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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Democrats Wants Delay After New Kavanaugh Allegation; U.N. General Assembly Begins; Allies Urge Trump Not To Fire Rosenstein; Tiger Woods Back On Top; Minnesota State Lawmakers Ends Reelection Bid; Carolinas Flooding Recovery. Aired 04:30-5a ET
Aired September 24, 2018 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, EARLY START SHOW CO-HOST: Democrats want to delay all confirmation proceedings for Brett Kavanaugh during new allegations of sexual misconduct. What it means for Thursday's public hearing with Christine Blasey Ford.
DAVE BRIGGS, EARLY START SHOW CO-HOST: The U.N. general assembly starts today. The President meeting with the South Korean President with nuclear talks stalled on the Korean peninsula.
ROMANS: The President debating whether to fire Rod Rosenstein. Allies are urging him to hold off despite released memos of one senator that suggest a bureaucratic coup.
BRIGGS: And for the first time in more than five years, Tiger Woods can celebrate a win on the PGA tour. How sweet it was for Tiger. Romans, it was like 1964 when the Beatles came to America. Him walking down the fairway and thousands of fans just trying to get close. Welcome back to "Early Start." I'm Dave Briggs.
ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans. Happy Monday. 31 minutes past the hour. The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee wants confirmation proceedings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh immediately delayed after a second allegation of inappropriate sexual behavior. The request from top Democrat Dianne Feinstein came after the New Yorker magazine reported Sunday that a woman who attended Yale with Kavanaugh says she now remembers him exposing himself to her at a party, although corroboration of that story is spin.
BRIGGS: A spokesman for Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley says he will look into the new claims but there are no plans to delay Christine Blasey Ford's hearing on Thursday. President Trump's aides discussed the latest allegation against Kavanaugh with the President on Sunday, but dropping the nomination is not currently under consideration. Here is Jessica Schneider with more from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: The White House and Judge Kavanaugh are now also denying another allegation against Kavanaugh of inappropriate behavior. This time from a woman who said she attended Yale with the Supreme Court nominee. "The New Yorker" reported on Sunday that 53-year-old Debra Ramirez remembers Kavanaugh exposing himself to her at a dormitory party during the 1983-1984 school year. However, two other people, Ramirez says, were present at the party and issued a statement to the New Yorker saying they never heard of such an incident and CNN has not corroborated her story.
Kavanaugh said in a statement this alleged event from 35 years ago did not happen. The people who knew me then know that this did not happen and have said so. This is a smear plain and simple. I look forward to testifying on Thursday about the truth and defending my good name and the reputation for character and integrity I have spent a lifetime building against this last meant allegations.
The White House spokeswoman (inaudible) said this 35-year-old uncorroborated claim is the latest in the coordinated smear campaign by the Democrats designed to tear down a good man. This claim is denied by all who are said to be present and it is wholly inconsistent with many women and men who knew Judge Kavanaugh at the time in college say.
The White House stands firmly behind Judge Kavanaugh. Now, Ramirez was initially hesitant to speak publicly, because she said her memory contained gaps, because she had been drinking at the time. But after she reassessed her memory with a course of six days with her attorney, she did go on the record with "The New Yorker." Christine and Dave.
(END VIDEO)
ROMANS: All right. Jessica, thank you for that. Lawyers for Christine Blasey Ford confirming she will testify on Thursday in an open hearing on a sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh. Ford will have dedicated security, she had been receiving death threats. She had to move out of her home. She will testify to the Senate Judiciary Committee first, follow by Kavanaugh. Her attorneys say her statement important issues remain unresolved and they are not happy that the committee has no plans to subpoena Mark Judge.
BRIGGS: Ford said Mark Judge was in the room when the alleged assault took place. One Republican committee member, Lindsey Graham, does not expect to be swayed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I want to listen to her, but I'll be honest with you and everybody else. What do you expect me to do? You can't bring it in the criminal court. You would never sue civilly. You could not even get a warrant. What am I supposed to do? Go ahead and ruin this guy's life based on an accusation? I don't know when it happened or I don't know where it happened. And everybody named in regard to being there has said it didn't happen. I am just being honest, unless there is something more. No, I am not going to ruin Judge Kavanaugh's life over this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[04:35:04] BRIGGS: One of the issues still unresolved whether Republican Senators would actually do the questioning or have outside counsel handle it?
ROMANS: Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley has requested materials and evidence from both sides by 10:00 a.m. Tuesday ahead of Thursday's hearing. In a statement the committee has reached out to four people who Ford has said where at that party. None had been able to corroborate her account. But one a friend of Ford's says he believes her.
