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Fuel Leak Delays Launch Countdown Of Artemis Moon Rocket; Judge Releases Detailed Inventory Of Mar-a-Lago Documents; Judge Weighs Trump Request For A "Special Master" Review; Inventory Of Mar-a-Lago Documents Shows Dozens Of Empty Folders With "Classified" Banners. Aired 9-10a ET

Aired September 03, 2022 - 09:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:00:48]

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. It is Saturday September 3. I'm Amara Walker.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Great to be with you, Amara. I'm Boris Sanchez. You are live in the CNN Newsroom. We're grateful to be a part of your Labor Day weekend.

And this morning, we are closely watching NASA's historic Artemis 1 mission preparing for a second launch attempt to the moon. These are live pictures coming straight from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida where crews are working on a liquid hydrogen leak that delayed fueling the massive rocket. The two hour launch window still expected to open up this afternoon at 2:17 p.m. Currently, weather conditions are 60 percent favorable.

WALKER: The mission will mark the United States' return to the moon for the first time in nearly 50 years, and aims to land the first woman and the first person of color on the moon without -- within the next few years. And it will eventually send the first astronaut to Mars. And while NASA has said there's no guarantee that the launch will happen today, engineers appear optimistic that this rocket is ready to fly.

Let's go now to CNN's Space and Defense Correspondent Kristin Fisher live this morning from the Kennedy Space Center.

Hi there, Kristin. Any good news to update us with?

KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE AND DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: Hey, guys, good morning. I wish I had some better news for you but it's not over yet. Let me walk you through the problem of what we've been watching over the last hour.

Since I last spoke to you NASA engineers have been troubleshooting this hydrogen leak. And here's where it is. This is the SLS rocket, this is the main core stage. Right now they are trying to fill this core stage was super cool propellant, liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. And in one of the lines called the quick disconnect, it's a hydrogen line that goes right in about here, they've encountered a leak, it's about eight inches wide.

And you know, we actually had a chance to go out to the launch pad yesterday and we were able to get some shots of where this problem area actually is. It is enormously complicated. There are wires and hoses and valves everywhere. I mean, it is kind of a miracle that this thing ever actually works.

But they have fixed it appears that first hydrogen leak that they encountered on Monday. So this is a new hydrogen leak in a different place. And, you know, part of the reason that this is such a troublesome spot for NASA and the entire Artemis team right now is because of liquid hydrogen itself.

Hydrogen is the smallest molecule in the universe, it is notoriously difficult to deal with. Because it's so small it's of course very easy to leak. And so this is the same type of fuel that they used during the shuttle program. NASA, as an organization is very familiar with it as a rocket fuel. But remember, guys, it's been you know, over a decade since the last space shuttle launch. So this is an entirely new workforce.

Even though NASA -- the organization is familiar with liquid hydrogen, this launch team is really kind of dealing with this countdown, this type of fuel for the first time in a long time, and a lot of the old shuttle folks have retired. So, this is part of the issue when you're working through a first test flight. Yes, there's engineering and mechanical constraints, but it's also about getting this workforce up to speed. And it's more than that, it's kind of like getting comfortable with -- what -- getting comfortable with the risk, how much of the leak or how much of going out of the deviation of the sensors is appropriate and where are they comfortable with.

So guys, that's what they're working on right now. And the big question, though, is even if they get it fixed, this leak fixed, is there going to be enough time to launch this rocket because there was a two hour launch window, they've lost about an hour and a half trying to troubleshoot this problem. There's a chance they could make it up, but it's just not clear yet, guys.

SANCHEZ: And they are hoping they don't have to rely on the backup of launch on Monday or Tuesday but the option is there. Kristin Fisher from Kennedy Space Center, thank you so much

[09:05:03]

Let's get a quick look at your weather forecast with Meteorologist Britley Ritz. She's at the CNN Weather Center right now.

Britley, they have these complications with the rocket. They're trying to get that fixed. They're trying to make it into that two hour window later in the afternoon. How do you think the weather is going to look when we get to 2:17 p.m.?

