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Hillary Clinton Opens Up About Politics And Personal Life; House Judiciary Committee Releases Report Outlining Historical Argument For Impeachment; One Of Pensacola Naval Air Base Shooting Victims Identified As Sailor Joshua Watson; U.S./China Trade War Leaves Farmers On Edge; Trump & Reelection Allies Use Positive Jobs Report To Downplay Impeachment Battle; House Judiciary Committee Releases New Report; George Zimmerman Sues Trayvon Martin's Parents, Claims Conspiracy; Saudi Nationals Detained For Questioning After Deadly Naval Air Base Shooting. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired December 07, 2019 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HILLARY CLINTON FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: -- me, there's no doubt about it, he hurt me but going back to the indictments because that's what's really important.

HOWARD STERN, AMERICAN RADIO PERSONALITY: Right. Have you ever spoken to Bernie about that?

CLINTON: No, no.

STERN: You don't talk to him?

CLINTON: I don't talk to him. Yes. I mean we did, you may finally endorse me and all that.

STERN: But you're upset with him?

CLINTON: No, disappointed, disappointed. Okay. So -- and I hope he doesn't do it again to whoever gets the nomination.

STERN: Right.

CLINTON: Once is enough.

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Jason Caroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. So much more straight ahead in the newsroom. And it all starts right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN breaking news.

WHITFIELD: All right. Hello again, everyone. And thank you so much for being with me. I'm Fredericka Whitfield. All right breaking news. The House Judiciary Committee has released a report outlining constitutional grounds for presidential impeachment.

Just moments ago, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee sends out the in depth report and Chairman Jerry Nadler released a statement saying in part, the safety and security of the nation "Hangs on the balance." And that in America, "No one is above the law, not even the president."

CNN Politics Reporter, Jeremy Herb is on Capitol Hill. So Jeremy, explain what this means.

JEREMY HERB, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yes. So this report, it's effectively laying the groundwork for what is going to be a busy week ahead for the Judiciary Committee. It gets into the kind of historical nature of impeachment and makes the argument for why Congress has the right and as the committee says, the duty to impeach the president if he has abused his office.

This report, it's an update to the reports that the committee had issued back in 1974 and 1998, during the Nixon and Clinton impeachment. Now, it doesn't say in the report that the President committed impeachable offenses, but Chairman Nadler has said in a statement and releasing the report, it makes clear that's where the committee is headed.

Nadler said, the framers' worst nightmare is what we are facing at this very moment. President Trump abused his power betrayed our national security and corrupted our elections for his personal gain. Now, their continued to the constitution details only one remedy for this misconduct, impeachment.

Now what we're going to hear from the Judiciary Committee on Monday when they have a hearing to present the evidence against the president, and they're practicing right behind me now, Nadler and the rest of the committee Democrats are preparing for that very hearing. They're going to be here, both today on a Saturday and on Sunday, trying to make sure that they get all of these details right.

And what we're expecting after that hearing is the possible introduction of those articles of impeachment. And the committee could vote on those articles by the end of next week, setting the stage for a potential House vote to impeach the president by -- before Christmas, Fred. And so I think this report is one more step that we're going to get, as we -- as Democrats continue to march toward that impeachment of the president.

WHITFIELD: Jeremy Herb on Capitol Hill, we'll check back with you. Thank you so much. Let's talk further with Ross Garber on this. He is an impeachment law professor at Tulane Law School and CNN legal analyst.

Good to see, Ross. So what does this say to you? Why is this important that this be released to lay the groundwork for impeachment?

ROSS GARBER, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, you know, and I'm still going through the document, but I think fundamentally, what the House Democrats are trying to do is show that this isn't just about politics. It's not just about criticizing the President's conduct, but it's about sort of a historical framework. It's about an historical remedy of impeachment, and what the framers of the constitution thought was most critical.

And in going through the document, you know, that's one of the things that has struck me so far is that there is a discussion about the historical framework. There's an emphasis on the framers concerned about foreign interference, their concern about bribery and I think there's going to be -- they're going to be few people who argue with that.

There are other elements of the report that I think are going to be much more controversial and subject to attack by Republicans, including sort of the discussion about standard of evidence, about the role of criminality in the -- in the impeachment process and some other elements of it.

