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Leaked Afghan War Documents; Wheels Come Off Gravy Train in Bell
Aired July 26, 2010 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Tens of thousands of secret Afghan war documents posted on line by a whistle-blower web site, WikiLeaks, raising blood pressure once again. This isn't an information leaks. It's a flood of battle details from the front line from a reported assassination attempt on Hamid Karzai to raids gone wrong.
We are talking six years, 92,000 documents, a blow by blow picture of what our troops are up against on the ground in Afghanistan. And here's more - "The New York Times" reports suspicions that Pakistan's military spy service is actually helping the Taliban.
The Taliban is using portable heat-seeking missiles against U.S. aircraft. Secret commando units are working off a capture kill list of about 70 insurgent commanders. WikiLeaks' editor Julian Assange is defending the move.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIAN ASSANGE, WIKILEAKS' EDITOR: This material doesn't just reveal occasional abuses by the U.S. military. Of course it has U.S. military reporting on all sorts of abuses by the Taliban, suicide bombers, IEDs (INAUDIBLE). So it does describe the abuses by both sides in this war, and it's how people can really understand what is actually going on and whether they choose to support it or not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Joining me again from London, senior international correspondent Nic Robertson. Nic, Wikileaks founder says that he actually discovered evidence of war crimes in these documents. What you can tell us about that?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think he was asked that during the press conference, "does it show it?" And he said there's a possibility. What he's also said is that he looked in detail at about 1,000, or 2,000 of these 91,000 different documents that he has got his hands on and published on Wikileaks.
So what he's saying is there's a possibility when you dig into these documents and if you look at what the "New York Times" has written, they had the documents for a few weeks or the "Guardian" newspaper in Britain who had the documents for a few weeks as well. You can see all of these inconsistencies emerging between what has been said on the ground and reports at the time of an attack and then what emerges in the coming days and weeks later.
So what he's saying essentially is that in some of these reports it is possible that in some of these actions, there may have been war crimes committed but he's not putting his finger on anything and saying, yes, I can say that's the case and yes, we got specifics there. He's just saying at this stage that it could be a possibility, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Here's what we all really want to know. Does this compromise, does the leak of these documents compromise our security and the security of our allies?
ROBERTSON: It's going to have an impact. It has to have an impact because you're going to have sources out there who are going to say, "am I really going to pass on information, potentially get my name leaked out there in a document in the future?" They're not going to sign up to be informers. They're going to avoid that. Of course some people will still continue to do it.
So the information that you take on that protects your national interest from sources in the field is, perhaps, going to be thinner. You could make that argument there. Is this really going to change the course of the war on what we can see today? Probably not. Is it going to raise a lot of detailed questions down the line? Probably yes.
Will that change some people's opinion of the war? Probably yes. Will that have an impact on national security because it may change policy? Well, potentially yes. These are all potentials. What everyone is saying when they're looking at this is a massive amount of documents, a huge amount of detail and this is really only the beginning of it but you do have to come back that appointment date, say, yes, some people are not going to provide information for fear of being named or coming out in these reports later.
PHILLIPS: Nic Robertson, live from London. Nic, thanks.
The White House says that these leaks compromise our security. National security adviser Jim Jones came out and said that "The United States strongly condemns the disclosure of classified information by individuals and/or organizations, which could put the lives of Americans and our partners at risk and threaten our national security." He continues, "these irresponsible leaks will not impact our on-going commitment to deepen our partnerships with Afghanistan and Pakistan."
We know you have thoughts on this story. We want to hear them. Just go to cnn.com/kyra, and sound off. I'll read your comments a little later in the hour.
A massive air and ground search underway in Afghanistan for two U.S. Navy sailors who disappeared south of Kabul. There are reports that the two were captured by insurgents and one of them killed but the U.S. won't confirm it. The U.S. military is offering $20,000 in reward money for any information about their location. Day 98 of the gulf oil disaster, and it looks like BP CEO Tony Hayward is on his way out. There are reports that the company has decided to replace him possibly sometime today. Hayward has been under fire over his handling of the crisis and the self-pitying comment that he wanted his life back. He may soon get it. BP says no final decision has been made.
Crews and vessels have returned to the site of the spill after tropical storm "Bonnie" chased them away. They're discovering a somewhat surprising scene this morning. There doesn't seem to be much oil to clean up.
Rob Marciano following the latest developments from Gulfport, Mississippi. Did "Bonnie" have any effect on the oil moving ashore, Rob?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: While possible effects, Kyra, are one, definitely some churning up of the water that will help to disperse it all. Although can't really say whether or not that actually happened positively or negatively. There was some pretty strong onshore (INAUDIBLE). Even though that system pretty much fell apart, it still had winds of 25, 30 miles an hour, and pushing all of that oil, or what was left of it, closer to shoreline and there was some interaction of the shoreline in Terrebonne Parish and there was a pretty good slick just off the shoreline of Grand Isle but no significant infiltration since "Bonnie" came through.
