Return to Transcripts main page

Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Here Come the Subpoenas; Stamped at Nipsey Hussle Memorial; Trump Punts Health Care Until 2020; UNC Women's Coach and Staff Put on Leave. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired April 02, 2019 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:15] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Democrats ready to wield subpoena power. Security clearances and the unredacted Mueller report top the agenda.

DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight: a stampede at a memorial for rapper Nipsey Hussle. Police have now named a suspect in his murder.

ROMANS: Another pivot from the president on health care. Turns out he doesn't want a plan to replace Obamacare until after the 2020 election.

BRIGGS: And trouble for a storied college basketball program. A hall of fame coach and her staff have been benched at the University of North Carolina.

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

ROMANS: Nice to see you this Tuesday morning. I'm Christine Romans, it is April 2nd, 4:00 a.m. in the East.

We begin here with House Democrats now turning to subpoenas to obtain information on two critical fronts: security clearances and the Mueller report.

First on clearances, a White House whistleblower tells House investigators, senior officials overruled concerns raised about 25 individuals whose clearances were initially denied. On Monday, House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings released a memo on the interview with Tricia Newbold. In 18 years on the White House staff, Newbold has worked on Republican and Democratic administrations.

BRIGGS: She told investigators, that 25 individuals had a wide range of serious disqualifying issues involving foreign influence, conflicts of interest, concerning personal conduct, financial problems, drug use and criminal conduct.

A source tells CNN both Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump are on the list of 25. Important to note the president is legally entitled to order a security clearance for anyone he wishes.

Chairman Cummings comparing the clearance overrides to Hillary Clinton's use of a private e-mail server as secretary of state. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D-MD), HOUSE OVERSIGHT CHAIRMAN: If the violations are accurate, and I do think they are, as Ms. Newbold has told us, I think this is a million times worse. What you have here are people who literally have the top secrets of the world, and they have not been properly cleared. That should alarm each and every American.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Jared Kushner responded last night on Fox News.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JARED KUSHNER, SENOR ADVISER TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: Over the last two years that I have been here, I have been accused of all different types of things, and all of those things have turned out to be false.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: That is apparently a reference to conclusions in the Mueller report which has not been seen by Congress or the public.

Chairman Cummings plans to issue a subpoena this morning demanding an interview with Carl Kline. He served as the personnel security director at the White House of the first two years of the Trump administration. Cummings is sending a subpoena, even though Kline's attorney says his client is willing to be interviewed voluntarily.

BRIGGS: And now to the Mueller report. House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler plans to authorize a subpoena this week for the full unredacted version. He confirmed the details of that subpoena will be finalized tomorrow. Nadler is not saying whether the subpoena will be issued before Attorney General William Barr publicly releases the redacted Mueller report. That is expected to happen later this month.

ROMANS: Finalizing the subpoena will take place one day after today's deadline. Democrats set for Barr to provide the full Mueller report and its underlying evidence to Congress. Barr says he is working with Mueller to finish redacting the report.

According to the attorney general, those redactions include grand jury testimony, grand jury material, sensitive intelligence material, information from owning investigations and information that could damage the reputations of people not charged in the Mueller probe.

BRIGGS: Breaking overnight: police in Los Angeles have named a suspect in the shooting death of rapper Nipsey Hussle. Authorities say the gunman identified as Eric Holder was last spotted in 2016, white four door Chevy Cruze license plate number 7RJD742.

Also overnight, a stampede at the rapper's memorial. At this point, it's not clear exactly what sparked it. Police call it panic and chaos, and reports of shots fired do not appear to be accurate. ROMANS: At least 19 people are being treated at hospitals, two are in

critical condition. At least one person was hurt after a car hit them. L.A. police briefly went on tactical alert, responding to scene with riot gear and batons. Rocks and bottles were thrown at those officers injuring them. At least one person has been detained for disorderly conduct.

Nipsey Hussle was killed Sunday in a shooting near a clothing store the rapper owned in L.A. The LAPD will hold a press conference today to discuss the investigation and the surge of violence in the city.

[04:05:01] BRIGGS: President Trump pivoting on health care yet again. He now says a new Republican plan will not be introduced until after the 2020 election. He still insists Republicans are hard at work on a plan to replace Obamacare even though there is zero evidence another plan is on the way. The president says the vote will be taken right after the election when he believes the GOP holds the Senate and wins back the House.

ROMANS: The administration reversed course last week and agreed with the Texas judge's ruling that the entire Affordable Care Act should be scrapped. Previously failed attempts appeared to be a galvanizing force for Democrats in the 2018 midterms.

BRIGGS: No one seems to know whether President Trump plans to follow through on his threat to close the border with Mexico. Even the White House admits its anyone's guess. Presidential adviser Stephen Miller telling surrogates Mr. Trump has not decided yet. Miller says it depends on how the week goes.