WHITFIELD: So let's go through what could be the sequence. You've got the release of this report. There are mock hearings taking place this weekend, Monday, the hearing that will get underway will involve presentations of evidence, from councils to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, House Judiciary Committee, and what happened Monday?

GARBER: Yes. So I think what we're expecting to happen Monday that, you know, the clock is running out, the Democrats are running out of time to convince the American people that impeachment is justified. Monday is a big day for that. Monday is when the staff to the committees sort of lay out their best case for impeachment.

[13:05:07]

GARBER: I think in this sort of final effort to convince the American people after that, it's going to move on to drafting the articles of impeachment.

WHITFIELD: Uh-hmm. How did they keep the public's attention at that time? I know for this to be played out publicly the use of graphics of sound bites. I mean, how do you animate, you know, what has been a very lengthy process involving upwards of 17 witnesses, you know, behind closed doors and even public testimonies?

GARBER: Yes, Fred. I think you've hit the exact issue and it's something that I've been -- I suppose critical of and curious about from the beginning of this process. It seems as if the process so far has not been aimed at convincing the undecideds and certainly not convincing Republicans. It may be that on Monday, although I doubt it but it may be that that the staff of the committees are able to put together a presentation that is compelling.

I've been surprised that sort of the lack of use of videos of graphics of other tools to sort of animate the story, if they, you know, if the case is that this is such a grievous behavior, and it's impeachable conduct, I think that case has to be made in a way that resonates with people. And so far, it doesn't seem like that's been the case. I'm going to be very interested to see how they roll that out on Monday.

WHITFIELD: And this would happen without the White House, you know, council participation, because the White House attorneys, you know, released a statement saying they will not be participating. I mean, this is the statement that was, you know, sent out, you know, describing, you know, the process as a charade that, you know, it is completely baseless, but then what do you make of that legal strategy because attorneys were involved with Nixon, were involved with Clinton. Why this approach for the Trump administration?

GARBER: Yes. So, you know, you and I've been talking about this for a few weeks, you'll remember that this does not come as a surprise, I think, to me and to many people, that the White House is not participating in this process. The process is actually different than in Clinton and Nixon. From the beginning of those processes, the white -- the President's lawyers were permitted to participate in those impeachment proceedings.

You know, here with the White House -- and I've been surprised I suppose that the bluntness of the White House's instrument here were from the beginning. You know, they've said, look, you know, the whole process is bogus, it's totally unfair. So we're not going to participate. I think the more subtle explanation is, well, wait a minute. You said we could participate. You said we'd have the right to cross examine witnesses.

But all of the witnesses testified, during a phase where we didn't have the right to cross examine witnesses. We didn't have the right to actually participate at all. So there's really at this point nothing left for us to do. And so, those --

WHITFIELD: And it wouldn't be -- we wouldn't be viewed instead as an opportunity in which to change the narrative to best counter all that has been presented, even without the witnesses that say the White House wanted to hear from, are they not squandering? What could be a great opportunity?

GARBER: Yes. I think -- I think -- I think from the White House's point of view, no, there -- they are, actually, I think from their point of view, winning. You know, so far, no, Republicans seem to be willing to support impeachment. Last week, at least one Democrat in the House, announced that he'd be voting against impeachment. I think from their perspective, they're winning. They're getting their narrative out through other ways through the media, through the President's tweets.

And I think from their perspective, they're not getting a fair shake and won't get a fair shake at the House. So if the House wants to impeach, go ahead, then they move on to a potentially more fair, and some might say favorable arena in the Senate. And that's where they'll roll out their additional defenses. But I think from the White House's perspective, they're getting their word out just fine without having to do it in an unfriendly arena, the House.

WHITFIELD: Ross Garber, thank you so much.

GARBER: Good to be with you, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, our other breaking news this hour. We have now learned the identity of one of the victims from the Pensacola Naval Base shooting a live report next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:13:16]

WHITFIELD: All right. We're following some breaking news for you right now. We now know the identity of one of the victims in the deadly shooting at the Naval Air Base in Pensacola, Florida. He is Joshua Kaleb Watson, who was a sailor in the Navy who was hoping to become a jet pilot after flight school. His brother releasing a statement saying Watson saved countless lives by giving his own. CNN's Natasha Chen is in Pensacola. So Natasha, what else do we know about what is being said by Joshua Watson's brother?

