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Justice Department Targets Hate Crimes; Discord Inside Supreme Court?; Baby Formula Shortage; President Biden Visits Asia. Aired 2- 2:30p ET

Aired May 20, 2022 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:17]

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Alisyn Camerota. Welcome to CNN NEWSROOM.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: And I'm Victor Blackwell.

President Biden is on his first trip to Asia as president. He visited a semiconductor plant with the South Korean president. President Biden is expected to hold bilateral talks with the nation's newly elected leader tomorrow. And the White House says the aims of this trip are to reaffirm alliances in the region and to stand up to autocratic regimes around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're standing at an inflection point in history where the decisions we make today will have far-reaching impacts on the world we leave to our children tomorrow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Looming in the background, China, which has been flexing its military power in the region recently, North Korea, which may launch a missile test during the president's visit to the Pacific region, and, of course, the war in Ukraine.

President Biden called out Vladimir Putin in his remarks today, and is set to sign off on a major aid package while in Asia to help Ukraine.

CNN's White House correspondent, Jeremy Diamond, is in Seoul following the president.

So, Jeremy, what else happened on Biden's first day there?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Alisyn, in his first remarks in South Korea, President Biden hailing the U.S.-South Korea relationship as a -- quote -- "lynchpin of peace, stability and prosperity."

President Biden making this visit as there are heightened tensions with North Korea, as U.S. intelligence indicates that North Korea could potentially test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile and/or a nuclear weapon while President Biden is here in South Korea or while he is in the region as he goes to Japan next.

That has, of course, heightened the stakes of President Biden's visit. But he's not just focusing on national security. He's also looking at economic cooperation between the U.S. and its key allies in the region. And in talking about that, he actually drew on what we're seeing with the war in Ukraine disrupting supply chains around the world to drive home this point further.

Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: Putin's brutal and unprovoked war on Ukraine has further spotlighted the need to secure our critical supply chains so that our economy -- our economic and our national security are not dependent on countries that don't share our values.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAMOND: And while President Biden is talking about Russia there, he's very clearly referring to China as well, when he talks about autocracies that do not share our values.

That will be a key message from the president during his trip here, at least the subtext of it, certainly, including tomorrow, as he sits down with South Korea's president for a bilateral meeting, and then later in the evening for a state dinner.

BLACKWELL: So, Jeremy, there was some trouble before the president's arrival involving a couple of Secret Service members. What do you know?

DIAMOND: Yes, that's right.

Two U.S. Secret Service employees are being sent home from South Korea after -- apparently after visiting several bars one night, they got into a physical altercation with a Korean taxicab driver and two other Korean nationals. This is one special agent and one physical security specialist.

Now, a Secret Service spokesman says that both of them are being sent home. They are being placed on administrative leave. And they also insist that there has been no impact to President Biden's security on this trip as a result.

CAMEROTA: Jeremy, how will this $40 billion in security assistance to Ukraine happen? When is President Biden going to be able to sign that?

DIAMOND: Yes, so this bill actually has to be physically flown here to South Korea in order for President Biden to be able to sign it here.

A National Security Council spokesman just a few minutes ago told me that the bill is being flown to South Korea, and it's being flown -- quote -- "by someone who was already traveling to the region as part of their official duties," so no separate flight for this bill. Of course, this bill is hugely significant. It was approved by an

overwhelming majority, bipartisan majority, in the Senate, with 11 -- just 11 Republicans opposing this $40 billion aid package to Ukraine. And it includes $11 billion in additional presidential drawdown authority to be able to send U.S. military weapons over to the Ukrainian government.

It includes $9 billion to restock U.S. military supplies that have been depleted as a result of those transfers, and billions of dollars in additional assistance for the Ukrainian government, for refugee assistance, and even for global food aid as a result of all of these disruptions that we have seen because of the war, so a very significant bill.

And, clearly, President Biden wanted to be able to sign it as soon as possible, not waiting until he returns to the U.S. next week.

CAMEROTA: OK, Jeremy Diamond, thank you very much for reporting for us from the region.

Let's go to CNN's Oren Liebermann. He's at the Pentagon.

So, Oren, what is the Pentagon's latest thinking about what North Korea is doing as President Biden is in Asia?

[14:05:06]

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The military has been watching this missile test site very closely that's not far from the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.

