airlines. The civil rights group issued national advisory alerting passengers about how they may be treated by airline staff after a series of what they're calling disturbing incidences. So, Rene Marsh, is joining us, CNN aviation and government regulation correspondent to walk us through these incidents, and Cornell Brooks is with us. CNN contributor and former president and CEO of the NAACP. So welcome Cornell to you. But Rene to you first, explain what these incidents were.

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: So, Brooke, I want to first start off by saying, I mean, this really is an extraordinary move for the civil rights organization. To be clear, they are telling passengers watch your back if you happen to be black and flying American Airlines. Now the NAACP is accusing the world's largest airline of discrimination. I want to read part of the advisory that they put out. And it reads like this.

The NAACP for several months now has been monitoring a pattern of disturbing incidents reported by African-American passengers, specific to American Airlines. In light of these confrontations, we have taken the action of issuing national advisory alerting travelers, especially African Americans to exercise caution, in that booking and boarding flights on American Airlines could subject them to disrespectful discriminatory or unsafe conditions.

Very strong lang. Language. I can tell you that the organization laid out four incidents they say suggest a corporate culture of racial insensitivity and possibly even racial bias. One case they say a black man had to essentially give up his seat on a flight from Washington DC to Durham, North Carolina. They say because he responded to disrespectful and discriminatory comments directed to him by two unruly white passengers. They also outline a second case where despite booking a first-class ticket for herself, and a traveling companion, a black woman was switched to coach while her white companion remained assigned to the first-class seat.

Now that's just two of four incidents that they laid out. I do want to point out American Airline CEO, Doug Parker, he sent a memo to the staff members at the company saying that he was disappointed to hear about this NAACP warning. However, he says that the airline does plan to meet with the NAACP and he also says that the airline does not and will not tolerate any discrimination -- Brooke. [15:40:00] BALDWIN: So, Cornell, to you, sir, just on, you know, I

think the first question really is the NAACP accusing this entire airline of being racist?

CORNELL BROOKS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: So clearly for the NAACP for the largest most wildly recognized civil rights organization in the country to issue a travel advisory and warning with respect to the world's largest airline, this is a very, very serious move. The statement outlined four incidents indicates that the NAACP has been monitoring the airline for months. So, this is a very, very serious move on the part of the NAACP. And one would expect that after a period of thoughtful assessment and analysis that you would not put everything in that statement, nor anything in a statement. So, I suspect that whatever investigation there is that that is ongoing. The NAACP has indicated they are looking so receive complaints. But this is a very, very serious move. But I'm heartened by the fact that the CEO is looking to meet with the NAACP and the NAACP is looking to meet with American Airlines, with their leadership.

BALDWIN: Is there a risk though, Cornell? Or what is the risk you know to these companies or maybe even to the NAACP of labeling an entire corporation for four incidents?

BROOKS: So, the risk here is, as with any civil rights investigation or case, can you make your case? And that depends on the facts that emerge and that come about as a consequence of your investigation. It is not unusual in the course of a civil rights investigation to start with a few incidents to determine whether or not there is a pattern and practice of discrimination. That is not unusual. But I'd like to believe based upon these incidents, which are very disturbing on their face. And where for example, Tamika Mallory, or the Justice League, one of the coleaders, if you will, of the Women's March, for her to describe the treatment she received, that too is very serious. So, you have to make your case. And that case is based on talking to people, doing a thorough investigation, involving lawyers, and certainly in the case of the NAACP, involving our units, I should say the units in the field and the field staff.

BALDWIN: At least you are heartened that there is some communication happening. But we will follow it and I know that you will, in the wake of this. Rene and Cornell Brooks, thank you both so very much.

BROOKS: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Just in here we have video now from the South Sudan where we are told the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, had to end an event early and was forced to move locations after the rally got a bit intense. We are working on getting a live report next.

