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Florida Congressman Mark Foley Decides Not to Seek Reelection; Suspect in Florida Police Shootings Killed; Saving Romania's Orphans

Aired September 29, 2006 - 15:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: News breaking from the Hill -- getting word that Congressman Mark Foley will not run for reelection.
A lot of things swirling -- what is true? What is not?

Dana Bash working the details for us some the Hill.

I will just let you take it away, Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

Well, CNN has learned, according to GOP sources, that, as you said, Republican Congressman Mark Foley of Florida has decided not to seek reelection. Now, this comes a day after it was reported that Congressman Mark Foley had an e-mail exchange with a 16-year-old young man, a man who was a former congressional page.

And, according to ABC News, the boy forwarded the e-mail to a -- an unknown congressional staffer, and he called that e-mail "sick, sick, sick."

Now, Foley did admit, through a spokesperson, to CNN that he had that e-mail exchange with the -- the boy, but absolutely flatly denied that that was an inappropriate e-mail exchange.

Now, GOP sources tell us now that, essentially, Foley is worried that there are other potentially politically damaging e-mail or other information that may be out there. And he has concluded that it's probably best for him not to seek reelection from Florida. That is what we're told he is telling associates at this hour.

Now, the congressman has blamed his Democratic opponent, his campaign -- that's Tim Mahoney -- for dredging this e-mail up. The -- the congressman's opponent's campaign, actually, yesterday called for an investigation into that e-mail I just described.

But Tim Mahoney's campaign flatly denies that they have anything to do with this at all. Now, I should note, Kyra, that we have, CNN has reached out to Congressman Mark Foley's office, specifically his senior staff, and we have not heard anything back from them to -- to hear straight from the congressman's -- congressman's office.

But, once again, to recap, we are told from Republican sources, including one who spoke with the congressman in the last hour, that he has decided not to seek reelection from Florida. This is Mark Foley, a six-term congressman, somebody who is considered a moderate, somebody who is in a tight race. And, certainly, if this is -- is the case, it could put that seat up for grabs in a very tight campaign for Republicans this year -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Dana, I know you will bring us more. We will continue to stay on the story. Sure appreciate it.

Of course, at 4:00, about an hour from now, Wolf Blitzer will be covering this in "THE SITUATION ROOM." We will stay on top of it here on the network throughout the evening.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: More now on another developing story, this one from Sheik al-Zawahri -- or, rather, Ayman al-Zawahri, who is believed to be Osama bin Laden's lieutenant, second lieutenant, in command.

We're talking to Laura Mansfield by phone, who is a terrorism analyst. We talked just a little bit earlier about this tape, this new tape, talking explicitly about the pope and about the president, joining -- he's asking Christians to join Islam, Laura.

LAURA MANSFIELD, TERRORISM ANALYST: Yes. Yes, he is.

And this is not unexpected. If you recall, several weeks ago, we had a message from Adam Gadahn, Azzam the American, basically inviting the Western world to join Islam. So, it kind of follows through that you would expect the tape from Zawahri calling on Christians to embrace Islam, especially given the remarks made by the pope and the outcry that has caused in the Islamic world.

LEMON: Occasionally, we get -- we get these tapes that come in. And, usually, they come with much fanfare. Anything different about what is on this tape?

MANSFIELD: The announcement was vintage Sahab. Sahab always announces -- or, usually, when they announce on the Internet, they proceed with a banner, follow with the tape, anywhere between a day to three days afterwards. So, that was pretty typical.

What is really atypical about this tape is, it -- it seems to be two tapes put together. The first tape is a very, very well-made production, reminiscent of the other recent high-quality documentary- type productions that al-Sahab has put out.

The second portion, it's like they just put Zawahri in front of a -- a sheet...

LEMON: Mmm-hmm.

MANSFIELD: ... put some lights on him, and just did a quick camcorder interview. The quality -- the -- the difference in quality within one tape is dramatic. Obviously, the second portion was rather quickly done.

LEMON: Yes.

And we talked about this strong language he had for President Bush. He calls him a deceitful charlatan. He also has some strong language to -- for Pope Benedict XVI.

What we didn't about, he also addresses the situation going on in the Sudan, Laura.

MANSFIELD: Yes. He makes reference to that. We are still in the process of analyzing and translating that portion of the tape. I have not gotten to that part yet.

LEMON: OK. Tape, 17 minutes, 51 seconds long, almost an 18- minute-long tape -- anything -- anything else in this tape that you found interesting or of -- of value, Laura?