So that's the good news with "Bonnie." And any time a weather systems comes through, Kyra, and you get that churning, (INAUDIBLE) does help somewhat to disperse it. But no doubt about it, having that well capped for 10 days now has certainly been the main factor that the amount of oil that we've been able to see has been greatly diminished.
PHILLIPS: All right. So where does this put the time line for completely sealing the well, Rob?
MARCIANO: Well, you know, that drill ship that's been drilling the relief well, they pulled it off site and it only goes about three or four knots. So it just moves dreadfully slow. They finally got back on site last night and then are now hooked down to the bottom
They have unplugged the bottom, and the next thing they are going to do is basically run some conditioning fluid through the well bore that they've already drilled. Once they do that, they'll run the liner and then they'll cement it. That process takes five to seven days. That's the window we were looking for last week before "Bonnie" came through.
So now that starts again today, which means that the entire process, the entire deadline is shifted to the right or further into August by about a week. So that's the end of all this, Kyra, is that we've delayed the process about a week because of "Bonnie." But things could have been worse if "Bonnie" hang around a lot longer. So that's the good news. It was a good exercise into why they capped that well to begin with. They wanted to be able to detach and leave if a tropical system came through. They were able to do it when "Bonnie" came through. And hopefully they won't have to do it again before they kill this thing but it's a distinct possibility as we're in the heart of hurricane season and still looking at a deadline of mid to even possibly late August.
PHILLIPS: Got it. Rob, thanks.
Well, one word definitely describes the weather around the country, and that's crazy. Today, the cleanup begins. A catastrophic dam collapsed in Iowa, releasing a torrent of flood water over the weekend. It actually washed out 200 structures and inundated farmlands and at one point, 10 inches of rain fell in a 12-hour period. Too much water for this 90-year-old dam to hold.
Chicago has seen some of its worst flooding in 33 years. Floodwaters starting to recede. But did some serious damage to homes and businesses. 10 towns in Cook County declared themselves disaster areas.
And take a look at the nation's capital in an emergency state. Severe thunderstorms packing high winds whipped through Washington, splintering trees and downing power lines. Tens of thousands of people actually woke up to find out that they still don't have the electricity as the city braces for another sweltering day.
Jacqui Jeras, that's not enough. What else do you have?
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I know.
PHILLIPS: Do I dare ask?
JERAS: I don't have a blizzard. That's the best thing -
PHILLIPS: The only thing we don't have.
JERAS: Right. I know. It was a crazy weekend. It really was. It's the perfect word to describe it. The good news is is that the weather pattern has changed a little bit today. We made some progress with that cold front and it's made its way down toward the south. So we'll be looking at the showers and thundershowers here across the Tennessee Valley and into the deep south.
But the good news is the upper level winds are not that favorable for anything to become severe. So it will mostly just be popup showers and thundershowers but we could see some flash flooding with some torrential downpours at times. We'll also see heat on the south side of the system here and we do have a number of advisories southeast.
There you can see all of the records that we had yesterday. Over 101 in Charlotte and last but not least, we're watching a system here across parts of the west bringing a little bit of relief here. Very dry conditions. Fires ignited over the weekend in northern California due to dry thunderstorms. We'll have to keep our eyes open for that today as well.
PHILLIPS: Thanks.
People were struggling to pay their rent or mortgage. Their city manager? He was more worried about his floors, maybe his lawn. This whole Bell, California story of government abuse has really snowballed. A major development to tell you about next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: A tragic case of mistaken identity as we head cross country. Marlena Cantu's (ph) family prayed and kept vigil. A badly injured woman lay in a hospital bed in Phoenix in critical condition. Her face so swollen she was unrecognizable. So unrecognizable it took a week to uncover the mistake. The woman wasn't Cantu (ph). She actually had died in a car accident. It was actually her friend, Abby Guerra (ph), who looks much like Marlena (ph). Now the two distraught families want answers.
We are getting a better idea of the moments just before and after that deadly collision between a tug barge and a tourist duck boat earlier this month in Philly. Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard released dramatic audio tapes of the crash that hurled 37 people into the water and killed two passengers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, ferry, ferry, ferry! Whoa, whoa, whoa!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This freedom.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir. One of the duck boats off Penn's landing got run over by a barge. I'm going in to pick them up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is Freedom, we got people in the water off Penn's Landing. It looks like they got run over by a barge, one of the duck boats. I'm going to pick them up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Roger, how many persons are in the water, over?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No idea. I don't have time to talk to you right now. I'm going to get the people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: In suburban Atlanta, thanking your good samaritan. That's what 57-year-old Adie Northley (ph) is doing. Two weeks ago she literally walked off a subway platform and onto the tracks as the train rolled into the station. A witness leaped into action to get her off the tracks and out of trouble. She's visually impaired. Now she and her family are appreciative to those who helped, especially the brave man who still remains unidentified.
