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U.S. Army Delta Force Captures Abu Anas al-Libi In Tripoli; House Speaker John Boehner Digs His Heels In On Negotiations; Debt Ceiling Deadline Fast Approaching

Aired October 06, 2013 - 16:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. These top stories right now this hour.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: One of the world's most wanted terrorists captured in a daring raid. He's now in the United States' custody. We have details on how it all went down.

A new development in the clash between the group of motorcyclists and a man driving an SUV. It was all caught on tape. And today, a suspect has a day in court.

And Duck dynasty head to Washington D.C. We'll tell you why Duck members are getting geared up for a night on the town in the nation's capitol.

We begin with new details of those two raids in Africa. U.S. Special Forces 3,000 miles apart go after high-value target in Libya and Somalia. Members of the Elite (ph) U.S. Army delta force snatched Abu Anas al-Libi on his way to prayers this morning in the Libyan capital of Tripoli. He is being held by the U.S. military in a secure undisclosed location. Al-Libi is wanted for his role in the bombings at U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania back in 1998.

And in Somalia, SEAL team six, the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden stormed a house where top al-Shabaab commanders are known to stay. The group is behind the deadly mall massacre in Kenya last month. A fierce fire fight broke out and U.S. forces withdrew not knowing if their target was dead or alive. U.S. officials are not saying who that target was. But the terror group confirmed that one person was killed.

So let's go to Tripoli first for more on the capture of that al-Qaeda leader. CNN has a U.S. exclusive interview with Abu Anas al-Libi's wife. She spoke to our Jomana Karadsheh. Jomana is actually joining us on the phone right now.

So, Jomana, tell us more about what's the wife of al-Libi is saying.

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via phone): Well, Fredricka, we returned from their home in this upscale neighborhood in Tripoli, a very busy commercial area. That really indicates that Abu Anas al- Libi was not really hiding in Tripoli that he was out and about and known to neighbors here.

His wife says that on Saturday morning, she saw him off as he went to morning prayers at a mosque nearby. And she was expecting his return between 6:30 and 7:00 in the morning. She said the she heard some noise outside. And when she looked out at the window, she saw a number of vehicles show up. And her version of events seems to be different from what he had heard from the United States officials and what the Libyan government is saying.

Here is what Umm Abdul Rahman told us a short while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UMM ABDUL RAHMAN, ABU ANAS AL-LIBI'S WIFE (through translator): what I saw were Libyans. Maybe they had Americans with them, but I didn't see them because there was more than one care. They say they were 10 people, but I believe there are more than 10. I couldn't count them because there were many of them. I can't confirm if they were Americans or not. What I saw were Libyans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARADSHEH: Again, Fredricka, we are not hearing this from anyone else. Even the Libyan government here issuing a statement today saying that they have asked the United States for an explanation for what they described as they kidnap a Libyan citizen. Of course, it is clear possible that, you know, a number of Libyan trapped later or Arabic speaking translators. Interpreters were involved in this operations, maybe it was Special Forces we spoke, Arabic, it is not clear. She did tell us that this happened really fast and they left the scene really quickly.

WHITFIELD: So Jomana, how about the wife? Was she questioned in any way or did anything happen with her after her husband was apprehended?

KARADSHEH: No, she said what happened was she said it was a very strange thing that happened. She said when she looked up a window and this was going on, she didn't really know what was happening from her vantage point. She couldn't really see her husband's car. She thought, you know, she thought that this is a country in state of chaos. There's a lot of criminal activity. And this could have been that. And she says, it was only after the vehicle drove off that she real realized that this was her husband who would taken away. But she did think for few hours, for throughout the day, actually, on Saturday speaking that her husband may have been abducted and some sort of similar activity until she heard the news later on in the day that he had actually been captured.

Jomana Karadsheh, thank you so much.

The White House is reacting to raids this morning. It said in the statement that this was a reminder that U.S. will seek justice for acts of terror.

