Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

VA Scandal; The Right to Try; Beef Recall; Kidnapping Case Discussed

Aired May 22, 2014 - 15:00   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: And now top of the hour. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thank you so much for joining us here.

We want to begin following this developing story really of bravery and determination coming out of Southern California, where a 25-year-old woman found a way to finally escape captivity from a man she says kidnapped her when she was merely 15 years of age.

She told police this man was her mother's live-in boyfriend. And now flash forward because that man right here, 42-year-old Isidro Garcia, is charged with kidnapping, rape, and other sex crimes. It took 10 years for this young woman to finally find the strength to make that run. And many question what took her so long.

We have some perspective on that from kidnapping victim Elizabeth Smart.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH SMART, KIDNAPPING SURVIVOR: As a survivor who has been chained up in physical chains and also had the chains of threats held over me, I can tell you firsthand that threat is so much stronger than physical chains.

Now, I don't have intimate details on what threats he was holding over her head, but I understand that he was holding her family, that he was threatening her family. And for me, that was the strongest threat anyone could have ever made to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That was Elizabeth Smart.

My next guest with insight as well Jessyca Mullenberg Christianson. She was once kidnapped and held hostage for 3.5 months.

Jessyca, thank you so much for joining me.

JESSYCA MULLENBERG CHRISTIANSON, KIDNAPPING SURVIVOR: Thank you for having me.

BALDWIN: Let's begin just quite simply with your story. What happened and how did you escape?

MULLENBERG CHRISTIANSON: I was kidnapped for 3.5 months from Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

And I was taken (INAUDIBLE) Kansas and then to the airport (INAUDIBLE) Then I was taken to Houston, Texas (INAUDIBLE) four or five different hotels (INAUDIBLE) recognized me on "America's Most Wanted" via him, not myself, because he altered my appearance. (INAUDIBLE)

BALDWIN: So, thanks to "America's Most Wanted," but in that 3.5-month time period, Jessyca, we heard Elizabeth Smart talk about both the physical and emotional chains. We have heard in this current case the brainwashing. Can you attest to that?

MULLENBERG CHRISTIANSON: Absolutely.

I was abused physically, sexually and emotionally (INAUDIBLE) Again, he changed my appearance, made me believe that my family didn't want me anymore, that they didn't love me, that I was stupid, dumb, fat, ugly. And after a while, when he told us over and over again, you start believing them. And if you don't do what they tell you to do, in my case, I was being (INAUDIBLE) I was tied to the bed on a daily basis. And I couldn't get away.

BALDWIN: And we now know and we can see in the fact that you are willing to come on and share your story that I know it's a process, but you have overcome this.

Jessyca Christianson, thank you so much for sharing your story, as we think about this 25-year-old also with a young daughter from this man as well. Thank you.

In Arizona today, fire crews are just struggling to try to get ahold of what is being called the Slide fire. It's almost 5,000 acres already. It's about 7.5 square miles. Crews -- here's the thing -- crews haven't been able to contain any of it, so zero percent contained here.

You have these 15 hot shot crews. They're among more than five -- rather, 800 personnel fighting this thing. And then I want you to watch this, because this is time-lapse video. This is from yesterday just showing the massive amount of smoke this fire is sending up here. This is near Sedona, beautiful Sedona, Arizona; 300 buildings are being threatened at the moment and evacuations are under way.

And now to that massive beef recall. It is expanding coast to coast, grocery stores now in nine different states already scrambling to remove any potentially tainted meat before the holiday weekend, a lot of people grilling out, eating burgers. Federal food inspectors are warning of an E. coli risk in nearly two million pounds of beef from Detroit-based Wolverine Packing Company, but now a lot of shoppers are claiming that they don't have a way to know if the meat was sold in their store.

Kat Kinsman is the managing editor CNN Eatocracy.

And, Kat, as we're all thinking of eating burgers this weekend, how do we even know if the meat is recalled or not?

KAT KINSMAN, MANAGING EDITOR, CNN EATOCRACY: Brooke, as a consumer myself, I understand completely how frustrating this can be.

And you really do have to take some matters into your own hands. When it comes to restaurants -- people are nervous about where this is being sold in restaurants. And the thing you have to know is, by the time a restaurant is identified, they are not pretty much serving the meat anymore and there are actual federal regulations that don't let USDA officials say which restaurants they are.

