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Ray Rice Appeals Indefinite Suspension; Vikings Suspend Adrian Peterson Again; American Arrested on Suspicions of Terrorist Activity; Interview with Elijah Cummings

Aired September 17, 2014 - 07:00   ET

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

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to have complete coverage for you. CNN's Nischelle Turner is starting us off following all of these developments. Nischelle, and every day there is new developments. What's going on this morning?

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Yes, there definitely is. Now, Ray Rice's appeal didn't surprise us. We expected him to do it by midnight last night. But Adrian Peterson being re-deactivated, well, that was a bit of a shock. However, on Monday, the Vikings GM Rick Spielman did parse his words during his press conference when he repeatedly said, quote, "Based on the facts we currently have we are making the decision to reinstate him." We're not sure what facts have changed today, but once again, their decision to get Adrian Peterson back, has.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TURNER: It's a stunning reversal, star running back Adrian Peterson benched again. The Minnesota Vikings announcing just hours ago that Peterson will be required to remain away from all team activities until his legal proceedings are resolved. The team had previously announced that Peterson, who is facing a felony child abuse charge, would be allowed to practice this week and play on Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints.

In a statement, the Vikings ownership now says "After further reflection, we have concluded that this resolution is the best for the Vikings and for Adrian. We want to be clear. We have a strong stance regarding the protection and welfare of children and we want to be sure we get this right."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The first thing that comes to my mind is we need to get this process started immediately.

TURNER: This news coming shortly after Peterson was dropped by one of his most significant sponsors -- Castrol Motor Oil. The hotel chain Radisson also suspending its sponsorship of the Vikings, and advertising giant Anheuser Busch weighing in saying it is, quote, "disappointed and increasingly concerned by the recent incidents involving players."

Also breaking this morning, the NFL Players Association formally filing its appeal of embattled running back Ray Rice's indefinite suspension. Rice was initially suspended for two games, but his penalty was increased once NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell saw a video of Rice knocking out his then-fiancee. The union arguing that Rice cannot be punished twice for the same action when all the facts were available. The union also asking NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to recuse himself from the case.

ERIC WINSTON, NFL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT: Obviously there's an issue with player conduct like you've been referring to. And maybe it's time to take that out of the commissioner's hands and put it into a neutral arbitration process where there can be a fair process for everybody involved.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TURNER: Now we should say that in the Peterson case the Vikings said on Monday they were aware of the other set of child abuse allegations that were leveled more than a year ago. And about the current accusations, Peterson's attorney says quote, "Adrian never intended to harm his son and deeply regrets the unintentional injury." Adrian has also defended himself, saying that he is, quote, "not a perfect parent, but I am without a doubt, not a child abuser." Chris?

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Nischelle, thank you very much. Very complex situation. Let's try and get a little deeper into it. Let's bring in Mel Robbins, CNN commentator and legal analyst, and Kavitha Davidson, sports columnist with 'Bloomberg View." Let's start with the obvious proposition -- Kavitha, do you like this move? Is it the right thing?

KAVITHA A. DAVIDSON, SPORTS COLUMNIST, "BLOOMBERG VIEW": Well, it's absolutely the right thing, and it's just a shame it took some sponsor pressure to make it happen. The Vikings faced a severe backlash yesterday in public opinion, and it really just seemed it was the move by Radisson that forced their hand to deactivate him finally. So yes, it's absolutely the right move, but it was maybe the wrong motivation.

CUOMO: Does it matter, Mel? Does it matter why they did it? This is the NFL, not Congress. Money talks to them. And they've got a little bit of a culture conflict going on, right? As you have lamented on many shows here on CNN, people all think that Adrian Peterson may have gone too far. But they're not against hitting kids.

MEL ROBBINS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yes, that's true, Chris. Good morning, Chris, good morning, Kavitha. Here's my take on this, Chris. What we're see something actually what happens when a conversation doesn't have a very clear stance on particular matters. If the NFL, Chris, for example had a no tolerance policy where at the moment you're arrested for either domestic violence or child abuse, you are suspended for six games, if they did that at the outset, that would create a situation where sponsors, where players, and where the public knows exactly where the NFL stands. But when they go back and forth in their wishy-washy and one day --

CUOMO: If you put your lawyer hat on, if you're representing me and I'm arrested for one of those things, what do you say? You say, due process. How are you going to deny this person of their economic rights and their ability to do what they do to take care of their family when the system hasn't even spoken about whether or not they're guilty?

