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The Lead with Jake Tapper

Suspect in Jayme Closs Kidnapping Appears in Court; Shutdown Continues. Aired 4:30-5p ET

Aired January 14, 2019 - 16:30   ET

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

[16:30:02]

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: And, as CNN's Kaitlan Collins reports, all this digging in is doing nothing for negotiations.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I will never, ever back down. I didn't need this fight.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Under siege today, President Trump is lashing out at Democrats over the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

TRUMP: The government remains shut down for one reason and one reason only. The Democrats will not fund border security.

COLLINS: The president demanded a return to the negotiating table while sticking by his own demands and offering no new incentives.

TRUMP: All they have to do is say, we want border security. That automatically means the wall or a barrier.

COLLINS: Almost four weeks in, talks between the Democrats in the White House have completely stalled.

TRUMP: I don't know if we're close on a deal.

COLLINS: And the president is backing off his threat to use emergency powers.

TRUMP: I'm not looking to call a natural emergency. This is so simple, you shouldn't have to.

COLLINS: Trump is even balking at offers from Republicans, after senator Lindsey Graham pitched this:

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I would urge him to open up the government for a short period of time, like three weeks, before he pulls the plug.

COLLINS: The president outright rejected the suggestion today.

TRUMP: I'm not interested. I want to get it solved.

COLLINS: Prompting this frustration from his own party.

SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R), ALASKA: Well, then, Mr. President, when are you going to help us open the government?

COLLINS: The White House strategy to blame Democrats...

TRUMP: The Democrats don't want to do anything about it.

COLLINS: ... isn't working. A new poll from CNN shows 55 percent of those surveyed blame Trump,while only 32 percent hold Democrats responsible.

The government has now been partially closed for 24 days. And Americans are starting to feel the strain of the shutdown, especially at the nation's airports, where the majority of TSA employees who according to their union average less than $40,000 a year aren't getting paid.

CHRISTINE VITEL, TSA EMPLOYEE: I am a single mom. My son just graduated his first two years of college. He's going back. I'm not getting paid. I just bought a house. I'm not going to be able to pay my mortgage.

COLLINS: But some White House officials are brushing off those hardships, including the president's economic adviser ,who told furloughed workers to think of it as a vacation.

KEVIN HASSETT, CHAIRMAN, COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS: A huge share of government workers were going to take vacation days, say, between Christmas and New Year's. And then we have a shutdown, and so they can't go to work, and so then they have the vacation, but they don't have to use their vacation days.

And then they come back, and then they get their back pay. Then they're -- in some sense, they're better off.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Now, Jake, the president has been using his physical presence to show that he's open to negotiating with Democrats, essentially making the argument, I'm here and you're not, because a slew of Democrats left Washington over the weekend, as Republicans did as well, after the House and Senate adjourned.

But the president is headed back to Washington right now after speaking here in New Orleans. And we are told that he doesn't have any meetings scheduled, nor does his staff, with congressional leaders or their staff tonight, so we're not going to get any progress on the government shutdown until tomorrow at the earliest, Jake.

TAPPER: All right, Kaitlan Collins traveling with the president. Thanks so much.

I just want to run that sound again, because it's really remarkable. This is the president's top economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, catching some heat, he's been, for the comments he made about furloughed workers. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HASSETT: They can't go to work, and so then they have the vacation, but they don't have to use their vacation days.

And then they come back, and then they get their back pay. Then they're -- in some sense, they're better off.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: I mean, there are people out there, we have been showing them for three weeks, four weeks now, who are worried about, who are having to make choices between whether or not they pay for groceries, or whether or not they pay for medical bills.

JAMIL SMITH, "ROLLING STONE": Right.

I mean, there was an event in Maryland this past Friday where people were being getting out turkeys and other kinds of food items, like it's Thanksgiving for folks who can't afford to feed themselves.

I mean, this is not vacation. This is -- people are having to choose whether or not they can afford their insulin or whether or not they can afford payments for therapy for their kids who need help. This is not some sort of benefit.

It's amazing to me the lack of perspective that this White House has.

TAPPER: Insulin is a whole other issue even if you have money.

SMITH: Amen to that.

TAPPER: But how does this end? How does this government shutdown end?

BILL KRISTOL, FORMER EDITOR, "THE WEEKLY STANDARD": I mean, I have been saying for a couple of weeks that I think it ends when Republican senators buckle.

Trump doesn't seem to have any incentives to so. Speaker Pelosi is holding the Democrats fine. I do think there's increasing pressure -- and I have heard this behind the scenes from people on the Hill -- on Republican senators. Why are you closing down a third or a quarter or whatever it is of the federal government just for the sake of this dispute on the wall?

