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Trump Tax Returns Allowed to be Released; Trump Speaks at CPAC; Arbery's Mother on Death One Year Later; Parents Remember Daughter Lost to Coronavirus. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired February 23, 2021 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL COHEN, FORMER ATTORNEY FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And was that done with the president's knowledge or direction.

COHEN: Everything was done with the knowledge and at the direction of Mr. Trump.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Also subpoenaed, records relating to fees the Trump Organization paid to consultants, including one to a company owned by Trump's daughter, Ivanka, according to people familiar with the matter who tweeted that the investigation was, quote, harassment pure and simple.

The investigation recently expanded to include the Trump family compound to Westchester County and tax deductions related to development plans of the property according to lawyers and people familiar with the investigation. Trump himself seems worried about the legal jeopardy he might face now as a private citizen. A source telling CNN that he has been asking his associates about the potential criminal exposure he might face after his impeachment trial is over.

Pamela Brown, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALISYN CAMEROTA, NN ANCHOR: Joining us now, CNN political analyst Maggie Haberman. She's a Washington correspondent for "The New York Times."

Maggie, great to see you this morning.

We just listened to Pamela lay out the case here.

What do you think concerns the former president the most about this?

MAGGIE HABERMAN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: John, this is the $64 million question because Donald Trump has fought so hard for so long to keep his tax returns from not just being public but being in the hands of prosecutors. Only he knows that some of his accountants and some of his advisers at his company know what are actually in those tax returns and whether there is something he has to worry about as opposed to what most people had assumed his concern was before he became president or before he ran for president, which was that people would see his actual net worth or glean from it how much money he really had made and that it might not be as much as he had claimed.

I think we're going to know more soon. But, remember, these tax returns are not being made public. This is being turned over to the district attorney. I do think that, you know, the president's folks know that they have run out of options in terms of trying to undo or delay this decision.

I think that, again, it's hard to know how much of this is Donald Trump digging in his heels because that's what he does and how much of it is that these tax returns do represent some kind of threat to him, legally or otherwise.

CAMEROTA: And so do you have reporting, Maggie, on the level of concern? I mean how worried they are? You know, sometimes I hear people say, oh, maybe it's that it will come out that he hasn't paid taxes. You know, he made all this money. He's proud of that. He proudly touted that.

HABERMAN: Right. Right.

CAMEROTA: So there has to be something else.

HABERMAN: Right. Right. And, again, look, Alisyn, it's impossible to -- look, there is certainly concern and dread was the word you used. And I think that was the right word. I think that, you know, they are not thrilled that they lost this decision. There is some attitude of nonchalance around president -- former President Trump's team as to the fact that they have to turn over these tax returns now. This is not that big a deal. They were caught off-guard yesterday. I think that they had been surprised because the decision had been stayed for so long. They did not expect it to go the way it did yesterday.

And, again, remember, President Trump tends to view all Supreme Court decisions through the lens of, I appointed three of you, why are you not doing more for me? This is no different.

But in terms of the actual level of damage that they think this could do, that is very hard to discern right now.

BERMAN: Your colleague, Susanne Craig, told me last night, one of the things we should keep in mind, it's not just the returns, it's the actual notes from the accounting firm that could be the most damaging.

HABERMAN: That's right.

BERMAN: That could be the decoder ring to understanding the information.

I do want to change subjects here because this weekend is the CPAC conference, which will be the former president's coming out party. He's going to speak, which is very unusual in and of itself for a former president to give such a brazenly political speech so soon after leaving office.

Maggie, so let me just start with the most basic question, do you know what he's going to say or what do you expect him to say?

HABERMAN: So I've been told that it's going to be a very policy focused speech, whether that is true, as you know, and whether he actually delivers what is on the page remains to be seen. I know that he's been working on it. He's been working on it, I'm told, not with Stephen Miller but with some other speech writers and advisors helping him out. He's going to talk about immigration policy because that has been among the many focuses that he current president, Biden, has had to focus on, trying to undo some of Trump's immigration policies that Biden sees as onerous has been a big part of it. So Trump knows that appeals to his base of supporters. You'll see him talk about that.

I think he will talk about him -- about -- he'll talk about President Biden rejoining the Iran nuclear deal. I think that you will see various policy highlights.

