Return to Transcripts main page
Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Democrats Cast Wide Net in New Trump Probes; Alabama Governor Issues Major Disaster Declaration After Deadly Tornadoes; Aired 5- 5:30a ET
Aired March 05, 2019 - 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: Now supporting families of 23 people killed including three children.
DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: And some big medical news overnight. A patient in London may be the second person to be cured of HIV.
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to EARLY START. I'm Dave Briggs.
ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans.
BRIGGS: Good morning.
ROMANS: Good morning. It's Tuesday, March 5th. It is 5:00 a.m. in the East.
And House Democrats investigation or shall we say investigations of President Trump only just beginning. The House Judiciary Committee is sending out a stack of far-reaching document requests, seeking information from the president's sons, his business associates, and his political confidants. The Democrats' probe will look into possible corruption, obstruction, hush money paid to women, alleged Russian collusion, and more.
BRIGGS: It's quite a list. The investigations' wide scope may bolster the Republican claim that House Democrats are trying to cripple the president's re-election effort. But Judiciary chairman Jerry Nadler says his committee is just seeking to uphold its oversight responsibility.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JERRY NADLER (D), JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Our goal is to hold the administration accountable for the obstruction of justice, the -- the abuse of power and the corruption. We have to find out what's been going on. And we have to lay out a case to the American people, and reveal it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: The president was asked about these investigations at the White House on Monday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President, are you going to cooperate with Mr. Nadler?
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I cooperate all the time with everybody. And you know the beautiful thing? No collusion. It's all a hoax.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The scope of the panel's document request is even broader than expected.
More on that from CNN's Manu Raju on Capitol Hill.
MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine and Dave. Now the House Judiciary Committee moving forward with an aggressive investigation into all aspects of the president's political life, his business life, and even his personal life, looking into whether or not the president misused his office, whether or not the president obstructed justice, whether or not the president committed any crimes.
These requests from -- to 81 individuals connected to the Trump Org include the president's two sons, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr. They include people very high up in the Trump Organization, including Allen Weisselberg, who's the CFO of the Trump Organization. And it also includes entities like the White House and the Justice Department, like the FBI, asking for a number of documents including questions about whether the president dangled any pardons towards Michael Cohen, Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, to prevent them from cooperating with the government.
Two weeks is only the time that the Judiciary Committee is asking these people and these entities to respond by. If they do not get the responses, expect the fight to intensify, subpoenas, possibly public hearings. The question now is whether or not the administration will comply with these requests or whether we'll see a protracted fight between the White House and Capitol Hill -- Christine and Dave.
BRIGGS: All right, thank you, Manu.
Disgraceful, abusive, and shameful, just some of the ways the White House describes the investigation. Press Secretary Sarah Sanders accusing Chairman Nadler and Democrats of embarking on a, quote, "fishing expedition" because they are terrified that their two-year false narrative of Russian collusion is crumbling. Sanders claims the Democrats are not after the truth. They're after the president.
We should note one name not on the Democrats' list is Ivanka Trump. But CNN has learned the list of 81 names is just a starting point with more requests on more topics expected in the future.
ROMANS: All right. Breaking overnight, the National Security Agency abandoned -- excuse me -- a much scrutinized surveillance program. It relied on bulk data collected from domestic phone records. Last year the NSA revealed there were technical problems that led to unauthorized collection of some phone records. According to a Republican congressional source the Trump
administration might not reauthorize the program at the end of the year. The surveillance was originally implemented under the Obama administration to replace an earlier program that was famously disclosed in leaks by Edward Snowden.
BRIGGS: House members could vote as soon as Wednesday on a resolution condemning anti-Semitism. The measure by House Democratic leaders including Nancy Pelosi. A reaction to outrage over comments Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar made last week at an event. The freshman Democrat suggesting pro-Israel groups are pushing, quote, "allegiance to a foreign country."