BRITLEY RITZ, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, the latter part of that launch window is actually the better timeframe when it comes down to weather to get that rocket off the ground. So fingers crossed that we can actually make that happen.

Right now I want you to look at satellite and radar showing you scattered showers across the Atlantic. And one of them popped up right within the 10 mile radius of Cape Canaveral. That's one of the things we have to watch for, showers. Not only that, but the cloud itself and lightning within 10 miles.

Our eyes are peeled on radar over the upcoming hours. The scattered showers continue, you'll see the lightning well off into the Atlantic, but that east wind is key, that wind pushes the showers on the shore, we could potentially deal with a scrub. So we're watching that.

Right now winds are pushing out of the southeast, which if that happens, we have a better chance of catching on to a shower. But as these winds shift over the upcoming hours more eastward, that pushes the sea breeze with the heat of the day as the storms fire further inland. So we have a better opportunity for the showers and storms to stay inland and a better chance for a launch time. So you'll see that here on your future radar showing you that rain pushing inland as the sea breeze kicks up as temperatures are back up around peak, around noon time to 1:00 in the mid to upper 80s.

Another thing we have to watch, not just the lightning within the storm, but the rocket itself with the thrust as it goes up can create its own lightning. So a lot of key factors in here with this launch.

WALKER: Yes, a lot, millions of factors, right? Britley Ritz, thank you.

All right. Joining us now is retired NASA Astronaut Colonel Jack Fisher.

Colonel, good morning. Thank you for joining us. So, first off, what's your reaction to this liquid hydrogen leak? How big of a setback is it?

COL. JACK FISHER, RETIRED NASA ASTRONAUT: You know, good morning, and thanks for having me. It's spaceflight, space is hard. And we find little dings along the way, but we make more and I have incredible confidence in the NASA team.

We do have a lot of experience with these type of things. As Kristin mentioned, they fixed one just from the attempt earlier this week already, and they have a few things still up their sleeve to try and receipt that bow. So, give them a chance, man, we still got a chance at this.

SANCHEZ: Colonel, you just noted a couple of tricks up their sleeve to reseal the valve. We're actually just getting an update in my inbox right now from NASA, they're again stopping the flow of liquid hydrogen into the core stage tank to try another troubleshooting procedure. I don't want to get too into the weeds with the technical stuff, but what actually happens with liquid hydrogen that's so critical to help this rocket take off? Explain it to me as if I'm five, please.

J. FISHER: Here I will. You know, as Kristin mentioned, liquid hydrogen it's is so small and it's super cold, 423 degrees below zero. We need it because it is a fantastic fuel.

One of the things that they are trying now is using some helium to increase the pressure and kind of make that surface so that we don't have a leak. We need it because it is the primary fuel. And all of these problems there's millions of them in this rocket, that's what's so impressive about what's happening today.

And when this baby finally goes whether this morning or later this week, it's a testament to what humanity can do when they do the impossible. So, we still -- there's still tricks and they will continue troubleshooting until this baby works.

WALKER: Boris, did that work for you? Did you talk he talk to you like you're --

SANCHEZ: Yes, yes.

WALKER: OK. Good.

SANCHEZ: Very much.

WALKER: I thought he was going to be like, Boris, this is how it works. No, I'm kidding.

So, I guess, you know, what are you looking forward to the most looking forward? You know, once Artemis has launched, what is the most important thing in your opinion?

J. FISHER: You know, I -- so I work at a company that is part of the Artemis program too, we're doing a little robotic lander to the moon in March and it's just to recapture the imagination of humanity. That is so exciting to me.

When 8.8 million pounds of thrust, think about that, oh, that's so cool, goes flying off the back of that rocket, all of the kids, all of the people, the world over united in one thing. For us to take that next step and evolve as a humanity towards something more, it's the inspiration that just makes me so excited about what's happening right now in space. So this is an incredible day. And I'm excited all of us can be a part of it.

