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Dominique Strauss-Kahn Alleged Victim's Attorney Speaks Out; High Cost of Preventing Flooding Tragedy

Aired May 17, 2011 - 14:00   ET

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

RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: We continue live from Los Angeles. And this hour, we are learning more about Arnold Schwarzenegger's affair and news of a secret child.

A short time ago, Maria Shriver released this statement: "This is a painful and heartbreaking time," she says. "As a mother, my concern is for the children. I ask for compassion, respect and privacy as my children and I try to rebuild our lives and heal. I will have no further comment."

We will have more on this developing story in just about 10 minutes from now.

Meanwhile, the head of the International Monetary Fund is spending his first day on an exclusive island unlike anywhere he has ever been, Rikers. Until Friday, at the earliest, Dominique Strauss- Kahn will be guest of New York City in an East River compound reserved for criminal defendants and convicts. It's a world away from the posh Manhattan hotel where he allegedly forced himself on and a maid on Saturday and bought himself an array of sex crime charges, plus one count of unlawful imprisonment.

Rikers houses 14,000 inmates, give or take, and employs some 10,000 guards. It's made up of 10 separate jails, most of them barracks, but some regular cell blocks as well.

Strauss-Kahn has an 11 x 13 foot cell all to himself. But even when he takes his daily one-hour exercise, he'll be separated from other prisoners. He's also separated from phones, TVs and the Internet.

CNN's Deborah Feyerick is following this drama in New York.

And Deb, I understand you have some new information about the victim in this case.

What do you know?

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We do. And as a matter of fact, Randi, while we are not releasing her name, we did speak to a lawyer who is now representing her.

Keep in mind, she is obviously represented by prosecutors who are bringing this case. We are told she is cooperating fully, she is doing exactly what she needs to do for them. But this is what we're learning now.

She is a West African immigrant from Guinea. The lawyer says her world has been turned upside down.

She has been working at the Sofitel for about two-and-a-half, three years, legally employed. She has a 15-year-old daughter, and he says, "Since it happened, she has not been able to go home. She has not been able to go to work. Her future is uncertain."

He tells us, "She was afraid for her life when this happened. She was physically and sexually assaulted. Her whole idea was to get out of the room and get away from this man." Of course, she is referring to the IMF head and potential presidential candidate of France Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

Now, the lawyer tells us that this woman is an exemplary employee, that she got along very well with her superiors, and also with other employees. He tells us that she was told to go clean this room, never expecting that this man would be there and do what he did.

The lawyer telling us that, "Right now this woman is frightened. This is a person who assaulted and raped her. He is on every single television set. This nightmare keeps recycling in her mind. She has no point of refuge."

He says this is a woman who encountered extraordinary odds getting to the United States, and now she is going through this. Again, he tells us that her future, very uncertain, because she doesn't what she will do next -- Randi.

KAYE: I'm sure if this did indeed happen, Deb, it was incredibly frightening for her.

I also understand that you have done some digging on the forensics. What have you learned there?

FEYERICK: Well, the forensics now, all of that under investigation. For example, investigators, prosecutors, NYPD, they're looking at things, for example, like DNA.

Remember, Mr. Strauss-Kahn did give a DNA sample, likely just a saliva swab. He was made to stand, photographs taken, so that they could see whether there were any scratch marks on his body.

The woman also presented DNA evidence as well. The lawyer would not tell us specifically what it is that she gave, though we're led to believe that it may have been things under her fingernails. For example, if she tried to fight back, whether there were any bruises, things like that.

We spoke to the head of the Sex Crimes Unit. She had a very interesting take on what investigators are looking for now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: When you have a hotel worker going up against one of the most powerful men, the head of the International Monetary Fund, what sort of evidence needed to be met for police to believe that something in fact did occur?

LINDA FAIRSTEIN, FMR. NYC SEX CRIMES PROSECUTOR: That's a great question. Obviously, body fluids and where it is. If it's on the bed of the alleged offender, it may not be terrifically significant. If it's on the clothing of the victim -- and I don't know where it is -- that is going to be awfully significant.

Most hotels in this day and age have cameras in corridors. Is there tape of this woman leaving the room? What condition was she in, both in clothing disarray and in emotional distress? What condition was he in when he left the room, if these things are filmed?

FEYERICK: Investigators and police went immediately to the airport to get him off the plane. Is that an extraordinary measure?