About a dozen Jewish groups have called on House leadership to remove Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee. So far the congresswoman is standing by her comments. This is her second time under fire for remarks deemed anti-Semitic. Last time she apologized amid bipartisan backlash.
ROMANS: All right. The Democratic field for president expanding and shrinking. The next announcement is expected later this morning from Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley. He has been considering a White House run but must also decide whether to seek re-election to the Senate next year.
Entering the race on Monday, John Hickenlooper. The former Colorado government are looking to find a moderate lane.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN HICKENLOOPER (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I believe that not only can I beat Donald Trump, but that I am the person that can bring people together on the other side, and actually get stuff done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[05:05:00] ROMANS: One potential Democratic contender who will not be entering the 2020 race is Eric Holder. The former attorney general says he will instead focus his efforts on redistricting and other voting rights issues.
BRIGGS: Residents of eastern Alabama hurting and holding on tight to one another this morning following the deadliest tornado to hit the United States in six years. The death toll remains at 23 with 10 still hospitalized. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signing an expedited major disaster declaration request asking the president for immediate assistance. Three of the victims were children ages 6, 9 and 10.
ROMANS: The youngest victim identified as Armando Hernandez, fourth grader Taylor Thornton also killed in that tornado. CNN spoke to Opelika, Alabama, resident Jessica Chandler. Now the twister missed her by minutes because she took her two kids to the store to buy baby formula. Her boyfriend was inside when the tornado hit their mobile home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JESSICA CHANDLER, OPELIKA, ALABAMA RESIDENT: He has a fractured leg. His ribs are broken. He has puncture wounds, cuts, bruises. He's really sore. I mean, he got out of the hospital last night. We're thankful he's alive. The front porch is like a patio. He seen that fly up and he said he had just enough time to dive to the couch, which the couch is about a foot away from the screen door. And he just held on to the couch for dear life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The situation remains desperate this morning in Lee County, Alabama.
Drew Griffin is there.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Dave, they will start another search today. But there has been good news overnight in that the missing persons list has been reconciled. They no longer believe they have double digit numbers of people missing. That means that the death toll looks like it's going to hold, although the coroner said it is possible they might find more victims in the debris as they continue to meticulously go through it.
But again, this was a devastating tornado that came through here, 170 miles an hour. And just like in so many places across this country, just picked up this mobile home and threw it into the trees. The people here are now having to deal with trying to rebuild their lives, basically from scratch -- Christine, Dave.
ROMANS: All right. Drew Griffin, thank you for that.
For more information about how you can help the victims of the Alabama tornadoes, go to CNN.com/impact.
BRIGGS: Breaking medical news overnight. A patient in London might be the second HIV patient ever cured outright. According to a case study published in the journal "Nature" the so-called London patient was being treated for cancer, not HIV, but is now in sustained remission from both diseases.
This case comes more than 10 years after a Berlin patient was cured using similar stem cell replacement -- transplants from donors who carry a rare genetic mutation. Doctors say the method used in both cases is not appropriate for general use but does offer hope for new treatment. Nearly one million people die each year from HIV related causes.
ROMANS: All right. Iconic "90210" heartthrob Luke Perry has died.
Hear how one of his co-stars is remembering the iconic star.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:12:21] ROMANS: All right. GM, General Motors, ending production at its Lordstown, Ohio, plant tomorrow. That's a couple of days earlier than expected. A GM spokesperson said Wednesday will be the last day the plant turns out its Chevy Cruze sedan. GM announced a major restructuring back in November including closing four U.S. plants as well as a fifth in Canada, cutting its salary workforce by 15 percent. GM laid off 8,000 salaried workers, 6,000 hourly workers will either lose their jobs or reassigned to other plants.
Now the decision led to big blowback politically especially from the president, President Trump who made promise, high profile promises to workers there. The president won Trumbull County where the Ohio plant is located by six points. General Motors has said the closures and layoffs are necessary so it can invest more in electric and self- driving vehicles.
Last week the UAW sued General Motors over its plans to close three of the plants including Lordstown. The union claims the decision violates the labor contract. GM said it has not violated the provisions of its labor contract with the union.
