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Feds: Man Threatened Members of Congress, Made 2000-Plus Calls; Democrat Presidential Candidate Marianne Williamson Discusses Moving to Iowa, Biden Reversing on Hyde Amendment, Medicare-for-All, Near Collision of U.S., Russia Warships, Low Unemployment Having Negative Effect on Restaurant Industry. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired June 07, 2019 - 13:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:33:59] BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: A suspect is expected to appear in federal court later today accused of plotting a terror attack on Times Square.

And here's what we know at this point in time. A lawmakers source tells CNN a man was arrested after authorities learned he was planning on buying grenades and firearms with the intent to set them off in Times Square. He also allegedly talked about killing police and government officials. The FBI and New York Police Department Joint Terrorism Task Force took the suspect into custody.

CNN affiliate, WCBS, citing police sources, reports that police set up an undercover operation to catch him when he went to buy the weapons.

And a Utah man is in custody right now, facing charges connected to threats he made threats he allegedly made to members of Congress. The judge called the suspect, Scott Brian Haven, a danger to the community. Prosecutors say Haven made more than 2,000 calls to congressional offices in Washington.

And our Jessica Schneider has been following this.

Tell us about the charges and what we know about these threats.

JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: This is an alarming number of threats that this man allegedly made, Brianna. Close to 2,000 threats over the course of the end of 2018 and into this month.

[13:35:03] These are the numbers here. In the final months of 2018, Haven allegedly made 1,499 calls to the U.S. capitol switchboard. And just last month, in May, an additional 850 calls.

And a lot of these calls, we don't know exactly to whom they were made, but they were likely made to Democrats. That's because Haven was railing against Democrats, threatening to injure them, shoot them. I mean, these were a lot of phone calls.

In one case, in one particularly disturbing threat, this was just last month, May 23, 2019, he said this on a phone call, he said that he "was standing right behind him, Representative Five, and was going to take him out because the Russians want him to take him out because he's trying to remove a duly elected president, and I continue to say I'm at his office and I'm right behind him now. I'm going to shoot him in the head. I'm going to do it now. Are you ready?"

So these are serious threats. And he made an alarming number of them.

What's curious here, we've been in touch with the U.S. attorney in Utah. They haven't yet answered this question, but it is, why it took so long to arrest him.

He's being charged with interstate transmissions of threats. He made so many of them, the FBI actually talked to him. They interviewed him outside his Utah home in November, yet no arrest was made. It took until just last week that the arrest was finally made.

So there are questions here, why, if he made nearly 2,000 phone calls to the capitol switchboard, why it took so long to actually get him under arrest with these charges other.

KEILAR: Yes. That's stunning.

SCHNEIDER: Yes.

KEILAR: Jessica, thanks so much for that report. Jessica Schneider for us.

And the job numbers are out and they are not actually as strong as expected. Is President Trump's tariff threat hurting the economy?

And one Democratic candidate is going to tell me why she's moving to Iowa ahead of the 2020 election.

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[13:41:26] KEILAR: We're just a couple of weeks away now from the first Democratic debate of the 2020 presidential race and it's going to be a crowded stage with 20 candidates already qualifying for the face-off.

Among them is Marianne Williamson, celebrated author, spiritualist, self-help expert and 2020 presidential Democratic candidate.

I will say, for many people, this may be the first time that they have seen you or that they have heard you speak or been able to do that, certainly in this venue where you're a political candidate. Considering that, how important has it occurred to you that this first impression is?

MARIANNE WILLIAMSON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & AUTHOR & SELF-HELP EXPERT: It's a big deal, you know. I think, although I realize that a debate is just one moment in time, I think I would make a mistake to make it too big a deal or too little of a deal. Because if you make it too big, what are you going to have, maybe two minutes, three minutes, four minutes. And I think a campaign is a long-form conversation that you're having with the voters. So --

KEILAR: If you only have little snippets --

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: -- to have these conversations and it may not be a long-form conversation unless you really come out of the gates strong --

WILLIAMSON: Yes.

KEILAR: -- how do you want voters -- how do you want to come across to voters? If there was one takeaway, what do you want it to be?