BRIGGS: President Trump in New York this morning as he begins the big week at the United Nations general assembly. Last night he had dinner with Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. Today, he meets with Korean President Moon Jae-in. And tomorrow morning President Trump addresses the full U.N. Wednesday he will chairs the Security Council briefing with Iran as a key focus.
ROMANS: Rudy Giuliani, the president's lawyer said over the weekend, according to Reuters, that U.S. sanctions on Iran could cause a successful revolution in Iran. But U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Haley downplaying any suggesting that the U.S. will intervene in Iran.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIKKI HALEY, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: The United States is not looking to do regime change in Iran. They are not looking to do regime change anywhere. What we are looking to do is protect Americans and protect allies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Iran's rhetoric against the U.S. escalating ahead of the U.N. General assembly. Tehran blaming America and Saudi Arabia for a deadly attack on a military parade in Iran. Senior international correspondent Sam Kiley monitoring the situation for us live in Abu Dhabi. Sam?
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Christine, the funerals now for some at least of the 29 people killed in the terrorist attack also injured at least 70. Among the dead is a 4- year-old boy they are going ahead at the moment with a wide range of Iranian officials promising retribution for these attack. Which in broad terms, the regime in Tehran blames in part on the United States and Saudi Arabia and Israel.
They are offering no proof at all at this attack which is has been variously claims by Arabs secretes group in that region, abutting the border with Iraq. But also, Christine, by the so-called Islamic state who put out a heavily edited tape suggesting that they had some kind of connection with these operation.
I should say that the so called Islamic state likes to claim responsibility for any and all attacks these days given how badly they have been destroyed in Iraq and Syria. But nonetheless as Donald Trump plans to chair the Security Council meeting at the United Nations with his counterparts focusing on Iran, although the United States is saying there is no plan for regime change. Certainly is a plan, for changing the regime, the government's behavior in Iran notably in the support for proxy operations around the Middle East in Yemen and Syria and southern Lebanon.
ROMANS: All right. Sam Kiley for us in Abu Dhabi, thanks for that.
BRIGGS: Republican allies urging President Trump not to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. The President considered the move after the leaked memos describes Rosenstein talking about wearing a wire to record the president in recruiting cabinet members to invoke the 25th amendment to try and remove him from office. Rosenstein has denied allegations in two separate statements. The latter after a push from the White House.
ROMANS: The GOP lawmakers want the president to hold off on the purge of the Justice Department until after Brett Kavanaugh is confirmed. Here is what South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said on Sunday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRAHAM: He shouldn't fire Rosenstein unless you believe Rosenstein is lying. He said he did not do the things alleged. But here is a bureaucratic coup against President Trump being discovered here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: At a rally in Missouri on Friday night, President Trump vowed to get rid of the quote, lingering stench at the FBI.
BRIGGS: Democratic Senator Maize Hirono of Hawaii calling into the investigation into physical and emotional abuse allegations against Minnesota Democratic congressman into Keith Ellison. Hirono has emerge as the leading critic of the Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and she address claims that Democrats have a double standard when it comes to acting on issues of abuse.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wouldn't the concern about Kavanaugh and Professor Ford be more credible if Democrats were also condemning similar charges against Democrats, in their midst including Congressman Ellison?
MAZIE HIRONO DEMOCRAT HAWAII: I made very clear that I make no excuses for anybody who engages in this kind of behavior. And as far as Keith Ellison, these allegations need to be investigated and appropriate action taken.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: In August, the son of Ellison's ex-girlfriend alleged the Congressman had abused his mother. He claimed he found a video on his mother computer showing Ellison swearing at her and dragging her off the bed, but no video has been produced. Ellison has denied the allegations and suggests they were politically motivated.
[03:40:00] All right. No matter how awkward your thanksgiving is, it will not be as bad as Congressman Paul Gosar and his family. We will show you why. BRIGGS: And more than 100 people searching through a North Carolina
park for a boy with autism. He vanished over the weekend.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: OK. The cost of hurricane Florence could hit $50 billion. But America's trade spats will make rebuilding more expensive. That is right. America's trade policies will make it more expensive for those folks in the Carolinas to rebuild. Carolina suffered heavy rains, record flooding and it is still happening. Moody's put the total cost between $30 billion and $50 billion. That includes property damage and lost economic output.
It also ranks hurricane Florence as one of the top ten most expensive storms ever. The U.S. trade war with China could hurt efforts to rebuild. At midnight, the Trump administration slapped tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods. Including many construction materials, like, counter tops and furniture and drywall ingredients.