BRIGGS: A group of Southern California high school students sparking outrage with these party pictures posted on social media that show Nazi salutes and beer cups arranged in the shape of a swastika. Principals from three Orange County schools faced hundreds of angry and concerned parents at a community meeting Monday.
Jewish students at the meeting say they are not surprised by the partying students. They say swastikas are carved into bathroom walls and desks on campus. According to the Anti-Defamation League anti- Semitic incidents in American schools were up 94 percent in 2017.
ROMANS: All right. Two young sisters found alive after being missing for two days in the woods. 8-year-old Leia Carrico and her 5-year-old sister Caroline went for a walk near their rural northern California home on Friday afternoon. They got lost in the woods and they spent the entire weekend braving the elements. Leia says they found shelter under a fallen branch. They drank water from huckleberry leaves and used a rain jacket as a blanket.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEIA CARRICO, 8-YEAR-OLD RESCUED AFTER WEEKEND IN WOODS: We turned it sideways so each of us had arm holes that we stuck our arms into. When we woke up, we stayed in the same place so dad could find us and there was a creek nearby. And we sang nursery rhymes at the top of our lungs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Oh, my gosh. What an amazing little girl. The girls' mom Misty Carrico credits the 4H program for teaching her daughters wilderness survival skills. Just in case, she bought the girls GPS carabiners now to carry with them from now on.
BRIGGS: Wow.
Another supersized celebration at the White House.
[05:15:01] President Trump Monday welcomed the champion North Dakota State football team at the White House and just like the Clemson Tigers' visit in January fast food was on the menu. The state dining room stacked with McDonald's, Big Macs and Chick-fil-A sandwiches.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We could have had chefs, we could have -- but we got fast food because we know -- I know you people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: You may recall the president personally paid for the Clemson spread citing the government shutdown. On Monday he suggested the decision was aimed at supporting American business.
ROMANS: All right. The snow has come and gone and now temperatures in the east as much as 30 degrees below average. But meteorologist Pedram Javaheri has the latest.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Dave and Christine, yes, only 15 days left until spring officially starts, and we're talking about these temperatures, as you said, running some 30 degrees below average in a few spots at the southern edge of this front that push right through portions of the southern U.S. prompted the severe weather.
Now having some freeze warnings that are in place impacting over 40 million people from southern and central Texas all the way into portions of central and northern Georgia. And tell you what, cold enough with this front here to prompt even a few snow showers across parts of Georgia, even into Alabama where the severe weather was just some 36 hours ago.
And then work your way toward the north, it's an entirely different story. We're talking about barely being above the zero degree mark across portions of the upper Midwest, while the 20s widespread around the northeast, but sunny skies, of course, into the forecast over the next couple of days.
New York, highs around 31, a pair of twos out of Chicago, only 46 degrees down in Atlanta, but notice the Arctic air doesn't want to move over in the northeast before a dramatic warming trend over the next couple of days. New York City climbing all the way up into the 50s.
ROMANS: All right. Thank you so much for that.
This morning fans and friends are sharing their remembrances of actor Luke Perry. He died Monday a few days after suffering a massive stroke. He was just 52 years old. He rose to fame in the 1990s mega- hit series "Beverly Hills 90210." He played the bad boy heartthrob Dylan McKay.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUKE PERRY, ACTOR: I'm saying that that was that. Some people do change, Kelly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: The show was both wildly popular and willing to take on such topics as teen sexuality before many others. Here's Perry in a 1991 interview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PERRY: Let's remember what makes the show so good. The show is good, and I'll say that, yes, I'm in a good show. The show is good because it's an ensemble piece, everybody works and everybody brings something to it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Perry's "90210" co-star Shannon Doherty telling "People" magazine, "I am in shock, heartbroken, devastated by the loss of my friend. I have so many memories with Luke that make me smile and that are forever imprinted on my heart and my mind."
