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Judge: Affidavit Behind Mar-a-Lago Search Is "Reliable; Teachers At Ohio's Largest School District Vote To Go On Strike; U.S. Providing 50,000 Monkeypox Vaccines At Large LGBTQ+ Events; Will & Kate To Leave London To Give Children "Normal" Life. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired August 22, 2022 - 14:30   ET

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

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[14:30:08]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST; The judge who signed off on the search warrant for Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago property says that he has reviewed the FBI's sworn evidence and he finds the affidavit to be reliable.

Judge Bruce Reinhart also explained where he stands on transparency and whether to unseal that affidavit. And he agrees that the Justice Department has some good reasons to keep that search affidavit sealed.

On Thursday, the DOJ will present why the details could compromise its ongoing investigation and reveal sensitive national security information.

Harry Litman is a former U.S. attorney and a legal affairs columnist for the "L.A. Times." Peter Strzok is the former assistant deputy director of the FBI.

Welcome to you both.

Harry, why do you think the judge came in and filed this 13-page document to put some facts or his view down on the table?

HARRY LITMAN, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: Yes, so I think it was always contemplated that he would do some kind of writing. It's a good question because magistrate judges often don't.

But I think he contemplates, A, the real possibility of an appeal here. This could go just above him to the district court and from there to the 11th circuit. Always good to review a written record.

And then, second, he wants to show the country, he sees this as an unprecedented case, he wants to lay out his reasoning. Indeed, it was methodical and very much by the book.

Finally, there's an important sentence in there saying, that it may be that it's so redacted that you just can't do it in a meaningful way.

He wanted that sentence in there in case, come Thursday or after Thursday, he so decides, so at least people can anticipate that possibility.

BLACKWELL: Peter, Judge Reinhart also said of the evidence that the FBI presented, he said that, "I was and am satisfied that the facts sworn by the affiant are reliable."

He had to sign off on this. We know that the attorney general personally signed off on it. You would imagine that Chris Wray did as well.

The significance of reiterating that confidence in this filing?

PETER STRZOK, FORMER FBI ASSISTANT DEPUTY DIRECTOR: Well, I think it's sending a clear message, not only to the parties to the suit right now between the press and the government.

But also to everybody looking in, that's essaying, hey, look, I reviewed this not only at the time I signed it, but again, and I am comfortable that these facts are accurate.

And again, these facts establish that there was probable cause that there was evidence not of one, not two, but three different crimes all at Mar-a-Lago.

I think he's sending a message saying there's meat on this bone, there's more than enough to support the search warrant. He goes through and, as Harry indicated, the government needs to keep a lot of this information sealed, whether it's the direction of whether the investigation is going.

He cited extensively agents and others, who have been identified because of the efforts of some on the far-right media to do so, the targeting of the FBI that's taken place, the sensitivity of Mar-a- Lago, given the fact that it's being subject to the Secret Service's protection.

But I think he is not only sort of sending a message to outside readers, but also laying down what we might expect to see or not see coming up this Thursday.

BLACKWELL: Harry, what is the process likely happening now? I know this doesn't happen very often, but the DOJ is now sitting, going through this document.

Are they on a footing that says, well, we've got to give the judge something, because he, as he says, is inclined to release some of these details?

What likely are they doing going through this document page by page, trying to negotiate and bargain what should be released?

LITMAN: Yes, I think that's exactly the footing they're on, Victor. He made it clear -- and they have to risk -- if they don't give him something, that he'll rule over them.

So I think there are a lot of people in the room with a lot of black magic markers. And could we give this up? Can we give this up? And this judge is a longtime government attorney and he's sensitive

about not revealing the investigation, protecting witnesses, national security.

But they've got to give him something. So I think they're trying to play ball. Nevertheless, it's certain that the document, if he approves it or

not, is going to have pages of almost all blacked out.

And it will be fodder for Trump and others on the far right, that Pete is talking about, to jump up and down and say, you're still hiding the ball on us.

But that's what they're trying to do. What can we possibly live with here given the very important considerations on the other side?

BLACKWELL: Peter, I want you to listen to Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw, his explanation of why so many Republicans are rallying around the former president.

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[14:35:02]

REP. DAN CRENSHAW (R-TX): I still haven't seen any evidence that he was even asked -- that Trump was asked to give these documents back. He's been Cooperating with them on these issues for months. So why take it to this extreme extent?

I think that's why you're seeing so much backlash from Republicans. You're seeing everyone coalesce. It doesn't matter what side of the issues they're on with Trump.

We've seen a lot coalesce around this one because it does seem unjust. And there seems to be a long history of loss of credibility at the Department of Justice at the hands of Democrats. And I think people are frustrated about that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: What's your reaction to what you heard there?