Fine. I mean, you guys have your fight about the wall over the next few months. That's what legislative fights are about in the appropriations process and so forth. And meanwhile, could you reopen EPA and IRS and all these parts of the government?

[16:35:00]

But I got to say the Republican senators -- and this is a familiar refrain -- have been hanging in there with Trump so far, despite these poll numbers showing the Trump's position is unpopular.

I do think that -- if that spills over to Republican senators, that's what -- and the Democrats have not actually done a good enough job, in my opinion -- not to give your Democrats advice. They should be blaming McConnell more and Trump less.

McConnell could open the federal government. McConnell could deliver 20 Republican senators.

(CROSSTALK)

TAPPER: And 67 votes is what you need.

KRISTOL: Totally.

TAPPER: The president -- you don't actually need the president signature if you pass it in the Senate with a veto-proof majority.

And the president has been citing this interesting subset in the ABC News/"Washington Post" poll suggesting that there's been an uptick in support for the wall in the last year, 34 percent last January, compared to 42 percent now. It's still minority, but there has been an uptick.

We should also note, though, that the same poll shows most people oppose the wall. And he's also ignoring -- even though he likes that one number, ignoring every poll that suggests that the American people largely hold him responsible.

CNN's poll shows 55 percent of Americans hold him responsible. That came out yesterday. A Quinnipiac poll today says the same thing. But the president thinks he's winning the P.R. fight.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. I mean, he's clearly cherry-picking what he wants to see from these polls.

But, as you point out most, if not every poll says that Americans do blame him for the government shutdown. So the reporting is from my colleague Jeremy Diamond that he believes he's winning the P.R. battle, but I can tell you from sources I speak to in the White House that's not the feeling at the White House.

The president may be telling aides that. He may be telling himself that as he stews alone in the White House and tweets, but people I have been speaking to are concerned that this is a losing battle politically, that it's like going to get worse now that workers are not getting their paychecks as of last Friday.

There is real concern that these media stories about them will continue to trickle out, not being able to pay their medical bills, not being able to pay their mortgage. And there is real concern within the White House that basically the onus is on them and that Schumer and Pelosi have the upper hand

Now, what they're trying to do right now actively is to look at other funds, such as civil forfeiture funds, other places, discretionary funding, that they can pull from in order to pay for the wall as an alternative to invoking a national emergency call.

TAPPER: Paul, take a listen to what President Trump said today. He suggested that some Democrats are ready to make a deal and they're reaching out to him. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Many of them are saying, we agree with you. Many of them are calling and many of them are breaking. The Republicans are rock solid.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Any thoughts?

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

TAPPER: Are you calling, Paul?

(CROSSTALK)

PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I'm not calling him.

I actually have the number at the White House. I have not used it in some years. No, this -- it's like when he said all the former presidents supported him. And then, of course, we contacted all the former -- CNN contacted all the former presidents. They said no.

Maybe Millard Fillmore, William Henry Harrison, but he just lies. It's -- that's what's so shocking. He can make a case for a wall. The minority of Americans agree. The majority don't. But that's a legitimate debate. It's not legitimate -- as we say back in Texas, don't pee on my boots and tell me it's raining.

KRISTOL: But, also, he doesn't believe he's winning, I think, really.

TAPPER: Really? You don't think he does?

KRISTOL: No. All that frantic tweeting from the White House this morning, the desperate efforts to change the topic and to cherry-pick the polls, that is not -- you're winning, you're winning, and the polls show you're winning and your people are confident.

If you're losing is when you cherry-pick one fake statistic.

BROWN: And he's stuck. And he knows he's stuck.

TAPPER: OK.

We do have some breaking news right now. The man who confessed to kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents is in court right now. According to a criminal complaint, Jake Patterson said he started targeting the teen after watching her get on a school bus. Let's watch and listen to what's happening in court right now.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He does.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Patterson ,is your name, address and date of birth correct on the complaint?

JAKE THOMAS PATTERSON, DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Patterson, you are charged in count one with, on or about October 15, 2018, Barron County, to have caused the death of James M. Closs with intent to kill that person, contrary to Section 940.01 sub-1, sub-A of the Wisconsin statutes, a Class A felony, carrying with it, upon conviction, shall be imprisoned for life.

Count two, charges on our about on the same date, you did cause the death of Denise J. Closs, with intent to kill that person, contrary to Section 940.01 sub-1, sub-A of the Wisconsin statutes, a Class A felony, and upon conviction shall be imprisoned -- sentenced to imprisonment for life.