Secretary of state John Kerry echoed that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: We hope that this makes clear. That the United States of America will never stop in its effort hold those accountable, (INAUDIBLE), those members of al-Qaeda literally can run but not hide.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Jill Dougherty is at the White House for us.

So, is the White House, you know, saying to its critics that, you know, justice doesn't always come quickly. Sometimes things take time.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're not saying that to let's say the people who have criticized them on Benghazi for a year later not having the perpetrators in custody.

However, they are saying that to the world, but this really, as you just heard Secretary Kerry saying hope this makes clear and the White House too, saying that this is exactly what it looks like. That the United States will go after terrorists who carry out acts even after many years. And that one 15 years later, they are going after the person who allegedly carried that out.

So, I think that really is the message. And the White House, the NSC spokesperson said when we are asking for some details, said that this really was the result of years of intelligence work and then, months of operational training.

So, this thing down just happened like that. Although, the timing I think is significant. If you listen to what Car Kent Erwin (ph) was just saying, the happening right now during this economic crisis or governing crisis in the United States is significant.

WHITFIELD: And clearly, the president would have to sign off on an operation like this. But what do we know about the sequence of events?

DOUGHERTY: Well, we wish we knew a little bit more just in terms of, you know, where he was during this operation. But obviously, there were two going on and not clear precisely when the timing was. But we do know, yes, he approved it. He was kept up on all of the details. He monitored it. And his national security staff kept him appraised of all of the developments. So, that is as far as we know. But you can bet it was a priority -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Jill Dougherty at the White House. Thanks so much.

Meantime, let's talk about that government shutdown.

House Speaker John Boehner digging in his hills deep today in the fight that has led the shutdown. He said on ABC's "This Week," the House will not pass a clear spending bill. And he comfort conversation with the president and Democrats.

Erin McPike joining us live now in Washington.

So, Erin, we know Democrats say negotiations on the president health care law should not be tied to the spending plan. But that's not what the speaker is saying, right?

ERIN MCPIKE, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT: Fred, that's right.

What John Boehner made clear this morning is that Congress is no closer to stopping the shutdown? Take a listen to what he said this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: They are not the votes of the house to pass the clean CR. I and my members have decided that the threat of Obamacare and what was happening was so important that it was time for us to take a stand and we took it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCPIKE: Now, Democrats are trying to call his bluff and they say that there are now enough Republicans who would pass a clean spending bill. There is, of course, been some confusion on that. But the flip side, on the other side of Capitol Hill, Republicans are saying there's the problem for them and they can't get the vote that they want in the Senate.

Take a listen to what Ted Cruz, the Republican from Texas said this morning on "STATE OF THE UNION."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: There are eight bills that the House has passed that are piled up on Harry Reid's desk and Harry Reid will not let the Senate vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCPIKE: So obviously, we're at the stand stilt here again. And then John Boehner said 21 times this morning that he basically just wants President Obama to pick up the phone and calm him so it's time for the negotiations to start because nether House of Congress look like they are going to pass anything else yet -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Erin McPike, thank you so much for that.

We will, of course, have more on the government shut down show down.

And we'll have more on the two raids taking place in African nations, one person captured. This al-Qaeda, suspected al-Qaeda operative Abu al-Libi, how significant was his role in al-Qaeda. Who is her?

More on that later.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: U.S. special operation forces captured a top al-Qaeda operative in Libya today. Abu Anas al-Libi was taken as he was about to get in his car early yesterday morning. And according to a counterterrorism analyst who was also a former Jihad associate of a;- Libi, it happened very fast.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think a special unit there, I think about maybe 10 people max, 10 people with three cars, I believe, you know. They were waiting for him and they just snatched him, I think within like few seconds, you know, even he failed to reached to his gun. So, that is exactly what happened. And his wife saw, you know, I think part of the incident and then they just disappear and they left no like evidence. I think there is nothing happened there that--

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: I'm joined now Jeremy Bash, the former chief of staff for Leon Panetta at the CIA and the department of defense.