Just moments from now, a new public relations headache for BP. Did the oil giant help free a killer? It's a story we have been following. New developments, just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Top stories now. Six years, 92,000 classified military documents leaked. Whistle blowing web site, Wikileaks, does it again much to the chagrin of the U.S. Defense Department and the White House who says the disclosure puts the lives of Americans and allies at risk and jeopardizes national security.
Day 98 of the gulf oil disaster and BP's CEO Tony Hayward may soon be out of a job. Meanwhile, oil skimming ships and containment crews are on their way back to the spill after tropical storm "Bonnie" chased them away.
One of two U.S. sailors missing in Afghanistan has reportedly died. Local Afghan officials say he was killed in a firefight with Taliban insurgents in Logar province. It's believed the other sailor is being held captive. The U.S. military is offering a reward, $20,000 for more information.
Well, just minutes from now in New York's Times Square, two U.S. senators will gather with the families of those killed on Pan Am Flight 103. The airlines exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988. But there are new questions about the recent release of that convicted bomber. Some are questioning whether BP helped win his freedom in exchange for huge oil contract with Libya.
Senator Robert Menendez will chair that hearing and this matter all week. We have been staying on top of the story. With me, he joins us live from Times Square. Senator, nice to have you with us again.
SEN. ROBERT MENENDEZ (D), NEW JERSEY: Good to be with you, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: So Senator, what do you hope this hearing will accomplish? Sort of lay out your goals and the plan for this hearing.
MENENDEZ: Our ultimate goal is to get to the truth, wherever that leads, and there's two fundamental questions. How could it have been that all these doctors under the Scottish government made the wrong conclusion that Al Megrahi was only going to live three months and therefore was eligible for a compassionate release when now we hear reports that not only is he alive way past those three months but that he may live as long as 10 years.
And two, what was the interaction between the British-Scottish government and BP as it relates to BP weighing in for the release of al Megrahi because of a pending oil deal with Libya to the tune of about $900 million. And so we want to get to the truth of what this is because at the end of the day for the 189 American families, 38 from my home state of New Jersey, and for our greater message and fight on terrorism to have a terrorist bomber who is convicted and ultimately killed 189 Americans be able to live in the lap of luxury instead of behind a prison jail cell is something that's fundamentally unacceptable. PHILLIPS: And senator, I don't think anybody's going to disagree that this man does not deserve freedom. That is for sure and especially now that we hear he could live 10 years or more. It's outrageous to see that he's living a life of luxury at this point, if you can even say that being that sick is luxurious, but he's got his freedom, and what more could he want?
But three people that we all want to hear from, including you. Let me start with the first person. Tony Hayward. We're getting word that he will be ousted possibly today. Will you be able to get him to come to this hearing? Will we hear from him? Will you be able to question him directly about this allegation that he was or his company was involved in the release of the Lockerbie bomber?
MENENDEZ: Well, you know, I, on behalf of the committee have put out a request for BP, particularly Tony Hayward, to appear. You know, we have not had a response. We want him to appear, and the former MI-6, which is British intelligence operatives that they used to contact the former justice minister of Great Britain on behalf of releasing Al Megrahi.
We would like them both to come before the committee. Now, I know that reports that Hayward may not survive as the CEO of BP, but his participation in this clearly is one of importance to us whether he is the continuing CEO or not.
And so we want him to appear -
PHILLIPS: But can you make him appear?
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: Senator, can you force him to appear or is it up to him?
MENENDEZ: Well, he may be the one entity for which because there is jurisdiction in the United States over the company, we'd have to get the committee chair, Senator Kerry, to agree to a subpoena being issued. At this point, we have asked voluntarily for them to appear as we have asked others in the British and Scottish governments to appear.
Unfortunately, we don't have jurisdiction over them and so far they've denied any willingness to participate.
PHILLIPS: And that was my next question. The Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill who made the decision to release Megrahi on compassionate grounds, also, the other man that we want to hear from is Dr. Andrew Frazier, who according to the Scottish government actually gave the medical prognosis that led to the release of Al Megrahi.
For what I'm hearing from you is really they're saying they are not going to cooperate and there is nothing you can do to actually bring them before the mikes here in the States. So where exactly can you take this hearing because those are the three individuals that I think everybody wants to hear from and is demanding answers from?