Count three charges you on the same date and place, by force or threat of imminent force, you did carry JLC from one place to another without that person's consent and with intent to cause the victim to be secretly confined contrary to section 940.31 sub-1, sub-A of the Wisconsin statutes, a Class C felony carrying with a maximum penalty of up to a $100,000 fine and/or 40 years imprisonment.

[16:40:06]

And count four charges you with, on or about the same date and place, you did intentionally enter a dwelling without the consent of the person in lawful possession of the place, and with intent to commit a felony, to a kidnapping while armed with a dangerous weapon, a shotgun, country Section 943.10 sub-2, sub-A of the Wisconsin statutes, a Class E felony, carrying with it a maximum penalty of up to a $50,000 fine and up to 15 years imprisonment.

Due to the charges here, I'm ordering a DNA sample to be collected, if not already collected by law enforcement. Mr. Glynn or Mr. Jones, who's answering for defense today regarding preliminary examination?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will, Your Honor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

And make sure you use a microphone, because I have a digital recorder -- reporter.

Does he wish for preliminary examination?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

And is he willing to waive time limits today?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is willing to waive time limits. We have reviewed that with him previously in person, and he will agree to that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

Mr. Patterson, are you willing to waive the time limits for a preliminary examination?

PATTERSON: Yes, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did anyone make any threats or promises to get you to waive your right to a preliminary examination?

PATTERSON: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excuse me, your time for a preliminary examination? I'm sorry.

PATTERSON: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And have you had enough time to discuss the waiver of time limits with your attorneys?

PATTERSON: Yes, I did.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And Mr. Glynn, are you satisfied that his waiver is voluntary?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will so find.

I have consulted with counsel earlier and found a date that works, February 6 at 11:00 a.m. Does that still work, Mr. Glynn?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And for the state?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

Mr. Wright, the state's recommendation regarding bail?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: State is asking the court to set cash bail in the amount of $5 million.

Mr. Patterson has no ties to Barron County. The allegations in the complaint are that he worked at the Saputo cheese factory for two days. The only reason other than that for being in Barron County was to kidnap Jayme.

The state asks the court to look at the charges themselves. He's charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide. The maximum sentence on each of those counts, life imprisonment, the count of kidnapping, 40 years, and the count of armed burglary, 15 years.

The state asks you to consider the efforts he took to conceal himself, as alleged in the criminal complaint, the modifications that he made to his vehicle so that police wouldn't find him, including stealing license plates on the vehicle near Sarona, putting them on his vehicle before he went to the Closs residence, so that if police did see him, they would not be able to trace his vehicle back to his plates.

The fact that he disengaged his dome light to make sure that no one would be able to see him enter or exit his vehicle. The fact that he purchased a mask. The fact that he wiped down shotgun -- the shotgun that was located at his house and the shells that were use to kill James and Denise, by his own words, so that no DNA or fingerprints would be found.

The fact that it is alleged he shaved his face, all of his head hair, and showered before leaving for the Closs home, so no DNA or fingerprints could be located. The fact that he turned his engine off, headlights off to conceal his arrival at the Closs home

The fact that he had made a decision that he was going to shoot anyone inside that home, including children, because he could not leave behind any eyewitnesses.

He indicated that, if he had been stopped by police, it was likely he was going to shoot at police officers with the three shotgun shells that he had remaining. Kept the shotgun shell inside of his house for two weeks in case the police came. He remained in hiding after abducting Jayme for 88 days before he was apprehended.

Your Honor, all of this indicates the defendant is a flight risk, a danger to the public, and he is unlikely to further return for further court proceedings without an exceedingly high cash bail.

The state asks the court to consider section 969.01 sub-4. Proper considerations for the court to consider in setting bail would include the number and gravity of the offenses, the potential penalty the defendant faces, and whether the alleged acts were violent in nature. All of these factors weigh in favor of the state's requested bail.

JAMES BABLER, JUDGE, BARRON COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT: Who's arguing bail for the defense?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your honor, we would just ask for a lesser amount, make no further argument. And if we'll have any additional things to say about bail, we do it via motion.

BABLER: The court has reviewed the criminal complaint almost 12 pages in length. I've considered the allegations as set forth the possible penalties which include life imprisonment and find that substantial cash bail is necessary to ensure the defendants appearance in court. I will set bail at $5 million. I will see you back in court Mr. Patterson On February 6th at 11:00 a.m. Anything else Mr. Wright?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your Honor, if I may address non-monetary conditions.