FAIRSTEIN: If the Special Victims Unit detectives had probable cause, meaning a witness who they believed who told the truth, made an immediate outcry, found evidence to support it, which is not needed, but icing on the cake, then they did the only thing that they could do, which was to stop this man before he left the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: Now, Randi, we do want you to keep in mind that, again, Mr. Strauss-Kahn's lawyer has said that the forensic evidence will show that there was no "forcible encounter" -- those are his words. He also says his client plans to plead not guilty.

I asked this prosecutor, Linda Fairstein, a very famous prosecutor, whether in fact there was sort of an aggressive move to try to get this man, whether there was a rush to judgment give the time that allegations were made to time he really was taken into custody. She said, no, this is the only thing that the Sex Crimes Unit could do, that's what they are trained to do.

You listen to the witness. If the witness is credible, then you go out and you try to at least track down this case. Right now, it's getting ready to go to the grand jury -- Randi.

KAYE: And Deb, just quickly, before we let you go, what is the latest on other potential victims?

FEYERICK: Well, they are looking. They're looking to see whether there is anybody else who may be able to step forward and either corroborate this woman's story, or, if not, tell a similar story. One woman has already stepped forward, a French journalist. Again, we'll see if there are others -- Randi.

KAYE: All right. Deb Feyerick for us.

Deb, nice job getting the information from that lawyer as well. Appreciate it.

To Louisiana now, and the high cost of preventing catastrophe. The Army Corps of Engineers estimates 25,000 homes could be lost or damaged by spillage from the Mississippi River by way of the Morganza Spillway. As we've been reporting, the spillway is gradually being opened to lower the river downstream and lessen the flood risks in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

In the farmlands and bayous that would have stayed dry had the spillway stayed closed, most folks are getting out of town. But a few see a different solution. If the water gets high, well, they say make the house higher. Contractors can jack up a house and put it on stilts for roughly the price of building a house from scratch.

On the other side of the spillway, the damage is done, is still being done, and won't be over for weeks, maybe even longer. The river has never been higher in the Mississippi towns of Natchez and Vicksburg, and it is still on the rise.

A farmer near Vicksburg says it's like "slow death."

My colleague Martin Savidge is there.

And Martin, I understand that it's getting pretty hard to actually get around there.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is, Randi, indeed. Yes, we are standing in what's known as the Kings community area. It's north of Vicksburg, just a short distance away. It's an area we have been at before, but the water here is higher than ever before. In fact, it continues to rise.

Here in Vicksburg, the level is at 57. They hope to crest out Thursday at 57.5. But you can see this whole community here, and there are hundreds of homes that are spread throughout this area.

I am standing on railroad tracks, not that you would know that. But home after home on this street, and the farther you go down the street, the deeper the water gets.

It's about 11 feet here. It's about 15 feet if you get in the back street. And you have got these very bizarre scenes.

You know, you have got the railroad crossing there sticking out of the water, the "Dead End" sign. And you would only know that you were at Pittman (ph) and Railroad by the signage there.

And let me show you one other thing.

The locals say that when the Army Corps of Engineers was here a couple of weeks ago, trying to warn people about how deep the water would get and how far it would go, they drew a line on the street to say this is where it's going to go, you need to get out. Well, that line actually was here, so they missed it by about six feet from shore there.

So, actually, even the Army Corps of Engineers, they tried to warn people, it's gone beyond that. That's the sort of flood it has been here in the state of Mississippi. Forty-eight hundred people have been forced to flee. Here in this particular town about 1,700 people have been forced to flee.

But the good news, of course, no deaths, no injuries reported. But the worst is still coming this way. And, in fact, in a number of neighborhoods here, people are still gathering their things, still trying to move out of the way, even though they have had weeks. Many of them perhaps hoped against hope that the water would not rise. It has actually gone farther than apparently some had predicted -- Randi.

KAYE: And Martin, I understand you went to visit this other community, Eagle Lake, which isn't under water, but you did have some trouble getting in and out of there.

SAVIDGE: Right. This is a community -- it's almost the opposite of what you see here. In other words, no water whatsoever. But what is similar, no people whatsoever.

This is an area that has been completely isolated, cut off because of the rising floodwaters. They evacuated everybody ahead of time. The only way to get in is on the main line levees.

And the reason it was evacuated -- and it's about almost 1,000 homes that are out there -- is the fact that they are stuck between two major levees. That's the one on the Mississippi River, and also the Yazoo backwater level. Just in case there would be any breach, they want to make sure nobody is in that community.

So it is a ghost town. And I've got to tell you, it's very eerie to be out there. It's beautiful, it's serene, and there's hardly a soul to be found, except, of course, the sheriff's department, which is on regular patrol to make sure no one else takes advantage of a bad situation.