[09:10:27]

SANCHEZ: And once we get back to the moon, there's a very specific portion of it, the South Pole, right, that there's intense focus on. It's not just the United States, it's also China, because as I understand it, that could help propel humankind toward Mars. Help us understand the significance of getting to that South Pole and what's there.

J. FISHER: You bet. South Pole has a lot of resources, including water. That's where our lander is going to land looking for water. And that that is one of those building blocks of civilization and infrastructure that will need to go to the Mars and into the solar system. It is key.

And you mentioned China and some people bring up the, is there a race, it's -- this race is different. It's not the U.S. and the Soviets having a proxy for war, it's all of humanity. Leaving this pillar (ph) blue dot and finally exploring and going as one species to become more than we are. So, the South Pole, it's key. It gives us all the building blocks, we need to continue to take those steps into the stars and for darn exciting.

WALKER: So Artemis 1 is this test launch that will hopefully happen between 2:17 and 4:17 today. Then you have Artemis 2 that is estimated to hopefully happen around 2024 where NASA will launch for astronauts, not to land on the moon but to take that long loop around the moon. And then Artemis three is -- will hopefully be in 2025 to '26 will be the first landing for the first woman and first person of color on the moon and help establish the first long term presence.

My question to you is, you know, what will researchers want to learn then once we have foot -- our feet on the moon? What kind of samples will they be gathering? What kind of questions will they try to answer?

J. FISHER: You bet. And so, as we go through those steps, Artemis 3, and once we get on the moon, having different ways to generate power, different ways to use resources, different ways to explore in the heavens in more efficient ways so that we can bring that technology back to earth so that we can bring some of the industries we don't want on earth that can hurt our Earth away from it, and really take those steps out into exploration and be in more. Those are -- as a kind of general I was sticking with the five-year-old level but we can jump up.

WALKER: No, no, no. No, that's more than enough. That's my 15-year-old level for me at this point, too much.

SANCHEZ: Colonel Jack Fisher, appreciate the time. We look forward to watching this launch, hopefully later today. We'll see.

WALKER: Thank you.

J. FISHER: Sounds good. I got my fingers crossed.

SANCHEZ: Thanks so much. Appreciate it.

Still to come. Right now, more than 40 million people are under heat alerts out west. Ahead, we're going to tell you what to expect going into the holiday weekend and whether there are any signs of cooling off soon.

WALKER: Plus, millions of people expected to hit the skies this weekend for the holiday -- long holiday weekend. We'll tell you about changes some airlines are making ahead of possible delays and cancellations. Plus, she may have been defeated in the U.S. Open but all eyes are still on Serena Williams. Was last night's match her last? Ahead of look back at her incredible career.

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[09:18:24]

WALKER: Out west, this morning more than 14 million Americans are under extreme heat alerts as more than 200 locations could break temperature records this holiday weekend. Even states as far north as Montana could see record heat close to the triple digits, which is about 20 to 30 degrees above average for this time of year.

SANCHEZ: And officials in California are continuing to urge residents there to cut back on using electricity to avoid widespread power outages in the area. CNN's Chris Nguyen has more on just how hot it is there.

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CHRIS NGUYEN, CNN NATIONAL CORREPSONDENT (voice-over): Across the west, the scorching heat is showing no signs of cooling off this holiday weekend.

MARIE METCALFE, LIVES IN LOS ANGELES: OUR A.C. at home can only do so much when we're in these triple digits.

NGUYEN (voice-over): In Glendale California residents are seeking refuge at the Galleria shopping mall, taking advantage of the free air conditioning.

METCALFE: Getting out to the mall and just getting out of the house to get some sort of cool release is nice.

NGUYEN (voice-over): California is in the midst of its longest heat wave of the year, a major concern especially in large cities like Los Angeles where dark pavement and buildings can easily absorb heat bringing little relief overnight.

(on camera): Skid Row is an urban heat island which is why water is crucial especially when temperatures hit triple digits.

SOFIA GUADRON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WATER DROP L.A.: Free water. Free water.

