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TikTok Sues Montana Over New Law Banning App; New Search For Madeleine McCann After Police Receive Tip; Jeff Bezos And Lauren Sanchez Ready To Tie The Knot. Aired 11:30a-12p ET
Aired May 23, 2023 - 11:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:30:00]
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KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, TikTok is taking Montana to court. The company filed a federal lawsuit over Montana's new law that will ban the Chinese-owned app. TikTok says among other things, that the move violates the U.S. Constitution.
CNN's Brian Fung has details. He's been following this. Brian, last time that we talked about this, you were saying you anticipated TikTok to take legal action. So, what exactly are they arguing in this lawsuit?
BRIAN FUNG, CNN TECH REPORTER: Yes, Kate, TikTok makes four major accusations here. The biggest one, of course, is the allegation that this law is unconstitutional. It violates the First Amendment rights of Montanans saying that you know this law makes it impossible for Montanans to exercise their own free speech rights to -- and their rights to access legal speech online.
Now, let me just read off a bit of this complaint here because it's super interesting. TikTok says. "This unprecedented and extreme step of banning a major platform for First Amendment speech based on unfounded speculation about potential foreign government access to user data and the content of the speech is flatly inconsistent with the Constitution."
[11:35:10]
Now you also have here TikTok, as you can see referencing speculation about China's potential access to user data of Americans, which TikTok says is you know base -- is grounds for several other of its claims, including that this law violates the U.S. Commerce Clause, as well as exceeds the presidential authority to set U.S. foreign policy. All of which is going to be really important you know as more states look at banning TikTok, and of course, as the federal government looks at it, too.
BOLDUAN: Yes, definitely happening on two fronts right now in a big way. Brian, thank you. John?
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: New this morning. U.S. Border Patrol has released a disturbing video showing the moment a four-year-old child was dropped from the border barrier in San Diego last week. And you see it going on right there. Awful. Officials say EMS agents responded to the scene where the child had been left and that the four-year-old is OK.
CNN's Rosa Flores is with us now. Rosa, what are you learning about this?
ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there is so much more to that dramatic video, John, because it's surveillance video, it has no audio. But according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, what happened once Border Patrol agents and those first responders went to the scene to help this four-year-old, they came under fire from the Mexican side. So much so that U.S. CBP Air and Marine Operations responded via helicopter to provide cover while this child was being tended to.
Now, all of this is under investigation on both sides of the border, from the Mexican side and the U.S. side. Now, we've asked about this boy's condition. All we know is that the boy's OK as you mentioned, and the boy's location and we have not heard back at this time, John.
BERMAN: All right, Rosa Flores, please keep us posted. That video just chilling. Thank you. Kate.
BOLDUAN: Police divers and speedboats are searching a new area right now connected to the case of Madeleine McCann, missing since 2007. Coming up, why officials say that they started this new search so many years after this little girl went missing?
And a court in Moscow held a hearing for jailed American journalist Evan Gershkovich. The news on his case, the new details coming in about his case, and how much longer he's going to be behind bars. Much more ahead on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.
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[11:41:54]
BOLDUAN: A surprising twist now in the 16-year-old search for missing toddler Madeleine McCann. Portuguese and German investigators are on the scene with a new search after receiving a tip. Now, Madeline, you'll remember was three years old when she vanished in 2007 during a family vacation in Portugal. So, what's happening now?
CNN's Scott McLean, he's joining us now with more details. Scott, what are you learning about this new search?
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kate. Yes. So, according to Portuguese police sources, they are looking for evidence of the potential activities at this site of the primary suspect. That suspect is a German man in his mid-40s, who is a convicted sex offender already, who lived only about a mile from the resort that Madeleine McCann was taken from some 16 years ago.
But remember, we're talking about a crime that took place 16 years ago, and the search area that they're focusing on is quite vast. It's a reservoir area. There's a mountainous scrubland on either side. The -- it's also an area that's been searched before at least the water itself back in 2008, so 15 years ago.
This time around, there are boats, there are divers on the site, but most of the activity that we can tell thus far is actually taking place on the land around the reservoir. So, why are they searching there now? The prosecutor in this case -- the German prosecutor, in this case, won't say exactly, but he insists that this effort is not in vain. Listen.