ROMANS: He had been starring as the father of Archie Andrews in the CW teen drama "Riverdale." Production on "Riverdale" has temporarily halted due to his death. His final film role is in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood." That's due out in July. He leaves behind two children and a fiance.
And he was really -- I mean, that show was pretty groundbreaking for, you know, the sexually explicit material, it was for teenagers, but also these teens in particular, I mean, this was appointment viewing.
BRIGGS: Oh, yes. We all knew what time that was on. Parties in our sororities and our fraternities, and some for high schools. He was a terrific actor. Type cast I think by that Dylan McKay role.
ROMANS: Just a shame.
BRIGGS: But he was --
ROMANS: Too young.
BRIGGS: Was a great actor.
All right. Ahead, how bad are LeBron James' Lakers? Playoffs are looking more like a pipe dream at this point. Andy Scholes tells us what's happening in L.A. in the "Bleacher Report."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:23:03] BRIGGS: Another game, another loss for LeBron and the Lakers. Andy Scholes has more in the "Bleacher Report" this morning.
Andy, are the playoffs looking like less than likely this morning?
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Dave. It's over. You know, barring a miracle, LeBron and the Lakers not going to be going to the playoffs. Last night they were taking on the Clippers. One of the teams they're chasing for that final playoffs spot in the Western Conference.
This play for half time might sum up the Lakers season. LeBron rolls the ball all the way up the court because the clock doesn't start until someone touches it. Well, great plan until he bricked for the three. And the Clippers' Patrick Beverly was just doing everything all the night to frustrate LeBron and this one just all over him on the defensive side. In the final seconds, Beverly kind of trolling the Lakers fans waving them on to boo even louder. The Clippers beat the Lakers 113-105.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEBRON JAMES, LOS ANGELES LAKERS FORWARD: We keep playing to the end and see what happens. You know, I've been in a daze, so I've been talking about it for a while now. Everyone has been talking about the postseason, but each and every game we can continue to get better with our team. So, you know, obviously, you know, at the end of the year, you know, the chips will fall where they may. You know, you see where you're at.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Now Lakers now 5 1/2 games out of that final playoff spot in the West.
All right. Heat squaring off last night in Miami, under a minute to go, Dwyane Wade at it again, strong drive to the basket. Wade 23 points in this game leading Miami to the 114-113 win. And cool moment after the game, you know, Wade has been swapping his jersey with a player after each game during his retirement tour. Normally a star player. Well, Wade went and sought out Hawks rookie Kevin Huerter. Wade has found out that Huerter idolized him as a kid. That's why he wears number 3, so Wade went and surprised him with this jersey swap.
I'll tell you what, that's pretty cool.
All right. Great news for the humble community. Eleven months after the Humboldt Broncos bus crash, 19-year-old Morgan Gobeil has been released from the hospital.
[05:25:06] Morgan had suffered a serious head injury in that crash that killed 16 members from his team. He still can't walk or talk, but after numerous surgeries and hours of physical occupational speech therapy, he is able to finally go home. And the family says he's got a long road ahead of him but they are hopeful because of Morgan's work ethic and determination.
All right, finally, it was a special night in Lubbock, Texas, last night. Texas Tech senior Brandon Francis hadn't seen his mom in more than two years, but the school arranged for her to come to the U.S. for the first time to surprise her son. And Francis was overcome with emotion when he saw her. He and his mom from the Dominican Republic. Francis did play well in front of his mom, helping the Red Raiders beat Texas. And guys, his mom said really cool to be able to be there in Lubbock and watch her son play for the first time there and for the last time as he celebrated senior night. BRIGGS: Very good. Good to step up in front of mom. Andy Scholes,
thank you, my friend.
Romans, what's coming up?
ROMANS: All right. Do you think the president will cooperate with Democrats investigating him?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Are you going to cooperate with Mr. Nadler?
TRUMP: I cooperate all the time with everybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Democrats want documents from 81 people and entities from the president's political, business and personal lives.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
