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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Migrants Overwhelm Police At Border; Corsi Say He's Talking Plea With Mueller; New Tensions Between Russia And Ukraine; Cyber Monday Expected To Be Largest In History; Holiday Blizzard; Man Killed In Alabama Mall Mistaken For Shooter; Trouble For Brexit. Aired 4- 4:30a ET
Aired November 26, 2018 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
POLO SANDOVAL, EARLY START SHOW CO-HOST: Drama at the border. Hundreds of migrants overwhelm police. The move bound to inflame the heated rhetoric on immigration.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, EARLY START SHOW CO-HOST: Tensions flare between Russia and Ukraine. Look at this, a tugboat rammed. Ukraine says Russia boats open fire and seize three of its ships. The U.N. takes up the issue today.
SANDOVAL: And Black Friday is behind us, but get ready to grab your digital wallets. Cyber Monday deals nationwide today. We do have (inaudible) to go online. Good morning and welcome to "Early Start." I'm Polo Sandoval. My good friend, Dave Briggs happens to be sleeping in this morning.
ROMANS: Love that. Nice to have you here this morning, Polo. I'm Christine Romans. It is Monday, November 26th. Wake up everybody Thanksgiving is over. It is time to get back to work, it is 4:00 a.m. in the East. All right. The busiest land port of entry in the U.S. back open in both directions this morning. The border crossing near San Diego closed for hours Sunday after about 500 migrants rushed the border from the Mexicans side, overwhelming police barricades.
SANDOVAL: U.S. border patrol agents eventually able to regain control of the situation by firing tear gas into the crowd. Mounting groups started arriving on the Mexican side in the city of Tijuana just a few weeks ago. Mexico's interior ministry says, dozens identified among those trying cross illegally will be deported to their home countries.
ROMANS: The ministry warns that far from helping the migrants' cause, this sorts of fabrication could result in a serious incident on the border. All of this likely to inflame the President's rhetoric on immigration. CNN's Nick Watt has more from the point of entry.
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NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Polo, Christine, this border in San Isidro's is one of the busiest land borders on earth. It was shut Sunday afternoon for four hours to pedestrians and a little bit longer to all vehicular traffic. The reason, well, there were protest, there was a march and it was supposed to be a peaceful protest on the other side and apparently that got a little bit out of hand. People say that as many as 500 migrants tried to storm the border. They managed to get past Mexican police and that tear gas was actually fired. This is what eyewitness tells us teargas was fired from this side of the border at those people.
Now, Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement Sunday evening, she said that some of these migrants tried to scale what she describes as legacy fencing on either side of the port of entry and they are also throwing projectiles at custom and border patrol officers. Listen, the President last week said that if we feel we are losing control at the border at any point and if we feel there is a danger of people getting hurt, we will temporarily close down the border. Now that is exactly what they did.
The Mexican government now is saying that they plan to deport any of those people they manage to identify who tried to get into the U.S. But the border did reopen after a few hours after the CDP said they managed to get things under control. They had beefed up their staffing here at the border in anticipation of these protests suspecting that something may go wrong. It did. They closed the border and they dealt with it. Polo, Christine, back to you.
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SANDOVAL: As Nick Watt there, traffic resuming. The incoming Mexican government is denying any deal was made with the Trump administration for asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while the cases are being decided. "The Washington Post" reporting on Saturday, that the government supported a U.S. plan that would require those seeking asylum to remain south of the border while their applications are being process. The plan reportedly emerged after a meeting last week between Mexico's incoming foreign secretary and U.S. Officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.
ROMANS: the Post quoted, Mexico's incoming interior minister, Olga Sanchez Cordero, saying they agreed -- to the remain in Mexico policy. But in a statement to CNN, she backed off saying the new administration doesn't plan to make Mexico, what she called a third safe country for migrants. She say Mexico will focus on ensuring migrants to get help in accessing food, healthcare, shelter and protection of their human rights.