NGUYEN (voice-over): That's why volunteers with Water Drop L.A. are checking up on the unhoused and the elderly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you want water?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sure.

NGUYEN (voice-over): Handing out cold water to those who need it.

GUARDON: At the core like we're old people and we should care about each other, we should like love each other and we should look out for each other.

[09:20:04]

NGUYEN (voice-over): The extreme heatwave also testing California's power grid. In Irwindale, Southern California Edison crews are busy moving transformers and extra equipment throughout the region.

DAVID EISENHAUER, SPOKESMAN, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON: We have all hands on deck ready to respond if there are outages so that we can get the power restored as quickly and safely as possible.

NGUYEN (voice-over): Many Californians are bracing for more misery ahead.

CARLA LIZAOLA, LIVES IN LOS ANGELES: It's insane. It's unbearable to even be home.

NGUYEN (voice-over): Chris Nguyen, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

SANCHEZ: Chris, thank you for that update.

Some 12 million people are expected to travel this Labor Day weekend and the summer long airport chaos is about to come to head.

WALKER: As airlines continue to make changes to customer service agreements in order to respond to cancellations and delays, it's looking to be a frustrating weekend for millions of vacationers. CNN's Pete Muntean has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With flight cancellations by the 1000s, passengers demanding refunds and pilots picketing at airports across the country. The Labor Day travel Rush is shaping up to be a dramatic end to a summer of travel struggles. On Tuesday alone, more than 800 flights were canceled nationwide, mostly for bad weather. The new summer long tally, more than 45,000 flights canceled by U.S. carriers since the start of June.

MELISSA HABEDANK, ALEXANDRA, VIRGINIA: Staggeringly frustrating because you can be there about ready to board and it's like, God, not again, really? Can't just something -- can something be on time?

MUNTEAN (voice-over): New tools for passengers are coming just in time for the holiday rush. The Department of Transportation is rolling out a new online dashboard, laying out what each airline owes you if you're delayed or canceled. The federal government has been flooded with complaints from Fed Up fliers up 270 percent in June compared to pre pandemic figures. Thirty-eight State attorneys general just wrote Congress to say an industry that received billions in federal pandemic aid has failed their customers.

PETE BUTTIGIEG, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: This summer too many flights have been delayed or canceled. MUNTEAN (voice-over): Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is getting some results from airlines. Many have now rewritten your tickets fine print in plain language. In some cases improving when you can get hotel and meal vouchers. On United Airlines you were entitled to a meal voucher after a four hour delay. But now it's after three hours.

HABEDANK: And a lot of the airlines have really upped their game and I think committed to some consumer protections in writing that they hadn't previously.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Pressure on the airlines is also coming from their workers. Off duty pilots from Delta, United, Spirit and American Airlines protested across the country Thursday insisting cancellations are the carrier's own creation and passengers are caught in the middle.

CAPT. WESLEY REED, AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION: We understand that frustration because we live it every day.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

MUNTEAN: Frustrations are high and so our ticket prices. Travel site Hopper says airfare has jumped 23 percent compared to the same weekend last year of 20 percent compared to the same weekend back in 2019. Before the pandemic. In all, Hopper anticipates 12.6 million Americans will travel domestically by air over the Labor Day weekend. Boris, Amara.

SANCHEZ: Our thanks to the mayor of DCA, Pete Muntean.

The U.S. added some 315,000 jobs last month, more than analysts expected, but it did mark another month of job gains slowing down.

WALKER: And while it may have been a slower month for hiring, the strong market to fight fears of a worsening economy hitting a 20th consecutive month of job growth. Here's CNN's Chief Business Correspondent Christine Romans to help us unpack the report.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Boris and Amara. The labor market remains strong as we head into the Labor Day holiday. But hiring slowed, employers added 315,000 jobs well below July's red hot 526,000 pace. Some three and a half million jobs added this year. And the hiring in August was broad based led by professional and business services, healthcare, retail and manufacturing.

