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Mar-A-Lago Property Manager Released On $100,000 Bond; Hearing Tomorrow For Suspect In Gilgo Beach Deaths; Trump Dominates In New GOP Poll Despite Legal Woes. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired July 31, 2023 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

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JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Trump's newest co-defendant in the classified documents case is released on bond after making his first federal court appearance. So, who is Carlos De Oliveira? What we know about the Mar-a-Lago property manager? Just ahead.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Meantime in Fulton County, Georgia, a judge just rejected Trump's legal team's attempt to remove District Attorney Fani Willis from the election interference investigation, just as the DA says the work is done and they are ready to go. We are live from Atlanta just ahead.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Plus, a Georgia woman under arrest in the Bahamas for allegedly conspiring to commit murder. The target? Her husband who had filed for divorce. We're following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

SCIUTTO: All right. So, who is Carlos De Oliveira, the man who just made his first appearance in court in the classified documents case? Let's lay it out. He has now been indicted on four criminal charges alongside his boss Donald Trump as well as the president's former aide -- or the former president's aide Walt Nauta.

Friends and family said Oliveira -- De Oliveira came to the U.S. from Portugal to seek a better life. He started as a valet at Mar-a-Lago. Later became the property manager. But unlike Walt Wauta, he is not someone who is well-known inside Trump's inner circle.

One former Trump aide who has frequented Mar-a-Lago told CNN "I've never heard of that person." Here is what he is accused of specifically, a number of things.

The superseding indictment says De Oliveira allegedly helped Trump and Nauta try to delete security footage. Remember, prosecutors claimed that he twice told a Mar-a-Lago it worker that the boss wanted the server deleted in a conversation that he said must remain private, probably because the security footage allegedly shows De Oliveira and Nauta moving boxes of classified documents to hide them from authorities. There's also this if you can believe it. De Oliveira was accused of draining a pool in order to flood the server room that stores that footage. Perhaps, in an effort to damage it.

Last, but not least, he's also accused of lying to the FBI. According to the indictment, Trump called De Oliveira last August to say that he, Trump, would pay for his attorney fees on that same day authorities said Nauta had a conversation with a different Trump employee who assured Nauta that De Oliveira was loyal to Trump. It's a frequent question we hear asked by Trump about his employees, particularly his legal troubles mount, are they loyal? Brianna?

KEILAR: So, Jim, this is Carlos De Olivera leaving the federal courthouse earlier today in Miami. He did not enter a formal plea during this brief hearing. He was released on a $100,000 bond. He will be formally arraigned next week when he has a lawyer who is based there in Florida.

We have CNN's Randi Kaye live outside of the courthouse with the very latest year. What can you tell us, Randi?

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, he showed up right on time for his court appearance this morning in the Miami federal court here just behind me. He was wearing a navy blue suit and tie. He was here along with his Washington, DC-based Attorney John Irving.

Once inside the courtroom, he was surrounded by about five U.S. Marshals. And then the judge asked him to come up to the lectern in the middle of the courtroom where he said good morning to the judge. And that is when the judge read him the charges that have been filed against him.

He said he understood the charges. He also understood that he had the right to consult an attorney. The judge then told him that both parties agreed that he would be released on a $100,000 bond.

[14:05:03]

But that doesn't necessarily mean, Brianna, that he's free to go about his business in any way that he pleases. There is a -- there are some restrictions that are also been placed on him. He has to turn over his passport, a U.S.-based passport within 48 hours.

The judge told him he also can't leave the area of South Florida without permission. So, his travel is restricted. And the judge also told him, Brianna, that he will have to get permission to talk. Actually, he's not allowed at all to speak with any of the other witnesses who have been identified by the government. And anybody he does speak with will need to be through his attorney.

One other note is that because this was not a formal arraignment and the plea was not entered, that is going to take place on August 10. This is important because now that his plea arraignment has been delayed, the question is what will that do for the trial for Donald Trump in this case of the Mar-a-Lago classified documents as well. There are -- there are some indications that could be delayed. And of course, a lot of questions about whether or not that trial would take place before the presidential election, Brianna. KEILAR: And, Randi, what more can you tell us about the man who has been listed as Trump employee number four in this superseding indictment? That would be Yuscil Taveras who oversaw the surveillance camera footage at Mar-a-Lago.

KAYE: Right. CNN has learned that is Yuscil Taveras, as you said. And he was an IT worker there. And this is employee number four in the indictment who apparently allegedly, Carlos De Oliveira had asked to meet him in the audio closet to talk about how to delete and get rid of that security camera footage after it had been subpoenaed.