MANSFIELD: Well, again, the tape only came out about half-an- hour ago, so, we -- we really haven't had much time to do a detailed analysis.

He really seems to be focused, though, on the information that -- that the administration says they have gotten from Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. He spent several minutes of the tape dealing with that issue. And I think that bears some careful scrutiny to see what else is going on in there.

LEMON: Just from reading the transcript that I have got here -- and I have seen other transcripts -- it appears to me that he may be mentioning Khalid Shaikh Mohammed a little bit more in this tape than he does in other ones.

MANSFIELD: Absolutely.

This -- this is probably the most focus he has put on any one al Qaeda fighter, other than -- than, you know, obviously Zarqawi in his eulogy tape. I have not seen him put this much emphasis on one person in quite some time.

LEMON: We talked a little bit earlier about the Muhajir tape coming. Two tapes in two days -- why? Why so?

MANSFIELD: Well, it's -- the Muhajir tape is because it's the beginning of Ramadan, and he wants to deliver a Ramadan message to motivate his followers to kind of jump on the bandwagon with him.

The Zawahri tape, my guess is that he -- he planned this -- the Bush tape to be part of either a Ramadan message or possibly an (AUDIO GAP) Ramadan.

LEMON: Mmm-hmm.

MANSFIELD: And the -- again, they -- they pushed this out quickly to be timed to -- because of the message from the pope, the comments, the controversy regarding the pope.

Normally, Al-Sahab takes at least (AUDIO GAP) video out from the time of current events. That's basically been the historical pattern. This one is out pretty quickly.

LEMON: All right, Laura Mansfield, terrorism analyst, we want to get you back to looking at that tape. And we're going to let you go. We want to thank you for joining us -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, a suspected cop killer meets a deadly end. And the suspect in yesterday's shooting of two Florida sheriff's deputies was shot and killed this morning at point-blank range.

CNN's Susan Candiotti in Lakeland, Florida.

And we are waiting for a news conference with the sheriff and possibly family members of the deputy killed, right, Susan?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right.

As it turns out, it will be a couple of people who worked with him and are good friends of his. At any rate, that news conference is scheduled to begin at any time now.

In the meantime, to sum up, "God will be the judge and jury of what happened." That is how the sheriff of Polk County, Grady Judd, summed up the end of this manhunt. This morning, as you know, the man suspected of gunning down a Polk County sheriff's deputy, killing his police dog and wounding another deputy, who will recover, is now dead.

Police say that they found the suspect in some -- a heavily wooded area, and he was hiding underneath a heavy oak tree that had fallen over. When they approached him, police say that they told him to raise both of his hands into the air. He raised only one, police said.

They also added that he kept another hand down at his side or somewhere -- they won't say exactly where -- that had a gun in it. Because he wouldn't raise that -- that hand into the air, they shot him dead several times.

We expect to hear more information about exactly what happened. We do know this, that the .45-caliber handgun that was found on the suspected cop killer's body is the same type of gun used by the fallen deputy. Of course, they're running tests on that to see if there is a match.

Now, how did this whole thing start? It was yesterday afternoon here in Lakeland, in Polk County. This suspected cop killer was a man who was stopped for speeding. He got nervous. He ran into the woods. Police gave chase. And it was during that time when shots rang out, and he gunned down those two deputies.

He later exchanged fire with another officer and wound up being found about 75 yards or so from where that happened, but, in the meantime, the community very nervous. Some schools were shut down. People were told to remain indoors. Of course, all that is over now -- everyone breathing a heavy sigh of relief.

Again, we not only expect to hear from the sheriff's deputy, but also from the -- from the sheriff himself, but also from two people who worked with the officer.

Now, one strange thing about all of this is that we still don't know the identity of the suspect in this case. He uses a couple of aliases -- a few aliases, and they are trying to nail down precisely his -- his true identity. He had a fake I.D. on him at the time. And authorities do say that he had ties to Miami. At one time, records show that he had an address here in Lakeland.

They suspect that he was involved in some kind of drug activities. And they have been talking to his friends. They had said to them that, if they tried to hide him or help him in any way, that they would be in big trouble. But all that is over now. Now it's just a matter of trying to investigate pre -- the precise order of what happened during this case -- Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: Susan, from our other camera, we're seeing that everybody is getting ready to approach the mikes.