[03:45:10] President Trump often says these are tariffs on China, but it is actually U.S. importing companies that pay, right. According to "The New York Times" home builders estimated tariffs will raise construction costs 20 percent to 30 percent. They are already paying more for other raw materials, thanks to tariffs, including steel and aluminum and wood.
BRIGGS: Minnesota state representative Jim Knoblach abandoning his re-election campaign in the face of allegations by his daughter of sexually inappropriate behavior. Laurie Knoblach tells Minnesota public radio her father in appropriately touched her from the time she was 9 until she was 21. In a statement on his campaign website he reach from Republican lawmakers says his daughter has been estrange from the family for some time that the allegations where false. According to NPR report, a two month police investigation early last year determined Knoblach's behavior was quote, really inappropriate, but not criminal.
ROMANS: Congressman Paul Gosar is firing back against his most vocal critics. His own family.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIM GOSAR, FAMILY MEMBER OF PAUL GOSAR: He is not listening to you. And he doesn't have your interests at heart. My name is Tim Gosar.
DAVID GOSAR, FAMILY MEMBER OF PAUL GOSAR: David Gosar.
GRACE GOSAR, FAMILY MEMBER OF PAUL GOSAR: Grace Gosar.
JOHN GOSAR, FAMILY MEMBER OF PAUL GOSAR: John Gosar.
GASTON GOSAR, FAMILY MEMBER OF PAUL GOSAR: Gaston Gosar.
JENNIFER GOSAR, FAMILY MEMBER OF PAUL GOSAR: Jennifer Gosar.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Paul Gosar is my brother. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My brother.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I endorse Dr. Brill.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dr. David Brill, wholeheartedly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Endorsed Dr. David Brill for Congress.
(END VIDEO)
ROMANS: Well then, six of Gosar's siblings are appearing in a TV ad for his opponent, Dr. David Brill. The Republican Congressman tells CNN, his siblings are quote, disgruntled Hillary supporters and (inaudible), Kim Jong-un would be proud.
BRIGGS: He adds in a statement, you cannot pick your family. We all have crazy aunts and relatives, etcetera. My family is no different. To the six angry Democrat Gosar, see you at mom and dad's house. Republican Gosar, no stranger to controversy, he claimed the tragedy of Charlottesville is actually a left wing plot finance by Democratic mega donor, George Soros.
ROMANS: All right. A new car will cost you more than ever before and that is sparking a boom for used car. CNN money is next.
[04:50:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRIGGS: It was once known as America's dad. Today in the Pennsylvania courtroom, Bill Cosby will be sentenced on three counts of aggravated indecent assault. The 81-year-old comedian has been under house arrest since his conviction back in April for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004. The judge at the sentencing will also determine if Cosby must register as a sexual offender. He faces up to 30 years in prison. Though legal experts say he is much likely to get less time behind bars.
ROMANS: I-95 has now reopened to the North Carolina. The main Norths South interstate along East Coast had been closed. Some parts turned into revers by flooding in the wake of hurricane Florence. Now once the waters receded, the North Carolina DOT completed inspection and repairs. Over on i-40, fire crews holding down the highway found this, dead fish. Scattered across the interstate. Stranded as those floodwaters receded.
BRIGGS: In Wilmington, the inspectors checking out the Sutton natural gas plant. The initial water test saw discharges from the flooding are not harming Cape Fear water quality. And this new drone video shot by CNN in Conway South Carolina shows the entire neighborhood still flooded. The Waccamaw River in Conway has already risen above 19 feet with a 22-foot crest still forecast for Tuesday morning. Eight rivers across the Carolinas remained in major flood stage.
ROMANS: A desperate search in North Carolina for a 6-year-old little boy with autism. Maddox Scott Rich has been missing since Saturday, authorities say he was last seen with his father and another adult at t the park in Gastonia about 23 miles from Charlotte. The boy's parents says Maddox started running and when they ran after him, they lost sight of him. More than 100 people have joined the search combing more than 1400 acres in and around that park. All activities of the park has been canceled and closed to the public until further notice.
BRIGGS: Indiana school bus driver arrested after four people say she left three children on the bus. The arrest came after this video was exposed to twitter, 27-year-old -- wow. Joandrea McAtee now faces felony child neglect charges. Yes, this is really happening. Police say she allowed the kids and including one who is 11 to drive the bus for short distances in a rural area. She was dropping students off from school. The school district fired McAtee after parents complained and spurred an investigation.
