Return to Transcripts main page

CNN's The Arena with Kasie Hunt

Soon: Bail Hearing For Sean "Diddy" Combs; Now: GOP Stalling House Action Amid Holdouts On Trump Megabill. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired July 02, 2025 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Look out, Messi. Move over, Reynaldo. The world's first humanoid robot soccer league kicked off in Beijing. A preview for the upcoming world humanoid robot games.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: And if this was a preview, it's going to suck, because these robots were terrible. Yeah, during the competition, a lot of them fell down. They had to be carried off on stretchers, flopping if you ask me.

KEILAR: What are they doing?

SANCHEZ: Yeah. I don't think we're going to get Terminator anytime soon.

Anyway, thanks for joining us this afternoon.

THE ARENA WITH KASIE HUNT starts right now.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

KASIE HUNT, CNN HOST: Breaking news in New York and on Capitol Hill.

Hello, everyone. I'm Kasie Hunt. Welcome to THE ARENA.

As we come on the air, we're following major developments on two big stories.

Sean "Diddy" Combs could soon walk out of this courthouse after almost ten months in federal custody. A million-dollar bail hearing set to begin there in just minutes.

This morning, Combs was found guilty on two counts related to prostitution, but he was acquitted on four more serious federal charges. His lawyers are trying to get him released on bond until his sentencing. Combs faces up to 20 years in prison, but he could receive much less than that. That, of course, up in New York.

Down here in Washington, President Trump's massive policy bill is in the middle of critical procedural votes. House Republicans are currently stalling for time as the White House scrambles behind the scenes to win over conservative holdouts. You can see this live feed just how quiet things have gotten on the

floor. As this vote is held open. If the votes do succeed, the full house could vote to send the bill to the president later on tonight.

But we do begin with the verdict in the Sean "Diddy" Combs sex trafficking and racketeering trial.

Let's bring in CNN chief legal analyst Laura Coates, CNN entertainment correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister. They are both outside the federal court in New York City.

You have seen them there all day. You have seen them there every day since this trial began.

Laura, I want to start with you because, of course, were just a little bit less than an hour away from Combs's bail hearing. Can you walk us through what that's going to be like? And would we see if it happens? Did he walk out those doors that are right behind you?

LAURA COATES, CNN CHIEF LEGAL ANALYST: This is such a significant day. Not only have we heard that he was found not guilty of the highest charge of RICO carrying a possible life sentence, sex trafficking in two counts, and instead found guilty on the a prostitution related so-called Mann Act charges. The judge is weighing right now. The two letters that were submitted by the prosecution and defense, which had, as you understand, very different positions here.

The prosecution said we intend to seek jail time, your honor, ten years for each of those counts, which would be 20 years. It could be consecutive because the two different incidents occurred distant in time, and it's their prerogative to do so.

The judge, of course, also weighing the defense who saying, oh, no, no, no, what you should weigh here is the reasonable likelihood that he will not serve that maximum sentence. According to the guidelines, him being a first time offender, there's a corresponding score that you give each person and it puts them lower into the 20 months or so range within that particular area.

They want the judge to consider that, but the judge goes beyond that. The judge will look at whether this person poses a threat to the greater community, whether they're a flight risk or whether there are any conditions that they could impose on Sean "Diddy" Combs such that they could have him return for sentencing and abide by the law in the courts. Some of those can include drug testing, no passport, no access to flights, knowing who he's going to live with, and of course, also returning for the sentencing.

But we also know there's been letters, as you well know, from not only Cassie Ventura's attorney, but also Deonte Nash as an appendix to a particular -- addendum, excuse me, to one of the letters saying that they feared for their safety.

And Elizabeth had this great interview earlier today with Cassie Ventura's attorney, and he spoke about this. ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Yes, he did.

And as you said, he did file that letter to make his position known, but really more to make Cassie's position known, which is that he says that she believes that he is a danger to society.

Now, also, one point that you made, Laura, is he a flight risk? You remember that when he was denied bail pretrial? Because remember, as you said, Kasie, he has already been in custody for ten months. He was denied bail three times by three different judges, including this judge who has been presiding over this trial.

And one of the reasons was because they did believe that he was a flight risk, and they did believe that he was a danger to society. So, we will see shortly if the judge still holds that same thought.

COATES: At 5:00.

HUNT: And, Elizabeth, you, of course, interviewed Cassie Ventura's attorney. Let's watch a little bit of what they told you. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WAGMEISTER: Cassie took the stand for four days and she testified about what quite frankly, are some of the most embarrassing and traumatic moments of her life. Things that she may have wanted to go to the grave with had it not been for testifying in this trial.

How difficult was that for her? Or was it cathartic in some sense?