MENENDEZ: Well, again, we don't have the ability to compel them, but we are trying to create an environment in which they understand that it is in their interest to come forth at a hearing and share the process, the information and the facts that drove them to the conclusion that they did.
We strongly disagree with that conclusion but we need to hear the facts. Now, so far they have rejected. I just got a letter from the Scottish government saying that they will not appear. That they're happy to send other information, but that is not what we want. Written information and documents can be helpful to a degree but ultimately it's the testimony of individuals that gives us the opportunity to understand (INAUDIBLE).
So we will continue to press for it and if ultimately, Kyra, we don't have either the British or Scottish government sending the relevant people who can testify, we're still going to press this question in the public court of opinion and it will make a more compelling case for those of us who met with the prime minister of Great Britain, Prime Minister Cameron, where we asked him for an independent inquiry into this whole process because they would have the power to compel those individuals to testify.
PHILLIPS: Well, I know you're going to do whatever you can do to get the answers and we're going to keep talking to you about it. Senator Robert Menendez, a story that's important to us as well. We appreciate your time today.
MENENDEZ: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: This is - well, this is the week that Arizona's controversial and contested immigration law is set to kick in, and other states could very well follow Arizona's example. A lot more on that coming up this hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, it looks like the wheels are coming off the gravy train in Bell, California. More now on that jaw dropper of a government abuse story that we first exposed last week.
Let me set the outrageous scene once again. Bell, one of the Los Angeles counties, (INAUDIBLE) places. Median income, $40,000. A place where the city manager is making nearly 800 grand per year. Yes, that's more than President Obama.
Now, keep in mind, we're talking about a state where they're laying off teachers and cops, raising tuition and charging people for emergency calls but it would be good to be Robert Rizzo. He doesn't even in Bell. He doesn't even live in L.A. County and he's got a sweet $900,000 place in Huntington Beach. Look at that. It could be a candidate for cribs.
His picture, by the way, a mug shot from his arrest last spring. Police said he was legally drunk times three. Then there's Rizzo's assistant who was making nearly 400 grand and the police chief who is making more than 450 grand. Well, they've all resigned but the people of Bell who have been fired up since this story broke want more resignations.
They want the mayor and three city council members to quit, too. It seems some of those council members are making about 100 grand for their part-time jobs. Should be one hell of a city council meeting tonight. But even if they all quit and Bell starts over, this story isn't over. Big new developments in the story, California's attorney general now looking into the bloated salaries.
Kirk Hawkins of KCBS has been our go-to guy on this story. He's live outside city hall in Bell. I know you've been staking these guys out? Any luck, Kirk?
KIRK HAWKINS, REPORTER, KCBS: No luck so far, Kyra. We tried to get in touch with the city manager outside his Huntington Beach home. No show there. The lights were out. We talked to his neighbors and in fact, his neighbors said they had wished that they could have used their next-door neighbor status to possibly even apply for a job.
But we haven't had luck tracking down Rizzo. We've also tried to track down the mayor, the vice mayor and other members of the city council. But they were no-shows. In fact, over the weekend, 200 people in this small town participated in a march where they went by each of these houses and had no luck as well. So no one knows where the city council members are. But they are all expected to be here tonight at 6:00.
This is the first major meeting that residents of this small town are expected to speak out since details of the salary scandal have broken. They are all irate and as you said, they're fired up. In fact, the mayor, we should point out, put out a statement last Friday afternoon when he told us that basically he defended the city manager and said that his salary was similar to other city managers in this same area in this same county. So he's not going down without a fight. That's indeed clear.
PHILLIPS: Well, and I can just imagine what the city council meeting is going to be like. I'm sure the issue of pensions will come up?
HAWKINS: That's right. And in fact, Rizzo gets a $600,000 pension. He is 55 years old now and if he lives to be 75, we're talking $14 million. And we've learned today that residents and taxpayers of the state of California could be on the hook. That's because the city of Bell as well as 140 other cities, towns and public entities across the state contribute to what's called the California Public Employment System.
So not only are Bell's citizens irate but taxpayers across the state should be as well. Now he had a five-year contract. He was paid. He has about three years left. So he was paid throughout about two years of that contract and right now it's unclear if he's going to be paid through the rest of his contract here, that $800,000 a year contract. Or if he's going to walk without pay. So that's just one of the many questions that we're going to ask at this meeting here tonight.
PHILLIPS: Yes, we look forward to your follow-up tomorrow. That is for sure. Kirk Hawkins, it's an outrageous story. We want to stay on top of it. We appreciate you investigating it more for us. We'll talk to you tomorrow, Kirk.