WILLIAMSON: When you're voting for a president, you're voting for who that person is. You're voting for what they believe. You're voting for what their plans are, what their vision is. But also this sort of consciousness that they bring to this process. And I think that the debate stage gives people an opportunity to see who you are.

You know, the way the human brain works is interesting. There are a lot of different dimensions by which you pick up what hour thoughts are about people. So I hope people see who I am as a woman.

People can go to marianne2020.com. There are plenty of opportunities on the Web, et cetera. People are checking out the candidates and they will see what I believe.

I think also, the debate, they see how you are, they see how you are with other people. They see how you stand your ground. And I hope people see what kind of woman I am.

KEILAR: A lot of candidates are spending time in Iowa. You have actually moved to Des Moines. Tell me about that decision and what you're hoping --

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: -- your chances in Iowa.

WILLIAMSON: You know, when you're a presidential candidate, you're living out of a suitcase. So where you actually have your bed is kind of not that relevant an issue.

When you're a presidential candidate, and this is true of all of us, you're spending a lot of time in Iowa and Nevada and South Carolina and New Hampshire. So I was right there in the middle. So it's -- it's a lovely city, Des Moines, but it's like not a story where any candidate actually lives.

KEILAR: Let's dig into some issues now. The former vice president -- this is a big story right now. Joe Biden has changed his view on the Hyde Amendment on abortion funding with their no federal funding for abortions, with the exception for the life of the mother being endangered, incest and rape, and now he supports getting rid of the Hyde Amendment. This came out with a lot of criticism from other candidates.

What do you think of this change and where are you on this issue? WILLIAMSON: I certainly think we should repeal the Hyde Amendment.

Joe Biden changed his mind. To me, this is politics that I'm not interested in. We're are going to talk about what the big deal. He changed your mind.

KEILAR: Is that genuine to change your mind from Wednesday to Thursday?

WILLIAMSON: Look, he's running for president. People came up to him and said. you're really behind the times on this, Joe. You've already got a problem with women, all of that, and so he changed his mind.

You know, I'm a candidate. I want to talk about what Marianne Williamson stands for. And if Joe Biden changed his mind, what that means to the voters, the voters will decide what that means to the voters.

KEILAR: Let's talk about what you stand for. Medicare-for-All, which you support. Lots of candidates support this, not all of them though. How do you propose to pay for it?

WILLIAMSON: This whole thing about how we pay for everything -- first of all, there's the zero-sum game and not the zero-sum game. Within the purview of the zero-sum game, what I would do is repeal the 2017 tax cut, in which 83 cents of every dollar went to the very richest individuals and corporations, I would put that back in the middle- class tax cut.

[13:45:11] I would close those corporate loopholes. Why are we paying $25 billion to the fossil fuel companies alone in corporate subsidies? The government should be able to negotiate with Big Pharma.

And I think that our military budget should reflect our actual legitimate military needs as determined by the military, as opposed to short-term profit maximization for huge defense contractors.

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: Just real quickly, you think that would pay for the --

(CROSSTALK)

WILLIAMSON: I'm not saying that's everything. I'm saying also I have no problem with a 3 percent tax on billionaires. I have no problem with 2 percent from those who have $500 million and more.

And I think we should factor is in, as we do in our individual lives. Every dollar that you spend actually helping people to live their lives better, ups people's productivity and creativity, which ups their earning power, which is actually a contribution and a stimulus to the American economy.

KEILAR: I want to ask you about foreign policy --

WILLIAMSON: OK. KEILAR: -- a key part of being president. We were talking on the

show a short time ago about Russia and what happened with the near collision between the U.S. and the Russian military ship. Planes as well. We've been seeing these encounters that experts say, look, the more of these you have, the more likelihood you have of something going very, very badly. How would you respond to Russia on this as president?

WILLIAMSON: You know, I have only heard -- I heard you talking about it, and I saw a snippet on television. I have to see exactly what happened. I have to think about it. I have to hear what the secretary of state has to stay. I have to hear what the president has to say before I make any comment about specifically my beliefs and what we should do now.