ROBBINS: Well, it's a great question, Chris, but you're talking about two systems. One is the criminal justice system that's deciding whether or not you're guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and the second one is the constitution and the by-laws under which the NFL operates. And there's a player conduct policy that's specifically says if you engage in any kind of conduct that can, you know, infringe on the NFL brand, then you have violated the player, the players' conduct policy and you can be punished for that.

And so there's no reason why the NFL from a public relations standpoint can't take a much clearer stance, because Ray Rice wouldn't be appealing if he got a six-game suspension. This -- the sponsors wouldn't be pulling their dollars and writing all kinds of statements if Peterson had gotten a six-game suspension. And that also gives the players time and the NFL time to let the situation take a deep breath, let the investigation go on parallel tracks, and also, more importantly, get these guys the services that they clearly need and get the public out of the conversation, Chris.

CUOMO: Kavitha, what happens? Does Ray Rice play again? Does Adrian Peterson play again?

DAVIDSON: It's really easy to say who would touch these players after everything that has happened? It's a huge public relations liability. It's a huge moral liability. But Michael Vick is still in a uniform, and that hasn't really changed very much.

I can definitely see ray Rice winning his suspension. Frankly the NFL Players Association has an obligation to appeal this suspension because of just the very inconsistency in the way that Roger Goodell has levied his punishment.

CUOMO: He should have gotten six games, not been suspended indefinitely. That's how it's going to come out?

DAVIDSON: Absolutely.

CUOMO: Remember, no case hanging over his head. He was indicted, pleaded not guilty, and the prosecutor cut him a deal which nobody seems outraged by. But Ray Rice could have had a case against him, doesn't. So it looks like he gets back in, yes?

DAVIDSON: I think he'll be reinstated. I think in the immediate future, I can't see who signs him. But you know, later down the line --

CUOMO: What about forgiveness, what about redemption? His wife forgives him.

DAVIDSON: Well, football fans have very short memories, so I'm sure we'll get over this in a couple of months.

CUOMO: Mel, Adrian Peterson, indicted, probably will be a deal involved. It is not unusual for someone in his circumstances as a first-time offender with these kinds of charges to get probation. That means that case is going to be over and it's going to be over fast. Now what?

ROBBINS: You know, Chris, first of all, think these cases do deserve probation counseling. These are first-time offenders, and what you want to see is somebody rehabilitated. And I don't think either of these guys deserve the death penalty.

I think a six-game suspension, counseling, and you go back to business. And if they do something elsewhere they violate the players' conduct policy, they get arrested for something else -- you're out. It's simple, actually.

CUOMO: It's simple if you do it right. And that gets us to the biggest unknown is, which is the presumption in the beginning was, Roger Goodell, he is untouched by this. Now with the money moving, I think the needle on him is starting to move, too, because we all know if somebody's got to go, it's not going to be the players making the money.

DAVIDSON: Well, that's not completely right. And Roger Goodell is going to be the scapegoat, frankly, if this happens. He deserves to be punished, but nothing would change if he goes. There are 32 owners who only really respond to changes in their bottom line, as you said. And as the money changes, and it needs to not just be Radisson, it needs to be a national sponsor that will actually affect the other owners as well.

CUOMO: Some big logos that we've been putting up this morning in terms of effect, but I wills say, when a man calls himself the judge, jury, and executioner, when that's his perception, whether he calls himself that, he's not a scapegoat. Kavitha, thank you very much. Mel, pleasure, as always.

Now, coming up a little later, we're going to speak with famed wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson and get his take on what's going on in the league and what should happen. Kate, it will be interesting to hear what he says, always provocative.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely right.