The jobless rate rose to 3.7 percent. Why? Well, thanks to more people looking for work, that push something called the labor force participation rate up three tenths of a percent. All in all, a welcome normalization and what has been an anything but normal jobs market.

Remember, Fed Chief Jerome Powell said last week the labor market is, quote, "clearly out of balance with demand for workers substantially exceeding the supply of available workers." Key speeches from a key Fed governor and the Fed chief next week could provide get another snapshot into how aggressive the Fed will act when it meets in September. Boris, Amara.

WALKER: Christine, thank you.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves says state authorities are tracking a plane whose pilot is threatening to intentionally crash into a local Tupelo Walmart. Now, the Tupelo Walmart says the store is currently closed and has been evacuated. Police say they're speaking directly to the pilot and that all emergency services in the area are on alert.

[09:25:22]

SANCHEZ: And we've been tracking this breaking story for a few hours now. It is bizarre and officials say the pilot called 911 around 5:00 a.m. making the threat against the Walmart. The governor, Tate Reeves, is telling all residents to be on alert and aware of updates from the local police department.

We're of course going to keep monitoring the situation and bring you all the latest developments. Stay with CNN. We'll be right back.

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[09:30:00]

SANCHEZ: We're learning new details about the documents taken from Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate after a federal judge unsealed a detailed inventory of items from the search on August 8th. It shows that classified documents have been mixed in with personal items, including press clippings, clothing, even gifts. Federal investigators also retrieved more than 11,000 non-classified government documents. They found dozens of empty folders with classified banners, too.

The federal judge who released the inventory is now weighing Trump's request for a special master to review the documents. She has indicated she's inclined to grant that request.

Let's discuss the legal implications now with former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti. He's host of the "On Topic" podcast." Renato, thanks for sharing part of your Labor Day weekend with us. What stood out to you most from this inventory of the search at Mar-a- Lago?

RENATO MARIOTTI, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: Well, there's a couple things. You know, first of all, there's been a lot of discussion about this. There is a lot of folders of class -- you know, that were marked classified that don't have any documents inside of them. We don't know exactly what that means.

It could mean that the former president just was sloppy in terms of how he's keeping the records. It also could mean that there are some records missing. So I think there's certainly some questions raised there. You know, also I think you could see, Boris, from the search warrant that there's a lot of personal property that was seized in addition to the classified documents. And, you know, that was what the government was referencing in its filing about how some of the property was co- mingled with the classified documents shows the former president's personal handling of those classified documents. So I think that's ultimately, you know, going to be important evidence for the government.

SANCHEZ: We're still waiting for that judge to rule on Trump's request for a special master, basically a third party that can sift through the documents to see what is admissible, if there is a case, and what is not. I want to listen to what Trump's former attorney general Bill Barr had to say about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL BARR, FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL: I think that the whole idea of a special master is a bit of a red herring. At this stage since they have already gone through the documents, I think it's a waste of time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Do you agree with the former A.G.?

MARIOTTI: I do. I mean, the investigative teams already reviewed all the documents. So, at this stage I really don't understand what a special master is supposed to accomplish.

I understand that the Trump team may be doing that just to sort of potentially try to delay matters or score a point in court, but I really don't think it moves the ball forward for the defense. And I also don't think it accomplishes anything, you know, for the case more generally.

SANCHEZ: And what about -- you mentioned the empty folders with the classified -- Renato, is there a bird in that room?

MARIOTTI: There is. I apologize. My pet cockatiel is a little noisy. I gave her -- I gave her melon to keep her occupied but not enough.

SANCHEZ: Not a problem at all. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going crazy. So you mentioned the folders with the classified markings being among the things that were recovered. What did you make of the fact that there were all sorts of random stuff in there, too, the magazines, the gifts? That was unexpected.

