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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Manhunt For Suspect In Kansas Bar Shooting; United States Pulls Out In Syria For Turkish Military Action; Second Ukraine Whistleblower Steps Forward; Inquiry Panels To Interview Two State Department Officials; Biden Speaks Out To Washington Post Op-Ed; America's Choice 2020; CNN Business; SCOTUS Kicks Off New Term With Hot-Button Issues; U.K. Urges Return Of U.S. Diplomat's Wife After Fatal Crash. Aired 4- 4:30a ET

Aired October 07, 2019 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: -- the suspect at-large is armed and dangerous.

DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Overnight, a major shift in U.S. foreign policy. The Trump administration removing U.S. troops from Northern Syria. Turkey set to start a military incursion there.

Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. This is Early Start and I'm Dave Briggs.

ROMANS: Good morning, good Monday morning. I'm Christine Romans, it is Monday, October 7th, it is 4:00 a.m. in New York, 11:00 a.m. in Beirut, 9:00 a.m. in London. In Washington a second whistleblower has come forward with information about President Trump. An attorney, Mark Zaid confirmed to CNN that his team now represents a second person who Zaid says works in the intelligence community. Zaid says his client has firsthand knowledge backing claims made by the first whistleblower, who raised the alarms about a call between Mr. Trump and the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky.

BRIGGS: That is likely done to cover Republican who have called the first whistleblower's claim, quote, hearsay, based on second-hand evidence. The first whistleblower claimed the president abused his official powers, pressuring Zelensky to dig up dirt on Democratic candidate Joe Biden and that the White House tried to cover it up. The president has denied to anything improper. CNN's Jeremy Diamond has more from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Dave and Christine, there is now a second whistleblower from within the intelligence community, who has also raised concerns about President Trump's call with the Ukrainian president. Attorneys for that first whistleblower whose complaint set off an impeachment inquiry from House Democrat, now say they are also representing the second whistleblower. Andrew Bakaj, one of those attorneys says in a statement, I can

confirm that my firm and my team represents multiple whistleblowers in connections into the underlying August 12. 2019 disclosure to the Intelligence Community Inspector General.

Now, the second whistleblower has not filed a formal complaint, but we are told that this official has spoken with the Intelligence Community's Inspector General. That is the same Trump appointed Inspector General who found the first whistleblower complaints credible.

Now as far as the White House, their message right now is that there is simply nothing to see here. Here's a statement from the White House, Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham that she issued on Sunday. She said, it doesn't matter how many people decide to call themselves whistleblowers about the same telephone call, a call the president has already made public. It doesn't change the fact that he has done nothing wrong.

Now as for the president, he has spent much of his weekend on Twitter, where he is lashing out on his enemies, attacking the credibility of this whistleblower and also of course, going after Democrats. But the president is also attacking some Republicans. Namely one, the former Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, and now, a Senator from Utah, who has called the president's requests of China and Ukraine to investigate his political rival Joe Biden, appalling.

The president taking to Twitter, to call for Senator Romney's impeachment. Even though senators can't be impeach, but the president's message here really is not just about Mitt Romney. It's about any Republican who would step out of line and criticize him. Dave, Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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

A group of 90 former National Security Officials are praising the first whistleblower in an open letter. The officials who have served under both Republicans and Democrats, write, a responsible whistleblower makes all Americans safer, by ensuring that serious wrongdoing can be investigate and address, whatever one's view of the matter discuss in the whistleblower complaint. All Americans should be united in demanding that all branches of our government and all outlets of our media protect this whistleblower and his or her identity. Among the officials signing the letter are, former Defense Secretary, Chuck Hagel and former CIA Director, Michael Hayden.

BRIGGS: Republican lawmakers defended the president over the weekend. Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell vowing to stop the Democrats push for impeachment in a campaign fund-raising video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): Why not impeachment stops, is when the Senate majority with me as majority leader, but I need your help. Please contribute before the deadline.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: South Carolina Senator, Lindsey Graham said, he wants the whistleblowers to speak publicly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): If the whistleblowers' allegations are turned into an impeachment article, it's imperative that the whistleblower be interviewed in public, under oath and cross-examined. Nobody in America goes to jail, or has anything done to them without confronting their accuser.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Wisconsin Senator, Ron Johnson spoke out following his admission last week to the Wall Street Journal that he had heard the whistleblower's claims over the summer. He explains why he believes the president's denials of wrongdoing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI): When I asked the president about that, he completely denied it, he adamantly denied it. Unlike the narrative of the press, that President Trump wants to dig up dirt on his 2020 opponent. What he wants is he wants to an accounting of what happened in 2016.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Senator Johnson also made a stunning claim about America's Intelligence Agencies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNSON: I just want the truth. The American people wants the truth.