DOUG WIGDOR, CASSIE VENTURA'S ATTORNEY: I think it was -- was both. It was both. It was very difficult. And it was cathartic. You know, if you were in the courtroom and you observed her -- I mean, she just answered the questions. I thought in a very graceful and I think I'm trying to speak as objectively as possible. I thought in a forthright manner. I don't believe that the jury disbelieved her in reaching its conclusion. I think the jury ultimately found that the government hadn't met its burden beyond a reasonable doubt under a very complex and difficult statute.

And, you know, when you think of sex trafficking, sometimes, you know, people conjure images of minors and, and, you know, bringing people in from other countries and things like that and not this sort of behavior, which technically, you know, could be argued as sex trafficking.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: Elizabeth, obviously, Cassie Ventura really put herself out there. How do you -- how would you characterize what you've learned about how she's feeling?

WAGMEISTER: You know Doug Wigdor, her attorney, we saw right there, he told me that he spoke to Cassie right after this verdict.

Now, she is not expected to speak out herself. She is home with her family. You remember Cassie, that when she testified she was eight months pregnant. So, she has three children, a newborn at home.

Doug tells me that she is really looking to move forward. He says that she is proud of herself. He said that this was incredibly difficult. Of course, they all wish that the outcome was different, that Sean Combs was convicted on the most serious charges.

But none of this would have happened without Cassie. This federal investigation began after she filed her lawsuit back in November of 2023. So, this trial wouldn't have happened without her coming forward. And we also wouldn't have anyone else speaking out against Sean Combs.

And it's important to note that because Laura and I have been speaking about this all day long, Combs has around 70 -- that is seven zero -- civil lawsuits against him. So, it's not just this trial. Even though he is now evaded life in prison, which, of course, was his primary concern, that is a huge victory for Sean Combs. He has a legal battle ahead of him.

HUNT: Yeah. So, Laura Coates, what's the scene been outside the courthouse since this verdict came down.

COATES: Okay, I want you to imagine a split screen between the decorum that's inside of the federal courthouse, where everyone is very serious, and federal marshals are imposing that everyone recognize and appreciate the gravitas. Compare that to the scene that's outside, spectacle, circus, show, all words that come to mind.

Some people are there with true celebratory spirit. Others are expressing their discontent. But there are shouting matches at times. In fact, right now, you're hearing people shouting. They've got their phones out in front of them. They are trying to make sure they are capitalizing on the ability to say that they were here in this moment, for what can be described as their generation's trial-tainment, a la O.J. Simpson in the coverage, although different reasons.

What's also important here to think about is there are people who are taking some of the most graphic and odd details of these freak offs. I'm talking about baby oil and the like. They are pouring baby oil on themselves. They're pouring it on each other. I kid you not, this is happening outside.

In fact, when Mr. and Ms. Combs' -- Sean Combs' mother, Ms. Janice, walked by, at one point somebody was pouring baby oil on themselves. I'm telling you, this is a scene. And here we are --

HUNT: Is that -- is that supposed to be a show of support?

(CROSSTALK)

COATES: They set up barricades.

HUNT: Like a -- like -- I'm -- what, like which what?

COATES: Don't have me getting the mindset of somebody, Kasie, who puts baby oil on themselves. After hearing about the freak offs. I'm not going to go there. But I will tell you what I've seen. And that is that this NYPD is prepared right now for possible reaction to whatever may happen, because look right behind us, these gold doors, that's the door that if the judge says that Sean Diddy Combs walks out, a man who can go home to Miami until the sentence he comes out of these doors right behind us.

HUNT: All right. Elizabeth Wagmeister, thank you. Laura Coates, thank you for those details that are going to stick with me for a while. I appreciate it.

Laura is, of course, going to have much more tonight. How's that for a tease on her show? "LAURA COATES LIVE" tonight at 11:00 a.m. Eastern -- p.m. Eastern and her podcast, "Trial by Jury". Catch new episodes wherever you get your podcasts.

Now for more legal analysis, let's bring in CNN legal analyst Elliot Williams and Elie Honig.

Elie, they want me to talk about how you work for the southern district of New York, but I'm still stuck on the people outside the trial, pouring baby oil all over themselves.

ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: I've seen weird things out there. Never that. That's pretty weird.

HUNT: So let's talk about the Southern District of New York. They obviously brought these charges. It was a very aggressive swing. These RICO charges, and they missed on quite a few of them. How unusual is that?

HONIG: It's incredibly unusual. It's a black eye for the SDNY. There's no way around this.

I mean, look we Southern District people will be the first to tell you, we don't lose at trial. Now we do. I lost a case or two in my time there. But to take a case of this profile and to lose the way they did. Yes, they convicted him on the two lowest charges. But there's no way to spin this as other than a loss for the SDNY, and a victory for Sean Combs.