I don't know. Are you able to see who is coming up to the podium there from where you are, from your vantage point?

CANDIOTTI: Yes. That would be Sheriff Grady Judge (sic) who is approaching, and not only that.

But a couple of gentlemen -- at least one of them who is in civilian clothes, we are told, is a Detective Mike Evans (ph), who is described as a good friend of the fallen officer, who is Matthew Williams, a married man who had been in the -- who had been on the force for a dozen years, has three children. And, when he was killed yesterday, that was his wife's birthday.

Now, the other officer was treated and released. He will be all right.

Here is Sheriff Grady Judge (sic) -- Grady Judd.

GRADY JUDD, POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA, SHERIFF: Folks, we want to give you an update and a few more details to the information we provided this morning.

At 9:35 this morning, we had deployed literally dozens and dozens and dozens of SWAT team members into a very thick wooded area, in search of the suspect. We knew that we had set a very complete perimeter very quickly. And it was our hope and our prayer that we still had the suspect there.

At 9:35, SWAT team members, in fact, 10 SWAT team members engaged the suspect, who we believed to be -- and we're not absolutely, totally convinced yet -- as Angelo Freeland, in a gunfight.

Sheriff's deputies, Lakeland Police, Marion County Sheriff's Office, Lake County Sheriff's Office, Florida Fish and Wildlife Fish Conservation Commission, SWAT team members, a total of 10, approached the suspect. They were literally on top of him before they could even see him.

He was underneath a huge oak tree that had blown over. He had hunkered down underneath the tree and brush. One of the SWAT team members reached down to grab a shirt and pull it out, as the others were demanding to see his hands.

He raised his right hand and had a firearm in it. And, when he did that, that was the last thing he ever did. Nine of the 10 SWAT team members fired, shooting the suspect, the deputy killer, many, many, many times.

This officer-involved shooting and death investigation is being conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Polk County Sheriff's Office. And, certainly, as further details occur, we will let you know. The information I'm providing to you now is early in the investigation. Interviews are under way at this time.

Also under way at this time is the autopsy of our deputy, Matt Williams. The autopsy is not complete. That information will be made available later. However, we do know, as I discussed with you earlier, Deputy Sheriff Matt Williams was shot several times.

We also found a .9-millimeter Taurus handgun at the scene, which was the suspect's gun. The gun he had in his hand was the deputy's .45 semiautomatic.

We have talked to sources who said that the suspect routinely carried a firearm, and carried it in his waist. So, it was certainly not uncommon for him to have one on this particular day.

In fact, in 1999, he was booked into the Polk County jail, after being arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol for no valid driver's license, reckless driving, aggravated fleeing to elude, resisting without violence, and carrying a concealed firearm.

We're still trying to determine all of his aliases. Upon detailed search of the suspect's car, we found a book. In that book is information about drug transactions. I want the people to know that have dealt drugs with him, this is not over. We're coming after you next. And we're going to put you in jail. We're not just stopping with the -- with the seizure of the deputy's killer.

We're going to track down this narcotics group, and see that they are all arrested, too.

I have asked today that a couple of Deputy Sheriff Matt Williams' close friends speak with you. Here's what we're going to do. We're going to ask each of them to speak. When -- when they have finished speaking, we're going to give you the opportunity to ask them questions.

Also, we have Game and Fish representatives and FDLE here as well to answer questions or make any statements.

But let's hear from a couple of our deputies, who put their life on the line every day.

And we will start with Deputy Sheriff Williams' sergeant, Sergeant Bryan.

Jim? SERGEANT JAMES BRYAN, CANINE UNIT, POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA, SHERIFF'S OFFICE: As the sheriff told you, I'm Jim Bryan. I was Matt's supervisor. I was also his friend.

Matt worked as a canine handler for about nine years. He was one of the best canine handlers that's probably walked in the state of Florida. He was my trainer. He was my right-hand man. We're going to be at a loss. Citizens of this county will be at a loss without his guidance and without his leadership in training canines.

People as far away as North Carolina; Virginia; Chicago, Illinois; and the state of Washington have called me, offering condolences, because they knew Matt.

I'm going to miss him, not only because I'm his supervisor, and not only because I leaned on him so much. He's my friend. We had been out and had dinner together before. We spent a lot of time on off-duty together. Everybody that is standing here in uniform can -- can vouch, they can tell you that it's a thin blue line we -- we walk. Only those in uniform understand it.