We understand that he has -- that Taveras has received a target letter. We also understand that he has not been charged. But what's important here is that CNN has learned from sources that it was Taveras's information, at least in part that really led to these additional new allegations against the former president, his aide Walt Nauta, as well as Carlos De Oliveira. Brianna.

KEILAR: All right, Randi Kaye, live for us from Miami, thank you for that report. Boris?

SANCHEZ: In Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis says her team's work is finished, and "we're ready to go." This, coming after some two and a half years of investigating Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in the Peach State. CNN has learned that a judge has rejected the Trump team's legal effort to disqualify the DA as well.

CNN's Sara Murray joins us now live from Fulton County, Georgia. So, Sara, bring us up to speed. Fani Willis describing some of the security components that are going into this week's potential decision.

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. I mean, we're really in the beginning of what is her potential indictment window this sort of window she's forecast for when she's expected to make an announcement on whether anyone is going to face charges in her long- running criminal probe. We've already seen barricades going up here around the Fulton County Courthouse. And today is the beginning of her instructing her staffers to start working from home on a number of days throughout August.

Now, our affiliate here, WXIA, also caught up with Fani Willis over the weekend to talk to her a little bit about some concerns -- security concerns she may have and where her investigation stands. Take a listen.

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FANI WILLIS, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, FULTON COUNTY, GEORGIA: Some people may not be happy with the decisions that we're making. And sometimes when people are unhappy, they act in a way that could create harm. The work is accomplished. And we're going to work in for two and a half years, we're ready to go.

(END VIDEO CLIP) MURRAY: So, you've heard her say she's ready to go. I mean, there's still a question of exactly what date that could mean. We don't necessarily expect her to go before the grand jury and seek these indictments in the next day or two. But I think in the next week or two, we will be on high alert for any potential indictment announcements coming out of the Fulton County District Attorney's office, Boris.

SANCHEZ: And, Sara, part of the reason for that high alert is because some of her staff even is working from home and we've seen barricades outside of the courthouse. They've been preparing for a charging decision for some time, in part because of what she alluded to, security concerns. She expanded on that this weekend as well, right?

MURRAY: Yes, that's right. I mean, I think what we have heard from the -- this district attorney over the last couple of years is that she's gone particularly vile threats. And that was true again over the weekend.

She shared this racist, sexualized threat via e-mail with other officials here in Fulton County, Georgia and basically said I just want to give you an idea of what our office has been grappling with for the last two and a half years throughout this investigation. And encouraging her county partners here to stay safe and to stay vigilant throughout the month of August.

SANCHEZ: Sara Murray, live for us from Atlanta, thanks so much. Jim?

SCIUTTO: All right, let's dig a little deeper with former U.S. Attorney Michael Moore. He is also a partner at Moore Hall in Atlanta.

[14:10:06]

Mr. Moore, you've been a prosecutor yourself before. The district attorney in Fulton County says "we're ready to go." Does that sound like an indictment's coming, first of all, and what happens between now and such a -- an announcement?

MICHAEL MOORE, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: Well, I'm glad to be with you. I don't think there are any more tea leaves to read in this case. I don't think there's any real question that she's going to be having some type of indictment coming out at this point, you know.

And I do think you got to see Trump named in the indictment. And I think you'll see some of the fake electors likely named as well. Given sort of her case move forward.

So I don't know if it'll be next week. There's part of me that thinks there'll be a week or two out. There's another hearing that's been scheduled by the senior judge that relates to her potential disqualification. She may wait for that. But that's why I think it may be a couple of weeks out.

SCIUTTO: Is there a chance she'll be disqualified? I mean this has been part of Donald Trump's efforts to head off this indictment here. And a superior court judge rejected those efforts. Is that the end of the line for that line of attack by Trump's team?

MOORE: You know, they're kind of like a woodpecker and they just keep pecking away until they make a hole. And so, I just -- I don't expect that's going to be the end of their motion practice against the district attorney.

What's interesting is a Judge McBurney ruled very recently that the motion had -- was not timely made and that it was premature. He made some sort of nice comments about the district attorney. And of course, he has not recused himself.

What's interesting is there's already a senior judge that's been assigned to hear the case or hear this issue because the Fulton superior court judges had all been recused. And so presumably, that went met Judge McBurney as well. So it's sort of a -- they've got a little bit of a parallel track going on.