Well, the Americans with Disabilities Act turns 20 today, and it means a different world for millions of Americans young and old. We're talking about the landmark act and what's changed.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: The American With Disabilities Act turns 20 today, and for the one in five Americans who are disabled, the world is a much different, much more inclusive place today. They'll tell you we've come a long way in two decades, but there's still a very long way to go.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With the stroke of a pen, it was done. The passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act. You've seen the results. Curb cuts and ramps, wider doors, parking spaces and Braille on elevators and ATMs for the blind. Enough? former attorney general Richard Thornburgh, who helped push the ADA through, says no.
RICHARD THORNBURGH, FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL: Well, I am gratified but impatient. Gratified that we've expressed in a formal way through legislative action the importance of the civil rights of people with disabilities and their rights to participate in the mainstream of our lives without being discriminated against. And disappointed in a way because we haven't reached the promised land yet.
PHILLIPS: By promised land, Thornburgh means economic opportunity for the disabled so people like Ryan Cole can compete on a level playing field. Ryan represents the second generation of the ADA.
ANDREA COLE, RYAN'S MOTHER: Ryan was diagnosed when I was about 18 weeks pregnant with Dandy-Walker malformation, which is a brain malformation, which affects the cerebellum. And in his case is missing a portion of his cerebellum.
ERIC COLE, RYAN'S FATHER: Let's go to your room. Ryan's had two brain surgeries. He's had an abdominal surgery to place a G-tube. He's had hernia surgeries. He's had seizures that were brought under control. We've had some mobility issues.
PHILLIPS: Ryan's parents want their son to grow up to be self- sufficient, and advocates say society can do its part to make it happen.
ANDREW IMPARATO, AMERICAN ASSOC. OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: I think one of the challenges as we move into the next decade is how can we create more economic opportunities so more people with disabilities are working, more people are in the middle class, own their own homes, and are able to participate fully in the mainstream of the economy.
E. COLE: I think individuals with disabilities - what everybody wants. They want a hand up, not a handout.
PHILLIPS: For Ryan's father and many others, it's about common decency.
E. COLE: I think there are many stereotypes we still battle today. I think there are some derogatory terms out there that are still used for individuals with cognitive and intellectual disabilities. And understand that individuals like Ryan have hopes and dreams and aspirations just like the rest of us.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: And we want to give out a special shoutout right now to the Cole family that you just saw profiled in that piece. You know, those big storms near D.C. knocked out their power, so right now, they are watching from the TV section of a department store. So, we want to send our love and a big hello.
Now, Mark Johnson is a long-time advocate for the disabled. The director of advocacy for the Sheperd Center, a nonprofit hospital specializing in treatment for people with spinal cord and brain injuries. So glad to have you with us.
MARK JOHNSON, DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY, SHEPERD CENTER: I appreciate the opportunity.
PHILLIPS: There are so many amazing things about your life, which is why I wanted to talk to you in particular. But just to give a little background to our viewers. Let's go back to when you were in college. And it was a dive into a pond that changed your life forever. Tell us what happened, and did you ever think what you were doing was dangerous?
JOHNSON: You know, I was a water safety instructor, lifeguard, swim team coach and whatever. And I used to go out to rock quarries and sand quarries and dived off the cliffs.
I had been out there probably my entire freshman year in college, and the day before my sophomore year was to end, I took one more swim, one more dive. I went out there, I was about 15 feet to my left of where I was diving for over a year. And I hit the bottom and injured my spinal cord.
PHILLIPS: And that definitely took you on a completely different journey than what you expected. The first reality check was, "Oh, my gosh, transportation, access, how I get around." We were looking back at these old pictures - I love it -- of how you gerryrigged your van. This just - boy, have we come a long way?
JOHNSON: Pieces of wood --
PHILLIPS: Tell me, what did do you?
JOHNSON: It was before I started learning how to drive. It also was cost. There wasn't much technology. So, literally -- those are my brothers. I had two boards, and people would push me up into the van. We tied down with bungee cords, and they would drive me off, and I'd come down it.
So, about a year later, I was able to locate a lift, and my dad actually put hand controls on and took me to an abandoned airport and said "If you can learn how to drive here, they we're going to put them on permanently."
PHILLIPS: That was your dad?
JOHNSON: Yes.
PHILLIPS: Oh, my gosh. You're grateful to him. He told you, life doesn't stop here?
JOHNSON: No. And now, there are driving to schools. And here, even in Atlanta metro area, there are three companies that modify vans.
PHILLIPS: There's another picture too, I want to know the background behind. You're in front of an outhouse. I hope we have this one in particular, because I know -- you're trying to keep a sense of humor in a way here. But tell me about this picture.
JOHNSON: You know, I would go to a lot of festivals. And for years, you know, if you needed to use the bathroom, the Port-a-Potties or whatever, weren't accessible. I'm kind of making a joke. We've come a long way when Port-a-Potties are accessible as well.
