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Fani Willis Skips Georgia State Senate Hearing, Defying Subpoena; Georgia Judge Throws Out 2 Charges Against Trump; CNN In Philadelphi Corridor, A Major Hurdle In Ceasefire Talks; Trump Speaks To Reporters Ahead Of Campaign Stop In NV; "It's Insanity": Robert De Niro On Trump's Run For Presidency; One-On-One With Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired September 13, 2024 - 13:30   ET

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

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[13:30:47]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Today, the Fulton County prosecutor, Fani Willis, who is leading Georgia's election subversion case against Donald Trump and his co-defendants, ignored a subpoena from state lawmakers about testifying in today's hearing.

A state Senate panel is investigating allegations of wrongdoing involving Willis' past romantic relationship with the former prosecutor on her team in the case.

CNN's Nick Valencia was at the hearing. He's with us now.

Nick, give us the latest.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, Fani Willis was a no- show, but we didn't expect her to show up here. In fact, she had her attorney, they want a judge to decide whether or not this special Senate committee has the power to bring her to testify before them.

The chairman of this committee, Republican State Senator Bill Cowsert, his clear. He thinks that they do have the authority. And he had two people testify at today's hearing to emphasize that point.

Which included the former secretary of the Senate, who said that the panel has three recourses, one of which includes arresting Fani Willis, bringing her before the Senate bar and finding her in contempt.

Now it goes without saying it would be extremely dramatic if that happened. There's no indication that that will be the next step. We don't know what's going to happen next.

But the State Senator Bill Cowsert refused to come out and answer reporters' questions after the hearing was over.

But we did hear from one of the Democratic members on the panel. This is a nine-member paneled, bipartisan, Republican led. But one of those Democrats, he was clear, he doesn't believe that they should be involved in this matter at all.

This panel was initiated earlier this year to allegedly investigate improprieties by the D.A. when she hired her then-boyfriend, Nathan Wade, as the special prosecutor in the Trump criminal case.

they've had a series of meetings. But this one was expected to be one of the more dramatic ones where they had called Fani Willis to testify before them. Again, she did not show up and it's really unclear what's going to happen next.

We have reached out to the chairman here to get his comments and we've also reached out to the attorney for District Attorney Fani Willis to see what their reaction is to what happened here today -- Brianna?

KEILAR: Nick, yesterday, two charges against Trump are dropped in the Georgia case. What case going forward.

VALENCIA: You know, some are calling it an awkward ruling because Judge Scott McAfee technically doesn't have authority over Trump's portion of the case.

But he did throw out three counts that Trump is facing, filing false documents. Those counts were also faced by some co-defendants in this case, including John Eastman, as well as Shawn Still. So they have their counts thrown comes. That comes about six months after Scott McAfee had thrown out other counts.

So while we wait to see what happens next in the Trump criminal case, counts continually continue to be taken off this indictment.

Technically, as I said, it does not apply to Trump, but that's not keeping his attorney here in Georgia, Steve Sadow, from touting this as a victory for the former president -- Brianna?

KEILAR: All right. Nick Valencia, live for us from Atlanta, thank you.

Boris?

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: This just in. CNN was given rare access to the Philadelphi Corridor in Gaza. Control over that narrow strip of land between Gaza and Egypt has become a major sticking point in Israel's ceasefire talks with Hamas.

CNN's Matthew Chance got a firsthand look at the corridor while reporting from Gaza. And he was under Israeli Defense Forces escort at all times. But we should note, CNN retained full editorial control over the report that you're about to see.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: As you approach this place called Philadelphi Corridor, which is a key bit of real estate in this conflict because it's emerged as a sticking point in the negotiations to get a ceasefire and get the hostages released.

As you can see, it's right up against the Egyptian border. That's the -- that's the border fence right there. And it's important because the Israelis say this is an area which has been used over the years and particularly over the past several months as a way of smuggling weapons into the Gaza Strip.

Some of the smuggling has taken place over land, through presumably holes in the fence and through other border crossings, but a lot of it is taking place right under -- well, has been taking place right under our feet.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Our thanks to Matthew Chance for that report. You can expect to see more of that in the days to come.

[13:34:57]

Still ahead, former President Donald Trump is speaking right now in California and we are standing by to find out if the former president will take questions from reporters.

The latest from the west coast when we come back. Stay with CNN.

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KEILAR: Just days after his first debate with Vice President Harris, former President Trump says he's not interested in a sequel.