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred. His brother Adam posted on Facebook and described his brother saving those lives because apparently he says Joshua Watson was injured but still made it outside the building. And was able to tell first responders where the shooter was and he said that was invaluable information. Critical information in that moment. And this is of course an incredible loss for that family.

His brother said that this was the worst day of his life finding out that his youngest brother had been killed. He said that Joshua Watson gave his life in a senseless tragedy here. Here's a quote from Adam Watson, he said "His brother died a hero and we are beyond proud."

But there is a hole in our hearts that can never be filled. Joshua Watson is one of three people who are killed in this shooting. And of course there are eight others who are injured including two deputies who exchanged fire with the gunman. Last check we know that Baptist Hospital is treating those eight people, Fred.

WHITFIELD: And Natasha, CNN also has exclusive details on the shooter who has been identified as a Saudi national, his uncle telling CNN that the gunman showed nothing suspicious before he moved to the U.S. in 2017. What more can you tell us?

CHEN: Right. So the uncle told CNN that again, he had no indication from his nephew that his nephew would have done something like this.

[13:15:08]

CHEN: He said he kept in touch with his nephew after he came to the United States for this training. He said that al-Shamrani was a likeable and a mannered toward his family and community. He said his nephew is 21 years old. Here's a quote from the uncle about his nephew saying, "He has his religion, his prayer, his honesty and commitments, and that he was a likable kid smart. He was exceptionally smart." His uncle went on to say that that Kingdom of Saudi Arabia needs to get to the truth of what happened here. And if his nephew is guilty of this, he will be accountable before God. So a very strong words there from family members of the gunman of the suspected shooter here in this case and of course the FBI is still very tight lipped about the entire investigation. We are expecting to hear more from the FBI but not until later this evening, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Natasha Chen, thank you so much in Pensacola. All right. New today, a Princeton graduate student held prisoner in Iran for three years is finally heading home as part of a prisoner swap between Tehran and Washington. We have details.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:20:19]

WHITFIELD: All right. New today, the Trump administration says it is hopeful a prisoner swap with Iran could lead to better relations with Tehran. The exchange free day Princeton graduate student arrested on charges of espionage while doing research in Iran back in 2016. Xiyue Wang spent three years in a Tehran prison but is now undergoing a medical check at a U.S. Army Hospital in Germany before returning to the United States.

President Trump tweeted about the exchange earlier saying of Wang, taken during the Obama administration despite $150 billion gift returned during the Trump administration. Thank you to Iran on a very fair negotiations.

See, we can make a deal together. All right. Joining us right now is CNN Military and Diplomatic Analyst, Retired Rear Admiral John Kirby.

So you've worked at the State Department. Tell us about how an exchange like this could have happened. What what's going on behind the scenes?

JOHN KIRBY, CNN MILITARY AND DIPLOMATIC ANALYST: This was negotiated through our protecting power since we don't have open diplomatic relations with Iran. The protecting power is Switzerland. So the Swiss negotiated this, looks like Mr. Hook Brian hook from the State Department was the chief U.S. negotiator to bring this about, my guess is he was working or the Swiss were working with likewise, at the same sort of level as Hook on the Iranian side to sort of negotiate this release one for one.

These things are done very quietly. Nobody talks about them until, you know, the actual transfer has happened for good reason because anything could happen at the last minute. That could throw it off. Very quietly done. But this is why we have a protecting power. This is what the Swiss have done for us in the past. He did it for during the Obama administration as well. And in the end, I think this was -- this was a good move by both the United States and Iran. And I do hope that it leads to better relations.

WHITFIELD: How does generally Switzerland -- what is its role? I mean, while it may be a third party kind of intermediary, so U.S. and Iran are not talking directly. But then how is Switzerland if at all, empower to help, you know, cut a deal? I mean, how is this transpired?

KIRBY: Because we have designated them are protecting power and they have agreed to accept that responsibility on our behalf since we don't have diplomatic relations with Iran. We have other nation's service protecting powers for various countries overseas as well in similar circumstances. They are protecting power. They are our designated sort of liaison with the Iranian government since there's no official communications right now between our two governments.

WHITFIELD: I want to read a tweet now from the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying we will not rest until we bring every American detained in Iran and around the world back home to their loved ones. So talk to me about this kind of, you know, promise that the U.S. is making that it sounds like under any circumstance it will happen. But this is the result of a prisoner swap, right? And no exchange of monies. But what are the circumstances of an exchange of prisoners?

