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New Day

More Charges in College Scam; Sanders to Release Taxes; Feud Between Buttigieg and Pence; CNN "Reality Check" on William Barr. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired April 10, 2019 - 06:30   ET

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

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[06:32:45] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: The acting number two at the Department of Homeland Security is the latest official to resign. Claire Grady's departure paves the way for President Trump's pick, Kevin McAleenan, could be the acting head of DHS. DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen is expected to leave the administration today. The president, though, insists the personnel moves are not what they appear to be.

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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I never said I'm cleaning house. I don't know who came up with that expression. We have a lot of great people over there.

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CAMEROTA: The changes come as the president signals a tougher stance on migrants at the U.S./Mexico border.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Police in the Dominican Republic believe they've found the bodies of a missing couple from New York that were vacationing on the island. Orlando Moore and Portia Ravenelle were supposed to return home on March 27th. Authorities say a woman fitting the description of Ravenelle was found on a road in Santo Domingo late last month. And a man fitting Moore's description was discovered -- a body was discovered at sea. Police believe the couple's rental car may have plunged into the ocean on the way to the airport.

CAMEROTA: Oh, my gosh.

Two hundred million people are in the path of a potentially historic spring storm. Blizzard warnings are up from Nebraska to Minnesota. Some places could see up to two feet of snow. This massive storm is expected to bring strong winds which could trigger whiteout conditions. Some cities like Denver saw balmy temperatures yesterday and they are waking up to blizzard-like conditions today.

BERMAN: All right, this might be the most important story of the day. Paramount, we understand, is considering releasing a "Grease" prequel. A prequel to the popular 1978 musical "Grease." It will be titled "Summer Nights." CAMEROTA: Perfect.

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JOHN TRAVOLTA, ACTOR, "GREASE" (singing): Summer loving had me a blast.

OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN, ACTRESS, "GREASE" (singing): Summer loving happened so fast.

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CAMEROTA: Oh, it's a classic.

BERMAN: It submit the title should be "tell me more, what really happened at the beach."

CAMEROTA: Tell me more, tell me more, yes.

BERMAN: What really happened at the beach, because that's in question.

CAMEROTA: Well, we're going to get to the bottom of it. How are they going to make John Travolta and Olivia Newton John, though, look younger?

BERMAN: CGI. CGI.

CAMEROTA: That's it.

BERMAN: I don't know that they will be acting in the film. "The Hollywood Reporter" says the film will tell the story of how Danny and Sandy, the characters played by John Travolta and Olivia Newton John --

CAMEROTA: Oh, of course, everybody knows that, John.

BERMAN: Hopelessly devoted to you.

[06:35:00] CAMEROTA: Move on.

BERMAN: How they met at the beach, right? You remember there was a "Grease" sequel, "Grease 2."

CAMEROTA: Yes.

BERMAN: It did not do well at the box office.

CAMEROTA: Well, I saw it.

BERMAN: It was awesome. Michelle Pfeiffer, Adrian Zmed, Max Caulfield. The best Maxwell Caulfield movie ever.

We should note, Fox aired a live version of "Grease" in 2016, but who cares about that when there's going to be a prequel.

CAMEROTA: Just look at that. How great was that movie? BERMAN: I think it's a terrible movie.

CAMEROTA: I think it's a fantastic movie. Now, I don't know that it's going to hold up in the Me Too moment.

BERMAN: Why? Because the theme of all you have to do to get what you want is wear black leather pants?

CAMEROTA: Well, yes. I mean I think that we are definitely questioning whether that theme is true this year, but it did work for her really well.

All right, please weigh in on John's Twitter feed.

Meanwhile, actress Lori Loughlin and 15 other wealthy parents are now facing even more charges in that massive college admissions scandal here in the U.S.

CNN's Brynn Gingras has been following this. She joins us with the latest.

What now?

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, wasn't it yesterday morning we were saying this could happen? I think so.