But the way the SDNY lost. This was by overcharging it. I actually don't fault them for charging the coercion charges. I think a reasonable jury could have heard this testimony from Cassie Ventura and from Jane, the other victim, and said yes, there was coercion.

I do fault the southern district for charging RICO -- for charging racketeering. I used to be in charge of that unit. I was aggressive in the way I charged racketeering. Sometimes I was criticized by defense lawyers and judges for being overly aggressive in charging racketeering.

I have said from day one of this case, they overcharged this. This is an inappropriate case for RICO. They did not have the goods. They did not have the proof that this was a criminal structured organization. And it backfired on them.

HUNT: Really interesting perspective, Elie.

Elliot, I want to look ahead to the hearing that's set here at 5:00. And so here, let's walk through the terms of release. This is what's been proposed by Combs' defense team. So they've proposed a $1 million bond, travel restrictions, drug testing, the surrender of his passport.

Does this seem reasonable? How likely is he -- is he to get this?

ELLIOT WILLIAMS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: It does. And I think it's a decent chance that he gets it for a number of reasons. Step back and forget everything you know about Sean Combs, that you know about the trial, the disgusting behavior, the baby oil and all of that business.

HUNT: Yeah.

WILLIAMS: What --

HUNT: That's hard to forget.

WILLIAMS: No, but what Sean Combs is right now, what Sean Combs is right now is an individual who has not been convicted of a violent offense. He has not been convicted of --

HUNT: And that's the distinction often here?

WILLIAMS: Now, that's part of the distinction. Is he a risk of flight? Is he a danger to the -- danger to the community? And are you securing his presence in court for the future in some way?

Those -- it's just -- it's just not the same thing. It's a relatively low level. And as we were saying, if someone were not, if someone were -- let's not, say, Elie Honig, let's say John Smith charged, you know, with of the same transportation to prosecute -- to prostitution offense, they would not be held pending -- pending their incarceration here.

So, it's -- he will likely be released taking his passport away merely acts as a check on him getting on a plane and going somewhere else. And so, these are relatively reasonable terms --

HONIG: The SDNY is chasing, you know, they say don't throw good money after bad like you've already lost. And I think they're further reducing their credibility by arguing 20 years, this 20 -- he's not getting 20 years. That's nonsense. They know that.

The other thing is he's not a flight risk anymore. He was back before when he was facing 15 to life. Now he's facing maybe a couple more years, maybe no more time. That calculus has changed, and I think it's going to really bolster his application.

WILLIAMS: And a big part of it is you just have to separate out everything you know about the case and what you feel about the conduct, what was charged, what we know he did, quite frankly, some of it being quite reprehensible. But what is before the judge in the court right now and in the eyes of the law, this really is not an individual who probably ought to be locked up.

HUNT: It's interesting that you put it that way, because that is how the defense started this entire thing by saying, we know that our client did things, to use your word, that are reprehensible, but that is not what you, the jury, are charged with, deciding today.

All right. Elie Honig, Elliot Williams, you are going to stick around through the hour. Thanks very much for starting us off.

Coming up next, the days other breaking news unfolding right now here in Washington. House Republicans are scrambling to find the votes. That's literally what that picture shows it. It looks boring, but that's what's going on behind the scenes. They're trying to pass the president's domestic policy agenda, and we're going to talk with one powerful House Republican about how that's all going down.

Congressman Jim Jordan will be here live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:18:48]

HUNT: Welcome back.

Right now on Capitol Hill, Republicans massive policy and spending bill inching closer to a full vote. That is this so-called "Big, Beautiful Bill".

But opposition from Republican hardliners is threatening to derail the process. Some of them think it's not so beautiful anymore. President Trump has made it clear that he wants the bill no matter what, on his desk by the 4th of July, which, as we all know, is coming up on Friday.

CNN congressional correspondent Lauren Fox is on Capitol Hill with the latest.

Lauren, this vote is being held open. What's going on?

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, essentially, what's happening right now behind the scenes is the speaker, GOP leadership, White House aides. They are working furiously to try and quell some of that opposition, especially from members of the house freedom caucus.

Just a couple of minutes ago, I had a chance to catch up with Representative Ralph Norman, who said that they are having ongoing conversations he expects could go on for hours with administration officials about exactly what the implementation of the Senate's proposal would look like, trying to clear up any questions that they have about the senate language, anything that the administration can do to make this bill more palatable for them.

[16:20:02]

But obviously, what the message is from leadership is that ping- ponging this between the House and the Senate repeatedly, is really not a good option at this point, despite the fact that, yes, this bill looks different than what the house passed. Yes, this bill may not satisfy all of the concerns from Republican hardliners or from moderates, the underlying reality that leadership is trying to level set with their members right now, is that this may be as good as it gets. Nobody gets 100 percent of what they want, is what Speaker Johnson was saying earlier to reporters, and that even though members might have preferences, preferences cannot trump the president's own agenda.