Going a step further, those that walk behind the dog, Diogi, the one that's been mentioned, who was also killed, it's difficult. You can't explain to somebody that hasn't been there what it's like, the bond that you develop with a dog.

You literally spend more time with this animal, this dog, this partner, than you do members of your own family. You work all night or all day. The dog goes home with you. And, more often than not, even if the handlers won't admit it, they have got a doggie bed inside their house for them. They sleep beside the bed this them. They effectively spend more time with the dog than they do their spouse or -- spouse or their children.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm Deputy Mike Evans (ph).

I'm speaking on behalf of the Williams family. This is a -- Matt was a very close friend of mine, and been friends with their family for a long time.

On behalf of Nancy Williams and the entire Williams family, we would like to thank everyone for everything that they are doing, to include the Polk County Sheriff's Office, friends, family, the Polk County community and the surrounding communities for everything that they are doing at this very difficult time.

I'm not only speaking as a deputy sheriff of this county. But I'm speaking as a friend of Matt Williams, and have been for a long time. Polk County has not only lost probably one of the greatest canine handlers and deputy sheriffs that have ever been here, but the Williams family has lost a wonderful father, lost a wonderful husband, a wonderful son. And we have all lost a wonderful friend.

And that is how I want Matt remembered. He was a hero. He lived as a hero. He died as a hero. And his legacy in Polk County, not only to his friends, but to his family and everyone involved, it's a legacy that will live on.

Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Well, we're learning more about the deputy that was killed. We're also learning more about the man who shot him -- police, first of honoring Matt Williams, the deputy that was shot and killed after the long manhunt ensued yesterday -- a long time on the force, 12-year veteran, a canine specialist, lost his life while pursuing a gunman, after a routine traffic stop yesterday.

That gunman now, we have learned, has been arrested in the past, reckless driving, concealing firearms, had a bunch of aliases. They're still trying to figure out exactly who this man is and all the details on his background.

But in the car that he was driving, police now revealing that they found a book, and into -- in that book, a number of drug transactions, with names and phone numbers -- police -- or the sheriff there sending a very clear message that this investigation doesn't end with this man, his death, and the shootings that happened yesterday, but that they are going to continue to go after those involved in any drug dealings that this man had with the individuals in that book.

So, obviously, we will continue to follow the story, more to develop -- Don.

LEMON: All right, Kyra, thanks.

He left a note, a suicide note. What drove a man to his final violent act, and why forever scar a mountain community in the process? The latest from Bailey, Colorado, in the NEWSROOM -- when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: What's inside a killer's mind, and what were his motivations?

We learned today that Colorado school shooter was also armed with a list of potential victims, all teenagers, all girls. And that is not the only thing he put on paper before he terrorized the town of Bailey.

CNN's Jonathan Freed is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Park County sheriff says that investigators learned last night that a suicide note was sent to a relative of the shooter, someone who lives in Colorado.

Two guns were found on Duane Morrison on Wednesday, after he killed 16-year-old student Emily Keyes and then killed himself at Platte Canyon High School. Investigators say one of the guns was traced to the same family member who received the suicide note. Now, the sheriff says the note sent to Morrison's relative appears to answer the question of why this happened, a suicide. But investigators, he says, are still examining the note.

Jonathan Freed, CNN, Bailey, Colorado.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Another school shooting today, this one in Wisconsin -- the principal of the Weston School, shot this morning several times. A suspect is in custody. He is 15 years old and a student at the school. Details are still unclear as to the principal's condition. Stay with CNN. We will keep you updated.

PHILLIPS: Straight ahead: ambushed in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESTON WHEELER, CIVILIAN CONTRACTOR: Jesus Christ.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go. Move.

WHEELER: I am -- truck five cannot move. Please help me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Truck (INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where you at? Where you at?

WHEELER: I'm taking fire. Ten-four. Come back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) taking fire. Please help.

WHEELER: I'm fixing to get killed, God damn it!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Not a soldier or a Marine, but a contractor trapped in his truck -- his chilling story straight ahead from the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: A story we have been following for the past 20 minutes or so -- if you're just tuning in, Representative Mark Foley, a Republican in Florida, has submitted a letter of resignation from Congress today, in the wake of questions about e-mails that he wrote to a former male page.

Our Dana Bash broke this just a short time ago. She gives us a little more.

BASH: Hi, Kyra.