KAYE: Well, that is some good news.

Martin Savidge for us there in Vicksburg.

Thank you, Martin.

Well, first there was news of Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger splitting up. Now it seems, well, we know why. More details about Arnold's secret love child, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: After 10 years of keeping it under wraps, former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger admits to fathering a child with one of his employees. Here is what we know right now.

Schwarzenegger says the affair happened more than a decade ago, before his first run for office. The "L.A. Times" first reported the news, saying the mother of the child is a household staffer and Schwarzenegger has provided support for the child since birth. The newspaper says it's not publishing the former staffer's name to protect her privacy, but the staffer did say she recently retired on good terms with the couple after working for them for 20 years. A short time ago, Maria Shriver released this statement: "This is a painful and heartbreaking time. As a mother, my concern is for the children. I ask for compassion, respect and privacy as my children and I try to rebuild our lives and heal. I will have no further comment."

TMZ executive producer Harvey Levin joins me now.

And Harvey, I understand that you knew about this child days ago, but you were getting some pushback from the Schwarzenegger camp. Is that why you didn't come out with it?

HARVEY LEVIN, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, TMZ: Yes. I've actually reconstructed this, and it was a week ago Sunday that I started making calls. And we had heard about this, and that Maria was really inconsolable over it and angry.

And we got just flat, "No, it's not true, we don't know what you're talking about this, never heard anything like this." So I think what happened is the walls just started to close in. Then we were making calls. Clearly, the "Los Angeles Times" was making calls, and I think, ultimately, they realized that this information was coming out, and they wanted to get ahead of it.

KAYE: So what do we know, if anything more, about this child? Does Schwarzenegger see this child? It is a boy or a girl? Have we been able to learn anything?

LEVIN: No, we haven't. I mean, we are kind of -- I think we know something. We're not ready to publish it yet, but it looks like something happened around the time that Maria found out, which was shortly after Arnold left the governor's mansion. Something happened, and the marriage was already in deep trouble.

I mean, she was miserable and had talked about wanting out of this marriage for several years. But something happened to force Arnold to tell her.

And, you know, I think it's all kind of connecting. There is a lot of gossip going on, on the west side of L.A. Maria has talked about it. But it sounds like there was a trigger early this year.

KAYE: So, this staffer worked for Schwarzenegger and Shriver for several years after this child had been born. How do you think they managed to keep this under wraps, or at least Schwarzenegger?

LEVIN: I am told that Arnold really has compartmentalized his life. He has a office building in Santa Monica not too far from the home, and I am told that in that office building -- and we got this from people who are very familiar with the office -- that he would sometimes have women come into there, and there were two in particular five to seven years ago, where they would come in. And it was odd, because they both had legal-sized manila envelopes.

They would come in almost in the middle of the night when he was there, at 1:00 in the morning, and stay there for hours behind closed doors. So I think Arnold was able to compartmentalize things a lot. And to some extent, they did have kind of separate lives. I mean, they obviously intersected a lot, but Arnold was able to do what he did.

KAYE: You know, few are as close to celebrity gossip as you are, Harvey. So, if you can, try to take us inside the Schwarzenegger/Shriver camp right now. What is going on?

LEVIN: Well, I mean, he -- you know, personally, we're told, he really wants back with her. And he has a lot of emotional power over her still, and she is conflicted.

She has absolutely talked about getting divorced, but she hasn't pulled that trigger yet. She has a financial adviser that she has been talking to ever since she learned about this to kind of create a plan for her, but nothing has been done.

So, she is kind of ambivalent, he wants her back. And Arnold wants to do movies very badly, so this obviously is impacting that effort.

On her side, she feels lost, wants a career. And I can tell you that syndicators and lots of news operations have been aggressively courting Maria to get her back on the air, including Oprah Winfrey, who apparently met with her as recently last week and wants to give her a talk show on OWN.

So, Maria is thinking about her career. She's angry over the whole situation, she's conflicted over the situation. Arnold just wants her back.

KAYE: Yes, I'm sure.

All right. Harvey Levin, appreciate it, and always appreciate your insight, certainly on a story like this one. A pleasure talking with you today, and keep up posted on any details that you might get later today.

LEVIN: OK, Randi. We'll see you.

KAYE: Thank you.

Well, we know how devastating the recession was to the city of Detroit and local autoworkers, but I'll bet you didn't realize the effect that it has had on some of the city's forgotten residents. Wait until you see these residents.