Jeremy, good to see you.

JEREMY BASH, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF TO LEON PANETTA: Good to be here, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: So, in a situation like this, his account, it is that sounds pretty realistic, accurate?

BASH: Well, I will say this. First, these were enormously important counterterrorism operations by United States, both in Libya and in Somalia. And it really shows that Africa is really now the most important front the war against al-Qaeda, the un-governed areas of Somalia. But also the built up urban areas of North Africa in the city of Tripoli, you know, we historically had a very strong partnership when Gaddafi was in-charge with the security services there going after al-Qaeda. There are a lot of Libyans who always who are part of al-Qaeda.

Now, the security services are much weaker. And whether they lack the will or capability or both, we don't know. But it means we have to take matters more into our owned hands.

WHITFIELD: And we heard some comments coming officials with the Libyan government saying they want to look into how the U.S. can just simply kidnapped one of his citizens. Now, is that an upfront or is it a legitimate concern that the U.S. would go into another country such as Libya that may have a very poorest government right now and simply take charge and apprehend someone?

BASH: Well, I wouldn't call it kidnapping. This was entirely lawful. The man planned and helped plan operations that killed hundreds of people in our embassies in Tanzania and Nairobi in 1998. We have indicted him. There's criminal prosecution document awaiting him when he comes back to the Southern district of New York. He'll probably be interrogated in the meantime before he comes back. This is basically the same process we used against Morsami (ph) two years ago where we brought him to a U.S. navy ship, interrogated him and then brought him to for prosecution. He was sentenced for more than 200 years.

And it is the same process we use against Ramsi Youseff (ph), the first world trade (INAUDIBLE).

WHITFIELD: And so, is it lawful because of the alleged activity that he's believed to be involved in or is it lawful because the U.S. did have some cooperation with the Libyan government to some extent. Well, it is lawful because we have criminal process against him and he is wanted and we can take him back to our courts. And it may have been that Libyan services, their living government was waiting in this operation. The U.S. government hasn't addressed that specifically.

I will say this is fairly unprecedented for the United States military acting under our owned military authorities to go into an upscale builds up commercial area as you noted outside the war zones, as your report noted and actually take someone off the street.

So, that either tells me that it was a very risky operation that we are willing to tolerate a high level of risk or that there was some Libyan acceptance or cooperation.

WHITFIELD: Jeremy Bash, thanks so much. Appreciate your insight.

Coming up, a little later, we will hear from a woman who lost her father and her brother in the U.S. embassy bombing in 1988.

But also an update on the debate over Obamacare and the country's credit limit with.

And, Senator Ted Cruz holding the government hostage, we will talk about it.

But first, actor Rainn Wilson, known for his role as Dwight on the office, is using his fame to help educate girls around the globe. We show you just how in "Impact Your World."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAINN WILSON, ACTOR: Hi there. I'm Rainn Wilson. And together, we can make an impact on educating women and girls all around the globe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Phyllis, my sister, like my dead great, grade grandmother who died of stupidity.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have here is Dwight.

WILSON: When I started getting well-known as an actor on "the Office," I got undated by requests to be a spokesperson or do various things for various charities. And I had an opportunity to explore what was most important to me in the world.

The Mona Foundations Sports Educational Initiatives all around the world, about 20 different initiatives in about 15 different countries including here in the United States. They target women and girls and that's how you transform a community. They're the most at risk population through most of it develop in world. Targeting them to empower them and educate them is really the most crucial thing. Also, they find grassroots educational programs that are already working but are underfunded and come in to bring the support to help those organizations grow and tribe and flourish to move forward.

Join the movement. Impact your world at CNN.com/impact.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, we are heading into the second week of the government shutdown and still no end in sight and still looming and even bigger potential crisis.

On October 17th, the government will no longer be able to pay its bills if Congress does not raise its borrowing limit. The U.S. senator who engineered the Republicans approach is Ted Cruz of Texas and he talked exclusively with our Candy Crowley and reiterated he is dead set on killing the president's new health care law by tying it to any budget vote.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: The debt ceiling, historically, has been above the best leverage that Congress has to rant in the execs.