PHILLIPS: A little bit of a ramp. Those are still not easy things to deal with, though. Let me tell you what -
(LAUGHTER)
JOHNSON: I kind of avoid them in general but, if necessary, they're there.
PHILLIPS: Now, you have also become quite the activist. From the days in early 80s, you were putting yourself out in front of buses. Take me back to that time. Why did you want to become an activist, and tell me why you used that specific method? Because that's how a lot of people know you.
JOHNSON: Right. I got married in '81, moved to Colorado and met a man named Reverend Wade Blank, who was involved in the civil rights movement. And he became my mentor, and what happened is I lost use of my private vehicle through an accident. So, I had to use public transit, and public transit at that time, even in Denver, which was one of the leaders, was not that accessible.
So, I got involved in an campaign to put lifts on buses, actually express buses there in Denver. And that kind of just led me into kind of a whole other form of activism. And sometimes -- what I learned from Wade was you can do your research and write your letters and do your testimony and you can have your meetings, but sometimes you just have to get in people's faces.
PHILLIPS: Absolutely. Because until you do -- it's like if it hasn't affected you, people aren't going to be moved to do anything unless you hound them.
JOHNSON: And one of Wade's favorite things was until there is an emotional change, no intellectual persuasion will work. So, when you confront people face to face, it's very emotional. People have to deal with it.
When I used to take people out, I could give them all kinds of research about how much a lift costs amortized over the life of a vehicle, what kind of revenue comes in if people can ride on it. But bottom line is, if took them down to a bus stop and you said, "That bus, you can get on and I can't get on." That's a whole different conversation that occurs.
PHILLIPS: I want to ask you a question. For a number of disabilities, and a number of people say that's not a disability. For example, my mom's a teacher for the deaf. Don't you dare tell a deaf person they're disabled. It's a culture, and they're proud about their culture and they're proud to be deaf. I've talked to blind individuals, same thing. "If I could go back, I would decide to have my sight. I'm proud to be blind. It's my culture. It's my life."
What about you?
JOHNSON: Well, I think you've tapped into something -- I'm really glad you tapped into this.
PHILLIPS: Oh, good.
(LAUGHTER)
JOHNSON: People say, what's one of the most significant things that's happened since the passage of the ADA? It's that emergence of power and pride. In fact, tonight, after the president's commemoration of the twentieth anniversary, there will be a power and pride celebration.
So, more and more individuals now with (INAUDIBLE) are saying, oh, so it's okay to be disabled. I'm proud of it. Maybe you have a problem with it, but I don't. And that's one of the most significant things that's happened. We still have a long way to go, as earlier stuff said --
PHILLIPS: That's what I want to ask you just before we go. Two things that are on the top of your mind that when we say we still have a long way to go. What would you love to see happen in the neck year, five year, ten years -- two things for the disabled?
JOHNSON: I'd like to see people take a chance to have a relationship with people with disables because that's what really changes attitudes is the relationship. And through that relationship, attitudes will change, policies will change and people will work. That's one of the most significant lacking things right now. Just social opportunities, personal relationships and employment opportunities. Those are the two things ahead of us.
PHILLIPS: Makes me think about a recent commercial that's been airing about people with disabilities. And it's actually very creative. I should have thought about that. I should have rolled that today.
JOHNSON: Yes, you can.
PHILLIPS: That's it, right. That's the campaign. That's right!
Mark, what a pleasure talking to you. Thank you so much. You're such an incredible example for all of us. We really appreciate your time.
JOHNSON: Appreciate the opportunity.
PHILLIPS: All right.
A story of faith, trust and betrayal. CNN's Poppy Harlow will tell us how two men used religion to rob churchgoers of their live savings.
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PHILLIPS: Have you heard of affinity fraud? It's a scheme that targets a specific ethnic or religious group. Bernie Madoff made the term famous, targeting high-profile Jewish charities in the multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme that put him in jail for life.
Poppy Harlow has the story of two men who preyed on religious Christians in Minnesota. It's a CNN and CNNmoney.com special investigation.
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POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: This is a story about huge financial fraud. Feds say Trevor Cook took in $190 million. It's about trust, it's about faith, and it's about the people that abused them. A lot of people that invested with them were bible believing Christians. They didn't want Wall Street. They didn't want Washington. They trusted people here at home.
MUSIC: Once upon a time in Minneapolis --
MIKE PATTERSON, FOLLOWED KILEY'S RADIO SHOW: He went after a targeted group of people. Because almost everybody I talked to that was caught up in this that I heard about has the same --
HARLOW: They're all like you.
PATTERSON: Very similar. A lot of them are similar. Their faith in the Lord is what they're all about. HARLOW: Were Christians targeted in the sense? Were faith-based people targeted in this fraud?
