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Witness Reveals Meadows' Role as Trump's Enabler; 51 Migrants Dead After Police Find Abandoned Semi-Truck; Dramatic Video Shows Missile Strike on Shopping Mall; Epstein Confidante Sentence to 20 Years in Prison. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired June 29, 2022 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster. If you're just joining us, let me bring you up-to-date with some of the stories, we're following this hour.

The NATO Summit officially under way in Madrid. President Joe Biden arrived a short while ago. On Tuesday, Turkey agreed to support both Finland and Sweden's NATO bids potentially clearing the way for them to join the Alliance.

And the January 6 Committee has presented dramatic new testimony about former President Donald Trump's actions in connection with the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to the White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, testified on Tuesday.

We learned a lot about some of Donald Trump's closest advisers and roles they played leading up to the Capitol riot. Cassidy Hutchinson testified Trump was very interested to know what would happen on January 6 and he asked his Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to call his close allies Michael Flynn and Roger Stone to see what they knew. Both Flynn and Stone testified before the committee. Here is a look at part of Flynn's deposition.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REP. LIZ CHENEY (R-WY): General Flynn, do you believe the violence on January 6 was justified?

MICHAEL FLYNN, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: Can I get a clarification? Is that a moral question or are you asking a legal question?

CHENEY: I'm asking both. Do you believe the violence on January 6 was justified morally?

FLYNN: I said, I said the Fifth.

CHENEY: Do you believe the violence on January 6 was justified morally?

FLYNN: Take the Fifth. [04:05:00]

CHENEY: Do you believe the violence on January 6 was justified legally?

FLYNN: The Fifth.

CHENEY: Gen. Flynn do you believe in the peaceful transition of power in the United States of America?

FLYNN: The Fifth.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Well, most legal experts say the simple answer to all those questions is no, but Michael Flynn wasn't the only one doing Trump's bidding. In her testimony Cassidy Hutchinson revealed how much her boss Mark Meadows knew about Trump's actions. CNN's Brian Todd reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Cassidy Hutchinson's testimony before the January 6 committee, painting then Chief of Staff Mark Meadows as Donald Trump's enabler. At one point describing concern inside the White House, including from the White House counsel, that Meadows wanted Trump to go to the Capitol with rioters that day.

CASSIDY HUTCHINSON, FORMER AIDE TO WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF MARK MEADOWS: It's my understanding that Mr. Cipollone thought that Mr. Meadows was indeed pushing this along with the president.

TODD (voice-over): It was the culmination of Mark Meadows' commitment to help Trump try to overturn the 2020 election results.

In late November 2020, Meadows sent an impassioned text to Ginni Thomas, the right-wing activists and wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Meadows said of the battle to keep Trump in office, quote: This is a fight of good versus evil. Evil always looks like the victor until the King of Kings triumphs. Do not grow weary in well doing. The fight continues. I have staked my career on it.

According to reporting by CNN and "The New Yorker", during the tumultuous period after the 2020 election and before the January 6th attack on the Capitol, Mark Meadows was burning both sides of a dangerous candle, as he helped Trump pushed lies about election fraud.

RYAN LIZZA, CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, POLITICO: At the same time, he is telling people such as Bill Barr and others, we don't believe in this stuff, he is facilitating and putting in front of the president in the Oval Office the most -- anyone who comes to the door would some lunatic election fraud conspiracy theory. TODD (voice-over): Meadows also personally went to the state of Georgia after the election, as part of the Trump team's efforts to flip the election results. Quite a journey from Meadows' time as an obscure Tea Party conservative in the House, a seat he won in 2012.

DAVID SWERDLICK, SENIOR STAFF EDITOR, NEW YORK TIMES OPINION: Not so much thought of as a policy genius or someone who had a perspective agenda, but someone who is there to derail the agenda of Democrats, to throw bombs.

TODD (voice-over): What led Meadows from that to his position at Trump side during a treacherous time? One analyst says pure ambition.

SUSAN GLASSER, WROTE PIECE ON MARK MEADOWS FOR THE NEW YORKER: I think what we learned pretty clearly is that Mark Meadows was untruthful. That he was a very willing hatchet man for Donald Trump. That he was willing to jettison parts of his ideology that didn't fit with Donald Trump, and that he was willing to do almost anything to keep Donald Trump in power.

TODD: Cassidy Hutchinson also testified that Mark Meadows sought a presidential pardon from Trump related to January 6. CNN has reached out several times to a representative for Meadows, for a response to the Hutchinson's testimony and response to our story. We've not heard back.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Cassidy Hutchinson's testimony appears to bolster the committee's argument that Trump supported the January 6 insurrection as part of a desperate bid for a second term. Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley says her testimony was momentous, comparing to what was heard during the Watergate hearings under President Richard Nixon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Watergate is on everybody's lips and in many ways, Cassidy Hutchinson is the John Dean of the moment. This was just devastating testimony that we heard today. Donald Trump has to be cringing in disbelief. I mean, she delivered all the goods.