But, at the end of the day, it's a Donald Trump speech and I expect he's going to say some version of what he wants to say. There has been concern among some of his advisers for a while that he will say something damaging as he is facing this threat of prosecution from various prosecutors around the country. But -- so I think that you might see him stick to a script more than he normally would.

As you say, John, this is very unusual. And this is an unusual venue. This is essentially a cattle call. And he is going and then joining every other member of the Republican Party, some who are considering running for the presidency, some who are just considering running for office, but he is putting himself on that same stage with the rest of them.

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CAMEROTA: And that leads us to Vice President Mike Pence. Ever since President Trump sent that blood-thirsty crowd to deliver street justice of some kind to Vice President Mike Pence, how's that relationship going?

HABERMAN: So it's improved, certainly, over as it was on January 6th, which was not great as we know. You know, we know they did speak before the term ended, the Trump term ended. We know they have spoken twice since. Each one initiated a call. I'm told it was cordial. I'm told that their relationship is as fine as it's going to be.

Remember, these are two people who spoke several times a day, every day, for most of the last four years. So this is something of a change.

I think President Trump has it in mind to sort of remind Mike Pence, hey, I'm still here and I'm thinking of running for president because most people think Mike Pence is going to run for president in the next four years. BERMAN: How explicit do you think that will be or do you think that

will be an implicit message that he's thinking about running for president?

HABERMAN: You know, it depends on what kind of mood Donald Trump is in. Sometimes the messages are implicit and sometimes they're pretty plain. But I think that he will make very clear when he feels the time is right, if he hasn't already, we don't know the exact specifics of their conversation, that, you know, he is the front-runner for 2024 himself. That, you know, he may still be interested in it.

And I've heard from several people close to the former president that he himself is talking about 2024 a lot these days.

CAMEROTA: Maggie, thank you very much for sharing all of that reporting with us.

HABERMAN: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: So it's been one year since Ahmaud Arbery was chased down, was shot and killed while jogging in Georgia. We have the latest for you on that investigation, next.

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CAMEROTA: Today marks one year since the killing of Ahmaud Arbery. Authorities in Georgia say the 25-year-old black man was chased and gunned down by a white father and son. Ahmaud's mother is now speaking out as she awaits justice.

CNN's Martin Savidge reports. And we want to warn you, some of this video is disturbing.

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WANDA COOPER-JONES, AHMAUD ARBERY'S MOTHER: He's gone, you know.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Wanda Cooper-Jones is still overcome with grief.

COOPER-JONES: To be honest with you, Ahmad is the last thing I think about at night and the first thing I think about each morning.

SAVIDGE: A year after her son's death, his case has been handled by five different district attorneys. And thanks to COVID-19, no closer to trial.

SAVIDGE (on camera): Should we be worried?

FLYNN D. BROADY JR., COBB COUNTY DA: No. Justice will come. And I believe as soon as COVID is under control, we will see justice in this case.

SAVIDGE (voice over): Before the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor triggered protests and racial reckoning, there was Ahmaud Arbery. A 25-year-old black man shot to death, his family says, while jogging in a coastal Georgia subdivision. Chased and killed by a white father and son and neighbor in pickup trucks.

The men said they believed Arbery, who was unarmed, had committed a crime.

We know what happened because one of the men recorded it with his cell phone. Only after that video was made public, nearly three months later, were the suspects arrested and charged with murder. Since then, it may seem as though nothing has happened but that's not true.

This is the video many haven't seen. Police body camera footage obtained by CNN for the first moments after officers arrived on the scene showing the badly bloodied Travis McMichael just moments after firing the shotgun blast that killed Arbery.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just breathe, OK? All right. I'm going to get some stuff for you to clean off with, all right?

SAVIDGE: You hear the first accounts from his father, Gregory McMichael, and the accused accomplice, William Bryant. All three men have pleaded not guilty and remain in jail. In a statement, Travis McMichael's attorney said the sadness and tragedy surrounding Mr. Arbery's death will never be forgotten. We join the community in giving our condolences and prayers for Mr. Arbery's family and friends for their loss.

The attorney for William Bryant expressed similar sentiments but also noted Bryant had been denied bond for seven months.

Attorneys for Gregory McMichael declined comment.