KIRBY: So it was a prisoner swap, I don't think the Trump administration wants to admit that, because that means that they could be compared with what they think are the bad practices of the Obama administration, but it was a swap, it was a one-for-one swap and look more credit to them and more power to them. I think they -- I think they deserve credit for getting this Princeton graduate student back, this American citizen and for being willing to transfer an Iranian detainee back to Iran.

All credit to them for that, but it was a swap in there. They're just I think focused on the semantics here. But what it means for the families, I suspect for many of the other families who have American citizens that are they're detained in Iran, that they're hopeful. I think it's probably bittersweet. I mean, they're obviously glad for the Wang family, I think -- and they've all -- and several have come out and said that, but I'm sure they're also a little scared and perhaps concerned about whether this administration will continue that press to get their family members back.

We've seen a statement in just the last few minutes from the Namazie family who have a father and his son there and in poor health, saying that, you know, it's a little better for them, because, you know, there hasn't been -- they don't believe much movement to get their loved ones out. I think, look, the Trump administration has paid a lot of attention to this issue, and they deserve credit for this. And I think that there are probably working behind the scenes as well to get other Americans and working with these families to try to make sure that their hopes don't get too high up, but that they don't are dashed altogether either.

WHITFIELD: All right. Rear Admiral John Kirby. Thank you so much.

KIRBY: You bet.

[13:25:05]

WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up the trade war with China drags on. President Trump has promised farmers would be the big winners of this fight but what are farmers saying in one of the states' keys to Trump's 2016 win? W go there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Allright. Let's throw in now on that November jobs report showing better than expected numbers. The U.S. Labor Department says 266,000 jobs were added last month. The unemployment rate also fell slightly to 3.5 percent. Matching the 50-year low reached in September. But while hiring is up, not everyone is celebrating.

[13:30:00]

American farmers continue to take a huge hit from the trade war with China. So what does that mean for 2020? Here's CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich. She went to Pennsylvania to find out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Bill Boyd has been farming all his life. He grew up on this dairy farm in Pennsylvania.

(on camera): Is the dairy business profitable?

BILL BOYD, PENNSYLVANIA FARMER: Just like everything else in agriculture right now, barely profitable.

YURKEVICH (voice over): Made more so, he says, by the trade war.

(on camera): What are your thoughts on the trade war? Good idea? Bad idea?

BOYD: Oh, no, it was a bad idea.

YURKEVICH (voice over): Boyd, a Republican, voted for President Trump but doesn't support the president's tactics with China.

(on camera): How big of a hit has that loss of the China market been to you?

BOYD: Cost the farmers here $2 a bushel.

YURKEVICH: Is that a lot?

BOYD: Yes, that's a -- that's the profit.

YURKEVICH (voice over): Pennsylvania will be a key state in the 2020 election. It helped elect President Trump in 2016, who campaigned here on promises made to farmers like Boyd.

BOYD: I think he's sort of backstabbing the main people who got him into office in the Midwest. All those Midwest states helped to vote him in and also Pennsylvania. And he just let us down.

YURKEVICH (on camera): Will you vote for him again in 2020? BOYD: Unless they come up with a better alternative, I'm going to

vote for him again.

YURKEVICH (voice over): The president still trying to close a phase one trade deal with China, which could restart big buying of U.S. ag products, lifting prices.

It's a lifeline for farmers like Jesse Poliskiewicz.

JESSE POLISKIEWICZ, PENNSYLVANIA FARMER: There was talks about a month ago that they were -- they were supposed to be opening back up. And I have not seen -- I have seen prices go down. I have not seen prices go up.

YURKEVICH: Poliskiewicz, a Democrat, voted for Obama and then flipped to Trump, just like North Hampton County here in Pennsylvania.

POLISKIEWICZ: Right now, I would not vote for him. I don't know who I'm going to vote for. I don't -- I don't see a good candidate.

YURKEVICH (on camera): On either side?

POLISKIEWICZ: On either side, in my opinion.

YURKEVICH (voice over): In Breinigsville, Kyle Henninger's fields are harvested, but his soybeans sit unsold.

KYLE HENNINGER, PENNSYLVANIA FARMER: The first time I ever had beans in here in my life.

YURKEVICH (on camera): Oh.