SANDOVAL: Today, former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos will have to start his 14-day prison sentence for lying to federal investigators in Russia probe. He pleaded guilty last year, twice in the last 10 days, Papadopoulos had asked the federal judge to delay his sentence. Now, Roger Stone, associates Jerome Corsi says, that he is in plea negotiations with Robert Mueller's office. The special counsel is apparently pursuing the theory of course, he was the intermediary between Stone, a longtime Trump confidante and WikiLeaks before the site released hack of the credit party emails.
[04:05:06] ROMANS: A legal scholar, Alan Dershowitz, a frequent defender of President Trump now says Mueller's report could be politically devastating to the President when it comes out, but when is the question. Dershowitz says the report could be held up by acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker.
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ALAN DERSHOWITZ, LAW PROFESSOR AND AUTHOR OF "ELECTILE DYSFUNCTION": When the report is made public and that is a very hard question considering the new Attorney General who has the authority to decide when and under which circumstance to make it public, it will be made public probably with a response alongside.
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ROMANS: Whitaker is a longtime critic of the Russia probe. Mueller cannot simply released his report. He must provide a copy rather to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and to Whitaker who could choose to sit on it permanently.
SANDOVAL: Or he could also, prevent Mueller from indicting anyone. But Whitaker would have to inform Congress, he actually done so, something that would probably eventually leak, but so far, there is no indication he has been briefed on anything related to the Russia investigation.
ROMANS: All right. House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy looking for middle ground in the brewing -- a fight between the former FBI Director James Comey and the judiciary committee. House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte has subpoenaed Comey to testify privately to Congress next month about FBI actions during the 2016 campaign. But Comey said, he wants to testify publicly. Gowdy is suggesting a compromise.
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REP. TREY GOWDY, (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: The remedy for leaks is not to have a public hearing where you are supposed to ask about 17 months of work in five minutes. I think the remedy is the videotaped deposition. I am sensitive to leaks, I hate leaks. I think they undercut the authenticity of the investigation, but the remedy is not to have a professional wrestling type carnival atmosphere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: He would know. Gowdy would know about the carnival atmosphere. Remember, he oversaw the House Benghazi investigation. Goodlatte has also subpoenaed former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, she has not yet to comment.
SANDOVAL: The U.N. secretary council meeting in emergency session later today, the meeting called by Russia and Ukraine about an escalating tension between the two countries. Ukraine says Russian boats opened fire on three of its ships near the Kerch Strait. Between Russia and Crimea. The standoff is another major complication involving with Russia days before Presidents Trump and Putin are expected to come face-to-face during the G20 summit. Senior national correspondent, Matthew Chance with the very latest from Moscow this morning. Matthew.
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MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Polo, thank you very much. That fact that Presidents Trump and Putin Russia, will be meeting at the G20 summit in Argentina later this month, thoroughly next month is one of the reasons why Russian television is saying this incident took place. They are accusing the Ukrainian authorities of orchestrating it in order to disrupt that meeting.
But the fact that remained that the Ukrainian navy says that three of its ships were fired upon and boarded by Russian Special Forces in that strategic Kerch Strait between the Crimea peninsula and the Russian mainland. That was yesterday, Sunday, local time. There was an early incident as well in which there is dramatic video of a Russian patrol vessel apparently ramming a Ukrainian naval tugboat.
The Ukrainians say the second incident, at least six Ukrainian sailors were injured. The fate and the whereabouts of that crew are not (inaudible) at the moment, but video has emerged and still pictures has have emerged of the three ships that were detained by Russia imports in the port of Kerch which is in the Crimean peninsulas. So in Russian controlled territories.
You mentioned there is a United Nations Security Council meeting in emergency session that's been called by Russia and Ukraine later on today also later today, in Ukraine, Ukrainian parliament is voting on whether or not it should impose martial law on the country in response to this major escalation. Back to you.
(END VIDEO)
SANDOVAL: Our Matthew Chance reporting from Moscow this morning. Thanks Matthew.
