Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Eric Trump Wraps Up Testimony In NY Civil Trial; House Passes $14.3B Israel Aid Bill, Expected To Die In Senate; Today: Bidens Traveling To Lewiston, Maine After Mass Shooting. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired November 03, 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]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Moments ago, Eric Trump finished his time on the stand in the $250 million civil fraud trial against him and his family. Eric Trump testifying just now that he believed everything in the financial statements that he signed off on and was presented was accurate. A reminder, the judge has already found his family -- his father and the family business liable for pumping up and wildly inflating the value of their assets for financial gain.

Let's get the latest from the court scene. This should -- Brynn Gingras has been standing by watching it all for us. Well, how did things wrap up for him?

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kate. Actually, he is to my left right now speaking to the cameras and the press. And I'm trying to overhear what he's saying. But he's essentially talking about how you know the attorney general -- this is a political stunt for her bringing this case against his family. And his family's company is in good standing. They don't owe anybody money, and so forth and so on.

So, some of the same taglines that we've heard from his father and from his brother just yesterday. Listen, he was on the stand for less than an hour today continuing that testimony from yesterday that at some points got a little bit heated. Now, we have to keep in mind as we discuss his case, those financial statements, that is the core of this entire civil trial. Essentially, the state's saying that they inflated the values on those financial assets of -- on the (INAUDIBLE) statements, their assets to get better loans, and such.

And the state wants to know, you know, what part did the brothers play in those financial statements, the preparing of them, the knowledge of them. Because they had such an expanded role of Trump organization when their father took office. So, yesterday, it got a bit heated when Eric Trump sort of distanced himself from those statements. And the state was bringing up time and time again, different e-mails, different phone calls, his pre -- prior deposition talking about preparing financial statements.

Today, toward the end of his testimony, he reiterated that he had nothing to do with the preparation of that paperwork. He called them perfect. That they were done by the accountants and his legal team. And again, that's very similar to what we heard from his brother.

Now, he is still at the cameras talking. But when he leaves, it's unclear what will happen for the rest of the court today. But it's going to be a big next week. We know the former president is going to be under oath. The plan is starting on Monday and then later in the week, we're expected to hear from the brothers' sister, Ivanka Trump.

Now, she has tried multiple times to actually delay her testimony. She just lost another appeal -- another attempt at that. She asked a judge if she could not come here to the court to testify because it was undue hardship since the testimony would happen in the middle of the week when her children are in school. The judge didn't buy that argument. So, we are expecting her to take the stand sometime in the middle of next week, guys.

BOLDUAN: All right. Brynn Gingras, outside the courthouse for us, thank you so much. John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Tuesday, the most important election day of the year. That's 2023. What it will tell us about 2024?

CNN's Senior Data Reporter Harry Enten is here with that. Harry, I want to start in Ohio --

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: Yes, sir.

BERMAN: Where there is an abortion rights measure on the ballot. Explain what it is and what we know.

ENTEN: Yes. So, the ballot measure that we have right now will be to legalize abortion rights in the state of Ohio. Now, interestingly enough, there was another ballot measure in August. Ohio issue on the ballot measure. And the no-vote in that particular ballot measure was seen as a proxy for pro-abortion rights.

Essentially, the ballot measure would have made it so that instead of a ballot -- abortion rights needing to get 50 percent of the vote plus one come next Tuesday, it would need 60 percent. So, the fact that most people said no on that, 57 percent, is a pretty good indication on a lot of people's minds that in fact, more people in the state of Ohio want abortion rights to be legal than want it illegal.

BERMAN: And I said, 2023 is about 2024 in many ways here. And on the issue of abortion rights, we're trying to learn if 2023 is a continuation of everything we've seen since Dobbs.

[11:35:06]

ENTEN: It's exactly right. You know, what we've seen on abortion rights is the abortion right side has won every single ballot measure so far. Kansas, 59 percent. California, 64 percent. Kentucky, 52 percent. Michigan, 57 percent. Montana, 53. Vermont, 77.

We have blue states like Vermont. But, of course, we also have red states like Montana over here. So, Ohio, of course, is a relatively red state. This could be another indication if abortion rights does pass in the state of Ohio, that abortion rights is popular across the political map, blue states, and red.

BERMAN: And then it feels like what's happening in Ohio is the biggest pitch battle where they had the longest runway on this specific issue. (INAUDIBLE)

ENTEN: Correct. We had the ballot measure in August.

BERMAN: Yes.

ENTEN: Now, of course, we have the actual ballot measure come November.

BERMAN: All right, maybe the marquee race in terms of candidates is in Kentucky where the incumbent Andy Beshear, who is a Democratic governor of a red state is running for re-election.

ENTEN: Correct. Running for re-election in a state that of course, Donald Trump won easily by over 20 points back in 2020. And look, Kentucky has elected a lot of Democratic governors. Beshear's father, Steve Beshear was also a Democratic governor. But, of course, with the red tilt that Kentucky has been picking up over the years, there are some real questions as to whether Beshear could win re-election.