Well, this additional charge of money laundering comes in this superseding indictment. So this essentially means the stakes just got higher for Loughlin, her husband and the 15 other parents.

Let's back up, though, to last month, when 33 parents faced a single charge in a criminal complaint. Remember, prosecutors detailed evidence they said they had against all those people connected to this scam, recorded phone conversations, e-mails. Well, law enforcement sources were telling CNN that that was just a starting point for the government. That it had even more evidence against those who didn't strike a deal with prosecutors and they ran the risk of facing more charges. That's what we're seeing now.

And this comes after the U.S. attorney's office announced 13 parents and one coach did take a deal, including Felicity Huffman, all likely reducing their punishment with that deal. And Huffman, remember, released that statement, we read it yesterday morning. She sounded pretty remorseful. It's a different response than what we've been seeing from Lori Loughlin at this point, who last week, remember, she was signing autographs at the airport before her initial court appearance.

Now, Loughlin will have to go before a judge again, this time with that additional money laundering charge. And it's unclear if she'll fight this or possibly make a deal with prosecutors.

Now, as far as their kids go, Loughlin's daughters go to USC. That school says it's judging the fate of students connected to this on a case-by-case basis. And, interestingly enough, the school is considering parents' plea deals when doing so. As for Huffman, her daughter was trying to get into college when her

mother took part in this scam. It's unclear where she's been accepted, because, John and Alisyn, really it's the kids that didn't know about this that are really losing out in this.

BERMAN: Brynn, you've done terrific reporting on this. Thank you so much. I'm dying to know what Lori Loughlin's legal defense will be for these charges. I'm also dying to know why you think that just putting on a cardigan sweater, which is all John Travolta did, is the same thing as the transformation that Olivia Newton John went under.

CAMEROTA: Yes, and he looked very cheesy in that cardigan sweater.

BERMAN: Right. That's my point.

CAMEROTA: That should -- he should not have done that.

BERMAN: Yes.

CAMEROTA: Kept the leather.

BERMAN: All right, on the subject of leather, Bernie Sanders set to release ten years of tax returns with a big reveal. Turns out he is a millionaire. How will that affect the Democratic race?

CAMEROTA: I hope he's embarrassed.

BERMAN: We'll discuss, next.

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[06:41:59] BERMAN: After weeks of scrutiny, Democratic contender Bernie Sanders tells "The New York Times" he will release a decade's worth of tax returns by Monday. Sanders, who has made economic inequality a cornerstone of his campaign, also acknowledged he is now a millionaire.

Here with us, CNN political correspondent MJ Lee.

And he was somewhat defensive about the revelation he's now a millionaire. He told "The New York Times," I wrote a bestselling book. If you write a bestselling book, you can be a millionaire, too.

This is an issue apparently for Senator Sanders.

MJ LEE, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And, look, the fact that he acknowledged that he now is a millionaire, will the critics latch on to that and find things to criticize in his tax returns and scrutinize them? Absolutely. And, by the way, the criticism that he had dragged his feet on releasing his tax returns, I think they are -- that is more than fair.

BERMAN: Yes.

LEE: Like, he's the who -- right, he's the one who said that they would be released soon a couple of weeks ago. And, by the way, some of his other 2020 Democratic rivals, they have put out years of their tax returns. And those rivals did not also run for president in 2016 when Bernie Sanders refused to put out his tax returns.

CAMEROTA: But was he not releasing his tax returns because of this? Because -- why the shame over his success?

LEE: Well, we don't -- we don't know why, but it does -- there is a suggestion that he doesn't want his tax returns and certainly ten years of tax returns scrutinized.

Look, I do think the fact that he did not release his tax returns in 2016, but it didn't get a whole lot of attention last cycle is a very good reminder of how actually undervetted Bernie Sanders was and that that is probably not going to be a mistake that Democrats and Republicans want to make again in 2020 as he is now clearly the Democratic frontrunner.

BERMAN: All right, I want to bring us up to speed on what has become a simmering debate between Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and the Pence family. Mike Pence, of course, was governor of Indiana.