We're also watching this breaking news, though. Overnight, folks, a Rochester, New York man accused of providing support to ISIS. A grand jury indicted Yemen-born Mufid Elfgeeh on seven charges that include trying to help three other men travel to join is fighters. He's also accused of the attempted murder of U.S. service members. Evan Perez joining us with more details on the charges. So what is he up against now, Evan? What details have you uncovered?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kate. Mufid Elfgeeh is a naturalized American citizen from Yemen. He ran a convenience store in Rochester, New York. Federal prosecutors say he tried to recruit three people to travel to Syria to join ISIS terrorists, and that he plotted to carry out shooting attacks against U.S. soldiers returning home from Iraq and against Shia Muslims in the area.

Now, the FBI says two of the people he tried to recruit were actually paid undercover informants and another one was in Yemen. The FBI noticed him last year because he was active on Twitter expressing support for Al Qaeda and ISIS, and he sent tweets urging people to donate money to ISIS to buy weapons.

The FBI says that it recorded his conversations with these informants, and last December, Elfgeeh talked to one informant about the Kenyan mall attack that was carried out by the Somali group Shabaab. And here's what he said, "Me, myself, I'm thinking about doing something here, to be honest with you. I'm thinking about going to buy a big automatic gun from off the street or something and a lot of bullets and just put on a vest or whatever and walk around and start shooting." Now Elfgeeh is due in court today and his lawyer says he's going to plead not guilty. Kate?

BOLDUAN: Hopefully we'll learn even more about what he is indicted on doing a little later today. Evan Perez, great to see you, Evan. Thanks so much.

A lot of other headlines we're watching this morning. Let's get straight over to Michaela.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. Here are your headlines.

President Obama will be briefed on the fight against is during his visit to U.S. Central Command in Tampa today. He has been insisting for weeks there will be no U.S. combat forces in Iraq. However, Tuesday General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, told Congress boots on the ground are still an option. The White House claims the general was only speaking hypothetically.

A big vote in the House today where lawmakers are expected to approve President Obama's plan to train and equip Syrian rebels in the fight against ISIS. Republicans plan to offer up the measure as part of a broader bill to keep the government funded into December. It is expected to pass. The Senate could approve it before the end of this week.

House lawmakers today will hear again from Dr. Kent Brantly. He contracted Ebola while working in Liberia. He recovered after being treated with an experimental drug. On Tuesday Dr. Brantley told members of Congress that there's no time to waste in dealing with the outbreak that's already killed thousands in West Africa.

Today the White House will formally request some $500 million to fight Ebola. The president is already sending 3,000 military personnel to the region to help build field hospitals and train medical staff.

The Mexican government now air-lifting stranded tourists out as people who live in the resort areas of Los Cabos or Cabo San Lucas pick up the pieces after hurricane Odile. Officials say they expect it will take about two days to ferry out the 30,000 tourists in shelters there. Authorities were working to restore utilities to thousands in the state of Baja, California. Humanitarian aid is also on its way. So really a mess there in Cabo. It's such a beautiful area. So many people flock there year-round. And 30,000 people have to be taken out of the area. BOLDUAN: Not in my travel plans.

CUOMO: It's sounding like it's over there, but it isn't. Let's get to meteorologist Indra Peterson. This is not an "over" situation. They definitely needed the aid and the have to be careful. But what's coming their way?

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I can tell you firsthand, my family is there. We have not heard from them since the storm has really impacted the region. And keep in mind, another storm now right on its heels. We now have -- here's the path of Odile, and now tropical storm Polo strengthening and heading bull's eye right again for Cabo, like looking for landfall around Sunday. That is a concern as another storm is making its way into the region.

Also, not done with Odile just yet either. Still expecting to make more landfall again today in Mexico and bringing all that tropical moisture into the desert southwest. This is a huge concern. We're talking about massive flooding, up to about six inches of rain over the next several days.

Now, in the southeast, still looking for scattered showers here into the northeast. Finally, a calmer picture, we're looking at more high pressure, so calmer conditions building in and cool air just being reinforced. You can see the difference across the country. Definitely record-breaking heat in the southwest yesterday. Temperatures in L.A. were record-breaking at 100 degrees, and meanwhile into the northeast, seeing 60s and 70s. It's only going to get cooler as the cold front makes its way through and we'll see highs in the 50s by the time we get through Friday, and that would be out towards Boston. But so scary, you talk about Cabo. People are trying to get out of there, little do they know, another storm on its heels.