[15:45:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: All right. Here's the breaking news. U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley forced to move from her location in the South Sudan. CNN is on the ground with her. She's getting this firsthand look at the brutal civil war over there. Nearly 400,000 refugees forced to leave the violence. Ambassador Nikki Haley is the first cabinet level official in the Trump administration to visit Sub- Saharan Africa. Elise Labott our global affairs correspondent is live in South Sudan's capital city of Juba. And so, Elise, what happened with the ambassador and what was going on for her to have to move?

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, just to clarify. We were in Juba earlier now we are in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. But it was a long day for Nikki Haley in Juba. She was there to kind of as you said, get a firsthand look at the conflict of South Sudan. Now, these protesters were not protesting Nikki Haley. They were protesting the President, Salva Kiir, who they think is very responsible and Nikki Haley was there to tell them, responsible for the violence that has displaced 4 million people, Brooke, from their homes.

Nikki Haley was at refugee camp in Ethiopia where there are 400,000 people in that region of Ethiopia alone, displaced by the conflict. And basically, this it is a very tough meeting with Nikki Haley. She went with the president. Went to the this camp, a protection camp for civilians from Kiir's forces. She was meeting with some families on the ground there and these protesters started chanting, Salva Kiir is a killer, down with Salva Kiir.

But there were also cheering welcome President Trump. President Trump welcome. And there were signs praising President Trump. Calling him, you know, a mediator, someone who cared about hue hand rights. These people really looking, Brooke, for the United States to do something about this brutal conflict. Nikki Haley heard stories from women about them their children being thrown in fires, being killed. Forced to drink the blood of enemy forces. It was really horrific stories that she heard, Brooke. And she was here to tell President Kiir to cut out the violence or the U.S. would have to rethink support for him.

BALDWIN: I have a dear friend who has been living in South Sudan and trying to help in the mission there and he was forced out as well.

[15:50:00] I'm glad someone, a cabinet level official has gone, is there now and sub-Saharan Africa. And you are able to go along. Elise Labott, thank you so much. Now and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Coming up next here on CNN. A rock tossed from a highway overpass killed a 32-year-old Michigan father. And the five teenage accusers are charged as adults. We have details on the case straight ahead. Also chilling new information on the Sandy Hook elementary school shooter, out today, five years later. What the FBI is revealing about his actions before this mass shooting.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:55:08] BALDWIN: Five teenage boys could face life in prison in a deadly rock throwing case. If you haven't heard about this, they were all accused of throwing this six-pound piece of concrete over this bridge overpass on to a busy Michigan highway. And down below, Kenneth White, 32 years of age driving along. He was killed. He was a newly engaged father riding in the passenger seat of a van where the rock smashed through the windshield. The teenagers here, ages 15 to 17, have been denied bail. They are all charged as adults. So, let's talk about this with my friend Ashleigh Banfield. She's the host of HLN's "PRIMETIME JUSTICE" with Ashleigh Banfield. Good to see you.

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, HLN HOST, PRIMETIME JUSTICE WITH ASHLEIGH BANFIELD: Hi, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Tell me about this case.

BANFIELD: It's sad. Every way you look at this, it is terribly side. We show that picture, one child in the picture, we found the obituary, four children. This victim has four children. And the kids are children themselves. Charged as adults. But what's intriguing about it is they -- it wasn't just this one incident, there were 20 some odd rocks that were thrown over the overpass. There were numerous vehicles that were disabled all along. In fact, Kenneth was a passenger in the vehicle and the driver reports having to avoid all of these other cars that had been disabled by other projectiles that had been thrown over, including a tire. They had thrown a tire over, allegedly, as well.

This is not going to bode well for these five because it is a tragic result. It isn't just cute, funny antics, as the prosecutor has said. So, they're facing a second-degree murder charge and I think the five of them are really going to have to play their cards to try to mitigate their damage here. Whether they come forward and offer up, you know, pleading against the other ones to try to lessen their affect. Will have to see how their lawyers decide to play it out.