Well, CNN has learned, according to GOP sources, that, as you said, Republican Congressman Mark Foley of Florida has decided not to seek reelection. Now, this comes a day after it was reported that Congressman Mark Foley had an e-mail exchange with a 16-year-old young man, a man who was a former congressional page, and according to ABC News, the boy forwarded the e-mail to an unknown congressional staffer and he called that e-mail sick, sick, sick. Now, Foley did admit, through a spokesperson to CNN, that he that e-mail exchange with the boy, but absolutely flatly denied that that was an inappropriate e-mail exchange.

Now GOP sources tell us now that essentially Foley is worried that there are other potentially politically damaging e-mails or other information that may be out there and he has concluded that it's probably best for him not to seek reelection from Florida. That is what we are told he is telling associates at this hour. Now the Congressman has blamed his Democratic opponent, his campaign, that's Tim Mahoney, for dredging this e-mail up.

The Congressman's opponent's campaign actually yesterday called for an investigation into that e-mail I just described. But Tim Mahoney's campaign flatly denies that they have anything to do with this at all. Now, I should note, Kyra, that we have, CNN has reached out to Congressman Mark Foley's office, specifically his senior staff, and we have not heard anything back from them to hear straight from the Congressman's office. But once again, to recap, we are told from Republican sources, including one who spoke with the Congressman in the last hour, that he has decided not to seek reelection from Florida.

This is Mark Foley, a six-term Congressman, somebody who is considered a moderate, somebody who is in a tight race and it certainly, if this is the case, it could put that seat up for grabs in a very tight campaign for Republicans this year. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Dana Bash on the hill there. Once again, Representative Mark Foley not running for reelection, submitted a letter of resignation from Congress today. Foley, 52, had been considered a shoe-in for the reelection until these e-mails surfaced in recent days.

LEMON: It is one of the riskiest jobs in Iraq, civilian contractors driving trucks in support of the troops. Preston Wheeler knows the dangers well. He is a riveting story of survival. CNN's senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The video starts off showing a supply convoy, a dozen trucks and five military vehicles, heading out from a U.S. base north of Baghdad. It was a routine mission, until some Iraqi men started throwing rocks.

Civilian contractor Preston Wheeler was driving with one hand and holding his video camera in the other, when things got really ugly.

PRESTON WHEELER, CIVILIAN CONTRACTOR: God damn! IED on the left side, two IEDs, gun five -- truck five. MCINTYRE: The convoy had turned wrong way down a dead end road, and a bullet came through the windshield.

WHEELER: I got it on video, by God.

MCINTYRE: A subsequent military investigation blamed faulty maps. But the wrong turn forced the trucks to backtrack, right into a deadly ambush. Insurgents opened fire on the convoy. Wheeler's truck was disabled by one of the RPGs.

WHEELER: Jesus Christ.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go. Move.

WHEELER: I am -- truck five cannot move. Please help me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Truck (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where you at? Where you at?

WHEELER: I'm taking fire. Ten-four. Come back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) taking fire. Please help.

WHEELER: I'm fixing to get killed, God damn it!

MCINTYRE: The video shows a military Humvee leaving the scene.

WHEELER: Somebody get their ass back here now, please.

MCINTYRE: Wheeler hid in the cab of his truck and watched insurgents shoot one of his fellow truckers in cold blood.

WHEELER: They just killed him. Oh, my God.

MCINTYRE: Three truckers, all employed by the Halliburton subsidiary KBR, were killed that day. The aftermath was caught on tape by a U.S. spy plane, showing Iraqis stripping and stoning one of the victims.

WHEELER: You're damn right I'm scared. I'm going home when this (EXPLETIVE DELETED) is done.

MCINTYRE: Alone, with no gun and two AK-47 bullets in his arm, Wheeler says he feels he was abandoned by the very soldiers who were supposed to protect him, and that he waited 40 minutes before an Army Black Hawk came to his rescue.

WHEELER: Why didn't the gun truck behind me stop and the gun truck in front of me stop and secure that area? Them guys would not have been executed if the military had followed their protocol, which they call it.

MCINTYRE: However, a formal investigation by the U.S. military, conducted a month after the attack, found the soldiers did follow their training not to stop until they could safely counterattack: "They didn't leave the scene. They pulled up out of the kill zone and established a security defensive line, so they could continue to fire and protect the convoy," a spokesman for U.S. forces in Iraq told CNN.

It was, she said, all by the book.