STRZOK: Representative Crenshaw is absolutely wrong.

First off, there's more than a yearlong investigation, extraordinarily intrusive, into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the time she was running for president of the United States.

So I don't want to hear that this is a one-sided Department of Justice or FBI who only investigates Republicans. That's nonsense.

As to the statement that there's no indication that former President Trump had been asked? That's complete baloney.

We know that attorneys and agents of the former president, going back into last year, were trying to recover the boxes of documents that he stole from the White House, saying these are records, you are not allowed to have them, we need them back.

And after months and months and months of not producing that material, he finally produces some. His attorney signs an attestation to the Department of Justice, we've given you back every piece of classified information.

And then after that, the government develops information that there's still classified information, stolen information, that persuades this judge not only is there information at Mar-a-Lago.

But there are additional crimes of obstruction because of all these false prior attempts to get it back.

Representative Crenshaw is wrong on the facts, without question.

BLACKWELL: There was also the subpoena going into June to get more documents back before the search warrant two weeks ago.

Peter Strzok, Harry Litman, I appreciate it.

Teachers in Ohio's largest school district have voted to strike just days before the first day of school. We've got a member of the teachers union up next to tell us what's behind the walkout.

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[14:40:51]

BLACKWELL: The largest school district are on strike just days before the start of the new school year. The Columbus Education Association Union says 94 percent of its members agreed to walk off the job for the first time since 1975. The group is demanding better learning conditions.

Courtney Johnson has been teaching in Columbus City schools for 21 years. She's a school library and media specialist and a member of the CEA.

Thank you for being with us.

Let me start here, Courtney. The Columbus school board says that it offered a generous compensation package and some provisions for the classroom as its final offer. You say this is not about money.

What is it about?

COURTNEY JOHNSON, SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST, COLUMBUS COUNTY CITY SCHOOLS & CEA MEMBER: Yes, it's never been about economics. This strike is about our students. And our students -- our Columbus City school students deserve a commitment to modern schools with properly working heating and air-conditioning and smaller class sizes, and art, music and P.E.

CEA has never made this about economics.

BLACKWELL: When you mentioned the HVAC, the heating and air in the classrooms -- because we know the temperatures are extreme often in schools.

The president of the school board says that they acknowledge those problems, however, that's something that belongs on a referendum, it should go to voters.

This has to do with the funding of the city. This is not something that should be part of the contract between the board and the union.

To that, you say what?

JOHNSON: Well, I say, first of all, we know that there's money given by Congress in funding specifically for HVAC upgrades. So we know that money exists and we're simply asking for them to put that into the contract, into writing.

And it's interesting because, in the last year, Columbus City schools has lost $54 million to tax abatements approved by the school board that went to wealthy developers here in our city instead of going to our students.

So we know that the money is there from our funds that could be invested into the HVAC systems and we're just asking for them to guarantee it.

BLACKWELL: So the students, when they return to class, they won't be returning to the buildings. This will be virtual as long as the strike goes on with substitutes teaching.

Listen, we know what students lost during the pandemic not being in the classroom.

What do you say to those families who are concerned and the parents of these tens of thousands of students who now have to find some childcare for as long as this goes on?

JOHNSON: Yes, we understand that it's a sacrifice for all of us. We would all rather be in our classrooms preparing to meet students on Wednesday.

And I say, you know, we need the Columbus City school board to come back to the table and work it out so westbound get can get students as soon as possible.

BLACKWELL: Is it your expectation that this will be resolved in the next couple of days or could this go into next week or longer?

JOHNSON: That would be up to the board. CEA stands ready to negotiate at any minute. We've made that clear. We are not the ones who walked away from the negotiation table. That was Columbus City schools board of education.

[14:45:08]

The sooner they agree to come back to the table and negotiate in good faith, the sooner we'll all be back in school with our students. BLACKWELL: Do you know if there are any talks planned? I know that the

board is going to be together behind closed doors to discuss tonight, but are there any discussions on the schedule?

JOHNSON: Not to my knowledge.

BLACKWELL: OK.

So you're at Fort Hayes High, the media specialist in the library. Explain what the conditions are in your school. I know what you want, but what is the deficit you're seeing at your building?

JOHNSON: So in my building -- we have 10 buildings on our campus. Students move around to different buildings, like a college campus. And they never know from one classroom to the next if it's going to be 50 degrees or 90 degrees. And that's just one example.

We have air-conditioning installed in every building and every room in my school. But it's not properly functioning.

And that's what we're fighting for, is safe, properly maintained and fully resourced schools where the air-conditioning and the heating works, and students don't have to suffer.

And then there are schools that have no air-conditioning still or have just a couple of rooms that might have air-conditioning. So it's about installing those air conditioners, but also making sure they work properly.