This started -- it happened here on this show where Pete Buttigieg was very critical of Mike Pence's stance -- opposition to gay marriage. And then Buttigieg went even further in other comments. Listen to this.

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MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG (D), SOUTH BEND, INDIANA: My marriage to Chasten has made me a better man. And, yes, Mr. Vice President, it has moved me closer to God. And if you've got a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me. Your quarrel, sir, is with my Creator.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: All right, in response to this and other comments, Karen Pence, the vice president's wife, said in our country -- well, let's play what she said.

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KAREN PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE'S WIFE: In our country, we need to understand, you shouldn't be attacked for what your religious beliefs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yesterday --

PENCE: Well, it's kind of funny because I don't think the vice president does have a problem with him. But it -- I think it's helping Pete to get some notoriety by saying that about the vice president.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BERMAN: Finally, the response from Buttigieg to this was, people will often be polite to you in person, while advancing policies that harm you and your family. You will be polite to them in turn, but you need not stand for such harms. Instead, you push back honestly and emphatically. So it goes in the public square.

LEE: So I think there is one thing worth making very clear, which is that Vice President Pence is one of the most conservative national Republicans when it comes to social issues at every turn. He has resisted expanding gay rights. But because of the nature of both the 2016 campaign and the chaotic nature of the Trump administration, I think it is more than fair to say that the vice president has largely escaped scrutiny on this.

[06:45:24] I mean you'll recall back at -- back at the vice presidential debate against Tim Koine, this was not even an issue that came up, even though as governor of Indiana he signed a law into bill that critics said would have allowed businesses to openly discriminate against gay people.

So, I mean, say what you will about Pete Buttigieg. He is finding a way to bring this to the forefront, an issue that has, again, largely escaped scrutiny.

CAMEROTA: I think it's very interesting. I think this is a really interesting debate because I think that what it points out is that, to your face -- and people are generally, I think, kind towards their neighbor, kind towards the people that they work with, kind towards the people in their family. And so they -- when you know somebody personally, you don't stand on your soap box about all the things that are wrong with them.

But what Pete Buttigieg is referring to is that -- I think -- in 2006 Mike Pence said in a speech, societal collapse was always brought about following the advent of the deterioration of marriage and family. Pence also called being gay a choice and said keeping gays from marrying was not discrimination but an enforcement of, quote, God's idea.

And so you hear Buttigieg speaking directly to that. That this -- that if it was -- it's not a choice, he doesn't believe. But, if so, it was God's choice, he's basically saying.

And I just think that this is very interesting because, you know, what Mrs. Pence is saying is that -- but he's always been so nice to Pete Buttigieg. Why is Pete Buttigieg saying this? And Pete Buttigieg is saying, because there's a larger issue here.

LEE: Well, and also your neighbor is not always going to be a person in elected office or a person with power to actually do something about laws that directly impact your life. And Pence -- and Pence has been in that position.

BERMAN: All right, I want to play you some of the CNN town hall last night with Kirsten Gillibrand, the senator from New York, where she was pressed on the fact that her stance on issues -- some issues that are very important to Democrats, gun rights and others, have changed. Listen.

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SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think it's really important that you're able to admit when you're wrong and that you're able to grow and learn and listen and be better and be stronger. That is something that Donald Trump is unwilling to do. He is unwilling to listen. He is unwilling to admit when he's wrong. He's actually incapable of it. And I think it's one of the reasons why he is such a cowardly president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: How much will this be an issue for Senator Gillibrand going forward?

LEE: Look, I think the takeaway or one of the takeaways from last night is that there are almost 20 Democratic candidates. And where Kirsten Gillibrand is at right now is that she is having to spend a lot of time still explaining why people think her record is inconsistent. I think that is not a position that you want to be in.

Could you make the argument that some of those inconsistencies, or perceived inconsistencies, could play well to a more conservative base? Absolutely. But, again, I don't think, at this stage, you want to be explaining yourself over and over again.