I don't expect you're going to see if she's removed from the case. I think it's premature. Remember that a lot of times too for a criminal defendant, what they are doing is trying to preserve and protect a record. So, they'd make these motions.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

MOORE: They get the appellate court some of the reasons to consider that down the road.

SCIUTTO: Understood. OK. Something we noticed in the updated -- the superseding indictment, which came out last week. And that is this the Trump employee, the property manager, De Oliveira, allegedly said to Yuscil Taveras, that's the IT director at Mar-a-Lago, that they spoke about deleting security footage. Given that Taveras we know has been interviewed by the special counsel, but was not indicted, given your experience, is that signal to you that Taveras is potentially cooperating with the special counsel?

MOORE: It makes me think he probably is cooperating or at least, he was told you know you're not going to be under threat of indictment, just tell the truth to the grand jury. And he'd likely, you know, gave his explanation and memory about what happened.

I was interested to see De Oliveira's charge. That told me that they did not have a cooperator in him. Otherwise, this superseding indictment wouldn't have been necessary that they could have just moved forward as the -- as they had the case. And so apparently, this other employee will corroborate some things or at least make some statements. The question then will be whether or not they can then make the link and the connection back directly to Trump.

Now, we've heard about something about the boss said this, the boss said that you know, isn't going to be -- is Nauta go say he's the boss or that he was acting as the boss or that he thought the boss might want it so he said it or who knows where it's going to go? So, there's still some -- you know some princeling to untangle here as they get closer into the case. But I -- but by all accounts there, they'd have some testimony that would attribute this effort to get rid of these tapes and the destruction of the tapes, the removal of some things back to Trump or Nauta, it sounds like to me.

SCIUTTO: Understood. Something to watch for when we -- when we eventually see if and when there's an indictment. Michael Moore, in Atlanta, thanks so much. Brianna.

KEILAR: An attorney for the wife of the suspect in the Gilgo Beach murder says her life has been turned upside down. We'll have more on that and the latest on the investigation just ahead.

And we're also following a developing story out of the Bahamas. An American woman is accused of plotting to kill her husband who is a former Auburn University football player. Details on this alleged murder-for-hire plot, next.

And later, an incredible water rescue in China caught on camera. That story and much more ahead. You're watching CNN NEWS CENTRAL, and we'll be right back.

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KEILAR: The man accused of living a double life, architect by day suspected serial killer by night, is supposed to be in court tomorrow. This will be Rex Heuermann's first hearing since he pleaded not guilty to the murders of three women whose remains were all found along Gilgo Beach on Long Island in 2010. And now, we're getting a better idea of the toll that Heuermann's arrest is taking on his wife and his family. A police official told CNN that it's likely his wife did not know what her husband of 27 years had allegedly been doing.

And CNN's Brynn Gingras is joining us now from New York in the story. Brynn, tell us what you have been learning about how his wife, Asa Ellerup, who has since filed for divorce. How she's coping?

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean it's taking quite a toll, Brianna, it seems. The statement coming from Asa's divorce attorney. As you just said, she filed for divorce if you remember very soon after Rex Heuermann was charged with those three murder charges of the three women whose bodies were found on Gilgo Beach more than a decade ago. I want you to hear from him who spoke to the Today Show.

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ROBERT MACEDONIO, ATTORNEY FOR SUSPECT'S WIFE: It's been a very tumultuous time for them. Life has been thrown upside down in the past few weeks. She needs to protect herself with children despite not knowing what's going to happen with him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GINGRAS: And in a statement to CNN, the divorce attorney also saying that they just want to regain some normalcy in their neighborhood. They actually returned to the home just last week, that's Asa Ellerup and her two children, who she shared also with Rex Heuermann, and they basically were able to grab a few things and then they had to leave the house again.

[14:20:05]

Remember, it was about two weeks that police spent at the scene of that house in Massapequa Park, Long Island, searching for evidence as it could be related to this case or other cases in different states. Just scouring that entire place. And they yet have been able to go back.

And it really did turn into quite a spectacle of not only just the press and the police but also just people in that neighborhood. So, that is why this family is asking for privacy. I can tell you, Brianna, that Rex Heuermann, as you said, he's going to be back in court tomorrow.

We aren't expecting to hear about a new charge. Of course, that's something we're keeping an eye on as he's the prime suspect in the killing of a fourth woman found on Gilgo Beach more than a decade ago. But this is expected to just be another hearing in the next process of this case.