MARIOTTI: Well, I think -- I think that's right. And I think it goes to show -- you know, as I was mentioning a moment ago, Boris, it goes to show the way in which these documents were kept. It goes to show who was the possessor and owner of these documents. You know, the fact that they're mixed in, let's say with passports, they're mixed in with "Time" magazine covers, you know, all of that will be shown in evidence at trial to show that the former president was the one who actually possessed these documents. It wasn't an aide off acting on their own without his authorization. It wasn't something where he had no idea what was in his office. He was personally handling these documents himself and he was the one who decided to keep them.

SANCHEZ: I also wanted to get your perspective on the appearance before a grand jury in D.C. of former Trump White House lawyers Pat Cipollone and Patrick Philbin. What's the significance of their appearance?

MARIOTTI: Well, I think it could be very significant. You know, all of us who watched the January 6th committee remember moments where Pat Cipollone was asked a question, he consulted with his lawyer and then he said it was privileged. All of those questions would be answered in front of the grand jury. The D.C. Circuit Case Law is very clear that grand jury proceeding trumps -- you know, the concerns of the grand jury can trump any concern of executive privilege or attorney/client privilege for a government lawyer in that context.

So I do think he'll answer all those questions. And usually in my experience people give very candid statements to their attorneys. They seek candid advice from their attorneys. And while Mr. Cipollone was an attorney for the office of the presidency, not for Trump personally, it's not clear to me that the former president understood that distinction and was being guarded in his statements to Mr. Cipollone.

[09:35:13]

SANCHEZ: A lot to parse through and plenty more likely still to come. Renato Mariotti, thanks so much. Enjoy your Labor Day weekend.

MARIOTTI: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Of course.

WALKER: CNN has uncovered the high cost of Texas Governor Greg Abbott's plan to bus migrants out of his state. Just how much it's costing taxpayers in Texas next.

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WALKER: Texas has bussed nearly 10,000 migrants to New York City, Washington, D.C. and Chicago in recent months. And those cities say it is creating a strain on their systems.

SANCHEZ: Texas Governor Greg Abbott says he's trying to highlight the Biden administration's failure to secure the southern border, facing criticism from some city leaders for his political motives.

[09:40:02]

CNN's Polo Sandoval joins us now live. Polo, what is CNN learning about the cost to Texas taxpayers of Governor Abbott's plan?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're learning that the number that was released by state authorities is likely even higher by now, Boris and Amara. This all started weeks ago when I turn to the Texas Division of Emergency Management and, basically, asked them how much the state of Texas has already spent since April to offer these free bus rides to migrants who have been processed by the Department of Homeland Security and free to travel throughout the country. And this number that you see here is what they responded with, $12.7 million. And if you see the data on top, August 9th, that means it's very likely that this number is extremely outdated by now. It's certainly higher seen we have seen those buses continue for the last three weeks or so.

And what's important to mention here is that these are rides that are being offered to migrants that are free to travel about the country. Typically they pay their own way. They're the ones who have to cover their plane ticket or their bus ticket. And so we have turned to Greg Abbott's office asking to see if it makes any financial sense at all.

They released a statement basically just touting their border seizure numbers and apprehensions but also taking some political jabs at President Biden. Greg Abbott's office writing, "Until President Biden and Congress do their jobs and secure our southern border, Texas will continue utilizing every strategy to address this border crisis and protect Texans."

Now, we should mention that not long after this statement was released, two buses pulled up to Chicago with just under 100 migrants. So it certainly hints that the governor of Texas is not done. We should, of course, note that Arizona has also sent buses with migrants to the northeast but a significantly smaller cost. And really I spoke to a migrant advocate, Boris and Amara, and they actually welcome the news as many migrants here are certainly looking for an opportunity to save on their bus and plane tickets.

WALKER: Yes. I'm sure. But, just in terms of New York, Polo, do we know how many migrants have been sent there by Governor Abbott?

SANDOVAL: Our colleague Priscilla Alvarez obtaining some fresh numbers here. We can put those up for our viewers and that will give you an idea of how many buses have actually gone from Texas to Washington, D.C., which started in April. New York which started four weeks ago today, now about 1,900. And Chicago just about 95 or so. The total, about 95 total people.

