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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
House Democrats Want Six Years of Trump's Tax Returns; Did Bill Barr Go Easy on Trump?; Officials Release Findings on March Crash of Ethiopian Jet. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired April 04, 2019 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:19] DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, officials in Ethiopia reveal their first report of what brought down a Boeing 737 MAX last month.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Oversight or overkill? Democrats now requesting six years of the president's tax returns.
BRIGGS: Is there more to the Mueller probe than meets Bill Barr's eye? Some of the investigators say their findings were more damaging than the AG led on.
ROMANS: And is this teenager found in Kentucky the same boy who vanished from Illinois nearly eight years ago?
Good morning, everyone, welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.
BRIGGS: Good morning. A bizarre story here. I'm Dave Briggs. April 4th. It is Thursday, 4:00 a.m. in the East. We start in the nation's capital.
House Democrats angling for their next fight with the president. They are going after his tax returns. CNN first to report that House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal sent a letter to the IRS Wednesday. He's citing a little known section of the IRS code to request the president's personal returns from 2013 through 2018. He also wants tax returns from eight of Mr. Trump's business entities.
The president reacting with humor and a familiar excuse.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President, the chairman of the Democratic House Ways and Means Committee moments ago asked the IRS for six years of your tax returns. How do you --
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Is that all?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: That's all.
TRUMP: Oh. Usually it's 10, so I guess they're giving up. Until such time is I'm not under audit, I would not be inclined to do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROMANS: Democrats insist the request is about oversight. Republicans see it as a political escalation. The ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee, Republican Kevin Brady sending a letter to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin saying, "Weaponizing our nation's tax code by targeting political foes sets a dangerous precedent and weakens Americans' privacy rights."
BRIGGS: Did the attorney general go easy on President Trump when he summarized the Mueller report? "The New York Times" reporting some of the special counsel's investigators have been complaining to associates that Bill Barr did not fully convey how damaging their findings were on the president.
The "Times" quotes government officials and others saying investigators are concerned Barr was able to shape the public's initial views before any version of the report actually comes out. Those interviewed by the "Times" declined to fully explain what they believe was held back. It's also unclear how widespread frustration is on Mueller's team.
ROMANS: Barr wrote in his four-page summary to Congress last month Mueller did not establish anyone connected to the Trump campaign conspired with Russia. Barr also quotes Mueller saying he did not have sufficient evidence to prove obstruction of justice but did not exonerate the president either.
The "Times" reports the lack of a firm decision frustrated the attorney general and his team. Barr said last week a redacted version of Mueller's report will be released to Congress and the public by mid-April if not sooner.
BRIGGS: The House Judiciary Committee voting along party lines to authorize a subpoena that would compel Attorney General Bill Barr to release the full and unredacted Mueller report. Committee chairman Jerry Nadler indicating he will give Barr time to change his mind about releasing only a redacted version but Nadler says a subpoena will be served if Barr does not voluntarily comply. Nadler making it clear there's no room here for compromise.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Are you willing to negotiate any middle ground in terms of redactions of the Mueller --
REP. JERRY NADLER (D-NY): No.
RAJU: You're not?
NADLER: No. The committee must see everything. Not willing to let the attorney general who after all is a political appointee of the president make that -- substitute his judgment for ours.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: One senior White House official calling Nadler's subpoena threat, quote, "ridiculous," insisting it is not oversight, it's overreach.
Happening right now Ethiopian officials about to release the report on that deadly crash of a Boeing 737 MAX passenger jet just last month.
CNN's Melissa Bell tracking the latest live from Paris this morning.
Melissa, what do we know?
MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is the much anticipated release of those preliminary findings. We know already that Ethiopian Airlines investigators have been briefing their stakeholders and Boeing.
This is something we were going to be getting a few days ago, Dave. It was delayed and clearly what we're about to hear is crucial to understanding precisely what happened in the moments before that Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed and crucially the question of whether that automated flight system was properly engaged.
[04:05:04] Now what we're hearing from a source close to the investigation is that in that report that we're about to hear about in that press conference that's just gotten underway in Addis Ababa is that the flight crew followed all the necessary procedures. That is that they followed those procedures laid out by Boeing in case this particular automated system kicked in. That is crucial because we're trying to understand precisely what happened as we did you'll remember with the Lion Air flight in the moments before it crashed.
What the pilots tried to do and what they were up against. Those automated flight systems are what essentially because of the special design of this Boeing allowed it to be pushed back downwards if it pitched up. Well, we understand it happened in the Lion Air crash just a few months before, Dave, is that the crew, the pilots had time and time again tried to deactivate the system that was pushing the nose of the plane down.
Did the same thing happen this time? This is what we're waiting to hear.
BRIGGS: There's 346 people killed on those two crashes. The MAX remains grounded world wild.