[04:05:00]

CHUCK TODD, MSNBC HOST: So, do you not trust the FBI? You don't trust the CIA? You don't trust those agencies.

(CROSSTALK)

JOHNSON: No, I don't. After James Comey.

TODD: Do you believe the FBI and the CIA, this agencies?

JOHNSON: I don't trust any of them.

TODD: You don't trust them now. Do you trust them now?

JOHNSON: No. I didn't trust them back then.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ROMANS: The whistleblower who had come forward are from the

Intelligence Community.

BRIGGS: Congress is out of session, but House Democrats are still holding hearings in the impeachment inquiry. On Tuesday, a source says, the U.S. ambassador to the E.U. Gordon Sondland is expected in a closed-door deposition. You will recall, he was mentioned in the whistleblower complaint as a key player.

ROMANS: On Friday, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch is expected at a closed-door deposition. She was abruptly recalled from her post in May. The administration is accused of removing here, because she would not push Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden. It does not look as though two other depositions with State Department officials set for this week will happen, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, last week accused the panel of bullying his officials.

BRIGGS: More questions than answers this morning on the origin of President Trump's call to Ukrainian President Zelensky. The energy department acknowledging Sunday, that Secretary Rick Perry, quote, supported and encouraged the president to speak to Zelensky, but about energy matters.

In a statement, a spokesman said, Secretary Perry continues to believe that there is significant need for improve regional energy security. Perry in the impeachment probe spotlight after Trump told House Republicans, Friday, was the energy secretary who pushed him to call Zelensky, energy issues don't appear anywhere in the rough transcript of the now infamous July 25th phone call.

ROMANS: Former Vice President and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden is speaking out, slamming what he called the president's efforts to destroy him and his family. In an op-ed in the Washington Post, he writes President Trump slanders anyone who sees as a threat, that is why he is frantically pushing flat-out lies, debunked conspiracy theories and smears against me and my family. No doubt hoping to undermine my candidacy for the presidency. This time it won't work because the American people know me and they know him.

BRIGGS: Biden added that he doesn't intend to go anywhere. Telling Trump, you won't destroy me and you won't destroy my family. And come November 2020, I intend to beat you like a drum.

Democratic presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders recovering in Vermont this morning after suffering a heart attack last week. The Senator thanked voters on Twitter and said, I am recovering well and feeling much better. I am more confident than ever to fight alongside you to make healthcare a human right. Sanders underwent surgery after the heart attack. His cancelled events until further notice although his campaign says he will be on the debate stage October 15th. That is then hosted by CNN and The New York Times.

ROMANS: All right. A stumble in the American economy to start the month. And now leading economists warn the risk are getting worse. The National Association for Business Economist expects GDP to dip below 2 percent in 2020, the first time since 2016. The New York Federal Reserve also downgraded its GDP forecast to 1.3 percent for the fourth quarter. Now, though the economist don't expect to recession yet, the DOW forecast is just the latest example that a slowdown is no longer merely an expectation. It is here and likely to stay.

New evidence last week showed the trade war with China is hurting the economy. The manufacturing sector suffered its worst month since June 2009. And manufacturing job creation has stalled and services grew at their weakest pace in three years. That is a much bigger part of the economy.

The mixed jobs report, left investors wondering whether the Federal Reserve will cut rates again to stimulate growth later this month. Another round of trade talks is scheduled for Thursday and what tariffs set to go up next week. Investors will be looking for any signs of a breakthrough. But they have more and more economists are saying that there must be a resolution of a trade war.

What's happening in manufacturing is a real problem. And this national Association of Business Economist has report their forecast had just came out at midnight. Really troubling. These are the economists who advise companies -- they work for companies. Companies invest in plants and factories and technology and they hire. If they're worried, that is not good for spending.

BRIGGS: they'll have little meetings ahead. Ahead here, police searching for one of two suspects in a deadly bar shooting in Kansas City, Kansas. They say the man at-large is armed and dangerous. That is just ahead.