KEILAR: OK. This is something that's been going on for hours at this point in time. How important is it for you to stay on top of foreign policy issues like --

(CROSSTALK)

WILLIAMSON: I think I very much stay on top of foreign policy issues. The fact that that's been going on in hours, the president has not spoken about it, the secretary of state has not spoken about it.

You know, I think in a presidential --

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: The defense secretary has spoken about it.

WILLIAMSON: Shanahan spoke about it?

KEILAR: He said there's going to be military-to-military talks. Is that sufficient?

WILLIAMSON: Well, that's what there should be. I should think that there should be military-to-military talks. And then what I hear when the military-to-military talks are.

You know, I think when you're electing a president, you don't want to think that the president -- one of the things that I think about this president actually is that this president talks too fast, too frequently. I think that the sobriety of a president should be reflected in the presidential candidacy. That you think deeply before you open your mouth.

So I'll hear what Shanahan said. And I will hear what Pompeo said. I will hear what Trump said. And then I will not speak just because -- in any given moment, somebody thinks that you should speak. I'll speak soberly and reflectively from a deep place within myself.

KEILAR: Marianne Williamson, thank you so much for coming on.

WILLIAMSON: Thank you.

KEILAR: We really appreciate it.

WILLIAMSON: Thank you.

Still ahead, why a Colorado school district is proposing to tear down Columbine High School.

Also, we're getting word that the talks between U.S. and Mexico didn't end well last night as President Trump gets ready to put his signature on his tariff threats.

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[13:52:48] KEILAR: The unemployment rate is hovering near a half- century low but did you know that is causing a problem? Some employers are having a hard time filling and retaining jobs for certain positions, especially in the restaurant industry. But one owner and chef has come up with a solution: Equal pay for everyone.

KEILAR (voice-over): She's one of the country's brightest young chefs. But for Caroline Glover, owner and chef of Annette, one of the Denver area's restaurants, blistering bell peppers and perfecting egg salad are the least of her worries.

CAROLINE GLOVER, OWNER & CHEF, ANNETTE: It is always in the back of your head, employees, hiring, hopefully not firing.

KEILAR: The low unemployment rate is creating a dire restaurant labor shortage for Glover and other chefs around the country. There just aren't enough workers to wash dishes, mix cocktails, and cook for diners in the bustling restaurant industry.

GLOVER: Everybody that is here is pulling a lot of weight and they have a lot of responsibilities. And so if that person doesn't show up or quits, we feel it immensely. There's not a cushion.

OK, so this is a peanut allergy.

KEILAR: So she built one in.

GLOVER: Tornado ramp toast (ph). All of the nuts are OK though.

KEILAR: She pays her staff the same wage, with all tips split equally amongst the workers, regardless if they're a bartender or dishwasher. Glover says it works out to everyone making between $25 and $30 an hour.

GLOVER: We retain cooks far more than a lot of other restaurants and it is directly correlated to the pay structure.

Everybody should make the same amount of money because everybody is necessary in this huge system.

LARRY DEVRIES, PARTNER, NATIONAL RETAIL CONCEPT PARTNERS, LLC: Labor, by far, is the biggest issue in the industry.

KEILAR: Larry DeVries, a consultant for several restaurant chains across the country, believes the low national unemployment rate and aging population and an increase in jobs like ride-share driving, have contributed to a significant shortage of people willing to work in restaurants, especially back in the kitchen.

DEVRIES: Back of the house is physically more tasking. It requires a different level of skill in order to succeed. Those people are harder to find.

KEILAR: Paying everyone the same has been an adjustment for the employees at Annette.

The dishwashers love it.

UNIDENTIFIED DISHWASHER: For what we do, we get paid really well.

[13:55:04] KEILAR: The wait staff not as much.

GLOVER: We've definitely gotten pushback from servers.

KEILAR: While they may not as much money as they could at other restaurants, Glover says treating her wait staff with respect in a positive environment is what keep them at Annette. But she has no plans to change the pay scale. It is necessary, she says, to be competitive

and keep her kitchen running smoothly.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: A near collision between a U.S. and Russian ship has the Navy so upset that they declassified this video that you're watching.

And experts and blacksmiths tried to crack an old safe for decades. Hear from the tourist who cracked the code on the first try and what he found inside.

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