And over the course of the last few weeks or months, they have seen the progress towards an ICBM test. This went from possible to probable and now perhaps even imminent.

Earlier this week, it was perhaps within the next 48 to 96 hours, which is exactly that window when President Joe Biden is either in South Korea or in the region visiting U.S. allies. Now a military official who says he has seen -- who tells us he has seen the latest information says it appears the North Koreans might be getting ready to fuel their ICBM missile, and that would be indicative of an ICBM test.

You don't want to leave the missile sitting there with fuel. So that's one of the final phases before they carry out what could be an expected ICBM test. We have seen them test ICBM system earlier in the year, late February, early March. And then, earlier this month, the U.S. -- a U.S. official says an ICBM exploded on the launch pad.

It was in March that, in response to these tests, the U.S. increased surveillance in the Yellow Sea near North Korea. And, as the U.S. says it's ready for any possibility or any potential outcome while Biden is in the region, it was National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan who said earlier this week that the U.S. would consider taking a number of other steps perhaps to enhance the military posture in the region in response to an ICBM test. Now, of course, as Jeremy Diamond pointed out, that's not the only

thing the U.S. is watching for here. There is also concerned about the potential for an underground nuclear test. That doesn't seem as imminent. Officials say it's likely that it'll be an ICBM test that they're watching for here.

But, Victor and Alisyn, a nuclear test, if and when it does happen, even if it isn't imminent, is still urgent, so the U.S. watching this all very closely. And we have seen these sorts of messages, if you will, or provocations from North Korea with U.S. presidents in the region. And that is what they're looking at now again.

BLACKWELL: Oren Liebermann for us at the Pentagon, thank you very much.

Let's bring in now Balbina Hwang, former State Department senior adviser.

Thank you for being with us.

Let's start here with the national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, on what a potential ICBM test would mean.

BALBINA HWANG, SENIOR POLICY ANALYST, HERITAGE FOUNDATION: Well, most certainly, it would be an enormous rallying cry to the entire world that clearly this is a threat to the United States, South Korea, obviously, Japan, and its allies.

And, in fact, it might, I don't want to be misunderstood, but work to the advantage, in the sense that it does sort of gather all of the global concerns that have recently been, frankly, focused on Ukraine and Russia about North Korea's nuclear programs.

BLACKWELL: Do you think Kim is potentially just flexing a muscle as a threat, or, as some analysts have suggested, that maybe this is to get the U.S.' attention because maybe he wants to pick up these stalled talks that dropped off several years ago?

HWANG: Well, most certainly, this is always, any of these tests are attempts for Kim Jong-un to flex his muscles.

But remember that the North Koreans have to keep testing in order to advance their programs. And the test itself would be an indication that the regime is absolutely intent on growing and expanding its existing capabilities.

BLACKWELL: All right, let's talk about the point of the president's trip.

Of course, he started this administration with a more aggressive, competitive approach to China. He is expected to announce a new Indo- Pacific economic framework on this trip. And we have heard now from -- through Chinese media, Chinese state media, a statement of a commentary here. "Washington's plot, with the sinister intent of sowing divisions and peddling bloc confrontation to Asia, should be vehemently opposed. Washington's dangerous narratives of China threat and its anti-China united front are counterproductive at best. By stirring up trouble after trouble, Washington is anything but a responsible player in the Asia Pacific."

Quite an aggressive response there. What do you hear?

HWANG: Well, this is to be expected. And, most certainly, China will continue its claims that any effort by the United States to expand its deterrence and defense capabilities, along -- against a numerous number of threats, with its partners and allies, is considered aimed at China.

But, frankly speaking, the United States -- and that is exactly why President Biden is out in Asia, and he's trying to establish a very strong relationship with the new leader of South Korea. And it's extremely important.

So it's very clear that the United States and its allies and others that have joined the so-called TP -- CPTPP, certainly a mouthful, is not just about friends and then against threats, but about expanding the global economy and economic cooperation.

[14:10:05]

BLACKWELL: Is there some residual skepticism across Asia, as we have seen in Europe, when President Trump backed out of the climate plan, undermined NATO? He got out of the TPP in the first week of his administration.

Are there still some leaders across the continent who are not as certain that the U.S.' word is as dependable as it was maybe two or three administrations ago?

HWANG: Well, that actually works with our enemies or adversaries as well, because then they are also not certain, right?