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[04:10:00]

BRIGGS: A manhunt is under way for one of two suspects wanted in a bar shooting in Kansas City, Kansas, that left four dead and five wounded. They say 29-year-old, Hugo Villanueva Morales and 23-year- old, Javier Alatore walk-in to the Tequila Kasey Bar early Sunday morning and started shooting. Alatore is in custody. Police say, witnesses told investigators that the shooting may have stemmed from an argument at the bar hours earlier. CNN's Natasha Chen with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Dave and Christine, it's been an incredibly emotional weekend for this community. The police said that the suspect had an argument at some kind inside the bar before the shooting. And those weren't here Saturday night tell me they observed a man, who is very agitated getting into arguments with the bartender and another guest before being kick-out.

And those who stayed in the bar, tell me that that man came back hours later, with at least one other person, passing through this door that says, no firearms or weapons allowed on this property. And yet police say, they believe two suspects fired shots inside when about 40 or 50 people were there, killing four men.

We are also hearing of some incredible heroics, including one man who died as he was pushing aside another woman to save her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, he do pushed me, I was in front of him. Then he pushed me out of the way. And I was on the floor. And there was blood everywhere. I (inaudible) crawling and tried to get to our table and trying to his --

[04:15:02]

CHEN: At a very tense vigil Sunday night, we also heard about another man who died in the arms of his fiancee inside that bar. Kansas governor, Laura Kelly, gave a statement saying, I continue to be frustrated that these mass shootings and killings occur with regular frequency. Our nation has an obligation to address this ongoing public health crisis. Dave and Christine, back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right, thank you Natasha for that. All eyes on the Supreme Court as the nine justices take their seats for the start of their next term. They face an explosive docket of issues like -- cases on issues like, abortion, immigration, and the second amendment, LGTB rights. Rulings in the cases this term will come by in the end of June, in the shadow of the impeachment inquiry and the 2020 presidential campaign. CNN's Ariane de Vogue, has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARIANE DE VOGUE, CNN REPORTER, SUPREME COURT: A momentous term is set to begin. The justices will tackle an array of hot-button issues. LGTB rights, gun rights, immigration and just last week, they agreed to hear an abortion case. And all of these opinions will come down in the heat of the next election. They will be heard by President Trump's two nominees, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

And on Sunday, protesters gathered at the court to marked Kavanaugh's one-year anniversary. They are still furious that he was confirm despite allegations of sexual misconduct that came out during his confirmation process. But Kavanaugh has always denied the allegations.

Liberals are worried though about the direction of this court, because Kavanaugh took the seat of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who is largely seen as a swing vote for some of this issues. And all eyes will be on chief justice John Roberts. He's been trying to keep the court out of the political fray, but many of the cases will come down as the election gears up. Christine, Dave.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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

BRIGGS: All right. A stunning shift in U.S. policy in Syria. The White House announcing overnight that U.S. troops will leave Northern Syria and let Turkey launch their military incursion. That is despite U.S. senior officials saying that should not happen. The latest on the ground, next.

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[04:20:00]

BRIGGS: 4:21 Eastern Time, and a stunning announcement from the Trump administration. U.S. troops will be moving out of Northern Syria, allowing Turkey to conduct a military incursion in the region, move reverses. U.S. official's efforts until now to stop Turkish action there. CNN's Ben Wedeman joins us now live from Beirut with the latest. Ben, good morning.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: yes, good morning, Dave. Yes, this is indeed a shocking development. Certainly to those Kurds who live in northeastern Syria that we've been in touch with. This really comes out of the blue for them. Keeping in mind that the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic forces were the main allies of the United States in Syria, when it comes to the battle against ISIS.

Now, the State Department -- rather the White House put out a statement, part of which I will read, saying that the United States forces, having defeated the ISIS territorial caliphate will no longer be in the immediate area. It goes on to say, that Turkey will now be responsible for all ISIS fighters in the area captured over the past two years, in the wake of the defeat of the territorial caliphate by the U.S.

Now, it's important to point out that there it was -- also the Syrian Democratic forces that played a large part in the defeat of ISIS. Now these ISIS fighters. Let's keep in mind that many of them, particularly, but the more than 1,000 foreign ISIS fighters, who are now in the custody of the Syrian Democratic forces, got into Syria through Turkey itself. And now, Turkey is going to be responsible for them.