YURKEVICH (voice over): Henninger voted for President Trump and supports the trade war.

HENNINGER: There's the corn. That's your paycheck right there.

YURKEVICH: Every morning, Henninger checks crop prices.

HENNINGER: Down here is soybeans.

YURKEVICH: Hoping to find a buyer for his beans.

(on camera): How long are you willing to be patient and wait out this trade war?

HENNINGER: Other than saying I'm not going to vote for Trump, you know, that would be one way to retaliate personally. But I don't see that happening at this point.

YURKEVICH: Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN, Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: President Trump and his reelection allies are using the positive jobs numbers to downplay the impeachment battle. Joining me now to discuss is Alice Stewart, Senator Ted Cruz's 2016

communications director, and a CNN political commentator, Joe Trippi, a Democratic strategist and a CNN political commentator.

Good to see both of you.

ALICE STEWART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Hi, Fred.

WHITFIELD: So, Alice you first.

JOE TRIPPI, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good to be with you.

WHITFIELD: Thank you.

So, Alice, despite the strong numbers, the November report shows some key swing states lost jobs in the first 10 months of 2019. So should this be any cause for concern going into 2020?

STEWART: Absolutely not. When we have an overall economy that is strong and we're seeing jobs numbers like that, and also the wage growth which is strong, that will help everyone across the country. And people are going to pay attention to that.

And, look, this president came into office promising to strengthen the economy and be strong with regard to job creation and keeping people in their jobs, and he is delivering on that.

And it is no surprise that a strong economy, a rising tide lifts all boats. And that will help people in these early states and the key battleground states. And I think that strong economy will be instrumental to the president's reelection.

The impeachment is taking a back seat because people are concerned about their own bank account and checking account as opposed to what the Democrats are doing with regards to impeachment.

WHITFIELD: So, Joe, is that a feeling that resonates? Should Democrats be pushing an economic message that resonates with those struggling voters that feel that President Trump will and could be the best option for 2020?

TRIPPI: Well, you know, I think that the Democrats will do that and are doing it. I think that the real problem here is that -- the economy is going strong, and you would think that Trump's -- any president with this kind of economy would have an approval rating in the upper 50s and lower 60s. It's just remarkable.

It just shows what a drag everything else the president does in his tweets and everything else, the impeachment process, not obeying the subpoenas and ordering people not to talk and all these things. They keep taking a toll.

He just cannot get out of the low 40s on his approval rating, even with the economy, even with these jobs reports. So that is the struggle on the Trump side.

[13:35:09]

On the Democratic side, I think, you know, first of all, it will take who our nominee is, and what their plan on health care and jobs and the economy are. But that is why you have so many Democrats running right now talking about the kitchen-table issues that Americans are caring about.

Let Congress and the Senate deal with the impeachment process while the presidential candidates continue to make their case to the American people.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk about the impeachment process right now. We're going into what could be a consequential week in Congress, with House Democrats now releasing their report today laying out historical arguments for impeachment.

Alice, is there anything that Democrats can do to get Republicans on board?

STEWART: I don't see it, Fred. The needle has not moved with regard to public opinion and public support for impeachment since they began this who process. It is still virtually 50/50.

The real question, Fred, is, how are the Democrats in these Trump-won districts going to vote. Trump is very popular in these different congressional districts. And these Democrats vote in favor of impeachment, that will hurt them.

And it's one thing for them go on record and vote in support of the impeachment inquiry, but it is a completely different story for them to put their name on the dotted line for the impeachment. And it will be a very different challenge for a lot of these Democrats in making this decision.

I don't see any Republicans breaking rank and voting for this and supporting impeachment in the House. And certainly not in the Senate. When it gets to the Senate, it is dead in the water, with regard to any type of full-fledged support for impeachment --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: So, Alice, in this reporter where Jerry Nadler, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, says the "safety and security of a nation is what hangs in the balance," and that is what this impeachment process is predicated on. You don't think that will resonate?

STEWART: Absolutely not. If that was the case, they would have made that case during the impeachment inquiry. I didn't see it. The American people have not been in support of this.

And that is the key, Fred, Nancy Pelosi made it clear, before she made the decision to go down this road, she would only do it if it was overwhelming and bipartisan. It was neither of those.

The key to that is, in judging this in comparison to the Clinton impeachment and the Nixon, that had bipartisan support for impeachment. This does not. That is clearly along partisan lines. And that's something that will be a big factor when they make the ultimate decision.