I mean, there's nothing like this since the civil war. I mean, if Watergate was less than this, we've never had a president or even in American history just be the poster child of sedition. And that's what we saw Trump today and there's going to be a lot of scenes of this, the plate smashing and the ketchup and that I'm the f'ing president. The president of the United States didn't care that there were armed rioters on the Capitol and said that they are not going to hurt me. Meaning that they might hurt Pence or Pelosi or members of Congress.

It's not going to be the behavior of Donald Trump in the SUV and did he or did he not, you know, try to lunge at the driver, the Secret Service. That's going to be all interesting, all important, but the fact of the matter is this was a riot and insurrection and the president was basically green lighting blood shed as long as it wasn't his own. So, there's no president that has ever acted this reprehensible. This is a twice impeached president who tried to have a coup on the United States.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[04:10:00]

FOSTER: Brinkley went on to say that Tuesday's testimony put Trump in a new kind of legal jeopardy.

Now residents of San Antonio, Texas came together on Tuesday night to honor the lives of dozens of migrants found dead in the back of a semi-truck on Monday. Their thoughts and prayers were echoed by a liberal judge who once served as San Antonio's mayor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NELSON WOLFF, BEXAR COUNTY, TEXAS JUDGE: Today we mourn for those 51 immigrants who came to us, to breathe that fresh air. But instead found death in the state of Texas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: A U.S. Homeland Security agent calls Monday's migrant tragedy, quote, the worst human smuggling event in the United States. 51 people are now dead after being found in that sweltering tractor trailer in San Antonio. Officials confirm citizens from Mexican, Guatemala and Honduras were inside. Two Mexican nationals who authorities say were in the U.S. illegally have been arrested on firearms charges in the case. Though they have not been directly linked to the migrants' deaths. San Antonio's mayor spoke to CNN about the tragedy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON NIRENBERG, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS MAYOR: This is probably the worst tragedy in terms of migration that I know of in recent history. And the people that are responsible for subjecting other people to these conditions should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: There is now a memorial set up with crosses and candles near where the bodies were found.

You are watching CNN NEWSROOM live from London.

Ukraine has released new video of the missile strike on a shopping mall. What it reveals about the target and Russia's version of events. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:15:00]

FOSTER: We have dramatic new video and new details about the deadly Russian strike on the mall in Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says these images show the moment when a Russian missile hit the shopping center killing at least 18 citizens. CNN can't independently verify exactly what the missile is hitting in this video. But the drone footage shows there's not much left of the mall.

CNN's Salma Abdelaziz is live at the site of that missile strike in Kremenchuk in Ukraine. I mean, those scenes behind you are indescribable, aren't they.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: It's absolutely devastating to be at this scene, this shopping complex decimated by that huge missile that you see hitting in that video. I'll just step away so that you can begin to take a look at the scene that's unfolding here.

Russia hit this shopping complex, Max, with a missile capable of carrying up to 1,000 kilogram warhead. Imagine the devastation that caused. You can see it right in front of you. It's usually a missile used to take out warships being used on this shopping complex. And we know so far 18 people killed, several wounded.

But what you are looking at here is actually recovery operations, Max. These firefighters are working around the clock to try to find the bodies of the missing. There is over 20 people unaccounted for. They've been working around the clock here. Again, hundreds of people, it's a massive operation. Police, military, firefighters, cleanup crews to try to find those who are unaccounted for but we can only assume and officials tell us of course that it is assumed that they are dead, but they are just trying to find the bodies for their loved ones.

No Russia claims that they were hitting a weapons depot. But you can see right in front of you here, Max, this is a shopping mall. And it's hard to even imagine that it once was, so devastated it is. But it is clearly a shopping mall.

And President Zelenskyy has been clear, he doesn't think this was an accident by Russia, he says that Russia intentionally targeted this civilian area. That Russia intentionally is hitting civilians killing innocent. He called for an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting the other day, he wants Russia to be seen as a state sponsor of terrorism. He calls what you see behind me here an act of terrorism.

But it's a continuation of something we've seen over the last few days, Max. And that is as President Biden has met with world leaders, as these two major summits have taken place, as these powerful nations have discussed what do about Russia, what to do about the war in Ukraine, President Putin has been sending this message, he can hit this country anywhere anytime.

OK, Salma in Kremenchuk, Ukraine thank you for bringing us that.