We did hear from Brett McGurk, the former U.S. Envoy to the anti-ISIS coalition, who described this decision as a reckless gamble with our National Security. He's a man, who at the end of 2018, resigned from his position, because of President Trump's decision at the time, not actually carried out at the time, to withdraw U.S. forces from northeastern Syria. So this definitely changes the terrain in that area in a way that no one was expecting this time, yesterday.

BRIGGS: Shocking news there, Ben Wedeman live for us in Beirut. Thank you.

ROMANS: All right. The British foreign secretary is now getting personally involved as a family in the U.K. demands justice in the death of their 19-year-old son. The teen had, Harry Dun, died after being hit by a suspect driving on the wrong side of a road. The suspect, the wife of a U.S. diplomat. She left the U.K. after the accident under diplomatic immunity. CNN's Anna Stewart is live in London and just listening to this, the mother of this, young man Harry Dun, she's just heartbroken about this and would like to see some justice.

ANNA STEWART, CNN PRODUCER: Yes, I spoke to them yesterday. And I struggle to really convey the anguish that this family feels. Their son died in the most horrific circumstances. His body was so broken, he couldn't be race to hospital. The hospital had to come to him by the side of the road and frankly there was just nothing that could be done.

Now, they discovered shortly after in the days that followed, the suspect was a wife of a U.S. diplomat. They were aware of this, but it wasn't until weeks later after the funeral that they found out she had left the country without the police being told. And nobody knows where she is and they have this huge feeling of injustice here. take a listen to what Harry's mother had to say.

[04:25:07]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It can't be right that somebody, a diplomat, or their family can come over to the U.K. or any other country, kill somebody, unintentionally or not, and just go away. And ignore what's happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART: It was a heartbreaking interview. But she wanted to speak to CNN particularly because she wants our U.S. viewers to know her story. What they are going through, they fear that the British police can't help here. Even the British government, till they all meet later this week, they just said, that they have spoken to the U.S. Ambassador to U.K., they conveyed the disappointment, but the power, in terms of waving this diplomatic immunity that lies with the U.S. government. And when we spoke to them from CNN and said, you know, will this diplomatic immunity be waived? They think he said, well, they've expressed condolences family as possible, it rarely, rarely happens. But this family hopes an exceptions. If not, they are campaigning to raise money to travel to Washington. They want to speak to the U.S. President if they don't get justice.

ROMANS: Anna Stewart, thank you so much for that this morning live from London.

All right, North Korea, issuing a fierce statement, breaking off nuclear talks with the United States. It comes after U.S. officials describe working levels talks in Stockholm as good discussions. And then, North Korea's Foreign Ministry issued this statement.

We have no intention to hold such sickening negotiations as what happened this time, before the U.S. takes a substantial step to make a complete and irreversible withdrawal of the hostile policy toward the DPRK. A policy that threatens the security of the country and hampers the right to existence and developments of its people. North Korea has previously insisted the U.S. lift all sanctions on North Korea.

BRIGGS: Russian officials now using President Trump's defense of their country in a phone call as proof they did not try to murder a former Russian spy. Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned on English soil in March of 2018. British Intelligence services determined that Vladimir Putin was behind the effort.

ROMANS: The Washington Post reports that in a phone call a few months later with then Prime Minister Theresa May, President Trump questioned Putin's involvement for, quote, a solid 10 minutes on that call. Russia's embassy in London on Sunday exploiting that skepticism in a tweet, calling it the best evidence that no evidence of Russian involvement exists. Wow.

BRIGGS: Saturday Night Live giving its take on the current Ukraine saga, with a familiar face making a surprise appearance as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Here now your late night laughs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you see those text messages they uncovered?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What? They totally exonerate us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really? What do they say?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, this one says, I think we should stop texting about the crimes and maybe tell the crimes over the phone so that the crimes don't leave little crime footprints.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mike, weren't you subpoenaed by Congress?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was, but I think I bought myself a little time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This meeting of the House Intelligence Committee will now come to order. Pompeo? Pompeo? Pompeo?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Listen, listen. I've been asking around. And I think that this whole impeachment thing could be really bad.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who told you that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like, America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: So, on a scale of one to 10, for cold opens, you don't put that one, but that wasn't high on your list?

BRIGGS: Truth is stranger than fiction. No. This is not their finest work. I like the Bueller references though, we can say that.

ROMANS: But if you missed it, we had a little taste for you.

All right, 28 minutes pass the hour. Lawyers say a second whistleblower has come forward in the Ukraine scandal. It's coming as House Democrats set up a busy week for impeachment hearings. More next.

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