BERMAN: MJ Lee --

CAMEROTA: Thank you very much.

LEE: Thanks.

BERMAN: All right, Attorney General William Barr promised transparency when he releases the Mueller report. Now that he has been grilled on Capitol Hill, all those promises, all they're cracked up to be? A "Reality Check" is next.

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[06:52:24] CAMEROTA: Transparency, that was the popular buzz word before William Barr was confirmed as attorney general. So will Barr pass his own transparency test when he releases the redacted Mueller report?

John Avlon is here with our "Reality Check."

What do you think, John?

JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, it was billed by John Berman as the sexiest appropriations hearing in history.

BERMAN: Steamy.

AVLON: Ah, and certainly things certainly got hot and heavy when Attorney General Bill Barr met Congress for the first time since his four-page letter on the Mueller report. There was partisan grandstanding, some new information and lots of still open questions. But the biggest issue stems from a promise Barr made during his confirmation hearings.

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WILLIAM BARR, ATTORNEY GENERAL: My goal will be to provide as much transparency as I can consistent with the law.

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AVLON: Transparency, that's the issue. And whether Barr is really doing all he can.

So let's take a closer look. Yesterday, Barr said this.

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BARR: I tried to use as much of the special counsel's own language as I could.

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AVLON: That may have been his intention, but let's look at the results. We know the full Mueller report is somewhere between 300 and 400 pages, excluding charts and supporting documents. That's a doorstop of a document. So let's be conservative and say that's roughly 90,000 words, assuming it's double spaced. Barr included exactly 101 words from the Mueller report in his four-page letter, and that's counting a footnote and the title. That's about 0.1 percent of the total Mueller report. So it's hard to square that stat with Barr saying he tried to include as much of the special counsel's language as he could.

His letter was the result of a 48-hour reading binge of the mammoth report and it's worth asking whether Barr's unsolicited 19 page memo saying the Mueller investigation was, quote, fatally conceived was written quite as quickly.

We also know the Mueller team prepared summary documents that Barr declined to release or even apparently utilize.

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BARR: I was not interested in putting out summaries or trying to summarize because I think any summary, regardless of who prepares it, not only runs the risk of, you know, being under inclusive or over inclusive, but also, you know, would trigger a lot of discussion and analysis that really should await everything coming out at once.

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AVLON: OK, so Barr certainly seems to have erred on the side of being under inclusive. And, of course, his letter already triggered a lot of discussion and analysis. It was greeted with cheers of complete vindication from team Trump and indelibly framed the national debate. Look, despite Democrats' complaints, it's totally appropriate to

redact information that could compromise sources or ongoing investigations. But it's striking that Barr said he has no interest in asking a judge to approve the release of grand jury testimony, as was done after the Watergate and Starr investigations. Among the many open questions is whether Mueller intended to have the AG decide whether the president should be charged with obstruction, an impeachable offense. Just ask Presidents Nixon and Clinton.

[06:55:14] But we know from those 101 words that the president was explicitly not exonerated on the question of obstruction. We've repeatedly heard the opposite from team Trump, including Congressman Tom Graves yesterday.

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REP. TOM GRAVES (R-GA): And the conclusions were simple. No collusion, no obstruction.

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AVLON: No. But, notably, AG Barr did not take the opportunity to correct the Georgia congressman. But he did confirm he's looking into the roots of the Russia investigation, essentially bowing to Trump's demands to investigate the investigators.

When the report's released to the public in the next week or so, we'll all get much more visibility into the actual evidence behind the conclusions. In the meantime, Attorney General Barr deserves the benefit of the doubt. But as Ronald Reagan reminded us, we should trust but verify. And that process has only just begun.

And that's your "Reality Check."

CAMEROTA: John, thank you very much.

BERMAN: All right, so what else do lawmakers want to learn from Bill Barr when he is back on Capitol Hill very shortly? We're going to speak to the Democrat who chaired this hearing yesterday. What did she think about his non-answers? That's next.

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