So I think the key thing to remember is that, first, South Korea finds itself in a little bit of a unique position, in that it's the old adage. It's a shrimp among whales. And when the whales fight, the shrimp get eaten or crushed.

And so, with every single alliance and allied relationship, there is always the concern about both entanglement and also abandonment. On the one hand, South Korea absolutely needs and wants the U.S. support and cooperation. On the other hand, it has always been concerned about being dragged into other so-called fights that really may not be of direct interest to South Korea.

But, clearly, now South Korea has chosen to be a major global player. It's the 10th largest economy in the world.

BLACKWELL: Yes. HWANG: And it's absolutely crucial that South Korea, and along with

all the other countries in the world, that their prosperity depends on cooperation. And China knows that.

And China and Russia have chosen a different path.

BLACKWELL: All right, Balbina Hwang, thank you.

HWANG: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: New numbers from the tracking agency Datasembly showed 45 percent of all baby formula was out of stock nationwide last week.

And the shortage was even worse in these 10 states.

BLACKWELL: Now, the shortage has thrown President Biden's West Wing into a bit of a crisis mode. They're taking steps to restock stores, while also facing criticism on the speed of their response.

Let's go to CNN's Arlette Saenz.

Arlette, there are some top Biden aides, in addition to members of Congress, who are frustrated. What do we know?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Victor, the White House has really been scrambling, trying to provide some relief to this crisis, but also working to understand the full scope of the problem.

And there is frustration among the West Wing and other parts of the administration about a process that they have had little control over, as it's centered in the FDA. And you have heard the FDA facing criticism for how -- their lack of speed with which they acted on this issue.

But, still, the White House within the last 48 hours has tried to show that they are taking direct steps to try to alleviate this shortage. That includes President Biden invoking the Defense Production Act, directing suppliers to send their products -- prioritize sending their products to the manufacturers of formula.

Now, some aides had been skeptical whether using the DPA would actually have tangible effects. And officials have warned that this won't be a magic wand that will immediately alleviate the problem. In fact, the White House has yet to identify how and where they are using the Defense Production Act, simply saying they are still working with the companies to see what their needs are on the ingredients.

Additionally, President Biden announced the launch of Operation Fly Formula. This is an effort to use DOD commercial planes to fly formula from overseas into the United States. And, last night, the White House announced that they had reached an agreement with Nestle to transport the equivalent of 1.5 million eight-ounce bottles of baby formula from Switzerland to the United States.

There are three specific brands of formula that that includes. And one thing that's important to note is that they are all hypoallergenic for babies who are allergic to cow milk, which is important, since many families who are struggling during this crisis need specialty formula for their children.

Now, the DOD is still working to secure these commercial planes which will transport the formula to the United States. I'm told that they would be flown from Switzerland to Plainfield, Indiana, and that those flights could begin taking off within days.

But one big question is, what happens when it gets to Indiana? The White House says that it will be distributed to the places with most acute needs. But, so far, they have not previewed what that distribution process will look like.

But, still, there are so many families who are looking for answers of when the shortage will be alleviated. So far, officials have simply said they expect it to gradually improve over the course of the next few weeks. But, still, there are many questions for the administration for why they did not act sooner, as this crisis has...

[14:15:00]

CAMEROTA: Yes. And families need that formula now.

Arlette Saenz, thank very much for the reporting.

So, the Justice Department is trying to combat hate crimes after that racist mass shooting at a Buffalo supermarket. The new steps they're taking.

And Justice Clarence Thomas calls out Chief Justice John Roberts. How high tensions are running now at the Supreme Court.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: The funeral, the first funeral for a victim of the Buffalo mass shooting is today, loved ones of 68-year-old Deacon Heyward Patterson having to say their final goodbyes.

Patterson leaves behind a 12-year-old son.

BLACKWELL: At the request of his widow, civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton plans to deliver the eulogy. And nine other funerals are expected to be held next week.

[14:20:04]

Now, than a week since that racist attack, the Justice Department is unveiling a new plan to prevent and combat hate crimes. According to the FBI, hate crimes are at their highest level in more than a decade, particularly against black and Asian American communities.

CAMEROTA: So, Attorney General Merrick Garland says the department has been working on these plans for months, and the timing of the announcement is not lost on him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MERRICK GARLAND, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Last weekend's attack was a painful reminder of the singular impact that hate crimes have not only on individuals, but on entire communities. They bring immediate devastation. They inflict lasting fear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: CNN justice correspondent Jessica Schneider is following this story for us.