BOLDUAN: That's exactly right. And all of the other rain you're pointing out.

PEREIRA: This is one of those rare moments, Indra and I will get calls from the people in California saying you don't wish were you here. Your weather in the east is nicer right now.

BOLDUAN: How many times do you get that call?

PEREIRA: Very rare.

CUOMO: You get nicer weather out there, but you get more extremes out there. You know what I mean? You get more extremes. You get the fires, the --

PEREIRA: Winter.

CUOMO: Winter is also known as a season. You know, a wildfire is you know an extreme event. That's all I'm saying.

BOLDUAN: I think you said it.

CUOMO: Wow. Did you hear that? Mommy sided with me. She's influencing you for the better.

Speaking of things that are not seeming to end, another investigation, the eighth now into the attack in Benghazi. What do lawmakers hope to accomplish this time around? What could actually come out that you haven't heard? We're going to talk to one of the congressmen who will be asking the questions.

BOLDUAN: And a statewide manhunt in Pennsylvania for the survivalist who allegedly killed a state trooper in cold blood. Police say that he is armed and very dangerous, and he is on his home turf. Where could he be hiding? What's next?

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BOLDUAN: It's been two years since the attack on the consulate in Benghazi, which killed four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens. In that time there have been seven investigations into what went wrong. One independent review at the state department as well, and with all of that in mind, no one in the administration has technically lost their job in the fallout. And Republicans continue to accuse the White House of withholding information.

This has all led up to what is supposed to be the definitive probe into the attacks, a bipartisan house committee set to hold its first public hearing today. Joining us now with more on this, a top Democrat on Benghazi select committee, Congressman Elijah Cummings of Maryland. Congressman, it is great to see you, thanks for coming in.

REP. ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D), MARYLAND: Good morning, Kate. Good to be with you.

BOLDUAN: Thank you very much. I want to ask you, all along, when we -- you and I have talked about this a while back. You've been critical of the process, you had said it was important that you were on this committee, but you've been critical of the fact that the committee was even really put together. But I look back at our most recent polling, though, Congressman on the Benghazi attacks. Americans still have a lot of questions about what happened in 2012. Sixty-one percent of those polled back in June, they said that they didn't think the administration had been honest about Benghazi. With that in mind, do you think this committee will come up with the, be able to provide the definitive account of what happened in, at the consulate?

CUMMINGS: Kate, I think we will, but to a large degree I think a lot of us have an answer. The public has heard about a lot of investigations, as a matter of fact the nine exhaustive investigations with regard to Benghazi. But a lot of the public don't know what these reports say. And so, that's why we, we released on our website yesterday, Benghazi on the record, which provides answers to the 13, to 13 questions that have been most asked. And the public will have this, this tool. Basically what we've done, Kate, is we have with very little rhetoric, we have basically asked those questions, and then put in one place, transcripts from interviews, the various reports, and live testimony that was done in interviews, that answers the major questions that have been asked. And so again, you know, we, it's hard to say where we go from here. Because we believe that a lot of the questions have already been answered and many of them are coming out of bipartisan reports.

BOLDUAN: Well, I want to ask you, kind of about that. You talk about this website you guys have, that the Democrats on the committee have released, about providing answers. That's clearly what the American public wants. Throughout this, I know that you have been skeptical of the motivations of Republicans. I mean let's be quite honest. This has been a strong rallying point for Republicans. The attacks, misinformation, withholding information. Has been a strong rallying point for Republicans since the attacks happened. Do you think, in your view, do you think this is a dog-and-pony show?

CUMMINGS: I wouldn't say it's necessarily a dog-and-pony show. Because there's something that's so important that we will get out of this. No matter what. And that is that we'll make sure that the security of our personnel is tightened all over the world. And we will reveal more about what has already been learned. I think if we accomplish those two things, we've done a lot. But we cannot step out of this committee and end our work without making sure that our people diplomatic folks throughout the world are more secure.

