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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Judge Blocks Trump's Asylum Restrictions; Ivanka Sent Government Emails Via Personal Account; Deadly Chicago Hospital Shooting; Women's March Founder Wants Co-Chairs Out; Police: 699 Unaccounted for in "Camp Fire"; Rams Outlast Chiefs 54-51 in Instant Classic. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired November 20, 2018 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:00] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight. A federal judge blocks the White House from restricting asylum claims from people who cross the border illegally.

DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Don't expect any "lock her up" chants. Ivanka Trump used private e-mail hundreds of times to conduct business from the White House last year.

ROMANS: Three people, including a police officer, gunned down in a Chicago hospital. The gunman knew one of the victims.

BRIGGS: And the founder of the Women's March wants the movement's co- chairs to step down. She says she allowed bigotry into the mission, with ties to Louis Farrakhan.

We will have the latest on the California of wildfires, nearly 700 still unaccounted for.

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm Dave Briggs.

ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans. It is Tuesday, November 20th. It is 5:00 a.m. in the East.

Let's begin with this, breaking overnight: a federal judge in California handing President Trump a defeat in the effort to block asylum claims by those who cross the Mexican/U.S. border illegally. The temporary retraining order says the president may not rewrite immigration law to impose conditions forbidden by Congress.

BRIGGS: In his order, Judge Jon Tigar writes, asylum seekers will be put at increased risk of violence and other harms at the border and many will be deprived of meritorious asylum claims. The government offers nothing in support of the new rule that outweighs the need to avoid these harms. Immigration advocates argue it is illegal to block asylum claims based on how an immigrant entered the country. The judge's order remains in force until the next hearing which is now set for December 19th.

ROMANS: All right. In a twist, it is ironic to say the least. Ivanka Trump last year sent hundreds of e-mails conducting White House business to a private e-mail account. The revelation based on emails released by a non-partisan watch dog group American Oversight. E- mails show Mrs. Trump used her personal account to e-mail cabinet officials and White House aides and assistants for much of 2017.

BRIGGS: The president used Hillary Clinton's e-mail use as part of the campaign. Remember this?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: She deleted the e- mails. She has to go to jail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: People familiar with the matter tell "The Washington Post," the White House conducted an investigation into the Ivanka Trump usage. The probe found many e-mails were sent in violation of federal records laws which require preservation of all White House communications.

ROMANS: The White House had no comment, but the spokesperson for Ivanka Trump's lawyer acknowledged Ms. Trump occasionally used her private e-mail before she was briefed on the rules. He stressed her e-mail use was different from Secretary Clinton's.

BRIGGS: He said she did not create a private server in her house or office. No classified information was ever included. The account was never transferred or housed at Trump Organization, and no e-mails were ever deleted. The spokesman said Ivanka Trump handed over her government related e-mails months ago so they can be stored permanently with other White House records.

Later today, the president is expected to receive a full report on the murder of "Washington Post" journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The president has been reluctant to implicate Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the killing. Even though the CIA has already concluded he personally ordered the operation.

Foreign Senate Relations Chair Bob Corker, a Republican, insisting Congress will respond with additional pressure on Saudi Arabia if the Trump administration fails to name the crown prince in sanctions.

So, how are the Saudis reacting?

Jomana Karadsheh with the answer live from Istanbul.

Jomana, good morning.

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Dave.

And when it comes to defending the crown prince and distancing him from the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, it seems Saudi officials are standing their ground. The Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir In an interview with the Saudi owned newspaper, he has seen reports of the CIA conclusion that the crown prince ordered the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. But he says from what he can see this is based on assessment, that this is not conclusive evidence. He calls these reports unfounded and says that we in the kingdom categorically reject them, whether it is leaks or otherwise. He went on to say that the reason Saudi Arabia is carrying out an

investigation is not because of the international community and pressure on the Saudis. He says they are doing so because this was a Saudi citizen and that is why they are investigating his killing and going on to say the crown prince and the king are a red line. They will not allow anyone to undermine or harm them.

And then in what seems to be a sign of the kingdom's readiness to move on, to try and put this crisis behind them, reports that the crown prince will be taking parts in the G20 summit in Argentina at the end of the month, perhaps sending a message that it is business as usual in the kingdom -- Dave.

[05:05:13] BRIGGS: That would make for interesting dynamics.

Jomana Karadsheh live for us in Istanbul -- thank you.

ROMANS: President Trump is telling advisers that he may visit troops in the combat zone for the first time in his presidency. That according to "The Washington Post." The president has not made a visit to Iraq or Afghanistan.

BRIGGS: Current and former aides tell "The Washington Post" the president doesn't want to associate himself with wars he views as failures. "The Post" says Mr. Trump also cites the long flights and potential security risks as reasons he has avoided combat zones.

A former senior White House official says the president is afraid people want to kill him.

ROMANS: The president has often cast himself as a champion of the military, but he's standing by the claim that the U.S. should have found Osama bin Laden sooner. He's actually blaming the very people who did find him for not doing a better job.