The president vowed to act this week if Mexico does not step up and stop all illegal immigration. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen meanwhile bowing out of a G7 meeting in Paris to deal with the situation at the southern border.

ROMANS: Administration officials tell CNN a border shut down could be catastrophic. They believe it would create a world of hurt economically and they doubt how realistic it is to close down parts of the border. The Trump administration is speeding up the hiring of 750 new officers to assist the U.S. border patrol where migrant crossings are surging.

A growing number of migrant families are surrendering to U.S. border agents in the Texas-Rio Grande Valley. Customs officials say they are doing their best in a bad situation, especially for young children caught up in the crisis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAUL ORTIZ, DEPUTY CHIEF PATROL AGENT: We are doing everything we can in our power to ensure that they're safe. That's all. We want to let them know they're safe now.

I'm father. I'm a grandfather. Somebody needs to do something about this. This goes on each and every day. Our officers are dealing with this each and every day. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: The White House is considering appointing a border immigration czar to oversee efforts to contain and manage the migrant surge. Closing the border could drive more undocumented immigrants to cross illegally between legal ports of entry.

ROMANS: All right. An economic calamity, that's what the Chamber of Commerce said would happen if the president shut the border with Mexico. The chamber says it would tank the markets, hurt the U.S. economy, even if it were just a short closure.

Here's what's at stake, trucks and railroads carry $1.7 billion in goods every day back and forth across the border, supporting 5 million American jobs. The U.S. manufacturers have supply chains that crisscross Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Imports of auto parts, commuter hardware, produce like avocados, strawberries and mangos. Those would all be stalled here.

Now, the "Reuters" reports the U.S. would run out of avocados in as little as three weeks. The chamber also notes the U.S. exports more to Mexico than China. Think about that. The U.S. exports more to Mexico than it is to China, and imports from Mexico are parts and tools that feed America's factories.

This president has a very simplistic view of trade, though. Imports are bad in his view, and the trade deficit means the U.S. is losing money. And that sort of the core of his trade theory.

The U.S. ran a trade deficit last year of $81 billion with Mexico. American manufacturers and farmers are already reeling from higher costs because of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs from China. All of this would make things a whole lot worse.

BRIGGS: Two competing disaster relief bills failing to make it through the Senate. The first proposal from Republicans voted down with Democrats agreeing it did not provide enough aid to Puerto Rico. President Trump always willing to weigh in, tweeting the people of Puerto Rico are great, but the politicians are incompetent or corrupt. Their government can't do anything right.

ROMANS: The second measure passed the Democratic controlled House months ago but failed narrowly in the Senate with Republicans criticizing it for not including enough flood relief money for the Midwest. Members of both parties now in a precarious political spot being open to attacks from the opposing party for blocking much needed disaster aid.

BRIGGS: Boeing 737 MAX jets will remain grounded for weeks. The FAA announcing the plane manufacturers needs more time to work on a software fix. It was supposed to be submitted last week, but we aren't told Boeing concluded additional work is needed.

Boeing is not saying why the time line for the software fix changed but an aviation source tells CNN the company discovered an additional piece to address in the final review of the new software. The 737 MAX is grounded worldwide after similar crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people in a five-month span.

ROMANS: Baltimore's Democratic mayor, Catherine Pugh, taking an indefinitely leave of absence citing a battle with pneumonia.

[04:10:04] The announcement comes as she faces a scandal over a major purchase of a children's book she wrote. Republican Governor Larry Hogan asking the state prosecutor to investigate the sales of tens of thousands of copies of "Healthy Holly' to the University of Maryland Medical System. Now, the health system bought the books while Pugh was a member of its board. The medical system has paid Pugh half a million dollars since 2011 to author books for Baltimore school children. Pugh returned $100,000, and cancelled the book deal, and resigned from the health system board.

BRIGGS: Measles cases in the United States soaring to their second highest level since the disease was eliminated in the year 2000. A total of 387 individual cases have been confirmed in 15 states from January to March 28. The Centers for Disease Control says six outbreaks, defined as three or more cases are ongoing in California, New Jersey, New York, and Washington state. They are being linked to travelers who brought measles back from other countries

Officials in Rockland County, New York, banned unvaccinated people from public places last week to contain the threat.

ROMANS: Stunning news from one of the most storied programs in college basketball. The University of North Carolina has placed its Hall of Fame women's coach and her assistants on paid administrative leave. The school says it's due to issues raised by student athletes and others.

Officials say a law firm will lead a thorough and prompt review of the program's culture. Sylvia Hatchell, head coach of the women's team has been at UNC for 33 seasons. She was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. Hatchell says in a statement from her attorney general, she will cooperate fully with the review.

BRIGGS: More than a thousand games there at UNC.