I will explain, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

KAYE: The self-proclaimed Top Dog MC (ph) is now dedicating his time to the dogs. There are some 50,000 stray dogs roaming loose in Detroit thanks to high unemployment and foreclosures. Many dog owners are faced with the tough decisions of having to give up their pets in order to survive. They just cannot afford to keep them or care for them any longer.

But now two people are working to save them. They formed a group and are making it their business to find homes for these pups. Monica Martino and Daniel "Hush" Carlisle are the co-founders of Detroit Dog Rescue.

Thank you both for what you're doing, and thanks so much for coming on the show to talk about it.

Hush, let me start with you first.

You're a rapper and an actor as well. How did you get started rescuing dogs in Detroit?

DANIEL "HUSH" CARLISLE, CO-FOUNDER, DETROIT DOG RESCUE: Well, my partner, Monica, created a dog show. We were friends before she came to Detroit, and she had an idea to do a show on the stray dogs in Detroit.

We have an estimated 50,000 stray dogs. And Monica wanted to document that.

And I became the location manager for the show that she had created. The show kind of fell through. And after that, Monica and I just couldn't leave the dogs. We thought we needed to do something.

KAYE: I bet.

And Monica is here with us in studio, here in Los Angeles.

You're an executive producer, and now you are involved with this. I guess we should introduce your dog here, because he wants to make an appearance. This is Noodles?

MONICA MARTINO, FOUNDER, DETROIT DOG RESCUE: This is Noodles.

KAYE: And how did you find him?

MARTINO: Well, we actually -- in February, Hush and I were out rescuing dogs and -- oops. Sit down. There we go.

KAYE: And you just couldn't leave him behind.

MARTINO: And we couldn't leave him behind. We were on our way to get some chicken noodle soup, it was freezing cold, and we saw this guy on the side of the road eating a frozen chicken bone. And winter is just a really tough time for dogs in Detroit. People have to make a choice between buying dog food and paying their heating bills, so they turn them loose.

And we knew we couldn't let this guy go, so we picked him up, gave him a warm home, and he came back to Los Angeles with me.

KAYE: And so you took him. MARTINO: I took him.

KAYE: And Hush, what about the dog with you? Is that your dog or does he still need a home?

CARLISLE: No, this is Roscoe (ph). Roscoe (ph) is eventually going to need a home. He was an owner surrender, what we call --

KAYE: Can you hold him up just a little bit so we can see him?

CARLISLE: Sure. This is Roscoe (ph). I love this dog. I don't even want to let him go, to be honest with you.

He is only 10 months old, and the owner just -- she was moving. And she didn't want to let him go to anybody that she thought was actually going to put him down.

So, she saw me and said, "Hey, can I leave my dog with you?" And I said, "Absolutely." This is Roscoe (ph). He's amazing.

KAYE: He's adorable. How many dogs like Roscoe (ph) and Noodles have you all rescued from the streets?

CARLISLE: I would say probably close to 30 right now in the amount of time that we've been up and running. We have only been up and going for probably 130 days now. But we've been able to tackle this issue head-on and be able to do a lot of things a lot faster, and get a lot of dogs off of the street. It is really a sad situation that is going on here right now with the dogs.

KAYE: I'm sure. I mean, I have seen some of your video that we're looking at right now, and it really just breaks my heart to see these dogs wandering around with no food, no shelter, living in just -- you know, in the cold there. It's terrible to see.

Monica, what happens to these dogs? I mean, once you pick them up. Not all of them are as lucky as Noodles here.

MARTINO: No, they can't all be as lucky as Noodles or I would take them all back to L.A. with me. But right now, our ultimate goal is to open up a shelter, and we are a ways away from that.

(CROSSTALK)

KAYE: Is there room for all the dogs you've been picking up?

MARTINO: Well, we rely on friends, family. I mean, Hush has a great network in the city. He is from Detroit, born and raised. He's got a celebrity following there.

So we kind of just call up the people that we know, and people that we know who are interested in what we are doing, and we are getting more and more attention. So we've got more and more options.

But the goal is to open up the shelter. In the meantime, we just rely on fosters and people who can take them in until we can either get them out of Detroit or find them homes there.

KAYE: Hush, are a lot of these dogs -- do they end up being euthanized, or what is the answer for them?

CARLISLE: Yes. I mean, when it comes to what's going on before Monica and I got involved, probably over 80 percent of these dogs have been euthanized. And that was very heartbreaking to us, because we got really close to a lot of the dogs that we were actually filming.