WHEELER: Well, if they was doing it in a textbook fashion, they must have been writing it down, because they wasn't -- they wasn't securing my area where I was at.

MCINTYRE: But military investigators concluded, the soldiers' actions saved the lives of two contractors, including Wheeler, by laying down more than 500 rounds of suppressive fire and directing an armed Humvee to the trucks.

Investigators found no fault with the soldiers' reaction, in fact, recommended one for an award, praising his remarkable courage under fire.

(on camera): The investigation also found that the number of armed Humvees, or gun trucks, as they're called, was appropriate to the threat, and that the fatal mistake was the bad maps, which led to the confusion that took the convoy on its deadly wrong turn.

Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: And, of course, Jamie McIntyre reports for "ANDERSON COOPER 360." Join "AC 360" weeknights at 10:00 Eastern, only on CNN, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well the faces are haunting and the circumstances heartbreaking. Thousands of unwanted children in one country. Is there anything that could be done to help them? We're asking the tough questions next, from THE NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Last hour, we shared the plight of thousands of abandoned in Romania. For years they suffered in squalid conditions, but his week Romania learned that it will be allowed to join, they will be allowed to join the European Union next year, a major economic and social accomplishment.

Now to get in to the EU Romanian shut down the orphanages. Now many hospitals have become dumping grounds for unwanted children. To explore the plight of the children Chris Rogers of Britain's ITV, he went under cover. He found Romanians eager to sell their children to complete strangers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS ROGERS, ITV REPORTER (voice-over): Eva has five children, but only one is for sale, the three-month-old in the hospital who should be under the care of her local authority. "You can take her," she says. "I haven't signed papers for fostering. She is the most beautiful of my children. You will like her. She has blue eyes like you."

(on camera): What would she expect for her child. I need to know.

(voice-over): Eva says the money she received from Americans for another daughter bought her house. "I was paid in cash," she says.

(on camera): She's telling us to name the price. She's telling us to name the price. Well, certainly there's been talk of $20,000 U.S. changing hands, but maybe we should say $10,000 U.S. for a chile.

We would be prepared to pay $10,000 U.S. for one child.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $10,000 would be OK.

ROGERS: $10,000?

(voice-over): Sold, a three-month-old baby for the price of a new car.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right. That was Chris Rogers of ITV. And given the nature of these reports and the pictures you saw there, we wanted to get some response from the Romanian government.

Joining me on the phone from Bucharest is Cosmina Semein. She's spokeswoman with Romania's National Authority for the Protection of Children's Rights. Very broad question, but I just have to ask you, what is your response to this report?

COSMINA SEMEIN, ROMANIAN AUTHORITY FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN'S RIGHTS: Yes, hello. Hello to you and to your viewers. Our country, Romania, has literally formed the child protection system, but it's true, we still some problems to fix. There are still some problems that needs to be taken care of very carefully. After the new legislation came into force here in the last year, the number of abandon baby decreased a lot. And we are still confronted with problems for children with disabilities, but we are constantly working in order to solve this problem.

LEMON: Do you think, Cosmina, that enough is being done to protect these children, the children's rights in Romania?

SEMEIN: Yes, it's a very complex and long process and we have begun it for five years now and we are about to close down the rest of these institutions that are remaining in Romania. We are constantly developing the network of foster carers and we are constantly developing new alternative services for children.

LEMON: Cosmina, I hate to put out on the spot, but it's really hard to believe that when you look at the pictures. We were showing some of the video of the children in the orphanages and the hospitals there, and many of them -- I mean, as I said, it's trouble to look at. Is it worse now since this moratorium? Do you think it's worse joining the European Union or should something be done, at least, that they might make an exception in this case because you have so many children who are abandoned and in need of aid?

SEMEIN: As I told you before, the number of abandoned babies decreased a lot in the following -- in the last year. And, of course, the images that are showing are very horrible and terrifying, but this is not the general situation in Romania. It is only -- there are only particular cases, and they are not always very good understood.

LEMON: So the reporter -- we spoke with a reporter who said that, you know what, you can sort of toss a stick or swing a bat and you -- in any direction and you can find children in hospitals and in orphanages who are in need and in situations very much like this situation. Do you deny that?

SEMEIN: No, we are not denying. We also recognize that we are -- still have some problems in our system, but we are on the right track and we are aware about the problems and we are trying to solve them.

LEMON: So at least accepting responsibility. Thank you for joining us.

SEMEIN: Thank you very much.