The real progress has come not in a courtroom but outside of it. At the time Arbery was killed, Georgia had no hate crimes law. Following the outcry over his death, it does now.

Last week, Georgia's governor unveiled legislation to overhaul the state's civil war era citizen's arrest law that had come under scrutiny after Arbery's death.

GOV. BRIAN KEMP (R-GA): Ahmaud was a victim of vigilante style of violence that has no place in Georgia.

SAVIDGE (on camera): Do you think this case has the ability to unite or divide us?

BROADY: It has the ability to do both. And I'm hoping -- I'm hoping that it will unite us.

SAVIDGE (voice over): Though all of this does little to ease her pain, the progress is not lost on a grieving mother.

COOPER-JONES: I'm sorry I had to lose my son. I'm sorry life has to be taken to get change. But I'm thankful for that.

SAVIDGE: But change is not justice. And for Wanda Cooper-Jones, one year later, justice still seems a long way off.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SAVIDGE: The three men who are accused in Ahmaud Arbery's death remain inside of the Glenn County Detention Center here. Meanwhile, today, there are two vigils that are planned, one in Waynesboro, Georgia. That's where Ahmaud Arbery is buried. His mother will be leading that as they remember his life.

And then there is a walking memorial that is to take place tonight in Glenn County, going through the very neighborhood where Ahmaud Arbery was killed. It will be a difficult day for many, but especially for Ahmaud's mother.

John.

BERMAN: Martin Savidge, you've been there since the beginning. Your reporting on this has been remarkable. I'm so glad you went back now to mark this important milestone because, you know, questions, not justice, as you said at this point.

Thanks so much for being with us.

SAVIDGE: Thank you.

BERMAN: Here's what else to watch today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ON SCREEN TEXT: 10:00 a.m. ET, Senate committee' hearing on Capitol siege.

12:00 p.m. ET, White House press briefing.

4:00 p.m. ET, Biden bilateral meeting with Canada's Trudeau.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[08:45:27]

BERMAN: More than 500,000 Americans have died from coronavirus. The parents of one of the youngest victims helps us remember her, next.

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CAMEROTA: More than 500,000 Americans have died from coronavirus in the U.S. One of them was Gillian Morse. Gigi, as she was known, was only six years old when she died unexpectedly at her home in August. Gigi had special needs. And she was given a new lease on life when she was adopted from Ukraine by the Morris family at the age of three.

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Adults and children with disabilities are the most vulnerable in this pandemic.

Joining us are Gigi's parents, David and Pricilla Morse.

Guys, thank you so much for being with us. We're so sorry for yours and your family's loss.

And so, Priscilla, let's just start at the beginning and just tell us about Gigi. You adopted her from a Ukraine orphanage and she was living in horrible conditions. She was tied to the bed. She was being force fed. She was three years old when you adopted her and brought her home and you say that you bonded with her immediately. So what was it about her?

PRISCILLA MORSE, SIX-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER DIED OF CORONAVIRUS: I don't know. We just -- it was kind of a soul connection kind of thing. She was a -- she was a very sweet child, but she had a lot of behavioral stuff going on. So she was a little difficult sometimes, but it never bothered me. I dug deep and found patience that I didn't even know existed because that's what she needed. And we just connected on a level of -- I understood what she needed from me, and I was more than willing to give it to her because she deserved it. Every kid deserves to be in a family, regardless of their past, regardless of their behaviors, their special needs. Everyone deserves a family.

And Gigi, she just took to being in a family. She was everyone's favorite. She was the light of my life.

CAMEROTA: And, David, tell us about how she became sick. I know that you both were sick as well. So what happened in August?

DAVID MORSE, SIX-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER DIED OF CORONAVIRUS: Good morning, Alisyn.