Ahead, a viewer may have given life saving advice to "Inside Edition" host Deborah Norville.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEBORAH NORVILLE, HOST, "INSIDE EDITION": An "Inside Editor" viewer reached out to say she had seen something on my neck, it was a lump. I had never noticed it, but I did have it --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: More on Norville's diagnosis, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:46:15] BRIGGS: Two Democrats blowing the lid off expectations when it comes to fundraising for the 2020 election. Senator Kamala Harris collecting $12 million for a presidential bid, with Pete Buttigieg raking in $7 million, according to their respective campaigns. The haul by Buttigieg's is particularly impressive given his lack of name recognition. As CNN political analyst points out, he's mayor of a city of $100,000, and 159,000 donors. She a U.S. senator with 40 million constituents and had 218,000 donors.

ROMANS: Meanwhile, former Vice President Joe Biden is spinning off an accusation of inappropriate conduct from a female accuser. Amy Lappos telling her Biden pulled her close to rub noses with her. He was vice president at the time. A spokesperson referred CNN to a statement the former vice president issued on Sunday claiming: Never did I believe I acted inappropriately.

BRIGGS: Several influential women coming out in support of Biden. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tells reporters she does not believe the allegations disqualify the Biden from becoming president.

Senator Dianne Feinstein telling Manu Raju: He's a tactile person, he grabs you, holds your arm, that kind of thing, that's it.

ROMANS: All right. The Census Bureau says it has prepared two versions of a national survey for next year. One includes a highly controversial citizenship question. The other does not. Two federal judges have ruled the Trump administration added the "are you a citizen" question improperly and ordered it removed. The government says it faces a July 1st deadline for printing the paper forms many use.

The president tweeted without the citizenship question, the report would be meaningless.

The U.S. census has been conducted every ten years since 1790.

BRIGGS: A University of Hartford student is charged with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing two fellow students while they reenacted a movie scene for drama class. Jake Wascher is being held on million dollars bail. The three students were working on a group project Sunday in a dorm room when police say Wascher took the assignment too far.

One stabbing victim, a 19-year-old, is in critical condition. The other, a 21-year-old in stable condition. The University of Hartford says the isolated incident is frightening and unsettling but there is no threat to the campus.

ROMANS: Tonight, a vigil will be held in Robbinsville, New Jersey. It's the hometown of South Carolina college student murdered over the weekend. Samantha Josephson's body was found in a field hours after she got into a car that she thought was her Uber. Authorities say the 21-year-old died from multiple sharp force injuries. A funeral will be held for Josephson on Wednesday.

The suspect identified as Nathaniel David Rowland. He faces murder and kidnapping charges.

BRIGGS: "Inside Edition" host Deborah Norville revealing she will undergo cancer surgery, years after an eagle eye viewer spotted a lump on her neck.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NORVILLE: And a long time ago, an "Insider Edition" viewer reached out to say she had seen something on my neck. It was a lump. Well, I had never noticed the thing, but I did have it checked out. The doctor said it was nothing, a thyroid nodule.

And for years it was nothing, until recently it was something.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Norville says the lump grew cancerous. She says it's localized and won't require chemo. She asked for viewers prayers for herself and her surgeon.

You can save a life, folks, when you're watching television.

ROMANS: Best of luck to her.

BRIGGS: Yes.

ROMANS: Nineteen minutes after the hour.

A 5-year-old with autism gets the birthday of a lifetime thanks to neighborhood teenagers and a skate board.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:24:31] BRIGGS: South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg taking a break from exploring a possible White House run to officiate the marriage of a couple just hours before the bride delivered a baby. Mayor Pete says Mary and Gabe approached him with a special request Monday to marry them before the woman's 9:00 a.m. appointment for a C section. Buttigieg recounted the experience and posted pictures of the wedding and the newborn, Jade Catherine Jones (ph). Pete Buttigieg says it's moments like this he will miss when his term as mayor comes to an end.

[04:25:02] ROMANS: All right. It might have been the perfect birthday party for Carter Braconi of South Brunswick, New Jersey.

Carter is a 5-year-old boy with high functioning autism and ADHD. His mom took him to a skate park for his birthday. And when he started riding his scooter, a group of older kids showed up and helped him ride a skate board. They helped him find his balance, picked him up when he fell, and even saying happy birthday to him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KRISTEN BRACONI, CARTER'S MOM: Actions speak louder than words. Taking him under their wing and giving him a little mini skate board, I -- my heart exploded.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Carter's mom Kristen says the older kids did not know her son has autism. After they left the park, she and Carter went to get ice cream and sandwiches and brought them back for kids at the skate park.

BRIGGS: Restoring our faith in humanity this morning.

All right. Ahead, the power of the subpoena times two. Democrats want information on security clearances and the unredacted Mueller report.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END