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN ANCHOR, STATE OF THE NATION: So, yes?

CRUZ: Yes.

CROWLEY: And what else.

CRUZ: My point is there's great historical precedence. Since 1978, we raised the debt ceiling 55 times. A majority of those times, 28 times, Congress has attached very specific and stringent requirements.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Let's talk further about all of this, shall we?

Amy Holmes and Maria Cardona, joining me now. Amy is a conservative analyst and blogger and Maria is a Democratic strategist.

Good to see both of you, ladies. MARIA CARDONA, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: OK. So, if you listen to how Speaker John Boehner on ABC's this week, it seems Senator Cruz still has support in the GOP to allow this company to default on its obligations as long as the president's health care law remains in place.

So, Amy, why is this acceptable to anyone? AMY HOLMES, ANCHOR, THE HOT LIST, THEBLAZE.COM: Well, actually, Speaker Boehner has said repeatedly that he would not allow default on the nation's debt. And I don't think that he would in lock up with Mr. Cruz from Texas. I think Mr. Cruz id speaking for himself and for his supporters and its constituents who agree with his hard line stand.

But when I'm listening to all of this back and forth, it is clear to me, to the American people and to the polling. So, this is hurting both parties and hurting the president, as well. We thought that Gallup gad the president's approval at 41 percent. It is reaching all-new lows.

The American people want these, you know, two groups to work together. This looks worse than, you know, the episode of "Mean Girls."

WHITFIELD: It is bad. And you know, forget the parties, forget the president and how it looks to them, but people are hurting. People who are counting on their government to work for them in so many different ways, can't count on it now. So, it really is an embarrassment to everyone. Is it not?

CARDONA: There is now question, Fredricka. And not just here in the United States, but globally as well. But you know, at the end of the day, it's about the American people. And it is interesting that, you know now Cruz well, has been from the very beginning hell bent on getting rid of Obamacare and hurting Obamacare. It is clearly also hell bent now on hurting the American economy because that is exactly what will happen if we do go into default. And I hope Amy is right that Speaker Boehner is actually not listening to speaker Cruz-- I mean Speaker Boehner.

WHITFIELD: Oh, I saw what you did there.

CARDONA: But apparently, Cruz is the one who is actually pulling the string. And you know what this is like, Fredricka? This is like Lynch House syndrome by proxy which is a delusional place where people are actually hurting those that they claimed to love and then want credit for saving them.

And that's exactly what's going only in the GOP. They have no strategy. OK, not the whole GOP, declared now, 20 Republicans in Congress who actually do want to pass a clean CR. And it would pass tomorrow if Speaker Boehner would actually have the leadership, you know.

WHITFIELD: But you know, it is interesting on that point, and you know, Speaker Boehner has addressed that on this week today. And he says he is not so sure that that kind of support is there, Amy. And I don't know, you almost find that it's difficult to make a distinction between Cruz and Boehner, if you listen to both their interview today. Both of them really seem like they are satisfied how some results with the fact that this country is going to default.

HOLMES: You know, even just rook what's happened over the past week, Republicans have actually, you know, ratchet it down their requests of the president in terms of negotiation and compromise. That first bill that was sent over to the Senate before the touchdown was total defunding. Now, they are talking about delaying the individual mandate. And the medical device tax, I know that might too, might make an obscure thing to a lot of people, but it passed with 79 votes in the Senate. Republicans might like to, you know, find an area of compromise there.

But you know what? They need someone at the negotiating table with them. And as we have heard from President Obama and senate majority leader Harry Reid, they refused to negotiate.

(CROSSTALK)

HOLMES: The healthcare law is hugely unpopular. A majority oppose a health care law. I think everyone agree that if it has more than --

WHITFIELD: There us just a few who are saying that but I don't think that is true.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: I think people are misreading a lot of the polling information. It's not about not liking it. It may be that they don't understand it completely. And if people didn't like it, then why would those Web sites crash the way they did.