Melissa Bell, live for us in Paris. Thank you.
ROMANS: All right. Two years ago Boeing's CEO boasted about how quickly it was able to bring the 737 to the market. Dennis Muilenburg praised the Federal Aviation Administration's streamline certification process attributing it to the pro-business philosophy of the new Trump administration. But after two deadly crashes, Boeing facing a serious crisis here. The 737 has been the company's best-selling product for decades and Boeing is an important company that contributes to the national economy.
It sells more than half of its products internationally, boosting trade. Its stock carries some serious weight on the Dow. Since the Ethiopian Air crash, Boeing stock is down close to 9 percent, shaving about $20 billion from Boeing market cap. JPMorgan's chief economist says if Boeing were forced to halt production it could reduce the U.S. GDP by about 1/10, almost 2/10 of a percent. For now issues with the aircraft probably won't affect GDP because production does continue. Boeing will report first quarter deliveries on orders next week.
And as it works to reestablish trust, Muilenburg, the CEO, joined a test flight of 737 MAX yesterday. A testing on the plane's software update continues and Boeing plans to submit it to the FAA in the coming weeks.
All right. The FBI is investigating that alleged security breach at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend as a possible espionage effort. A woman with Chinese passports, four cell phones and a thumb drive containing malware was able to enter the president's Florida retreat. A top House Democrat has asked for a briefing on the security at the Palm Beach Club. For his part, the president says the Secret Service and the club's receptionist had it all under control.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: No, I'm not concerned at all. I have -- we have very good control. We have extremely good, and it's getting better. I think that was just a fluke situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Yujing Zhang told a federal judge Monday she works as an investor and consultant for a Chinese company. Prosecutors called her a flight risk. The Chinese embassy in Washington has not responded to our request for comment.
Later today President Trump will meet with China's vice premier.
An Illinois boy missing almost eight years has apparently turned up alive in Kentucky. A teenager identifying himself as Timmothy Pitzen telling police he just escaped his kidnappers by fleeing a red roof inn where they were staying. Authorities say it appears the young man kept running until he ran across a bridge into Kentucky. The teenager has not been positively identified yet. CNN spoke to a woman who saw him outside her home and took these photos.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHARON HALL, RESIDENT, NEWPORT, KENTUCKY, WITNESS WHO SAW MISSING BOY: A boy was leaning against one of my neighbor's cars that -- we've been having some crimes here -- with crime here. So I called her to tell her but -- you know, hey, let's look out here. I took the picture in case he did something and, you know, ran off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Now this case has confounded law enforcement for years. Timothy was 6 -- you see him there -- when he went missing in May of 2011 after his mother took him out of his Aurora, Illinois, school citing a family emergency. She then took him on a three-day road trip with stops at zoos and water parks. She was later found dead in a Rockford, Illinois, hotel. Now a suicide note was found saying Timmothy was safe with people who would love and care for him. The note added, quote, "You'll never find him."
BRIGGS: Wow, just a bizarre story. We'll stay on it for you.
Meanwhile, more trouble for Facebook. This morning security researchers found hundreds of millions of Facebook user records exposed to the public on Amazon's cloud service. Two third-party companies were found to have stored the data without a password, allowing anyone to access it. Facebook permits third party developers to integrate apps and Web sites with its platform.
[04:10:03] In a statement Facebook says once alerted to the issue, it worked with Amazon to take down the data bases. This is the latest example of the social media network struggling to protect data collected from its more than two billion users. No evidence the data has been misused, but Facebook is investigating.
ROMANS: What's going on? Every day, every single day there is a Facebook privacy headline.
BRIGGS: George Stephanopoulos will interview Mark Zuckerberg this morning.
ROMANS: Every single day.
BRIGGS: A couple of questions. Yes.
ROMANS: Ten minutes past the hour. A battle between allegiance to law and allegiance to God. One state legislature could demand priests inform police about sexual abuse reported in confession.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: So no apology from former Vice President Joe Biden and no specific response to recent allegations he made women feel uncomfortable. But in a new video, Biden addresses the recent controversy over his touchy feely style of politics.
[04:15:02] He says he will be more mindful in the future of respecting personal space.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Social norms have begun to change. They've shifted. And the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset. And I get it, I get it. I hear what they're saying. I understand. And I'll be much more mindful. That's my responsibility. My responsibility and I'll meet it. But I'll always believe governing, quite frankly, life, for that matter, is about connecting. About connecting with people. That won't change.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The Biden camp has been in damage control mode since former Nevada lawmaker Lucy Flores, a Democrat, says the then vice president smelled her hair and kissed the back of her head during a 2014 campaign event. Flores is glad Biden acknowledges making women feel uncomfortable but says he still has not apologized.