BOLDUAN: How have things been going behind closed doors, if you will? I've been reading a lot about a lot of folks saying, Republicans included, saying a lot of the work going on in this committee is not happening in public hearings. A lot of it is going on behind the scenes. How do you think Trey Gowdy has been handling this committee so far?

CUMMINGS: I think Trey has treated us quite well. I am concerned that we don't have a scope of work and that we still do not have a plan as to how we're going to proceed. And we still have not had an organizational meeting. And by the way --

BOLDUAN: Have you met? Did I go too far on that? Have you met? Do you think there is actual work going on behind the scenes?

CUMMINGS: There's definitely work going on behind the scenes. Of course we had to staff up. We had to find space to have our offices, hiring personnel. And do our research and that's what this Benghazi on the record, we've spent a lot of time on that. I think it's so far, so good. But I think we, we've got to make sure that we maintain transparency and fairness. And so I, I say the jury is still out. But so far, so good.

BOLDUAN: The fact that no one has really lost their job, fallen on the sword. That we don't have a name of someone who really was the one person that did not answer the call when needed to get additional security into Benghazi. The fact that that has not happened -- that has been a major criticism of those who are skeptical and question that the administration has been forthright and forthcoming with information surrounding this. Does that concern you?

CUMMINGS: First of all, I believe in excellence. And I believe in effectiveness and efficiency in government and I think most of our, vast majority of our personnel in the state department have done an outstanding job. As far as those who may have not operated properly, there have been some demotions, some transfers. And so, no, it does not bother me. Think as we listen to the various testimony from Admiral Mullen and Ambassador Pickering, who led the accountability review board, they laid out reasons why they thought that the actions that had already been taken were appropriate.

BOLDUAN: And remember the two words that stick with me from that independent review are systemic failure. And that's what they, that's what they really concluded. If I can just very briefly, we'll follow this committee, this is the first of many committee hearings we're going to follow on Benghazi. Just also a very important day in the house. I do want to get your take on the vote that is expected on arming and training Syrian rebels. That's this vote also be tacked on to must-pass bill, piece of legislation to keep the government funded. Where are you on this? And where are you on the fact that this is being tacked on to something that needs to pass?

CUMMINGS: Well, I wish that it had been a separate vote. And I think if we are going to go to war, we're going to even do what that is making sure that we train the Syrian rebels. I think that that should have been a separate vote. As far as how I will vote, I have not decided yet. I'm still mulling over it. There's information coming to us, almost seems by the moment. So I'm going to do what I believe is the right thing for the American people. And I know that a lot of people are concerned, this is a very complicated issue. I want to make sure that we're not into mission creep, and I want to make sure, I want to know what it's going to cost. And exactly how we plan to, if things go awry, how the president plans to deal with that. And so there are a lot of questions here and it's not a simple yes-or-no answer. But by this evening I'll have figured it out.

BOLDUAN: Is your biggest question the -- When you talk about mission creep, the fact that there could be combat boots on the ground, or - more, kind of, in Iraq. Or do you still have big questions on the reliability of the rebels in Syria?

CUMMINGS: Both. I'm concerned about boots on the ground. But I'm also concerned about the vetting process that we'll use with regard to the Syrian rebels. I don't want to see us put arms in the hands of folk that we've trained, that then turn around and are against us. So again, we have to be very -- I think this is one of the most important votes that we'll take, because we don't know exactly where it's going to lead. So we have to use our best judgment and that's what I'm going to do as I've always done in my 17 years in Congress.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely. Congressman, always great to have you on. Thanks very much for your time this morning.

CUMMINGS: Thank you.

BOLDUAN: Of course.

The desperate search for a killer in Pennsylvania. Police say he's a survivalist and expert marksman who gunned down a state trooper last week. Could he strike again? He is very dangerous they say. And also breaking this morning -- new video coming from ISIS,

essentially challenging U.S. troops to come after them. This as we learn more about how the terror groups recruit. Hear the audio tapes obtained by CNN that reveal an American jihadist, his hard-sell to would-be terrorists.

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