But, by that point, you are probably safe. When you go to the grocery store, however, there is some stuff you can arm yourself with ahead of time. Go to the USDA and Food Safety and Inspection Services Web site. Get the numbers of the recalled beef and the dates that it was produced and come armed to your grocery store there and just make sure that it's not what you're buying.

BALDWIN: It's great advice. It's something we don't often think, like writing down that number and sort of standing there with the beef, right?

KINSMAN: Right.

BALDWIN: Is that it? But this is sort of what you have to do, since we don't know that those grocery -- which ones those grocery stores are.

When you do buy ground beef right now, though, what can then decrease the risk of E. coli?

KINSMAN: Well, so much of this is in your hands, first of all, buying the correct meat the store, bringing it home as quickly as you possibly can, wrapped separately in bags. I know we all like to save bags and things, but make sure that it is in plastic, that it's immediately put into the proper storage in the fridge to make sure that it stays at the right temperature.

Once you are out and cooking it, you have to make sure to make -- to not cross-contaminate your surfaces. Use separate utensils. Wash everything in between. Keep your hands clean and then the beef lovers among us are not going to love this, but you are going to want to cook it to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees, and the very best defense you have against illness at this point is a meat thermometer.

BALDWIN: OK. That's exactly what Sanjay was telling me yesterday. He said, Brooke, do you have one? I have one at my grill. And so we have all this on the Web site. I know we blew through it there, but, Kat Kinsman, thank you so much, because we want to make sure people get the correct numbers to check their beef if they want to buy the meat at the store.

Kat, thank you so much.

KINSMAN: Happy eating.

BALDWIN: Thank you. I had a burger two nights ago. Coming up, it has been called the "Dallas Buyers Club" law. Colorado becomes the first state to allow terminally ill patients to use unapproved drugs. And some are calling this a potential lifesaver, but you have critics coming forward now saying it could lead to even more suffering, more deaths. We will hear from both sides on that one.

Plus, a new angle to this rapidly changing VA story. So, CNN talked to a doctor at that Phoenix VA who says active-duty troops were forced to wait too long for treatment. And, today, the VA secretary caught in the middle of a firestorm reveals whether he is going to resign over the scandal.

You're watching CNN. Stay right here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: One Republican congressman today called it -- quote -- "the most egregious case of friendly-fire in U.S. history."

What was he talking about? About the military veterans who died as they waited for medical care from VA facilities and about records allegedly doctored to hide long wait times. Well, today, the embattled leader of the VA, Secretary Eric Shinseki, said he has not offered his resignation to the president.

And now it is not just Secretary Shinseki under fire, but also the government watchdog meant to monitor Shinseki's department, the inspector general, I.G. I want you to listen to House Speaker John Boehner just today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I am not confident that the I.G. has shown the interest or capacity to get to the bottom of what is a systemic failure of an entire agency.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: And then there is this, new reason to blast the VA, because not only are the aging, the retired veterans made to wait, but active- duty troops, war wounded. A physician from the Phoenix VA hospital that has been at the heart of this whole scandal told CNN's Drew Griffin that everyone is put on a long line to get care.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: Dr. Mitchell, I just want to make sure I understand what you're telling me. You're telling me that our troops coming back from war now separated from active service...

DR. KATHERINE MITCHELL, PHOENIX VA: Who should have priority for scheduling do not.

GRIFFIN: ... who are coming to the Phoenix VA for follow-up care for war injuries..

MITCHELL: Correct.

GRIFFIN: ... are being put on a waiting list and made to wait six to 10 months?

MITCHELL: Yes, or longer.

GRIFFIN: You're kidding?

MITCHELL: No. And -- but it's the same for everyone. Everyone is made to wait.

GRIFFIN: That's now? That's happening now?

(CROSSTALK)

MITCHELL: Yes, unless they have changed something since the...

(CROSSTALK)

GRIFFIN: You're there now.

MITCHELL: I don't -- since all of this happened...

(CROSSTALK)

GRIFFIN: But we're talking about two or three weeks.

MITCHELL: Right.

