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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Attorney General William Barr Claims Trump Campaign was Spied On; Bernie Sanders Unveils New Medicare-for-All Plan; Uprising in Sudan; Netanyahu Wins 5th Term as Israeli Prime Minister; Near-Bomb Cyclone Hits Midwest and Plains; Europe Delays Brexit Until Halloween. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired April 11, 2019 - 04:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[04:00:29] WILLIAM BARR, ATTORNEY GENERAL: I think spying did occur. Yes, I think spying did occur.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Attorney General Bill Barr now investigating the FBI, saying agents spied on the Trump campaign.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Tens of thousands are marching through the streets of Sudan's capital where an uprising against the president may have come to a head.

BRIGGS: A suspect now in custody in connection with fires at historically black churches in Louisiana.

ROMANS: And six states -- six U.S. states under blizzard warnings as a severe spring storm strikes from the Rockies to the plains.

Good morning, everyone.

BRIGGS: Boy, did it.

ROMANS: Welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans. It'd be a really travel misery today, folks.

BRIGGS: Yes. Yesterday was rough, today worse. Two feet of snow in some parts of South Dakota. I'm Dave Briggs, Thursday, April 11th, it is 4:00 a.m. in the East. Good morning to you all.

We start in the nation's capital. Attorney General Bill Barr dropping a bombshell at the Senate hearing yesterday telling lawmakers he thinks the Trump campaign was spied on and he'll be looking into why.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: I think spying on a political campaign is a big deal. It's a big deal.

SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-NH): You're not suggesting, though, that spying occurred?

BARR: I don't -- well, I guess you could -- I think that spying did occur. Yes, I think spying did occur.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Barr provided no evidence for that claim. A source familiar with his thinking later telling us he meant spying in the classic sense of intel collection. The source said Barr now wants to find out whether there was a proper basis for any surveillance.

CNN's Sara Murray with more from Washington.

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine and Dave.

Bill Barr, the attorney general, was back in front of lawmakers yesterday with a very surprising claim. He hinted that maybe the FBI and maybe intelligence agencies were spying on the Trump campaign during 2016, but he didn't offer any evidence to back it up. And in fact, later on, he clarified his remarks, saying this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARR: I am not saying that improper surveillance occurred. I'm saying that I am concerned about it and looking into it. That's all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MURRAY: Barr also shared with lawmakers that he is looking into how this initial investigation into the Trump campaign began in 2016. That's certainly something that will be very pleasing to President Trump. What may not be so pleasing, though, Barr also told lawmakers he's not going to look at the Mueller report and sanitize it so there's nothing that makes the president look bad. He said he's only going to do that about private individuals, not people who are holding public office.

And of course he faced plenty of criticism over his summary of the Mueller report, over his decision to clear the president of obstruction of justice. He said that Mueller didn't actually instruct him to do that. He also didn't instruct Barr to leave this up to Congress. And he said he still doesn't know how Special Counsel Robert Mueller feels about his decision to clear the president of wrongdoing when it comes to obstruction of justice.

Back to you, guys.

ROMANS: All right, Sara, thank you so much for that.

Congressional Democrats are furious over Barr's assertion and his use of the hot button word spying.

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SEN. MARK WARNER (D-VA): I'm amazed that the attorney general would make that kind of statement. I think it is, in many ways, disrespectful to the men and women who work in the Justice Department. And it shows, I think, either a lack of understanding or willful ignorance of what goes into a counterintelligence investigation.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): How very, very dismaying and disappointing that the chief law enforcement officer of our country is going off the rails yesterday and today. He is the attorney general of the United States of America, not the attorney general of Donald Trump.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Republicans strongly defending Barr. Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan saying how impressed he was with the attorney general adding, God bless him. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell took Barr's side on FOX News.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): Obviously, the question of whether you trust Bill Barr or not, he was confirmed unanimously as attorney general way back in Bush 41. He's an honorable man. He's not over there trying to cover anything up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: President Trump claims the Mueller investigation was an illegal operation to overthrow him. He says every single thing about it was crooked and insists dirty cops and bad people were the driving force behind it.

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[04:05:05] DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This was an attempted coup. This was an attempted takedown of a president and we beat them. We beat them. So the Mueller report, when they talk about obstruction, we fight back. And you know why we fight back? Because I knew how illegal this whole thing was. This was an illegal witch hunt and everybody knew it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: The president adding, quote, he's most interested in Attorney General Barr's review of the FBI's conduct from the start of the Russia probe.