We're monitoring, by the way, his live remarks. These are happening as we speak in California. We'll bring those to you as he does or does not take questions.

SANCHEZ: Let's get some perspective from CNN anchor and former presidential moderator, Chris Wallace.

Chris, I want to ask you about something that the former White House communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, said. He argues that there is a 100 percent chance that there will be a second debate between Harris and former President Trump. And he says that Trump is just doing this for leverage.

[13:40:10]

What do you think?

CHRIS WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR & HOST, "WHO'S TALKING TO CHRIS WALLACE": Well, I take his larger point, which is the fact that he said no more debates. I wouldn't take it too seriously.

I wouldn't say it's 100 percent. I'd say it's 50-50 that he'll change his mind. You know, he's not a pillar of consistency when he says things.

And as the campaign goes on and he's -- I think he'll look at the polls, he had listened to people, but it's also, you know, the opportunity to get out in front of 20 million, 50 million, 80 million people -- is kind of irresistible to him. Having said that, I think he shouldn't do another debate, if I we're

advising him, because he got whipped in that debate. There's no question about it. And it could happen again. Most likely would happen again.

And why on earth, if it were, would he want to give Kamala Harris another platform of 50 million to 70 million people for her to try to win over more voters and perhaps dissuade people from supporting him.

KEILAR: Very high risk if she beats him again.

If he does entertain it, and he's considering where it would be, what about a debate on FOX? And what would that mean for Harris? Do you think that's something that would make sense for her to agree to?

WALLACE: I would say that there is an absolutely zero -- and what's lower than zero -- chance that she would agree to a debate on FOX.

I'll tell -- I'll tell a quick story. Back in 2019, when she was running, the president of FOX News and I, who was seen as being pretty evenhanded, went to meet with a bunch of the Democrats to either get them to do town halls or to do an interview.

Elizabeth Warren met with us. Bernie Sanders met with us. The only Democrat who refused to meet with us, off the record just to discuss the possibility of going on FOX, was Kamala Harris. There is a 0 percent chance that she will agree to an interview on FOX.

SANCHEZ: Wow. I am curious to get your thoughts on the effect that a debate has -- a third debate could have on a presidential.

Because according to CNN polling, only 4 percent of voters that we've talked to, who watched the debate, were swayed by some of what they saw. Would a third debate, or rather a second debate really have an impact?

WALLACE: It -- it depends. I mean, you know, I've been -- I've been cognizant and following these since presidential televised debates started.

The first Kennedy-Nixon debate back in 1960 -- and, yes, I was watching it at age 13 -- was enormously consequential. It completely reversed the idea of a stature gap between Kennedy and Nixon and put Kennedy, if not on the same platform as Nixon, the sitting vice president, even a higher one.

On the other hand, I have to say my personal opinion is, in 2016, that Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump in all three of their debates that year, Trump won the election. So it depends.

KEILAR: I think 13-year-old Chris Wallace's political analysis would be pretty good.

(LAUGHTER)

KEILAR: I would like to go in the Wayback Machine and get it. You just talked to Robert De Niro. And of course, presidential politics and the election came up. Tell us what he told you.

WALLACE: Well, here's the interesting thing. When people come on "WHO'S TALKING TO CHRIS WALLACE" on Max, starting today, they have a project to promote. No, De Niro has no project to promote. He just wanted to talk politics and he specifically wanted to talk Donald Trump.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: You really worry that if he we're to win again -- and I'm not saying this like it's such a far-fetched notion -- if he we're to win again, that he would not give up power.

ROBERT DE NIRO, ACTOR: You know, he won't. You know, he won't. He even said it. He's never going to give it up.

And anybody who deludes themselves in thinking that he is, shame on you.

WALLACE: You have compared the Trump family to a gangster family, which is something coming from you.

DE NIRO: Well, he -- he --because he thinks he's a gangster. He does everything like a gangster. I don't think that gangsters in that world would want -- think much of him.

Because you -- in any -- there's honor among thieves. There's honor in anything. If you don't keep your word and do the right thing with people, no matter what profession you're in, you are going to get ostracized.

And in that world, it's a little harder.

(LAUGHTER)

WALLACE: That's why they're being ostracized.

Well, when you say that they are gangsters, in what way?

DE NIRO: He thinks he's against in things. I do something for you. You do something for me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: So to make it clear, here is Robert De Niro, the most famous actor portraying gangsters in the history of movies, saying gangster would want nothing to do with Donald Trump.