GRIFFIN: Can you tell me two or three weeks ago what type of person we're talking about?

MITCHELL: We're talking about people that were injured by being blown up by IEDs. We're talking about people who had a mental breakdown and have severe PTSD and can't -- are having trouble functioning.

We're talking about veterans that were severely injured by some means in the -- while in the military, even if it was not in actual combat, because we have people in rollover vehicle accidents. We have people that are injured stateside.

GRIFFIN: Who have you told this to in terms of this United States government?

MITCHELL: The OIG knows when they spoke to me. The OIG inspectors can ask anyone that does scheduling.

GRIFFIN: They asked you?

MITCHELL: They didn't ask me. I told them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Drew Griffin there. Now, Dr. Mitchell says that she had not dealt with any veterans who died waiting to be seen. But she did say that she is aware of the problems of veterans' suicides and those of patients who needed intense mental health treatment and could not get an appointment.

Coming up next, 80 troops and a Predator drone -- the U.S. is taking action to track down more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls. So, what's the first step in finding them? We're asking a former CIA operative.

And in the wake of the Donald Sterling scandal, another NBA owner's comments making headlines today. Billionaire Mark Cuban says -- quote -- "I know I'm prejudiced. I know I'm bigoted."

What was he talking about? Should he be punished? Let's take this in context. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Welcome back. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

In Thailand, the military says it's running everything now. It has taken over the country. The head of armed forces delivered a televised announcement of a coup d'etat after rival political factions failed to form a government.

The Thai constitution is done for. Schools have been closed, TV stations heavily censored. In a written statement expressing disappointment, Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington is now reviewing all U.S. aid to Thailand.

And now to the 80 American troops hitting the ground in Central Africa. We know that they are somewhere in Chad. So, so we know, when you look at the map, that is right next to Nigeria. Their mission is to find those girls, more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls seized by the world's most heinous terror group, Boko Haram, which has threatened to sell these girls as slaves.

U.S. officials say half of the 80 troops will operate and support an unarmed Predator drone. The other 40 are there for security.

In addition to taking those girls, Boko Haram has carried out bombings this week blamed for more than 100 deaths. The group's reach and influence to be accelerating.

Joining me now, live from Los Angeles, here he is, Bob Baer, CNN national security analyst and a former CIA operative.

And, Bob, you have been to Nigeria. You know the terrain here. This deployment of 80 Americans, is this a low-risk way for Washington to say, OK, given the chorus, the cries for involvement, you know, we are doing something tangible here to get in and bring these girls back?

BOB BAER, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, it's a first tentative step. We have got to find them first. And putting a drone up in the air is a start for that. And they will also be looking at low-power communications, walkie-talkies, things like that, to identify the group and find out where the girls are.

At that point, if we do find them, it's a question of who goes in for the rescue. I don't think the Nigerian army is capable of doing this. I think they have lost control of the northern -- northeastern part of the country. I think you're going to need the Americans, the French, and any other capable military to go in. Particularly, Delta Force could do this.

BALDWIN: Tell me a little bit more about who those groups would be on the front lines going in if they do get a visual and they want to swoop in and grab those girls.

BAER: Well, if they're dispersed, we're talking about a large military operation. You just can't send a dozen guys in. You're going to send -- we're talking about hundreds. You have got them into Chad, in the Cameroons, maybe Nigeria if they let U.S. troops in.

But there is no -- there is no option on this. We need a capable force to rescue them. And, also, you have to stop Boko Haram. This group is dangerous. If it spreads to the Delta, it could undermine the stability of Nigeria, as well as other countries.

BALDWIN: How do you mean?

BAER: Well, I mean, Nigeria is -- had a lot of economic problems, a lot of social problems. It's a country almost evenly divided between Christians and Muslims. Could it provoke a civil war in that country, a major oil producer? Yes. There is that potential. And this is what the White House is going to be looking at.

BALDWIN: Let me talk about this scenario.

Let's say that you have 10 -- 10 of these bad guys, Boko Haram, and they are holding on to five of the girls, and you're going in, Delta Force, Navy SEALs, whomever this may be. How do you calculate the odds on going in potentially in this kind of scenario, risking -- risking life to save these girls' lives?