His attack on retired Navy Admiral William McRaven, the architect of the raid, is not sitting well with former defense secretary and CIA chief, Leon Panetta.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEON PANETTA, FORMER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: We all enjoy free speech. That is what our democracy is all about. It doesn't mean the president ought to attack former heroes in a very personal way, people like John McCain and now Bill McRaven, because, frankly, it undermines any relationship he will have with the military as commander in chief.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: The Republican National Committee is backing the president's claim that Admiral McRaven was a Hillary backer, tweeting, it is worth noting McRaven was reportedly on Hillary Clinton's short list for vice president in 2016.

McRaven was on a list of dozens of possible vice president nominees that Clinton's campaign chairman mentioned in an email. That email was hacked by Russia and made public by WikiLeaks.

ROMANS: Didn't the Trump team consider him at one point?

BRIGGS: According to reporting, he was on a short list for national security positions in the administration.

ROMANS: So, it shows how well regarded he is.

BRIGGS: Widely respected.

ROMANS: All right. The Department of Justice is under fire for failing to turnover disclosures for Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker. The watchdog group American Oversight is asking the U.S. Office of Government Ethics to investigate. Regulations require the DOJ to make the disclosures public. The department is not commenting.

On Monday, three Democratic senators filed a lawsuit challenging Whitaker's appointment, claiming it is unconstitutional rather because he has not faced Senate confirmation.

Stocks dragged down after reports of trouble at Apple and Facebook. Dow closed down 396 points, that's 1.6 percent. The Nasdaq down 1.6 percent, that's a big one day move. The S&P lower.

Google closed in bear market territory for the first time in six years. It just shows you the deep of the pain in tech land. It ended Monday down more than 20 percent off its all-time high from July. It wasn't the only tech company that plunged.

Look at the FANG stocks. All the other what we called FANG stocks, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix closed down between 4 percent and 6 percent. Facebook fell nearly 6 percent as deals with fallout from its inability to be able to harness what was Russian manipulation, an interference on its site. You remember the "New York Times" it hired a hit firm to write reports.

In an interview with Kara Swisher of Recode, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff had this metaphor for Facebook and tobacco.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARC BENIOFF, CEO, SALESFORCE: Facebook is the new cigarettes. You know, it's addictive. It is not good for you. People trying to get you to use it and you don't understand what is going on. The government needs to step in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Isn't that interesting metaphor?

Overall, stocks are telling us the best conditions for companies in the economy is right now and will start to peter out next year. If the drivers of so much of the gains of the last couple years were those outside tech stocks and they're going to have trouble. Then, what's going to lead the market? That's what everyone talking about.

BRIGGS: Regulation.

ROMANS: Regulation is coming. They're going to have to spend more money to police their sites and that will hurt profit.

BRIGGS: All right. Three people, including a police officer, killed by a gunman at Mercy Hospital in Chicago. A doctor, Tamara O'Neal, and a pharmaceutical assistant Dayna Less were also killed. Police say the gunman approached O'Neal in the hospital parking lot and shot her. The two had been in a relationship.

Police responded and followed the suspect inside the hospital where the shots were exchanged. Officer Samuel Jimenez, a father of three, was also killed. He joined the force just last year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EDDIE T. JOHNSON, CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT: Those officers that responded today saved a lot of lives because this guy was just shooting -- that poor woman got off an elevator and nothing to do in that, and he shot her.

Why? There's no doubt in my mind that all of those officers that responded were heroes and they saved a lot of lives because we just don't know how much damage he was prepared to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[05:10:02] BRIGGS: Police say the gunman is dead. Not clear if he was killed by police or self inflicted gunshot wound.

Coming up, the number of unaccounted for in the Camp Fire is still at nearly 700. And now, the rain they so desperately need could actually be a concern. We'll tell you why.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: The number of people listed as unaccounted for in California's Camp Fire dropping dramatically from nearly 1,000 to 699, still 699 missing. The remains of two more victims discovered Monday raising the Camp Fire death toll to 79. The fire now 70 percent contained.

BRIGGS: Smoke from the blaze causes delays and cancellations to the San Francisco International Airport because of unhealthy air conditions. Two men have been charged with burglarizing a local fire department.

[05:15:02] CNN's Nick Watt in Chico, California.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Dave, we have seen hundreds, maybe thousands of people pouring through this FEMA relief center today, looking for help, looking for the first step in trying to rebuild their lives. This used to be an old abandoned department store. Now, it is FEMA's one stop shop, so they can -- people can meet with FEMA agents about A, so they can speak to people about trying to get a low-cost loan to rebuild if and when that time comes.

Also, you can get your birth certificate if that burned in the fire, reprinted, your marriage license, your property deeds. All of that stuff is taking care off here. Now, the actual fire itself is still burning. I mean, 5,000 firefighters out there, mainly just spot fires.

That fire is expected to carry on until the end of the month. That is another ten days. But the real focus now here in northern California is to try and get these people on the road to recovery.

That's what this center is all about. Nearly 12,000 homes have been destroyed in this blaze. The need and hurt is frankly unimaginable.

Christine and Dave, back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRIGGS: Nick, thank you.