Yes, I had contracted COVID early July. And then while taking care of me, Priscilla wound up getting COVID as well middle of July. So she was clear of quarantine about, what --

P. MORSE: July 30th (ph).

D. MORSE: July --

P. MORSE: The end of July.

D. MORSE: The end of July she was clear of quarantine. And -- and we had no idea that Gigi was sick, you know, other than the day before she passed away she had thrown up a couple of times but with her special needs and having hydrocephalous, she had a shunt, so we thought perhaps it might have been a malfunction with the shunt. So as, you know, we took her to the doctor --

P. MORSE: That's why we took her to the doctor.

D. MORSE: Yes.

P. MORSE: Typically we wouldn't take our kids to the doctor for throwing up twice. But because of her extra needs, we wanted to get her checked out. And she was running around the doctor's office. She was drinking slushies. She had a normal temperature. She did have a rash on her shoulder, which we found out later it was a child's sign of COVID. We didn't know. And vomiting is a child's sign of COVID. It presents very differently than it does in adults. So it's hard to know what to look for. So any parents who have kids who are lethargic, throwing up and have a rash, they need to go. They need to (INAUDIBLE).

CAMEROTA: I'm so glad that you're highlighting that. And, in fact, you've sent us all of these beautiful pictures of Gigi. But one you've sent us that you want everyone to see is this picture of her shoulder. This is her, I believe, the day before or maybe the day that she died and you can see that little rash just -- I mean she's sitting up. She -- her color looks good. She looks just like a six-year-old would. But it's that rash that you want everybody to see.

And so how soon after this, Priscilla, did she pass away?

P. MORSE: We took that photo four hours before she -- that's the last photo that I took of her.

She was in the doctor's office. And I wanted a picture of the rash. I actually texted it to David. And I had the doctor look at it. He was like, you know, kids get this stuff, which they do. And she liked to play outside. And, you know, who -- who knew? It's just one of those things that you would not associate that with COVID.

And now I think more so, months later, people are associating, you know, rashes and vomiting and other signs with child COVID. But then, at the time, we were told she's got a stomach bug. Take her home. Let her eat some popsicles. Get some rest.

So we took her home. Put her down for a nap. I went to the store to get popsicles. And I came home to two ambulances, fire trucks, police cars in front of my house and my daughter dead.

CAMEROTA: I'm so sorry. I mean that's one of the awful things about this is just how suddenly it happened. And, David, I understand it was one of your other children who found her.

D. MORSE: Yes, my 11-year-old found her, and told our 18-year-old that she thinks that she's not breathing. And so he came in and started CPR, contacted 911.

[08:55:04]

Just amazing kids that now are having to go through just a tumultuous time in grieving and therapies and PTSD. They could not have been any more perfect in trying to help their sister. And they're just amazing kids.

CAMEROTA: Yes, I mean, I think that what your family is experiencing is also important to talk about where each one of you, the kids included, blames themselves. What more could I have done? How could I not have known? Was should I have done? Was there anything more? And, I mean, I think that, you know, that's, I guess, called survivor's guilt or something like that, Priscilla, but how are you all coping through that? P. MORSE: It's hard. It's -- I don't know if -- I don't even know if I

am coping with it yet. I wake up every day and I just try to get through the day. Everything is just -- I have to get through this day. Don't worry about the next one. Just be a good mom today.

And that's how I have survived the last seven months after losing her. Everyone does -- I blame myself because I was the last one who had it in our household and I was the primary caregiver. I stayed home with the kids. David blames himself because he thinks he picked it up out at work or, you know, he was an essential worker.

The doctor blamed himself for not catching it. Our son, we have another adoptive son who has a private duty nurse, she blamed herself because she's a health care professional in the house. Our kids -- I mean every single person feels like I -- what could I have done differently? And I don't know if anyone could have done anything differently. We took her to the doctor. We did what we were told. I'm --

CAMEROTA: Yes.

P. MORSE: It's just so sad that, you know, she finally got out of an orphanage and had a family and --

D. MORSE: At least she knew she was loved.

P. MORSE: And that's what kind of carries us through is, at least it happened in a family. You know, she was honored when she passed. She has people who miss her. She's a daughter, and granddaughter, and sister, and she never would have had that in an orphanage. If this would have happened there, she just would have just been another number. There is (INAUDIBLE) remember it.

CAMEROTA: We can see in the pictures how loved she was and how happy she was. She looks like such a bright, smiling child and light in your lives. And so what we really appreciate, David and Priscilla, is you guys, even in your grief, coming in to try to warn other parents and show us the pictures of her rash and just try to tell your story. And so thank you so much for your generosity of doing this and spreading Gigi's story. We really appreciate you. And take care of your family.

D. MORSE: Thank you very much.

P. MORSE: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: Thank you for being with us.

Here's six-year-old Gigi Morse.

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