ROMANS: All right. House Democrats waiting for President Trump's tax returns. They'll have to keep waiting. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin telling Congress last night he would not comply with the deadline to hand over returns. Mnuchin writing to the House Ways and Means Committee to say, quote, "The legal implications of this request could affect protections for all Americans against politically motivated disclosures of personal tax information regardless of which party is in power." The president himself offering a different but familiar explanation for holding back his returns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: I have no obligation to do that while I'm under audit, and no lawyer would tell you to release your tax returns while you're under audit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Democrats expecting a drawn-out legal and political showdown. They are basing their request on a law from the 1920s that has never been challenged in court. Ways and Means chairman Richard Neal says he plans to send a follow-up request to the IRS before taking more drastic steps like a subpoena that would inevitably end up in court.

BRIGGS: Bernie Sanders taking his claim to be the leading progressive in a crowded field of 2020 Democrats. The Vermont senator unveiling his ramped up Medicare-for-all plan Wednesday.

More now from Ryan Nobles.

RYAN NOBLES, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Dave and Christine, there's no doubt that we knew Bernie Sanders was going to make health care a big focus of his presidential campaign, and yesterday was an example of that. Here on Capitol Hill, rolling out his Medicare-for- all 2.0. This would be a plan that ultimately would eliminate the private insurance market and go to a single-payer government-run health care plan.

Sanders arguing to a very boisterous crowd that this is what the American people want and it is time that politicians here in Washington deliver.

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SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D-VT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The American people are increasingly clear. They want a health care system that guarantees health care to all Americans as a right. They want a health care system which will lower health care costs and save them money. In other words, the American people want and we are going to deliver a Medicare-for-all single-payer system. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBLES: Now even though Sanders was introducing this legislation on Capitol Hill, it really has no shot of passing in the near future. This is really a 2020 campaign issue, and he had Kirsten Gillibrand by his side at this event and there are three other 2020 competitors who've cosponsored this legislation, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren.

Now each one of them also has a bit of nuance to their own health care proposals even though they are supporting Sanders in terms of this effort, and what we are seeing here is Democratic candidates attempting to find some space here and to really present to the Democratic voters their plans for health care which poll after poll shows is at or near the top of list of concerns of Democratic voters.

Sanders believes he was in front of this. He often talks about how this was a radical idea four years ago, and now it is mainstream politics. He is hoping that this is something that resonates with the voters. One thing he's not talking about, though, is just how much it's going to cost. Sanders instead saying that in the long run, it will be cheaper for the average American because whatever additional cost they have to pay in taxes will be offset by what they are saving in terms of not having to pay for premiums, co-pays, and much cheaper prescription drugs.

We won't know the full cost of all of this until it goes through the legislative process and it could be some time -- Dave and Christine.

ROMANS: All right, breaking news. An uprising in Sudan. Thousands of protesters camped outside the military headquarters in Khartoum, calling for President Omar al-Bashir to resign. State television and radio declaring an important statement is coming soon.

Our senior international correspondent Nima Elbagir is tracking the latest development.

And you recently were there, actually even hiding in a safe house at one point, as the military was trying to regain control. Tell us what's happening there.

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, at this point we're still waiting for an official proclamation that a self- proclaimed military transition council has circulated a document saying that they have taken control of the country. We're waiting. Historically what happens is it's basically first to any of the state radio and television apparatuses.

We're waiting to hear any kind of statement from them. But protesters really, they're not taking the risk, Christine.

[04:10:02] They're staying out on the streets. They say they will protect what they call this people's revolt, and everyone I'm speaking to on the ground said while there is a sense of fear and there has been gunshots heard, there's also really a sense of hope.

BRIGGS: I can tell you Reuters right now has tweeted Sudan's President al-Bashir has stepped down according to Reuters sources so there are more than this military group.

Tell us a little bit more about President al-Bashir and the type of terror he has inflicted on that population.

ELBAGIR: Well, he's an indicted war criminal. He's responsible for at least three military funds. And in addition to that, as we saw when we run for cover in Khartoum recently, he has inflicted this regime of terror and torture over the last few months to try and embed his rule. What was really extraordinary was that, in spite of that, and for a generation that has known no one other than him, the majority of Sudan's population is under 30. They still stayed out on the streets and this comes on the heels of Bouteflika standing down in Algeria.