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HANS CHRISTIAN WOLTERS, GERMAN PROSECUTOR (through translator): The measures in Portugal are related to the Madeleine McCann case. This means that we are investigating there in Portugal on the basis of certain indications. I cannot disclose the background at the moment why we are searching there and what we hope to find. That is to remain our secret for the moment.
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MCLEAN: So, Kate, if you look back through the history of the case, it seems like prosecutors have compiled a good amount of circumstantial evidence like Brueckner's cell phone being around the area of the resort at the time. Also, the fact that he tried to reregister his vehicle just a day later. Plus, Brueckner's story has also changed.
But under German law, prosecutors need to be able to convince a judge that they have enough evidence to secure a conviction before they can lay any kind of charges. And also remember that the clock is ticking in this case. Brueckner is currently in a German prison serving a seven-year sentence for the rape of an American woman, but he's already halfway through that term.
BOLDUAN: Scott, have you heard anything from Maddie McCann's family with regard to what's happening now?
MCLEAN: Yes. So, we have reached out to the McCanns. We have not heard back. They have also not posted anything new to their website, which they do update fairly regularly.
There was a vigil held on the anniversary of her disappearance in Leicestershire, where they live earlier this month, where the family took part and some members of the village did as well. And so, this is a case that they have very much tried to keep in the public eye even this amount of time later. It is also something that, frankly, they have managed to keep alive on their own because there was actually a space after Portuguese police closed the case in 2008, where the only people who are investigating this case for several years, were the McCann family. And so, the fact that they are still looking and still hoping is really a true testament to their efforts, Kate.
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BOLDUAN: 16 years -- 16 years later, unbelievable. Scott, thank you for that. John? BERMAN: So, Kate, knew this hour, a Russian court has just extended the pretrial detention of wrongfully detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Greshkovich until the end of August. That is according to Russian-state media.
CNN's Kylie Atwood who's been covering this story for so long joins us now. There were some remarkable developments at this hearing, Kylie.
KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: That's right. What we saw outside the court was his lawyer arriving with his parents. Evan Gershkovich's parents who fled the Soviet Union in 1979, came to the United States, worked in New York City, settled in New Jersey where they raised Evan and the rest of their family, they actually went to the court today for this pre-trial detention hearing.
And what we will watch to learn more about is what informed this decision of theirs to actually travel to Russia, presumably just for this hearing. It's a really interesting decision on their behalf. You don't typically see Americans who are wrongfully detained in Russia, their family members traveling into the country to see them because it can be potentially dangerous.
One other thing we should note is that we do have the ruling of this pre-detention trial. And what it did is the court actually extended the time that he's going to be in pre-detention -- pre-trial detention, excuse me, from the end of this month through the end of August, at least. And so essentially, what that means is that the investigators -- the Russian investigators, who are trying to build their case against Evan, simply have more time that they requested from the court to do so. So, we're probably not going to see him back in court until at least the end of August. Of course, the Russian court system is a little bit unpredictable, so we never know for certain.
BERMAN: And again, we're waiting for new details from inside the court today. How would he look? You know, how did he seem? Appearance and whatnot --
ATWOOD: They didn't allow reporters in there though, so it's tough to know.
BERMAN: It is tough to know. All right, the parents. You know, they came to the United States -- the Jewish Soviet dissidents coming to the United States in the 1970s.
ATWOOD: Exactly.
BERMAN: Generally speaking, not the type of people who feel comfortable going back particularly when their sons have been imprisoned.
ATWOOD: Particularly when that is a part of who Evan Gershkovich is, that could have informed the decision on Russia's behalf to actually detain him. Of course, they say that he's a spy. He was there you know doing things against the law, but U.S. officials and Evan Gershkovich's family have said that is exactly the opposite. He was there as a Wall Street journalist. He was there trying to dig into Russian culture. And he was really a fan of Russian culture.
You know, you talk to folks who had been close to him while he was living in Moscow and he really love being back in Russia. But an incredibly daring move on behalf of his parents to show up at the court today.
BERMAN: Again, journalism is not a crime. Kylie Atwood, terrific to have you here. Thank you so much. Kate?
BOLDUAN: Still ahead on CNN NEWS CENTRAL. Billionaire Jeff Bezos and his partner Lauren Sanchez are engaged. What is now being reported about the couple and their future plans? We'll be right back.