First fire, now rain. A series of storms forecast to hit California into the holiday weekend. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch for the Camp Fire area. The flash flood watch from November 21 to 23. That means the threat of mudslides and debris flows could affect the sites, including the Butte County fairgrounds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CYNTHIA SMITH, CAMP FIRE EVACUEE: So, we're getting tarps and stuff like that. It's been rough. But we're making do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Indoor shelter is available, but most of the evacuees say they don't want to sleep there because of the norovirus that is going around.

ROMANS: The White House correspondents association ditching the comedian who usually roasts the suspect and press corps. No comedian. Instead, historian and author Ron Chernow will deliver the keynote at April's dinner.

Organizers want to avoid the combative feel for the past two years. President Trump has skipped the event two years running now. Chernow's best selling biography of Alexander Hamilton inspired the hit Broadway musical.

He said: The correspondents association has asked me to make the case for the First Amendment, and I'm happy to oblige. I have never been mistaken for a standup comedian. I promise that my history lesson won't be dry.

He is entertaining and he is really -- he wrote the book.

BRIGGS: You won't miss the comedian? I personally will but I understand the change in tone. ROMANS: Some jokes -- they didn't have a comedian last year.

(CROSSTALK)

BRIGGS: OK. Ahead, you missed it while you were sleeping. The highest scoring game in Monday night history and possibly the Super Bowl preview, Chiefs and Rams in final moment.

Andy Scholes recaps for you in the "Bleacher Report."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK

[05:22:27] ROMANS: Open warfare in the women's March Movement over a refusal to denounce Louis Farrakhan. The founder of the Women's March calling for the movement's current co-chairs to step down for allowing bigotry into the group's mission. Teresa Shook accused four of the leaders are tarnishing that mission, saying they have allowed anti- Semitism, anti-LGTBQIA sentiment, and hateful, racist rhetoric become part of the platform by their refusal to separate themselves from groups that espoused these racist, hateful beliefs.

Women's March leaders swiftly shot back at Shook, saying, quote, our ongoing work speaks for itself. That's our focus. Not armchair critiques from those who want to take credit for our labor.

Two Women's March leaders have posted on Instagram praising Farrakhan. Another spoke at a rally headlined by Farrakhan in 2015. Of course, he has a long history off remarks that have infuriated and angered, oh my gosh, gays, lesbians, Jews, just about every kind of group, Dave.

BRIGGS: Only so much time in the program, but yes, very much.

So, let's talk sports now. Chiefs and Rams, boy, they lived up to the hype playing the game of the year and arguably the greatest Monday night football game ever.

Andy Scholes has the "Bleacher Report" this morning.

Did you stay up, my friend?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Unfortunately, Dave, I was only awake for the first quarter. I watched the highlights. This was a great game.

The midseason Super Bowl, 9-1 Rams hosting the 9-1 Chiefs, ended up being the highest scoring game in Monday Night Football history. Rams quarterback Jared Goff calling the game four quarters of craziness.

Four lead changes in the fourth quarter alone. With under two minutes to go. Goff finds Gerald Everett for the 40-year touchdown. The Rams take the lead, the Chiefs did have one more chance to come back in this one. MVP's frontrunner Patrick Mahomes throws an interception. The Rams win 54-51 in the third highest scoring game in NFL history.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEAN MCVAY, LOS ANGELES RAMS: It was a whirlwind. I feel like I might need a couple beverages to relax tonight. It was great. You know, I mean, this is what you love so much about this game.

SAMSON EBUKAM, LOS ANGELES RAMS: It was electric. It is hard to describe, because I'm still in game mode right now. I haven't come down yet. It hasn't sunk in yet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: And here are some of the records that fell last night. First time of both teams scored more than 50 points in a game.

[05:25:01] The Chiefs the first team to score more than 50 points and lose an NFL game. Patrick Mahomes with six touchdowns passes which was the most ever on a Monday night. He also had five turnovers, first person 2000 with five TD passes, 5 turnovers.

There are 14 touchdowns in the game. The Buffalo Bills have 13 touchdowns this season. The game was supposed to be played in Mexico City, but was moved due to poor field conditions. The game in L.A. was perfect timing.

Rams gave away thousands of tickets to first responders. Many were on the field before the game for the national anthem. The Rams also wore L.A. fire department hats before the game. After the game, Jared Goff and Andrew Whitworth met with families of the Thousand Oaks shooting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JARED GOFF, RAMS QUARTERBACK: Good to get with fans before the game. A lot of stuff has been going on the last couple weeks. Hopefully we can provide some joy and normalcy in the last few hours. A lot of fun for people hopefully and get their minds off anything they're dealing with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Yes, pretty cool, Dave, the Rams are lifting up that community. They have a vie. As do the Chiefs. They definitely need it after that game.

BRIGGS: Saints may have something to say about it. If they meet in Atlanta, I'm all-in. That would be outstanding.

Andy Scholes, thank you, my friend.

Romans?

ROMANS: All right, Dave.

Breaking overnight, a federal judge blocks the White House from restricting asylum claims for illegal border crossers.

And height of hypocrisy. Ivanka Trump used private e-mail to conduct White House business.