BALDWIN: What's the potential if they're all being tried as adults and you're saying second-degree murder?

BANFIELD: Decades.

BALDWIN: Decades.

BANFIELD: Yes, if you're an adult, you're an adult. You get the same treatment as anybody else. It doesn't matter if you're 15, 16, 15, 15 or 17. Serious.

BALDWIN: Let me ask you about the new reporting also that we're getting today. The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter killed 20 kids -- I can't believe were all there five years ago now -- six adults. It was December of 2012. He heavily researched past shootings. Was fixated on mass murder in every bit of his life. What did you learn from all of this research?

BANFIELD: The FBI's behavioral analysis has now sort of unleashed the reporting that they've been doing for the last five years. I'm sure everybody has asked why so long? He's dead. No prosecution. This is really for historical benefit for the rest of us to look at the patterning here. And what was so amazing about what they discovered is that they had to go deep and dark into his past, not just interviewing family, friends, associates, teachers, everybody who touched this guy's life. But also, down into the internet and his connections there. They came up with this woman, who apparently unidentified, has had a 2 1/2-year relationship with him online. And she was a trove of knowledge about what he had told her throughout. She didn't know who he was.

BALDWIN: They never met.

BANFIELD: Never met. But she said he was, quote, the weirdest person online. She said all of these things about how he was singularly focused on murder, mass murder, spree killings. If it didn't have to do with that, he wasn't interested. His musical interests, all about murder. He had a negative world view. So much so that he would wallow in it and retreat to his bedroom for days and hours on end.

BALDWIN: She knew this.

BANFIELD: She knew it from him. She said he was uncomfortable by daylight. That it hurt. Daylight actually hurt him. He found food unappealing, which might note why he's so thin in the photographs that we see. He lamented that he couldn't find photos to fit him properly because he was so incredibly thin. He thought death was not a negative. It would be an escape from a joyless life. Then there is the pedophilia, which I think a lot of headlines will lock on to for tomorrow's papers. And that was he had an interest in pedophilia. Though he never acted on it.

It's odd because there is a juxtaposition a sort of series of facts that are unleashed in this. He said to this woman that he loathed pedophiles. But at the same time, he didn't think that a child/adult sexual relationship wasn't necessarily beneficial to both parties. But had a hatred of pedophiles and acknowledged that it could be unhealthy. So, very odd, the connection here. It's a very subtle connection that the profilers made in the behavioral analysis with his pedophilia fascination. I think they had to go into everything, including his fascination with Japanese anime that featured, you know, young characters, et cetera. But they do say he never acted on any of that.

BALDWIN: It's like --

BANFIELD: Weird, right.

BALDWIN: Why didn't she say something?

BANFIELD: Why didn't she say something.

BALDWIN: Why did she say something? And we wouldn't have had the tragedy.

BANFIELD: And by the way, didn't even know where he lived. So maybe she could have, but then wouldn't have known what to say or to whom.

BALDWIN: I know. We watch Ashleigh "PRIMETIME JUSTICE" weeknights on our sister network HLN at 8:00 p.m. eastern. Thank you so much.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thank you so much for being with me here in New York We're going to send it to "THE LEAD" a little early today. Jake Tapper is up. "THE LEAD" starts now. JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Thanks, Brooke. President Trump today blaming

the press for making him look uncivil, presumably because we quote him and air video of him talking. "THE LEAD" starts right now.

President Trump taking what looks like a victory lap, calling the Russia dossier fake and accusing the Obama administration of a Watergate-like scandal. The President's personal lawyer back on the H hi what's going on with your back door it keeps giving me a message saying your back doors open like every two minutes was going on is not shut all the way those are new batteries that were put in yes why did he treat like a fool around with that now it's not working when ill right now after sources say things got contentious between him and lawmakers. What are things getting contentious about specifically?

Plus, the strongest threat about the deadliest bomb. North Korea telling CNN to take its latest threat to detonate an --