CARDONA: Exactly.

WHITFIELD: They crashed because so many people went to them?

CARDONA: That's right.

(CROSSTALK)

CARDONA: You can't pick and choose which laws, once they become the law of the land, which laws that you're going to follow.

HOLMES: Maria, the president is picking and choosing.

CARDONA: The economy and what is hurting the American people. Can you imagine, Amy and Fred, that it is under George W. Bush, if the Democrats went out and absolutely threatened to hold this economy hostage by shutting down the government or not raising the debt ceiling simply because they wanted the tax cuts to rich to be then defunded or taken off to the books as the law. I would have even said that --. That is exactly what is happening right now. It is the law of the land that's --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: Wait a minute, one at a time. Go ahead, Amy. Respond to that.

HOLMES: If I could squeeze in here. The president is picking and choosing. We know this. He has already given a one year waiver to big business. He has given many waivers to unions. So, he is picking and choosing among the laws of Obamacare in terms of what to implement and what not to implement.

And the House Republicans are saying that individual mandate, why not delay that for a year, as well? As far as this argument to the Supreme Court done Obamacare constitutional, they found parts of the constitution, they found other parts of it not constitutional, for example, coercing states to expand Medicaid bill --

WHITFIELD: OK, I'll have to leave it there.

CARDONA: And that's not part of the law today. So let's focus on opening the government and making sure that the American families are not being hurt. And that's all what the GOP is doing right now.

WHITFIELD: And that is exactly what is happening on Capitol Hill. But if only everyone would get into the same room and then hash it out talk about it, instead of talking about it.

CARDONA: Absolutely. The president has offered to do that as long as it is not tied to holding the American economy hostage.

WHITFIELD: Well, we will see happens this week.

CARDONA: Absolutely, we have.

WHITFIELD: All right, new week have new possibilities.

All right, Amy Holmes, Maria Cardona, thanks so much, appreciate it.

CARDONA: Thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Jus a microcosm of what is taking place at really kitchen table is around the country as well. It is a very frustrating situation.

All right, also, we're going to talk more about the raise that took place this weekend. How significant are they taking place in Libya and Somalia?

Plus reaction on the operations from a U.S. diplomat, the tough one, the tough dog, that's next.

WHITFIELD: All right. This breaking news now just crossing the CNN desk. A horrific crash this afternoon at Indy Gram Prix car race in Houston, Texas. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): It gets loose.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Incredible. Right there. Driver Franchitti is bumped by another driver. And you see the vehicle hitting the wall. Right there again, it was the final lap of the race. Franchitti is a three time Indy 500 winner. And was in the process of getting a divorce from actress Ashley Judd. At this point, what we understand is he was seen moving. You see the debris there flying and the car just breaking up. We do understand that Franchitti did appear to be moving following that crash. But we don't know the statis right now of his condition. And of course when we get it, we'll be able to bring that to you as soon as we do have that information. That taking place in Houston today.

All right. Now here's the latest information on our other big story that we're following today. Two U.S. raids in Africa. U.S. Special Forces, 3,000 miles apart went after high-value targets, Libya and Somalia. Commandos from the elite U.S. Army Delta Force snatched Abu Anas al Libi this morning in the Libya capital of Tripoli. He is being held by the U.S. military in a secure, undisclosed location. Al Libi is wanted for his role in the bombing at the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania back in 1998.

And in Somalia Seal Team six stormed a house where Al-Shabaab commanders are known to stay. The group is behind a deadly mall massacre in Kenya last month. U.S. officials are not saying who that target was but the terror group confirms that one person was killed.

All right. That bombing at the U.S. Embassy in Kenya years ago that Al Libya is believed to be part of. More information on that. That incident still very fresh to the people who lost loved ones in that attack. A woman who lost her brother and father talks to us next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Twelve Americans were among the more than 200 people who died when the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya was bombed in 1988. An attack that was Abu Anas al Libi was believed to have been involved in. He's the man captured this weekend by U.S. forces in Libya.