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[11:52:44]
BOLDUAN: (INAUDIBLE) is in the work, stand here and look pretty, John Berman.
BERMAN: I like weddings.
BOLDUAN: I do too.
BERMAN: Typically, spring weddings.
BOLDUAN: Me too.
BERMAN: OK.
BOLDUAN: I'm big into fall weddings as well. Billionaire Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and his partner Lauren Sanchez, they're getting ready to tie the knot. A source close to the couple have confirmed to CNN that they are now engaged.
CNN's Chloe Melas is here with more on this. You sat down with them a short time ago -- a few months ago?
CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Yes, just a couple of months ago.
BOLDUAN: That's their first time doing a sit-down interview together. What are you hearing about the plans now?
MELAS: Well, first of all, I mean, it's the engagement that everyone has been talking about, and everyone wants to know when is the wedding going to take place, could rival perhaps a royal wedding, the guest list? There have been jokes on social media, perhaps it'll take place on the moon, right? Because of his new contract.
BOLDUAN: IT would be a very strange wedding gown.
MELAS: So, you know, I -- look, I spent quite a bit of time with them that day that I sat down with them in November, and it was very clear that they are so in love. You know, they've both been married previously. Jeff having four children, Lauren having three, and they have a lot of just the same belief systems.
They both care a lot about philanthropy. And Lauren running the Bezos Earth fund at the Bezos Academy. But I just want to throw to a little bit of my interview so that you can see the chemistry for yourself.
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MELAS: I'd love to know what does a typical Saturday night look like for Jeff and Lauren.
LAUREN SANCHEZ, TV PERSONALITY: We can be kind of boring. Yes, I mean --
JEFF BEZOS, CEO, AMAZON: You're never boring.
SANCHEZ: I -- you're going to give me a little --
BEZOS: That's not true.
SANCHEZ: But it's -- I mean --
BEZOS: I can be boring.
SANCHEZ: It's really, I would say normal. We have dinner with the kids. It's even between us so there's a lot of -- a lot of discussion. And then we watch movie. And --
BEZOS: A typical Saturday night, probably a movie.
SANCHEZ: By committee, it takes a long time to find that movie. Won't you say?
BEZOS: Yes, we probably spend more time picking the movie than we need to, you know, that's quite true.
SANCHEZ: But I think that's the fun part.
BEZOS: It's fun.
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MELAS: You know, look -- I mean, the chemistry was very obvious, not just on camera, but off camera. And you know they've been going strong for several years now. And I think that they are just very committed to one another.
Lauren, you know, we also spoke in the interview about the fact that she's going to be headed to space. You know, they're both very interested in that she's going to be going with an all-female crew. We're expecting maybe later, towards the end of this year. Unclear if Jeff will go with her.
[11:55:04]
But I think that this is one of those big you know celebrity couples. It's going --
BOLDUAN: There'll be a moment. There's no doubt.
MELAS: It's going to be a huge wedding. But I think that this I'm going to predict is going to go the distance, this relationship. I'll say here now.
BOLDUAN: I will say is, the one thing I'm going to do -- I'm going to dispute is that it's fun having the fight about choosing a movie --
BERMAN: No, I was just going to say --
BOLDUAN: Right?
BERMAN: -- you know they're making it up because that's it's the worst thing ever. It's the worst ever.
BOLDUAN: It's the worst fight ever. All we do is watch trailers, and then I give up and go to bed.
BERMAN: Yes, completely.
MELAS: And you know they're watching Amazon Prime. Right, of course.
BERMAN: Maybe. No, I was just saying. I mean, I do believe in love but what I believe in even more than that is two-day delivery. So, that's like what I'm most concerned about hearing it.
MELAS: The big question is what we were joking about this morning on "CNN THIS MORNING" is what's on their Amazon registry, right? So, what will we see?
BOLDUAN: Honestly, guys, let's be honest. They're not registering for anything. That is actually what you have to -- (INAUDIBLE)
MELAS: They have everything they could also be needing.
BOLDUAN: (INAUDIBLE) I'm just going to say. Great to see you. Thank you.
MELAS: Good to see you too.
BERMAN: Yes, China. It's always a good thing.
All right. Thank you all so much for joining us. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL. "INSIDE POLITICS" is up next.