And a lot of these dogs, I mean, they are just amazing animals. You know, their tails wag and their ears go down, and they come right up to you. And it's just -- I mean, look at this face. You know, you just can't let these dogs go.

It's a sad situation. And we are trying to do something about it. And I think the way --

KAYE: And I know your goal is to open up a no-kill shelter, right?

CARLISLE: Absolutely. I mean, there is no such thing as a no- kill shelter in Detroit right now, and it's Monica and my goal to make that happen. And I think we're well on our way.

KAYE: Well, if they are like Roscoe (ph) and Noodles, I think that all of them would be wonderful pets. They have sort of disappeared a little bit off our screen. They have been unpredictable in terms of guests on our show.

But, listen, we really appreciate the hard work that you are doing. And it's so nice to see certainly Noodles here, who seems to want to get out of the studio. But it's really great to see all the hard work you are doing.

And clearly, Roscoe (ph) -- I think, Hush, you might have to hold on to Roscoe (ph). I don't think he's going anywhere.

But thank you both for coming in.

CARLISLE: Yes, I think Roscoe (ph) wants to stay.

KAYE: Thank you both for coming in.

CARLISLE: You're welcome.

KAYE: Monica, Hush, really appreciate all the work you are doing.

CARLISLE: Thank you for having us.

KAYE: And I'm sure that a lot of folks at home who are watching this are really touched by this.

So, if you would like to help and you want to learn more about how you can do so, please go to DetroitDogRescue.com. I'm going to say it again because it's that important, DetroitDogRescue.com, and try and help these pets on the streets of Detroit.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: We now know why Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver split. The former California governor admits he fathered a child outside of his marriage more than 10 years ago. The mother was a longtime member of his household staff, it turns out. It seems that we are hearing these types of stories more and more in politics.

CNN's Suzanne Malveaux takes a look back at some of the scandals.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's become one of the oldest cliches in politics, whether it's the rumored affairs of President John F. Kennedy, or the painful story of John and Elizabeth Edwards, infidelity, lies, and the inevitable apologies are almost a given in the world in high-power politics. And it is the politicians' wives who generally endure the deepest agony, forced to face the cameras when a sex scandal hits.

MARK SANFORD, FORMER GOVERNOR OF SOUTH CAROLINA: The bottom line is this: I have been unfaithful to my wife.

JENNY SANFORD, FORMER WIFE OF MARK SANFORD: Am I okay? You know what? I have great faith and I have great friends and great family.

MALVEAUX: And with all of the news swirling around the Schwarzenegger and Shriver scandal, we know it is not the first time that the former first lady of California has had to endure the limelight for her husband.

SHRIVER: And you can listen to people who have never met Arnold, or who met him for five seconds 30 years ago. Or you can listen to me.

MALVEAUX: There are those who try to help their spouses recover from their fall from grace, like Calista Gingrich, Newt Gingrich's third wife. Gingrich was House speaker at the time and she was on his staff. This was during the height of the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

NEWT GINGRICH, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There were times in my life, partially driven by how passionately I felt about this country, that I worked far too hard and that things happened in my life that were not appropriate.

MALVEAUX: The affair could have crippled his political ambitions. She's now a visible presence by his side as he gears up for his run for the White House.

And then there are those who are at the podium when their powerful husbands are forced out of politics.

HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: You know, I am not sitting here, some little woman standing by my man.

MALVEAUX: So why, after all the betrayals and all of the sex scandals, are these storyies still relevant? Some argue because if you'd lie to the ones you love, you'd also lie to others. Namely, the ones that you're supposed to serve.

Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: A lot of people love that Like button on Facebook, but one mom takes her love to a whole new level. That is an understatement. You are not going the believe this one, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: It is half past the hour, and here are some of to stories that you may have missed.

The Mississippi River nears a record crest in Greenville, Mississippi. And in Louisiana, lowlands are being intentionally flooded to spare New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Residents are scrambling to save belongings in the Atchafalaya Basin. And the bloated river continues to make the relentless approach to the Gulf. In the coming days, floodwaters expected to peak at record levels in Vicksburg and Natchez, Mississippi, as well as in Red River landing and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Police are looking for the killer of rapper Montae Talbert, better known as M-Bone. He was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Inglewood, California on Sunday. You may know the hit song and the dance called the "Dougie." The group, Cali Swag District, just finished a world tour, and Talbert was only home for one day before he was killed. The murder took place around the corner from the studio where he created the popular song and dance.