Now, that 1,900 number is really important here, Boris and Amara, because if you compare it to what I heard from one city official which is that 8,800 recently arrived asylum seekers have been processed through their New York City shelter system, that 1,900 is just a fraction. Still about well under 25 percent of the total migrants that we have received here in New York city, which means that a majority of those are making their way here to New York on their own, even before the Texas governor's antagonizing move.

SANCHEZ: Polo Sandoval, reporting from New York City. Thank you so much, Polo.

SANDOVAL: Thanks, guys. SANCHEZ: Of course. We have a quick programming note for you. Fareed Zakaria is exploring America's mass shooting epidemic by looking at how different countries around the world tackle the issue. "GLOBAL LESSONS ON GUNS, A FAREED ZAKARIA GPS SPECIAL" starts tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. right here on CNN.

WALKER: A mystery unfolding in Michigan. How did a missing voting machine end up being sold on eBay? A new CNN investigative report ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:47:55]

SANCHEZ: Police in Michigan are investigating how a voting machine used in the 2020 presidential election went missing and then was discovered for sale on eBay.

WALKER: Oh my goodness. Here is CNN's Donie O'Sullivan with the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Harri, what's in the box?

HARRI HURSTI, VOTING MACHINE EXPERT: That is a device, which can be configured either to be a voting machine, as a D.R.E or ballot marking device.

O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): This box should not be here on Harri Hursti's kitchen table in Connecticut.

HURSTI: Yes. I have been asked not to open it so that if it's a part of criminal investigation, it's preserved as evidence.

O'SULLIVAN: Hursti is an elections expert. He bought this voting machine for $1,200 on eBay.

EAN HUTCHISON, PURCHASED VOTING MACHINE FROM GOODWILL: As far as I was aware it was a completely legal sale on my end.

O'SULLIVAN: The eBay seller is Ean Hutchison, an Uber driver in Ohio.

(on camera): In your eBay ad you wrote Dominion ImageCast X Voting Machine from Michigan, own a piece of history. This voting machine was one of thousands used in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

(voice-over): But how did an Uber driver in Ohio get his hands on a Michigan voting machine? He bought it from Goodwill online.

HUTCHISON: I saw a listing for what looked like just an industrial touch screen computer. And I got looking through the pictures and in one of the pictures I saw on the bottom corner of the screen it said Dominion Voting. So I -- just on a whim bid on it and I was the only bidder and I won the auction.

O'SULLIVAN (on camera): So how much did you pay for the voting machine?

HUTCHISON: I paid $7.99.

HURSTI: I'm really surprised about this. I mean, $8.00. He made a good profit.

O'SULLIVAN: It turns out someone dropped the voting machine off at this Goodwill in northern Michigan. Who that person is remains a mystery, but the Goodwill put the voting machine for sale up on its Web site.

HUTCHISON: I wasn't even aware that they were supposed to be sold let alone donated to Goodwill.

HURSTI: It is shocking that only when we started asking, does it belong somewhere?

[09:50:00]

Only after that, did they realize it had been stolen.

O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): They, being the Michigan Secretary of State's office.

(on camera): One of Michigan's voting machine showed up on eBay.

JOCELYN BENSON (D), MICHIGAN SECRETARY OF STATE: Yes. We immediately referred it to law enforcement.

O'SULLIVAN: Clearly it has raised some issues of the chain of custody and how these machines are secured.

BENSON: We basically have 1,600 jurisdictions. Typically in between elections clerks have the responsibility of securing all election equipment and protecting it from attempts -- illegal attempts to access it by unauthorized individuals.

O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Michigan is one of several swing states where authorities are already investigating unauthorized access to voting systems by people who are trying to prove the false claim the 2020 election was stolen.

BENSON: There is a nationally coordinated effort to try to interfere with our elections that's manifesting itself at the local level incidents like this in Michigan. What you really have is individuals who don't seem to understand the technicalities of the election's process or election security, trying to gain access to machines to keep the misinformation alive.