Well, two of the victims from that Embassy bombing in Kenya were father and son. Julian Bartley and Julian Bartley Jr. They were also Edith Bartley's father and brother. She joins me now from Washington. It's good to see you.

EDITH BARTLEY, FATHER, BROTHER KILLED IN 1998 NAIROBI ATTACK: Thank you for having me.

WHITFIELD: When you heard about these raids taking place over the weekend and one of the raids resulted in the apprehension of someone who is Al Qaeda, was an expected Al Qaeda member. Who is believed to have been part of the U.S. bombing in Tanzania in Kenya, what was your reaction?

BARTLEY: Finally. In my heart finally, it was the thought that went through and absolutely very pleased with the outcome. There were a number of people who were indicted during the trial in 2001 and there are still people who are at large and so our families are certainly happy to know that our U.S. government has not forgotten about the Al Qaeda attack on our U.S. Embassies in East Africa. And the need to still go after members of al Qaeda who were connected to those attacks who took the lives of 12 Americans who were serving our country abroad as many Kenyans and other Americans and Kenyans who and Tanzanians who were injured.

WHITFIELD: Have there been moments in the 15 years where you did feel like America has forgotten?

BARTLEY: Certainly. The attacks in East Africa were really the first major attack on a U.S. Embassy installation by Al Qaeda. It was the precursor to 9/11. We had embassies around the world that were targeted for various reasons. Certainly, the accountability review report that came out after the 1988 embassy bombings clearly stated that that embassy was a soft target. It was located on Moe (ph) Avenue sort of downtown Nairobi like Pennsylvania Avenue.

And those who cased it knew that it was a soft target. It did not have the same security as some of our embassies in Europe or other places around the world. Certainly, the embassy is now further away from downtown. But we need to be more vigilant as a country and Congress needs to ensure that appropriate resources are directed to ensure that American diplomats and other personnel working at our embassies across the globe are secure. We shouldn't be waiting throwing money at embassy security after body bags come home.

So today, you know, this weekend is good for us. It's good news. Fifteen years is a long time and there is still injustice on many fronts that we are hoping to see corrected one day.

WHITFIELD: All right. Edith Bartley we will have to leave it there. Thank you so much for your time. Appreciate it.

BARTLEY: Thank you Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. You have seen the shocking video that went viral which sparked some massive outcry. A biker threw purses, the driver of an SUV, the outcome bloody and violent on both sides. Our legal expert's weigh in on who should ultimately be charged?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, this breaking news just crossing the CNN news desk. More on that horrible crash this afternoon at the Indy Gram Prix Car Race in Houston. That one right there. Horrific. A driver Dario Franchitti is bumped by another driver and then you see him hit the wall. One more time there. This all taking place in the final lap of the race. Franchitti is a three time Indy 500 winner.

You saw the debris flying all over the place. Apparently 13 spectators were hurt. Meds triaged them on the scene. Out of the 13 only two were transported to the hospital and their conditions unknown. Also unknown the condition of Franchitti. We do understand that he appeared to be moving shortly after that crash. But we don't have an update on his condition. Of course we'll keep updating you on the situation there out of Houston. Incredible. Terrible crash there.

All right. Meantime, new developments to discuss in that violent clash between a group of bikers and the driver of an SUV in New York. Reginald Chance the man you are about to see pounding the helmet on the window of an SUV, perhaps you have seen the video tape over and over again well he was in court and expected to be arraigned Chance faces multiple assault charges. And his fellow biker Robert Simms also charged this weekend. Police say Robert Simms stomps the drivers head and body after he was dragged out of his SUV.

So let's bring in two legal experts to talk more about this. Attorney Mo Ivory host of the "Mo Ivory Show." And defense attorney and former federal prosecutor Tanya Miller. Good to see both of you ladies.