ROMANS: Yes. ELBAGIR: There is a real sense of perhaps a North African spring.

ROMANS: What are your friends and family saying? I mean, this is -- you're covering this story but this is also your home.

ELBAGIR: Well, I'm 40 years old and I have known really as a grownup no other president than Omar al-Bashir. I have never voted in a democratic election back home, and I am very typical of what's happening in the country right now, just this hope that perhaps, I don't know, maybe I will stand in a voting booth in my own country one day.

ROMANS: That's remarkable. Nima Elbagir, thank you so much. So glad to have you here while this is happening.

BRIGGS: Great to have you. Thanks.

All right. Elsewhere, Benjamin Netanyahu gearing up for a record fifth term as prime minister of Israel with over 97 percent of the vote counted. A bloc led by Netanyahu's Likud Party is poised to secure 65 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. That's 10 more than the center-left bloc led by Benny Gantz's Blue and White Party.

Michael Holmes is live for us from Jerusalem with the latest.

Good morning, sir. How did he hang on? What does this mean for those corruption allegations?.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hey, Dave. Yes, I can actually give you the very latest because we just heard in the last few minutes that voting has been completed now. The last votes that were being counted with a balance from soldiers overseas, diplomats, people in hospitals, prisoners, that sort of thing. But it was around 250,000 votes so they have counted them. They're actually doing a check again.

Let's not call it a recount. It's not that but they're checking those because it was quite close for one of those right-wing parties that was under the threshold for getting seats in the Knesset, may have gone above the threshold. They're double-checking that. That would another partner to the Netanyahu coalition giving his bloc a couple more seats.

What happens next is the president of this country will be calling in delegations from each party asking them who they think should be given the chance to form a coalition. That of course given the numbers you just mentioned is going to be Benjamin Netanyahu. That could take a week or so. Then Netanyahu has 28 days to get it all done -- Dave.

BRIGGS: OK. Michael, thank you. We'll check back with you next half hour.

Ahead, blizzard warnings right now in a half dozen states with over two feet of snow expected to hit some areas. We'll have the details for you straight ahead.

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[04:17:23] BRIGGS: 4:17 Eastern Time and a suspect in custody this morning in connection with fires at three historically black churches in Louisiana over a span of 10 days. Two law enforcement officials with direct knowledge of the investigation telling CNN the suspect is a 21-year-old male from St. Landry Parish. CNN has the name of the subject but is not reporting it until it's announced by authorities. We expect to get more information at a press conference scheduled for this morning.

ROMANS: All right. Spring in the Midwestern plains has suddenly turned winter white. Blizzard warnings are now up in six states. Hit hard by a severe storm. Many are calling it another bomb cyclone.

CNN's Scott McLean has more from Minneapolis.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Dave, Christine, it has been spring for more than three weeks. But across the plains, winter is coming back for a curtain call or in this case, a bomb cyclone.

Now snow storms are not uncommon in April in the plains but a storm of this storm of this strength certainly is. There are blizzard warnings stretching from Colorado all the way to Minnesota. That means whiteout conditions and winds of 50, even 60 miles per hour which is causing plenty of blowing snow.

Here in Minneapolis, there could be up to a foot of snowfall before this is all over. Though in parts of South Dakota, they are expecting more than two feet. It is coming down so fast and so furious that officials actually temporarily closed the main interstate south of Minneapolis because there were so many crashes and spinouts.

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled because of this storm. Many of them have been in Denver, and of course officials are asking people to stay off the roads if they can until this storm passes, though for most places that won't be until Friday -- Dave, Christine.

BRIGGS: Thank you, Scott. We've got to get that man some gloves.

Is this really a bomb cyclone? Well, not technically but tell that to people getting slammed in the Rockies and the plains.

Here's meteorologist Derek Van Dam live in the CNN Weather Center with the latest.

Derek, this is a monster no matter what you call it. How much is on the way today?

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, that's a good question, Dave. I think you tell anybody from Minneapolis to Denver, they're just busy looking at the calendars going it's mid-April, what gives, why is winter making such a comeback? Well, it's all thanks to the storm that is rotating across the Central Plains drawing blizzard conditions.