ROMANS: All right today, it is not just any Monday, it is something that the retail industry invented called cyber Monday to get you to spend more money after you already spent money on the Thanksgiving weekend and it is here. This year is expected to be the largest cyber Monday in history expected to spend consumer $7.8 billion today. That is up almost 18 percent from last year. Online sales in the three hours between 8:00 p.m. tonight and 1:00 a.m. tomorrow morning are expected to drive more revenue than an average all day during the year of 2018.
Take a look at the numbers from over the weekend final thanksgiving sales totals $3.7 billion in online spending, a record 6 billion was spent on online by the end of Black Friday. That's increase of almost 24 percent. Black Friday was also the first day ever to see more than $2 billion in sales coming from smart phones alone. I mean, that's right you're already cyber shopping.
[04:10:00] So where are the deals today? Toys, Toys R Us closing this year shoppers are going online to get the hottest toys and gaming systems. Another emerging trend this year. People shopping for experiences more people expected to shop for things like cruises, hotels and flights today. One other fun fact, consumers spent a 5.2 billion minutes shopping online. Last cyber Monday, that is equal to 10,000 years. Think about that. In terms of lost productivity today.
SANDOVAL: A lot of money and a lot of weather out there too many people did get lucky as they headed out to their thanksgiving destinations, it seems that luck run out for so many. A blizzard making for a very rough ends of the holiday weekend, flight delays a very messy morning instore.
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SANDOVAL: It is going to be a messy Monday for at least 10 million people there facing a blizzard warning this morning snow, wind, rain is all hitting parts of the Midwest at the close of the thanksgiving holiday travel.
[04:15:00] Thousands of flights were canceled or at least were delayed and also more of that expected later today, especially in Chicago, Missouri, Kansas international Airport holiday travel thousands of flights were canceled or at least were delayed and also more of that expected later today, especially in Chicago, in Missouri, Kansas international Airport was closed to incoming flights, the governor of Kansas issuing a state of emergency declaring roads to be treacherous as blizzard conditions closed parts of I-70. So where is the storm actually going to next? CNN's meteorologist Pedram Javaheri, with the forecast.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Christine and Polo, good morning to you both. yes, we are watching what is happening across the Great Lakes of not only are we getting significant snow out of this, but even some thunder snow to be had across this regions. So it really speaks to the significance of some of these storms of the region, blizzard warnings remain in place for at least midmorning here across portions of northern and central Illinois areas of eastern Missouri as well. Getting on the action with a heavy snow and placed gusty winds reduce visibility as a result of course, Kansas' city airport was shut down at one point yesterday and now you know if the system begins pushing in right across the Great Lakes and eventually on across the Northeast.
Now snowfall for the major cities in the Northeast, not in the picture, it is going to be way to warm. But get in to the higher elevation and also the interior portion of New England, and it's all about the wintry weather the next 24 so hours. Certainly some disruptions to be had there and a lot of disruptions, I expect on this Monday. Left across areas of the Ohio and Tennessee Valley as well. All of this associated with this frontal boundary across this region that will kick of those winds up to 50 mile per hour. Look at those temps struggle to make it to the freezing mark in places like Chicago and Kansas City and Indianapolis and places in Minneapolis, highs only down 21 degrees.
ROMANS: All right, thank you for that. After two and half weeks of historic destruction. The campfire in Northern California is finally 100 percent contained. It is already the states deadliest fire by far, at least 85 people killed. The fire has destroyed nearly 14,000 homes and nearly 5000 other structures. It is has burned more than 153,000 acres, that is roughly the size of Chicago. 249 people are still reported missing, but that numbers are down from more than 1000 a few days ago, the search for remains was halted temporarily Friday, because of rain and strong winds that may fire weakens trees dangerous. Official say while the rain complicated search efforts. It helps douse some of that fire.
SANDOVAL: The deadly shooting at an Alabama mall on Thanksgiving night is taking a disturbing turn. Hoover police now say that the armed man thought fired the shots that wounded two people and sent shoppers into a panic likely was not the shooter after all. An officers shot and killed 21-year-old E.J. Bradford as he readily from the scene.