Oh boy. It's really hard to keep up with all of the players. Because we are talking about a large group of people. And now you've got some who have questions, some who have turned themselves in, a couple who are arraigned. Tanya, where do you see this case going because the focus seems to be investigation, the culpability of the drivers, we are not hearing anything about any kind culpability of the driver of the SUV. This is strictly the drivers of the motorcycles. Is that reasonable in your view?

TANYA MILLER, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: At this point it is. Because those are the easy ones to decide. Because what happened in terms of what the motorcycle did there is just no excuse for. They don't have the defense of justification. But the Range Rover driver potentially does. The question will become at the time that he ran over that biker was he justified in doing it? Did he have a reason and fear that his life was in danger? And had he now provoked it?

WHITFIELD: His wife in the car, child in the car.

MILLER: Exactly.

WHITFIELD: That heightens the stakes as well.

MILLER: Sure.

MO IVORY, HOST, "THE MO IVORY SHOW:" He said, his wife said listen, we were celebrating our anniversary. We had our two year old baby in the car. We came to a stop after we bumped the motorcyclist because we wanted to make sure everything was OK. They were actually in the midst of calling 9-1-1 saying listen something is going on out here and then all of sudden they swarm, people are hitting their tires. I mean he did become very nervous about the safety of his family. And I don't think anybody doesn't believe that that family was in great danger or believed that they were in great danger.

WHITFIELD: There has been an interview with a biker. When you see the video tape of how they actually bumped the slowed down biker. And that biker apparently has come out and reportedly said that he was turned around looking at his friend and he was not intentionally slowing down to cause a problem with the SUV.

MILLER: That is going to be a tough sell.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

IVORY: He's in the middle of a busy highway. There are, I don't know how many bikers there were at this point. There were tons of bikers. They're blocking the roadway. You don't get to slow down in front of the moving car and then say oh, I was just trying to see what was behind me. It was clear what he was doing was provocative. It was a road rage incident and that was what was behind it.

WHITFIELD: And his body language was provocative.

MILLER: What do you mean?

IVORY: Because when the bumper hit and then the rest of them sort of swarmed on to the SUV. If he had been in a relaxed state, oh, it was nothing, he just bumped me. I don't think all of that would have ensued. But his body language I feel even when he turned around, he was like what are you doing? I'm slowing you down, sir. And sort of taking the command on the road of a man who's driving in a car. I think that's another a problem.

WHITFIELD: So some of the charges we were hearing assault, gang assault, among other things.

MILLER: Right. It will depend on whether or not these bicyclists, these motor bicyclists can be considered to be gang. And it is not difficult to be a gang. Many people think that in order to be one under the law it has to be like blood or something that you can definitive --

WHITFIELD: What is a decision of gang assault versus just an assault?

MILLER: When you do it together as a group for the purpose of promoting that organization or gang. So I'm saying they will be able to definitively prove it. But it is not hard to prove.

WHITFIELD: But if they can't prove it. Then that means they have to drop those charges all together?

IVORY: But you know there was an off duty police officer in that crew? And that is really problematic for me.

WHITFIELD: That too is interesting. Because we're hearing that reportedly yes off duty police officer. One of the sources telling our Susan Candiotti undercover officer. Which may be different from an off duty officer and that as an undercover officer it might be a little bit more difficult to reveal one self.

IVORY: No. And I understand that. But it doesn't even seem as if he did anything to calm the situation. And he with held the information.

MILLER: Sure.

IVORY: And he didn't report anything after, either. When the whole incident happened and the police were trying to investigate. He didn't even come forward to say what happened. It's a little suspicious.

WHITFIELD: Yes. All right. Well, it seems like we're at the tip of the ice berg. Because there were so many people involved, so many eye witnesses and so many different counts.

MILLER: And Fred you know the video that we have scene was an edited version that was put out by one of the bikers?

WHITFIELD: The police did, right?

Yes, yes.

Hopefully soon. All right. Some famous faces from Louisiana Bayous headed to Washington. Are you guys hooked on this show? The whole "Duck Dynasty."