Look. This is the chance of winning. It is within the margin of error. Essentially, Beshear has a 60 percent chance of winning based upon historical data. Daniel Cameron, the Republican nominee, a 40 percent chance. And this race seems to be getting tighter and tighter and tighter. It's a real question of whether Beshear can hold on to Cameron.

BERMAN: Yes. This isn't the lead. It's not 60-40. The polls, what this show is chance of winning. And this is actually really tight for an incumbent.

ENTEN: That's exactly right. Very, very tight.

BERMAN: All right. Virginia -- of all these races, Virginia might be the most predictive. What we see next week might be somewhat predictive of what we will see in 2024. Explain.

ENTEN: Yes. So, the entire House of Delegates is up in the State of Virginia. The state senators up as well. The House of Delegates is the lower house of Virginia's legislature. And what we can see is that the House Of delegate races as a whole have been pretty predictive of the national, the next year.

So, in Virginia, the GOP won the legislature in 2021. The GOP won the House. In 2019, the Democrats won the assembly, look at that, Biden wins. In 2017, the Democrats won the House of Delegates, Dems won the House. So, I think there's a real question if Democrats can, in fact, take back the House of Delegates from Republicans, perhaps that's a good sign for Biden. If they don't, it could be a good sign for Donald Trump. BERMAN: There's been a bit of a trek that happens in Virginia than it happens in America, as it were. And that's what Democrats are hoping it shows this time.

ENTEN: The Democrats and Republicans -- (INAUDIBLE)

BERMAN: And Republicans similarly.

ENTEN: Yes.

BERMAN: Good point. Harry Enten, thank you very much.

ENTEN: Thank you.

BERMAN: We will see you again next week.

ENTEN: All right, I'm sure.

BERMAN: A lot of races.

ENTEN: Fun times.

BERMAN: All right, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Coming up for us. The House of Representatives passed a $14 billion Israel aid package. Tony Blinken just made the case while standing in Israel that the United States needs different -- needs to provide the support to its ally at war. But with billions of cuts to the IRS included in this package and no money in there for Ukraine, will it be going anywhere? We've got more on that.

Plus, President Biden is now headed to Maine where he will be meeting with first responders from those horrific mass shootings in Lewiston. We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:42:42]

BOLDUAN: The top Democrat in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, now says that the Senate will not be taking up the $14 billion aid package for Israel that the House passed last night. Part of the reason, it does not include any additional aid for Ukraine, which some -- which senators want, and it does -- also does include cuts to funding for the IRS. Here's Tony Blinken, the Secretary of State, just this morning in Israel making clear that this funding for Israel is needed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We're working with Congress now to provide for Israel's defense, as well as for urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Joining me now for more on this is Republican Congressman Ralph Norman. Thanks for coming in, Congressman. You all passed the Israeli aid bill last night. According to Chuck Schumer, it's not going anywhere in the Senate. The White House has said the president will veto it. What is the next step?

REP. RALPH NORMAN (R-SC): Well, first of all, Kate, the -- Tony Blinken and -- as under the Biden administration is an insult and a disgrace to America. First of all, for him to call -- for him to have the audacity to say that Israel ought to bait their going against Hamas as Hamas massacred all the people is an insult. Secondly. It doesn't surprise me that Chuck --

BOLDUAN: Well, the reason -- he's not saying -- Congressman, just to be clear, he said very clearly that the United States stands with Israel and their need and obligation to defend themselves against Hamas. And also said they're not calling for a ceasefire, but rather they're talking about a humanitarian pause in order to get -- allow more hostages to come out and more aid to come in. Do you think that is a disgrace to America?

NORMAN: It's a weakness that he -- that he shows. And they -- this Biden administration has completely surrendered America all across the globe. Not here in the comments. But that is -

(CROSSTALK)

BOLDUAN: Do you think they've been weak in supporting Israel so far and being -- and I mean, it's important they offered --

NORMAN: I think the Biden administration --

BOLDUAN: I mean like --

NORMAN: I think the Biden administration has like the $100 million that they gave a couple of weeks ago that Hamas got control of. It's just a total disconnect with the reality of what's going on in Israel. They just don't --

BOLDUAN: We don't have -- we've --

NORMAN: It's --

BOLDUAN: We don't have -- we've seen and does not have reporting that $100 million of aid went to Hamas.

[11:45:08]

NORMAN: Well, that, what -- the aid did go -- did not go to the intended resources. The audit and the trade -- making sure that the aid goes to where it should. It's just not with this administration.

But back to your comment about Chuck Schumer. It does surprise me. It's under a new speakership now. Mike Johnson said early on, we're going to separate the two bills. Ukraine will have an opportunity to vote on that. But on Israel, to pay for it with cuts to the IRS, what Chuck Schumer and the Democrats are saying is they prefer the IRS agents over support for Israel. That's an outrage. And it's a -- it doesn't surprise me though.