So, Jessica, what is Merrick Garland doing?

JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Really, Alisyn and Victor, combating the rise of hate crimes, it has been a big priority for the attorney general even before the Buffalo shooting.

So, today, he announced three new initiatives. So, first, the Justice Department, they will advise community organizations and local law enforcement agencies how they can better prevent and respond to hate crimes. Next, the department will also devote $10 million in grants to fund state hate crime reporting hot lines.

There's really been a big disconnect over how hate crimes are reported in individual states, and then how they're ultimately reported to the FBI. So, this $10 million grant, it's really meant to help bridge that gap. And, finally, DOJ is hiring its first ever language access coordinator.

Officials really -- they say that a big barrier to hate crime reporting is speaking of different languages, and this coordinator is going to try to bridge that gap as well.

And here's how Attorney General Merrick Garland described the importance of all of these efforts.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARLAND: This department was founded in 1870 in the aftermath of the Civil War, with the first fundamental purpose to fight the white supremacist attack on black civil rights after the Civil War; 152 years later, the task to combat hate-fueled violence remains central to the department's mission.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHNEIDER: And, in addition to these announcements, the attorney general also met with various civil rights leaders today.

This all comes as federal prosecutors, they're determining how and if to charge the Buffalo shooter, possibly with a federal hate crime. That could add significant potential punishment, including perhaps even the death penalty -- Alisyn and Victor.

CAMEROTA: Jessica Schneider. BLACKWELL: All right, after that draft opinion on abortion was leaked

last month from the Supreme Court, CNN has new reporting about a growing feud between Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas.

There was a public display of disagreement rarely seen between members of the High Court.

CNN legal analyst and Supreme Court biographer Joan Biskupic joins us now live.

So, Joan, what happened?

JOAN BISKUPIC, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hi, Victor. Hi, Alisyn.

That building is already so hard to get any information out of. And, right now, it's even ringed in an eight-foot nonscalable fence and concrete barriers. So they are really hunkered down inside.

Justice Clarence Thomas is so close to achieving a long-held goal, and that's complete reversal of Roe. He is the senior member of the five justices who would be with Samuel Alito to reverse Roe if that draft that Politico put out earlier this month dated February 10 still holds.

But the question is, will it still hold? And, recently, Clarence Thomas made some remarks against Chief Justice John Roberts' tenure and the culture of the court that really burst things out into the open, because he and others have had tensions with the chief. They just never said it out loud.

And let me give you an example of one of the things he said. He talked about the period before 2005, when Chief Justice John Roberts came on.

He said: "That was when we actually trusted each other. We may have been a dysfunctional family, but we were a family," and he loved it.

Now, what's key about this, Victor, is that the one person likely standing between Clarence Thomas and the other justices on the far right and complete reversal of Roe at this moment is the chief.

He does not want it to be reversed right now. He has not been in favor of abortion rights, but his sentiment, as he indicated during oral arguments and that -- what we have picked up in our reporting, is that what he would prefer to do is uphold the Mississippi law that would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, but not yet go as far as overturning Roe.

Because I have to tell you, Victor and Alisyn, when the justices said they were going to take up this case, they specifically said they were going to confine it to whether the Constitution prohibits any kind of ban on pre-viability abortions. And viability is estimated at 23 weeks.

[14:25:15] So the court could conceivably uphold the Mississippi ban, but not reverse Roe. Clarence Thomas has seen his goal of reversal of Roe slip away before. Two years ago, when the chief sided with the liberals to strike down a restrictive Louisiana law, Clarence Thomas said there is not a shred of support in the Constitution for Roe v. Wade. It's made up of whole cloth.

He wants it overturned now, rather than in the next couple of years with a different case. And it's in the hands of the chief and others and those five justices on the far right at this moment -- Victor, Alisyn.

BLACKWELL: Remarkable to hear this from Justice Thomas, and especially after that leak of the draft opinion.

Joan Biskupic, thank you.

British intelligence now says that the Kremlin fired senior commanders who performed poorly during the initial stages of the Ukraine invasion. What this tells us about what's ahead for Russia's offensive.

Plus, a CNN exclusive: Former Russian prisoner Trevor Reed opens up for the first time about his life behind bars and his strategy for survival.

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