The school has air-conditioning and heat, but those systems need worked on. They need fixed. They need to work every day so students don't have to go from one classroom to the other where the temperatures are so extreme.

We've also had many, many days where we had school called off for heat or school is closed down because the HVAC system didn't work. That's all loss of instructional time.

You can imagine how hard it is to learn in a classroom that's freezing cold or very hot.

BLACKWELL: Courtney Johnson, I thank you for your time. And, of course, we hope, for all parties involved, that this is resolved soon and kids can get into the classroom on day one.

Thank you so much.

JOHNSON: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: The White House is ramping up efforts to slow the spread of monkeypox, including a pilot program that sends thousands of vaccines to LGBTQ events across the country. We're going to take you to one next.

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[14:51:43]

BLACKWELL: The White House says it's working to go get more monkeypox vaccines administered, particularly in the LGBTQ community, which according to the CDC is at higher risk.

Over the weekend, shots were available at Charlotte's Pride festival.

And CNN's Dianne Gallagher was there.

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DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Celebrating Pride in person for the first time in two years --

(CHEERING)

GALLAGHER: -- Charlotte showed up, dancing, cheering, marching --

(SHOUTING)

GALLAGHER: -- and vaccinating at-risk Pride participants against monkeypox.

ABE GADIKIAN, PRIDE FESTIVAL ATTENDEE: There were a group of women walking around saying that the shot was available. And me and a friend took a walk down to the Health Department, 15 minutes, filled out some paperwork, in and out.

GALLAGHER: The North Carolina city's Pride festival is the launch site of a Biden administration pilot program to send 50,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine so LGBTQ centered events, like Pride, around the country.

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES: We will now, by prepositioning a considerable number of doses of vaccine, we'll be able to handle it and get our arms around this so that we don't see further spread.

GALLAGHER: Though some, like Miguel Fuller, who is vaccinated, feel the administration should have done this sooner.

MIGUEL FULLER, PRIDE FESTIVAL ATTENDEE: You can't just like put something on social media and say, all right, we've done it. They need to go to the bars, to the clubs, individually.

GALLAGHER: That's something local outreach organizations, like Rain, say they've had success in doing and is especially effective, they found, in reaching disproportionately affected communities of color.

CHELSEA GULDEN, PRESIDENT & CEO, RAIN, INC.: I know what we've been seeing in nontraditional venues has been primarily people of color. So, the first weekend we did it, we did a day event and an evening event, and we vaccinated 170 individuals. But 90 percent of them African-American. GALLAGHER: For Charlotte's heavily attended Pride weekend, the Biden

administration allotted Mecklenburg County Public Health an extra 2,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine to be administered to people considered high risk.

GLENDA DANCY, ASST. HEALTH DIRECTOR, MECKLENBURG COUNTY HEALTH DEPT.: We're excited to be a part of it. There definitely is a need in this county. We have a high case rate. And we definitely want to be able to provide vaccinations to individuals who need those vaccines.

GALLAGHER: The CDC has recorded more than 14,000 cases of monkeypox across the country.

State public health data shows that as of August 18th 198 cases of those were in North Carolina, 93 here in Mecklenburg County, which was operating on a vaccine wait list.

They transitioned last week to an alternate, under-the-skin-injection method in the forearm as a way to increase supply from one to five doses per vial.

GADIKIAN: I wasn't expecting the mark, but they -- I mean, they told me it might be sore, it might be itchy. But me, personally, I haven't had any -- any symptoms from it. It's not bothering me at all.

GALLAGHER: But something that is bothering people at Pride --

JENNY GUNN, PRIDE FESTIVAL ATTENDEE: We're very aware of not stigmatizing it as just a gay man's disease, just like HIV was in the '80 and '90s.

GALLAGHER: Men that have sex with men and transgender people do make up the majority of monkeypox cases right now, which is why they are being prioritized with the limited vaccine supply.

However, monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted infection and any person can get it from prolonged close, typically skin to skin contact with an infected person.

[14:55:01]

So, if the Biden administration wants its outreach to be a success, celebrating while educating without discriminating is the only way to approach it.

GUNN: It's good to see the community back. And, yes, it's a -- it's a great moment for all of us. And that's what should be talked about. And we can protect people and still not stigmatize them

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BLACKWELL: Dianne Gallagher, thank you for that report.

The duke and duchess of Cambridge say they are seeking a more normal life for their children. What that means for the royal family next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:59:50]

BLACKWELL: In an unprecedented move, the duke and duchess of Cambridge are leaving London and the pomp and circumstance of Kensington Palace so their three children can have a normal family life.

CNN's royal correspondent, Max Foster, is in London.

Max, how normal are we talking really?

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, unprecedented in royal terms. Certainly, not for the rest of us.