WHITFIELD: So, Joe, how do you see this? This is a political process but a variety of things are at stake, the office of the presidency, bipartisanship, democracy, the legitimacy of the U.S. elections. Do you worry, you know, that those things are being undermined by the more boisterous verbal fights between the party members, party leaders?

TRIPPI: They may be being undermined. But, at this point, the partisanship that the people are engaging in right now will continue. But at some point during the trial -- I mean, we don't have all of the -- this has not all been presented yet. We're finding new things out every day, the phone calls that came in the final report that we didn't know about with Giuliani. And other things will continue to come out. And what is Giuliani doing right now. This will play out.

I don't think really think, when it comes down to it, that the president is in a strong place right now. When you're at a place when 50 percent of the American people are not only for impeachment but for removal, 50 percent of the American people -- yes, I understand the 50/50 part, but that is not a good place to be.

And we're not even at the beginning yet of a trial. So I would hold my predictions on where this is all going to go.

Certainly, the Republicans are hanging tough and are not -- they're being partisan in terms of defending the president. And I understand that. But will they hold up?

Will -- there's just as much pressure on some of their Senators who are in tough reelection bids, on the political side, to look at these facts and to make a different decision than a lot of Republicans are predicting. We'll see.

WHITFIELD: Pretty complicated.

Joe Trippi, Alice Stewart, thank you so much.

STEWART: Thank you, Fred.

[13:39:47]

WHITFIELD: All right, who could forget the name George Zimmerman. Well, he is back in the headlines. Why he is now suing the family of Trayvon Martin.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, eight years after he was acquitted of shooting and killing Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman is now claiming he was the victim of a conspiracy and he is suing Martin's family and others involved in the case for more than $100 million. Among Zimmerman's claims, he alleges that a key prosecution witness

was an imposter that read from a script. The lawsuit was announced ahead of a Coral Gables, Florida, screening last Thursday of a documentary titles "The Trayvon Hoax." While that screening was scandal. The documentary was never one that hit the screen before an audience.

In a statement, the family's attorney says, Benjamin Crump, called the lawsuit "unfounded, reckless, and a shameless attempt to profit off the lives and grief of others."

Joining me right now to discuss is Avery Friedman, a civil rights attorney and law professor, and Richard Herman, a criminal defense attorney and law professor.

Good to see you both.

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Good to see you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: So, Richard -- yeah.

RICHARD HERMAN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Hey, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Richard, you first.

I mean, any chance that a court entertains this lawsuit, that there's merit in this lawsuit?

[13:45:08]

HERMAN: You know, Fred, for $50 or $100, anyone can go to the county clerk and buy an index number and bring a lawsuit, and you can sue for $500 billion. It doesn't matter. You can file that lawsuit. The question is, what is the foundation of the lawsuit. Is it credible? Is it real? Will it stand?

It appears the entire foundation for this lawsuit is based on a book and a documentary by this Joel Gilbert, who, by the way, believes that President Obama's father was a Communist in Chicago and that Elvis is still alive. Crazy theories. But this is the foundation on this Trayvon hoax.

And there's something to the fact that that witness, the prosecution witness, the supposed girlfriend, who was not the real girlfriend at the time. And if you remember her testimony, and I do, it was very, very shaky, Fred. I didn't buy that testimony.

FRIEDMAN: That's right.

HERMAN: We don't know yet. We don't know what will happen here. Discovery will take place. And we'll see if it --

(CROSSTALK)

HERMAN: -- can withstand a motion to dismiss.

WHITFIELD: Wow.

Avery, how do you see this? And to the timing of the lawsuit, so many years after the fact. And Trayvon Martin's family is still grieving.

FRIEDMAN: Oh, there's no doubt about it.

I mean, the problem with this kind of litigation is that, procedurally, there are all sorts of problems. It is pretty septic- tank stuff. You couple that with attention deficit. The complaint is all over the place, from conspiracy, to defamation, to malicious prosecution. And at the end of the day, no one has interviewed the witnesses.

And basically -- and I'm in agreement with that -- comes from a book and a film. And frankly, this is a lawyer that has been banned in a number of federal courts. So he went to the local court in Florida.

And the question is, will the judge permit this case to stand. I don't think it is going anywhere.