O'SULLIVAN (on camera): What do you say to the voter who is skeptical, who is watching this and saying, they lost a voting machine in Michigan?

BENSON: Well, a couple of things. One, Michigan's elections are secured. Before every election we test every machine for accuracy. We've never seen, even with this unauthorized access to machines, any actual evidence of any challenges or wrongdoing or lack of security in the process.

O'SULLIVAN: And police, of course, now trying to figure out how that voting machine got to this Goodwill in Cadillac, Michigan. Goodwill telling us that they process thousands of items every week here in northern Michigan. It's not even clear really if Goodwill knew that this was actually a voting machine when they put it for sale on their Web site. It kind of looks like just a big monitor, a big screen.

Of course, lots of security concerns about this which is being investigated. But just a reminder, you never know what kind of deals you will find at a Goodwill or on eBay.

Donie O'Sullivan, CNN, Cadillac, Michigan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: What an incredible story, Donie. Thank you. Well, she's been a household name for more than two decades. And last night Serena Williams played what was likely her last match in front of a sold-out stadium. A look at her storied career and why she's one of the greatest athletes of all time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:56:47]

WALKER: She is considered by many to be the greatest tennis player of all time. Now Serena Williams has played what likely is the final professional match of her career.

SANCHEZ: After losing Friday night in the third round of the U.S. Open, here is what Serena said about what comes next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SERENA WILLIAMS, 23-TIME GRAND SLAM CHAMPION: For me, tennis has been such a huge part of my life. I can't imagine not being involved in tennis. I don't know what that involvement is yet. I don't see a future without it.

What's my involvement? I have no idea. But I think -- I think I'll be involved in some way or shape.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: I'm sure she will be. CNN's Don Riddell has a look back at Serena's remarkable journey to her decade-long dominance.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DON RIDDELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When you're a tough athlete, the whole world knows your name. When you're one of the best of all time, they'll know you by just one name, Serena. She's come a long, long way from the bubbly teenager who burst onto the scene in the late 1990s. Following in the trail of her older sister Venus Serena was never short on confidence. WILLIAMS: I've always expected the best for myself, always expected that I was going to be the best player, I was going to go out there and do good.

RIDDELL (on camera): Do you feel ready for all the stardom that's sure to follow if you continue in the way you have so far?

WILLIAMS: I know I'm ready for it, because if I wasn't ready, then maybe I should have stopped a little while back.

RIDDELL (voice-over): Serena played her first professional match at the age of just 14 and was a Grand Slam champion three years later. Her first coach might have been unorthodox, but father Richard had created a world-beater.

WILLIAMS: I think my dad was a really innovative coach, I mean, even to the way we hit our strokes. It was something new coming into the tennis scene. And what's interesting about that is, it really developed my hands. Like, I see the ball so fast. Like, when I come to the net you can fire a ball at me, I get it back.

RIDDELL: Twice she's held all four major titles at the same time and she's also won four gold medals at the Olympics. She's faced numerous challenges along the way, not least the whiff of racism, and she almost died from a pulmonary embolism in 2011. She faced similar complications after the birth of daughter Alexis Olympia.

She began her career in the era of Steffi Graf and Monica Seles, and has long outlasted her peers like Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters. Even when talking to us back in 2015, she was able to recognize that her longevity was remarkable.

WILLIAMS: I think it just boils down to me being good at what I do. Yes, I'm 33, but if you look at it this way and you go to a doctor and you tell your doctor, "Oh, I'm 33." He's like, "Oh, you're really young." And then you're like in the sport, you're like -- oh, you're -- you know, a vintage.

RIDDELL: But even the great Serena Williams can't outrun Father Time. Olympia's mom would like to have another baby and there is seemingly no longer room for tennis. The 23-time Grand Slam winner has dominated and transcended her sport and is now evolving to the next stage of her life and career.

[10:00:01]

But whatever happens next nobody would do it quite like her. There will only ever be one Serena Williams.