B. TODD JONES, U.S. ATTORNEY, MINNEAPOLIS: I think any good fraudster is going to leverage whatever means they can to get that trust connection there.
MARY DINGMAN, COOK'S OFFICE MANAGER, LOST LIFE SAVINGS: I did it because I thought it was safe. Little did I know it's all gone. Everything is gone. I've lost everything. And now, I will be 62 in July.
KYLE GARMAN, INVESTOR: I can't even explain the feeling. My stomach, I felt like I was going to throw up. So, yes, I don't know. It was just -- it's been rough. Really rough.
HARLOW: You know what, some of these conservative Christians really feared was this. It was Wall Street, it was the big banks taking big risks with their life savings.
Pat Kiley and Trevor Cook were completely different. They were Midwesterners, fellow Christians, who offered safety and honesty above all else.
TREVOR COOK, ACCUSED OF FRAUD: There is no risk. OK. Riskless transactions.
HARLOW (voice-over): Cook ran the operation telling investors he had a system to cash in on moves in the foreign currency market. And he made it all look legitimate, starting with a place called "the castle."
(on camera): All right, so this is the Van Dusen mansion. It's one of those classic old homes in Minneapolis. But Trevor Cook bought this and then he transformed it to look like a cutting edge trading operation with computer screens, flashing currencies from around the world.
COOK: Our technology can move billions and billions of dollars and would crack the milliseconds actually last year. HARLOW (voice- over): Cook talked a good game, but it was just an illusion. Behind his high tech office and glossy brochures were a host of shell companies that sounded like global powerhouses. But were nothing of the sort.
COOK: There's two rules. You know, the first one, is don't lose your clients' money. And the second rule is don't lose your clients' money.
HARLOW: But they did, pretty much all of it.
GARMAN: People who are not invested in this have agreed they invested in it because they thought it was safe. Because they thought it was an alternative to what was out there. And what was out there at the time was crumbling. HARLOW: Pat Kiley was Cook's business partner. He peddled their scheme on his show, "Follow the Money," broadcast over hundreds of Christian radio stations.
VOICE OF PAT KILEY: I said Our Father. I can't believe the only senior economist and senior analyst in the United States that also uses a good book.
HARLOW: We met one of Kylie's former employees. She didn't want to be identified, but she told us how he worked.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was using the bible for marketing. He found out if somebody was a pastor, a minister or something. Before the end of that sales call, he was quoting the bible.
MUSIC: I live life like the captain of a sinking ship.
HARLOW: The Securities and Exchange Commission accuses Cook and Kiley of operating a Ponzi scheme.
VOICE OF KILEY: All of our clients' funds are held in private segregated account and is liquid to you, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
HARLOW: But it wasn't. They pooled the money in shell companies using new accounts to pay out $51 million to investors that didn't get stiffed. And they lost nearly $50 million through their so-called risk-free trading program all the while, giving investors phony statements showing solid gains.
MUSIC: I promise it's going to be large.
HARLOW: The scheme lasted at least three years. And by the time the government caught up with them, over $100 million had disappeared.
(on camera): Luxury cars, BMW, Lexus, $670,000 cash, a collection of expensive watches and Faberge eggs.
(voice-over): Cook pled guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of tax evasion. And it seems he spent plenty of his investors' money in ways that were decidedly unchristian.
(on camera): He says they were what? Still up there. Hookers? Yes?
DINGMAN: They would call up ladies of the evening, they're prostitutes, or whatever you want to call them and have them come.
HARLOW: This was another side of Trevor Cook, the heavy drinking, frequenting strip clubs and even several arrests. One for assaulting an escort at this Minnesota hotel.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARLOW: Kyra, over about six months of looking at this story, we found a very different man than all of those investors knew. That's just the beginning. We have about ten minutes of this story on CNNmoney.
But you know, Trevor Cook -- right now struck a plea deal with prosecutors. The max he can get in prison is 25 years. He's going to be sentenced next month. Investors are furious, saying that's not enough.
As for Kylie, the radio show host, we called him time and time again. He won't call us back. He actually filed a lawsuit last week, saying, look, I didn't participate in any of this criminal wrongdoing. I thought their accounts were segregated and liquid. I didn't squander money or mismanage it.
(INAUDIBLE) Kylie's attorney said Pat Kiley never expected anything was wrong with these investments. He continued to believe he was doing good for his clients.
I can tell you, Kyra, the investors don't believe that. The big question remaining, where was the SEC? Where were the regulators? We flew to Chicago to find out what role they had in all of this. You can see that from all of the regulators and what they have to say on CNNmoney. Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Got it. Good stuff. Thanks, Poppy.
More from the CNN NEWSROOM straight ahead.