And so that is where things stand right now. We expect that this vote is going to be held open on the floor for a long, long time, Kasie. It's really hard to tell exactly when this might wrap and when they might get to a place where they feel like they have the votes to even move on to what is known as the rule vote up here. That's a key procedural maneuver, because that sets the stage for having that final vote on the president's agenda.

HUNT: And, of course, it used to be that those rule votes never were points where one the party in charge was going to take down its own plan for what to do on the floor. So, it tells you just how contentious this is.

Lauren Fox, thank you very much for that.

And joining us to discuss the fate of President Trump's domestic policy agenda is Republican Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio. He is the chairman of House Judiciary Committee and a founding member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.

Congressman, thank you so much for being here.

REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): You bet. Good to be with you, Kasie.

HUNT: And I do want to ask you in that context --

JORDAN: Yeah.

HUNT: -- it is Freedom Caucus members who are very concerned about this bill. I'm old enough to remember when -- if there was a bill on the floor that added this much to our debt and deficit, I cannot imagine you would have been happy about it in those years. And yet you have been approaching this a little bit differently.

What is your message to your colleagues in that group right now?

JORDAN: Well -- look, we all wish it save more money, but, you know, this is a good bill. And I tell people all the time, you know, its a good piece of legislation because every single Democrat hates it.

And the reason they hate it is because this bill actually empowers Americans. It empowers families, it cuts their taxes. It keeps their taxes low. It says to the hardworking people who are working and getting tips, we're not going to tax those tips. It says to parents, we're going to give you school choice in our tax code. It says the border is now secure under President Trump, we're going to

allocate resources to keep it secure. And maybe most importantly or as importantly, is it says to hard working American families who are paying for all this government, for people who are getting a benefit in the welfare system, if they're able-bodied adult, guess what? Now -- from now on, they're going to have to work.

So, I think it's good for all those common sense, fundamental Republican principles. That's why the Democrats don't like it. While it doesn't cut enough spending, I get it. But we've got small majorities, and this is probably as good as its going to get.

So, I am certainly for this piece of legislation.

HUNT: So, do you think that your colleagues like Chip Roy, like Ralph Norman, those are down at the White House? Should they just get over it and get on with it?

JORDAN: I think -- well, look, they're good guys. They're friends of mine, and I understand their concerns. But it was a 50/50 vote in the Senate. The vice president of the United States had to come break the tie. Two of the three votes on the Republican side who were against it were moderates. It was Tillis and Collins.

Do you think it's going to get more conservative? I just don't know how that that happens. And when you step back and look, Senator Johnson voted for it. Senator Lee voted for it. Senator Lummis voted for it.

HUNT: Rand Paul didn't.

JORDAN: Senator Scott voted for it. All kinds of conservative senators supported this legislation. Actually, senators we meet with every single week we're in session, we work with these guys, good enough for them. But somehow we're not going to -- we're not going to vote for this? So, I think that's important.

And the other thing I would say is this -- in politics, it's just like in sports, momentum matters. Right now, our party, I think you look at the border being secure under President Trump. You look at the successful mission in in Iran. You look at what happened at NATO, with getting the other countries and NATO countries to kick in more of their GDP towards the defense.

I mean, we're on a roll. Things are moving in our direction, and now we're going to stop a bill that cuts taxes, as Republicans? I just don't think that makes sense.

So, I hope we get this done today and we move on and to the next issues and the next things we need to tackle, the things we told the American people that we were going to do.

HUNT: Sir, what's your least favorite part of this bill?

JORDAN: Well, I mean, there's the subsidies, I get those. I wish -- President Trump doesn't like those either. But when you got a three- seat majority in the Senate, you got a handful of seats that -- put you in the majority in the House, you got to kind of give and take. And that's just how it is.

I said this a couple of years ago in a speech on the floor, any differences that exist in the Republican Party are pretty darn small compared to the differences between us and the left, the radical left, which now controls the other party. So, we had better figure out a way to stick together and get some things done that are consistent with what we told the voters we were going to do. I think that's the most important thing.

[16:25:01]

I think this bill does it. I think we should support it.

HUNT: Why do you think it's so unpopular? It's dramatically unpopular. When you look at the partisan split in the country, we're basically 50/50 country. This is like underwater by either 20 or 30 points, depending on what you read.

JORDAN: Well, Kasie, I will tell you what will be unpopular is if we allow taxes to go up on the families, we get the privilege of representing. Hardworking American families don't want to be paying more to the government. The government that sends their money to, you know, all kinds of ridiculous things that DOGE uncovered.