BABLER: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Those would include no possession of firearms, no contact with Jayme Cloths, no contact with Peter or Kristen, K-R-I-S- T-E-N Kasinskas, K-A-S-I-N-S-K-A-S or their residents located at 14102 South Eau Claire Acre Avenue -- I'm sorry -- Acre Circle in Gordon, Wisconsin. And no contact with Jeanne, J-E-A-N-N-E Nutter, N-U-T-T-E- R.

BABLER: Mr. (INAUDIBLE) any objections to non-monetary conditions?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, your honor.

BABLER: I'm going to specifically order Mr. Patterson that you may not possess any firearms, you may not have contact with Jayme Closs, no contact -- means no contact in person by telephone and writing by electronic means are causing someone other than your lawyers to have that contact. No contact with Peter or Kristen Kasinskas or their residents at 14102 South Eau Claire -- is that Acres?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Acres A-C-R-E-S.

BABLER: Acres Circle, Gordon or no contact with Jean Nutter. Do you understand that Mr. Patterson.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes sir.

BABLER: Anything else Mr. Wright?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No your honor.

BABLER: And anything else Mr. Glenn?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No your honor.

BABLER: All right, we're adjourned.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: All right, CNN's Ryan Young is at the Barron County Courthouse in Wisconsin where this hearing just concluded. Ryan, $5 million bail set for Jake Patterson and now we're hearing some new horrifying details about these crimes.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. The details are quite scary, Jake. When you think about it the preparation that he put into this really showed that he had some forethought and really put some planning into it. Just from the idea, not only shaving his head and trying to get rid of all his facial hair not to leave any DNA behind and also wiping down the shotgun after it was used, there were other steps that he took according to the sheriff's department. Now, this is all stuff that he admitted to that he was going to work

one day, solve this teenage girl getting on a school bus and decided that is the person that he wanted to take, but it's the scary ramifications of this. He just identified her and decided to put this plan into motion. And from there, you see all the planning that went into place.

He went to a Walmart. He bought supplies, that he got ready. He even tried to go to this house on two other occasions according to the complaint that we read today that said he made the attempt to do this but one time he got spooked because he saw people walking around, the next time he saw more cars in the lot and decided not to do it.

He disabled the dome like inside his car to make sure that when he came down that driveway that when he opened his door that the light would not come on. Disabled the inside of the trunk to make sure that if someone was on the inside they could not open that back of the trunk, some scary, scary details, Jake.

TAPPER: Indeed, scary and horrifying. Still ahead, President Trump once said only wackos would vote for a guy who he just quoted approvingly on Twitter. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:50:00] TAPPER: Breaking news in the "POLITICS LEAD." Moments ago, a stunning slam from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Republican Congressman Steve King's racist statements in which King lamented that white nationalists and white supremacists are offensive terms now. McConnell told CNN "Congressman King statements are unwelcome and unworthy of his elected position. If he doesn't understand why white supremacy is offensive he should find another line of work."

This comes as King is expected to meet with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy who this weekend vowed to take action over King's latest racist remarks. Jamil, I mean, one of the things that's interesting about this is this is not the first time he has said something racist but all of a sudden now -- I guess tipping points are good but --

JAMIL SMITH, SENIOR WRITER, ROLLING STONE: I mean, the tipping points have just been coming over and over again with Steve King. I mean, I think that you know, frankly -- I mean, every time something like this happens, Republicans come out and they say something similar to this and then people just kind of like recycle it out of the news cycle and then we just wait for him to say something else and then there's a fresh cycle of outrage and no one ever really says what they need to say which is Steve King you need to resign.

TAPPER: And in fact he's -- and in fact he didn't. McConnell didn't say that.

SMITH: He didn't say that racism needs to be a firing offense if within the Republican Party and until it isn't -- until it is. We're going to -- still be doing the same thing. TAPPER: Do you think that Steve King should be forced to resign?

It's weird because you know, you look at some of the personal offenses that people have done, there was that congressman from New York, Christopher Lee I think was his name who there was some dating app and he was you know, there with a shirt off of congressman (INAUDIBLE) with the tickle fights, Anthony Weiner. I mean, people do things in their private lives that are offensive, inappropriate, and they get pushed out of the party, but racism --

[16:55:04] BILL KRISTOL, EDITOR-AT-LARGE: I mean, we should denounce. I'm a little reluctant to ask for elected official -- to force elected officials to resign. They were -- he was elected -- reelected by his constituents after the Weekly Standard actually broke the story of King calling Mexicans in effect dirt and we don't want more of that coming across the border.

TAPPER: And he lied about it.