An impressive snow fall totals over a foot and a half in some locations already. And there are still more to come. You can see the heaviest totals just west of Minneapolis, but really anywhere you see that shading of pink and purple, we have the potential to see over a foot and a half of additional snow.

On top of that, we've got hurricane force wind gusts. Look at Pueblo, Colorado, they clocked 107 miles per hour yesterday afternoon with the system.

[04:20:05] Lots of energy. Lots of wind, as it continues to strengthen. You can see the wind advisories in place. That shading of red across the northern plains, specifically from Nebraska into South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota. That's where we're expecting the whiteout conditions with blizzard warnings ongoing.

Look out, Minneapolis, we've got a heavy snow band moving in. You have the potential to break some records here this winter season. That is just a few inches shy of it by the way. And you can see the chance of severe weather on the warm side of the storm. Keep an eye to the sky if you're located in Chicago. You have the potential of large hail and damaging winds.

Dave, Christine, back to you.

BRIGGS: Derek, thank you. That is a monster. 107 miles per hour wind in Colorado. Thank you, my friend. Wow.

ROMANS: And I look at those maps and I see the Missouri River and the Mississippi River, which are expected to flood all the way into May, and there's all that precipitation coming now, too, so unbelievable.

BRIGGS: Last thing they need.

ROMANS: All right, 20 minutes past the hour. Something we have not seen since the Great Recession. The nation's top banking CEOs grilled by Congress, ready to testify how well they're performing 10 years after the financial crisis. Instead these men faced scrutiny over their roles in income inequality and diversity or a rack of it.

Congressman Al Green asked the seven bankers if the next CEO of their bank would be a female or a person of color. None appeared to have raised their hands.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. AL GREEN (D-TX): The record has to be made, all white men and none of you, not one, appears to believe that your successor will be a female or a person of color.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Now these executives have now testified before Congress as a group since 2009. Missing from the group was Tim Sloan who recently stepped down as CEO of Wells Fargo, as that bank struggles to overcome a number of scandals.

Lawmakers grilled these executives on their profits, income inequality and the importance of the Federal Reserve's independence.

BRIGGS: OK, ahead, leaders in Europe agreed to a delay on Brexit through October. But many doubt whether Theresa May can ever get a deal passed. We'll have a live report, next.

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[04:26:32] BRIGGS: European leaders have agreed to delay Britain's departure from the E.U. until October 31st. This new Halloween deadline prevents a potentially disastrous so-called hard Brexit, one without a deal that was scheduled for tomorrow. The president of the European Council pleading with U.K. leaders to not waste this reprieve.

Isa Soares live from outside the Houses of Parliament in London with the latest.

Good morning, about 9:30 a.m. there. What is the biggest obstacle you'd say at this point to an actual deal?

ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Dave. Well, that deadline that you mentioned, that Halloween deadline, although gives Theresa May some breathing room to try to get a deal with the leader opposition Jeremy Corbin, it will no doubt conjure up horrors of the challenges she still faces and you touched on that slightly because, although she has that breathing room, the reality is that Theresa May still does not want to participate in European parliamentary elections at the end of May, and her trajectory is still to leave at the end of May.

Four hard Brexiteers within her own party who have been adamant all along they don't want to take part in European parliamentary elections, and who see an extension as a softer Brexit, they will be pushing for Theresa May to get out sooner than later. However, if she can't, until now, she hasn't been able to, worth reminding that she put her deal three times behind the House of Commons here behind me and three times it failed.

So she will face pressure within her own party not only to get out and get out early, but if she doesn't, there could be more pressure on her to resign, and in fact you could be even seeing some MPs quitting within her own party. So you have breathing room but we're not done yet. She still has -- she has a lot of pressure.

No doubt, Dave, many people this morning, those hard Brexiteers, will be splitting feathers at the thought of a longer extension -- Dave.

BRIGGS: Yes. Bought themselves some time. But no indication of a deal.

Isa Soares live in London. Thank you.

ROMANS: And the leavers want to leave just as badly today as they did two years ago.

BRIGGS: No close to a deal, though. ROMANS: And now she just has more time but the same set of cards on

the table.

BRIGGS: Right. Right. Same unrest.

ROMANS: How do you change the hand?

All right, 28 minutes past the hour. President Trump's handpicked attorney general telling lawmakers he believes the Trump campaign was spied on. You'll hear from him next.

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