But I can also tell you, Brianna, that I checked in with the sheriff's department and he has not received any visitors. Meaning his wife and children have not visited him in jail either. So, they are certainly keeping a distance from Rex Heuermann, and we'll have the latest for you more about tomorrow's court hearing when we see you tomorrow.

KEILAR: All right. See you tomorrow on that, Brynn. Thank you so much for the very latest. Jim?

SCIUTTO: In the Bahamas, an American woman is now under arrest for allegedly plotting to kill her husband. Online images show Lindsay Shiver all smiles behind -- beside her partner Robert. Court filings, however, show he had filed for divorce in April.

CNN's Nick Valencia is now tracking the story. So, Nick, there were others arrested along with her. Do we know why? What do we know about the plot here?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Three suspects altogether, two of them local Bahamian men that were taken into custody. And according to prosecutors, the accused agreed to carry out this murder-for-hire plot on the husband of an American woman, Lindsay Shiver.

We don't know exactly how this plot was foiled. There's some reporting out there that CNN has been unable to verify. What we do know is that these three defendants were in court for their first court appearance on Friday.

They were not required to enter a plea but they were told if they wanted to apply for bail, they could do so with the Supreme Court on the island. And according to social media, which is believed to belong to this American woman, Lindsay Shiver, both she and her husband attended Auburn University where he was a football player in the early 2000s. And that social media, Jim, appears to show a happy church- going family.

But it was back in April that her husband filed for divorce here in Georgia -- in Thomasville Georgia where the couple has a residence and he cited adulterous conduct -- his wife's adulterous conduct as a reason for the divorce filing. The next day, Lindsay Shiver, she filed for divorce.

We have reached out to the attorneys for those divorce proceedings. We have not yet heard back Meanwhile, in the Bahamas, the next court appearance for these three defendants in this alleged murder-for-hire plot is October fifth, Jim.

SCIUTTO: Goodness. I'm going to watch it. Nick Valencia, thanks so much. Boris.

VALENCIA: OK.

SANCHEZ: Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is hitting back at Donald Trump, calling his insults "juvenile." He says that's why millions of voters will not cast their ballots for him. We have more on the Republican fight for the primaries just ahead.

And if you thought the former president would drop in polls after being indicted, nah. We've got the latest numbers for you.

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[14:27:41]

SANCHEZ: As former President Donald Trump's legal bills go up, so does his lead. A new poll of likely Republican voters chose Trump head and shoulders ahead of the pack. A solid majority back some.

Take a look. The only other candidate in double digits is Ron DeSantis. But the Florida governor has had little success closing the gap. This weekend on the trail, he fired back at some recent comments from Donald Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): When he hits me with -- the with the juvenile insults, I think that helps me. I don't think voters like that. I think they look at it and they realize like, you know what, that's not effective.

And so, I don't think it's effective. So I actually don't mind it at all. I think it's just a reminder of why there are so many millions of voters who will never vote for him going forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: CNN's Jessica Dean and Eva McKend are here to discuss. Jessica, let's start by dissecting Ron DeSantis's point there. JESSICA DEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.

SANCHEZ: For primary voters, Donald Trump's insults actually had proven effective. But is he talking about general election voters who have been turned off by Trump's rhetoric?

DEAN: Right. So, I think that's such a good and acute important question, Boris. Because the primary voters that I'm talking to, there is Trump fatigue, OK? And they'll say I don't know that I like his mouth. I don't -- you know, things like that.

But you look into -- at this poll and these cross tabs in this poll, and there's a lot of really good information that tells us a lot more about where the Republican base is right now.

SANCHEZ: Yes.

DEAN: And they are certainly locked into Donald Trump. Not just that big number in the general horse race number. We're talking about, you know, these two key arguments that Ron DeSantis is making. That he's more electable. That he can govern more effectively.

He's losing to Donald Trump among Republican voters there. So, he's just, at this point, not able to convert these voters who I think are giving him a look. But Trump doesn't maybe even need to be insulting these people because the numbers show us just how much they're in his corner right now.

SANCHEZ: It looks like he doesn't need to be campaigning as much as some of the other figures in the Republican race. And, Eva, what really stood out to me about this poll is that it's across the board, young, old, college educated, non-college-educated, urban, suburban, and rural. He's just dominating.

EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER: He is -- he is. And we saw him go after Trump directly a little bit there. Time will tell if that is the most effective strategy. He may be better off just continuing to focus on his vision for America.