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PHILLIPS: Thursday's the big day in Arizona, the day the state's tough new immigration law SB 1070 is supposed to kick in. A judge is deciding whether the law should be carried out. It's being challenged on more than one front. The law requires immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times. And it requires police to question people if they suspect they're in the U.S illegally.
Arizona might be the focal point of the big immigration debate, but it's not the only place where the issue is coming to a head. Tomorrow, city leaders in Fremont, Nebraska, will think about putting off the illegal immigration law that the voters approved. In fact, the guy who wrote Fremont's law co-wrote Arizona's law. Here's CNN's Dan Simon.
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DAN SIMON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Surrounded by cattle and cornfields, Fremont, Nebraska is the kind of place that feels insulated from the nation's big problems, especially illegal immigration.
Just look on a map. Mexico is a long ways away from Nebraska, about a thousand miles but the immigration battle has reached the heartland and this town outside of Omaha of only 25,000 people.
JERRY HART, LED PETITION DRIVE: You look at the flooding situation. Are you going to wait for FEMA to come take care of you ore are you going to start sandbagging your own house so you don't get floodwaters in? That's what we're trying to do.
SIMON: Jerry Hart, a retired IRS agent and John Wiegert, an elementary school teacher led an effort to put on a measure on the town's ballot that bans hiring or renting property to illegal immigrants. It passed last month by a decisive 57 percent of the vote.
(on camera): Why does a city like Fremont, smack in the middle of the country, need an anti-immigration law?
JOHN WIEGERT, LED PETITION DRIVE: We're for immigration. We're just against illegal aliens coming in bringing drugs, gangs, crime and economic burden that's going to grow exponentially for years if we don't do something in our town.
SIMON (voice-over): Yes. It's the identical argument used by anti-illegal immigration hawks around the country even though police dispute that crime here is on the rise. But like many American cities, Fremont's Hispanic population has risen from an estimated 200 in 1990 to about 2,000 now.
(on camera): Freemont's Hispanic population has surged in recent years with the promise of a steady job at the area's meat packing plants. The city has a low unemployment rate but according to supporters, one of the primary arguments for the measure is that illegal immigrants are taking away jobs from American citizens.
(voice-over): Nothing makes this woman's blood boil more.
MIRIAM BERGANZA, FREMONT RESIDENT: You're not going to see any Anglo-Americans working the lines. You're not.
SIMON (on camera): What you're saying is they don't want those jobs to be --
BERGANZA: They don't want the jobs. We want them because we have to support our kids.
SIMON (voice-over): Miriam Berganza, an American citizen has worked in those plants which she says are filled mainly by Hispanics. She cannot understand why Fremont has become an immigration battle front.
BERGANZA: Fremont has grown because of the illegal immigrants. We spend our money here. We don't go nowhere else. We spend it here. I don't see the problem with that.
SIMON: Miriam says the byproduct of all this is growing racial tension and a feeling of being unwanted.
Kristen Ostrom fought unsuccessfully to defeat the measure in part because she thought it encouraged racial profiling.
KRISTEN OSTROM, OPPOSITION LEADER: The Hispanic community feels like the people voted for them to leave, and we have people telling us day after day that they are just waiting for the police to come and escort them out of Fremont.
SIMON (on camera): That's not going to happen.
OSTROM: That's absolutely not going to happen but the Hispanic community feels like they are not welcome.
SIMON (voice-over): Ordinance supporters, deny race played a role.
It's not clear how many illegal immigrants live in Fremont, what is clear, the battle is headed to the courts with opponents like those critical of Arizona's controversial bill claiming immigration enforcement is strictly a federal matter.
Dan Simon, CNN, Fremont, Nebraska.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: We're just 100 days away from the midterm elections, but this race is about more than just candidates. Starting Wednesday night, you can join "JOHN KING U.S.A." on the road in Arizona for a look at all of the issues voters there are facing. Wednesday night, 7:00 Eastern on CNN.
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PHILLIPS: Time for "Home and Away," our daily tribute to fallen heroes in Iraq and/orAfghanistan. And we're going to tell you how you can become a part of it in just a minute.
But right now, in our spotlight, Corporate James London of Bell Fort New York. A member of the First Battalion 18th Infantry Regiment. James was with the second brigade combat team when he was killed in Baghdad in 2007. He was one of three soldiers who died after their vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb. James London was only 20 years old.
His mother says her son was the light of her life. She had so much respect for the way he lived his life, his courage and determination. Mom says James accomplished more in his 20 short years than many men ever do in 70 years. Today, we honor and remember James London.
And we want to hear more stories of such sacrifice. Go to our Web site, CNN.com/homeandaway, put your service member's name in the upper right search field, pull up the profile, add your memories and send us pictures, too. We'll add them to our Hall of Heroes.
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