Hundreds of fans, along with family members gathered outside the crime scene today to remember Talbert. The group's manager says a motive for the shooting has not been determined at this point.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates spoke at the World Health Organization in Geneva today and laid out his Decades of Vaccines vision. Gates is calling for stronger immunization programs to fight against infectious disease. Gates hopes that will save four million lives by 2015 and 10 million lives by 2020. The philanthropist says that the new vaccines could be available by the end of the year, and he is urging pharmaceutical manufacturers to make vaccines affordable in the poorest countries.

Parents spend precious time searching for the perfect name for their child. Maybe you did as well. Well in honor of Facebook, an Israel couple names their baby girl Like after the "like" button on the social networking site. The couple says they were looking to call their daughter something unique and that it's not a gimmick or an attempt to capitalize with Facebook. They simply like the name Like.

OK. We will give them that.

Well, we're talking turning off the lights and saving plastic bags multiplied. Conserving the Fortune 500 way, and believe me, it apparently pays off. That is next in our "Big Breakdown."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: You may notice that more and more Fortune 500 companies are going green, but why is that? Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This plan could cut our energy costs by 40 percent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 40 percent?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we spent $18 million on energy last year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just sign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Yes, it is about Mother Nature and social responsibility, but it is also about saving more than the environment. Turns out that going green is actually helping many Fortune 500 companies grow their profits.

So, just how much is green energy saving these companies? We take a look at the top five green savers in today's "Big Breakdown." At the top is Dow Chemical. The company has spent more than two decades to streamlining their energy use in its processing plants. That energy efficiency saves them a whopping $760 million a year. Since 1990, it adds up to a net savings of 7 billion bucks.

Hewlett-Packard is spending to save money. 2010 was a big green year for HP, which made them $11 million investment for its data centers to be more energy efficient. And they expect big returns. We're talking about saving $5.7 million a year.

Remember that IBM we showed you -- that was a little bit earlier there? Well, IBM admittedly takes a geekier approach to being green. The company developed its own technology to map out thermal energy use. 3-D. That and other cutting edge green solutions has saved them $326 million in the last six years.

Next up, Verizon. This past year, Verizon made some of its wireless service buildings more energy efficient. Just that alone has saved them $2.1 million. It is also dipping its feet into the eco- friendly fuels.

And rounding out the top five is your local Kroger grocery store. You know those plastic bags? Well, they cost Kroger a pretty penny. And the grocery chain is pushing employees and to cut back, saving up to $795,000. Add to that, it is pushed to reduce energy waste. When you factor in the nearly 2,500 Kroger stores in 31 states, the savings is huge! Money saved? Hundreds of millions since 2000.

A win-win for the environment, and of course, the bottom line.

Dressed in emerald green, Queen Elizabeth's historic visit to the Republic of Ireland. Why it is important, and why some aren't too happy, right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: For the first time ever, a British monarch is visiting the Republic of Ireland. Queen Elizabeth II arrived in Dublin today amid much pomp and circumstance. Michael Holmes joins me now from Atlanta with some insight on this.

Michael, first, tell us about the security in place there, and this apparent pipe bomb that was discovered, what, just several hours before the queen actually arrived?

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it was found, actually, a bus that actually had people on it. The army ended up going in and conducted a controlled explosion. But it was a pipe bomb.

There have been several other suspicious devices. All of them turned out to be hoaxes, but it gives you an idea of some of the tensions there. There are 4,000 people involved in the security operation. This is just a four-day visit. And you car you see the queen being driven and Prince Philip, that's bomb-proof, bullet-proof, and so yes. They are taking no chances here.

KAYE: Any idea who is responsible for the pipe bomb? Any clue?

HOLMES: Well, pretty good guess. I mean, you have the militant nationalists there who are opposed to British control of northern Ireland, the northern part, not the republic. And a couple of hundred of those actually clashing with police in Dublin. So, that's your prime suspects.

And of course, you also had that coded warning given about a bomb in England as well, in London.

KAYE: And Michael, I want you to just stand by for just a second, because I want to share some sound that we are just getting into CNN of the alleged victim in the IMF case. And -- his name is Jeff Shapiro. It's the attorney for the alleged victim. So, let's listen to that, and then I want to talk to you a little bit more about that case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF SHAPIRO, ATTORNEY FOR STRAUSS-KHAN'S ALLEGED VICTIM: The world has been turned upside down. This is a person who is a hard- working woman. She is a single mother and supporting a 15-year-old young woman. They live together. And she was grateful to have a job for which she could provide food and shelter for her, for the two of them.