BAER: Well, I mean, it's a humanitarian and it's also a geopolitical issue. Yes, you do risk American troops. But we -- this is the war on terror, and the war on terror has moved to sub-Saharan Africa.

And you have sort of got to go where it is. And this is at the center of it. And it's a tough decision in the White House. And this White House does not want to send troops to Africa, but, frankly, I don't see another choice.

BALDWIN: Bob Baer, thank you so much. Appreciate it, as always.

BAER: Thanks, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Coming up, Colorado becomes the first state to allow terminally ill patients to take drugs not approved by the FDA. Some say this could help cure diseases. Critics are outraged. We will tell you why. Also ahead, take a look at this video here. A baby -- wait for it -- there you go -- falls from a second-story window, is caught by these two guys. We will tell you the backstory, what led up to this rescue, next here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Welcome back. You're watching CNN here.

And staying alive by any means necessary, you might say it's the mantra for many terminally ill people, patients looking for these medical breakthroughs. For some, it means trying experimental drugs that are not yet approved by the FDA.

The effort has been billed as the right to try. And on Saturday, Colorado became the very first state to enact this -- quote, unquote -- "right to try" law. Supporters hope the legislation will catch on.

Here's CNN's Ana Cabrera.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: You've tested positive for HIV.

ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a movie that's helped trigger a movement.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: But importing illegal drugs for sale, it's a very serious offense.

CABRERA: In his award-winning role, Matthew McConaughey smuggled unapproved drugs into the United States to treat AIDS patient in the 1980s.

IRENE AGUILAR, COLORADO STATE SENATOR: I think this movie helped put the winds in the sail for our legislators to say, yes, let's do this.

CABRERA: The "Dallas Buyers Club" movie has led to at least four so- called "Dallas Buyers Club" bills, new state legislation to help patients who are terminally ill get access to the therapies still being developed and tested.

AMY AUDEN, WIDOW: I said, he had stage four melanoma.

CABRERA: Amy Auden is a widow, now a single mother of three young children.

NICK AUDEN, CANCER PATIENT: Beautiful hug, sweetie.

CABRERA: Her husband, Nick, lost his battle with melanoma while seeking access to an experimental treatment.

A. AUDEN: We've been trying for over six months to get on one of the trials.

CABRERA: At just 41 years old, Nick, a successful businessman, outdoorsman and devoted dad, had tumors in his spine, his arm, leg and eventually his brain. He didn't qualify for the drug trials, because his cancer kept spreading.

A. AUDEN: To be told that, for business reasons supply issues and safety concerns, that you can't have the drug, you know, was devastating.

CABRERA: It's people like Nick that state lawmakers want to help.

AGUILAR: I think the one thing that people would agree to is that when you are terminal, you really still need hope.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Patients should be able to try a treatment.

CABRERA: Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed what's referred to as a "Right to Try" bill Saturday. Similar bills are on the governors' desks in Missouri and Louisiana. And a right to try measure goes before voters in Arizona this fall.

The legislation typically gives terminally-ill patients the right to try a treatment without FDA approval, potentially cutting months of waiting when some patients have no time to spare. The Colorado right to try law instead requires a doctor recommendation.

The unapproved treatment still has to pass phase one trials for safety, insurance companies don't have to cover patient costs and the drug companies have to be willing to give the patient access to the drug, but the law doesn't force them to. That's where critics say these right to try laws fall short.

ART CAPLAN, NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER: They're going to need assistance in manufacturing more of their drug and quickly if they're going to give some of it away to people who are desperate.

They're also in a situation where he don't want the FDA telling them, "Hey, you gave this drug to six terminally ill people, and they all died. Did your drug kill them or did the disease kill them?"

CABRERA: Ultimately, the Auden family had the FDA's support, but could not compel the drug companies to say yes.

A. AUDEN: Because in the end it's a billion-dollar game.

CABRERA: But Amy remains hopeful this new legislation will pressure pharmaceutical companies to provide the drugs.

A. AUDEN: I hope that this is just going to be a change in the environment and a step in the right direction where they realize they can't get away with saying -- with saying no when they can save someone's life.

CABRERA: A life with no other fighting chance.

Ana Cabrera, CNN, Denver.

(END VIDEOTAPE)