LEMON: And we wanted to get your response on the record and we appreciate you sticking by us, because we've had several days of breaking news and we wanted to get to this story. Because of the situation here in the U.S., we couldn't. We realize you're on a time difference. Thank you very much, Cosmina.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS ROGERS, ITV REPORTER (voice-over): Eva has five children, but only one is for sale, the three-month-old in the hospital who should be under the care of her local authority. "You can take her," she says. "I haven't signed papers for fostering. She is the most beautiful of my children. You will like her. She has blue eyes like you."

(on camera): What would she expect for her child. I need to know.

(voice-over): Eva says the money she received from Americans for another daughter bought her house. "I was paid in cash," she says.

(on camera): She's telling us to name the price. She's telling us to name the price. Well, certainly there's been talk of $20,000 U.S. changing hands, but maybe we should say $10,000 U.S. for a chile.

We would be prepared to pay $10,000 U.S. for one child.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $10,000 would be OK.

ROGERS: $10,000?

(voice-over): Sold, a three-month-old baby for the price of a new car. (END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right. That was Chris Rogers of ITV. And given the nature of these reports and the pictures you saw there, we wanted to get some response from the Romanian government.

Joining me on the phone from Bucharest is Cosmina Semein. She's spokeswoman with Romania's National Authority for the Protection of Children's Rights. Very broad question, but I just have to ask you, what is your response to this report?

COSMINA SEMEIN, ROMANIAN AUTHORITY FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN'S RIGHTS: Yes, hello. Hello to you and to your viewers. Our country, Romania, has literally formed the child protection system, but it's true, we still some problems to fix. There are still some problems that needs to be taken care of very carefully. After the new legislation came into force here in the last year, the number of abandon baby decreased a lot. And we are still confronted with problems for children with disabilities, but we are constantly working in order to solve this problem.

LEMON: Do you think, Cosmina, that enough is being done to protect these children, the children's rights in Romania?

SEMEIN: Yes, it's a very complex and long process and we have begun it for five years now and we are about to close down the rest of these institutions that are remaining in Romania. We are constantly developing the network of foster carers and we are constantly developing new alternative services for children.

LEMON: Cosmina, I hate to put out on the spot, but it's really hard to believe that when you look at the pictures. We were showing some of the video of the children in the orphanages and the hospitals there, and many of them -- I mean, as I said, it's trouble to look at. Is it worse now since this moratorium? Do you think it's worse joining the European Union or should something be done, at least, that they might make an exception in this case because you have so many children who are abandoned and in need of aid?

SEMEIN: As I told you before, the number of abandoned babies decreased a lot in the following -- in the last year. And, of course, the images that are showing are very horrible and terrifying, but this is not the general situation in Romania. It is only -- there are only particular cases, and they are not always very good understood.

LEMON: So the reporter -- we spoke with a reporter who said that, you know what, you can sort of toss a stick or swing a bat and you -- in any direction and you can find children in hospitals and in orphanages who are in need and in situations very much like this situation. Do you deny that?

SEMEIN: No, we are not denying. We also recognize that we are -- still have some problems in our system, but we are on the right track and we are aware about the problems and we are trying to solve them.

LEMON: So at least accepting responsibility. Thank you for joining us.

SEMEIN: Thank you very much.

LEMON: And we wanted to get your response on the record and we appreciate you sticking by us, because we've had several days of breaking news and we wanted to get to e story because of the situation in the U.S., we realize you're on a time difference. Thank you very much.

SEMEIN: Thank you very much, bye.

LEMON: Cosmina Semein, with the authority there in Romania, we want to thank you for your report.

And here's how you can help. Of course, you cannot go adopt a kid, a child, legally there, but organizations like Holt International and other adoption organizations in the U.S. can help out. They help children in need in countries around the world. And to find out how you can help through donations or maybe you want to sponsor a child, just go to the Web site. That Web site is holtintl.org.

PHILLIPS: From a college football player to a quadriplegic. You won't want to miss the life story that changed in a split second. But that's not the end. We're going to tell you how he changed his life a second time. Straight ahead from the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, any Miami Dolphins fan can tell you about Nick Buoniconti. He was part of the legendary no-name defense that helped lead the dolphins to three straight Super Bowl appearances. Well, Nick is in the NFL Hall of Fame, but the story we're about to tell you is not about him. It's about his son, Marc. Marc's story is even more inspiring.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARC BUONICONTI, FORMER COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYER: Oh, I remember everything from the day I was injured. From the moment the ball was snapped till I made that tackle and my body just fell to the turf like a ton of bricks.