BOLDUAN: The cuts for the IRS, the point being is that if you call -- it'd be paid for. But what we hear from the Congressional Budget Office, the cuts of the IRS would actually cost taxpayers -- cost taxpayers money and add to the deficit even more than just borrowing the $14 billion. Again, that's according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. What do you say to that?

NORMAN: CBO? I haven't -- I have very little confidence in the CBO. They have an agenda that will back up whatever view of the current administration has. So, I don't go with that.

The bottom line. There is funding set aside for 80,000 IRS agents, in any way you cut it, is money that's going into them. And for anybody, any Democrat -- really anybody to say that this is going to have to not have pay for and going further in debt is an outrage. And that's why it's putting this country in such a financial peril that this administration is willing to do.

Nowhere in executive orders and nowhere in the reports that I've seen coming from the White House, do they have cuts for anything. Not just this, but they have no pay fors. And under this speaker, that's not going to -- going to be tolerated. And we're not going to let the Senate rule what the House does, and it's such a breath of fresh air.

BOLDUAN: I will say there are different analyses, especially when you're looking 10 years out when it comes to bills like this. But in saying that you have no confidence in the CBO and that they have the agenda, they just push the agenda of the administration in power, I've seen you though, taunt the CBO in supporting some of your efforts in the past. I was looking this morning, your office put out a press release from February of this year, leaning on the CBO to make your point, calling it a jaw-dropping report coming out from the CBO reaffirming what you have said about out-of-control spending and national debt for a long time. So, where -- what has changed?

NORMAN: Well, the debt ceiling numbers, the CBO can't manipulate. Now they're not right -- they're not wrong a hundred percent of the time, nor are they right a hundred percent of the time. I mean, they're -- but what I'm saying is now, let's say -- let's take the CBOs numbers that if it does increase the deficit, where in the Biden administration's plan can they have an offset?

You know, we got $1.7 trillion deficit this year. And where under any circumstances can they come to bring themselves to have an offset? They can't cut anything. What about the woke agenda in the military? That's dollars that can be spent on aid to Israel.

And to be honest with you, on aid for Ukraine, but they just will not do that. They intend on bankrupting the country. And we're tired of it here in the House and particularly Mike Johnson.

BOLDUAN: I want to ask you. You mentioned Ukraine. Part of the core of this problem in this disagreement over the funding for Israel is agree -- is a disagreement over more -- providing more aid for Ukraine. Where are you today on this? I was looking at your past statements. You support efforts in Ukraine. Do -- but do you think it -- that they're no more aid should go to Ukraine at this time? Where are you on this now?

NORMAN: We've had over a hundred billion dollars that have gone to Ukraine. Israel is two separate pots of money to go to countries that need our help. Israel is our only ally -- Democratic ally in the Middle East. Ukraine, we have funded to date.

I have great doubt that this administration can allocate anything and go where it needs to go. I will look at it but it's not going to be combined with Israel. If the two were combined and came back to the House, I think it would go down in defeat. Separately, as it should be, we'll have to vote on it individually, and then we'll see where it goes.

I haven't seen the details of the Ukraine package. But it's going to have to be offset. And it's going to have to -- we're going to have to have some accountability that the aid goes to where it's meant to go.

BOLDUAN: Well, and candidly, politicians who just start talking about what a real offset is, and what actually adds to the deficit and doesn't. Because this is important. Because the finances of the country as you're talking about crucial. We're talking seriously about what analysis you're all going to lean on because you all need to talk about the definition of terms first.

Congressman, thanks for coming on.

NORMAN: Yes.

BOLDUAN: I really do appreciate your time.

NORMAN: Thank you, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Thank you. John.

[11:50:11]

BERMAN: All right. President Biden about to depart for Lewiston, Maine as that city mourns those lost in last week's mass shooting.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: President Biden is about to depart for Lewiston, Maine where he will visit the sights of the mass shootings there that killed 18 people. Just this morning, we learned that three people injured are still in the hospital. CNN's Omar Jimenez is in Lewiston. And, Omar, this promises to be an emotional visit.

[11:55:04]

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It really does. And President Biden is expected to appear alongside the First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, and the governor here in Maine a little bit more than a week after these shootings actually happened. And to give you an idea of what this community has really been trying to process, I mean, we're outside the facility that houses the bowling alley, which is where the first of the shootings actually happened. And you can see people -- actually, they've been coming over the course of the day to lay flowers and remembrances here on a -- at a curb that has been littered with messages of support, signs, hearts.

You drive throughout this town, and you see essentially what is the State of Maine with a heart over where Lewiston is here in this particular part of the state. Now, to give you an idea of what President Biden is going to be doing today, he'll first meet with first responders, then he's going to make some remarks, and then meet with victim families as well over the course of again, what is set to be an emotional visit for people here still trying to process what happened, again, just last week.

BERMAN: Yes. It's so hard. All right, Omar Jimenez in Lewiston. Omar, thanks for being there.

BOLDUAN: Yes. And thank you all so much for being with us today. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL. "INSIDE POLITICS" is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END