KRISTOL: And then we decide to report it and he denied it and said some kid reporter is making it up and then we released the tape and that had said it, nonetheless he got reelected. Certainly, what the party can do is strip him of committee assignments and do other things that discipline him. Hopefully -- and there's a primary challenge I was we see this, a conservative Republican actually, so you can't just say some moderate RINO pro-life instead of a Republican running against him in that Iowa district.

TAPPER: And Pamela, the President was asked about Congressman King, this President who is up to speed on everything in the news having to do from Jeff Bezos' divorce to -- I mean everything. But but this is what he had to say about Steve King.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What about Steve King's remarks on white supremacy?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Who?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Steve King, Congressman Steve King. be turnouts

TRUMP: I don't -- I haven't been following it. I really haven't been following.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: OK, I mean --

KRISTOL: Is that David Duke with you? Was that --

TAPPER: Yes. He never heard of David Duke.

KRISTOL: Right, yes. He's conveniently -- he doesn't follow certain things.

That's kind of his go to. Who, I don't know who you're talking about. And as you point it out, the President has been kept up to speed on everything. He's been tweeted about Jeff Bezos, you name it he's probably tweeted about it over the last 48 hours being in the White House alone. Our reporting is that the President is aware.

I mean, look his aides have told him that he is -- it is true we were being told. He has been -- he has been focused on the shutdown. But this is an opportunity for the President to come out and denounce these kind of remarks as you point out. And a some would argue that this is a missed opportunity for the President to say look, this is offensive, this is racist that you know, we shouldn't tolerate this.

But what will be interesting as he faces his opponent and the reelection fight as you pointed out what is -- what the President will do then. Will he back Steve King which would all but ensure his re- election victory or will he not and leave him vulnerable. It will be interesting to watch that.

PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Given America's history on race, it's a moral obligation for a president to speak out against racism. When a cross was burned in an African-American family's yard in Maryland 1984, Ronald Reagan went to their home and denounced it and the world saw that America was standing for something better.

When David Duke emerged as a candidate for governor in Louisiana, George H.W. Bush said this. He's an insincere charlatan with a long record and an ugly record of racism and bigotry. He was the Republican candidate for governor of Louisiana and President Bush Senior denounced him. This is what our President must do I would not hold my breath waiting.

TAPPER: And yet and then yet President Trump approvingly quoted from a column by Pat Buchanan this weekend. Pat Buchanan writing about the border wall, how he thought Democrats wanted to "reduce the number of white men in the country. This is you know, just basic white nationalist, white supremacist language. And Trump tweeted from the article, this is somebody that had been President Trump in the past called Pat Buchanan a Hitler lover an anti-Semite but here is approvingly -- and not just Pat Buchanan was on the Web site VDARE which is obviously a favorite of racists all over the country.

SMITH: Well, I'm sure you know, President Trump would tweet out my column if I was willing to agree with him. But I think you know, I mean, you know, you have a president here --

KRISTOL: You're not so sure about that.

SMITH: He might. You'll never know. You'll never know.

KRISTOL: I guess, I guess.

(CROSSTALK)

KRISTOL: I can see it did that.

SMITH: I mean, to build on what Paul was saying, I think you know, this is also you know, this is the president who when Heather Heyer was run over by a car in Charlottesville he called those people very fine people. So this is -- this is the kind of president we're talking about.

BEGALA: He knows who Patrick J. Buchanan as he can't pretend given the comments he made.

KRISTOL: He cites Buchanan --

TAPPER: Cites Buchanan's name, yes.

BEGALA: I'd say, I called my late great friend Molly Ivins who once said about a Buchanan speech, it was good but it was better in the original German and maybe that's Patrick's comment.

TAPPER: And then another target of the President's this weekend speaking of racism. He went after Elizabeth Warren writing, "If Elizabeth Warren often referred to by me as Pocahontas did this commercial from Bighorn or Wounded Knee instead of her kitchen with her husband dressed in full Indian garb, it would have been a smash."

I mean Native American community obviously outraged. First of all, Wounded Knee is the site of a horrible massacre by the United States against Native Americans but there he is again.

BROWN: Right. I mean, what else do you say other than just (INAUDIBLE), right?

SMITH: You mean -- you're talking about you know, 150 to 400 Lakota Indians who were massacred in 1890 by American forces and this President uses this as a jab at presidential candidate.

TAPPER: Thanks one and all for being here. I appreciate it. Our coverage on CNN continues right now.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Happening now, it's a disgrace. After first refusing to answer, President Trump says he never work for Russia calling the very idea a disgrace.