ROMANS: A forensics test and witness interviews only convince investigators at Bradford that might have been involved in the altercation that means the gunmen is still on the loose. Police have not identified the suspect. Bradford's family said law enforcement has not contacted them.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They literally assassinated my nephew on Thanksgiving night. As far as I am concern, he was assassinated. Somebody got to help accountability for this and I would never stop fight to the day I die. I will get justice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: The man in a blue tie there is Attorney Benjamin Cromp, says Bradford did not have a criminal record and had a concealed weapon permit for the gun that he was carrying at a time. Cromp also tells CNN, someone gave the family video showing exactly what happened. They say they might release it soon. The officer who shot Bradford is on an administrative leave this morning, pending the outcome of the investigation.
ROMANS: The Pentagon has identified a U.S. soldier killed in Afghanistan over the Thanksgiving weekend. Official say 25-year-old Sgt. Leandra Jasso was wounded by small arms fire while conducting combat operations in southwestern Afghanistan Saturday. He was evacuated to a nearby medical facility where he died. He was part of the Army's elite 75th Ranger Regiment Bayside Washington state. He was on his third deployment to the country. He's the 10th U.S. service member to be killed in Afghanistan this year and the second just this month. It is a terrible tragedy.
SANDOVAL: Absolutely.
ROMANS: All right. A critical moment for Brexit, the E.U. approves the now Parliament gets to say and signs are not good, we are live at 10th Downing Street, next.
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ROMANS: All right, later today, British Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to address parliament on Brexit, leaders of the European Union endorsed the U.K.'s withdrawal agreement and agreed on a post Brexit future. But this May have the votes she needs for the plan to pass Parliament. CNN's Nic Robertson live for us right there at 10th Downing Street. While this Brexit drama has just been fascinating. What does this means now?
NIC ROBERTSON, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine, it has been fascinating until now is going to get absolutely gripping. You may come to a cliff edge pretty soon. The next major step here is obviously that vote in parliament which is expected in a couple of weeks. Today, Theresa May in about an hour's time is going to meet with our cabinet over the weekend. She published an open letter to the British people. She will give a speech in the House of Commons in about five hours times and over the next couple of weeks before that vote comes week and expect her to double down on her message that she has delivered the best deal possible. And this is what we had heard from the European Union over the weekend, that there is no going back on this, this is the deal. She is going to say that this deal delivers on what the British people wanted which is a control of the borders, meaning migration, and immigrants coming into the country.
[04:25:03] That is going to be part of a big show she is going to say is taking back control of the money in the U.K. She said that's rather than giving money to the European Union, they will be an extra half $1 billion a week in the U.K. to go to the National Health Service here. These are old messages that they are going to resonate, but the numbers in parliament stacked up against here. There were rebels in a row and parties. Several dozen of those against her key political allies of Northern Ireland were against in support of the opposition is all against her. The Scottish national party is all against her, her majority was razor, razor thin so on the surface of the moment, she doesn't have the numbers. Perhaps part of the calculation is that she may fail at the first hurdle of the vote which will cause the Pound to drop off the cliff.
A week later, she may go back for a second vote on it when everyone feels a little more chasing. Christine?
ROMANS: This is a dangerous game unfolding here. All right, Nic Robinson, thank you so much.
SANDOVAL: Breaking overnight, news internationally now, British student accused by the United Arab Emirates being a spy and sentenced to life in prison is in part this comes just days after 31-year-old Matthew Hedge's family made a plea for clemency and after the British government warned of serious of diplomatic consequences if it was released. Hedges was a -- he was arrested in May in Dubai, after he researched trip for the recall is a specialist in Middle Eastern studies at the University of (inaudible). His family says that Hedges was forced to sign a confession in Arabic, even though he doesn't read or speak the language.
This an invasion or maybe people seeking asylum, those pictures Christina, that came out the border yesterday really depends on who you asked the question to hundreds of migrants overwhelm police and move to inflame the immigration debate. More on that. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