MILLER: Not really.

IVORY: Not really.

WHITFIELD: Yes, the Robertson family, they're huge. And the government shut down, well guess what, it's not stopping the stars of that show. "Duck Dynasty" all of that on Capitol Hill.

All right. But, first, an unprecedented number of U.S. troops surviving serious wounds and returning home from fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. This week's CNN HERO has stepped in to help these wounded vets with housing, education and job placement. Meet Michael Conklin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL CONKLIN, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: The first trip to Walter Reed was one of my toughest trips. When I saw the amount of wounded it was shocking.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): Both my legs are amputated above the knee.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): I lost my right eye.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): I was on my fifth deployment when I got my traumatic brain injury.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): I gave up the idea of having a wife and a family.

CONKLIN: I wanted to take them all home. I'm Michael Conklin. My organization helps the severely wounded members of the armed forces reach their full potential. My oldest son was wounded in Takrit, Iraq. His whole group was wounded. We have a very tight, cohesive family and not all of them do. Some of them don't have anybody to come home on to. We just can't forget.

When Ryan moved into this unit we did some things that were very simple. We put in these poles to assist him. Each space is different. Some will need service dogs, housing assistance, mentors, getting an education. It's a comprehensive package.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): We did a little maintenance contract. He talked to me every day, put me back to work. He helped set up where I wanted to go. Today I'm' husband, a father, I have my own company now.

CONKLIN: We don't call this security. We really look at it as an investment. These were at one-time children who grew up on our baseball fields, with our grade schools and then left our community to serve us. Eventually they come back. It's a full circle to serve us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: While Washington is in the throes of a shut down it's not all doom and bloom there. There's a bright spot perhaps this week. A couple of cast members from the hit reality show "Duck Dynasty" are coming to the capital on Wednesday. Willie and Corey Robertson will be honored guests at the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute Annual Gala. The millions of people who watch the show know that the couple have five children and two of them are adopted.

All right. More news while the government shutdown continues, parts may be closed. Services may be cut but the Treasury is still printing money. The new $100 bill debuts this week. That story and all the other events this week you need to know, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back to the NEWSROOM. Here is what to expect in the week ahead.

Native American group holds a symposium focused on the name of the Washington Redskins Football Team. The Oneida Indian Nation Conference is taking place in Washington in the same hotel where NFL owners are holding the leagues meeting on Tuesday. Many Native Americans find the Washington mascot offensive and are pushing the Redskins to change it but the team's owner insists he'll never do that.

A redesigned $100 comes out Tuesday. It has new security features including a blue 3D ribbon. The ribbon makes the bill easier to authenticate but harder for counterfeiters to copy.

On Thursday a big announcement here at CNN. We'll reveal this year's CNN Heroes, people who are changing the world by making extraordinary contributions in their community and around the globe. The announcement will happen on CNN's "New Day" at 8:00 AM Eastern.

Also on Thursday, the TV show, "Glee" will address the death of actor Cory Monteith. Producers say the episode will show the other "Glee" characters dealing with Finn's death. Monteith died in July from a mixture of heroin and alcohol.

And on Friday the Nobel Peace Prize is announced Oslo, Norway. One potential candidate Malala Yousafzai. The sixteen year old Pakistani girl shot by the Taliban for supporting an education for girls. If Mala wins she'll be the youngest person ever to claim the prestigious prize.

If you want to talk about that you seen on the show get in touch with me on facebook at FredrickaWhitfieldcnn. Or on twitter at FWhitfield. That's it for me. Thanks so much.

Hey, Don Lemon, he always has an opinion or two. I bet you will send me something.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: I have an opinion or two. WHITFIELD: As long as it is polite.

LEMON: I'll text you. I can't just call you?

WHITFIELD: You can do that too.

LEMON: All right.

WHITFIELD: You know.

LEMON: I'll holler. Enjoy your days off.

WHITFIELD: You, too, well, after your show.