Biden alluded to his 2020 plans in that video saying he'll be talking to Americans about a whole lot of issues in the coming months.
BRIGGS: Colorado Senator Michael Bennet revealing he has prostate cancer. The 54-year-old Democrat has been teasing a possible presidential run for months. He says plans to have cancer surgery during the congressional recess that begins next week. Bennet says in statement he was diagnosed in March. He called himself fortunate the cancer was detected early and says his prognosis is good.
ROMANS: All right. Prosecutors in that college admission scandal say they plan to seek jail time for every one of the defendants. That includes actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman. They're facing between six and 21 months in prison. They are among a dozen people who appeared in federal court Wednesday in Boston. All of them implicated in Operation Varsity Blues.
Parents, allegedly paying a college prep business to cheat for their children on standardized tests and to bribe college coaches to help get their children into highly competitive universities. Loughlin signing autographs for her fans outside court. She and Huffman waived a pretrial hearing and were free to leave.
BRIGGS: More than 750,000 people could lose food stamps under President Trump's new proposal, and those affected are likely to be the poorest of the poor. The administration wants to make more Americans work for their food stamps. This new plan would cut back on state's ability to seek waivers from the current requirement for nondisabled working age adults without dependents.
ROMANS: All right. Flood waters receding in Nebraska. And now that's finally revealing the scope of the devastation in the Midwest. Aerial footage shot by Nebraska State Patrol showing wide paths of damage and debris. The Spencer Dam destroyed. The Highway 281 Bridge washed out. The state estimates $1.3 billion in infrastructure, livestock and crop losses.
And the USDA which runs disaster programs for farmers has no mechanism to compensate those farmers for crops damaged in storage. These days farmers have more crops in storage than ever. Why? Lost sales from the Trump administration's trade war with China.
BRIGGS: California lawmakers hoping to reverse centuries of tradition in the Catholic Church by forcing priests to report confessions of child sex abuse. Senate Bill SB 360 would make it required by law. The California Catholic Conference of Bishops claims the measure would put clergy in an impossible position. They say it would force priests to either violate the law or their oath to God.
There are also concerns the measure would put clergy at risk of being excommunicated from the church. Current law exempts clergy from reporting crimes they hear about during confession. Ahead, a man beats a woman. It's caught on video. So why, then, is
she the one facing charges?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:23:20] BRIGGS: Babies, it works, folks. How would you like that? A baby next to you crying at the desk next door, how would that go? California lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow start workers to bring their infants to work every day. The bill would apply to babies between the ages of six weeks and six months or until the infant is crawling. The infants must also get medical clearance.
In the past a similar bill did not advance but the state's new Governor Gavin Newsom has shown an interest in parent friendly initiatives. The measure was introduced back in February. It was scheduled for a vote yesterday but was delayed.
ROMANS: I'd rather be home with my baby. I want longer --
BRIGGS: Yes.
ROMANS: I want more paid time off with the baby, not bringing the baby to work.
BRIGGS: No thanks.
ROMANS: But that is interesting, that at least there's a parent friendly initiative going forward.
In Dallas, the Dallas DA now declining to prosecute a woman who was hospitalized after this violent parking dispute caught on tape last month. Police charging L'Daijohnique Lee after she admitted damaging the vehicle of the man who beat her.
Now warning, you may find this video disturbing. It shows a white man holding a gun. He slaps the cell phone out of her hands. She then punches him. He responds by repeatedly punching her in the face and head.
BRIGGS: Civil rights groups protested the Dallas PD's decision to charge Lee who they say is the victim. The man who repeatedly punched her identified as 30-year-old Austin Sheffield faces four misdemeanor charges in the attack. Dallas police also refer to felony charge, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon to a grand jury.
ROMANS: All right. It's not just what people eat that's killing them, it's what they aren't eating. A 27-year global diet study published Wednesday cites the lack of healthy foods in our diet along with high levels of salt.
[04:25:06] In 2017, one in five deaths worldwide, that's about 11 million people, occurred because of too much sodium and a lack of whole grains, fruit, nuts and seeds. The large study -- the size the study means these findings are relevant to everyone no matter where you live.
And it's interesting, we are consuming more calories and less nutrients than ever before. It's just really weird --
BRIGGS: Great news.
ROMANS: Kind of the richer the world gets.
BRIGGS: The poorer we eat.
ROMANS: The poorer our food.
All right. Do the attorney general's summary of the Mueller report fairly represent its findings? Some of the investigators say no.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Happening now, officials in Ethiopia reveal their first report of what brought down a Boeing 737 MAX last month.
BRIGGS: Oversight or overkill. Democrats now requesting six years of the president's tax returns.
ROMANS: Is there more to the Mueller probe than meets Bill Barr's eye?
[04:30:00]