I don't think they want their taxes going up. So, I tell you, that will be unpopular. Right now, there's polling out there that says whatever. What I know is, I want to make sure parents get a say in where their kids go to school. School choice is important elements, something that we've fundamental principle of our party.

I want to make sure their taxes don't go up. I want to make sure able- bodied people getting your money, your viewers money in our welfare system are going to have to work in order to receive those that benefit and that that money. And I want to make sure our border stays secure, which is something that our committee, specifically the judiciary committee, worked hard on in this legislation.

HUNT: All right. To play devil's advocate for a moment on the Medicaid piece. I mean, I hear what you're saying about work requirements. Certainly, Scott Jennings has sat at this table and made all kinds of arguments along those lines as well.

But I'm interested to know if you've heard from hospitals in your district, from people who, at the end of the day, somebody walks into an emergency room without Medicaid, somebody is paying that bill, and it's going to be either the hospital or the other taxpayers.

JORDAN: But, Kasie, you're saying that, oh, if someone has to do a work requirement, they're going to -- we're not kicking anyone off Medicaid. We're just saying if you're going to get it, you have to go to work. And some of it --

(CROSSTALK)

HUNT: I'm just saying those people still get sick, someone still has to pay for it.

JORDAN: Well, yeah. But if they're on Medicaid, they're not going to be cut off. The argument we're hearing from the left is we're kicking people off.

That's just not the case. We're saying if you're on and you're able- bodied, you should work. You work, I work, the folks I represent work. I mean, that's just -- that's just how life is. That's how the Good Lord made it.

Why is that so, so dramatic or so radical? That doesn't seem radical. The radical position is, oh, we're going to give you something free and you're an able-bodied 35-year-old male and you're not working.

You got to be kidding me. So that's all this is. And yet the left says, oh, we're kicking people off. That's just not accurate.

But if they say that enough and you guys repeat it enough, maybe that influences the polling. What I know is the families I represent, I want to make sure their taxes don't go up.

The hardworking people that I get the privilege of serving, I want to make sure their taxes don't go up. And this bill does that.

HUNT: All right. Congressman Jim Jordan, appreciate your time. Thank you for being here. I hope you'll come back.

JORDAN: I will. Take care.

HUNT: All right. Thanks.

Coming up next here, our panel will weigh in with their predictions about whether this bill is going to pass today or ever.

Plus, we're going to talk with famed victim -- victims rights attorney Gloria Allred as we await a decision on whether the judge will free Sean "Diddy" Combs on bail pending sentencing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:32:22]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: We are -- we are working through everybody's issues and making sure that we can secure this vote. We can't make everyone 100 percent happy. It's impossible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: He sounds like every parent in America.

My panel joins us now in THE ARENA. Senior political correspondent for "The Wall Street Journal", Molly Ball, CNN anchor and chief political correspondent Dana Bash, CNN political commentator Xochitl Hinojosa, and Republican strategist Doug Heye. Welcome to all of you. Thanks for being here.

Dana Bash, I want to play something for you that Marjorie Taylor Greene, of course, of often flamethrower fame, said last night on Steve Bannon's podcast, actually, "The War Room" podcast. This was before the Senate actually passed the bill, but worth playing. Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE BANNON, PODCAST HOST: Is the House going to rubber stamp this? Is it going to be like a 24-hour turnaround, ma'am.

REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): I cannot imagine. No, no, I can't imagine they have the votes. There's no way that Johnson has the votes in the House for this. For this whole thing is -- I don't know what to call it. It's a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) show.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: So, the evocative language there, she's not wrong. I mean, this votes open. It's going to remain open. It's not clear.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's more than 24 hours.

HUNT: It has been quite a while. What's next here?

BASH: Well, yeah, I mean, it's been quite a while when -- as we have been watching this sort of pause button as you so aptly described it, going on on the House floor right now. But it's pretty darn fast what they're trying to do, which is a big part of the problem. An 800-plus- page bill that the House voted on a version, of course, and now.

And Marjorie Taylor Greene, just for example, she admitted that one of the things that was in the bill, she didn't even know it was in there because nobody had time to read it the first time. So --

HUNT: There's a lot of that going around.

BASH: And there's a lot of that going around. And now, it's been changed from the Senate.

But, look, right now, this is all about President Trump, his really tight grip on the Republican Party and his ability to use the capital that he has. There are people who are complaining who are probably going to vote yes. They want their constituents to know that they tried to be on record saying, you know, it's not perfect, but maybe we'll get there, kind of like we heard from the speaker.

Maybe I'll have egg on my face, but it's hard to see at the end of the day, if Donald Trump wants people to do this, that he won't get those votes.