ROMANS: Wow. All right, Congress thinking and requiring more legroom for air travelers. If you fly, you noticed, the space between rows keep shrinking. Sue to be about 35 inches, now it is less than 30 inches on some planes. Lawmakers also want to block the involuntary bumping of passengers which have already boarded and require airlines to more clearly state their policies for delayed flights. Also included in a couple of FAA funding plan, a call to establish reasonable measures to stop passengers from pretending their pets are disturbing animals. Congress faces a September 30th deadline to fund the FAA.
[03:55:00] BRIGGS: Texas inmates almost got a big surprise with the breakfast cereal. $18 million worth of cocaine mixed in with the shipment of bananas, donated at the state prison system. Friday, the Texas department of criminal justice officers picked up two pallets of donated fruits. And quickly found the weigh was off, they look inside and found 540 packages of coke. It unclear who put the cocaine in the boxes or when the Custom and Border Protection and the DEA are investigating.
ROMANS: If you fly, this is your worst fear. Take a look at the heart pounding moment here when the Air France passenger plane tried to land in Birmingham airport in England last Wednesday in 44-mile-an- hour winds. Wow. You can see the airbus literally twisting in those winds and coming within feet of touching down before the pilot was forced to pull up. He was about to run out of tarmac. The crew was able to change course and eventually landed safely.
All right. Two heads are generally better than one unless you are talking about a snake. Look at this rare two-headed copperhead snake. This was discovered in a yard in Virginia. The person who found it contacted the Virginia herpetological society, and they pick it up. The baby Eastern copperhead now being studied at the wildlife center of Virginia in (inaudible). It is not available for public viewing, if the snake survives, it will be donated to the zoo for exhibit.
BRIGGS: All right. Career win number 80 for Tiger Woods, but it was sweeter than most.
Enormous eruption from that crowd. 42-year-old surgically reconstructed Tiger Woods winning the season ending tour championship by two strokes on Sunday. It is Tiger's first win since August of 2013. Ending an odyssey of painful surgeries and setbacks that threaten to derail his legendary career.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIGER WOODS, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: Some of the players that I'm pretty close to -- they've really helped, you know, throughout this process in the last few years. Their support and you know, with some of the things they said, you know, coming off that last green meant a lot to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: What a day. Not a lot of time to celebrate for Tiger. He heads to France to play in the Ryder Cup which tees off Friday.
A Sunday night shocker, the Patriots lose again. This time in Detroit. The lions dominate on both sides of the ball in the 26-10 win. Lions coach Matt Patricia gets his first win as a coach against his former team. Pats have not lost back-to-back games since 2015. They are now 1-2 for the first time since 2012. They did finished that year 12-4.
ROMANS: All right. Let's us go check on CNN Money this morning. Global stocks falling overnight as the U.S. hits China with the biggest round of tariffs. At midnight, the Trump administration slapped 10 percent taxes on $200 billion of Chinese goods. China immediately retaliated hitting $60 billion in U.S. goods and accused the U.S. of trade bully-ism. On Saturday, Chinese officials canceled planned talks in Washington this week. The Wall Street close mixed on Friday. DOW hit a record high for the second day in a row.
Comcast beating Fox to acquire British broadcaster Sky. Making it the largest pay TV operator in the world. Comcast already owned NBC, and Universal. Now it will pay $40 billion for Sky. Out bidding Fox and powerful backer Disney. Many U.S. media companies wanted to own Sky. Which has 23 million subscribers, not only it expands their operations in Europe, but it helps them compete with giant streaming services like Netflix and Amazon.
All right. Are you looking for a deal on the next car? A new car will cost more than ever before, right. That is sparking a boom for used cars. The average price for a new car hit an all-time high last year about $36,000. Prices have been on the rise for years as car companies add expensive technology and consumers are actually choosing bigger trucks and SUVs that cost more. However the price gap between new and used cars is the largest in decades. Now buying 40 million used cars last year. More than double used car sales. Is that interesting?
BRIGGS: Yes, not surprising, given with the latest developments.
OK. "Early Start" continues right now with a new allegation toward Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
ROMANS: Democrats want to delay all confirmation proceedings for Brett Kavanaugh after a new allegation of sexual misconduct. What it means for Thursday's public hearing with Christine Blasey Ford. BRIGGS: The U.N. general assembly starts today. President Trump
meeting with the South Korean President with nuclear talks stalled on the Korean peninsula.
ROMANS: And the President debating whether to fire Rod Rosenstein. Allies are urging him to hold off despite released memos of one senator that suggest a bureaucratic coup.
BRIGGS: And for the first time in more than five years, Tiger Woods can celebrate a win on the PGA tour. 1,870 days in the making.