WHITFIELD: I mean, Richard, the family --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: -- will forever be traumatized by this. The nation is still traumatized over what took place.

And now Zimmerman's own former defense attorney, Mark O'Mara, says, even if these claims were true, the case likely still would have done to trial.

FRIEDMAN: Yes.

HERMAN: Yes, it would have gone to trial, Fred. But, number one, the defendant, number one, is Trayvon Martin's mother.

FRIEDMAN: That's right.

HERMAN: So that's how it begins. It's got to be torture for the family.

But what he is saying in this litigation, Fred, is that this prosecution witness was a dumbied-up witness. It was like a TV show, or it was like a Broadway play. This was not the girlfriend, and everybody knew it. And not everybody -- everybody knew it and they participated knowingly, allowing her to get up there and perjure herself.

Based on that, that is the foundation for a civil conspiracy allegation.

(CROSSTALK)

HERMAN: It's an allegation. And he sued the attorney, Ben Crump, for defamation of him in a book that he wrote. I don't know that his character is that high anyway. But this is the foundation for this lawsuit, Fred. It will take a while before it moves forward or gets dismissed. There's going to be discovery.

WHITFIELD: So, Avery, what do you see as really the root of this?

FRIEDMAN: You wonder if the case was driven by ideology rather than facts. I mean, there are references to behavior from six, seven, eight years ago. Why would someone go to the trouble of going against a mom and dad who lost their son? They're not collectible.

We also know that the law enforcement defendants who have been named are absolute immune -- they have absolute immunity at least under federal law. So what is the motive behind this?

(CROSSTALK)

FRIEDMAN: It is very difficult to think that it was based on facts because, in all of this time, what effort has George Zimmerman made to get those facts? He admits it is based on a release in September of 2019.

I think the courts will have a very difficult time holding on to this case. I think it is going to be gone.

WHITFIELD: All right, Avery Friedman, Richard Herman, good to see you both, always.

FRIEDMAN: Good to see you, Fredricka.

HERMAN: Thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Thank you so much.

HERMAN: Take care.

[13:49:30]

All right, this programming note. Join Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa live as they name the 2019 "CNN Hero" of the year. "CNN HEROES, AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE," tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: We have breaking news on the deadly naval air base shooting in Pensacola, Florida. CNN is learning that some Saudi nationals were detained for questioning following the shooting on Friday.

CNN's Natasha Chen joining us with more -- Natasha?

CHEN: That's right, Fred. We have from our CNN crime and justice producer, David Shortell, that a U.S. official tells him that a number of Saudi nationals were detained for questioning yesterday following this shooting. But this U.S. official could not provide information on the current status of those who were detained and questioned.

And now, as would be expected from this kind of investigation, authorities are going to try and talk to anyone who's connected with the suspected gunman. And that includes his friends circle. And included in that friends circle, of course, are Saudi nationals.

And just as a reminder, this suspected gunman was part of a training program where foreign nationals come to the U.S. as part of a partnership with allies around the world.

A captain here on base told us that this suspected gunman is one of a couple hundred foreign nationals from different countries here. And U.S. officials tell us that around the whole nation, there are at least 5,000 foreign nationals from different countries that we partner with and train with. And these programs have gone on for decades, going back to World War II.

[13:55:04]

So again, this new information that we have is that a U.S. official tells CNN there are a number of Saudi nationals who were detained for questioning on Friday after the shooting happened to talk about what they may or may not know. Naturally, again, because you want to reach out to the friends circle of the suspect here.

They perhaps -- we don't know the status right now of those detained individuals. But we are working to find out more information -- Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right. Natasha Chen, keep us posted, from Pensacola, Florida. Thank you so much.

So much more straight ahead. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Hello, again, everyone. And thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

This breaking news, the House Judiciary Committee has released a report outlining constitutional grounds for presidential impeachment. Just a short time ago, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee sent out the in-depth report.

And Chairman Jerry Nadler released a statement saying, in part, "The safety and security of the nation," quoting now, "hangs in the balance," and that, in America, quote, "no one is above the law, not even the president."

CNN Politics Reporter, Jeremy Herb, is on Capitol Hill.

So, Jeremy, give us more about what all this means.

[14:00:03]

JEREMY HERB, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Yes. So this report that was released today is laying the groundwork for this committee, the Judiciary Committee, to take up impeachment proceedings.