HUNT: I will share that stance that you have --

BASH: Yeah.

HUNT: -- because it seems that way to me as well.

And I mean, Doug Heye, this is part of why we're talking about this in the break. Why are there Republicans going to the White House?

[16:35:01]

There's two groups of them. Conservatives like Chip Roy, Ralph Norman, Andy Ogles, Tim Burchett, moderates like Mike Lawler, Stephanie Bice and others.

Is it just performance art? They're all just going to vote "yes"? Because it does seem like they're taking a real risk hanging out there if they go against this president and tank this bill.

DOUG HEYE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Yeah. A lot of this is performance art and it's performance art in different directions. Some of it is communicating directly to constituents, some is about getting booked on TV shows and radio interviews going on with Steve Bannon and so forth.

But the reality is, the House is most likely going to vote on the Senate bill and the Senate bill alone if they make one word change, the whole process starts over again. Donald Trump doesn't want that. The speaker doesn't want to go through this process.

And ultimately, they have to decide, would they define Donald Trump? And the short answer is no, they won't. Why? Look at the name of the bill.

We can forget about Mike Johnson to some extent. We can forget about John Thune. They don't talk about big, beautiful bills in their normal vernacular.

Donald Trump does. This is his bill. It's his legislative priority. He's going to be the one who has to get this home.

HUNT: And it literally is called the Big, Beautiful Bill, right, in Congress -- Xochitl.

XOCHITL HINOJOSA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: And -- well, there's no winning here either you go and defy Trump, and he primaries you and the MAGA base primaries you, or you walk the plank and you potentially lose in the midterm elections.

And so, Democrats right now believe that this is an amazing opportunity for them because now they can message ahead of the midterm elections that they have taken away your health care, that they have taken away food from children and seniors and veterans. And they see this -- and they just started messaging on this.

And I would say that this is probably one of the least popular bills passed in modern history. And so, I think Republicans see the writing on the wall. They know Democrats are going to use this. They have just -- sorry, so the American people don't like it. And we have a year and a half before the midterm elections. And there's going to be more of that. And as people feel the impacts of it, it's going to continue to be even more unpopular.

HUNT: How do you see the politics of it, Molly?

MOLLY BALL, SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Well, look, I think there's a lot that we don't know yet about what -- how people are going to view this bill. Yes, it is unpopular, potentially historically unpopular. And Republicans have some heartburn about that, and there are a lot of Republicans who have legitimate problems with this bill.

But the only thing worse than passing this bill, or being the one person who tanks the bill, is not passing the bill, because if they don't pass the bill, everybody's taxes go up and Trump is mad and the debt ceiling gets hit.

So there -- so there is a lot of urgency to this process. People may feel like they're being rushed along, but they've been working on this all year. They've had plenty of time to hash everything out, and this feels very much like death throes to me.

I will say it is an unpopular bill at this moment, but I think both parties have their work cut out for them to do the messaging after it is passed because the vast majority of Americans have only the vaguest sense of what this bill is about and what's in it, and whether or not they like it.

HEYE: Molly highlights something that that I've noticed just in the past 24 hours from the speaker's office. I was on a call with them yesterday and they basically said, you know, this bill is -- 85 to 90 percent of what the House passed, meaning you can get on board. The messaging from the speaker's office now is, is to what Molly said, if you don't do this, this is what's going to happen.

That's a threat to their members. And that's one of the ways that they're trying to get them in line. But ultimately, again, it's Donald Trump who's got to bring them home.

HUNT: We stopped with the carrots and gone on to the sticks.

BASH: Yeah, exactly. So that's the process. But to sort of my answer to the question you asked Molly about the politics of this is, you know, I've been thinking a lot about Obamacare because although the, you know, policies are totally different for a million reasons, the process really trying to push a single party to approve a giant bill that, you know, that the other party is really going to hit is very similar. And with Obamacare, it took a little bit -- a little bit of time for the benefits of it to sink in.

With this kind of bill. Tax cuts are one thing, people, if the taxes are raised, people will feel that right away. But on the cuts to spending, particularly Medicaid and SNAP, people are going to feel that people are going to feel that, you know, pretty quickly. So, you can message all you want, that that's not how people are feeling. But if they do have problems that they lose their health care, if they lose their food stamps, then it's impossible to message around that.

HUNT: And one thing I will note, too, about Medicaid cuts is that there's an awful lot of talk about the person receiving the Medicaid. You heard Jim Jordan talk about that. This affects families. If you have a family member who receives Medicaid that you are otherwise trying to take care of, and they lose that Medicaid, that is going to impact your -- it's going to impact more people, I guess, is what I'm trying to say than just people who may lose coverage.

Now, one thing I think, and so I want to give this to you, that this whole process is highlighting. I get that Democrats see this as an opportunity. It's also really underscoring the lack of power that Democrats have in Washington right now.