Since this has occurred, she has not been able to go home. She can't go back to work, she has no idea what her future is going to be in any respect. So, this has been -- aside from what took place in the hotel room, the trauma that has taken place in her life is extraordinary.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Michael, this is the first time we have heard from the lawyer for the alleged victim in the case. Of course, I'm talking about the scandal that has rocked the International Monetary Fund. The IMF chief, Dominique Strauss-Kahn now in jail on New York's Rikers Island. What do you make of it?

HOLMES: Yes, yes. Of course, he's charged with trying to rape that hotel maid. He denies the charges. What we see now, though, is other people coming forward. For just one example is a French journalist, Kristan Balenon (ph), who said that he actually tried to rape her during an interview nine years ago. Well, just after, her mother persuaded her to not to press charges, she says at the time, because her family had close ties to Strauss-Kahn. Her lawyer says now, though, that this is all out, she might file charges.

KAYE: And why do you think we should care about the IMF. I mean, most people, really, until this, sadly, probably didn't even know about it, what it does. Why should we care?

HOLMES: It is an important organization in a way, especially if you are a poor country. Its job is to help out countries that run into economic trouble, and through that trouble pose a global economic threat by giving them loans. Always with lots of strings attached, though.

KAYE: And how does the loan process actually work when you talk about strings attached?

HOLMES: Yes, well, what the critics say is that the IMF loans enable member countries to persue what you could call reckless domestic economic policies, knowing they will et bailed out, that there's a safety net. They say that it delays needed reforms, creates long-term dependency as well. And that strings don't give the countries much of a say in how these rules are applied within their own country.

KAYE: And how long has the IMF been around? Can you tell us more about it?

HOLMES: Well, it was set up post-war, 1945. It was actually set up in Bretton Woods at the same time that the World Bank was set up. As I said, though, the big concern about the IMF is that they make the loans conditional on the implementation of certain economical policies. And a lot of people say that those policies are sometimes unfair to countries itself. So, there is always a criticism about the IMF, but it is an important group, because as I say, if the country is in trouble, and the trouble extends outside of the border, they step in.

KAYE: And when we talk about Dominique Strauss-Kahn, I mean, this is a guy who actually had a pretty good beginning at least, and was going to be a possible candidate to take on Sarkozy in France.

HOLMES: Yes. He is a former French finance minister. He was in the cabinet for some time. His wife is extremely well known. They are a bit of a first couple, if you'd like, in some ways in France. She was a television personality, multimillionaire heiress to a art dealership fortune.

And so, he was going up in his career. He had been the minister, gets the IMF gig, and he's linked with the Socialist Party there. He was likely to be their candidate and was doing very well in polling against Nicolas Sarkozy too. So, he had a chance to be the president.

KAYE: Yes, I think from what I have read -- you would know better than I would - but from what I've read, it sounds like Sarkozy would really be the beneficiary here if he doesn't move ahead with this or can't move ahead with this --

HOLMES: Certainly would confuse the field. Yes, exactly.

KAYE: Yes, all right. Michael Holmes, good to chat with you as always. Thank you.

HOLMES: See you back here.

KAYE: OK. Political figures caught in compromising positions. Seemingly an all-too-common occurrence. But should infidelity really be the end of their career, or is it just a byproduct of power? The "Stream Team" weighs in on that, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE; Infidelity and politics, they almost seem to go hand in hand. The revelation from former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is just the latest in a long line of political sex scandals. Just this month, Nevada senator John Ensign retired in the wake of an extramarital affair. There's also former North Carolina senator and presidential candidate John Edwards. Louisiana congressman David Vitter, South Carolina governor Mark Sanford, President Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich. That is more than a handful right there. I could go on and on. But there are many others, of course, many others.

So, what is the harm, other than the obvious effects on their wives and families? There is the law. Around two dozen states have laws on the books that make adultery a crime. Some of the laws are more than 200, and most are never enforced. But in Michigan, one judge's interpretation is that that adultery could bring with it a life sentence. It is also against the military code of justice and carries the possibility of court martial. So we wanted to put the question to our "Stream Team," should infidelity be a disqualifier for a political figure? On the team today is divorce attorney Raoul Felder; Judy Currianski, author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide To A Healthy Relationship"; and Andy Barr, reporter for Politico.com.

Andy, I want to start with you. It doesn't seem that infidelity is necessarily a death blow for a politician. Why is that?