Now, a survivor speaks out after the longtime confidant of disgrace financier Jeffrey Epstein is sentenced to prison. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just hope that this sentence can be another sign that voices are coming together and saying no more.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: We'll have details on Ghislaine Maxwell's sentence when we return.

[04:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: A longtime confidant of disgrace financier Jeffrey Epstein was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Tuesday. Ghislaine Maxwell has been convicted -- or was convicted late last year on five charges including sex trafficking of a minor. CNN's Jean Casarez has more from New York.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Maxwell was wearing a navy-blue prison jumpsuit. She was shackled at her ankles. And Judge Alison Nathan, in delivering the sentence, said that a significant sentence was necessary. She said that in the submissions by the defense that there was nothing about acceptance of responsibility. And she said that it was for her role, Maxwell's role, for what she was being sentenced, not for Jeffrey Epstein's conduct.

The judge proceeded with the sentence but before that -- and we didn't know it was going to happen -- but Maxwell, herself, stood up to given an allocution to the court. She's told the judge -- but was actually speaking to the victims -- that she was sorry for the pain you have experienced. I hope the conviction brings you closure. I had hoped that this day would bring a terrible chapter to its end. May this day help you travel from the darkness into the light.

She also said, it was difficult to address the court after hearing the emotion from the victims. And there were four victims of Maxwell that stood and gave in court victim impact statements. They read them. They would turn to Maxwell. They were emotional.

Here is one, quote: I frequently express flashbacks and wake up in a cold sweat from nightmares retelling the awful experience. To this day, I attend meetings to treat alcoholism but I have had numerous relapses and know that only by the grace of God I continue to live. I have attempted suicide twice.

Now, the judge is recommending to the Bureau of Prisons that she go to Danbury, Connecticut. They make the final decision. But it is 20 years with five years after that of supervised release.

Jean Casarez, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE) FOSTER: Let's take you to Madrid and the NATO Summit. The family photo is under way. NATO leaders gathering for this big crucial transformational meeting -- according to the head of NATO -- he standing there, Jens Stoltenberg, in the middle of the picture along with the Spanish Prime Minister who is hosting and President Biden to his left and other NATO leaders there.

Always interesting to see the body language on these occasions, seeing who is working with who. But the big message ahead of this meeting is unity because Turkey, who has been threatening to block an expansion of NATO into Sweden and into Finland has now opened up that blockage effectively -- as you can see there. President Erdogan there on the left. Effectively allowing that entry to the grouping.

[04:25:00]

So, Turkey is on board with the strategy of NATO as that key meeting unfolds.

Now another wildfire ignites in the Western United States after starting Tuesday afternoon in Northern California. The Rices Fire has burned at least 510 acres so far. That's just over 206 hectares, according to CAL FIRE. Our meteorologist Pedram Javaheri has the U.S. forecast.

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Max. Lots of mild air building in across the Eastern United States. Second to last day of June, no complaints when you see what the temperature looks like here across this region over the next couple of days. We'll touch on that momentarily.

But notice plenty of activity, rain cooled area in the Southern United States, a lot of this rainfall has something to do with the temps being slightly cooler and notice 3, 4 1/2 inches across portions of South Carolina, Mt. Pleasant, Kiawah Island, beautiful spots here seeing so much rainfall. Stationery frontal boundaries helping with this. And also, a disturbance popping up across areas of eastern Texas into Western Louisiana. We'll touch on as well.

Because there's a 40 percent chance this area of disturbance does become a tropical system over the next five days. But at this point, it is looking less and less likely. Because we think that it will kind of run out of time or if anything just rain itself out along southern and eastern Texas. So, parts of Corpus Christi into Houston, even Alexandria and into Louisiana, there could be some beneficial rainfall out of this and certainly a potential for some flooding as well.

Speaking of a potential, how about a potential tropical cyclone. This particular one poised to become tropical storm Bonnie that's just north of Venezuela, kind of skirts the coast of Columbia over the next couple of days. Plenty going against the system. One, it's a little too close to the Equator. That kind of reduces the spin potential of the storm, but also interacts with land here and we do think that it will run out of time. Some models suggest maybe this gets up into a low grade category one as it approaches Nicaragua sometime late this week, into early this weekend. But at this point, again, mainly going to be a rainmaker along this region.

Beyond this, there is also another system trying to form, 30 percent chance of this particular storm forming. But it is in a more favorable placement. Again, quite a ways out at this point, but something worth monitoring over the coming days.

I'll leave you with this. High temperatures across the U.S., only the upper 60s across Seattle, 65 in San Francisco. Highs in Chicago, warming up to almost 90 degrees -- Max.

Thank you, Pedram. "EARLY START" is next.

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