[16:40:00]

They are powerless to stop this. This was Hakeem Jeffries on Instagram. You know, I'm married to a New Yorker, so I think I understand what he was doing. But I'm not, you know, like he's got a baseball bat and he says House Democrats will keep the pressure on Trump's one big ugly bill.

Is he threatening violence? And also I mean, it's -- that's not really -- my question is, you know, this seems to be the most that they can do, right?

HINOJOSA: Yeah. I mean, he was at a press conference today highlighting every single vulnerable member's district and how it would impact their districts. We need more of that. We need to the American people to hear how it's going to impact them.

And I think Democrats realize the reason we lost, the reason we lost the House, the Senate and the White House is because we weren't talking to working people. And we weren't -- we didn't have policies that the working people believed that would impact, that would help them. And that's why Donald Trump won.

The problem here is that Republicans are targeting the very people that elected them and put them in office, whether it's tariffs or whether it is Medicaid. And so, it will be interesting to see what happens. They made promises to these people, and now they're backing down from their promises. And I think that will really impact them.

BASH: Jason Smith, the House Ways and Means chairman, was on my show "INSIDE POLITICS" earlier today. I asked him that very question about, aren't you kind of playing with fire that the very new Republican voters who came along in the Trump era, more working class voters, are going to really feel the biggest pain? And his answer was, my constituents -- he's obviously from a red district -- my constituents like this bill.

So, if he is right, they're okay. It's a big "if" for people like him and other Republicans, particularly those who are in more rural areas and swing districts.

HUNT: Molly Ball, how much, though, of the appeal to working class voters that came from Republicans and from Donald Trump is about Donald Trump is about personality and culture as opposed to policy?

BALL: I think it's a mix of both. But look, I think that what the perception that's going to matter to your point and to the point that I think Jason Smith was making is do people feel like my health care is being taken away, or do they feel like my lazy neighbor's healthcare is being taken away? Because I think people will support the latter, but not the former, if they feel like it is undeserving other people who are losing their health care, or if the hospital in their rural area is closing, that's what you get a reaction from.

So, I think a lot is going to depend on what kind of consequences people see play out from this.

HUNT: For sure.

All right. All of you, thank you so much for being here.

And, of course, Dana is going to be back for her program "INSIDE POLITICS" tomorrow, every weekday at noon Eastern. Don't miss it.

All right. Coming up, we are just about 20 minutes away from learning whether Sean "Diddy" Combs will walk free pending sentencing. That bail hearing starting at the top of the hour.

Up next, we're going to talk with attorney Gloria Allred about what she expects.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:47:20]

HUNT: All right. In just about 15 minutes, a New York judge will hear arguments over whether Sean should be granted bail following his conviction on two prostitution related charges.

Combs' defense team requesting that pending sentencing. The hip hop mogul be released with restrictions on a $1 million bond. Cassie Ventura lawyers asking the judge to deny that request, writing that Combs poses a, quote, danger to the victims who testified in this case, as well as to the community.

Joining me now to discuss is the very high-profile attorney, Gloria Allred, who has represented accusers of R. Kelly, Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby, currently representing two clients in civil lawsuits against Sean Combs.

Gloria, I'm so grateful to have you here for your perspective.

And I do just want to start there. What was your reaction to this verdict and what do you think it says about the jury in the country well.

GLORIA ALLRED, ATTORNEY: Well, I always respect a jury verdict, whether I might agree with it or not. They're the ones that heard all the evidence that was admitted in the courtroom. They deliberated. They apparently took their obligations as jurors seriously. And so, I have to respect their verdict.

Obviously, it wasn't the verdict the prosecutors wanted, but also, you know, the defense is left with two felonies on the table in a transportation for prostitution. The violation of the Mann Act.

So, it's not a complete victory for Sean Combs. And we'll have to see what happens next.

HUNT: What --

ALLRED: I want to say one thing, if I may, about the upcoming bail issue.

HUNT: Please? Yes.

ALLRED: I agree -- yeah, I agree that I am very concerned about Mr. Combs being released on bail, which is a possibility. I'm sure that the court, the federal judge, will do his very best to consider all the guidelines, factors for sentencing, prior criminal history, if any danger to the community, potential flight risk. Even though the defense has set a number of conditions for pretrial sentencing behavior and so forth.

Having said that, I want to say that the only the not only the victims and accusers who testified at the trial could be potentially concerned about Mr. Combs release on bail, there are a number of others, and some of whom I have represented, who spoke to law enforcement, even though they never filed civil lawsuits, even though they did not end up testifying in the criminal trial.