ANDY BARR, POLITICO.COM REPORTER: Certainly not. It's something that anyone can get over. It's interesting, it ruined Mark Sanford's hopes of becoming president. But he actually recovered from that. A lot of others -- of course you pointed to Clinton. And Newt Gingrich now running. He has two divorces and infidelities on his record. He's running. And the story today is about something he screwed up on the campaign trail, not something he screwed up in his personal life.

KAYE: So, you don't think - I mean, they can just keep going forward no matter what they've done in their personal life, it seems?

BARR: I mean, it depends. If it's something that is somewhat understandable, if there's time for them to get over it, and if the handle it on a PR front well, it is something they can get over. It is obviously not a great political situation for them to be in, but we have seen a lot of guys recover. We've seen some who haven't. But, you know, we have seen proven over and over again, that if there is determination and time to do it, a lot of these guys do get over it.

KAYE: Yes. Raul Felder, I want to bring you in. Are they really breaking the law or are the laws so antiquated that it really just does not matter anymore?

RAOUL FELDER, DIVORCE ATTORNEY: Well, before I address that, Jackie Mason had a remark answering the former question, which was when Clinton was unwrapped, he said it takes 15 minutes to commit adultery, has the rest of the day to be president. So, I guess that's one view of things.

Adultery is against the law in many places. In New York State, it's a class B misdemeanor. As you walk around New York and look at the hotels, the criminals are hard at work at these hotel. It is really not taken very seriously.

KAYE: And Dr. Judy, how do we explain the mindset that leads to these compromising incidents, if you want to call them that with the politicians. I mean, what is going on in their head?

DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: Well, I have to disagree with the lawyers here, because from the psychological point of view, although anybody's entitled to their personal life and their private life, the point is what is going on in their heads is that they feel entitled, that they feel sometimes they are above the law. And a lot of the men are narcissistic and it's only me, me, me.

They're wheeling and dealing in politics anyway, and if they are wheeling and dealing in their lives, then at times psychologically, you have to take a look at what is this person's character? If they are duplicitous? If they're able to keep a secret? Tremendous secret? If they can a have personal life that we don't know about, that they lie about to us, what else are they lying about?

KAYE: So, Andy, you heard Dr. Judy there. Is this all about power, do you think?

BARR: Well, I don't know what the psychological motivations are with a lot of these guys. It seems a lot more politicians who do this stuff, but you just have to remember how many people are involved in the game. There are a lot that fall victim it to.

But at the same time, there are a lot who aren't. There are a lot of successful marriages in politics just like anything else.

KAYE: And Raoul --

KURIANSKY: Yes, but can't you --

KAYE: Oh. Judy, finish what you were saying.

KURIANSKY: I think you have to really look - I think you really need to look at what is this person's character? And make some kind of judgments about whether or not they are able to compartmentalize this, or if this is bleeding over into the rest of their life and how they are dealing with our money, making judgments about that. And in affairs, although not sexual affairs, with the international -- other politicians.

KAYE: And Raoul, how is a politician's infidelity different, do you think, from an actor or dentist for that matter. I mean, I'm sure as you sit there and deal with couples as a divorce attorney, you have heard it all.

FELDER: Well, it is the sense of entitlement. Lord Acton said power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. And the same is true in politics.

But you know, Bill Clinton, he's probably the most popular private citizen in the United States today. And he was revealed to be a hound dog as far as women were concerned. I think you have to look at each one separately and if they do a competent job, I wouldn't worry about my money as much. I would worry about my money more with a guy who is a dope. I don't think about it though (INAUDIBLE).

KAYE: Well, we hear so much after this comes out and after this gets made public. We always hear those two words, "I'm sorry." Dr. Judy, is I'm sorry enough?

KURIANSKY: I don't really think so. And now what do you think is the biggest excuse? "I had a sex addiction." You know, and I then I am going to go for treatment for a month. That is certainly not enough. I think people are being let off a little bit too easily. I think they need to answer to us, the public, because at times, we are duped, too. We need to be told the truth. Everything I know as a psychologist is that honesty is the best policy. And people want the truth, and they want to trust their personal relationships and theirpoliticians.

KAYE: Okay. Dr. Judy, Raoul Felder, Andy Barr from Politico. Appreciate it. Very interesting discussion. And certainly, sadly, will probably continue it sometime in the near future. Thank you all.

We are going to take a quick break and we'll be right back with the news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: That will do it for me from Los Angeles. Time now for me to hand it over to T.J. Holmes, who is in Atlanta and in for Brooke Baldwin. Hi there, T.J.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello there, Randi Kaye. Thank you so much! We'll talk to you again here soon.