[13:45:01]

I should point out to viewers, though, we talk a lot about politics, but we also talk about his extraordinary movie career. We -- you can see him watching his performance in "Godfather II" and the taxi driver in "Meet the Parents."

And he talks about it and what he was trying to do and things that happened behind the scenes. It's a really interesting interview.

SANCHEZ: Yes, it looks like a fascinating conversation.

Chris Wallace, thank you so much.

And as Chris just said, you can watch that full episode of "WHO'S TALKING TO CHRIS WALLACE," streaming today on Max.

Still ahead, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is speaking with CNN. Ahead, hear what she has to say about the public perception of the highest court, especially in the wake of some monumental decisions on abortion and presidential immunity.

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[13:50:25]

KEILAR: The Supreme Court's new term is set to begin here in a couple of weeks, and it comes at a critical time with so many Americans viewing the high court with skepticism.

A recent Pew Research poll shows that fewer than half of Americans have a favorable opinion of the court.

And now we're hearing from one of the justices herself. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who just released her memoir, "Lovely One."

She sat down with CNN's Abby Philip.

Abby's here with more on her one-on-one interview.

Abby, what did Justice Jackson tell you, especially when it comes to public perception?

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Brianna, this was a pretty wide- ranging interview about a whole host of things, including her personal life. And I'll get to that in a moment.

But on that question, I mean, she is keenly aware that the public's view of the court is in the spotlight right now.

I asked her, does it concern her whether the public views the court as political than they don't see the line between legal reasoning and political reasoning?

And she said, yes. At an institutional level, she said, that is a problem for the court and that all the justices are concerned about it because, Brianna, she said public perception is really what the court has at the end of the day.

So this is something that has really hovered over her two-year short time on the court so far. And undoubtedly will, as the years go forward. And, Abby, in her new book, she also discusses her oldest daughter's autism diagnosis, which so many people reading the book are going to connect with. And she talks about how challenging finding answers was for the family.

PHILLIP: Yes. This was quite a searing part of this book and one of the many episodes that I think a lot of people will find incredibly relatable.

Her daughter struggled as a young child and was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. She talked to me a little bit about that. Listen.

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PHILLIP: So much of this book is deeply personal and you share about your family, your husband, and your two daughters. You also revealed for the first time that your older daughter, Talia, is autistic.

KETANJI BROWN JACKSON, U.S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: Yes.

PHILLIP: I should note that she consented to this being written about in the book.

But this really struck me. You wrote, "Had I truly been of the mindset to accept what was going on with my child, I probably would have quit my job to attend to her needs full-time."

JACKSON: Yes.

PHILLIP: Did you really consider walking away from all that you had dreamed up for yourself and all that -- that you had accomplished?

JACKSON: Absolutely. I mean, we struggled when she was young trying to really understand what she needed, what she needed to be for support in education and in other areas.

But we didn't have a diagnosis. We didn't know that she was autistic until about seventh grade. And so I kept thinking, well, if I can just find the right school or if I can put her in the right lessons or afterschool program or find the right nanny, everything will be fine.

And so it was that delusion, in a way, that kept me thinking I just continue to stay in my job while I look for yet another accommodation.

I think if I had known earlier, I probably would have just decided that I needed to care for her full-time.

PHILLIP: Are you glad that you didn't make that choice considering everything that's gone on?

JACKSON: Everything that's happened you know, it hard to look back and -- and feel regret. I mean, I'm, honestly, very honored to do what I'm doing. And she's but a good place now. We figured -- figured it out. And so I think, in general, I ended up making the right choice.

(END VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIP: And, Brianna, she added that one of the reasons that she shared this story and so many others was to make the point that people can achieve incredible things.

I mean, she is the first black woman on the United States Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, even after experiencing really difficult periods in her life. But as you can see there, it worked out.

[13:55:53]

She also added that her younger daughter played a key role in encouraging her to see that for herself. Writing a letter to the president, at one point, saying that she, her mom, should be on the Supreme Court -- Brianna?

KEILAR: Vouching for her mother. What a fascinating interview, Abby. We cannot wait for it. Thanks for sharing it with us.

And be sure to watch the full interview with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson tonight on "NEWSNIGHT WITH ABBY PHILLIP." That will start at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, only on CNN.

For the first time in weeks, we are set to hear from the delayed Boeing Starliner crew. The Starliner-less crew at this point. We're going to bring you their remarks from the International Space Station, ahead, on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

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