Some of them were willing to testify if, in fact, they were called. Some of them, in fact, were on the witness list, which was turned over to Sean Combs' defense attorneys, but has not been released to the public.

[16:50:08]

So, I always am concerned for victims or accusers or people who perceive their victims. They overcame a lot of fear just to speak to law enforcement and tell the truth. And they were very much afraid. Some of them, they'd be retaliated against by Mr. Combs. So that is my concern as well.

HUNT: So you think that if Sean Combs is free while he waits for sentencing, there could be risks to people on that witness list?

ALLRED: Well, I think that that's the way some of the alleged victims say it and perceive it and are afraid of it, and not only by him, but perhaps by his, some of his very vigorous supporters. So may or may not be at his direction. I'm not suggesting he would. I don't know, but that is a potential fear.

We know that Mr. Combs has been a violent man. We all saw the video on CNN. I think the jury could have found that he, you know, Cassie was trying to leave, didn't want to attend a freak offs. He beat her. He dragged her. It was a disturbing to see that video as many times as I've seen it.

They could have found coercion. They could have found force for sex trafficking. They didn't.

So, we're left with that verdict of not guilty.

HUNT: What do you think? And you have so much experience speaking and working with people who have found themselves in, in very difficult situations. Cassie Ventura did come forward in a very public way. Obviously, we've seen the verdict in the wake of that testimony, of that risk that she took by coming forward.

Do you think that this is going to make people more or less likely to come forward in the future?

ALLRED: Well, people say to me that the #metoo movement is dead, people in the media. I don't find that at all. I've been doing this almost 50 years. I still have many people contacting me. I have a new case with a high-profile figure that has not been revealed that I'm involved in it yet, and so women are willing to come forward.

And you know, my client, there was a conviction in the Harvey Weinstein case. My client was the victim, and Mr. Weinstein was convicted of criminal sexual assault in the first degree in state court last month, and he will be sentenced probably at the end of July or August. So, there's hope.

The #metoo movement does not just depend on criminal cases. It also depends on civil cases. And it also depends on confidential settlements, of which I've done more than a thousand over the years. So that's without lawsuits being filed.

So, women are stepping up and demanding accountability, whether it's in the form of compensation in a civil lawsuit or confidential settlement, and/or in a criminal case or just in the criminal case, and not in civil matters. Many of them, they're breaking through the fear, they're showing their courage and their strength, and they're being empowered women by the end of the process, no longer living in fear most of them and knowing that they can do something to win justice.

HUNT: All right. Gloria Allred, thank you very much for your time today. I really appreciate your insight.

ALLRED: Thank you. Bye-bye, Kasie.

HUNT: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:58:12]

HUNT: All right. Welcome back.

In just a few minutes, the bail hearing for Sean Diddy Combs will get underway. We saw his children arriving at court just a few minutes ago. For more legal analysis, we're bringing back CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig.

And, Elie, you sat down and were telling me that we actually have some new information from the government about what the sentence might look like.

HONIG: Yes. So, prosecutors just put in their brief asking the judge to hold Sean Combs without bail. In the brief, I think the most important thing is the prosecution says his likely sentence, his recommended sentence under the federal guidelines should be 51 to 63 months, which means just a little bit over four years, somewhere between the range of just a little bit over four years to just a little bit over five years. So, as I said before, right, I said all this talk of 20 years and ten years is nonsense.

Well, now even the prosecutors are saying in our best case scenario, applying all the upward enhancements they come out to 51 to 63 months. So, I think that's a really important piece of information that we just got out of that filing.

HUNT: And how does time served play?

HONIG: Well, time served. So, remember, he's done ten months already. So, what the defense is going to say is judge he should get -- he should have gotten less than ten months. But they're going to say, at most, he should get time served. And that's why judge, they will argue you should let him out today, so he doesn't end up serving more time than necessary.

HUNT: Yeah. So, the other thing, of course, were waiting to see if in fact, Combs is team wins this, and he gets out on bail. He could walk through those doors. There are questions about whether he might speak.

Marc Agnifilo, his attorney, was asked about it and he said, well, he's his own man. Would you advise him to speak?

HONIG: I would advise him, please do not speak. You have you may have an appeal. You don't want to say anything that could undermine your appeal. You still have to be sentenced. You don't want to say anything that would tick off the judge.

But all a lawyer can do in the end is advise. And your client does not have to take your advice. So, I would plead with any client, don't say anything. And if you do, keep it generic. I'm thankful to the jury. This is our process and I'm vindicated by the result. And walk into the car and get the heck out of there.

HUNT: At the end of the day, this was obviously some convictions, but not on the most serious charges here.

All right. Elie Honig, thank you as always for your expertise. Really appreciate it.

Thanks to all of you for being with us today as well.

Don't go anywhere. "THE LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER" starts right now.