PHILLIPS (voice-over): Twenty-one years later, the memory remains painful. Marc Buoniconti was just 19, and following in the footsteps of his father, former Miami Dolphins linebacker Nick Buoniconti. Marc was playing college football for the Citadel when a single play changed his life.

M. BUONICONTI: And I just remember watching my arm fall to the turf, and I knew right away I was paralyzed.

PHILLIPS: Marc did become a quadriplegic, and he was fighting for his life.

NICK BUONICONTI, MARC'S FATHER: And I went over to his bedside and looked down at him and he opened his big brown eyes and I could see daddy, please help me. And for the first time in my life, I couldn't help my son.

PHILLIPS: Marc survived, but there was an emptiness inside. He blamed the Citadel for his injury and there was a bitter legal battle that drove a wedge not only between Marc and his school, but between Marc and his teammates.

Only one thing kept him going.

M. BUONICONTI: I started hoping. Hoping that maybe one day I could get out of this wheelchair.

PHILLIPS: By following that hope, Marc eventually found a way out of his despair. The journey began during a conversation with Dr. Barth Green (ph), the chief of neurological surgery at the University of Miami Medical School. Dr. Green told the Buonicontis that with the proper funding, scientists might one day find a cure for severe spinal injury.

N. BUONICONTI: My dad made a promise right then and there that money would never stand in the way for finding a cure for paralysis, so Dr. Green talked about the Miami Project, bringing the best scientists in the world all together, focused on one thing and that is curing paralysis. And my dad said, well, you have my commitment to generate the resources for this vision and my project was born right there.

B. BUONICONTI: I went to the owner of the Dolphins and I said is it possible for us to have a fundraiser at the Orange Bowl?

PHILLIPS: Soon, both father and son were raising money for the Miami Project, hundreds of millions of dollars so far. Patients like Ethan Ruby say it's making a difference.

ETHAN RUBY, SPINAL INJURY PATIENT: When you walk in the building, on both sides you see the people assisted walking with stairs and treadmills. On the other side you see gym equipment and you see people in wheelchairs staying active and staying healthy so that the people upstairs doing the research know who they're working for.

PHILLIPS: While Marc Buoniconti still uses a wheelchair, the former college football player sees himself as a member of a new team -- a team working not only on his behalf, but on behalf of people like Ethan Ruby and many, many others.

Mark is also reconnecting with his old team. The Citadel will retire his football jersey tomorrow. Mark will be there with his classmates and raising more money for the Miami Project.

M. BUONICONTI: I just think time heals and we put the past in the past.

PHILLIPS: Time certainly heals, but so does hope, so does commitment, and so does working with others.

M. BUONICONTI: I think people are faced with challenges their whole life and can ask themselves many questions. Did it happen for a reason? Was this what my life was meant to be? And my choice for me was that I had to, you know, make a difference. For me, the opportunity presented itself and I think maybe it didn't happen for a reason. It happened and we made a reason.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, today happens to be Marc Buoniconti's 40th birthday. Happy birthday, Marc! More from the CNN NEWSROOM straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: The story we broke not long ago, our Dana Bash on the Hill reporting. Republican Mark Foley, Republican of Florida, will not seek reelection. He actually submitted a letter of resignation from Congress today. This happened in the wake of questions about e- mails that he wrote to a former male page, a 16-year-old male page.

Foley, 52, had been pretty much considered a shoo-in for the reelection until the e-mail surfaced just in recent days. And we did get a statement sent to us just a short time ago.

This is what the Congressman has to say: "Today, I delivered a letter to the speaker of the House informing him of my decision to resign from the U.S. House of Representatives effective today. I thank the people of Florida 16th congressional district for giving me the opportunity to serve them for the last 12 years. It has been an honor." He wraps up by saying, "I am deeply sorry and apologize for letting down my family and the people of Florida I have had the privilege to represent."

Representative Mark Foley not running for reelection. We hope to find out more about these e-mail correspondence with a 16-year-old page.

LEMON: A lot of things straight ahead, including our very own Wolf Blitzer and the "Closing Bell," and a wrap of the action on Wall Street, just ahead on the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: The closing bell is about to ring on Wall Street. Cheryl Casone is standing by with a final look at the trading day.

Hi, Cheryl.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

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